Su Ding looked at Shao Zhenggang in confusion, "What do you mean by this?"
Shao Zhenggang quickly explained, "Xiao Xu, please don't misunderstand. This money, of which one hundred thousand yuan, is from me returning your two million yuan on behalf of Xiao Jun. Dad knows he was wrong last time and shouldn't have not told you and then invited your grandma and uncles."
"You're willing to repay his debt for him?"
Su Ding was stunned, then smiled, "He owes money, and you repay the debt. You're truly his good second uncle."
Shao Zhenggang's face turned a little pale. Just as he was about to say something, Su Ding said, "I don't want the money, take it back. I'll drive you back."
"Xiao Xu, Dad isn't trying to protect them, Dad has his reasons."
Shao Zhenggang anxiously explained, "You don't know yet, but your uncles have already borrowed money. They'll soon get that five million yuan project, and the Shao family's market value will rise by several notches. Also, your third aunt got an invitation for your grandma yesterday, and tonight she'll attend an important socialite banquet. If she makes connections with upper-class people..."
With Shao Zhenggang's expression, his anxiety was evident.
Su Ding frowned, now understanding Shao Zhenggang's thoughts. "Okay, I understand, but you're worrying too much. I don't rely on the Shao family for anything, so it doesn't matter what they do."
"Sigh, it's not like that, Xiao Xu..."
Shao Zhenggang was about to say more but was interrupted by Su Ding, who said, "Alright, I'll drive you back. Go back and warn Shao Jun that if he investigates me again, I won't be polite."
With that, she sped up and drove towards the Shao family's residence.
On the way, they happened to pass a commercial street in the old town, and a familiar aroma wafted in through the car window.
"Xiao Xu..."
Shao Zhenggang, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke, a look of nostalgia on his face.
Su Ding also remembered. This commercial street had been around for over twenty years. When they were still a happy family in her childhood, Shao Zhenggang often took her out to eat snacks.
Especially a particular shop selling *you tang gao* (a type of steamed cake). Su Ding would always clamor for it almost every time the family went out.
However, after growing up, Su Ding rarely came here. Even when she did, she didn't have the mood to eat such things.
"What's wrong?" Su Ding asked, feigning calmness.
"You... No, I want to eat that *you tang gao*. Do you remember? The one you liked so much when you were little. The smell is very similar, I wonder if that shop is still there."
Shao Zhenggang's eyes were full of nostalgia, and he looked at Su Ding with hopeful eyes, cautiously asking, "Can we?"
Su Ding took a deep breath. "Okay, wait for me in the car."
She got out of the car and followed the smell into a familiar alley.
This place was no longer what it used to be; many shops had changed hands several times. However, to her surprise, that shop was still there.
Yet, in front of the familiar old shop, a luxury car was parked, and many people were gathered around.
"Your daughter is clumsy and can't even hold a sugar cake steady. She got my son's new shoes dirty. Can you afford to pay for it!"
"Don't think you can play the victim just because you're crying. I don't fall for that!"
"Get lost! Don't touch my son!"
A young woman's sharp voice, accompanied by a girl's crying and a woman's pleading, could be heard.
Su Ding didn't want to join the commotion, but the voices of both parties were very familiar. The one pleading sounded like Xie Shanshan's cousin?
She moved closer to the crowd and indeed saw Liang Tian.
Liang Tian, holding a little girl, was desperately pleading, "I'm sorry, miss. We really don't have that much money... How about I take the shoes to the dry cleaner?"
The little girl was crying her eyes out, her wrinkled dress covered in dust.
The beautiful woman, dressed in branded clothing, holding a little boy, haughtily raised her chin. "I don't care if you have money or not. My son's shoes cost fifty thousand yuan. Pay up quickly!"
"Otherwise, you'll kowtow to us in public until I'm satisfied. You choose?"
The beautiful woman looked arrogantly at the mother and daughter in front of her, showing no mercy.
The onlookers felt a pang of sympathy. Seeing that the mother and daughter on the ground clearly had no money, the woman in the luxury car was too humiliating.
But now, paying off debts was only right and proper; no one could do anything.
Liang Tian gritted her teeth in humiliation. She had never experienced such disgrace before, but what could she do now?
Perhaps this was heaven's punishment for her.
If she hadn't been infatuated with money and impersonated Su Ding to sleep with Wang Yan, her husband wouldn't have coveted her money, then dumped her, leaving her with nothing.
"Mommy... *whimpers*..." Her daughter, scared and terrified, snuggled into her arms, crying uncontrollably.
Liang Tian gritted her teeth, holding back tears in her eyes, and whispered, "Baby, cover your eyes and stand aside."
The daughter sobbed, afraid to move.
Liang Tian hardened her heart and said, "Hurry!"
Just as her daughter was about to go, scared, the woman in the luxury car sneered, "I didn't say only you have to kneel! That little bastard has to kneel too!"
Liang Tian's expression instantly turned angry. She didn't want her daughter to see her mother being humiliated, but this woman just wouldn't let her go!
"You're going too far!" Liang Tian said, filled with grief and indignation.
"Heh, you don't have to kneel, just pay me fifty thousand, or don't blame me for calling the police!"
The woman in the luxury car said stubbornly, "I don't have that much time for you. Ten minutes, and if you don't pay, I'll call the police."
Liang Tian clenched her fists tightly, her heart filled with struggle.
She could kneel, but her daughter couldn't. It would cause serious harm to her young mind.
At this moment, a familiar figure walked out from the crowd.
"I'll pay for her."
Su Ding stepped forward and helped the mother and daughter on the ground up.
When Liang Tian saw Su Ding, she was first startled, then her face showed shame. The only thing she had done wrong in her life was wronging Su Ding.
When the woman in the luxury car heard the voice and looked up at Su Ding, her expression instantly turned shocked.
"Shao Xu?" she exclaimed in surprise.
Hearing this name, Su Ding also frowned and looked at the woman. Through her exquisite makeup, she could vaguely recognize the person's appearance, a long-lost familiarity.
She searched her memory for a long time and finally recognized the identity of the person in front of her.
"Zhu Lan?"