“This is my first time drinking this,” the bridesmaids said one after another.
“Eat more if you like it. I don’t know when we’ll be here again,” Lin Ziqi said.
“Will you come back for the post-wedding visit tomorrow?” Xu Lili asked.
“Brother Hui mentioned it. We’ll decide tomorrow.
There are still things to handle at the shop. Are you coming back tomorrow?”
“Director Guo informed me in advance.”
“Mm. Eat quickly, it’s getting late.”
The group ate quickly and rushed back before seven o’clock.
Upon arriving at Xiao Li’s doorstep, they noticed something was wrong. A young man in his twenties was sobbing uncontrollably.
Lin Ziqi walked closer and saw it was Xiao Li’s younger brother, Xiao Mingliang.
“Mingliang, what’s wrong?”
“Sister Qiqi, I’ve failed my sister,” Xiao Mingliang choked out.
“What’s going on? Weren’t you working elsewhere?
How could you fail your sister?
You’re all grown up, why are you crying like this?”
“I lost my sister’s jewelry.”
“What did you say? I don’t understand.
You weren’t back yet, how could you have lost your sister’s jewelry?”
“I’ve been back for two days. I was tricked.”
“Speak properly. Start from the beginning, don’t just blurt things out.”
“My mom called me saying my sister was getting married and asked me to come back. I returned the day before yesterday.
As soon as I arrived, I ran into a friend who dragged me to an underground casino to gamble.
Not only did I lose all the money I brought, but I also borrowed a hundred thousand yuan at usurious interest.
I didn’t dare to tell my family, so I secretly sneaked back last night and pawned my sister’s necklace.
I got two hundred thousand for it, but I lost it all again.”
“What did you say? You lost your sister’s necklace. When did this happen?” Lin Ziqi was stunned.
“Last night.”
“How did we not know?”
“You were all asleep.”
“Do you know how much that necklace is worth? You only got two hundred thousand for it.
Tell me where it is, and I’ll give you two million to redeem it quickly.”
“Ah? Two million? These scoundrels!” Xiao Mingliang cursed through clenched teeth.
“Don’t curse yet. Go redeem it quickly. Your brother-in-law and them will be here soon.
Don’t you dare gamble again. I’ll transfer the money to you. You go redeem that necklace immediately.
Don’t say too much, don’t argue with anyone, understand?
Today is your sister’s big day, and she’s waiting for you to send her off.”
“Okay, Sister Qiqi, I’m going now.”
Xiao Mingliang turned and ran out after Lin Ziqi transferred the money to him.
“Wait a moment. Lili, you go with him. Make sure you redeem that necklace.
If, and I mean if, those people refuse, don’t argue. Just come back. We’ll figure it out later.”
Lin Ziqi called Xiao Mingliang back and specifically instructed Xu Lili.
“Okay, Qiqi. This guy is truly a prodigal son,” Xu Lili said with annoyance.
“Come with me. You sit in the front and guide the way.”
After watching Xu Lili and Xiao Mingliang leave, Lin Ziqi walked into the courtyard.
She found Xiao Li’s mother wiping away tears.
“Auntie, no one could have predicted this.
This morning I was still asking Xiao Li why Mingliang hadn’t come back.
Don’t be angry, Auntie. Today is a joyous occasion. You need to send Xiao Li off happily.”
“Xiao Li just had a tantrum and hit Xiao Liang out with a stick.”
“I’ll go in and see. Please don’t be upset anymore.”
Lin Ziqi said as she entered Xiao Li’s room.
She saw that Xiao Li’s hair was disheveled, and her face was pale with anger.
The makeup artist was trying to pacify her.
“It’s okay, don’t be angry. It’s not a big deal.
Just consider it a lesson learned. After all, he’s your own brother.”
“I’ve never seen such a wasteful son. So young, and what bad habits did he pick up?
He learned to gamble, and then he learned to steal.
Can you not be angry?” Xiao Li said indignantly.
“You’re not upset about the necklace, are you?”
“It’s hard to say I’m not heartbroken. Something worth hundreds of millions was pawned for a mere two hundred thousand. I’ve never seen such extravagance.”
“Alright, alright. Sister, quickly help the bride redo her hair and touch up her makeup.
The groom will be here soon.”
Lin Ziqi quickly urged the makeup artist to get to work.
While they were busy tidying up the makeup, Xu Lili followed Xiao Mingliang to a mahjong parlor.
The mahjong parlor was a detached three-story house.
The first floor had a living room, kitchen, and dining room. The second floor had about ten rooms, each furnished with mahjong tables or round tables.
“Brother Li, I’m here to redeem the necklace I left here.”
Xiao Mingliang said to a bald man wearing a green military coat.
“Oh, brother, you’ve managed to gather the money so quickly? But the necklace has already been sold,” the bald man said.
“Brother Li, we agreed I’d redeem it when I returned. Why did you sell it?”
“Brother, you got twenty thousand yuan from me.
To be frank, you sold me that necklace for twenty thousand.
What I do with it is my business, and you have no right to question me.”
“Brother Li, that was my sister’s dowry.
Tell me who bought the necklace, and I’ll find them to redeem it.”
“Brother, how much are you prepared to pay to redeem it?”
Just as Xiao Mingliang was about to speak, Xu Lili pulled him aside.
“Sir, this young brother of mine is ignorant and stole his sister’s dowry.
Now that she’s getting married soon, please give us a price to help get it back. We would be eternally grateful.”
“This beauty is quite unfamiliar. May I ask what your relationship is with this young brother?”
“I’m a friend of his sister. You know, my sister is getting married, so I’ve come to help.”
“And how much is this beauty prepared to pay to redeem the necklace?”
“Sir, please name your price. As long as it’s not too outrageous, I will gladly pay. After all, it is my sister’s dowry.”
“Beauty, the necklace has already been bought by someone.
It’s not that I don’t want to help you, but I don’t know where that buyer is either,” the bald man said, glancing at a young man at a mahjong table.
“Tiger, why are you wasting words with them?
If you can come up with thirty million, I’ll give you the necklace immediately,” the young man said.
If Guo Xuyang were present, he would have recognized this man.
He was Wang Jun, the son of Wang Erkang, the director of the Maicheng bureau, who had harassed Lin Ziqi at the bar before.
As for how he ended up here, it was because after returning from overseas, he had been trying every means to find Guo Xuyang’s whereabouts.
Unexpectedly, he found out about Xiao Li’s home and learned that she was getting married soon.
So, he hired someone to set a trap specifically for Xiao Li’s brother, Xiao Mingliang.
He hadn’t expected to catch such a big fish.