The private room was silent, the atmosphere eerily chilling.
He never expected that a brief, impulsive embrace from Lin Jing would cause such a huge misunderstanding with Xia Xueqing.
For a moment, he didn't know how to explain to everyone present.
Upon hearing her sister's words, Xia Yuqing's mind buzzed, her consciousness going blank.
The last time she visited the shop, she had noticed that the two female employees at Song Qiao's establishment were young and attractive.
Seeing that Song Qiao seemed to have a good relationship with them, she had felt a pang of discomfort back then. However, she had been so utterly disappointed with Song Qiao that she had no energy to care about such things.
She never imagined Song Qiao would truly be entangled with female employees behind her back, and an inexplicable sense of grievance welled up within her.
Her disappointment with her husband had always stemmed from his idleness, his gambling addiction, and his complete disregard for their daughter's well-being.
Now, just as he was showing some improvement, he was doing such things behind her back.
She suspected that his recent attentiveness towards her and their daughter was merely a way to assuade his guilt.
Finally gathering her courage, she looked up at Song Qiao with anger.
"Is what Xueqing said true?"
Her tone was surprisingly calm.
"Wife, please let me explain, Xueqing has truly misunderstood me."
Seeing his wife's state, Song Qiao was immediately alarmed and rushed to explain.
In his past life, when their daughter Xi Xi was thrown from the rooftop by Duan Kun, his wife had displayed this same state of profound despair.
"Hmph, you're just trying to quibble. I saw it with my own eyes, so don't even think about denying it," Xia Xueqing interjected with a cold snort, cutting off Song Qiao.
"He always brags about how much money he makes outside, but only brings home a thousand or two each time, yet he hasn't redeemed the house. I suspect he's been keeping women behind my sister's back with that money."
"Enough!" Xia Xueqing, you shut up first." The mother-in-law slammed the table and roared at her younger daughter.
Then, she turned her face and cast a resentful glance at Song Qiao.
"Xiao Song, you continue. I expect a reasonable explanation from you for this matter."
Her voice was laced with suppressed fury.
As the celebratory dinner was about to fall apart.
Song Qiao stood up and said in a deep voice, "I have not done anything to betray my wife as Xueqing suspects. The reason we embraced this morning was because we made money."
He met Xia Yuqing's gaze without flinching and said, word for word, "I swear on my life that what I'm telling you is the truth. Please believe me."
Xi Xi, sitting beside them, was stunned by the scene. The little girl had been happy to have dinner with her parents, but the atmosphere had become so tense before it even began.
As a child, she couldn't interject in adult matters, and each time she tried to speak, her grandfather stopped her.
For some reason, Xia Yuqing felt a wave of relief after hearing Song Qiao's explanation.
The strength she had been maintaining wavered, and her eyes unexpectedly welled up with tears.
"Tsk, what's the use of all these sweet words? We don't even know how much money you made, and you're embracing each other in public to celebrate?"
Xia Xueqing's untimely voice rang out again.
"If you're so capable, show us the deed to the house you gambled away right now!"
As if fearing Song Qiao would continue to make excuses, Xia Xueqing unleashed her trump card.
After all, regarding the deed to the house, Song Qiao himself knew he was in the wrong. Every time she used this to corner him, he was left speechless.
Xia Xueqing's repeated provocations finally made Song Qiao unable to suppress his anger.
"Shut up, Xia Xueqing. I've always treated you like a sister and tolerated your behavior.
"I never expected you to become increasingly out of line. Have I been too lenient with you?"
Song Qiao's tone was cold and devoid of emotion, his gaze like a knife sweeping over Xia Xueqing.
The usually arrogant Xia Xueqing shivered uncontrollably.
For a moment, she dared not argue with Song Qiao.
"Let me tell you the truth. The reason I invited our family out for dinner today is because I have already retrieved the deed from Duan Kun."
With that, he took the deed out of his pocket and threw it onto the table.
A strange silence fell over the room once more.
Everyone was stunned by Song Qiao's outburst and didn't immediately react to look at the property deed.
After saying this, Song Qiao turned to Xia Yuqing again and said earnestly, "I told you, I will do what I promise you, and I will continue to do so now and in the future!"
...
"Hmph, thirty thousand yuan is no small sum. Where did you get it?" Xia Xueqing's demeanor had clearly weakened, but she still pressed Song Qiao, "I don't believe thirty thousand yuan is that easy to earn. I bet you went gambling again."
Xia Xueqing continued to argue unreasonably.
Without any evidence, she immediately suspected Song Qiao.
Song Qiao was amused by Xia Xueqing's logic. Just moments ago, this woman had complained that he earned too little, bringing home only a thousand or two each time. Now that he had produced the deed, she had changed her tune and accused him of being addicted to gambling.
At this point, he was too lazy to explain anything to her.
After all, everyone present could see clearly that Xia Xueqing was clearly in the wrong. Arguing with her further would be beneath him.
"You don't need to be too smug. There are wins and losses in gambling. Your recent luck in winning back the deed doesn't mean you won't lose it all again."
Seeing that Song Qiao wasn't refuting her, Xia Xueqing, thinking she had hit a nerve, continued to taunt him.
After speaking, she even glanced triumphantly at her gloomy sister.
She couldn't help but believe that her sister also accepted her speculation.
"Xia Xueqing, don't go too far. I told you I didn't go gambling. If you don't believe me, you can investigate. Don't spout nonsense without any evidence."
Even a clay figurine has three parts of fire. Facing the unreasonable Xia Xueqing, Song Qiao couldn't help but slam the table.
"Xueqing, say a little less. Your brother-in-law got the deed back today, which is a happy occasion. Don't let your willfulness spoil everyone's mood."
The father-in-law, who had been silent, saw that his younger daughter had clashed with Song Qiao and quickly tried to smooth things over.
"But..." Xia Xueqing was completely blinded by anger and was about to say something else when there was a sudden "knock knock" at the door.