Chapter 119: Searching for the Household Register

Facing Xu An’an’s sarcastic barbs, Xu Wanwan was absolutely livid. Her eyes bulged with rage, looking as if she were ready to devour her alive. In the past, she had always held the upper hand over Xu An’an, and whenever the family had anything good, it was always reserved for her first. How dare Xu An’an have the money to buy such expensive things now! More importantly, she had never even tasted them herself!

"What is there to show off!"

"Are you spending your own money? What's there to be proud of in spending a man's money? If you're so capable, spend your own!"

As if hearing a ridiculous joke, the cold light in Xu An’an’s eyes made it seem as though she were looking at a stray dog. A mocking sneer played at the corners of her delicate, slender brows.

"Being able to get a man to spend money on me is also a kind of skill. As for you, you’ve never even earned a single cent on your own. Is being a parasite more fulfilling? In that case, I truly feel inferior."

Stung by Xu An’an’s biting sarcasm, Xu Wanwan wanted nothing more than to pounce on her and claw at that pretty face. Shen Ying pulled Xu Wanwan back tightly. "Enough, enough! Your father is still working in the study. If you disturb him, just see how he deals with both of you."

She glanced at the crate of lobster and abalone, craving them just as much. "An’an, since it’s rare for you to come home, let the maid handle these. We’ll call you down to eat once they're ready."

A flash of craftiness crossed Xu An’an’s eyes. "Alright then, I’ll leave it to Auntie Li and wait for the meal in the living room."

The mother and daughter were already hatching their own schemes, planning to sneak a few bites while the food was being prepared. To their surprise, Xu An’an’s next sentence dismantled their plans. "Let’s call Dad down to have a late-night snack together."

Caught off guard by this suggestion, Shen Ying and Xu Wanwan both froze. Thinking of their earlier intent to steal a taste, a wave of embarrassment washed over them. Still, this was fine; at least they could eat openly. Seeing the mother and daughter head to the living room to watch television, Xu An’an curled her lips slightly and decided to wait patiently.

Once the snack was nearly ready, Xu An’an excused herself to the restroom. Shen Ying immediately stretched her neck to peek, only relaxing once she was certain Xu An’an had actually gone to the restroom; she was terrified that Xu An’an might try something behind their backs. However, this was the Xu household, and everyone here took her orders.

"Madam, the snack is ready," Auntie Li announced.

Xu Wanwan rushed to the dining room, only to find Xu An’an already seated there, leisurely eating a lobster and sipping fresh orange juice. Xu Wanwan scoffed, rolled up her sleeves, and grabbed a lobster for herself. "Auntie Li, pour me a glass of orange juice, too!"

Shen Ying thought the pairing sounded good and told Auntie Li to pour two more glasses. Upon hearing there was good food, Father Xu stopped hiding in his study like a turtle. He smiled broadly, "An’an, did the Second Master send this over?"

Xu An’an smiled but remained silent. Assuming she was too busy eating to talk, Father Xu didn't press the matter. He buried his head in his meal, taking occasional sips of the orange juice. Soon, the entire pitcher was empty. Xu Wanwan ordered Auntie Li to prepare another one. Auntie Li hesitated, knowing the juice had been prepared by Xu An’an, but she headed to the kitchen to avoid Shen Ying’s reprimand. It took some time before she returned with the fresh pitcher.

Watching this, Xu An’an found it amusing. "Drink some milk, it helps with sleep," Shen Ying said, repeating her usual tactic and ordering someone to prepare milk for Xu An’an.

Xu An’an waved her hand dismissively and yawned. "I already had a glass, and now I’m very sleepy, so I’m going upstairs to bed."

Shen Ying looked at Auntie Li. Auntie Li wasn't entirely sure if Xu An’an had actually finished her glass, but fearing Shen Ying’s wrath, she simply nodded.

"I’m so sleepy, too," Xu Wanwan said, rubbing her eyes and heading to her room with a hiccup. Shen Ying also felt drowsy, though she attributed it to the heavy meal raising her blood sugar, combined with the fact that it was her usual bedtime. Father Xu abandoned his study and followed Shen Ying back to their room.

Past ten o’clock that night, the entire Xu household fell silent. A dark shadow flickered through the halls. Xu An’an crept to the door of Father Xu and Shen Ying’s bedroom, gently turned the handle, and pushed the door open. She could hear the sound of snoring inside.

She had spiked the orange juice with a significant dose of sleeping pills. Of course, the glass she had consumed was clean; she had only performed the act for Shen Ying’s benefit, knowing how suspicious her stepmother could be. Xu An’an recalled accidentally overhearing Father Xu and Shen Ying mentioning that the household registration booklet and property deeds were locked in a safe. She searched for a while until she finally discovered the safe in the wardrobe.

It required a six-digit code. Without hesitation, Xu An’an entered Father Xu’s birthday, knowing his passwords were always simplistic and that he was, by nature, selfish and predictable.

*Click.*

The code was correct. Xu An’an opened the safe and took out the items one by one, but the household registration booklet was missing, which left her incredibly agitated. She feared Father Xu might have already handed it over to the Jiang family.

The Jiang family’s influence in Shanghai was such that they didn't even need both parties present to process a marriage certificate through a few simple procedures. Xu An’an ransacked the entire room but found nothing. After searching until the middle of the night, she left empty-handed; she dared not stay the night in the Xu house.

Just as Xu An’an stepped out of the Xu residence, the main road was cold and deserted. Suddenly, a car pulled up beside her. The window rolled down, revealing Qi Xize. He had been heading to a bar to meet friends when he caught sight of a captivating figure from afar. He had intended to flirt, but he hadn't expected it to be Xu An’an.

"Miss Xu, why are you out on the streets so late? Why don't I give you a ride home?"

In truth, several men had been following her from a distance, and Xu An’an had already been prepared to call the police. Qi Xize’s arrival allowed her to finally let her guard down. She quickly sat in the passenger seat and gave him the address of her apartment.

"Thank you."

"Oh, don't mention it. You and... well, cough, anyway, we’re all friends. Besides, it’s not safe for a girl to be walking alone this late." Qi Xize wasn't sure about the current status between Xu An’an and Jiang Li, so he didn't reveal his relationship with the latter.

Xu An’an glanced in the rearview mirror and noticed those men had emerged, staring at their car with an unconcealed, lingering resentment. A wave of fear washed over her. Further down the road, the streetlights were broken. Had she walked that stretch alone, those men lurking in the shadows would surely have dragged her into the nearby park without a second thought.

Noticing her gaze, Qi Xize looked in the mirror as well. He immediately understood the situation, thinking to himself that he would have to tell Jiang Li about this later—how could he be so careless as to let his precious woman walk the streets at night? Could it be that the two of them had fought?

After dropping Xu An’an off at her apartment building, Qi Xize immediately called Jiang Li to recount what had happened. "How about that? It’s a good thing I was there, aren't you going to thank me?"

"Which stretch of road?"

"Qingshan Road, I think."

A second later, Jiang Li hung up the phone. He immediately ordered his men to handle the situation and hurried upstairs to find Xu An’an. To his surprise, he found her standing right outside the door.