The “rosewood” furniture set in the living room has a glossy finish at first glance.

From a distance, it looks quite realistic.

But I worked as a quality inspector at a furniture company for five years, and I can tell just by touching it.

The density is wrong, the wood grain is wrong, and the smell is wrong too.

Pear blossom wood always has a subtle sandalwood scent.

And this one… all I can smell is paint and glue.

I opened the wardrobe door, and the smell inside was even stronger.

For//maldeh//yde.

I tapped lightly on the cabinet door with my knuckle; it was hollow.

Medium-density fiberboard, with an outer layer of wood veneer, then coated with three coats of antique-style paint.

Try searching on Taobao; a whole set of these “imitation rosewood” sets costs no more than 30,000 yuan.

Thirty thousand.

Compared to eight hundred thousand, the difference is seven hundred and seventy thousand.

I checked all twelve items again.

Without exception.

There wasn’t a single item engraved with the word “Sugar” by my grandmother either.

The sound of a key turning in the lock echoed.

Fang Zhiyuan has returned.

He was carrying two cups of milk tea and, smiling, handed one to me.

“How do you like your new house?”

I received the cup of bubble tea but didn’t drink it.

“Chi Vien, are these pieces of furniture part of your dowry?”

He paused for a moment, then quickly smiled.

“If it’s not yours, then whose is it?”

“I felt it, and there’s no sign of Grandma’s name carved underneath.”

The smile on Fang Zhiyuan’s face faded for half a second.

Just half a second.

He put the milk tea down, walked over to the Eight Immortals table, squatted down, and took a look.

“That inscription my grandmother carved? It must have been worn away when we moved.”

“All twelve items were worn away?”

“Those guys from the moving company are really clumsy, you know that.”

He stood up and brushed the dust off his hands.

The voice was so soft, as if nothing had happened.

“I’ll find them another day to demand compensation.”

I have nothing more to say.

On the day of the move, he insisted on contacting the moving company himself.

I said I’d arrange it, and he replied:

“You rest, I’ll take care of it.”

At the time, I even found him thoughtful.

Thinking back now, my stomach suddenly feels a pang of bitterness.

That evening, Liu Guilan’s mother-in-law called.

“Tang Tang, are you getting used to your new home?”

“It’s alright, Mom.”

“Is the furniture set ready? Your grandmother’s old clothes are very precious, be careful not to bump them.”

She deliberately added one more sentence.

It’s as if they were afraid I wouldn’t notice.

It’s like confirming something.

I gripped the phone tightly, my voice remaining calm.

“Everything’s set up, everything’s fine.”

After hanging up the phone, I walked over to the long table.

A genuine pearwood tabletop must be at least two centimeters thick.

I took out my phone, turned on the flashlight, and shone it on the back of the table.

The seams of the veneers are clearly visible under the light.

One edge of the wood was warped, revealing the grayish-white core inside.

I gently pressed the veneer down.

Press very gently.

That night, lying in bed, Fang Zhiyuan fell into a deep sleep.

I stared at the ceiling for a long time.

The move was three days ago.

These counterfeit items were already here three days ago.

So where are my twelve real belongings…?

Fang Zhiyuan tossed and turned, muttering something in his sleep.

I couldn’t hear clearly.

But then I suddenly remembered a detail.

On the afternoon of the move, he received a phone call and went out onto the balcony to talk for about five minutes.

When I went back inside, I asked who called.

He said: the moving company was asking for directions.

But the moving company’s truck remained parked downstairs, never leaving.

02

I didn’t make a fuss.

The next morning, after Fang Zhiyuan went to work, I asked for half a day off.

First, contact a moving company.

The company he hired was called “Thuan Dat Moving Company,” and their business card was still in the drawer.

I called, and a middle-aged man answered the phone.

“Is that Ms. Khuong? I remember now, Mr. Phuong booked an appointment a week in advance.”

“One week?”

“That’s right. He said he had to go to two places: first to the warehouse to pick up a shipment, and then to her mother’s house to collect her dowry.”

Two places.

I bit my lip and said nothing.

“Ms. Khương? Are you still there?”

“It’s still there. Where is that warehouse?”

“Let me check… No. 7 Hoanh Dat Street, an old factory renovated into a warehouse. When our workers arrived, there was already a set of furniture inside, and Mr. Phuong told us to deliver it straight to the newlyweds’ house.”

No. 7 Hoanh Dat Street.

I hung up the phone, my fingertips icy cold.

He had prepared the fake furniture a week in advance.

So what about the real one…?

I took a deep breath and made another phone call.

Lam Kha.

My college roommate has now opened a rosewood furniture store in the south of the city.

“Sister Đường, what’s wrong?”

“Help me look into something. In the last month, has anyone sold a complete set of Burmese rosewood furniture? Twelve pieces, a set of antique furniture like the Eight Immortals style table, the Grand Master chairs, the long table… that kind of antique.”

“The whole set? A large order like this is sure to be known by someone in the industry.”

“Please ask her for me.”

“Did something happen to your department?”

I didn’t answer.

Lin Ke didn’t ask any further questions.

She said:

“Give me two days.”

I stood in front of the apartment complex gate; the March wind was still a little chilly.

I remember my grandmother.

That furniture set was something she collected piece by piece when she was young.

She was a teacher, her monthly salary wasn’t high, and when she set her sights on a Grand Tutor’s chair, she had to save up for half a year to buy it.

It took her nearly twenty years to gather all twelve items.

She passed away last year, leaving all that furniture to me.

She took my hand and said:

“Tang Tang, Grandma doesn’t have anything valuable, just these old things. You keep them.”

“Later, if things don’t go well, selling them will be enough for you to start over.”

At the time, I laughed and told her she was overthinking things.

Looking back now, she had everything planned out for me.

I just didn’t expect this…

The person who stole them was the very man my husband had personally chosen.

That evening, Fang Zhiyuan took his mother-in-law, Liu Guilan, to their new home.

Liu Guilan walked around the living room, her eyes scanning each piece of furniture.

That wasn’t an appreciative look.

It’s an inspection.

“Hmm, that looks pretty good.”

She patted the armrest of the Grand Tutor’s chair.

The fingertip paused on the paint for a second.

For a split second, her expression was one of complete satisfaction.

Not satisfied with the interior.

Rather, they were satisfied with the substitution.

I poured her a cup of tea.

“Mom, please have a seat.”

“Tang Tang is really understanding.”

She smiled and accepted it.

I laughed too.

While Phương Chí Viễn was warming up food in the kitchen, her mother-in-law leaned closer and lowered her voice.

“Tang Tang, if your grandmother’s furniture is well preserved, it could be passed down through generations.”

“Yes.”

“Later, you and Chi Vien should live well; these things are all your assets.”

She said, “It’s for the two of you.”

It’s not “mine”.

I lowered my head and drank my tea, without responding.

Fang Zhiyuan brought the food out.

The three of us sat around that fake Eight Immortals table and ate a meal.

After the meal, my mother-in-law left.

Fang Zhiyuan washed the dishes, and I wiped the table.

As I wiped the edge of the table, my hand paused for a moment.

There was a very shallow chip in the corner of the table.

A chip caused by impact on plywood is completely different from a chip in rosewood.

Rosewood will dent upon impact, but its surface will not splinter.

As for plywood, when it comes into contact with something, the surface layer will peel off at the edges.

This chip… the veneer is peeling off.

I used a towel to cover that area up.

Fang Zhiyuan, standing behind, said:

“Honey, I’ve finished washing the dishes.”

I responded with a sound.

“YES.”

He didn’t know.

His wife has been working as a quality control inspector for five years.

I have handled over a thousand pieces of rosewood furniture.

I can tell the difference between the real and the fake with my eyes closed.

03

For the next three days, I went to work as usual and came home as usual.

She still smiled at Fang Zhiyuan as before.

He didn’t notice anything unusual.

Or rather, he had never thought in that direction.

In his eyes, I’m the kind of wife who isn’t too petty.

During our two years of dating, I agreed to everything he asked.

Everything related to the wedding, from choosing the date to booking the hotel, was decided by his mother; I never once argued with her.

Even the topic of dowry was something I initiated.

“My grandmother left me a set of rosewood furniture, which fits perfectly in our new house.”

His eyes at that moment…

Looking back now, there was a glimmer of light in it.

Not touching.

It’s about calculation.

On Wednesday, Lin Ke called me.

“We found out.”

I went down to the flowerbeds on the ground floor of the company building and sat down.

“Go ahead and speak.”

“In the east of the city, there’s an old man named Hu who specializes in trading antique rosewood furniture. Last month, he bought a complete set of twelve pieces of Burmese rosewood furniture, in excellent condition, and even with hand-carved inscriptions.”

Hand-engraved lettering.

“What text is engraved?”

“The character ‘Tang’ (meaning ‘Road’). Old Hu said he examined it carefully; the carving isn’t deep, it looks like it was done slowly with a small knife.”

The knife my grandmother used was the same small knife she used to carve wax paper when she was a teacher.

My nose is stinging.

But I held back.

“How many did you sell?”

“Seven hundred and sixty thousand. Old Hu said the seller needed the money urgently, so he was forced to lower the price. Normally, it would sell for over eight hundred and fifty thousand.”

“Who is the seller?”

“Old Man Hu only said it was a middle-aged woman, accompanied by a young man.”

Middle-aged women.

A young man.

I closed my eyes.

“Ms. Đường, are you alright?”

“No problem.”

“Would you like to come and take a look? Old Man Ho hasn’t sold that furniture set yet; he said he’s planning to dismantle it and sell the pieces separately.”

“Don’t let him sell it yet; help me buy two days.”

I hung up the phone and sat by the flowerbed for a long time.

The March sun shone on me, but I still felt cold.

760,000.

Twenty years of my grandmother’s dedication.

It was sold for 760,000.

And among those sellers…

My husband is there too.

That evening, when he got home, Fang Zhiyuan was looking at his phone.

On the screen was an image of a car.

“Honey, what do you think of this color?”

“What kind of car is that?”

“I want to switch to a better one; this one is too old.”

He is currently driving a 2019 Sagitar.

And the one he only had…

It’s a BMW Series 3.

The total cost must be over 300,000.

His monthly salary is eight thousand yuan.

Where will the money come from?

I didn’t ask.

Just a slight smile.

“That’s beautiful.”

He watched for a little while longer, then tossed the phone aside.

“Oh yes, my mom said the whole family is having dinner on Saturday, and my sister is coming too.”

Phuong Tuyet.

My husband’s sister.

“Okay.”

Fang Zhiyuan came over and hugged me.

“Honey, you seem unhappy lately?”

“No.”

“Are you not used to your new home yet? You’ll get used to it.”

His hand rested on my shoulder.

Normal temperature.

The force is also normal.

But I found that hand incredibly heavy, almost suffocating.

Then he fell asleep.

I flipped through his phone.

No password was set.

WeChat messages with my mother-in-law have been completely deleted.

But he still left one piece of information behind.

Send this to someone saved under the name “Old Wang Warehouse”:

“Has the shipment been sent? I’ll transfer the rest of the money in two days.”

The deadline is three days before moving.

I put the phone back in its place.

Very light.

Like putting down a knife.

On Saturday, the Fang family gathered for a meal.

The location is my mother-in-law’s house, a three-bedroom apartment in an old apartment building.

Fang Zhiyuan was driving, and I was in the passenger seat.

As we passed the eastern part of the city, I tilted my head and looked out the window.

Old Man Ho’s shop is located in the alleyway at the front.

My grandmother’s furniture set is inside.

If sold retail, each Grand Master chair could fetch seventy or eighty thousand yuan.

I turned my head.

Phương Chí Viễn is turning according to the GPS directions.

His face showed great relief.

When Phương Tuyết arrived at her mother-in-law’s house, she was already there.

Twenty-five years old, wearing a beige coat and white shoes, carrying a bouquet of baby’s breath flowers.

“Brother, sister-in-law, please come in.”

Six dishes were already laid out on the living room table.

Phương Kiến Quốc’s father-in-law is frying fish in the kitchen.

My mother-in-law, Liu Guilan, wearing an apron, came out and pulled my hand.

“Tang Tang has arrived, please sit down.”

They were a little too enthusiastic.

I laughed and called out:

“Mom.”

During the meal, Phuong Tuyet kept talking about her new house.

“The construction team will start working next week, and I’ve chosen the Scandinavian style.”

“Three bedrooms and a living room, a large south-facing balcony, excellent natural light.”

Fang Zhiyuan picked up a piece of food and asked casually:

“Are you paying in full?”

Phuong Tuyet glanced at her mother, a slight smile playing on her lips.

“Yes, pay it all at once.”

Fang Jian Guo put down his chopsticks and glanced at his wife.

That look was very complex.

Liu Guilan lowered her head and drank the soup, saying nothing.

I was silently calculating in my head.

Phuong Tuyet graduated from college and sells cosmetics in a shopping mall, earning around four thousand.

After working for over two years, I’ve only managed to save fifty thousand at most.

A three-bedroom apartment in the south of the city costs an average of twelve thousand per square meter.

Ninety square meters would cost a total of one million eight hundred thousand.

She said she would pay it all at once.

Where does the money come from?

My mother-in-law’s pension is 3,500 a month.

My father-in-law works in the building management department and earns four thousand.

Even two people together couldn’t save 100,000 yuan a year.

Fang Zhiyuan’s salary wasn’t even enough to cover his own expenses.

Of those one hundred and eighty thousand, at least seven hundred and sixty thousand…

I know exactly where it came from.

“Sister-in-law.”

Phuong Tuyet raised her glass and smiled at me.

“Later, you and your brother should remember to visit my new house.”

I clinked glasses.

“Sure.”

After the meal, my mother-in-law pulled me into the kitchen to wash the dishes.

Fang Zhiyuan and Fang Xue were talking in the living room, while Fang Jianguo went out onto the balcony to smoke.

Liu Guilan lowered her voice.

“Tang Tang, Xiao Xue has a tough job, don’t overthink it.”

“I wasn’t thinking anything, Mom.”

“The money for buying the house is what we’ve saved up for many years; it has nothing to do with the two of you.”

She took the initiative to explain.

Before I even asked, she explained it herself.

Only someone with a guilty conscience would hastily offer such an explanation.

I smiled softly.

“Mom, this is a family matter, why should I overthink it?”

Liu Guilan breathed a sigh of relief and patted my hand gently.

“I knew Tang Tang would be sensible.”

On the way home, Fang Zhiyuan hummed a song while driving.

I leaned my head against the windowpane, watching the streetlights recede one by one behind me.

I understand.

They all thought I was a sensible person.

When I married into this family, I didn’t argue or compete; all my dowry was moved into the new house, and whatever my mother-in-law said, I just smiled and nodded.

A sensible daughter-in-law.

A person who is easily manipulated, a fat goat easily exploited.

Fang Zhiyuan suddenly asked:

“Did you enjoy your meal today?”

“Fun.”

“My mother really likes you.”

“YES.”

“From now on, let’s just live together happily as a family.”

A family.

The “family” he was talking about just used my grandmother’s heirlooms to buy a house for his sister.

As for me, I don’t even have the right to know.

When I got home, I went into my bedroom and closed the door.

Open Phuong Tuyet’s circle of friends.

Three days ago she posted nine photos, all of them of her new house.

The caption consists of only a smiley face icon and a single sentence:

“Having this little house all to myself, paid for in full, gives me peace of mind.”

Below the comments section, Liu Guilan clicked “like”.

Fang Zhiyuan also clicked like.

I disconnected from my friends and opened my computer.

One hundred and eight thousand minus seven hundred and sixty thousand equals three hundred and twenty thousand.

320,000 yuan is an amount of money that even the entire Fang family might not be able to accumulate over many years.

Unless Phuong Tuyet has another source of income.

I continued scrolling through her older posts.

Two months ago, she shared an announcement:

“Congratulations to Phuong Tuyet for achieving top sales for the quarter, awarded 20,000 yuan.”

Twenty thousand.

The distance between 20,000 and 1,080,000… is even wider than the Pacific Ocean.

I put the phone down.

Look up at the moon outside the window.

Perfectly round.

05

The next day I asked for another half-day off.

I went to the eastern part of the city to look for Old Man Ho.

The old man’s shop was located on an old street, with a small storefront, but the interior was filled with all kinds of rosewood furniture.

The moment he saw me, he knew I was a professional.

“Ms. Khương? Was she introduced by Lâm Khả?”

“Yes.”

“I still have that Burmese pear blossom tree; it’s very beautiful, probably forty or fifty years old.”

“Can I see it?”

He led me into the back storage room.

Twelve pieces of furniture were neatly arranged against the wall.

The moment I saw the Eight Immortals table, my legs suddenly went weak.

It belongs to my grandmother.

I recognized the wood grain; I remember every single tree ring.

I squatted down, touching the inside of the table leg.

The word “Road”.

Shallow, smooth, warm.

My grandmother carved it herself.

I touched it for a long time, but it still wouldn’t get up.

Old Man Hu, standing beside me, handed me a tissue.

“Ms. Khương, are you familiar with this shipment?”

“Um. This is the dowry my grandmother left me.”

Old Man Hu was stunned.

“Dowry? The woman who sold it to me said it was old, unused household items…”

“Who did you deal with when you sold it? Was there a receipt?”

Old Man Ho flipped through the files and pulled out a handwritten receipt.

Name on receipt:

Luu Que Lan.

ID number, phone number, signature, and even fingerprints.

Next to it, there is also a section for “brokers”.

Phuong Chi Vien.

The signature and fingerprints are both there.

I took a picture of the receipt.

His hands are very steady.

“Old Hu, I want to buy this furniture set. Name your price.”

“I bought it for 760,000, and I’ll sell it back to you for the same price.”

“I don’t have 760,000 in cash right now.”

“It’s alright. Lin Ke has already given me a brief overview, you can take the things back first, and pay later.”

“No need. I’ll find a way to make sure the person who deserves to pay pays.”

Old Man Hu glanced at me, but said nothing more.

Stepping out of Old Man Ho’s shop, it started to rain outside.

I stood under the eaves, watching the rainwater trickle down the tiled roof.

I took out my phone and reopened the chat with Phương Chí Viễn.

From the time we fell in love until we got married, it was over two years.

Every single “my wife,” “my darling,” “I love you” message he sent.

I stared for a long time.

Then leave the conversation.

Open your contacts and find a phone number.

Chu Tĩnh.

My college classmate is now a lawyer specializing in marriage law.

The phone is connected.

“Chu Jing, I’m Jiang Tang.”

“Duong? It’s been a long time since I heard your voice, what’s up?”

“I want a divorce.”

There was silence on the other end of the line for two seconds.

“When is it convenient to meet in person?”

“Tomorrow noon.”

“Okay.”

I hung up the phone, opened my umbrella, and stepped out into the rain.

The rain wasn’t heavy.

They fell with a clattering sound on the surface of the umbrella.

I walked very slowly.

Phương Chí Viễn sent a message:

“Honey, what are we having for dinner tonight?”

I answered with one word:

“It depends.”

Exactly the same as before.

06

I met Chu Jing.

In her office, I spread all the documents out on the desk.

The dowry list, call history with the moving company, photos of receipts taken at Old Man Ho’s place, and photos of Phuong Tuyet’s circle of friends.

Chu Jing watched and took notes.

After watching, she took off her glasses and rubbed the bridge of her nose.

“Khương Đường, legally speaking, this constitutes the misappropriation of dowry property.”

“The dowry is your personal property before marriage; neither Fang Zhiyuan nor his mother has the right to dispose of it.”

“Moreover, secretly swapping and selling them is a very serious matter.”

“What should I do?”

“There are two paths. First, report the crime, which could constitute theft or fraud. Second, file a civil lawsuit, demanding the return of the property and compensation for damages.”

“Is it possible to do both?”

“Yes. But I advise you to secure all the evidence first, then choose the right time to act simultaneously.”

“What evidence is needed?”

“The original dowry list, preferably with notarized prenuptial property records, the moving company’s records, Old Hu’s original receipts and furniture, and Fang Xue’s house purchase contract—if available.”

“I have the original dowry list, which is with my father. And the notarized prenuptial agreement…”

I paused.

“Back then, Fang Zhiyuan said it wasn’t necessary, that it was too much trouble. I didn’t insist either.”

Chu Jing sighed.

“It’s alright. We have the dowry list, the handover records, the moving company’s testimony—the chain of evidence is still sufficient.”

“Chu Jing, there’s one more thing.”

“Go ahead and speak.”

“Fang Zhiyuan is still pretending not to know anything in front of me. He’s still acting now.”

“Are you sure he knows about it?”

“His signature is on the receipt. The moving company said he booked it a week in advance, first transporting a batch of furniture from the warehouse to the new home, and then going to my parents’ house to collect the dowry.”

“Where are the dowry being taken?”

“Perhaps we should deliver it directly to Old Man Ho, or store it temporarily in some warehouse and resell it later.”

Chu Jing drew a line in the notebook.

“This was a complete scheme: Fang Zhiyuan prepared the fake furniture, swapped it on moving day, and Liu Guilan sold the real furniture to a secondhand dealer. The money was used to buy a house for Fang Xue. All three were involved.”

Three people.

I married into the Phương family, and I happily called them mother and sister.

Those three conspired against me behind my back.

Chu Jing looked at me.

“Are you okay now?”

“Fine.”

“Don’t want to cry?”

“What good will crying do?”

Chu Jing smiled faintly.

“Okay. Let’s start preparing.”

On the way home, I sat in the car for a while.

The engine won’t start.

Fang Zhiyuan called.

“Wife, where are you? I’m home, but there’s no one here.”

“I’m at the supermarket, I’ll be back later.”

“Okay, I’ll cook some noodles and wait for you.”

He cooked noodles while he waited for me.

Creamy.

I suddenly really want to know…

On the day he sold my grandmother’s furniture, did he use the same tone of voice when speaking to me that evening?

“Honey, are you tired today?”

“Let me massage your shoulders.”

“Go to bed early, don’t stay up late.”

760,000.

He just sold my grandmother’s life’s work for 760,000.

He just used that eight-yuan bowl of noodles to pretend to feel sorry for me.

I started the car engine.

Turn on the air conditioner.

A warm breeze blew against my face.

But I felt nothing.

For the next two weeks, I did three things.

First thing: I’ll go back to my parents’ house to get the original copy of the dowry list.

It was written by my grandmother herself with a brush pen, clearly listing the name of each item, its size, history, and the year it was purchased.

The last line reads:

“This set of twelve pieces of furniture is given to my grandson, Jiang Tang, as a dowry; no one is allowed to sell it.”

My grandmother’s handwriting is beautiful; every stroke is firm and steady.

I locked the original in the company’s safe.

Second thing: I contacted the owner of the moving company “Thuan Dat” and obtained a written record.

The paper clearly states: two pickup addresses.

One is warehouse number 7 on Hong Dat Street.

One is my parents’ house.

Get it from the warehouse first.

Then we went to my parents’ house.

Let’s pretend first.

That’s true.

The landlord also provided another detail: that day, Phương Chí Viễn requested that the items taken from my parents’ house be moved “to a different address,” not to our honeymoon apartment.

That address is a logistics area east of the city.

It’s two streets away from Old Man Ho’s shop.

Third thing: I rented a house.

North of the city, one bedroom, rent is 2,300 a month.

The contract is for one year.

The keys are in my wallet.

I divided my essential personal belongings into three batches and quietly moved them there.

One small suitcase at a time.

Fang Zhiyuan didn’t notice at all.

Or rather, he never really paid attention to my belongings.

Chu Jing’s side has also finished preparing.

Two divorce agreements.

A lawyer’s letter.

And also a draft of the civil lawsuit.

Everything is ready.

But I didn’t expose them right away.

Because one thing is missing.

Phuong Tuyet’s house purchase contract.

I need to confirm exactly how those 760,000 were transferred.

Chu Jing said that if it could be proven that the money for Fang Xue’s house purchase came directly or indirectly from the sale of her dowry, then it wouldn’t just be Fang Zhiyuan and Liu Guilan who were in trouble.

Phuong Tuyet also has to return it.

But the contract is in Phuong Tuyet’s hands.

I couldn’t get it.

Think for three days.

Finally, I came up with an idea.

No need to steal.

No need to rob.

Just let Fang Xue take it out herself.

This weekend, I invited my mother-in-law and Phuong Tuyet to my house for tea.

Fang Zhiyuan was at work and wasn’t home.

My mother-in-law came.

Phuong Tuyet also arrived.

I brewed a pot of Tie Guan Yin tea and cut a slice of cake.

While talking about family for a while, I “accidentally” mentioned:

“Mom, the price of rosewood has gone up so much lately.”

Liu Guilan’s hand, holding the teacup, paused for a moment.

“Huh? An increase?”

“Yes. The subsidiary company just released a new price list; a complete twelve-piece set of Burmese rosewood furniture, the finest quality, can now cost up to one hundred and twenty thousand.”

One million two hundred thousand.

My mother-in-law’s eyelids twitched slightly.

Phuong Tuyet put the piece of cake down and glanced at her.

“Is it that expensive, sister-in-law?”

“Yeah. And the price is still going up; even if you have money, you might not be able to buy one.”

I smiled, gently stroking the surface of the imitation Eight Immortals table.

“Luckily, my grandmother left this set to me; it will be a family heirloom in the future.”

Liu Guilan took a sip of tea, her expression stiffening slightly.

Phuong Tuyet also bowed her head.

The two of them are doing some calculations.

It sold for 760,000.

It has now reached one million two hundred thousand.

A loss of 440,000.

And that number of losses continues to increase every day.

I saw Phuong Tuyet secretly send a message to her mother-in-law.

Liu Guilan looked at her phone, her expression changing slightly.

She coughed once.

“Tang Tang, if you don’t want to keep that furniture set later, you can sell it to a collector.”

Probe.

She’s checking to see if I’ve found out yet.

I smiled and shook my head.

“Not for sale. It’s my grandmother’s heartfelt wish; I won’t sell it for any amount of money.”

Liu Guilan said nothing more.

After seeing them off, I stood by the window.

Liu Guilan was panicking.

Phuong Tuyet was also panicking.

They will find a way to make up for it.

Or find a way to conceal it.

No matter which direction you go, more flaws will be revealed.

I just need to wait.

08

No need to wait long.

Three days later, Fang Zhiyuan suddenly suggested finding someone to “maintain” the “rosewood furniture” in his house.

“Honey, rosewood furniture needs regular oiling and maintenance, otherwise it will crack.”

He said the four words “rosewood furniture” very naturally.

I nodded.

“You arrange it.”

He arranged for someone to come to his house for “maintenance.”

The person brought several bottles of walnut oil, pretending to apply it to each piece of furniture.

MDF board coated with walnut oil.

The smell is similar.

But plywood doesn’t absorb oil, so the surface will be shiny and greasy.

Genuine pear wood, on the other hand, will absorb oil, and its surface will only have a subtle, matte sheen.

They don’t understand this.

I get it.

After the “maintenance” was done, the other person left.

Fang Zhiyuan was very pleased.

“See, the color is much brighter after the maintenance.”

I nodded in agreement.

The next day, Phuong Tuyet posted a photo to the family group.

Here are photos of the living room design in her new house.

Below, the mother-in-law commented: “So beautiful.”

Fang Jian Guo commented, “Not bad.”

Fang Zhiyuan sent a thumbs-up emoji.

I said nothing.

But I zoomed in on the photo.

There was a file folder in the corner.

Phuong Tuyet took the photo carelessly, without paying attention.

The file folder has the logo of a real estate company printed on it.

Inside, it’s most likely a house purchase contract.

I understand.

But I’m not in a hurry.

Because my father-in-law’s sixtieth birthday is next week.

The entire Phương family gathered together that day.

I sent Chu Jing a message.

“We’ll act next Saturday.”

Chu Jing replied with a single word.

“Okay.”

In the following days, I was completely normal.

Cooking, going to work, chatting and laughing with Phương Chí Viễn.

He hugged me, and I hugged him back.

Her hand was on his back.

You can still feel your body temperature through your clothes.

Warm.

Normal.

An ordinary husband.

An ordinary husband sold my dowry.

I buried my face in his shoulder.

He said:

“My wife, I truly love you.”

I closed my eyes.

YES.

This is the last time I’ll hear that phrase.

09

My father-in-law’s sixtieth birthday.

My mother-in-law booked a private room in a restaurant near our house.

Two tables.

One table was occupied by relatives from the Phuong family: the eldest uncle, the second uncle, the third aunt, and a few cousins.

One of the people sitting at the table was my father-in-law’s former colleague.

Everyone has arrived.

I wore a black dress and light makeup.

Fang Zhiyuan drove me there.

On the way, he complimented me on how beautiful I looked today.

I said thank you.

Upon entering the room, my mother-in-law was directing the staff to arrange the flowers.

When she saw us arrive, she smiled brightly.

“Tang Tang has arrived, please sit down, please sit down.”

Phuong Tuyet also arrived, wearing a red dress.

Phương Kiến Quốc’s father-in-law was sitting at the head of the table, being offered drinks by several former colleagues.

His face turned bright red.

The food has been served, and three rounds of wine have been exchanged.

The atmosphere in the room was very lively.

I stood up.

Fang Zhiyuan gently pulled my hand.

“What’s up?”

“I’ll toast you, Dad.”

This is perfectly normal; nobody notices.

I walked up to my father-in-law with the glass of wine in my hand.

“Dad, happy birthday.”

Fang Jian Guo burst out laughing.

“Okay, okay, Tang Tang is so kind.”

I clinked glasses and drank it all.

But he didn’t sit down.

I took a file out of my bag.

Place it on the table.

“Since everyone is here today, I have something I want to make clear to the whole family.”

The noise in the private room immediately subsided.

Liu Guilan’s mother-in-law’s chopsticks froze in mid-air.

Fang Zhiyuan was stunned.

“Tang Tang?”

I opened the file and pulled out the first page.

“This is my dowry list, written by my grandmother herself. A twelve-piece set of Burmese pearwood furniture. According to the valuation at the time, it was worth about 800,000 yuan.”

Fang Jian Guo put down his wine glass and frowned.

“Everyone knows that.”

I nodded.

“Yes, everyone knows that. But perhaps people don’t know that—”

I pulled out the second sheet of paper.

“Currently, all twelve pieces of furniture in the newlyweds’ apartment are fake, made of plywood, bought on Taobao for 30,000 yuan.”

The whole room fell silent.

Liu Guilan’s expression immediately changed.

“Tang Tang, what nonsense are you talking about! That’s your grandmother’s stuff—”

“Mom,” I looked at her. “I’ve been a furniture quality inspector for five years. I know the difference between real rosewood and plywood better than anyone.”

I pulled out the third sheet, which contained printed photos taken at Old Ho’s place.

Twelve real pieces of furniture are stored in the warehouse.

Each item has a close-up of the word “Sugar” engraved on the bottom.

“The real thing has been sold to Old Hu – a dealer of used furniture in the east of the city. The transaction price was 760,000.”

I drew the fourth card.

The receipt.

“Seller’s signature: Liu Guilan. Broker’s signature: Fang Zhiyuan.”

Fang Jian Guo suddenly turned to look at Liu Gui Lan.

“Que Lan! What’s going on?”

Liu Guilan’s mouth dropped open, her face flushed.

“Sir… please listen to my explanation… this… this has a reason…”

Fang Zhiyuan stood up abruptly.

“Wife, listen to me—”

“I’m not finished yet.”

I looked at him, my voice calm.

“After selling it for 760,000, where did the money go?”

I turned to Phuong Tuyet.

Fang Xue’s face instantly turned pale.