We Weren’t Fated, I Just Played My Cards Right - Chapter 7

Dong Zhenghao stopped at the elevator lobby, while Jiang Li unusually accompanied her sister downstairs. Only when they exited the hospital building did Jiang Li reluctantly mutter, “Thanks… for earlier.”

Jiang Jia shot her an exasperated look. “You only know how to bully those close to you, yet let some brat walk all over you.”

Jiang Li wanted to argue—she’d just been caught off guard.

“Alright, there’s plenty of time ahead. You’re a grown woman—are you really afraid you can’t handle her?”

Jiang Li replied, “After all, she’s Old Dong’s biological daughter. We can’t go too far.”

Jiang Jia shot her an annoyed look. “Do I really need to teach you this? Weren’t you quite skilled at dealing with those little vixens around your husband before?”

Jiang Li wasn’t actually helpless—she was just venting.

Not wanting to dwell on the topic, she changed the subject. “By the way, didn’t your Old Zhan never celebrate birthdays before? Why the sudden birthday banquet?”

Jiang Jia scoffed. “What else? His ex-wife died two months ago, and his daughter from back home came to live with him. He wants to formally acknowledge her.”

Jiang Li was surprised. “How old is she?”

“Twenty.”

“What a coincidence—same age as ours.” Jiang Li sighed, half-serious. “Younger ones are easier, but at this age, they’re impossible to win over.”

Jiang Jia retorted sharply, “As if you’d actually raise one if they were younger!”

Her sister was the most hypocritical—saying nice things to her face while thinking who-knows-what behind her back.

Back when Jiang Jia married Old Zhan, he already had a son. Her sister had mocked her endlessly for her poor judgment, both openly and in private. Now, they were in the same boat—neither had room to criticize the other.

After a few more idle remarks, the conversation fizzled out, and the sisters went their separate ways.

Jiang Jia’s whirlwind visit had lifted Jiang Li’s spirits.

Returning to the hospital room and seeing Liu Mumu no longer irritated her as much.

Arguing with some naive girl would only make her seem petty. The best way to deal with a sheltered little thing like this was to show her the world—let her see just how out of her depth she really was!

Dong Qi only stayed in the hospital for two days before going home, his leg still in a cast. It was just a minor fracture—no surgery needed, just rest.

With her son safe, Jiang Li relaxed, her temper cooling. Dong Zhenghao, relieved to see her finally acting normal and no longer clashing with Liu Mumu, let out a sigh.

Women were nothing but trouble. And now his household was practically overrun by them—no wonder he’d been so unlucky lately.

A little past ten at night, Dong Zhenghao returned home reeking of alcohol. Jiang Li met him at the door, her sharp eyes scanning him before taking his bag and keys.

“Why have you been coming home so late lately?” she asked casually.

Dong Zhenghao slipped into his house shoes and headed for the living room. “Make me some noodles first. I’ve been drinking all night—barely ate anything.”

Jiang Li called upstairs, “Dong Yue, come down and cook for your dad.”

Soon, the door to Dong Yue’s room opened, and both Dong Yue and Liu Mumu came downstairs.

Seeing her daughter mingling with Liu Mumu, Jiang Li frowned but ultimately pretended not to notice and said nothing.

Dong Zhenghao reclined on the sofa and sighed after a long pause: “Old Qin is just gone like that. The contract we agreed on hasn’t been signed yet, and all our previous collaborations have stopped.”

Jiang Li knew nothing about these matters, and Dong Zhenghao never involved her. All she could do was console him: “Mrs. Qin will only be able to think about the company after Old Qin’s funeral is over.”

“What do you know?” Dong Zhenghao snorted coldly. “That bastard Zhan Hongye has already poached most of Old Qin’s employees and snatched every order he could. His reaction was lightning fast. By the time Mrs. Qin remembers the company, it’ll be too late.”

Finally, he cursed again: “What a piece of trash!”

Jiang Li’s eyebrow twitched. The bastard Dong Zhenghao was referring to happened to be her brother-in-law.

“Then… are we still going to Zhan Hongye’s birthday party tomorrow?”

“Go, of course we’re going.”

Dong Zhenghao didn’t think much of Zhan Hongye. When he was making money with Qin Kai, Zhan Hongye was still a nobody. But the man had good luck and climbed up in just a few years. Now that Old Qin was suddenly gone, it gave him the chance to rise.

They say fortunes change over time, but why didn’t that wide river drown him?

As they were talking, Liu Mumu came out with a bowl of noodles, placed it on the coffee table, and handed chopsticks to Dong Zhenghao.

Dong Zhenghao picked up the bowl and started eating, while Liu Mumu sat beside him, watching.

Jiang Li had wanted to talk to Dong Zhenghao, but seeing Liu Mumu there, she lost the mood for conversation.

She glanced at Liu Mumu and said, “We’re going to a birthday party tomorrow. Do you have suitable clothes, Mumu?”

Liu Mumu blinked: “…Probably not.”

She really had no experience in this regard.

“It’s too late to order a custom dress now. Why don’t you pick something from Xiaoyue’s closet? You two are about the same size, so her clothes should fit you.”

Liu Mumu looked toward Dong Yue in the kitchen. Their figures couldn’t be described as identical—more like completely unrelated. Aunt Jiang was really forcing this comparison blindly.

Meanwhile, Dong Zhenghao was slurping his noodles, paying no attention to their conversation.

Liu Mumu turned to Dong Zhenghao and said, “Dad, could you lend me a few hundred yuan? I’ll buy a dress tomorrow.”

“Huh? Didn’t Aunt Jiang buy you one?” Dong Zhenghao looked up.

Jiang Li gritted her teeth inwardly, cursing the little tattletale, while saying with difficulty: “There wasn’t enough time to order a custom dress. I thought Mumu could wear Xiaoyue’s clothes—sisters don’t need to be so particular about sharing.”

“That works…”

“Some things should be kept separate. Like I’d love to give five pounds of my weight to Xiaoyue, but even if she wanted it, it wouldn’t work.”

Dong Zhenghao belatedly realized the two were arguing again.

He waved his chopsticks impatiently: “Enough. Let Mumu buy her own clothes tomorrow. Transfer her a few thousand yuan—no need for custom orders.”

Jiang Li swallowed her frustration and kept quiet. Liu Mumu eagerly took out her phone and waved it at her: “Aunt Jiang, add me as a friend so you can transfer the money.”

“No rush,” Jiang Li forced out through gritted teeth. “You won’t miss out on that little money.”

With that, she stood up and left.

Jiang Li stormed off in anger, and Dong Zhenghao shot Liu Mumu a warning glare. “Don’t worry, the family won’t shortchange you on food, clothing, or necessities. No need to put on such a pitiful act.”

Liu Mumu rested her chin on her hands. “Dad’s misunderstanding me again. I was just telling the truth—Aunt Jiang is too sensitive. You’ve been looking a bit under the weather lately, Dad. Want me to read your fortune?”

Dong Zhenghao was about to refuse but hesitated at the last moment. “You can really tell fortunes?”

Liu Mumu shrugged. “It’s a family trade. I’ve been practicing divination for over a decade.”

Though most of her readings were inaccurate, occasionally producing results so infuriating her grandfather wanted to spank her, that hardly mattered. Why demand perfection from a free fortune?

Dong Zhenghao set down his bowl. “Fine, give it a try.”

Liu Mumu first examined his palm with exaggerated seriousness, then tilted his head to study his face. Just as Dong Zhenghao grew impatient, she finally drawled, “Oh dear, Dad’s going to suffer financial losses this year.”

Dong Zhenghao’s heart skipped a beat—he’d recently lost a major business deal with Old Qin and was indeed facing significant losses.

Sitting up straight, he pressed, “How much exactly?”

A million or two would still be manageable.

“A few… hundred million?”

“What?” Dong Zhenghao nearly fainted. “Bankruptcy?” His entire net worth barely reached that amount.

To his shock, Liu Mumu looked even more surprised. “Dad’s entire fortune is only a few hundred million?”

Father and daughter stared at each other blankly until Dong Zhenghao snapped, “You didn’t know? I thought you could divine it!”

Liu Mumu gave an awkward chuckle. “That part was just a guess.”

Their fragile trust shattered completely. Dong Zhenghao decided believing in Liu Mumu’s fortune-telling skills made him an utter fool.

Seeing her only client about to leave, Liu Mumu quickly called out, “Wait, Dad! Let me do another reading!”

Dong Zhenghao’s retreating footsteps didn’t falter.

As he reached the stairs, Liu Mumu dramatically gasped while shaking her divination coins. “Oh no—the signs show bloodshed ahead!”

This only confirmed Dong Zhenghao’s belief that even ten-yuan street fortune-tellers were more credible than his free-loading daughter. You truly got what you paid for.

The next day, since Dong Qi’s leg injury prevented him from attending, the boy threw a tantrum until his parents pacified him with promises. Finally, the couple drove their two daughters to the Zhan family event.

Before exiting the car, Jiang Li glanced at her daughter Dong Yue—dressed in a custom gown yet utterly forgettable in a crowd—then at Liu Mumu, whose simple thousand-yuan dress made her glow with vibrant charm. Her heart sank even deeper.

She shot a glare at the disappointing Dong Yue before getting out of the car.

Baffled by her mother’s sudden glare, Dong Yue looked utterly confused.

Zhan Hongye and Jiang Jia were greeting guests at the entrance. When they saw Jiang Li and her husband arrive with two girls in tow, Jiang Jia quickly pulled her husband over to introduce them. “This is Brother-in-law’s recently found eldest daughter. Weren’t you worried Xiao Ni wouldn’t have friends? This girl is the same age as her—perfect for them to get acquainted.”

After a brief moment of surprise, Zhan Hongye smiled at Liu Mumu. “I’ll introduce you to my daughter later. You two can play together.”

Liu Mumu was still too stunned to process their words.

While Zhan Hongye might not recognize her, she certainly knew who he was.

What a coincidence—she’d been chatting with Dong Yue on the way here about having a classmate surnamed Zhan. Who would’ve thought these two Zhans shared the same roots?

This Mr. Zhan was none other than the father of her high school classmate, Jenny Zhan.