"Mom, maybe it's good to let sister cool off. She must have brought enough money, so she won't suffer in the countryside. Unlike me, I have to work the fields while studying, and to scrape together tuition, I had to wait tables at a restaurant during the New Year."
As soon as Qiao Shiyue said this, everyone in the Qiao family changed expressions.
Father Qiao immediately scolded, "Shen Yunyun, if you want to leave, fine, but you can't take a single cent of the Qiao family's money."
Shen Yunyun glanced at Qiao Shiyue, thinking how powerful the white lotus was—just one sentence, and Father and Mother Qiao were ready to search her suitcase.
She pushed the suitcase forward and said, "Go ahead and check yourselves. See what I can take and what I can't."
Mother Qiao had the housekeeper come over to rummage through her suitcase.
Not a single bank card was found, not even cash, and certainly no valuables. The suitcase was filled only with her clothes and some common medications.
"These days, even the countryside uses mobile payments. Sister not having cash isn't a problem," the white lotus Qiao struck again.
Sure enough, the next moment, her phone was checked.
All linked bank accounts were unbound, all the money in her accounts was transferred away, leaving her not even a single cent.
Shen Yunyun took back her phone and left the Qiao family without looking back.
Then, dragging her suitcase, she walked to the entrance of the University of Finance and sold her phone.
Her new phone, bought for over eight thousand, was sold for five thousand. She took a bus to Goose City, over a thousand miles away from Sea City.
In her past life, she had lived in this small city. Though Qiao Shiyue's reach eventually extended here, it was the place where she had received the most kindness.
So she chose to come here, rented this small courtyard, and discovered its earth-shattering secret.
Half a month ago, after she sold two ibuprofen pills for a sky-high price, she had been staking out here every night, afraid of missing any chance to get rich.
She hadn't yet figured out the rules for activating the trading center. Once she did, she wouldn't have to keep watch every day.
Shen Yunyun lay down on the soft bed, yawned, and drifted off into a peaceful sleep.
Sea City, the Qiao family home.
The atmosphere was heavy.
"Still no news of her?" Qiao Zhenguo was seething with anger.
"No. We've checked all the hotels in Sea City—no record of her checking in," said the eldest brother, Qiao Pengyu.
"I've also used connections to look into train and flight data. She hasn't left Sea City," reported the second brother, Qiao Pengpeng.
"And she hasn't gone by sea either," added the third brother, Qiao Pengjian.
Mother Qiao, Guo Yuhua, looked haggard: "We have to find her."
Everyone in the Qiao family wore grim expressions.
Ever since Yunyun ran away from home, Mother Qiao had been having nightmares every night for over a month now.
Father Qiao's sleep quality had also suffered, making him especially irritable and prone to outbursts.
"It's all my fault. If I hadn't come back, sister wouldn't have left," Qiao Shiyue started crying again.
"Shiyue, no one blames you," Qiao Pengyu said with a gentle smile at her.
"That's right, no one blames you. If anyone's to blame, it's that selfish brat Yunyun," the second brother quickly added.
"When I find her, I'll teach her a good lesson. She's been spoiled too much."
Though exhausted, Mother Qiao still held her hand and said softly, "Don't blame yourself. She owed you this from the start."
Qiao Shiyue threw herself into Mother Qiao's arms, whining, "Then let's find sister quickly. Could she have left by train or bus?"
"Impossible," the three Qiao brothers said in unison.