Chapter 77: The Fish Has Taken the Bait

Chapter 77: Chapter 77: The Fish Has Taken the Bait

Song Shuangshuang had just erased the "Shen" from her household registration and changed her surname back to Song when, in the blink of an eye, both her parents became convicted felons.

Just like that, the tables had completely turned in Song Yao’s favor.

That afternoon, outside the door to the courtyard house, Song Shuangshuang’s eyes were as red as a rabbit’s, her voice trembling and uneven. "Song Yao... you must be feeling pretty pleased with yourself right now, aren’t you?"

"My family is ruined, you’ve won, and now even this house belongs to you!"

Song Yao slowly sauntered to the doorway and leaned against the frame. "Let me give you a piece of advice: less talk, more work. I’m the one who calls the shots in this house now. If I were you, I would’ve tucked my tail between my legs and stayed far away, not dared to come here and glare at me."

Shen Zhenwu and Yao Yuzhen’s divorce proceedings were still underway.

Therefore, Yao Yuzhen was, in name, still the mistress of this house.

As long as she didn’t leave, Song Shuangshuang could continue to freeload here.

Shen Zhenwu had a loose tongue, and Song Yao didn’t want to give him any ammunition. So she decided to put up with it and let Song Shuangshuang freeload for a few more days.

But if Shuangshuang was going to parade around under her nose every day, putting on an act and trying to get attention?

Well, Song Yao couldn’t guarantee she’d keep smiling.

Song Yao’s face darkened, a chill rising in her eyes.

Song Shuangshuang understood immediately. Sticking around would only lead to more humiliation.

She shot Song Yao a venomous glare before turning and striding quickly toward the courtyard gate.

Song Yao was still living in the rear courtyard. The rooms had long since been renovated to her liking, and living alone in peace was incredibly comfortable!

’Song Shunqiang and Liu Yumin are dealt with, but Song Shuangshuang still has Yao Yuzhen backing her.’

’It would be for the best if Sheng Hui doesn’t end up with her. But if they still get married...’

Lost in thought, she walked toward her desk. She needed to carefully plan her next steps.

Interestingly, Sheng Hui seemed dead set on Song Shuangshuang. Despite everything that had happened, his feelings hadn’t wavered in the slightest.

Song Yao had to hand it to her. What was it about Song Shuangshuang that so captivated men?

She really couldn’t figure it out.

’Her looks? She’s hardly a graceful beauty.’

Song Yao figured it was probably because times were so conservative. Girls who dared to dress up and initiate conversations were pitifully few, making someone like Song Shuangshuang a rarity.

Then, a thought struck her, and she suddenly remembered someone.

’Qi Dongxue...’

In her past life, this was the woman who had fought Song Shuangshuang, both openly and behind the scenes, for the position of Sheng Hui’s wife.

Qi Dongxue was the only daughter of the Qi Family.

And the Qi Family ranked first among the four great families of the time!

The four big names were all there: Qi, Sheng, Wu, and Cheng.

It was only later, when Shen Zhenwu’s influence grew too powerful, that the Sheng Family reluctantly chose to form a marriage alliance with the Shen Family.

But based on personal qualities alone, Song Yao felt that Qi Dongxue was far superior to Song Shuangshuang.

The woman had studied abroad, spoke fluent English, could play the piano, understood etiquette, and was perfectly poised in her words and actions.

Then again, perhaps that was precisely why the Sheng Family hadn’t chosen her... ’Were they afraid she was too Westernized and wouldn’t be easy to control?’

Song Yao suddenly recalled that Qi Dongxue often shopped at the department store, specifically picking out the most fashionable fabrics.

An idea sparked in her mind.

She called for Xiao Li and asked for a sewing machine and several pieces of brightly colored fabric.

Xiao Li looked completely baffled, unable to guess what she was up to, but still ran the errand without a second word.

As soon as the items arrived, Song Yao rolled up her sleeves and got to work.

’Making clothes?’

This was the very skill she had relied on to make a living in her past life!

Growing up in the Song Family, she started mending holes in socks at seven and could deconstruct old clothes to create new jackets by the time she was ten.

Later, she got her hands on a sewing machine right when policies were starting to relax. She took the capital she had saved up from selling pigs and grain in Shunping Village.

She rented a small storefront in the city, starting by hemming pants and sewing on buttons. Gradually, she taught herself tailoring and design, and was on the verge of opening her own factory!

To make her clothes more fashionable, Song Yao had gritted her teeth and spent a good deal of money on a pile of pictorials, advertisements, and celebrity calendars.

By doing this, the clothes she made were always able to keep up with the latest trends.

She had never formally learned many of the techniques; she figured them all out herself through trial and error, making endless adjustments.

Now that she was reborn, she could finally pick up her old trade again.

Relying on the experience she had accumulated in her past life, she whipped up a blue and white long dress in just three days.

The hem was embroidered with lotus flowers, and it would flutter when she twirled. A small, delicate lotus flower was pinned to the chest.

In this day and age, it was definitely considered a top-tier fashionable outfit.

One day, Song Yao put on the dress and went out.

She had taken special care with her appearance. Her skin was on the darker side, but it didn’t matter. A layer of vanishing cream and a dusting of powder instantly brightened her complexion.

Besides, with Mr. Shen backing her now, she wanted for nothing—not grain coupons, not fabric coupons, and not money.

With a pair of Mary Jane shoes on her feet to go with the blue and white lotus dress, she looked like she had stepped right out of a painting.

The moment she stepped into the department store, she captured the gazes of all the men and women who passed by.

The men stared blankly at her, while the women fixed their eyes on her dress, not even blinking.

Song Yao strolled through the entire department store, walking back and forth past every ready-to-wear clothing shop.

Even the salesclerks behind the counters couldn’t help but come over and ask where she had bought the dress.

She made a full circuit. The store was bustling with people and the counters were filled with a dazzling array of goods. She scanned every shop carefully, but she never ran into Qi Dongxue.

But she wasn’t in a hurry. She knew perfectly well that once the bait was cast, you had to wait for the fish to swim over.

After returning home, she immediately buried herself at the sewing machine again. She pumped the pedal, the needle flew up and down, and her scissors snipped away at the edges. Scraps of fabric rustled to the floor around her feet amid the busy clatter.

The next time she went to the department store, she wore a different dress.

’Why always a dress?’

Because making dresses was Song Yao’s specialty.

She had a slender frame and narrow shoulders, but the moment she put on one of her own creations, she instantly became a head-turner.

Even though Song Yao barely had any flesh on her bottom, her dresses gave her the appearance of a narrow waist and perky hips, completely transforming her look.

The dress was a rare, bright yellow.

This time, when she walked into the store, it was like she was carrying a lantern—no one could look away.

For the next half a month, she made an appearance every three days, never wearing the same thing twice. Each outfit was cleverly designed and unique. On her sixth visit, a woman approached and blocked her path.

Her hair wasn’t the trendy, ear-length bob, nor was it the sleek, straight black hair that Song Shuangshuang had. It was slightly wavy, with a soft, lustrous quality that gave her a very chic and alluring look.

The dress she wore was clearly not locally made, and her high heels also had a foreign, stylish flair.

"Hello. My name is Qi Dongxue. Could we be friends?"

She extended her hand, her smile seeming quite sincere.

Song Yao was laughing inwardly. ’Finally! I’ve been waiting for you.’

’A whole half-month... catching this fish really wasn’t easy.’

"Hello. I’m Shen Songyao."

Song Yao openly stated her name.

Qi Dongxue froze for a moment, her eyes widening. "Oh, my! So it’s you!"

Song Yao feigned a puzzled look. "You know me?"

"Know you? Of course I do! You’re the biological daughter that Mr. Shen searched everywhere for and personally brought back. Who hasn’t heard of you?"

Qi Dongxue’s eyes sparkled, and she instantly felt a sense of familiarity with Song Yao, as if she were a little sister from next door!

Why?

Because Song Yao was the first person to completely wipe the floor with Shen Shuangshuang and send her packing from the Shen Family in disgrace!

And Qi Dongxue and Shen Shuangshuang had long been locking horns over Sheng Hui.

They had fought both openly and secretly several times, and every time, Qi Dongxue had been stung into silence by Shen Shuangshuang’s sharp words, leaving her fuming and stomping her feet.

This was finally a moment of sweet vindication!