18. To get a household registration book, first get money.

The next day just as day began to break, Song Qinghuan got up. She needed a household registration book for her marriage, which required her to go back home.

However, she didn't want to go back to that house unless absolutely necessary, because every time she went back, her stepfather Song Qiliang would ask her for money.

When she was twelve, her mother, Lu Meiyan married her now stepfather, Song Qiliang. She couldn't say that her stepfather had treated her badly, he provided everything she needed growing up, but all this was done just to get a better "price" for her when she grew up.

When she finished high school, Song Qiliang told her that there was no point in a girl going to university, he wanted to find her a husband and marry her off. The dowry was already negotiated.

All the strength and focus of her mother, Lu Meiyan, was all on her half-brother Song Xiaotao who shares the same mother but a different father. Everything she did was for his sake. She didn't have any motherly love left for Song Qinghuan. She thought girls should get married sooner or later, and that it didn't matter if it was sooner or later.

Luckily at that point, Yan Pingdan came back, saved her and paid for her to go to university.

When Song Qinghuan went home early in the morning to fetch her household registration book, her stepfather Song Qiliang didn't refuse to give it to her, but mentioned that they were currently facing financial difficulties and asked her to provide some money.

The message was clear, if she wanted her household registration book, she needed to give them money.

"Dad, I just graduated from university and don't have a job. How can I have money to give you?" Song Qinghuan did have some money, that was left by Yan Pingdan.

But even if she had money, she wouldn't give any to Song Qiliang. Because she knew his character well, he realized that she needed the household registration book and once she admitted to having money, he would ask for a huge sum. The amount she currently had definitely wouldn't be enough for him.

Song Qiliang started to act pitiful and played the family card, "Qinghuan, you know your mother and I only have a tiny income. Song Ci just started university, and we have spent everything we had. We can't even afford food, you can't just turn a blind eye."

Song Ci, with no blood-ties to Song Qinghuan, was the son of Song Qiliang and his ex-wife, just started university at nineteen. Different from Song Qiliang, Song Ci was an ambitious and responsible individual.

"But I don't have money either, what can I give you?" Song Qinghuan dropped her gaze, imitating his pitiful act.

Song Qiliang chuckled, "Even if you don't have money, your brother does. Isn't he a manager of some big company? Lu Meiyan is his biological mother, I don't believe he would just stand by when the family is in such poverty."

He and Lu Meiyan were not aware that Yan Pingdan had disappeared with a large sum of money. Naturally, Song Qinghuan wouldn't tell them this either.