"What's with the act? The Lin Family used to be even poorer than the Liu family. Now that they've climbed up the social ladder, they're putting on airs."
But remembering her purpose, Liu Dongdong forced a more pleasant expression and approached warmly.
"What? You want to work as a maid in my house?"
Inside a small diner, Lin Sisi's voice was laced with disbelief.
The Si Family was indeed well-off, but in the military compound, very few households could afford hired help. The Si Family was certainly not one of them.
Liu Dongdong actually wanted to work as a maid in her home?
Lin Sisi immediately sensed something off about the situation.
But because of the issue involving the three thousand yuan, she had to suppress the urge to refuse outright.
"Weren’t you doing fine at the textile factory? Why would you want to be a maid?"
To Lin Sisi, being a maid was no different from being a servant.
If it were her, she wouldn’t even consider it.
Yet Liu Dongdong lowered her head sadly, her eyes reddening. "I was scammed. I heard there was a job opening with a monthly salary of forty or fifty yuan—really good pay. My family borrowed money everywhere, spending hundreds to buy the position through connections. But it turned out to be just a cleaning job—backbreaking work for only fifteen yuan a month..."
These days, jobs at the textile factory were highly sought-after. Once you got in, your future was secure, and some workers even earned more than civil servants.
A relative of the Liu family worked there and claimed they could transfer the position at a discount. The Liu family scraped together every penny, borrowing heavily to buy the job.
But it turned out to be nothing more than menial labor—grueling work for the lowest pay.
At this rate, how could she ever repay the five hundred yuan?
When her family realized they’d been tricked, they went after the relative.
But the person had already fled with the money.
Now, with no other options, the Liu family arranged for her to marry an older man just to pay off the debt, while her sister would take over her job.
Her sister was a widow with a bad reputation—people said she was cursed to bring misfortune to her husbands.
The old man didn’t want her sister—only Liu Dongdong.
When she heard the news, it felt like a bolt from the blue. She had no idea what to do.
But then, out of nowhere, the police came looking for her.
They asked about Lin Sisi.
That was when Liu Dongdong remembered—she had once seen Lin Sisi in the city, dressed in luxurious clothes.
She was riding in a sleek black car, driven by a handsome young officer...
Rumor had it he was her fiancé.
A pang of envy struck her. The Lin Family used to be even poorer than hers.
Yet Lin Sisi had everything anyone could dream of—she didn’t have to toil in the fields or serve her family at home. The Lin Family was the only household in the village that didn’t favor sons over daughters—instead, they spoiled their girl.
To send Lin Sisi to high school, they sacrificed everything, even holding back their two younger sons from school to prioritize her education.
How many people envied that?
And now, on top of her already charmed life, Lin Sisi had an even more impressive background.
Raised as the beloved daughter of the Lin Family, she was now the biological child of wealthy parents in the military compound, engaged to an officer...
Who wouldn’t be jealous?
When the police asked if Lin Sisi had ever contacted her, she was confused at first.
But something in her gut told her this was an opportunity, so she lied.
In truth, Lin Sisi had never reached out.
Later, she called home and learned that the police had already visited the Lin Family, investigating the disappearance of a three-thousand-yuan dowry. They had questioned Lin Sisi’s classmates, and everyone was speculating—was Lin Sisi a suspect?
That was when Liu Dongdong’s eyes lit up. She knew her chance had come.
She didn’t understand why Lin Sisi had used her as an alibi, but she recognized this as her ticket to getting close to her.
After lying to the police, she seized the opportunity to seek out Lin Sisi.
But the military compound wasn’t just open to anyone.
She had to ask someone to pass on a message. Just when she thought all hope was lost, Lin Sisi actually showed up.
"So that’s why you want to work as a maid in my house?" Lin Sisi frowned after hearing her story.
"Yes, Sisi, please help me. My mother is making my sister take my job, and I’ll be forced to go home and marry that old man. If you help me, I’ll do anything you say." Liu Dongdong’s eyes were red with desperation as she pleaded.
Lin Sisi studied her. They were the same age, and Liu Dongdong was quite pretty. It reminded her of her own past—being pressured into marrying Zhou Yueshen in her previous life.
For a moment, she felt a pang of sympathy.
Then, hearing Liu Dongdong promise to do anything for her, Lin Sisi’s eyes gleamed with an idea.
"What can you do?"
Truthfully, her life in the Si Family wasn’t as glamorous as it seemed.
Her parents both worked, leaving her alone at home to handle all the chores.
She couldn’t cook. No matter how hard she tried to please them, her parents would frown at the meals she spent all afternoon preparing.
That was when she learned—Si Nian used to do all the cooking at home, and her skills were far better.
Both Lin Sisi and the Si Family were shocked.
Lin Sisi had assumed Si Nian, being a pampered city girl, would be useless in the kitchen. She thought her parents would be moved by her efforts.
Meanwhile, the Si Family had expected Lin Sisi, having grown up in the countryside, to be more capable—even better at cooking than Si Nian.
Both sides were disappointed.
Now, they wanted her to make soup to impress Fu Yang.
Lin Sisi didn’t dare buy it from outside—the military compound was full of prying eyes, and gossip spread fast.
But if Liu Dongdong could cook, she wouldn’t have to worry.
Plus, she could help deal with the police.
Liu Dongdong quickly replied, "I can do a lot! I handled all the housework back home. If you help me, I’ll be your loyal servant."
Lin Sisi’s eyes brightened. "Fine. I’ll talk to my family. Come with me first—can you make soup? Let me see how good you are."
Liu Dongdong hadn’t expected Lin Sisi to agree so easily. Overjoyed, she nodded eagerly.
After a few steps, Lin Sisi suddenly turned back. "By the way, what did the police ask you?"
Liu Dongdong froze. Meeting her gaze, she quickly recounted everything, assuring her she hadn’t revealed a thing.
Lin Sisi relaxed slightly but still eyed her suspiciously. "We were classmates, but we weren’t close. Why would you help me?"
Liu Dongdong hesitated, then said, "I always thought you were a good person—not like the others who looked down on me. I didn’t want the police to misunderstand you."
Lin Sisi smiled, "That's wonderful. Thank you for believing in me." Then, her brows furrowed tightly. "Actually, this whole thing is a setup. You know, the woman who was swapped with me at birth—her name is Si Nian. After my parents sent her back to the countryside to marry some old man in Xingfu Village, she held a grudge against me. She thinks I took that 3,000-yuan bride price and even went as far as to involve the police to frame me..."
