Chapter 1676 Utterly Shameless

• She took a deep breath, her eyes brimming with tears. “When he apologized to me,” she said, “he looked so ashamed as if he wished the ground would swallow him up. At that moment, I didn't have the slightest intention of asking him for money... I completely believed in his words. I believed that he intended to use my money to make a profit but accidentally ended up losing it. I believe that all men aspire to build a career. Once they've acquired the means, it's only natural for them to want to make something of themselves in the business world. In the world of business, ups and downs are common, and losing money is part of the game. Upon seeing my uncle so guilt-ridden and distressed over that sum of money, I tried to console and reassure him. I said that money and wealth are external possessions. He shouldn't harm his health over these external things. It's not worth it. I also said that even though I lost over forty million, I still had five million, a house, and jewelry. With these possessions, I could live a comfortable and affluent life for the rest of my days.”
• She continued, “My uncle praised me for my understanding and filial piety. Ever since that day, my uncle and aunt have shown me even more care and affection. I genuinely felt that way. Losing all my close relatives at the age of five, in my perspective, family ties were more important than money. Family love is something money can't buy. I felt incredibly fortunate. After my dear family left me, I was blessed to have such a kind uncle and aunt who cherished me, cared for me, and looked after me. Without them, I would have been all alone in this world. Not only might I have been unable to hold onto my wealth, but even if I had, being all alone, I wouldn't have known what happiness or joy felt like. With the presence of my uncle, aunt, and cousins, I was able to live happily in a normal family environment, growing up healthy and joyful. What my uncle and aunt gave me couldn't be compared to any amount of money. Although my uncle had used all that money without my consent, he was still my uncle, after all. Back then, I was just a child, and I didn't understand anything. Even if he had consulted me, I would have agreed. In the end, whether he discussed it with me or not, the outcome was essentially the same. I easily came to terms with the fact that fifty million had dwindled to five million. I've never been one to splurge. With five million to my name, those houses, and all the jewelry, antiques, and calligraphy stored in the bank, I already felt incredibly wealthy and content. However, I never anticipated that my illusion of happiness would be shattered by the social media posts of my cousin's best friend...”
• As she covered her face, her voice choked with emotion as she said, “After seeing my cousin's best friend's social media posts, I took the jewelry, antiques, and calligraphy to an expert for appraisal. When the expert informed me that all my jewelry, antiques, and calligraphy were all fakes, I was completely dumbfounded. By the time I regained my senses, I showed the photos and videos my cousin's best friend had posted on social media to an expert. I asked the expert whether the things in the photos and videos were authentic. The expert stated that he couldn't make accurate assessments merely based on photos and videos; he needed to examine the actual thing. The actual items were with my cousin. I couldn't get my hands on it, but I knew in my heart that I had asked a really foolish question. There was no need for me to see the item in person to know that the jewelry my cousin was holding was indeed authentic. I was just unwilling to accept it.”