Chapter 341

·

·

·

Protagonist:

Chai Mi

After Liu Xiaochun got home, he tossed the money onto the kang head: "Wife, we've got the money."

Liu Xiaochun's wife is named Che Lianying, Che Lianyun's third younger sister and Chai You De's wife's sister.

As for how this relationship came about, it's a long story with some history. To make a long story short...

We all know Che Lianyun's nickname is Xiao Doubao, and she was unsightly to look at. But this Che Lianying looks reasonably normal.

At least she isn't too short, her build isn't too coarse, and she looks fairly normal. Although her character isn't great either, marrying Liu Xiaochun is like a fresh flower stuck in cow dung.

Liu Xiaochun's family situation is far worse than Chai You De's.

You have to know, even today Chai You De lives decently. He has more land at home, and now that he's sent Chai Zhongxiao away, his family has forty or fifty mu of land. Even though he doesn't work, that land is real and exists.

As for Liu Xiaochun, he's bare walls in an empty house.

First, because Liu Xiaochun looks passable and is fierce and aggressive, Che Lianying likes that type. Second, this younger sister-in-law is the one who had rumors with Chai You De back then, forcing Chai You De to marry Che Lianyun.

So here, cough cough...

I won't go into detail.

Under the lamp, Che Lianying stared blankly at that pile of greasy, blood-and-sweat-stained banknotes on the kang—one hundred eighty-seven yuan three mao six, just scraped from Chai Zhongming.

Liu Xiaochun was in pain, hissing through his teeth: "We've got the money, but this money... does it really fill that hole?"

He was referring to Chai Mi's one hundred twenty yuan IOU.

Che Lianying's eyes shifted, she grabbed the money in one go, quickly stuffed it into her waistband's hidden pocket: "Not repay—what then? Aren't there still several days left? I'll go out and scrape some more. If it really doesn't work, I'll pay her later... we'll find someone to plead, cry poor, give less if we can, delay a day if we can."

Liu Xiaochun was afraid: Damn, Che Lianying, you haven't been beaten, you're not afraid!!! Are you afraid I'll live too long? Still planning to cook for two days...

"No... I was thinking giving it to her would finish it. Who do we go plead to? No one in the village speaks for us."

Liu Xiaochun wanted to give the money to Chai Mi as soon as possible, then this matter would be over, and he could do what he should. Otherwise, dragging it on, if Chai Mi gets angry and brings people to beat him, what then?

Liu Xiaochun knew clearly that if he got beaten, he'd have nowhere to reason.

Even if others beat him, it would be for nothing...

"You idiot!" Che Lianying slapped him, "Can a living person be peed to death? Go find my Second Sister! Go find my brother-in-law! Chai You De is Chai Mi's paternal Third Uncle, he can say something. Besides, his family has money, a bit leaking from his fingers is enough for us to get by! And this matter, your Second Great Uncle Chai Zhongming can't escape either! Why should only we be unlucky? Go!"

Without explanation, she dragged the yelping Liu Xiaochun out the door, straight to Chai You De's house.

At the door, she shoved Liu Xiaochun into the dark corner by the wall: "You wait here! Don't go in and add chaos, watch me!"

She took a deep breath, composed her emotions, raised her hand and knocked.

"Who is it? So late!" Chai You De's impatient voice reeked of alcohol.

"Brother-in-law! It's me! Lianying! Open the door quickly, brother-in-law! Something big happened! We're done for!" Che Lianying's crying voice burst out, sharp and piercing.

The door opened a crack, Chai You De's alcohol-reeking face appeared: "Lianying? What time is it? Say it tomorrow if there's something!"

"Can't wait until tomorrow, brother-in-law!" Che Lianying forced her way in.

On the kang, Che Lianyun was sewing shoe soles, her short, flat, round face full of alertness in her triangular eyes: "What? Is your butt on fire?"

Che Lianying "thump" knelt on the ground, tears pouring down, slapping her thighs and wailing: "Second Sister! Brother-in-law! Save us! Liu Xiaochun... Liu Xiaochun is about to be beaten to death!"

Chai You De jumped in fright: "What?! Who beat him?"

Che Lianyun stretched her neck: "Speak quickly! What's the use of crying!"

Che Lianying, snot and tears, ramblingly "complained": Liu Xiaochun "kindly" went to Chai Mi's He Tao land to look at corn, was blocked by Chai Mi with people who accused him of stealing, brutally beaten, forced to sign a one hundred twenty yuan IOU, and if not repaid in three days, they'd tear down his house... now he only has half a life left...

"Brother-in-law! Those people are like bandits! They beat Xiaochun... not a single good spot on his whole body! His head swelled into a steamed bun! Woo woo woo..." She cried with genuine feeling, "Chai Mi said, three days! If we don't produce one hundred twenty, they'll really tear down the house! Brother-in-law! Second Sister! You can't watch our house collapse? Xiaochun is naughty, but he's my man! Woo woo woo..."

Chai You De listened, his face grim, especially hearing "Chai Mi brought Old Chai's people," he said angrily: "My niece is getting worse and worse, doing nothing decent all day."

Che Lianyun pursed her lips, gloating: "Serves him right! For being disliked! Who was good to provoke? Chai Mi? Is she a good sort? Look at the trouble her family stirs, Chai Youfu's leg is broken, Song Qiushui got pinched... Deserved!"

"Second Sister!" Che Lianying crawled on her knees to the kang edge, grabbing Che Lianyun's pant leg: "You can't say it like that! Xiaochun just went to look at the land, Chai Mi could beat him to death? Besides..." Her eyes darted, she lowered her voice with mystery, "That corn... isn't all Xiaochun's fault..."

"What do you mean?" Chai You De and Che Lianyun became alert at the same time.

Che Lianying went all out: "That old bastard Chai Zhongming was involved too! It must be him who stole! He ran fast, and dumped the blame on Xiaochun's head! Xiaochun is taking the fall for his Second Great Uncle! Brother-in-law, this matter... you have to manage it!" She dumped all the dirty water on Chai Zhongming.

Chai You De narrowed his eyes. Chai Zhongming? The old bachelor? He pondered in his heart.

But Che Lianyun only grabbed the money: "Manage? How manage? Repay the money for you? Dream on! One hundred twenty? None! Not a single cent! Is our money blown by the wind? Chai You De just became Accountant, he has many places to use money! Get lost! You're annoying just looking at you!"

Che Lianyun's brain wasn't comparable to the other Chai family members; she had long seen that Che Lianying wasn't telling the truth.

Liu Xiaochun didn't steal, so how could Chai Mi bring people to beat him?

Why didn't Chai Mi bring people to beat herself?

So Liu Xiaochun definitely stole.

"Second Sister! I beg you! Just one hundred twenty! Just borrow one hundred twenty!" Che Lianying begged bitterly, turning to Chai You De with tearful eyes, "Brother-in-law! Help us! You have standing in the village, say a word, let Chai Mi extend a few days! Brother-in-law... you forgot before..." She didn't finish, her eyes carrying pleading and an unclear meaning.

Chai You De's heart went "thump."

Before? He subconsciously glanced at Che Lianyun.

Che Lianyun's flat face instantly lengthened, her triangular eyes glaring at Che Lianying like knives: "What before?! Che Lianying! You shameless... Get out of here!"

She jumped off the kang, grabbed a broom and beat Che Lianying: "Get out! Jinx! Your own man is useless, and you still have the face to borrow money? I'll beat you to death, you shameless thing!"

"Ouch! Second Sister! I didn't! Really didn't!" Che Lianying covered her head, dodging in a sorry state, crying and explaining, while cursing in her heart.

Chai You De had a big head, quickly stopping the furious Che Lianying: "Enough! Making a scene! Aren't you afraid the neighbors will laugh!" He snatched the broom.

"What if they laugh? I beat my own younger sister! It's only right!" Che Lianyun refused to let up, pointing at Che Lianying's nose and cursing, "Look at her! Pretending to be pitiful for whom? Isn't it just to make you soft and give her money? Chai You De! If you dare give her a cent today, I'm not done with you!"

Chai You De's head hurt from the noise, especially the words "give her money again" made him angry. He looked at Che Lianying with a tear-stained face, then at Che Lianyun like a shrew, and waved his hand impatiently: "Enough! All of you shut up!"

He glared at Che Lianying: "Money, none! Not a single cent! Chai Mi doesn't recognize her relatives, even if I say something it's useless!"

Even his own leg was broken in a fall from the fright Chai Mi gave him — how could he manage this matter?

But no matter...

Chai You De felt a pang of heartache again.

The problem was, Chai You De still had no money... the household's financial power was held by Che Lianyun.

"You go back first."

Che Lianying hadn't gotten the money, so how could she go back?

"Brother-in-law, Second Sister, you two can't just watch me die without helping! Wu wu wu wu..."

Che Lianyun was so angry she wanted to hit again; Chai You De pulled her, hauled Che Lianying out of the room, then went outside and said in a low voice: "Tomorrow I'll think of a way to get you some money. Your sister isn't human. You go back first."

With Chai You De's guarantee, Che Lianying only then reluctantly agreed.

"Then Brother-in-law, you'd better keep your word. Otherwise..."

Che Lianying spoke and was about to cry again; Chai You De instantly lost all composure: "Rest assured, tomorrow that one hundred twenty I'll definitely give you."

Having received the promise, Che Lianying left.

Chai You De fell into deep thought; after all, a promise was a promise, but he had no money...

Chai You De leaned against the cold earthen wall; the night wind blew him mostly sober, his heart like it had a mouse tucked inside — seven up, eight down.

One hundred twenty! Where to get it? That woman Che Lianyun guards money more than her life!

He tiptoed back to the room; heavy snoring came from the kang where Che Lianyun lay. Chai You De's heart rose to his throat; like a thief he slipped to the kang's end, hand trembling as he reached for Che Lianyun's treasured old makeup box — he knew there was a hidden compartment inside, holding the family's emergency money.

The box had just been shifted open a crack when a rough hand clamped down on it tight!

"Chai You De! You're courting death!" Che Lianyun sat up abruptly, triangle eyes gleaming fiercely in the darkness — where was any sleepiness? "You damn well want to steal my money for that little slut?"

"No... Yun, listen to me..." Chai You De was scared out of his wits, tongue tied in knots.

"Say your mother's leg!" Che Lianyun grabbed the kang broom and beat him head to face: "I knew it! That bitch twitches her ass and you damn well know what shit she's pushing! Still 'before'? That bit of broken ass-crack business between you two before — did you think I didn't know? Huh? Chai You De you heartless bastard! I bore you sons and daughters, managed this broken home, and this is how you treat me? Taking my money to fill that pair of thieves' hole? How beautifully you think!"

Broom knots fell like raindrops on Chai You De's head and body; he hugged his head and shrank into the kang corner: "Stop hitting... stop hitting... ai yo! I... I'm just afraid that bastard Liu Xiaochun will really make trouble and drag us down! If he... if a cornered dog jumps the wall, he might burn our house down too..."

"Burn? He dares!" Che Lianyun stopped, spat, "He has that dog's guts? If he dares move a single blade of grass of my family, I'll make him unable to eat and carry it away! Chai You De I'm telling you, this money, you can't move a single cent! Liu Xiaochun's couple's life or death, what fart business of ours? Dead would be peace and quiet! You behave! Dare have crooked thoughts again, I'll tear you apart!" She glared at him viciously, clutched the box tight in her arms, turned her back on him and lay down, breathing heavily.

Chai You De covered his beaten aching arms, heart so stifled it wanted to explode, yet dared not make a sound, could only stare dry-eyed in the darkness. Done for — what to give Che Lianying tomorrow? That dog thing Liu Xiaochun, can he really stay quiet?

The next day, early morning.

Che Lianying sporting two black eye circles, early early was already poking her head at Chai You De's courtyard gate. Chai You De drooping his head came out to empty the chamber pot, one glance spotted her, heart gave a jolt.

"Brother-in-law!" Che Lianying like seeing a savior hurried over, lowered her voice: "Money... money got it or not?!"

Chai You De ashamed, face flushed red, eyes dodging: "Lianying... that... your sister... she guards the money too tight, I... I can't for a while..."

"What?!" The hope on Che Lianying's face instantly collapsed, voice turning sharp: "Chai You De! What did you promise me last night? You're fooling ghosts?! Agreed thing, you say change and change? You damn playing this set with me?!"

"Lower your voice!" Chai You De panicked waving hands, afraid the tigress inside would hear: "I... I am thinking of a way! Give me two more days..."

"Give me two days? Can Chai Mi give me?!" Che Lianying anxious stamping feet, tears spinning in eye sockets: "Brother-in-law! Do a good deed! I beg you! Not one hundred twenty, fifty! Fifty okay? First let me plug Chai Mi's mouth? The rest, I... I'll go sell blood to pay you back!"

"Sell blood? You..." Chai You De seeing her like that, heart also a bit unbearable, but thinking of Che Lianyun's face, shivered again: "Lianying, it's not that I won't help you, really it's..."

"Chai You De!" Che Lianying thoroughly despaired, tears brushing down, pointing at his nose cursing: "You useless waste! Words like farts! Those sweet words you told me before all fed to dogs? Now ask you help this little, you push three block four! I tell you, if Chai Mi forces me till I can't live, I'll hang myself at your door! Let the whole village see, how you forced your little sister-in-law to death!" She cried howling, voice louder and louder.

"Ai yo my ancestor! Stop howling!" Chai You De scared out of his wits, hands and feet flustered trying to cover her mouth.

"What noise? Early morning wailing!" Che Lianyun hands on waist appeared at the door, triangle eyes dead staring at Che Lianying: "You finished or not? Don't force me to tear face, hurry and go."

Che Lianying yelled at by her, crying choked off, only sobs left, eyes resentfully glaring at this couple: "Good... good... you two capable! Chai You De, Che Lianyun! You wait for me! This grudge I remember!" She wiped tears, turned and ran.

Chai You De watching little sister-in-law run far, face blackened: Xiao Doubao!!! Truly bullying too much!!!

Che Lianyun coldly snorted, turned back to room: "You want a beating, you make a sound, I'll satisfy you! Don't want a beating, then less damn cause trouble for me."