Chapter 1350

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Protagonist:

Li Xiulan

As it turned out, the debts Li Zhenxing owed outside were not just one hundred thousand at all; one hundred thousand was merely the debt he could no longer hide!

The debts he owed far exceeded one hundred thousand; as for exactly how much, even he didn't know — anyway, everything he could borrow, and everything he couldn't borrow, he had already borrowed.

Therefore, the one hundred thousand bride price Li Yuncui got from Wang Yaohua, compared to his debts, was a drop in the bucket, simply not enough to plug this hole of his!

Under these circumstances, an idea sprouted in Li Zhenxing's mind:

Since one hundred thousand couldn't fill the hole anyway, why not take a gamble; maybe a bicycle would turn into a motorcycle!

So he took this one hundred thousand, twenty thousand for lottery tickets, twenty thousand for Mark Six lottery, and the remaining sixty thousand, all of it went to the underground gambling den for high-stakes gambling!

Result: the lottery didn't win, the Mark Six lottery didn't win either!

As for that sixty thousand taken to the underground gambling den for high-stakes gambling, it was lost clean down to the last cent!

Losing it all wasn't the end of it; Li Zhenxing, worked up from losing, even muddle-headedly borrowed usurious loans from the gambling den!

Signed and sealed, black on white, written clearly and plainly!

Before August 1st, the debt must be repaid in full, otherwise the consequences are on your own head!

As for how Li Zhenxing's injuries came about?

It was because he lost all the money borrowed from the usurious loans, yet still wanted to welsh on the debt; taking advantage of the gambling den people's inattention, he tried to snatch back the contract he had signed and tear it up, and as a result was given a vicious beating by the gambling den people.

They didn't beat Li Zhenxing to death or cripple him; after all, they still had to squeeze profit out of Li Zhenxing!

They even thoughtfully called Luo Jiaxin, telling her to come pick up Li Zhenxing, lest Li Zhenxing meet with some accident on the way home.

If Li Zhenxing couldn't figure things out and committed suicide on the way back, the one hundred twenty thousand in usurious loans they'd lent out would be impossible to recover!

Upon learning Li Zhenxing hadn't taken that one hundred thousand bride price money to pay off his debts, Luo Jiaxin immediately felt heartbroken and resentful beyond measure:

"Li Zhenxing, why don't you just go die! You're of such an advanced age, how can you still come harm us mother and daughter! Hurry up and go die!"

Luo Jiaxin shouted with a heart-rending scream.

Li Zhenxing hugged his head, crouched down, curled up, weeping aggrievedly:

"Wife, I'm sorry, I just wanted to take a gamble, didn't expect..."

Luo Jiaxin shoved Li Zhenxing hard:

"You go die! I trusted you so much, you've owed debts for so many years and I didn't divorce you, yet you actually did this behind my back — are you worthy of me, worthy of your daughter!"

Li Zhenxing defended himself aggrievedly:

"This was also something I had no choice about; I owe too much debt, one hundred thousand fundamentally can't plug those holes, so that's why I took a desperate risk, wanting to take a gamble!"

Luo Jiaxin huffed angrily:

"Divorce, must divorce!"

Li Zhenxing, however, said:

"Our daughter is getting married on August 1st; divorcing now, probably not good, right?"

Luo Jiaxin then said:

"Wait until the daughter finishes the wedding, then we'll go divorce!"

She also felt divorcing now was not good.

After all, their own daughter and Wang Yaohua had already set the wedding date.

If a commotion were stirred up at this time, and Wang Yaohua's family came to call off the engagement, what would they use to return the bride price money?

The more it's this time, the more this marriage must be concluded!

Once the daughter is married off, she, Luo Jiaxin, and Li Zhenxing divorce, then this family will be freed!

Li Zhenxing's debts, let him bear them himself!

Whether he lives or dies, it's all up to him!

It's not that Luo Jiaxin is ruthless; it's that Li Zhenxing truly disappointed her too much!

Li Zhenxing knew he was in the wrong, and he indeed didn't want to implicate his wife and daughter, so he said:

"Fine, then after the daughter finishes the wedding, we'll go process the divorce; all the debts, I'll bear alone."

Seeing Li Zhenxing didn't drag them mother and daughter into the water, Luo Jiaxin's heart softened slightly:

"That's what you said yourself; don't go back on your word when the time comes! Also, these few days don't go back to Shangou Village; wait until the injuries on your body heal a bit before returning, otherwise if the daughter asks how your injuries came about, we won't know how to answer her!"

Li Xiulan gave a bitter laugh:

"But I don't have a single penny on me; if I don't go back, you want me to sleep on the streets?"

Luo Jiaxin said coldly:

"Sleep on the streets then; Li Zhenxing, I'm telling you, all this is your own doing! A person in their forties or fifties, how can you still do such stupid things! I don't care about you anymore; I'm going back in a bit, you solve your own lodging and meals!"

Finishing these words, Luo Jiaxin turned to leave.

But just after walking ten or so steps, she still softened.

She turned back again.

Fished out a small wad of money from her pocket, took out two yuan for bus fare, stuffed the rest coldly into Li Zhenxing's hand, then wiped away tears and turned to leave.

Li Zhenxing opened the money, counted it — one hundred twenty-six yuan fifty fen in total, some change some whole.

That was already all the cash Luo Jiaxin had on her.

Li Zhenxing felt awful in his heart.

Felt he had let down them mother and daughter.

But after Luo Jiaxin left, he thought again: why not take this one hundred twenty-six yuan and fifty cents and try the underground gambling den, maybe he could win some back!

He didn't dare hope to win back over a hundred thousand with this hundred-odd yuan; just winning a few hundred would mean these days his food and lodging wouldn't be so wretched!

Otherwise, with just this one hundred twenty-six yuan and fifty cents, he couldn't last more than a few days!

So he turned around and headed for the underground gambling den.

Right then he happened to run into Xiao Hua and Gu Wenqing.

Xiao Hua and Gu Wenqing had just finished strolling around the middle school area and were planning to go to the street for lunch.

They never expected to run into Li Zhenxing right here on this street!

And Li Zhenxing was bruised and swollen, his eyes still bloodshot — clearly he had just been crying!

Seeing him like this, Xiao Hua was quite surprised; how did he end up in such a state?

So he hurriedly took the initiative to greet him:

"Uncle Zhenxing!!"

Seeing Xiao Hua, Li Zhenxing immediately turned panic-stricken.

He hurriedly lowered his head, turned around, and walked away, terrified Xiao Hua would recognize him!

Seeing him like this, Xiao Hua was even more surprised.

But he didn't chase after him.

Since Li Zhenxing didn't want him to recognize him, he might as well treat it as a case of mistaken identity, because Li Zhenxing surely had his own unspeakable difficulties.

At this moment Gu Wenqing asked:

"Xiao Hua, do you know that uncle?"

Xiao Hua smiled:

"Maybe I was mistaken? He looks a lot like Li Yuncui's father! But Li Yuncui's father went out to work elsewhere, he shouldn't be in town; just now I called to him and he didn't respond, so it must have been a case of mistaken identity."

Hearing Xiao Hua say this, Gu Wenqing instantly saw through his thoughts:

"I'm not some outsider, you don't need to be so polite and roundabout with me."

Xiao Hua froze for a moment, came back to his senses, then said with a smile:

"Then it should be Li Yuncui's father; he has injuries on his face, he must have been beaten; as for why he was beaten, that's unknown; he probably has some unspeakable difficulty, so that's why he pretended not to hear me greeting him!"

Gu Wenqing's face showed thought:

"Looks like there's more to this story; the August 1st wedding, can I go attend too?"

Xiao Hua laughed:

"If you want to go, just come along; when the time comes, a hundred yuan in gift money will do."