Chapter 439: Confessing to Chen Yang

"So, everyone who borrowed money from Tongwei's family, hurry up and pay it back. Don't delay Tongwei's wedding."

"Yes, yes, yes," Qi Qinghai also hurriedly chimed in.

He had initially been livid at what Qi Tongwei said, but now, seeing that it was going to delay his own son's big event, he became anxious.

After all, other people were outsiders; nothing was more important than his own son's wedding.

A few people who were related by blood or marriage and had borrowed money were quite frightened by Qi Tongwei's words; they didn't know much about the law.

But Qi Tongwei was a top student who studied law; it was said that after graduation, he would be a Cadre, so dealing with them would be easy.

One by one, they went home and sent the money back, even including three or five eggs as interest, though Qi Tongwei refused them all.

"Rest assured, everyone. You are all my elders. I was just in urgent need of money; otherwise, if you borrowed it, you borrowed it, and there would be no rush to pay it back."

"No, no, Tongwei, we watched you grow up. We've all managed to turn things around now, so we certainly can't delay your life's big event."

Several middle-aged men were grumbling inwardly: just a moment ago he was stiff-faced and talking about filing a lawsuit, and now he was speaking nicely. He changed his face as soon as he pleased—who did he take after? Even Qinghai wasn't like this.

"Yes, yes, yes."

"Tongwei, since we've turned things around, we naturally have to pay it back. If there are good business opportunities in the future, you must bring us along."

"Easy to say, easy to say."

Qi Tongwei had his younger sister collect the money one by one, handed out cigarettes to them, and after chatting perfunctorily for a while, he sent them off.

"Tongwei, was what you said just now true? Are you really getting married?"

"Fake. I don't even have a partner, who would I marry? But renovating the house is real."

"I plan to study for a postgraduate degree; my employment prospects will be broader later, and the competition will be smaller."

"You still have to go to school?"

Qi Qinghai didn't know what to say; of his two sons, one couldn't get enough of school, and the other couldn't get into it.

Mentioning studies, Tongyu very tactfully went silent, silently shrinking into a corner to minimize her presence as much as possible.

"Yes, after graduation, I might go to work in Sijiucheng. Godfather said there is more room for development there."

"Is that what Brother Zhang said? Then it must be right. Just listen to Brother Zhang."

"..."

Hearing his son mention Zhang Ping'an, Qi Qinghai agreed decisively. He trusted Zhang Ping'an one hundred percent, whether it was his medical skills or his character.

In the afternoon, his uncle arrived, travel-worn and weary, with the remaining two thousand yuan tucked in his pocket.

"Tongwei, this is all your uncle has on hand. I can only pay you back the rest slowly," Qi Tongwei's uncle said, feeling very embarrassed.

"It's fine, Uncle. I'm not in a rush to use the money. The things I said this morning were only aimed at outsiders."

"You keep this money for your own use. We'll talk when you're better off. There's no rush."

Qi Tongwei's uncle had three sons, all of whom had reached marriageable age, and he had borrowed the money to build houses for them to take wives.

"This... sister?"

"Little brother, just take it and use it. Pay it back when you have money."

"Okay."

Qi Tongwei's uncle hesitated for a long while before nodding heavily. He really needed the money, and this two thousand yuan might not even be enough.

Qi Tongwei looked at his father with a meaningful gaze, as if asking, "What about your sister?"

Qi Qinghai was extremely embarrassed. His sister didn't live far away—closer than his wife's maiden home—so it was impossible that she didn't know the news from the morning.

Since his brother-in-law could come over and his younger sister hadn't, that already explained the problem.

"Your aunt might not have been home. Maybe she'll send the money over in a couple of days."

"Heh~ whether she comes or not, I will definitely go get it back before the end of the year."

Three days later, Qi Tongwei hadn't waited for anyone, so he rode his bike with gifts to his aunt's house. No matter what, the proper courtesies had to be observed.

"Uncle-in-law, Aunt."

"Tongwei is here?"

His aunt, Qi Qingchun, twitched the corners of her mouth, revealing an ugly smile; she clearly already knew he was coming.

"Yes, Aunt. It's almost the New Year, and I haven't had time to come back and see you all year. Since I happened to come back early this time, I came to see you, Uncle-in-law, and the cousins."

Qi Tongwei casually handed out candy to his cousins and didn't mention the money, just chatting about this and that.

"Tongwei, look at me. I heard about what happened in your village yesterday. Your second brother is really something; he didn't even say a word when he was in urgent need of money. I was just thinking about sending it to your house today, and look, you just happened to come over."

"Tongwei, here is ten thousand yuan. You count it."

"That works too."

Qi Tongwei accepted it without standing on ceremony and began counting it himself, *swish, swish, swish*.

"Exactly ten thousand. Aunt, I won't stay long then. I still have to tidy up the house before the end of the year."

"Good, good, good. Drive slowly on the road."

"Phew~"

After Qi Tongwei left, his aunt, Qi Qingchun, let out a long sigh of relief. This kid put more pressure on her than the Cadres in the village.

One had to know that Qi Tongwei could face billionaires and Deputy Mayors without changing his expression, so he naturally developed a certain aura; dealing with a rural woman like her was easy.

Thus, all of Qi Qinghai's loaned-out money, except for the uncle's, had been reclaimed by Qi Tongwei.

Qi Tongyu looked at her older brother with admiration. For the past few days, she had watched their family's money being borrowed away and had been worried to death, but fortunately, it had all been reclaimed now.

"Mom, you keep this money and save it well. I'll take the rest. If you need anything, just call me."

Qi Tongwei really didn't dare to leave more money at home. If he hadn't stopped it, his father might have lent out the entire twelve thousand yuan. The twenty thousand plus that had been recovered was enough for household expenses.

"No need. What money would I spend at home? Besides, your mother still has a salary."

"Dad?"

"You just take it. It's all money you earned anyway," Qi Qinghai pouted, and Qi Tongwei didn't mind.

"Alright."

The winter break ended quickly, and Qi Tongwei prepared to return to school, giving his little sister one hundred yuan in pocket money.

"Spend it sparingly, and study hard. At the very least, you must graduate from high school, or learn a trade at a technical secondary school. Do you hear me?"

"Oh, okay." Hearing these requirements, Qi Tongyu didn't even want to take the one hundred yuan.

University started, and Qi Tongwei returned to his usual routine, though he had one extra task: renovating three apartments.

"Brother Tongwei, why haven't you been to the Library these past few Sundays?"

"Uh, I went out to take care of some business."

"What business?"

Chen Yang instantly thought of something bad. Qi Tongwei was already over twenty, the age of hot-blooded youth, and now he was being all mysterious—could he really have gone to look for a prostitute?

"What are you thinking about?" Seeing Chen Yang's expression, Qi Tongwei knew she was letting her imagination run wild.

"Then tell me, what did you go do?"

"Renovating houses."

"Renovating houses?"

"Mm, right across from the school. I bought them."

"You bought them? Where did you get the money? Could it be that you...?"

Chen Yang knew Qi Tongwei's family background; he was from the countryside, and although his parents were both dual-income workers, it was impossible for them to afford houses.

Chen Yang glanced at Qi Tongwei's lower body, which made the corner of Qi Tongwei's eye twitch; he gave Chen Yang's backside two quick slaps, and after he finished, both of them felt a bit awkward.

"Ahem, who told you to let your imagination run wild? I bought the houses with money I earned using Treasury Bonds during the summer break."

"Mm..." Chen Yang's face turned beet red, and she responded in a low voice.

"Alright, I'll take you to see them on my day off, and then you'll know."

Qi Tongwei rubbed his forehead with a headache; how had he never noticed before that Chen Yang liked to let her imagination run wild, and always toward the lewd?

Previously, when the two of them occasionally got intimate, it was only a light touch, and although little Tongwei was restless, he had restrained himself.