Chapter 74: Do You Really Think Li Ye Has a Good Temper?

“Sit down!”

“Xiao Ye, sit down right now!”

Li Ye had just stood up when Li Kaijian and Li Zhongfa shouted him down simultaneously—even Li Kaijian leapt to his feet, assuming a fighting stance.

This was because Li Ye’s dark history was simply too rich—it was truly a kick that could kill a dog.

If he flew into a rage today and gave Old Han a kick to the gut, his Li family would be famous again across all of Qingshui County.

【Stepson Drained by Mother, Furious Kick Sends Grandfather to Hospital.】

Tsk tsk tsk, this gossip was so captivating, so fermentable—maybe in just a few days, it would spawn countless versions, with spittle flying like flowers.

“Slap~”

Li Ye didn’t use a gut kick or a spine elbow—he simply clapped his hands together, suddenly enlightened and overjoyed.

“Oh my, you’re absolutely right! Spending money in small bits is definitely wrong—you must buy a house; a house is the only wealth the wind can’t blow away.”

Li Ye turned to Li Kaijian, who was utterly stunned, and asked: “Father, I’m going to Beijing for school this autumn—how much travel money have you prepared for me? Houses in Beijing aren’t cheap; my savings won’t cover it!”

“It’s not...”

“You...”

Even though Li Kaijian was a workshop director, managing dozens of workers and considered well-traveled, he’d never encountered a performer of Li Ye’s caliber.

But since Li Ye had asked, he could only answer truthfully: “I don’t have much money now, but there are still several months left—I’ll save up for you...”

“How can you not have much?” Li Ye asked in genuine surprise. “You haven’t spent big on anything these past two years—this past New Year, you didn’t spend a cent. Where did your salary go?”

“I...”

Li Kaijian glared, deeply annoyed by his son’s questioning.

In front of so many people, are you really that disrespectful?

But beside him, Han Chunmei said: “Xiao Ye, it’s all my fault—I borrowed your father’s salary twice, 260 yuan total, plus some industrial coupons...”

Before Han Chunmei finished, Li Kaijian cut in: “What do you mean ‘you borrowed’? I borrowed it—why are you telling him?”

Li Ye probed further: “Then who did you lend it to? My grandfather needs it now—why don’t you go get it back?”

The couple exchanged uneasy glances, glanced at Old Han, and fell silent.

Well, no need to ask—it was lent to the in-laws.

Probably because they saw their money pile up, Li Kaijian did a generous deed—and ended up whetting their appetite.

Old Han’s face darkened. The previous loan hadn’t even been repaid, and now they were coming back for more—this was truly unbecoming.

Li Ye slowly sat back down on the small stool and asked Old Han: “Wait a minute, Grandpa, you’ve got 260 yuan already—why are you borrowing two thousand?”

Old Han: “Cough cough, I bought your uncle a bicycle before the New Year...”

Li Ye: “That still wouldn’t cost 260!”

Old Han: “It’s the New Year! You have to spend some money entertaining your son-in-law, right?”

So much for saying money must be spent wisely—right after, he spent someone else’s money on himself.

Li Zhongfa was speechless. In-laws coming to borrow money couldn’t be sent away empty-handed—but this was just too much.

Han Chunmei bit her lip until it bled. She told Li Ye: “Xiao Ye, I’m sorry, this is all my...”

“What are you talking about? Apologizing to me would shorten my life!”

Li Ye quickly interrupted Han Chunmei, then turned to Old Han: “Here’s what I’ll do—I won’t lend you money,

but I’ll point you to a path. If you’re willing, you can buy a big tiled house in two years without trouble.”

Old Han took a drag from his cigarette and asked calmly: “There’s such a good deal? I’d like to hear it.”

Li Ye didn’t hide anything: “One of my classmates has a relative who runs a food processing cooperative—they make rock candy at home and usually deliver to food stores.

I’ll speak to him and get your brother connected to the city market—start by getting two hundred jin on credit to pave the way. Once things pick up, you’ll earn a decent monthly income.”

Li Ye had finally figured it out: people’s sense of obligation in 1982 was different from the future. If he gave Old Han not a single cent today, even Li Zhongfa wouldn’t let him off the hook.

But lending money was endless—it was better to point them to a path and let them figure it out themselves.

The rock candy business was growing; after the New Year, Jin Peng and Hao Jian were heading south to Guangdong, so several more people had been added—adding one more to Old Han’s family wouldn’t hurt.

In these times, if you just used your brain and your hands, was it really hard to earn a thousand yuan a year?

If you could earn your own money, who would come begging with a shameless face? Those future “I borrowed by my own merit, why should I repay?” types? They hadn’t even been born yet!

But... hehe,

Li Ye believed there was a 99% chance the Han family father and son wouldn’t choose this path.

Sure enough, Old Han glanced at his son, then at Li Ye—like a turtle staring at a green bean—he just stared, silent.

Li Ye secretly admired him—he hadn’t expected, after so long in this era, to meet a true master here.

But the uncle couldn’t hold back—he scowled: “I don’t know how to do business! Besides, that’s speculation and profiteering!”

Old Han’s wife quickly added: “Yes, yes! Your uncle is an honest man, timid—he couldn’t even shout to sell!”

【You can’t shout to sell, but you can shout to borrow?】

Li Ye held back his anger and explained: “No one is born a merchant. He sells it to others at six jiao per jin—I’ll get him to give you five jiao—you still profit no matter how you sell.”

“Pfft~ I thought this was some great opportunity.”

Old Han burst out laughing: “Five jiao? You don’t know rice is a coarse grain?

One jin of rice costs only twenty-three fen—how much does it really cost after you add water and inflate the weight? I told you kids aren’t reliable—you’ve been fooled!”

Li Ye’s face twitched—he nearly stormed out, but for his own goal, he still “pleaded earnestly.”

“No, Grandpa, think: you’re borrowing my money—you have to pay it back. The path I’m showing you doesn’t require repayment,

and this business is long-term—you won’t just earn two thousand, you could earn two times two thousand...”

Old Han threw his cigarette on the ground and hardened his expression.

“Enough, Xiao Ye—you’re young but full of tricks. I won’t beat around the bush—

if you’re willing to lend out of family ties, I’ll remember your Li family’s kindness; if you’re not, I won’t say another word—I’m leaving right now...”

“Aaaah~~ Waaah waaah~~~”

Before Old Han finished his tough words, someone outside the main house suddenly screamed “Aaaah!” then burst into loud sobs.

Li Ye bolted outside—he recognized the voice: it was Li Ying, the family’s invisible little one.

Li Ye had been called back for the meeting, so the main room had no idle people—so the children of his uncle and aunt, along with Li Juan and Li Ying, were playing in the side rooms.

Li Ye rushed to the west side room of Li Kaijian and Han Chunmei’s house and found only Li Ying and her cousin Han Xiaoguang inside—Li Juan and the aunt’s child were gone.

Li Juan was clutching a wool coat tightly to her chest, wailing loudly.

In her hand, she gripped a pair of scissors.

Li Ye didn’t immediately ask Li Ying—he turned coldly toward the cousin.

Han Xiaoguang shrank back, terrified, but his fierce gaze revealed his defiance.

“What happened? What’s going on?”

Li Kaijian and Old Han rushed in right behind him, demanding urgently.

The boy suddenly spoke: “I just wanted to try on my sister’s wool coat. She refused, then tried to stab me with scissors.”

“What?”

“You little girl—you’re trying to kill someone! I...”

At the door, the uncle’s eyes turned red—he lunged forward to slap Li Ying.

But Li Ye grabbed his collar and yanked him aside.

“It’s not Li Ye, she stabbed her own cousin with scissors—if she hurts him seriously, I’ll never let your family off the hook...”

“This matter won’t be over, of course—I don’t even want it to be over!”

Li Ye spoke coldly, walked to Li Ying’s side, pulled her small hand open, and showed it to everyone.

“Look, everyone—how could a child stab this poor cousin with the blade of scissors?

Are you all idiots? Or blind?”

Everyone was stunned—they now noticed Li Ying was holding the scissors backward, and the blade had cut her palm, faint blood seeping through.

“This... how?”

The uncle was baffled—he wasn’t smart, but he wasn’t stupid. Seeing Li Ying cry so hard, he knew his own child...

Li Ye squeezed Li Ying’s arm hard, urging her to put on a show—he’d already tangled with the Han family for several rounds, and this was the final push.

Li Ying winced and burst into fresh sobs, crying as she spoke: “He tried to take my coat... I wouldn’t give it... he grabbed the scissors... I fought back...”

The little girl dropped the scissors with a clang and raised the wool coat.

“It’s torn! It’s ruined! He cut it to pieces... waaah waaah...”

The once-pristine wool coat now had a huge tear, like a gaping mouth.

Hearing Li Ying’s wailing, the Han family’s expressions changed instantly.

Seeing his lie exposed, Han Xiaoguang doubled down: “Her mother and sisters have eaten at our house for years—I just wanted one coat, and she wouldn’t give it... she only got hurt because she fought back...”

“You little brat, I’ll beat you to death.”

Old Han “flew into a rage,” raised his foot, and started pulling off his shoe—he clearly intended to use the sole to smack his grandson’s stubborn face.

But his wobbly, hopping stance on one leg suggested he’d never land the blow—and if someone intervened, it was even less likely.

Yet strangely, no one moved to stop him—not even Li Ye’s own “uncle,” who looked embarrassed and ashamed.

But Li Ye was a kind-hearted man—others wouldn’t intervene, so he would.

“Why should you, an elder, trouble yourself with disciplining a child?”

Li Ye blocked the hopping Old Han and said coldly: “Leave it to me.”

Old Han froze for a fraction of a second, then suddenly lunged for Li Ye, shouting frantically: “No, no, don’t!”

But Li Ye moved too fast—Han Laohan had barely extended his clawlike hand when Li Ye kicked out, aiming straight for the brat.

Steady, precise, brutal—perfect form, perfect timing.

“Li Ye~”

Li Zhongfa screamed in alarm, but it was too late to stop him.

Li Ye’s kick landed dead center on Han Xiaoguang’s ass, sending him flying sideways, then landing face-first in a dog-eating-dirt pile.

Li Ye had lived in an era where knocking out a tooth could land you in jail—how could he make such a rookie mistake?

If he was going to break the law, he wouldn’t do it in front of so many people!

Of course, a black eye, swollen lips, and a busted nose were inevitable.

“What are you doing? What are you doing?”

Han Laohan lunged forward, snatched up Han Xiaoguang, and shoved him toward Li Ye: “Why are you angry with a child? Here, take him—kill him today if you’ve got the guts!”

【You wanna play dumb with me? Fuck you, old bastard...】

Li Ye grabbed Han Xiaoguang’s collar, twisted his mouth into a cruel grin: “What? You’re upset? If your family had been bled dry by outsiders, would you let it slide?”

Han Laohan roared: “What’s your family, what’s my family? We’re all one family! Kids playing around—what’s the big deal?”

“Who the hell is your family?”

Li Ye roared back, pointing at Li Ying, who had stopped crying from shock: “She’s Li! What’s your surname? Tell me—what—do— you— Xing ?”

“.........”

Li Ye’s roar stunned everyone.

Even Han Laohan, who seemed simple-minded but was actually cunning, was speechless.

What’s my surname? I’m Han! I’m Han, and you’re Li... fuck me!

Li Zhongfa’s face turned utterly dark.

“She’s Li”—those three words shattered the last thread of his restraint.

Doesn’t matter if she’s his real granddaughter—she took your surname!

She called you Grandpa—you have to protect her, cherish her, never let her suffer abuse from others.

And the blackest face of all belonged to Han Xiaoguang, the brat.

He was the Han family’s crown prince, had bullied Li Ying for years while she lived under their roof. Today, with his grandfather and father present, he never imagined he’d lose.

But that idiot Li Ye had the nerve to strike right in front of his elders.

And why the hell did Grandpa hand him right over to Li Ye? Doesn’t he fear Li Ye might strangle him?

Li Zhongfa pushed through the crowd and pried Li Ye’s hand off Han Xiaoguang’s collar.

Then he turned to Han Laohan: “Old brother, let’s talk alone.”

“Talk shit!”

Han Laohan snatched his grandson and stormed out, cursing as he went.

“Today I’ve seen the Li family’s moral standards—real big shots, official family! A child gets to handle money, a toddler gets to make decisions, a junior gets to scold his elders...”

Li’s grandmother, known for her temper, snapped back: “Our Li family’s morals don’t need your Han family to judge—just return the 260 yuan.”

Han Laohan was apoplectic. He whirled around, glaring at the Li family, then fixed his gaze on Han Chunmei: “Don’t forget—you’re Han.”

Han Chunmei’s face turned instantly pale.

But then Li Ye’s voice rang out, calm and smiling.

“She’s Li too.”

Li Ye stepped out of his room, smiling: “She married into our Li family—she’s Li Han Shi. Go check your ancestral tablets—if her name’s written wrong, you’ll lose face big time.”

Han Laohan’s mouth trembled so badly he looked like he was having an epileptic fit.

You dragged up ancestral tablets? You’re trying to kill his soul.

You've even dragged out the ancestral tablets—you're trying to kill him by destroying his spirit.

“I’ll pretend I raised her for twenty years—I raised a dog. My eldest daughter is dead.”

He spat out two “fine”s, then turned and walked away.

But Li Ye coldly barked: “Stop.”

Han Laohan turned back, roaring like a tiger: “What now? What else do you want?”

Li Ye slowly raised the bills in his hand—he’d just fetched them from his room.

“Here’s five hundred. You don’t have to return it. If you want it, send the matchmaker over to certify this is Han Chunmei’s filial payment to her parents. [148] From now on, whether you fall ill, grow old, or die—she can visit if she wants, or not, if she doesn’t. You can’t force her. After all, my father married a wife, not a bottomless pit...”

Here’s five hundred—this money doesn’t need to be repaid. If you’re willing to accept it, summon the matchmaker to certify that this is Han Chunmei’s filial support for her parents.

Did you really think Li Ye was a gentle, saintly fool?

He’d spent the whole evening circling, holding his temper, trading blows with Han Laohan—all to wait for this moment.

If you’re going to cut ties, cut deep—once and for all, sever this family connection.

And you need a reason—so Han Chunmei finally understands what her surname really is.

Whether you want to never speak to the Li family again? We don’t care. She might not even manage it. But she must sit firmly in her place—no more shifting.

Because from now on, Han Chunmei won’t just be tied to a few thousand or ten thousand yuan.

Right now, if Li Ye said the Li family would become a billion-wealthy household, everyone would think he’d lost his mind. But really... sigh...

Spending five hundred yuan to cut it cleanly? Worth it.

If we don’t cut it now, this year the family’s income will hit hundreds of thousands—time waits for no one!

【Five hundred? You think you’re paying off a beggar?】

Han Laohan trembled, furious—but his foot wouldn’t cross the Li family’s threshold.

Meanwhile, Han Chunmei slipped behind Li Ye in the dark, whispering urgently: “Xiao Ye, five hundred’s too much—three hundred’s plenty.”

Her temporary wage was only 22.5 yuan—five hundred would take years to save.

Her temporary worker’s wage was only twenty-two yuan and fifty fen; five hundred yuan would take years to save up.