317: Are you kidding me?

Atapong was extremely annoyed, but he didn't know what to do.

"What's there to say! My wife... she's not wrong! Playing cards isn't illegal to begin with, so what right do you have to force us to settle the debt?"

He knew deep down that what Nala said was wrong, but as long as he didn't have to hand over the goods to Su Cha, he would say anything.

Songphong also hurried over, an awkward smile on his face as he said to the crowd, "Hey now... well... let me say something fair. Today's card game was definitely not according to the rules and was illegal!"

"How about we both take a step back and just forget about it? We're all relatives; it's not good to take things too far, as it would ruin the harmony."

He knew his side had lost and simply couldn't produce that much money and property.

As long as he could get Su Cha and the others to give up on the debt, he didn't care if he lost some face.

Hearing Songphong's words, Su Mei was instantly enraged.

She was furious! Shameless! This family was simply too shameless! As an elder, Songphong not only failed to uphold justice but was also taking sides, helping Atapong and Nala play dirty!

Songphong was truly unworthy of being an elder!

She snapped at Songphong, "Pah! Something fair??? You're fit to say something fair?"

"Second Uncle, you are an elder after all, yet you have the nerve to take sides! When Atapong was forcing Su Cha to gamble earlier, why didn't you say it was against the rules or illegal?"

"When Atapong was humiliating my eldest uncle, why didn't you say we were relatives and shouldn't ruin the harmony? Now that we've won, you jump out and say this—what are your intentions?"

Rebuked by Su Mei, Songphong felt very guilty and stammered, "I... I'm not taking sides, I'm telling the truth... playing cards was never legal to begin with..."

He knew in his heart that Su Mei was right, but he still didn't want to admit it.

He could only bite the bullet and continue to speak up for his son.

Su Cha's wife, Pinya, couldn't take it anymore either and said to Songphong,

"Second Uncle, they are the younger generation, so it's one thing for them to be shameless. But you're an elder—have you lost your sense of shame too??? You were the ones who forced Su Cha to gamble, and now that you've lost, you want to back out and claim gambling is illegal. Where was this logic before?"

Songphong grew furious at Pinya's rebuke. His face darkened as he told her, "Hey, you child, how can you talk to your Second Uncle like that! I am your elder, how can you speak to me this way!"

He wanted to use his status as an elder to suppress Pinya and make her stop talking.

Su Cha said coldly, "Is she wrong? When Atapong was lording it over us, why did you turn a blind eye? Aren't you an elder???"

"As an elder, not only did you not stop Atapong's actions, you even indulged him. Now that something's happened, you jump out to play the good guy and try to smooth things over. Do you think that's possible?"

Su Cha pointed at Atapong and said indignantly, "When he thought he had victory in his grasp, and my father knelt down to beg for mercy, asking you to let us go..."

At this point, he looked at Songphong, his voice suddenly rising.

"Why the hell did you act like a mute then!!! Why didn't you say we were relatives and shouldn't ruin the harmony then? Why didn't you say gambling was illegal then?"

Su Cha could no longer suppress his rage.

He would never forget the sight of his father kneeling on the ground just now, bitterly pleading with Atapong and Songphong.

At that time, Songphong had just watched from the side, not only without a shred of sympathy but even with a mocking smile.

Now, he had the gall to jump out and say they were relatives and should both take a step back; Su Cha found this unacceptable.

Frightened by Su Cha's intensity, Songphong flinched and took a step back, stammering, "I... I thought you were just playing around... I didn't think you would gamble so much..."

He was terrified; Su Cha's aura was too scary. He could only use this kind of excuse to try and muddle through.

Hearing his answer, Su Cha became even more furious and roared, "Playing around???

The one who said I needed to be taught a lesson was you! The one who said I needed to know who the boss of the village is was you! And now the one acting like a good guy trying to smooth things over is also you!

Do you think everyone present is a fool who doesn't understand anything!!!"

Songphong was completely stunned, standing there unable to say a word.

Being rebuked by his nephew in front of so many people made him feel extremely humiliated.

He wished he could find a hole to crawl into.

Songphong felt miserable. He knew Su Cha was right; he was indeed acting like a good guy and trying to smooth things over.

But he didn't know how to argue back and could only watch as everyone looked at him with disdainful eyes.

He regretted not stopping Atapong earlier and regretted his own indulgence.

But it was too late for regrets; he could only endure all of this.

He thought to himself: How did I raise such a worthless son?

If Atapong had just behaved himself and hadn't been so arrogant and overbearing, he wouldn't have ended up in this position. Now, not only had his son lost everything, but he was also being humiliated along with him, and he would never be able to hold his head up in the village again.

Watching Songphong's pathetic state, Lei Jun felt very vindicated.

This was the consequence of indulgence.

As a father, Songphong had not only failed to educate his son properly but had instead indulged his son's arrogance and humiliation of their relatives.

Now that his son had lost, he was also being shamed, and it was exactly what he deserved.

Lei Jun turned to look at Su Qing and Su Ya, finding the two sisters looking at him with grateful eyes.

Lei Jun gave them a slight nod, signaling that they didn't need to be so formal.

Both Su Qing and Su Ya were extremely grateful to Lei Jun. If he hadn't stepped in to help, their brother definitely wouldn't have won today and would have been humiliated by Atapong's family.

Now, Atapong's family had lost everything and was being condemned by everyone; it was truly satisfying.

The surrounding crowd also began to point fingers and condemn Songphong.

"Exactly! Why didn't you say it was 'playing around' earlier! Saying it now is too late!"

"As an elder, it's one thing not to uphold justice, but to take sides like this is truly shameless!"

"Stop acting like a good guy! We won't believe you! This debt must be settled clearly today!"

"Hurry up and have your son and daughter-in-law hand over the things! Otherwise, we won't be polite!"

Songphong was cursed by the crowd until he couldn't lift his head, and he could only keep his head down in silence.

He could feel the disdainful gazes from all around, each one like a needle pricking his body, making him feel completely uneasy.

His heart was filled with nothing but regret and despair—regret for not stopping Atapong, and despair that his family was truly finished this time.

Su Cha glanced at the pathetic Songphong, then turned his gaze back to Atapong and Nala.

He spoke coldly.

"There's nothing left to say. You play, you pay! Hurry up and pay the money!"