9: Chapter 9 I'll pay!

"Naturally, I believe you won't go back on your debt."

Chen Lichan wiped the corner of her eye and said, "It's just that the second son's wedding date is approaching, and all the expenses are imminent. We really can't afford to wait any longer."

Zheng Shunsheng looked helpless, as what his sister-in-law said was the truth.

He rubbed his rough cheeks and said, "Sister-in-law, it's not that I'm deliberately trying to evade or renege on the debt. I've already borrowed from every relative I could, and now I really have no way to turn things around. If you're really in a hurry, see if there's anything valuable in my house, and you can take it to offset the debt."

When her brother-in-law said this, Chen Lichan was momentarily speechless and couldn't help but roll her eyes at him.

Chen Lichan knew very well that arguing was one thing, but there was still a bottom line among family members.

If she really moved things out of his house, wouldn't she be cursed to death by friends, family, and neighbors later?

Chen Lichan couldn't help but sigh.

The current situation at her brother-in-law's house meant they really couldn't come up with the money.

The reason she came over to argue was just to vent the resentment about life that had been building up in her heart for a long time.

The courtyard returned to an eerie silence, and no one spoke again.

However, Zheng Xiaoan, who was still in junior high school, could not understand the social complexities and practical difficulties of adults.

Watching her parents being so difficultly accused by her aunt, she felt both angry and heartbroken. Coupled with her aunt casually slandering her older brother and second brother, her eyes instantly turned red, and she couldn't help but step forward to retort.

"Aunt, it's not that we won't pay you back, we are just short on cash temporarily! You shouldn't speak nonsense about my older brother and second brother; they are not bad at all. I won't allow you to slander them like this; you must apologize to them!"

Zheng Xiaoan's words instantly reignited the anger of Chen Lichan, whose emotions had just slightly calmed down.

"Hey, you brat, when adults are talking, is it your place to interrupt?"

Chen Lichan scolded coldly, "I am your elder, what's wrong with me saying a few words about your brothers? Take your older brother Zheng Jing, for example. He's 25, has no money, no career, and is unmarried—a 'three-nothing' product. Why can't I talk about him? I'll say he can't do anything right and eats everything in sight. He has no ability and no future. What can you do about it? You little brat, you dare to ask me to apologize? You've really turned against me!"

Zheng Xiaoan was simple-minded and not good with words. Being aggressively pushed by her aunt, she was speechless for a moment and ran into her room, crying out of grievance.

"Shut up!" Zheng Shunli gritted his teeth again, looking as if he would step forward to stop her if she continued making a scene.

Zheng Jing's parents, who had been silent on the side, heard their sister-in-law wantonly belittling their two sons. Their hearts were filled with rage, and they were about to retort, but then they thought about it—although the other party's words were harsh, they couldn't refute them.

The couple both sighed, deciding to just bite the bullet and endure it, considering it their fault for being in debt.

By the courtyard gate, Zheng Jing had seen the whole process.

He was somewhat aware of the family's debts.

In the winter three years ago, his father was riding an electric scooter to work at a construction site when he accidentally hit an old woman on the road. Because the electric scooter had no insurance, all of the old woman's medical expenses naturally had to be borne by Zheng Shunsheng.

This incident emptied all of his parents' savings, but it still wasn't enough. The couple had to find relatives on both sides and borrow a large sum of money. Among them was the twenty thousand from his uncle's family.

Although it is only natural to pay back debts, watching his parents being humble and forbearing, and seeing his younger sister suffer grievances to defend him and his younger brother... a sour feeling surged into Zheng Jing's heart. His chest felt like it was being crushed by a giant boulder, making it hard to breathe.

At this moment, overwhelming remorse drowned Zheng Jing.

He had been delivering food in Shanghai for so many years. Although he hadn't made a fortune, he had earned quite a bit of hard-earned money. But he hadn't sent a single cent home; instead, he had spent it all on his ex-girlfriend, Liu Meng.

He had been obsessed with romance, cared too much about his pride, and only looked out for himself, completely ignoring this family that was being crushed by debt.

Now, seeing with his own eyes his parents laying down their dignity for a twenty-thousand-yuan debt and his sister being bullied to tears, Zheng Jing completely woke up, regretting his past absurdity.

Fortunately, it was not too late!

Zheng Jing did not hesitate any longer, stepped into the courtyard, and said in a calm but steady voice, "Dad, Mom, I'm back."

Then he turned his head and greeted them with a smile, "Uncle, Aunt, you are here too."

Everyone turned their heads upon hearing him.

When his parents saw him, their eyes were full of worry, fearing that he might have a quick temper and do something drastic after hearing his aunt's scolding.

Chen Lichan was even more embarrassed. She had just been wantonly belittling him behind his back, and now that the person himself had suddenly appeared, even as an elder, she couldn't help but feel guilty and awkward.

Zheng Jing didn't care about their expressions at all. He walked straight to his parents' side, patted their shoulders lightly, and signaled them to relax.

Then his gaze fell on his aunt, and his tone was calm but extremely firm, "Aunt, I will repay the twenty thousand yuan that my family owes you."

As soon as these words fell, the courtyard instantly fell into a dead silence.

His aunt was stunned at first, completely not expecting that Zheng Jing, whom she had always looked down upon, could come up with this money. Then, a look of doubt and disdain appeared on her face.

"You?" She looked Zheng Jing up and down, full of disbelief, "You're just a food delivery guy, and you've even lost your job now. What will you use to pay back this twenty thousand? Don't sit here and talk big."

Zheng Jing couldn't be bothered to explain too much. He took out his phone, opened WeChat, found his uncle, opened the transfer page, and made the transfer in front of everyone.

"Ding—" A clear notification sound rang out, and a notification of a twenty-thousand-yuan receipt instantly popped up on his uncle's phone.

His uncle was dumbfounded, staring at the money his nephew had transferred. He didn't know whether to accept it or not.

Chen Lichan widened her eyes, full of disbelief. Her previously arrogant and overbearing attitude vanished instantly, and she stood there stunned, unable to say a word.

His parents were also shocked and full of confusion. They knew their son's income had been meager in the past, and he had to cover his dating expenses, so he couldn't possibly have saved that much money. They really couldn't figure out where this money came from.

Due to the circumstances, it was inconvenient to ask more, so the two of them could only temporarily suppress their doubts.

Zheng Xiaoan in the room heard her older brother's voice, and her eyes instantly lit up. She quickly ran out. All the grievances she had just felt were swept away after her older brother stepped in to pay the debt. Thinking of her aunt's harsh words just now, she looked at Zheng Jing, her voice choked with sobs, "Brother, Aunt, she, she..."