92: Chapter 92 Extortion

From the Jiang family's perspective...

Lin Ning had questioned Jiang Yu, and her silence meant she wasn't going to take his side.

She didn't have to pay the money herself, yet she would be the ultimate beneficiary; how could she possibly not cooperate with them?

Lin Ning finally hung up the phone in a fit of rage and turned to leave.

Old Man Jiang and Jiang Jiazong jumped off the bed and blocked the doorway.

"Thinking of running? If you don't give us an explanation today, we'll call the police and have you arrested immediately!"

"You'd better think this through. Jiang Yu is my daughter, after all; whose side do you think she'll take in the end? Didn't you get the message when she ignored you just now?"

Lin Ning's brow furrowed, the corners of his mouth drooping. "Aren't you afraid I'll settle the score with her later?"

None of the Jiang family members answered him. Lin Ning felt he was being delusional—just like his own scumbag father, would they care if she couldn't survive?

"So what you're saying is, if I pay five hundred thousand in bride price, this matter is settled?"

The eyes of all four people lit up. Jiang Jiayao rushed to answer, "Yes! Not a penny less!"

"I don't have that much money. I only have a hundred thousand in my account."

Old Woman Jiang said urgently, "Then give us the hundred thousand first, and then go ask your parents for the rest. What family doesn't prepare a bride price for their son's marriage? They must have it ready for you."

Jiang Jiazong held out his phone, showing his mobile banking account, but his father slapped it down.

The old man displayed his own phone. "Put 'bride price' in the transfer remarks."

The corner of Lin Ning's mouth quirked up as he readily took out his phone to transfer the money.

Old Man Jiang was actually stunned for a moment by how cooperative he was.

Looking at the money that arrived instantly on his phone, he let out a couple of laughs and tried to pat Lin Ning on the shoulder, but Lin Ning dodged him.

The old man took a pen and paper from the table and pushed them toward Lin Ning. "Write a statement saying you're voluntarily giving five hundred thousand as a bride price. You've paid a hundred thousand first, and the rest will be paid before the wedding. If it's not paid in full by then, it automatically converts into a loan. Also, promise that the bride price is non-refundable and will automatically become a gift upon divorce."

Lin Ning looked at the old man in surprise.

Heh, so he actually did some research? Then how does he not know his actions are illegal? Which marketing account led him astray? Probably some half-baked advice from Xiaohongshu that he's using to show off.

Lin Ning naturally wouldn't write it. The play had reached its finale; any more acting would just be padding.

Lin Ning sat back down in his original spot with a commanding posture, looking at this group of scum as if they were idiots.

Seeing that Lin Ning wouldn't write it, the Jiang brothers rolled up their sleeves to step forward. They had originally planned to beat Lin Ning up for revenge after getting the money anyway, assuming he wouldn't dare fight back.

Lin Ning hooked a leg around another stool, pulled it over, and kicked it toward the brothers' feet, his mouth not staying idle either.

"Planning to use violent coercion now?"

Lin Ning didn't want to cause unnecessary complications; he just wanted to stack 'buffs' against them. He didn't use much force, but the stool hit the two men's feet, making them howl in pain as they clutched their feet and legs.

Lin Ning pointed at his lapel clip and then at the bracelet on his wrist toward the old couple who were about to rush over.

"Why don't you ever learn? I'm recording all of this!"

"Let me think... extorting five hundred thousand is a 'particularly large amount,' punishable by over ten years in prison. Having already obtained a hundred thousand makes it a 'large amount' completed, plus the four hundred thousand attempted—even if the sentence is lightened, you're looking at ten years minimum."

Lin Ning watched Old Man Jiang's face change drastically. He studied it with interest; it wasn't just pale, it had a hint of grayish-blue—the color of a corpse!

He continued, "All four of you have threatened and extorted me. According to Article 25 of the Criminal Law, this is a joint crime. The whole family, neat and tidy, going in together to eat prison food. Happy?"

After he finished speaking, the room fell into a deathly silence.

Seeing them look at each other with increasingly fierce glints in their eyes, he kindly reminded them, "This is being uploaded to a cloud drive in real-time. It's useless even if you snatch it!"

"Dad!"

The two brothers were young; though they were uneducated, they spent a lot of time online. They suddenly remembered a certain celebrity's mistress who was sent to prison on this very charge, and they hurriedly looked to their father for help.

Old Man Jiang suppressed the panic in his heart and glared deathly at Lin Ning.

"What do you want?"

Lin Ning didn't want to tangle with them anymore and pointed at the phone. "Return the money!"

Old Woman Jiang was still dazed. Which family doesn't ask for a bride price when marrying off a daughter? How was that a crime? Wouldn't half the people in the world be arrested then?

She quickly grabbed the old man's arm. "Bullshit! Why should we return it? Asking for a bride price is illegal? What a joke! Who are you trying to scare?!"

Old Man Jiang thought for a moment, shoved the old woman aside, and returned the money to the original account.

His two sons' expressions were wrong, and Lin Ning was too certain; he needed to go back and ask around. Regardless, he had to clear his family's name first.

Once the money was gone, his demeanor changed instantly. "Don't think this is over. You raped my daughter; you think you're getting off easy?"

Lin Ning stood up, pushed aside the old man blocking his path, and walked out.

As he walked, he turned off the lapel clip and the bracelet.

He turned around just before opening the door.

"Returning that hundred thousand is called 'returning stolen goods,' but it's still completed extortion. The sentencing doesn't change—ten years minimum! If you make me unhappy, I'll send your whole family inside, neat and tidy! The statute of limitations is ten years; I can come after you anytime! Idiots, go find a lawyer and ask!"

Then...

He loosened his collar, tilted his head from side to side, glared with wide eyes, and flashed a malicious smile at the stunned group.

"That was the 'harmonious society' version."

His voice suddenly spiked, sounding vicious. "A family of four who can't scrape together a single brain between them. You should be glad I don't want to waste the effort. Otherwise, these two—"

He pointed at the Jiang brothers. "These useless pieces of trash... I could find someone to seduce them and either sell them to Northern Myanmar or get them hooked on gambling and drugs. And you, you old bastard, you think you'll have a peaceful death? Fucking idiots! You think you've figured out how the world works, then you come to the city looking for a beating! Get lost, do you hear me? If I see you again, I'll kill you!"

Old Woman Jiang was still confused about how it was illegal, but she was terrified by Lin Ning's sudden, fierce transformation.

Jiang Jiayao, Jiang Jiazong, and Old Man Jiang understood. Old Man Jiang could still hold his ground, but the two brothers had instinctively hidden behind their parents.

Looking at those two cowards, Lin Ning let out a disdainful sneer.

He pulled open the door and strode away.

What kind of successful person could those who constantly thought about feasting on the flesh and blood of their own kin ever be? Anyone with a bit of capability in the outside world knows that even if you don't win over your blood relatives, you shouldn't offend them to the point of death. It's not like they were starving, yet they were selling their daughter!

Did Old Man Jiang still expect his sons to care for him in his old age and give him a proper burial? By the time he gets old, it'll be a miracle if they don't just dump him in the snow.