Chapter 324 Trouble

Zhou Chengzhi was startled when he saw the person suddenly kneel down. He quickly went over and pulled the person up, saying, "What are you doing? Let's talk this out. Why are you kneeling down?"

Li Hualin sobbed, "I'm too ashamed to come. I know my brother is good to me, and we shouldn't trouble him. But life is just too hard; we really can't go on like this."

Jiang Zhizhi found it amusing; this couple was here to stage a self-inflicted injury.

Zhou Chengzhi frowned: "Alright, get up and talk! How am I supposed to know how to help you if you keep acting like this?"

Upon hearing this, Li Hualin quickly wiped his face and looked nervously at Zhou Chengzhi: "Brother Zhou, my second and third sons got married last year and had babies this year. With more people in the family, we don't have enough food."

“The second son is a good-for-nothing. He secretly started gambling again and lost all the family’s money and grain. He is now heavily in debt, and the creditors are blocking our door every day. We really can’t live like this anymore.”

"We've paid off all the debts we could, and now we can't even afford to eat during the Lunar New Year."

Zhou Chengzhi stared at the two in shock: "Gambling? How dare you gamble? Isn't anyone going to stop you?"

Li Hualin wiped away her tears: "It's cold at home during the winter, and there's nothing to do, so they get together to play cards. Who would have thought... they could win such a big prize while playing cards? The second brother even wrote an IOU for someone, so he can't deny it."

Zhou Chengzhi said with a dark face, "I can't help you if you come to me. The money I gave you before was all borrowed, and I still haven't paid it all back."

Li Hualin didn't expect Zhou Chengzhi to refuse so readily: "But elder brother..."

Liu Yu'e also cried and sobbed, "Brother, you usually live a good life. Even if you just let a little bit slip through your fingers, it's enough for us to eat. We don't want money this time, we just want some food coupons so we can get through the New Year."

“There are only five days left until the Chinese New Year. There is absolutely nothing to eat at home. The two children of my second and third sons are still young, and my eldest son’s eldest daughter also had a son this year. They all need to eat. We…can’t just stand by and watch them starve to death.”

"Not to mention that my mother-in-law saved you, if she knew that several of her great-grandchildren were going to starve to death, she would definitely be heartbroken."

Jiang Zhizhi was so angry she almost laughed. They actually brought up the life-saving grace again.

Just as he was about to speak, Fang Hua spoke first, coming downstairs as he spoke: "Li Hualin, Liu Yu'e, you won't be satisfied until you've sucked every last drop of blood out of our family, will you?"

As she spoke, she walked over to Zhou Chengzhi's side, glanced at him, and found him with a dark face, not saying a word.

Then he looked at Liu Yu'e and Li Hualin: "Your mother-in-law did save Zhou Chengzhi, but this debt of gratitude has been repaid for so many years. Has it not been repaid yet? His salary not only supports you two, but also your three sons. And you expect us to take care of your three sons' marriages?"

"Now you have to take care of your three sons' sons too? Are you never going to stop?"

"Since you claim to have saved my life, fine, then is it only when my wife and I die today that we can be done with this? Or are you planning to continue using this to blackmail my son even after we die?"

"Today, I'll say something harsh to you too: we won't give you a single penny. The thousand yuan we gave you before was a loan, and you have to pay it back."

Li Hualin's face instantly changed color: "What...what do you mean 'lent' us? It was Brother Zhou who gave it to us!"

Fang Hua sneered: "He gave it to you? He has no say in this family. I said I borrowed it, and that's it. If you don't pay it back, I'll report you to your commune."

Liu Yu'e didn't expect Fang Hua to suddenly erupt in anger: "You... sister-in-law, you can't do this, if it weren't for my mother-in-law..."

Fang Hua interrupted directly: "Yes, it was your mother-in-law who saved Zhou Chengzhi. What does that have to do with you? How dare you come here asking for things? If we're going to repay a debt of gratitude, it's to your mother-in-law!"

"I also know that you abused your mother-in-law a lot when she was alive, didn't you? You didn't give her food, and you didn't give her a cotton-padded coat in winter, didn't you? Your conscience is black, how dare you bring up your mother-in-law now?"

Liu Yu'e was speechless after being rebuked by Fang Hua, and took two steps back: "You... I can't talk to you..."

Fang Hua didn't bother to look at her, and turned to Li Hualin: "Now let's talk about you. When your mother was alive, did you ever serve her a bowl of rice? Didn't you complain that she ate too much and want to throw her into a ditch?"

"Later, Zhou Chengzhi came looking for you. After you learned about your mother's situation, you started to treat the old woman better, just to curry favor with us and leech off us, right?"

“Over the years, I’ve been very tolerant of you because of your mother, but you’ve gone too far! You just want to say that we’re ungrateful? Well then, we’ll be ungrateful today! Go ahead and spread the word.”

Li Hualin couldn't argue with Fang Hua at all, so he turned to Zhou Chengzhi and said, "Brother Zhou, look at my sister-in-law, my mother was..."

Before he could finish speaking, Zhou Chengzhi waved his hand and said, "You don't need to say anything. Your sister-in-law is right. I was too generous to you before, which made you more greedy."

"Your family has three sons, all of whom are strong and capable men. How come you're living such a poor life?"

“I can no longer give you money and food. Even if I meet your mother in the afterlife a hundred years from now, I will not feel guilty. I have already repaid most of the debts of gratitude over the years.”

This outcome was something Li Hualin and Liu Yu'e never expected.

The two had been discussing on their way here that if they used their gratitude to threaten Zhou Chengzhi, he would definitely give in.

After all, we've compromised for so many years!

Moreover, Zhou Chengzhi cares about his reputation. If someone were to expose his ingratitude, where would he put his face?

Li Hualin's mind raced, but he couldn't come up with a solution and could only feel anxious.

Liu Yu'e was also anxious, and tears welled up in her eyes again: "Brother Zhou, what do you mean? Are you abandoning us?"

Zhou Chengzhi nodded: "We can't manage you anymore. You're more dangerous than bloodsucking leeches. How are we supposed to control you? Today, I can help you get a room at the guesthouse for the night. You can go back first thing tomorrow morning."

After saying that, he quickly looked at Fang Hua and asked her with his eyes if this arrangement was okay.

Fang Hua thought for a moment and nodded: "Yes, it's getting late and there are no buses back. Why don't you stay at the guesthouse for the night and go back for the New Year tomorrow morning?"

How could Liu Yu'e agree? In the past, as long as they brought up their deceased mother-in-law, Zhou Chengzhi would definitely soften his heart. Why didn't it work this time?

In a moment of quick thinking, he rolled his eyes upwards, then collapsed to the ground, convulsing, foaming at the mouth...

Li Hualin cried out in alarm, "You...you've angered my wife to death! You have to pay me compensation..."