Chapter 95 Narrowing the Root of the Problem

"Fine, you win."

He took a step back.

"I'm leaving today, giving you a few more days to raise the money. If I still haven't gotten the money by then, don't blame me for being ruthless... Even if you call the police, they won't be able to save him!"

He suddenly waved his hand.

"Walk!"

The thugs behind him immediately understood and turned to leave.

Zhou Shufen finally breathed a sigh of relief.

My body went limp, and my back slammed heavily against the cold wall.

Zhou Hairong scrambled and crawled to her side.

"Mom, only you can save me now! That man is no joke! If I don't have enough money, they really will cripple me! Please help me... I beg you..."

Zhou Shufen looked down at him, her eyes filled with a chilling coldness.

Her voice was low but cold.

"You got involved yourself, you were blinded by greed and took out high-interest loans! Did you think about the consequences when you did these things? Now that things have gone wrong, you're crying and begging me to cover for you? How am I supposed to fill the hole you've incurred?"

"Mom, are you really going to just stand by and watch me get killed?"

Zhou Hairong clung tightly to her legs, sobbing uncontrollably.

"I know I was wrong this time, I swear! I'll never touch those things again! Please help me... Mom, I can't die... I haven't lived enough yet..."

Zhou Shufen's anger flared up instantly.

She kicked Zhou Hairong away.

"I can't handle this! I can't bear the responsibility!"

"You made this mess, so you have to pay for it yourself! Don't expect me to help you!"

As soon as she finished speaking, she turned around and strode out of the shop.

She walked towards home without looking back.

Zhou Hairong knelt there.

His knees were already numb, but he remained motionless.

After a long time, he finally managed to prop himself up, trembling.

He staggered along, eventually following silently back.

Right now, he can't go anywhere except to Zhou Haiqing's place.

That was his last refuge, even if it was only a temporary place to stay.

Zhou Shufen had already told Zhou Haiqing and Qin Guifang everything that had just happened.

They should know this.

Qin Guifang covered her mouth with her hand halfway through the conversation, her eyes filled with fear.

Zhou Haiqing gritted his teeth, his eyes filled with a mixture of anger and worry.

When Zhou Hairong pushed the door open and came in, the air in the room seemed to freeze instantly.

Zhou Shufen stared at him with a cold gaze.

"Hai Rong, now that you've gotten yourself into this mess, if you stay any longer, you'll inevitably drag Hai Qing and Gui Fang down with you."

“They are living a peaceful life now, and you can’t ruin their lives because of your own mistakes.”

Zhou Hairong trembled.

His lips trembled slightly, but he couldn't utter a single word.

Zhou Shufen wasn't heartbroken for her son, but she was acutely aware of the harsh reality.

Qin Guifang is currently pregnant, and emotional fluctuations can easily cause miscarriage.

She scared people away today.

But what about next time?

Who knows what they might do?

She had to nip the problem in the bud.

No matter how much it hurts me, I can't let my whole family be in danger.

"No, I won't leave!"

Zhou Hairong's eyes were filled with despair and pleading.

“I truly repent and just want to start anew. If you kick me out now, where can I go? I don’t have much money, and I don’t even have a place to stay… My life is completely ruined…”

"Think about others too!"

Zhou Shufen's eyes were filled with disappointment and heartache.

"Just because you messed around and got into so much trouble, do you expect your whole family to suffer with you? Your brother has already asked someone at his workplace for help, and Guifang is pregnant. Do you know how much they've endured?"

Her emotions had reached their limit.

"Mom, please don't do this. I really can't leave. Wherever I go, those people can still find me, and I might even implicate others... Please believe me just one more time, okay?"

Zhou Hairong's feet seemed rooted to the spot, unable to take a single step.

Zhou Shufen's voice was as cold as ice.

"How is it useless? You're only thinking about your own difficulties and grievances? Now that this matter involves your brother Zhou Haiqing, can you still just ignore it like this? If you stay, you'll only bring the danger one step closer to them!"

“Those people have already seen me, and things won’t get any better even if I disappear immediately.”

Zhou Hairong's voice trembled.

"They won't let me go... Mom, I'm really scared... I'm really scared of making another wrong step, but I'm even more afraid of implicating you..."

Zhou Shufen's vision went black for a moment.

Her heart felt like it had been ripped open, the pain so intense she could barely stand.

But she knew she couldn't be soft-hearted anymore.

Zhou Hairong has made a huge mess of things; if things go wrong, his whole family could be dragged down with him.

Those people outside don't look like good people.

They'll do anything for money.

If they can't get anything out of Zhou Hairong, they'll definitely come back to her and her family!

At that time, let alone a peaceful life, you might not even be able to save your life.

The current situation made it impossible for her to calm down.

But no matter how much I thought about it, I couldn't find a way that would satisfy both sides.

"It's all fate, it's all a debt brought by the children!"

She slumped onto the edge of the bed, her shoulders drooping.

It was already very late at night.

But Zhou Shufen wasn't sleepy at all.

She kept thinking about why she was so unlucky.

She had several troublesome kids who were always causing trouble.

Finally, she sat up abruptly, a resolute glint in her eyes in the darkness.

She put on an outer garment.

He quietly opened the door and went out.

Zhou Shufen wandered aimlessly, feeling empty inside.

I passed by a small shop that was still lit up.

She simply pushed open the door and went inside, then bought a few things.

Carrying her things, she slowly walked to the shop.

The clothing store was spotless, and everything was new.

This was originally a shop she planned to open for her youngest daughter; it was the family's last hope.

She pulled over a chair and sat down, the wooden chair creaking slightly.

She placed the beer she had bought on the table.

Feeling suffocated, she just wanted to use alcohol to ease her mind.

Actually, the problem isn't too complicated; it all boils down to money.

Once the money is gone, there's no way out.

She thought and thought, but every option seemed to lead to a dead end, unless she was willing to hand over the money.

But how is that possible?

Zhou Shufen wasn't that stupid.

She has already given enough; she can't afford to lose the last bit of her savings.

That was her dowry for her daughter, her hope for the future.

She sighed heavily again.

I've lost count of how many times I've sighed today.

She opened the beer bottle.

He tilted his head back and took a swig; the cold, bitter liquid slid down his throat and chilled him all the way to his stomach.

Not satisfied with just one bite, she continued to take bites, one after another, until her lips went numb.

In no time, the bottle was empty.

Once you start drinking alcohol, your head starts to spin.

She leaned against the wall, her consciousness somewhat blurred.

In that half-dreaming, half-awake state, she suddenly noticed a figure standing at the door.

Who would come here in the middle of the night?

Her heart tightened suddenly, and cold sweat instantly seeped out from her back.

She held her breath, staring intently at the shadow.