Chapter 53: Dig up old accounts and get money!

Jiang Jianhua entered the house clutching two brown sugar buns. Just as he threw them on the table, Fu Yuanshan poked his head out from the inner room. "How's it going? Did Yun Tangyin give in?"

"Bullshit!" Jiang Jianhua slumped down on the stool, panting angrily. "Not only did she refuse, she even said she wanted to check the old accounts! She said she was shortchanged by five kilograms of cotton three years ago, and she asked me if I was greedy!"

Fu Yuanshan dropped the abacus in his hand to the ground with a thud: "How did she know? I already cleared that account!"

"Who knows where she found those old account books!" Jiang Jianhua grabbed a steamed bun and threw it at him. "It's all your fault that I suggested splitting up the family! Now, she's definitely going to keep an eye on us!"

Fu Yuanshan took the steamed bun and took a big bite. "What are you afraid of? Without evidence, what can she do to me? When Jiang Zhicheng comes, let him tell Fu Yucheng that the army advocates living separately. I wonder if she dares to stop us?"

As they were talking, Yu Xia's voice came from outside the courtyard gate: "Is your second brother's wife home? Uncle Zhang asked me to tell him that the boss of the cotton delivery truck still remembers that you were the one who picked up the goods that day and even made a detour to your mother's house!"

Jiang Jianhua was so frightened that she dropped the steamed bun in her hand. Fu Yuanshan quickly pushed her away: "You deal with it! Just say you can't remember!"

Jiang Jianhua bravely opened the door and saw Yu Xia leaning against the door frame, smiling, "Why is your face so pale, second sister-in-law? Uncle Zhang also said that the driver of the car saw you take out two large handfuls of cotton from the bag with his own eyes."

"He's talking nonsense!" Jiang Jianhua's voice was shaking. "It happened so long ago, how come I didn't know about this? He must have remembered it wrongly!"

Yu Xia raised her eyebrows: "By the way, I just came back from the supply and marketing cooperative. Accountant Wang said you changed to Dacron..."

Before Jiang Jianhua could say anything, Fu Yuanshan rushed out of the house, his peach blossom eyes filled with displeasure: "Sister-in-law, stop gossiping here! If you have anything to say, let Yun Tangyin come and tell me!"

"I'm here." Yun Tangyin's voice suddenly came from behind Yu Xia, holding a yellowed account book in her hand.

"Don't worry, second brother. I'll read you the account book right now. Three years ago, we bought two trucks of coal in the winter month, but only one and a half were actually put into the warehouse. The missing half was recorded as loss, but the warehouse records show no loss."

"Also, last year during the Spring Festival, there was a note about buying four feet of cloth. The account said it was for Mom to make a cotton-padded jacket, but Mom's cotton-padded jacket was clearly made of old cloth. Where did the new cloth go?"

Yun Tangyin shook the account book in her hand, smiling, as if she was determined to get to the bottom of it.

Fu Yuanshan's face turned the color of liver: "Why are you digging up these old things?"

"I'm not doing anything, I just want to figure it out." Yun Tangyin turned to the last page and pointed at the total with her fingertips.

"The money you two have embezzled over the years, plus the difference in the price of the radio I paid you today, totals one thousand and twenty-seven and a half dollars. Either you pay me back now, or I'll take the account book to the army and talk to the political commissar. I wonder if this counts as a conduct violation? Can you still return to the art troupe if you have this problem?"

After what happened a few times before, Jiang Jianhua's psychological defenses had become much weaker, and he burst into tears: "I don't have any money! Fu Yuanshan, take out the money you hid yourself!"

"Where would I hide any money?" Fu Yuanshan glared at her, his teeth chattering.

"Do you want me to ask Acheng to search?" Yun Tangyin smiled gently.

Fu Yuanshan's face quickly lost all color. Jiang Jianhua rushed over and pushed and hit him: "You are so heartless! You hid your private money and didn't even tell me!"

The two of them were writhing on the kang, Yu Xia watching with amusement. Yun Tangyin turned and walked out: "I'll give you three days to collect the money. If you can't, go to the army and explain it. Sister-in-law, let's go first."

As soon as he reached the gate, he heard Jiang Jianhua screaming, "Fu Yuanshan, if you don't give me the money, I'll sue you for stealing and selling the Fu family's things!"

Fu Yucheng was waiting at the door. Seeing this, he smiled and shook Yun Tangyin's hand: "Your move is quite cruel."

Yu Xia caught up with them and said, "Yinyin, you didn't see it. Fu Yuanshan's face is as pale as paper! I think he will have to hand over the money tomorrow!"

"It doesn't matter whether I pay or not."

Yun Tangyin glanced back at the noisy room. "As long as he's still in the Fu family, he won't be able to take the embezzled money away. Oh, sister-in-law, come with me to the supply and marketing cooperative tomorrow to get the account of Jiang Jianhua's Dacron exchange. We have to have solid evidence."

Yu Xia nodded repeatedly. "I'll get ready right away! Oh, and Uncle Zhang said the driver who delivered the coal back then is still in the city. Do you want me to go get him?"

"No need." Yun Tangyin smiled. "If Fu Yuanshan dares to cheat, I have my own way. Doesn't he want Jiang Zhicheng to help? I want to see if Jiang Zhicheng will still help after knowing about this."

Fu Yucheng pinched her face and said, "How come your brain works so fast?"

"I learned it from you." Yun Tangyin stood on tiptoe and pecked him on the chin: "You taught me that to deal with a villain, you have to hold on to something that holds something back."

As they were talking, Song Yu came back from outside, holding a handkerchief in both hands. Seeing them, he asked, "I just heard a commotion at the second brother's house. What happened?"

Yun Tangyin handed over the account book: "Mom, look, this is the old account I just sorted out. My second brother and his wife have embezzled a lot of money over the years."

Song Yushuang flipped through two pages and said, "I knew they weren't honest with their accounts!"

"Mom, don't be angry." Yun Tangyin supported her: "Let's just get the money back. If that doesn't work, we can go to the army and explain it clearly. We can always deal with them."

Song Yushuang slammed the account book on the table and said, "No need to go to the army! I'll go to their house in person tomorrow to ask for the money. If they dare not give it, I have plenty of ways to deal with them."

Fu Yucheng smiled and nodded: "Mom, this trick is more effective than ours."

Yu Xia echoed, "That's right! Let the whole hospital know how they coveted our family's money. See how they can hold their heads high in the future!"

Yun Tangyin looked at Song Yushuang's eyes, which were red with anger, and suddenly felt some unspeakable emotions in her heart.

Song Yushuang had wanted to punish them for a long time, but he just lacked a reason.

Now that she is here, we can finally settle the account, but without Jiang Jianhua, what about Yu Xia?

This family is bound to be separated.

The next morning, as soon as Fu Yuanshan opened the door, he saw Song Yushuang standing at the door with the old account book in his hand.

Jiang Jianhua shrank back in fear. Fu Yuanshan said with a stiff upper lip, "Mom, what are you doing?"

"Give me the money." Song Yushuang slapped the account book on his chest: "One thousand and twenty-seven and a half dollars, not a cent less."

"Mom...we have no money!" Fu Yuanshan could only bite the bullet and take the account book.

Song Yushuang seemed to have expected him to say that. The last trace of smile in his eyes disappeared, and he said something in a low voice.

"Mom!" Fu Yuanshan was so scared that he quickly covered her mouth. "I'll give it to you! I'll go borrow it now, okay?"

Jiang Jianhua was also crying beside him: "I'm going to pawn the silver bracelet from my dowry!"

Yun Tangyin stood at the gate of the courtyard, looking at their panicked appearance, and smiled at Fu Yucheng: "Look, we don't need to do anything, Mom can make them obedient."

Although she said so, she was still very curious about what kind of leverage Song Yu had over this couple.

If it was really so useful, why did she have to use her hands to cause trouble for the housekeeper to check the accounts?