Hua Kai looked at Wang Dan and asked, "Trying to morally blackmail me?" After saying that, she sneered, "I'm not afraid of that at all, because your morality wouldn't even sell for two cents by weight, so it really can't blackmail me."
Wang Dan was speechless for a moment after being confronted by Hua Kai's words and attitude.
Li Jing looked at Wang Dan and said, "Wang Dan, you two used to bully Hua Kai a lot together. Don't you find it ridiculous to say these things now? If I were you, I really wouldn't have the face to stand in front of Hua Kai."
Wang Dan had indeed bullied Hua Kai with Hua Lin in the past. Now she knew that Hua Kai had changed, so she couldn't continue the conversation. She could only stubbornly say, "Hua Kai, if you can live with yourself, then don't care." After saying that, she turned and left.
Hua Kai ignored Wang Dan completely, because there was no need to. She couldn't help but shake her head and sigh, "What a ridiculous person. She's the clown herself."
Li Jing laughed at Hua Kai's joke: "Clown, she really is. But I admire Hua Lin and Wang Dan. Both of them are wicked, but they are really good friends."
Hua Kai laughed and said, "Because they're birds of a feather flock together. Let's go inside, there's no need to pay them any attention."
The two went inside, and Li Jing helped Hua Kai cook. They chatted as they cooked, and seeing that it was getting late, Li Jing went home.
Hua Wanhe and the others returned late today; it was already getting dark when they entered the courtyard.
When they returned, Hua Kai brought them water to wash their hands while telling them about Hua Wanhe's situation. She said that they might need to borrow money from him today, and of course, they couldn't lend it to him, but they still needed to prepare their families.
Hua Wanjiang was stunned: "What? Gambling? Is this guy crazy? How could he gamble?"
Hua Kai smiled at Hua Wanjiang's surprised expression: "Dad, if everyone had your level of awareness, the police station would be much less troublesome."
Gu Lanyan said, "That's right. Every year, the village cracks down on gambling. If everyone thought like you, that would be great."
Hua Wanjiang sighed, "We lost so much money, what's wrong with doing with it? It hurts just thinking about it."
"Dad, don't feel bad. They brought it on themselves. Hurry up and eat. My grandpa and the others might come before we finish eating," Hua Kai said.
Gu Lanyan said, "Kaikai is right. Hurry up and get ready, wash your hands, and come inside for dinner."
Before long, dinner was served.
At the dinner table, Hua Wanjiang, still somewhat troubled by Hua Wanhe's gambling, asked, "He gambled? Lost over a thousand in one night? Over a thousand? How long would it take to save that up?"
While eating, Hua Qingyang said, "Let them say that our family was poor every day before. Now their family is truly poor."
Hua Wanjiang said to his youngest son, "Qingyang, you can't talk like that."
Hua Qingyang pursed his lips and remained silent.
Hua Kai said to her younger brother, "Qingyang, if we don't want to be looked down upon by others, we have to rely on our own abilities. We should strive to improve ourselves, instead of comparing ourselves to them, understand?"
Hua Qingyang nodded.
As they were talking, voices came from the courtyard outside. Gu Lanyan stood up and said, "We can't finish this meal. I guess it's your grandpa and the others who have arrived." She went out to greet them, wanting to see if it was them.
Of course, it was Hua Zhongzhi and Zheng Shuzhen, as well as Hua Wanhe and Huo Yanmei. Hua Lin and Hua Qingsheng didn't come.
Gu Lanyan greeted them as they entered the house: "Father, Mother, come in and sit on the kang (heated brick bed)."
Hua Wanjiang also stood up and said to Hua Qingyi, "Take your younger siblings and clear the table." Then he called out to the two elders who had entered the room, "Father and Mother."
Hua Kai followed her older brother and younger brother in greeting Grandpa and Grandma, as well as her second uncle and aunt. Then she cleared away the food and tidied the table.
Just as Hua Kai had predicted, these people came to borrow money.
Hua Chongzhi spoke first: "Eldest brother, I really have to talk to you about this today. You must have heard about what happened to the second brother, right? He's been bewitched. He wasn't a gambler before. Now that this has happened, no matter what, we have to face it, right? I've been thinking, you brothers should each contribute a few hundred to help the second brother get through this difficult time."
Hua Kai knew without a doubt that this was a scheme orchestrated by Zheng Shuzhen. It was most appropriate for Hua Zhongzhi to speak on this matter, since Hua Wanjiang was his own son, and he was about to get emotional.
However, Hua Wanjiang had been influenced by Hua Kai's ideas before, and of course, it was also related to his increased experience now. In any case, the current Hua Wanjiang is no longer the person who could be easily swayed by others.
He said to Hua Zhongzhi, "Father, I've heard about this, but as the saying goes, even a starved camel is bigger than a horse. You all know our family's situation. We only earn a little money from going to the market this month, and that's all we can make. Next year, our house will have to be rebuilt, or it will collapse. We don't even have the money to build the house yet. There's really no way to help."
Zheng Shuzhen changed her previous domineering attitude and said, "Eldest brother, we know you have a hard time. Here's what we'll do: you give the second brother five hundred first. We'll pay it back after we sell the grain before the New Year. We guarantee we'll pay it back in two or three months."
Hua Kai laughed upon hearing this: "Grandma, our family only goes to the market once a month. Where would we get five hundred yuan? You know, our family didn't have any savings before. I had to pay for my schooling, my brother went to the city to learn a trade and rented a room for thirty yuan a month. My younger brother also went to middle school. Don't books cost money? Where would our family get five hundred yuan? To be honest, our family doesn't even have a hundred yuan now. This little bit of money is for doing business."
Zheng Shuzhen understood. The flower blooming meant there would be no money at all. Could she agree to that?
She said to the flowers, "That's your second uncle. Even if your family doesn't have him, you should at least go out and check, right?"
"Grandma, I won't bring up the old grudges of when we had problems in the past and you didn't help us at all. Let's just say, where are we going to borrow money? Relationships are reciprocal. We've never helped anyone before, and you haven't reciprocated. How can you ask someone for money now?" Hua Kai said, avoiding the past, but she still said what needed to be said.
At this moment, Hua Wanhe became anxious: "Hua Kai, I believe you that your dad can't borrow money, but how could you not borrow money? Don't you know Captain Ye? If you ask him, you can borrow not only five hundred, but even a thousand, right?"
Hua Kai laughed: "What right do you have to make me owe such a huge favor to someone?"
Zheng Shuzhen looked at Hua Zhongzhi: "Look at your granddaughter, how heartless she is. She can help her second uncle but she won't. This is really too hurtful."
Hua Chongzhi glared at Hua Kai with resentment: "This is your own uncle, is he not as good as an outsider? What's wrong with you borrowing some money from Captain Ye?"
Hua Kai smiled and said, "Captain Ye is no outsider. He always helps me when I'm in trouble. He's my best friend. I cherish my friends and I won't let unworthy people affect my position in their hearts."
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