Chapter 167 This debt will be settled slowly
It's not that easy.
Qiao Wanyin lowered her voice, her brows furrowed slightly, and her tone became more serious.
“We got married as military personnel, so the procedures are special. If we really get a divorce, it will have a big impact. The military will have to report it and do ideological work. If it gets out of hand, it won’t be good for either of us. Besides… what if he absolutely refuses to agree? He’s a very stubborn person. Once he’s made up his mind, nothing can change it.”
Sheng Qi frowned and tapped his knuckles twice on the armrest.
"Then what do you suggest? We can't just keep dragging this on, can we? I don't have the patience to wait for you to slowly wear me down."
A glint of light flashed in Qiao Wanyin's eyes, but it disappeared in an instant, so fast that it was impossible to catch.
Then she looked pitiful again, and her eyes even welled up with tears.
"Actually... it's not like there's no way out."
She spoke slowly.
"If we could give him a large sum of money, as compensation, it would also be a way to end the relationship and shut him up. Maybe that would settle things. Most men are pragmatic, especially soldiers. They may be honest, but they are poor and under a lot of pressure. A large sum of money could easily shake their resolve."
"You want me to pay?"
Sheng Qi narrowed his eyes, his face darkened, and he stared at her with suspicion.
"Ah Qing, you're not trying to trick me, are you? Let him take the money and leave, and you'll keep your share of the profits? Don't think I can't see through you."
Qiao Wanyin lowered her head, her shoulders trembling slightly.
“I don’t want him to give me money, but if no one shuts him up, we can’t get a divorce. I don’t want to take this step, but the reality is that if I don’t deal with him, I can’t be with you openly. Do you understand?”
“If he can get reasonable compensation,” she looked up, “I think he’ll agree. After all… I can’t hold him back for the rest of his life.”
Sheng Qi stared at her for a long time, then rubbed his brow with his fingertips.
Suddenly, he burst into laughter, the sound echoing in the empty living room.
"Qiao Wanyin, you haven't changed at all, you're still so cunning!"
He slowly approached her, his steps steady.
"Back then, you ran off with all the family savings without a word, disappearing without a trace. That was you. And now? You've barely shown your face and you're already eyeing my money again. Are you planning to empty my pockets again?"
Qiao Wanyin's heart suddenly raced, and her fingertips tightened slightly.
But she remained outwardly calm.
She gave him a light glare, her eyes filled with a hint of grievance.
"What do you mean by lying? I did all this so that we could be together. Do you think I wanted to endure those years over there? Do you think I haven't suffered enough?"
She calmly took a pack of cigarettes out of her bag.
The lighter clicked softly, and the flame leaped up, illuminating her lowered eyes.
She had prepared these cigarettes beforehand.
It's not about smoking, but about the atmosphere of this moment.
She took a deep breath, the spiciness of the tobacco swirling in her lungs.
He then slowly exhaled a complete ring of smoke.
The smoke rings rose gently.
Her gaze drifted slightly, landing on some distant, intangible point.
“Amin, you have no idea how hard life is over there.”
Her voice was low, as if squeezed from deep in her throat, with a hint of hoarseness, "There's nothing here, not even a decent road. To buy a decent piece of clothing, I have to scrimp and save for half a month, scrimping and saving on food. Winters are bitterly cold, and summers are like ovens; we can't even afford to turn on a fan. I've had enough!"
Sheng Qi listened quietly, the wariness in his eyes slowly cracking like ice, fading away little by little.
Instead, greed quietly grows in one's heart.
In his memory, Qiao Wanyin was always a woman who loved money more than anything, was burning with vanity, and was restless at heart.
Back then, in order to go to Hong Kong, she was heartless enough to abandon even her own nephews and nieces without even offering an explanation.
How could someone like that be content to stay in this small place, spending their whole life in a dilapidated house with a meager income?
Since she's back, it means she's determined to climb back up, and he's the stepping stone she's chosen.
How much are you planning to give?
He suddenly spoke, his voice low and tentative.
Qiao Wanyin's heart lit up, as if she had suddenly seen a light in the darkness.
But she remained expressionless, instead frowning and looking troubled, as if she were weighing the pros and cons repeatedly.
“Fu Li’an’s family is not poor either. His family has some connections in the local area, and he is a regimental commander. He has power and influence. If we give him too little, he won’t even blink an eye. He won’t care at all.”
She paused, her tone becoming thoughtful, "I think... if I gave him 50,000 directly, he would be tempted."
"RMB?"
Sheng Qi narrowed his eyes, his tone tinged with suspicion.
Hong Kong dollars.
Qiao Wanyin answered in a low voice, then made a struggling expression, her brows furrowing slightly, as if she were under immense psychological pressure, "You know, Fu Lian isn't stupid, he knows how much I'm worth. If it's too little, he won't let go. He married me not just for the person, but also for the benefits that come with it. If the money isn't right, he'd rather save face than give in."
"so much?"
Sheng Qi frowned, his face clearly showing displeasure. "He's just a soldier, even if he's a regimental commander, he's only getting a government salary. How can he be worth this much? Fifty thousand Hong Kong dollars, that's a huge sum of money!"
Qiao Wanyin almost rolled her eyes, a surge of anger rising in her chest.
But she managed to suppress her anger, gently digging her nails into her palm to remind herself to stay calm.
What's a little grievance compared to that HK$50,000?
She has endured so much for so many years, she doesn't care about enduring this one more moment.
"He's a regimental commander now, in charge of several hundred people, and he has a lot of connections in the military."
Her tone was calm, with an undeniable certainty, "Besides, his family isn't short of money. His father is a retired cadre, and his mother has connections in the hospital. The fact that he's willing to lower himself to marry me is already giving me face. If we want him to let go, we have to show him something real."
Sheng Qi remained silent for a few seconds, and the room became so quiet that only the faint hissing sound of a burning cigarette could be heard.
He stood there, his gaze sweeping back and forth across her face, as if trying to discern the truth in her words.
Suddenly, he stood up abruptly, his movements swift and decisive, without any hesitation.
"Wait me a moment."
He left those words behind, turned and walked upstairs, his steps hurried yet heavy with the weight of a resolute decision.
He could still afford HK$50,000.
Qiao Wanyin breathed a sigh of relief, but she was still on edge and dared not relax for a moment.
She knew that the man in front of her would not give her the money for nothing; he definitely had a plan waiting for her.
But as long as the money is in hand, nothing else matters.
Watching Sheng Qi hurry upstairs, a smile crept onto her lips, but it held no tenderness, only coldness and sarcasm.
Her nails dug slightly into her palms, using the pain to remind herself to stay calm.
She had waited a long time and endured it for a long time before taking this step.
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