Chapter 48 Is He Interested in His Brother-in-law?
Lu Mingchao's eyes were smiling, as bright as the dazzling stars, yet with a hint of indifference and coldness, like the accumulated snow under the silver light. On the surface, he seemed to be restrained, but on the inside he was extremely firm and unquestionable.
The attitude is revealed clearly and unmistakably.
Even if Mrs. Qi died, Qi Rui would have to pay the money back, unless they both went to hell.
The old village chief thought about it and felt it made sense. "Xie Yan, what about you?"
"So do I." Xie Yan glanced at Lu Mingchao without hesitation.
Naturally, everyone listened to the Ming Dynasty.
The old village chief raised his voice, straightened his hunched back, and said in a dignified and aged tone, "Then it is settled."
"The grandparents of Qi Pozi must return 24 taels of silver to Xie Yan and his wife within three days. After returning the silver, they must immediately move out of Changxi Village."
Xie Yan let go of Mrs. Qi in disgust, and Mrs. Qi collapsed to the ground, crying hysterically, pounding the ground with her chicken-claw-like fists.
"Rui'er and I, old and young, depend on each other for survival. We don't have enough to eat or warm clothes to wear. Where can we get the money? Even if I force this old bone to sell, I can't get twenty-four taels."
"Since you won't give me a chance to live, I might as well just crash myself to death to avoid being bullied."
The village chief's patience was exhausted by the incessant crying. "Mrs. Qi, if you keep crying, I will have Xie Yan report to the authorities and have the police investigate how the third son of the Qi family died."
As soon as she finished speaking, Mrs. Qi seemed to have someone strangled her throat and swallowed all her cries.
"Should I pay the money and move out, or should I file a complaint with the police?"
"Choose!" the old village chief shouted.
Qi Rui cried like a pear blossom in the rain, her sorrow was accompanied by an indescribable beauty, as if she was silently expressing her inner sorrow, like rain hitting banana leaves, trying to arouse sympathy from others as usual.
Young Master Sun's ears were about to swell up after hearing this. He touched his hair which was frozen solid and slippery, raised his foot and kicked it. "Isn't it too early for you to cry now?"
"Don't forget, you are still a slave in the young master's house."
Qi Rui: ...
She was just playing a little trick, there's no need to make a big fuss.
She and Xie Yan had known each other for three years. How could Lu Mingchao be able to surpass Xie Yan as a latecomer?
Seeing that Mrs. Qi was hesitant and silent for a long time, the old village chief tapped the ground heavily with his cane, and the sound was like a drum. "Have you made your choice?"
Mrs. Qi only felt that she was in the underworld, with a black-faced judge standing in front of her.
"Pay back the money, pay back the money." Mrs. Qi trembled.
Lu Yao, who had been silent the whole time, raised her eyes and spoke coldly, "Words are not reliable, keeping one's word is a gentleman's promise. What Qi Pozi and her grandson did clearly insulted the word gentleman."
"Just in case, sign the loan agreement and guarantee."
"If you are overdue, you will be immediately sent to the government office."
The contempt and anger in Lu Yao's voice were barely concealed, and were revealed directly in front of everyone.
"What the scholar said makes sense." The old village chief responded.
It was so cold, and he didn't want to deal with this trivial matter over and over again.
"I happen to have some writing brushes and ink at home. Wait a moment."
“But there is no paper.”
The four treasures of the study - pen, ink, paper and inkstone - are all precious items.
Young Master Sun cleared his throat and said, "No need for paper. It's much more durable than soft paper when tearing my clothes."
"Xie Yan, Xie Yan, come and tear it up."
The tone of voice sounded provocative, but also seemed to conceal worry.
Lu Mingchao turned his head away, unable to bear to look at it.
The villagers who were watching whispered to each other, suspecting that Young Master Sun's brain had been frozen.
Xie Yan stepped forward and untied the rope that bound Sun Ershao's arms.
Young Master Sun chuckled and tore it apart by himself.
His big white teeth were almost broken, but the hem of his clothes remained unmoved.
It's not that he is incapable, it's that the clothes are designed for him.
Xie Yan had no expression on his face. He raised his hand and gently tore it. A piece of cloth of medium size appeared in his palm.
Mrs. Qi was illiterate, so the old village chief put the writing brush and ink directly in front of Qi Rui, and Xie Yan followed suit.
Under those eyes' gazes, Qi Rui had no way to avoid them.
"Put your fingerprints on it." Seeing Qi Rui finish writing, Sun Ershao, who was familiar with the process, urged her.
"Can't you press it if you bite your finger?"
"Young Master can do it, but you can't?"
"A Xing, bite her!"
The servant Ah Xing shook his head like a wave drum, as if he had encountered a flood and a beast. "Second Master, I'm afraid of being entangled."
A strong sense of humiliation suddenly surged into Qi Rui's heart. Her eyes were red and she couldn't breathe. "Who do you think you are?"
How could she possibly fall to the point of being obsessed with a servant who had signed a death contract to be a slave for life?
Ah Xing stopped shaking his head, breathed a sigh of relief, and then said, "Then press it quickly."
Didn’t you see that the ice chips on the young master’s hair were still shining in the warm sunlight?
A cold snap is inevitable.
Seeing that Qi Rui was still hesitating, the impatient Sun Ershao directly found a sharp stone and cut Qi Rui's thumb.
He dragged Mrs. Qi and pressed her handprints with Qi Rui's blood.
Then, he handed the letter of guarantee to Xie Yan with both hands.
"Thank you very much, old village chief, for upholding justice for the Ming Dynasty today." Xie Yan bowed his head and said politely.
The old village chief waved his hands and said, "Right and wrong all depend on people's hearts."
"You should be more careful in the future and don't be deceived by wolves and tigers in sheep's clothing."
"Live a good life with Miss Lu."
"Let's go, let's go, let's all go."
He didn't want to blow this northwest wind for even a moment.
The old village chief closed the gate, and the onlookers gathered in groups of three or four and made clicking sounds.
Xie Yan said loudly, "Thank you all for your righteous words today. I will remember this kindness."
Someone in the crowd laughed and said, "We ate so much cheap meat from Brother Xie, we can't do such a conscienceless thing as repaying kindness with enmity."
After a while, the onlookers dispersed completely.
Yunniang rubbed Lu Mingchao's cold little hands repeatedly and said worriedly, "Chaochao, you look so bad and your hands are as cold as ice chips. Are you scared?"
"Mom, my period has come." Lu Mingchao whispered in Yunniang's ear.
Yunniang's expression changed again and again, and she completely believed what Lu Mingchao had said before, that having a cold body would harm offspring.
"Then go back quickly."
"Don't be cold anymore."
Yunniang raised her hand to adjust Lu Mingchao's cloak and gave instructions.
Lu Mingchao nodded and looked at the Lu family members who had the same certainty in their eyes. "Grandma, Dad, Mom, I'll go back early tomorrow to visit my parents."
"Brother, be careful when carrying grandma on your back. Don't fall."
"Second brother, lend a hand too."
Lu Xin's nose was red from the cold, and he mumbled, "I want to go with my sister."
Yunniang patted Lu Xin's head and said, "What kind of words are you talking about?"
Lu Mingchao smiled and said, "It's okay. Stay here today. We can go back together tomorrow."
Lu Mingchao extended his hand to Lu Xin.
Lu Xin smiled sweetly, his eyes narrowed into a slit, and quickly grabbed Lu Mingchao's hand.
Lu Lei hesitated again and again, "Little sister, why do I think that Young Master Sun seems to be interested in my brother-in-law?"
Do not associate with treacherous people.