Chapter 693: Chapter 684: Flipping the Table

It’s not often that an entire family turns to one person for a loan, especially when it’s not a small amount.

Lin Shanshan wants to borrow 100,000, and her cousin-in-law, Ju Xiu, looks like she needs 100,000 to 80,000 too, which totals up to 200,000. Isn’t this a joke?

Even if it were close relatives, most people wouldn’t dare to ask like this.

This is different from his situation with Su He. Even though they aren’t married yet, they’re family. Marriages bind people as relatives, and family and relatives are two different concepts.

What’s more, he knew what kind of talent this family really possessed. With a heroic father and a capable daughter, it’s better to keep a distance.

When Su Qing spoke up, the atmosphere instantly became awkward. Du Qiang, walking behind, saw something was off. He furrowed his brow slightly and silently stepped back behind everyone.

In these matters, hasn’t Su Qing had a hard enough time dealing with it? As an outsider, he shouldn’t get involved; just watching the drama is enough.

"Shanshan, you...how can you also ask Xiao Qing for money?" Cousin-in-law Ju Xiu couldn’t help but speak up, looking somewhat anxious.

"What’s wrong with that? Isn’t my situation also quite a mess? Your daughter is the one still in debt!" Lin Shanshan replied, as if it was only natural.

Seeing this, Ju Xiu quickly shook her head, "No, your issues aren’t as urgent as your brother’s. Let’s wait a bit more and solve your brother’s problem first. Then I’ll talk to your father!"

"Exactly, your brother’s situation is critical right now. Otherwise, he might really get sentenced!" Lin Jianshe also chimed in to persuade her.

"Why? If not for him, I would have nearly gotten married by now. He stole my betrothal gift to gamble, and yet you still focus on him now. To me, it’s best he stays locked up for a year or so—to learn a lesson.

What’s the point of letting him out? So he can continue gambling? What else is there for our family to sell? All he’ll do when out is accumulate more debt. Staying in prison is like earning money. What’s there to complain about!" Lin Shanshan burst out, her eyes red as she looked at her parents as if they were enemies.

Ever since her brother stole her betrothal gift to gamble it all away, they were no longer siblings but enemies. Besides, in her eyes, that brother of hers was beyond saving—it would be better for the family to have peace with him in jail for a year.

The idea isn’t wrong, but she overlooked her issues; it’s a case of seeing the darkness in others but not in oneself.

Compared to her brother Lin Hu, her situation was roughly equal; even her shortcomings weren’t much less obvious.

"You... is this how a sister should behave? Watching your brother go to jail?" Ju Xiu shouted.

"Did he see me as a sister? He led to my engagement being broken off, and now I’m still in debt with online loans. Otherwise, I’d be almost married now! You are all such traditionalists!"

Indeed, neither Lin Jianshe nor Ju Xiu truly held any gender-preferential bias. If they did, they wouldn’t keep backing up their daughter repeatedly. It’s just the current situation is pressing: one faces imprisonment, while the other endures a broken engagement and online loans. Though serious, it’s not as urgent as the latter.

Ju Xiu was nearly livid because of her daughter. Meanwhile, Lin Jianguo, on the side, had his eyes turn red and patted his wife’s back. At this moment, he might have felt a pang of regret.

Ju Xiu took a deep breath, thinking they couldn’t be mocked with people around. So she quickly turned her head toward Su Qing, who had stepped back several steps, and spoke, "Xiao Qing, Huzi is your cousin. You can’t just not help him. Cousin-in-law..."

But before she finished, Su Qing cut in, "Cousin-in-law, it’s not that I don’t want to help, but I can’t help. Covering gambling debts is a rule, and that’s our family’s bottom line. It’s an endless pit and doesn’t bring any good. My cousin is like this now, didn’t you contribute to it a lot?"

Hearing this, everyone was shocked. No one expected Su Qing to be so firm, refusing openly without giving any face.

At the back, Du Qiang silently gave him a thumbs-up. Impressive. If it were him, he probably wouldn’t have the face to do it.

Hao Ren’s parents, too, felt relieved, had some peace of mind, and even had the mood to watch the drama unfold. While his Aunt Zhou Xiu wrinkled her brow, thinking of her chances of being refused in the future.

"I didn’t...how could I..."

"Cousin-in-law, I’m an investigative advisor with the Jiangcheng Public Security Bureau. Do you know what such an advisor does? I chatted with my cousin earlier and found out that in the past few years, every time he lost money while gambling and disappeared for a while, it was you who secretly gave him money, right?

You say you disciplined him, but privately you’ve been indulging him. With you, his mother, acting like this, us outsiders have even less control. If he doesn’t stop this habit, even if I lend money to bail him out, he’ll continue gambling. When will the money ever be repaid? I fear it may never be, and in the end, you’ll likely hold me accountable," Su Qing said with a smile.

Though smiling, his tone was assertive and his gaze distant.

Su Qing came here today precisely for this. Both father and son had the same mind; as long as he didn’t completely sever ties, even if it was a bit excessive, his mom and dad would cover for him.

Simply put, he came to play the villain, letting the Su family have a break to be the good guys. After all, he’s young. Who else could say such words?

Upon hearing this, Cousin-in-law Ju Xiu was stunned, sheer disbelief in her eyes. Only she and her son knew about this.

Indeed, yes, her son made mistakes, but the family didn’t neglect to intervene. Lin Jianshe might enjoy playing small card games now and then, like how his mom visits the local game room occasionally. However, he understands right from wrong.

Upon discovering his son’s gambling debt, Lin Jianshe was so furious he would snap his cigarettes. Later when Lin Hu lost again, he dared not go home but ran away. His mother secretly provided some support until the storm blew over and he could return.

How can outsiders help in such a case? It’s betrayal from within the ranks!

This news definitely didn’t come from Lin Hu himself; he wasn’t foolish. Su Qing had gathered enough from the indirect narrative, and in a few years when Lin Hu knows the truth, what then? It might be a year or more, by then, both families might no longer be in touch, so what’s to fear?

"What, you...is Xiao Qing speaking the truth?" Lin Jianshe pointed at his wife, trembling, with an expression as if he had seen a ghost.

"I didn’t... I didn’t, I..." Cousin-in-law Ju Xiu, flustered and confused, looked at Su Qing’s firm refusal and her husband’s reaction. She knew getting Su Qing to help her son was hopeless, so she quickly shifted strategies and spoke again:

"Xiao Qing, it’s impossible to blame you. If you really can’t, could you at least help your cousin? She’s waiting to get married, and there should be no delays. It’s lacking now..."

"Cousin-in-law, I went home yesterday, and wasn’t it my parents who gave you 10,000? Although it’s not much, it’s our token of goodwill. So here’s what I’ll do. I’m deciding that you don’t have to repay it; consider it our gift to help my cousin. How about that?" Su Qing replied, grinning like a sly fox.

They say adversity teaches wisdom. After losing 10,000, he won’t trip over the same mistake twice.

Moreover, it’s not that they’re unwilling to help relatives; we’ve given the 10,000, and it stands as indisputable goodwill.

In short, it’s paying to settle the matter.

Besides, he knew that securing its return was out of the question, even if pursued legally. Given they truly have no money, what can be done, ask them to sell a kidney over it? Accepting the loss is the best option.

Upon hearing this, Cousin-in-law Ju Xiu felt short of breath and chest tightness. She hadn’t intended on repaying anyway, but Su Qing brought it to light, leaving her speechless.

Seeing her expression, Su Qing smiled softly and announced again: "Cousin-in-law, if there’s nothing else, I’ll leave now. There are matters to handle at the police bureau. Du Qiang!!"

As he spoke, he waved over to the direction of the spectators at the back.

"Coming, coming!"

Interrupted while watching a good show, Du Qiang felt a bit frustrated but simultaneously excited—Su Qing’s fighting spirit truly impressed!

Hearing this, Lin Jianguo, being a man and head of the household, hastily assured, "Xiao Qing, what are you saying; we surely plan to repay the money."

"Exactly, Xiao Qing, we’re definitely going to repay it. It can’t be this way. It’s just your cousin still needs a significant sum. If you really can’t, then there’s nothing more to say. You’re indifferent watching her wedding fall apart and ending up in trouble, aren’t you?"

[Your distant cousin-in-law is attempting to use moral coercion to corner you, with even a hint of threat in the tone]

Hearing this, Su Qing laughed. Well, isn’t this interesting? He wasn’t someone bound by morals anyway.

"Cousin-in-law, what do you mean by this? How on earth does us lending money become a fault? We’ve already let you keep that 10,000, what more do you want? Do I owe it to you to cover everything?

If that’s truly how you see it, then I have nothing more to say. It’s best if we keep minimal contact!"

Everyone: Σ(っ°Д°;)っ

That’s it; he flipped the table.

...

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