?Chapter 134: Chapter 134 Incident   Chapter 134: Chapter 134 Incident                                   Fang Xiaoshan’s grandmother was in the yard feeding chickens while chatting with the old man, “The wedding with the Bai Family ising up and we need to start making arrangements. I was thinking that the bride price should be 200, and I do have that money on hand from what I asked from the second sonst time. It’s enough. But for the bride’s family requirements of ‘three turns and a drumbeat,’ along with jewelry and clothes, that’s a pretty penny and we can’t scrounge it up.”


    The old man was tapping his dry tobo pipe on the threshold, leisurely packing the tobo leaves into it.


    “If worsees to worst, we’ll have to take a trip to town. Xiaoshan is getting married, and as his uncle, the second son should show some generosity,” the old man thought first of his son who ran a small store in town.


    The olddy nodded, “The second son, really, he hasn’t visited in a while, doesn’t think whether we’re struggling or not, doesn’t send anyone back. No money sent, no goods sent. He’s really not filial, doesn’t he consider why we keep asking him for money and things? Is it because we’recking his scraps of food or a bit of his money? If he had a son, would we have to worry this much about him? Xiaoshan will have to provide for his old age, but if he doesn’t treat Xiaoshan well now, who will respect him once we’re gone?” The olddyined, finding her son thoughtless.


    “Enough, don’t go on about it. Hasn’t the second son done quite a bit over the years? Who built the house we live in? Who’s been paying for our food and clothing? What more do you want him to do? Treating Xiaoshan like a son is one thing, but it’s not like raising a grandson. Even his own son would probably not be treated this well, and you show no subtlety in your favoritism,” the old man replied with fairness, feeling a bit morepassion for the second son in his heart.


    The only regret for the second son was that he had no son, but inparison, he was more capable and more likable.


    “Alright! Alright, I’ll stop, happy now?”


    Someone came through the main gate, “Right here, we need help, bring him in, please.” Suddenly, four or five strong young men burst in, with Yang Mei calling directions from behind, carrying the bundled-up Fang Jianping.


    The olddy immediately panicked, “What happened?”


    “Olddy, no time to talk. Let’s get him inside to lie down first. These folks were kind enough to bring us back on a tractor from town, and they need to leave quickly, can’t be dyed,” directed Yang Mei, as they carried Fang Jianping into their original room, the one they slept in when they were home, the room that had been given to them when they divided up the house.


    As soon as they entered the room, they found Fang Xiaoshan wrapped in a quilt, sleeping soundly on the kang bed,pletely undisturbed by themotion.


    The olddy knew immediately something was wrong; she had cleared this room for Xiaoshan to move into for his wedding, never expecting the second son and his wife to suddenly return.


    “Come on, carry him over to your father’s and my room. Xiaoshan has been staying in this room these past few days!”


    Fang Jianping was finally settled on therge kang bed in the olddy’s room.


    Yang Mei saw the men out.


    Sitting on the kang bed next to Fang Jianping, the olddy noticed his paleplexion, a scruffy beard, sunken eyes, prominent cheekbones, and an overall appearance of being dark and thin.


    “Oh, second son, what happened to you?”


    Fang Jianping said weakly, “A few days ago, loan sharks came to the shop, saying Xiaoshan owed them money and even had a promissory note. They insisted we pay back the 2000 yuan on it. Even if we sold our bones and drained the marrow, we wouldn’t be able to pay. They ended up smashing the shop and injuring me in the process.”


    The shop can’t be opened anymore. The high-interest loan sharks said that if they see the door open for even one day, they’ll smash it for that day. We’re both powerless. Look at me now, the doctor said that my back is injured, and if I take good care of it, there’s a chance it could heal. But if it doesn’t get better, then I’ll end up bedridden. How can Yang Mei support everything on her own? Besides, those high-interest loan sharks are keeping a close eye on our doorstep.


    I told Yang Mei to pack up our things, and we came back. We can’t continue the business; at least if we’re home, we still have something to eat.” After saying this, he immediately started gasping for breath, a clear sign that his physical condition was poor and he was out of strength.


    “This… this… Xiaoshan, this damned fool, how did he borrow from loan sharks again?” The olddy’s eyes widened in shock; this wasn’t the first or second time their grandson had borrowed money, and it was always the second son who paid it back, so eventually, the loan sharks started going directly to the second son with the IOUs, without evening to the house.


    “Get that damned Xiaoshan here,” the old mastermanded from his seat, looking at his son who was barely hanging on. The thought that his family was on the brink of ruin made his blood boil.


    The olddy was not pleased, “What’s the use of calling him here? Can he pay back the money? Or can he cure his uncle’s sickness?” The olddy had always protected her grandson, unwilling to let anyoney a finger on him.


    Now, even with such a significant crisis at home, the olddy was still defending him.


    Jianping felt restless in his heart as hey there unmovable. Originally, their n was to pretend to be sick, but then the loan sharks really showed up. This nephew was addicted to gambling, and every time he lost money, there would always be a pile of debts waiting for his uncle to pay off. This time was no exception.


    When the loan sharks showed up, they immediately demanded two thousand yuan.


    It wasn’t that Jianping couldn’t afford to pay two thousand yuan. He had run a somewhat sessful business over the years and had some savings, but this time it was one thing to pay 2000 yuan, and quite another if the next time they demanded twenty thousand yuan. Plus, after listening to that girl’s words, he had decided to really test his nephew, to see what kind of person he was and what he would do to him in the future. It was truly a thorny issue.


    Nobody wants to give so much of themselves only to be repaid with heartless ingratitude.


    So Jianping made up his mind not to give a single penny. The loan sharks were not easy to deal with; they scuffled in the shop, and he was pushed against the ss countertop, which broke. He did get injured, though of course, not as severely as he imed, and the talk of smashing up the shop wasn’t as bad as it was made out to be.


    The couple put their heads together that night and decided this was a perfect excuse.


    So the next day, the couple didn’t open the shop either.


    On the third day, they made a big show of getting people to help carry Jianping back to the vige. Both felt that Bai Xiao’s method was a good one. Human nature is unpredictable, and they needed to keep a close eye to see if Xiaoshan was human or devil.


    But now, having returned to his own mother looking like this, his own uncle having suffered so much, and yet she still protected Xiaoshan.


    Jianping felt emotionally exhausted.


    If Xiaoshan were his son, he would have taken a big stick and broken his legs to see how he would go out and gamble.


    Not wanting to talk, he closed his eyes andy there, ignoring the olddy.