Chapter 112: Winning People Over with Virtue
Chapter 112: Winning People Over with Virtue
Li Qiang reached out to grab that plastic bag.
For a local rich guy in the village like him, 660,000 was still a big sum of money. Take this 660,000 here, go back and demand the 660,000 bride price back from Tian Cuihua. Lose a woman, but make 660,000? Not a bad deal!
Just as Li Qiang was thinking this, Li Zian lifted his foot again and stepped on the money-filled plastic bag.
A flash of viciousness crossed Li Qiang’s eyes, his voice icy. “What do you mean?”
After all, he was someone who mixed in rough circles; it was impossible to completely hide his violent nature.
Li Zian said, “Were you just thinking about going back and demanding that 660,000 bride price from Qingzi’s parents?”
Li Qiang was shocked inside. How did this spoiled rich kid know what he was thinking?
Li Zian said calmly, “So, if you want to take the money and leave, you need to write a receipt.”
Fan Rui placed a notebook and a pen, already prepared, onto the coffee table.
Li Zian continued, “You need to write it like this: ‘Received a full refund of the 660,000 bride price from Tang Qing. I promise never to bother Tang Qing or her family again.’ Then sign your name and write the date.”
Tian Cuihua said, “Yes, yes, that’s exactly how it should be written. But the money I received, I won’t refund. No matter which of you marries Qingzi, the 660,000 bride price must be paid in full.”
Hearing such words made Li Zian’s heart feel cold, let alone Tang Qing. He truly felt sorry for Tang Qing. How could she have such a heartless mother? Tang Qing wasn’t a piece of goods, yet her mother clearly treated her like one to be sold.
Li Qiang, however, was unhappy. “I spent 660,000 to buy a wife. Qingzi’s parents took the money, so Qingzi is mine. Now you want to buy her back? You can’t just pay 660,000. I’m the seller; my woman is worth at least 2 million.”
“You’re shameless!” Tears streamed from Tang Qing’s eyes.
Li Zian’s voice turned cold. “What did you say? I didn’t hear clearly. Say it again.”
Li Qiang instinctively glanced at the large group of gang youths standing inside the doorway. He felt afraid inside, but he wasn’t willing to just give up. Handing over the woman he grew up with without making any profit? When had he ever suffered such a loss?
“I said you can’t just pay 660,000. It has to be at least 2 million for me to write the receipt. Then I won’t bother Tang Qing anymore.” Li Qiang braced himself and said.
Wealth is found in danger.
A cold smile appeared on Li Zian’s lips. “What if I don’t pay?”
Li Qiang shrugged. “To be honest, I’m from the streets too. I’m not afraid of anything. At worst, after I go back, I’ll pester Qingzi’s parents for money every day. Doesn’t she have a little brother still in high school? I can go bother him for money too.”
The moment his words fell, a white blur suddenly flashed before his eyes. A leg swept through the air and slammed into his face.
Thump!
Li Qiang’s body flew sideways, knocked over a single-seat sofa, and then crashed onto the floor. His head buzzed, his mind went blank, and countless stars danced before his eyes.
Li Zian strode towards Li Qiang.
Mu Chuntao reached out and grabbed Li Zian’s hand. She clearly didn’t want Li Zian to hit anyone.
But Li Zian shook off her hand, quickly walked to Li Qiang’s side. Li Qiang had just pushed his upper body off the floor, before he could even look up, Li Zian kicked him in the abdomen.
“Pfft!” Li Qiang spat out a mouthful of blood, mixed with two teeth that were just knocked out. His body slid several meters across the marble floor tiles before stopping.
Li Zian moved towards Li Qiang again.
Li Jun suddenly darted over, blocking Li Zian’s path. His legs sank, and he dropped to his knees with a thud right in front of Li Zian.
“Big brother, please calm down, calm down. My brother was wrong, please don’t hit him anymore… He… he just lost his wife-to-be and wasn’t thinking straight. Please, you’re a magnanimous person, don’t hold it against a petty man like him, spare him.” Li Jun looked at Li Zian pleadingly, seeming very nervous.
Mu Chuntao had originally intended to run up and hug Li Zian. Seeing Li Jun kneeling and blocking Li Zian, she secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Tang Qing cried. A silent cry, tears falling one after another.
She cried because her mother was so heartless, treating her like goods to be sold.
She cried because Li Qiang was so domineering and aggressive, coming to harass her like this even after all these years.
How she wished she had been the one to deliver those two kicks herself. Even if she kicked Li Qiang to death and went to jail for it, she would be willing!
“Get out of my way,” Li Zian’s voice was icy.
Li Jun begged, “Big brother, if you need to vent, hit me instead. I’ll take the beating for my brother. If you hit him again, he’ll be finished.”
It had to be said, although Li Qiang was a scoundrel and this Li Jun wasn’t much better either, he still had some sense of loyalty.
Li Zian said coldly, “You think I care about Qingzi’s family? The reason I’m willing to pay 660,000 isn’t because I’m afraid you’ll bother her family. I’m a reasonable person. I win people over with virtue. You two idiots, I started out in the loan shark business! You think you can extort money from me? You believe me if I make one phone call, people will show up at your house every day to collect debts!”
Li Jun nodded repeatedly. “Big brother is reasonable, Big brother wins people over with virtue. We are scum, we were wrong.”
At this moment, Li Qiang struggled to get up from the ground. His stomach churned with pain, half his face was swollen. Whatever courage he had to act tough was long gone. He said tremblingly, “I… I’ll sign.”
Fan Rui took the notebook and pen over and threw them at Li Qiang’s feet, saying fiercely, “Our young master is in a good mood today, otherwise you’d be finished!”
Li Qiang half-knelt, half-sat on the floor and wrote the receipt exactly as Li Zian demanded, with his signature and the date, nothing missing.
Fan Rui moved to pick up the notebook, but Li Zian stopped him.
“You, bring it over here!” Li Zian said.
Li Qiang didn’t dare hesitate even a little. Holding the notebook and pen, he shakily stood up, clutching his stomach, walked over to Li Zian, and handed him the notebook and pen.
Li Zian reached out and grabbed Li Qiang’s shoulder. His five fingers suddenly exerted force, locking onto Li Qiang’s shoulder bone and collarbone. Zhenqi gathered in his five fingers; the strength was imaginable.
“Ah!” Li Qiang immediately cried out in pain.
He felt like the hand gripping his shoulder and collarbone wasn’t human, but a bench vise closing, ready to crush his bones at any moment!
Li Zian said viciously, “This is my final warning. If I find out you dare harass Qingzi again, I’ll definitely cripple you.”
Li Qiang wailed, “I won’t dare, I absolutely won’t bother Qingzi again. Big brother, please let go, my bones are about to break…”
Only then did Li Zian release his hand.
Li Qiang held his shoulder with one hand. Cold sweat beaded on his forehead one after another, his face showing extreme pain. During that brief moment, he truly thought his bones were about to crack.
He was someone from the streets too, had been fighting since he was a kid, and thought he was somewhat capable. But after Li Zian made his move, he realized his fighting skills were not even on the same level as Li Zian’s. Li Zian fighting him was like a fierce tiger fighting a stray dog. How could he possibly fight back?
Li Zian shouted, “Before I change my mind, take that money and get lost!”
“Yes, yes, yes, I’ll get lost, I’ll get lost.” Li Qiang was truly terrified. He shakily walked towards the coffee table where the money was.
Li Jun rushed ahead of Li Qiang, picked up the bag of money, then turned back to support Li Qiang as they headed for the door. Until they left through the door, neither of the brothers dared to take a deep breath.
After all, a large group of outstanding gang youths were still standing at the door.
Li Zian handed the notebook with the written note to Tang Qing. “Keep this. With this, he won’t be able to demand the bride price back from your parents.”
Tang Qing took the notebook, her heart filled with emotion. Her lips trembled, but no words came out. Instead, her tears rolled down again.
Li Zian comforted her, “Don’t be sad anymore. The matter is resolved.”
Tang Qing bit her lip and responded, “Mhm.”
Tian Cuihua smiled and said, “Oh my, those two troublemakers are finally gone. Qingzi, your mother never wanted to marry you to Li Qiang in the first place. He forced me.”
Tang Qing looked at Tian Cuihua. A question was on her mind: How could I have a mother like this?
Tian Cuihua was still smiling. “Zian, our Qingzi is a college student after all. For her to just follow you without even a proper status, you should at least give some more bride price money, right?”
For some reason, Li Zian really, really wanted to slap this greedy old woman.
He had just paid Li Qiang 660,000, which was essentially ‘buying’ Tang Qing’s freedom. Yet this Tian Cuihua was so insatiably greedy, still trying to get money from him. Leaving aside that he wasn’t Tang Qing’s man, even if he was, he couldn’t be treated like a fool to be cheated, right?
“Enough!” Tang Qing suddenly exploded. “You and Dad received that 660,000 bride price from Li Yong. Brother Zian has already paid Li Yong back. That means Brother Zian has already given you 660,000! This money isn’t bride price; it’s the money you got for selling your daughter! You’ve already sold me! From now on, I have nothing to do with you!”
Tian Cuihua was stunned. “Qingzi, you… what do you mean?”
Tang Qing cried out, “I don’t have a mother like you! You’ve sold me! I am not your daughter anymore! Do you hear me clearly?!”
Tian Cuihua was momentarily dazed, then suddenly slapped Tang Qing across the face, scolding, “You unfilial child, you beast! I worked so hard to raise you, to put you through college…”
Tang Qing turned and ran.
Tian Cuihua started to chase after her, but Li Zian blocked her path.
Tian Cuihua said fiercely, “Son-in-law, you get out of my way! Today I’m going to beat that dead girl to death!”
Li Zian said irritably, “Who is your son-in-law?”
“You…” Tian Cuihua’s instinct was to curse, but she swallowed her words.
This son-in-law was a golden catch. She still needed to ask him for money later. She couldn’t curse him.
Li Zian said, “Brother Fan, find someone to take her to the bus station. Buy her a ticket and put her on the bus.”
“Okay, leave it to me.” Fan Rui immediately walked towards the group of gang youths, saying as he went, “Who’s available? Take this woman to the station. Ask her where she lives on the way, then buy her a ticket and put her on the bus.”
“I’ll go!”
“Boss Fan, I’ll go!”
A group of outstanding gang youths competed to take Tian Cuihua to the station.
Tian Cuihua threw herself on the ground, throwing a tantrum. “I’m not going back! I’m not going back!”
Fan Rui felt disgusted and said impatiently, “Drag her out! If she acts up on the way, just dump her anywhere. Let her buy her own ticket back.”
Tian Cuihua cried and made a scene, but she was no match for several youths who dragged and pulled her away.