Chapter 371: Chapter 192: Paying Back Debt_2
"You..." This time it was Lian Manman’s turn to be annoyed.
The angry people quarreling mostly just want to win, often overlooking rationality.
"It’s your uncle who is going to be the official, that’s your dad. Don’t you want him to be an official so that you can have a patron in the future?"
"Don’t you also want to benefit from it? If I had not married into the Song Family, the Lian Family wouldn’t have an official position to their name!" Huahua retorted furiously.
"Go tell that to your father and your mother. We never thought to bask in your glory," Manman calmed down, "and we never have. You can deal with your own mess of debts. If you stop scheming against us, that would be a blessing."
As Manman calmed down, her heart grew cold. She had guessed the resentment Huahua held towards the Lian Family, and facing Huahua, she realized just how deep that resentment was. Huahua was someone who never considered whether she was wrong but rather blamed others, and because others did not act according to her wishes, tolerate her mistakes, or accommodate the trouble she caused, she harbored resentment towards them. But resentment was not enough for her; given the chance, she would ruthlessly seek revenge.
Selfish, venomous, and dangerous, like a rattlesnake hidden in the grass.
Manman gave up on reasoning with Huahua and talking about family affection.
"Sister Huahua, the debt is yours, clear and in black and white. Our grandfather is not long for this world and won’t pay your debts for you." Manman said coldly, "The due date for that debt is today. Sister Huahua, speak frankly, are you going to repay it or not?"
Huahua clenched her teeth. She wanted not to repay, but she dared not default. She was no longer afraid of the Jade Pendant issue, but the truth behind the scalding on her leg must not be revealed.
However, before repaying, she wanted to know if Manman was aware of something.
"Manman, about my scald and Xinde Hall, have you heard any rumors?" Huahua probed.
"Sister Huahua, I don’t have as many thoughts as you, just talking off the cuff," Manman replied. Of course, she wasn’t just talking off the cuff, but she wouldn’t share what she knew with Huahua. She wanted to keep Huahua in the dark, to keep that stone hanging over Huahua’s heart.
Of course, Huahua didn’t really believe Manman was just speaking carelessly.
"Sister Huahua, stop changing the subject," Manman said, showing some impatience, "I have other things to take care of in a bit. If you don’t repay the money today, they will charge you another month’s interest by tomorrow. No matter how much it is, you’ll have to repay it, I’m not in a hurry."
"Fine, I’ll repay the money," Huahua said while pinching the wrist of her other hand, "but, I have a condition."
"You owe the debt, it’s only natural for you to pay it back. What right do you have to set terms with me?" Manman laughed.
Huahua almost choked on Manman’s retort, feeling a chill in her heart at the same time. In the past, Manman always talked about kinship, which in Huahua’s eyes was clearly a sign of weakness. Now, with Manman’s attitude toward her completely devoid of warmth, she felt somewhat afraid.
"My condition is simple," Huahua still continued, "from now on, you must not come to the Song Family again and disturb my life. Whatever happened in the past, no matter what it is, cannot be mentioned to anyone in the Song Family, not a single word."
"Sister Huahua, do you think I want to come here?" Manman glanced at Huahua, "If you hadn’t caused all this bother, we wouldn’t have the spare time for this. I can’t agree to your conditions."
"Manman, are you forcing my hand?" Huahua hadn’t expected Manman to be so adamant.
"It is your own doing," Lian Manman said coldly, stopped for a moment, and then added, "Sister Huahua, I never start trouble... as long as you don’t trouble us in the future, I can agree to your terms."
"Good, you must keep your word," Lian Huahua said.
"Take care of yourself, and my word will be honored," Lian Manman said indifferently.
Lian Manman wouldn’t yield an inch, and Lian Huahua could only seethe in silence.
"How much is still owed?" Lian Huahua caught her breath and asked after a while.
Lian Manman then took out the usury loan contract.
"Didn’t I give four hundred taels of silver? How come only three hundred and eighty taels were repaid..." Lian Huahua looked over the contract and frowned, murmuring, "With all that money given, is it still not enough to cover expenses?"
These words were not directed at Lian Manman; it seemed that Lian Huahua suspected Lian Shouren and his wife might have skimmed off the top.
Lian Manman intended to say that the money had been used for debt collection expenses. However, upon further thought, since everyone in the Lian Family knew about it and Lian Huahua hadn’t asked, why bother telling her?
"Eight hundred and sixty-four taels and one qian six fen of silver, how can I possibly gather that much right now..." Lian Huahua’s frown deepened.
"That’s the amount due today, if it’s not managed by today, it won’t be the same tomorrow," Lian Manman said.
"Manman, you must return today," Lian Huahua said. Even for the young mistress of the Song Family, several hundred taels of silver was not a small sum.
"Sister Huahua, I’m not in a rush. You take your time to gather it," Lian Manman said.
Lian Huahua put down the contract, stood up, and paced around the room for a while, then gritted her teeth and went into the inner room. After a while, she came out holding a small chest.
"This is sixty taels of gold," Lian Huahua opened the small chest and showed it to Lian Manman. One tael of gold could be exchanged for ten taels of silver, or even more. This was Song Hailong’s private savings, handed over to Lian Huahua for safekeeping during intimate moments. Lian Huahua had been reluctant to use it, but out of options that day, she had to bear the pain.
Lian Huahua searched around the room and only found two ingots of silver plus some loose silver coins, still not enough. She called a young maid over, instructed her briefly, and the maid left. After a short while, she returned with a young boy carrying a bag of silver, who handed an account book to Lian Huahua. Lian Huahua made a mark in the account book, and the boy put down the silver and left.
Sixty taels of gold, three sealed packages of silver, plus the two silver ingots and some loose silver.
"This is eight hundred and sixty-five taels of silver," Lian Huahua said as she slowly sat beside Lian Manman, "Manman, don’t look at my superficial glamour, I suffer too."
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Here’s a Chapter for now, asking for support, second update tonight. (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, you are welcome to support it by voting with recommendation tickets or monthly tickets at qidian.com. Your support is my greatest motivation.)
