Chapter 519: Chapter 268 Compassion Should Not Be Used Lightly_1
The second watch, asking for pink votes.
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Zhao Wencai and Lian Shouxin were both sitting on the heated brick bed with their legs crossed, the teacup placed beside Zhao Wencai’s thigh. Lian Manman, carrying the kettle, poured water for Zhao Wencai and accidentally shook her hand, spilling scalding hot water onto Zhao Wencai’s calf.
At this time, everyone had already taken off their thick cotton coats and pants and were mostly wearing padded clothing. Today, Zhao Wencai wore a padded jacket with a pair of undershorts and a pair of green cloth pants on top.
The boiling water, even though separated by two layers of pants, caused Zhao Wencai intense pain but was not severe enough to cause any serious injury.
"Uncle Zhao, how is it, it didn’t burn you too badly, right?" Lian Shouxin hurriedly grabbed a cloth from the side to help wipe Zhao Wencai’s pant leg, while telling Lian Manman, "Look at you, all thumbs, go apologize to your Uncle Zhao right now. Put down the kettle, if you can’t handle it, don’t carry it."
"Uncle Zhao, my apologies, I didn’t mean to, I was just afraid of burning your hands, I lost grip all of a sudden," Lian Manman hurriedly said.
"This kettle’s full, it’s even heavy for me to carry. Manman, you see, you’re so eager to work, you should think about whether you can handle it," Lady Zhang hurried over, pushing Lian Manman to one side and quickly cleaned up the spilled teacup and water on the bed.
Lian Shouxin insisted that Zhao Wencai roll up his pant leg, revealing a red patch on his calf from the burn. Such an injury would hurt for a couple of days but would eventually heal completely.
"Brother Zhao, just look at this, how could this have happened," Lian Shouxin sighed with relief but still said.
"No problem, no problem, the child meant well, I’m fine," Zhao Wencai grinned, pretending to be magnanimous, and said, "This is nothing, Old Fourth, let’s get back to what we were talking about. Old Fourth, you have to give me a definite answer, what do you say?"
Lady Zhang collected the teacup and kettle, with no intention of serving Zhao Wencai any more tea.
"About that..." Lian Shouxin began, glancing at Lady Zhang and Lian Manman.
"Liulang’s uncle, our family can’t afford to offend him," Lian Manman interjected.
"That’s true. Brother Zhao, we’ll be straight with you. Anything else, we can talk, but we may not be able to agree to this... If we become guarantors for you, the money from He Family’s uncle, I’m afraid you’ll never get your hands on it," Lady Zhang added.
This statement made the matter crystal clear.
"How could that be," Zhao Wencai, no matter how thick-skinned, felt somewhat embarrassed, "Old Fourth, you’re a straightforward and responsible man. Just give me a word. This is all for Erlang and his wife, and for the great-grandson of the Lian Family. Old Fourth, that’s your own nephew and grandnephew... Old Fourth, does your family even lack this money?"
Zhao Wencai appeared somewhat pitiful, and by the end, he had let slip his true motives.
"Brother Zhao, if you agree to let Erlang’s wife come back, I could speak on your behalf... But as for being a guarantor, that I can’t promise," Lian Shouxin pondered before speaking deliberately, "The affairs of the Old He Family, I cannot manage."
Despite Zhao Wencai’s relentless cajoling, playing the family card, and heaping flattery, Lian Shouxin remained calm. He clearly saw the essence of the situation.
He Laoliu had originally acted shamelessly, and the Lian Family, not wishing for their family members to be dragged to the County Yamen, reluctantly covered the money for He Laoliu. Lian Shouxin was well aware of what kind of person He Laoliu was; being his guarantor was essentially an invitation to pay the debt. Lian Shouxin disliked He Laoliu’s character, He Laoliu was no one to him, and Old Master Lian was extremely upset about the affair and utterly disgusted with He Laoliu, so Lian Shouxin would not shoulder the debt for He Laoliu.
"We’re not on the same side as the He Family, I can’t be a guarantor for their affairs," Lian Shouxin said even more clearly, "Brother Zhao, as for the money, Erlang’s father said that if He Laoliu has to pay it back, there must be a way to make him pay, which would be more useful than any guarantor."
Restraining He Laoliu, the only one in the Lian Family who had such capacity, was Lian Shouyi.
Lian Manman listened and nodded secretly, no matter what, Lian Shouxin had a clear view of the situation. At the same time, Lian Manman felt somewhat relieved; thankfully, Zhao Wencai had burned bridges with Old Master Lian and others, otherwise, if Zhao Wencai had persuaded Old Master Lian and had Old Master Lian bring up the matter to Lian Shouxin, it might not have been so easy for him to refuse.
Zhao Wencai’s expression soured when he heard Lian Shouxin speak in this way.
"Old Fourth, you’re a decent man. Isn’t it just a matter of acting as a guarantor, it’s just to put Xiu E and ourselves at ease, it’s not about asking you for money," he said.
