Zhang Qiulian really didn’t want to listen to her parents nagging anymore.
She interrupted impatiently.
“Enough. Your son is about to become a team leader. If his parents have a criminal record and go to prison, do you think he’ll still have a future?
“They won’t let us go to prison.
“Just sit tight and wait.”
The man she was about to marry was Zhao Aimin, the deputy director of a steel mill.
Her younger brother also worked at the steel mill.
And she had gotten her brother that job by asking Zhao Aimin to arrange it for him.
She wasn’t worried at all.
The Chen family would definitely settle privately.
Sure enough, it wasn’t long before someone came to visit her in detention.
The first person to arrive was a young man with a dragon tattoo on his arm and a body covered in bulging muscles.
The moment Zhang Qiulian saw him, she immediately burst into tears.
“Wuwu… Ye-ge, the Chen family went way too far.
“It was only a few lousy houses, yet they actually had us thrown in here.”
Zhou Ye was extremely annoyed.
He hated dealing with the police.
Ever since he had been brought in, he had felt uncomfortable all over.
This woman wasn’t even getting to the point and kept testing his patience.
If more than a dozen of his brothers hadn’t been dragged into this mess, he wouldn’t have bothered coming.
“What exactly happened? Tell me.”
Seeing Zhou Ye’s unpleasant expression, Zhang Qiulian gently wiped away her tears and told him everything that had happened that day.
“Ye-ge, when can we get out?”
Zhou Ye thought for a moment.
“It’s just a bunch of country bumpkins. As long as the money is right, they’ll let you go.”
Zhou Ye waved his hand and left.
Zhang Qiulian was just a slut. There would be plenty of people willing to bail her out.
This time, his brothers were the ones who had gotten dragged into the mess for no reason.
As for that family of country bumpkins, he had plenty of ways to deal with them.
Not long after Zhou Ye left, Zhang Zhuzi arrived.
In front of her own younger brother, Zhang Qiulian didn’t bother putting on an act.
She repeated what Zhou Ye had said.
Zhang Zhuzi’s face immediately tightened with pain.
“Sounds easy when you say it like that. There are so many people involved. The Chen family is definitely going to demand a lot.
“How long have I even been working? I only make 63 yuan a month.
“Where am I supposed to get money to give them?”
Zhang Qiulian immediately saw through her brother’s attempt to play poor.
“Hmph. Do you think I don’t know how much money Mom and Dad gave you?”
She knew her younger brother all too well. The moment he lifted his tail, she knew exactly what kind of nonsense he was about to pull.
“Stop right there. You can’t go ask Zhao Aimin.
“You two aren’t even married yet. If he changes his mind afterward and refuses to marry your sister, you’re the one who’ll suffer the most.”
Zhang Qiulian also knew that Zhang Zhuzi couldn’t come up with much money.
“There are 5,000 yuan in the drawer in my room. The key is in the pocket of my white coat.
“Go negotiate with the Chen family. If they only ask for 5,000, you won’t have to pay anything yourself.
“It all depends on how well you negotiate.”
The gloomy expression on Zhang Zhuzi’s face finally disappeared, replaced by a delighted smile.
Zhang Qiulian had always looked down on him.
If Zhao Aimin hadn’t been protecting him, forget becoming a team leader—he might not even have been able to keep his job.
Zhang Qiulian leaned close to her brother’s ear and whispered instructions on how to negotiate.
Zhang Zhuzi nodded repeatedly.
As soon as he left the police station, he hurried home, took out the money, and returned.
Meanwhile, at the hospital, Hu Yan was beginning to worry.
There were eight people altogether.
If they bought every meal outside, how much would that cost?
Third sister-in-law Guan Guiying had thought of the same thing.
Chen Guanghui worked at a brick factory in the city, and Guan Guiying’s family also lived there.
She suggested to Hu Yan,
“Fifth sister-in-law, how about having my mother bring us food?
“We’re all going to be staying in the hospital for the next few days. We can’t keep eating out.
“My mother cooks pretty well. Just give her five or six yuan per meal.
“Wouldn’t that save us some money?”
Hu Yan nodded like a chicken pecking at rice.
With so many people to feed, Guan Guiying’s suggestion was definitely the most economical.
“Sure, sure!”
She immediately handed over the money Teacher Bai had given her.
“Third sister-in-law, here’s the money. We’ll trouble your mother with the cooking.”
Guan Guiying didn’t refuse.
If it had only been one or two people, she wouldn’t have cared about the money.
But now they had eight people to feed.
It was only right to give her mother something.
Hu Yan glanced at her watch.
It was already ten o’clock.
Just as everyone was preparing to sleep, Zhang Zhuzi pushed open the ward door and walked in.
“Oh? You’re still awake?”
Everyone in the Chen family knew Zhang Zhuzi.
When Zhang Qiulian had first given birth to the triplets, he often went to the Chen family to mooch off them.
The Chen brothers had even once put a sack over his head and beaten him.
He was an extremely unpleasant person.
Back then, he had been quite afraid of the Chen brothers.
But ever since he started working at the steel mill, Zhang Zhuzi had begun looking down on them.
His eyes seemed to be on top of his head as he walked in with an arrogant and mocking expression.
“Go on. How much money do you want before you’ll withdraw the report?”
Zhang Zhuzi took 1,000 yuan out of his bag and slapped it onto the hospital bed.
“Are you people so desperate for money?
“My sister is family. Why make such a big deal out of this?
“1,000 should be enough, right?”
Hu Yan noticed that Zhang Zhuzi’s bag was bulging.
After thinking about it for a moment, she immediately understood what he was planning.
She didn’t hold back at all.
“Looks like you’re pretty wealthy.
“Then I won’t be polite. Let me count it up.
“Medical expenses, lost wages, nutritional expenses, emotional damages, transportation, food, settlement compensation, and so on.
“It’s going to be at least 500,000 yuan.”
As she counted, she walked over to the door and quietly locked it from the inside.
Then she turned around and contemptuously picked up the 1,000 yuan from the bed.
“That’s all you’ve got?
“What is this supposed to cover? It isn’t even enough for the medical bills.”
Zhang Zhuzi exploded when he heard that.
“Are you robbing me? 500,000 yuan?
“Even the richest man in the city couldn’t afford that!”
Reluctantly, Zhang Zhuzi took out another 1,000 yuan.
“Another thousand. That’s enough, right?
“Don’t push your luck.”
Chen Guangze also noticed Zhang Zhuzi’s bulging bag.
Then he looked at his wife’s knowing smile.
He more or less guessed what dirty trick Zhang Zhuzi was trying to pull.
He had traveled around enough and experienced enough to know better.
The Chen family had all remembered Teacher Bai’s instructions.
Whatever happened, they would wait until the lawyer arrived tomorrow.
So they kept their mouths shut.
Seeing that they weren’t moved, Zhang Zhuzi pulled out another 2,000 yuan.
“Fine, fine! 4,000 yuan should be enough for you country bumpkins to eat for ten years, right?
“Withdraw the report already. I’m leaving.”
At this point, Zhang Zhuzi didn’t care about anything else.
He just wanted to get out of there as quickly as possible.
He hurried toward the door, trying to slip away.
But Hu Yan stood in the doorway and blocked his path.
Chen Guangze wasn’t seriously injured.
He suddenly jumped off the hospital bed and grabbed all 4,000 yuan from Zhang Zhuzi.
At that time, 10-yuan notes were commonly used.
When the 4,000 yuan scattered through the air, the bills fluttered down over Zhang Zhuzi like snow.
“Take your filthy money and get it out of here.
“Zhang Zhuzi, who taught you this dirty trick?
“Take everything out of your bag.”
Zhang Zhuzi brushed the bills off his head and body, his face filled with guilt.
“Y-you… what are you talking about?
“I don’t understand.”
Chen Guangze didn’t want to waste words with him.
He suddenly lunged forward, snatched the bag from Zhang Zhuzi, turned around, and tossed it to Chen Guangyao.
Chen Guangyao caught the bag and immediately exclaimed,
“Whoa! This bag’s pretty heavy, Zhang Zhuzi.”
Zhang Zhuzi panicked.
He stood up and tried to snatch the bag back, but Chen Guangze kicked him hard in the butt.
He fell to the ground but still shouted,
“Give me my things back!
“You’re robbing me!”
Hu Yan wore a sly smile.
“Robbing you?
“Who saw it?
“Where’s your witness?”