Old Lady Yu shot her a glance, hinting her to calm down.
Yu Yue closed her mouth. Wasn't she just trying to raise the price, so there would be room for bargaining? As long as the effect is achieved, it's good.
Old Man Zhang's face dropped instantly. What Yu Yue said was simply unreasonable!
This hundred yuan could even be enough for his great-grandson to get a wife, let alone...
Old Man Zhang took a glance at his other son, Zhang Qiufeng and his family. Their faces were full of resentment, staring at Zhang Junfeng's family fiercely.
Even the son of Li Feng'e felt disgusted looking at his mother and sister at this moment.
Old Lady Yu watched as Old Man Zhang's expression kept changing. She had a fairly good idea about what was going on: "Yu Yue was just joking with you. She's just a child and doesn't understand."
"She's sixteen or seventeen, yet she still doesn't understand! Girls her age in other families are already married!" Old Lady Zhang muttered.
"Grass on graves of people your age is already a meter high, yet you're still alive?" Old Lady Yu gazed at Old Lady Zhang, whose words made her nearly jump in fury.
“You...you…”
“That's enough, shut up!” Old Man Zhang interrupted, fearing that any further quarreling would only be detrimental to their family.
“Go, bring fifty yuan for your sister-in-law."
With Old Man Zhang's words, everyone in the Zhang family looked at him in disbelief. Old Lady Zhang, too, wasn't keen on arguing with Old Lady Yu at this moment. She shrieked: "Fifty?!"
Before, when Yu Yue mentioned a hundred, everyone thought it was too ridiculous, no one took it seriously. But once the words came out of Old Man Zhang’s mouth, they couldn’t ignore it.
That's fifty yuan!
Their entire family has to work hard for more than a month, and they might not even earn that much!
Now, just like that, they have to take out fifty yuan to clean up the mess for Zhang Xiuqin, why?!
"Dad! That's fifty yuan! Chunsheng is currently courting someone, if things go well, he's going to be engaged. If we take out the money now, what are we going to do then?" Said the wife of Zhang Qiufeng, who had to speak as her husband remained silent.
"I have a plan in mind, stop nagging! Aren't you going yet?!" Old Man Zhang saw that Old Lady Zhang was still standing there, not moving, and glared at her with an angry face.
Seeing his expression, Old Lady Zhang reluctantly went into the room and came out holding a bundle of money of various amounts, the largest denomination being ten yuan.
Everyone in the Zhang family, young and old, looked unhappy. Zhang Xiuqin tried to make herself invisible.
Old Lady Zhang, unwilling to part with the money in her hands, stretched it out towards Old Lady Yu. Yu Yue made a dash for it, tried to tug it but couldn't, and finally managed to snatch the money with a big pull: "Thanks, Grandma Zhang!"
Old Lady Yu didn't expect that Yu Yue would suddenly take action, and before she had time to react, the money had already ended up in Yu Yue's hands. However, in front of so many people, she didn't say anything. She merely glared at Yu Yue, her gaze lingering on the money before pulling it back.
"Keep your child in check! If there's a next time, we'll settle all the new and old accounts together!" Old Lady Yu left a threatening remark and left with her group.
Old Man Yu gave Old Man Zhang a hearty pat on the shoulder, with a heavy heart he uttered, "Junfeng is a good kid, I've seen him grow up. It's just that the woman he married...sigh! You need to guide them well in the future, don’t let her corrupt our granddaughter."
Old Man Yu's family, as well as a large group of nosy spectators, littered the courtyard of the Zhang residence. Old Lady Zhang, with a sour expression, kicked them out and slammed the door shut. In her haste, the door recoiled and struck her forehead. Peels of laughter echoed from outside the door.
Old Lady Zhang, fuming, managed to hurl a few curses before finally managing to shut the door.
The Zhang family members left in their courtyard silently tidied up. No one had the appetite to finish their meals left in the middle of the commotion.
Zhang Junfeng began dragging Li Feng'e towards their room - shortly after, cries and curses echoing from the room: "You...you are not a real man...Someone...hit me and you didn't dare to fight back, now..."
The noise became louder, Li Feng’e's curses weakening gradually.
Those in the courtyard pretended not to notice this domestic strife, even their son chose to ignore it.
Zhang Xiuqin worked nervously and diligently, in an attempt to diminish her presence.
"Dad! Why did you give them fifty yuan?! Twenty would've been more than enough for their medical expenses. All this talk about residuals and complications - it is clearly a scam for money!"
Everyone from Old Man Yu's family had gone. Without an audience, Zhang Qiufeng felt free to voice his frustrations.
Old Man Zhang heaved a sigh, "You think I don't know? But today, the entire Ye family came with accusations and destruction. Without their instigation, where would Yu Yue get the guts to demand a hundred yuan? This is extortion."
Zhang Qiufeng's wife was unconvinced. "But we can't be bullied like this! Fifty yuan is no small amount. With Chunsheng's marriage right around the corner, this wipes out the dowry we had prepared for his bride, what will people think? All this was caused by your younger brother, so we don’t accept this resolution!"
"The Yu's second son is the village accountant, even the Production Brigade Leader is from their family. You still want to earn work points? If you have a problem, take it up with them! Ever heard of buying peace with money?! If we really had to send Zhang Xiuqin to jail, where would your son or daughter be able to show their face?!"
The Zhang family argued heatedly. On the other hand, the Yu family strode home like victorious cocks, heads held high. Old Man Yu continually thanked everyone they crossed paths with.
As they continued, a tall and sturdy figure came into view from the opposite direction. Underneath a load of firewood, it was evident that the man had a fit physique, broad shoulders, thin waist and long legs.
Closer inspection unveiled a handsome face set against a healthy wheat-colored complexion - a high-bridged nose, messy hair obscuring half of his eyebrows, black eyes as deep as ink, affording him an air of mystery. Rolled up sleeves revealed muscular forearms, an obvious sign of physical labour.
Yu Yue thought to herself, 'Wow, he's impressively good-looking.'
However, it had nothing to do with her. Just as Yu Yue was thinking about this, she saw Yu Mingkang run over with a delighted expression, "Educated Youth Qi! Thanks for saving my sister!"
Qi Yan looked at them, paused for a moment, then nodded. His gaze brushed over Yu Yue before he spoke: "Your sister is okay now?"
The young girl who had bled so much from her head was now lively and jumping around?
Seemingly seeing the question in Qi Yan's heart, Yu Mingkang began to explain: "We all thought my sister had accidentally fallen that day, but it turned out to be Zhang Xiuqin who had pushed her. That nearly killed my sister; we just went to seek justice and just got back."
Hearing this, Qi Yan frowned. Although most of the villagers were quite simple and honest, there were ones with ill intentions. This young girl was quite unfortunate.
But hearing the complications within this matter, he decided not to get too involved.