Chapter 120: Chapter 113 Borrowing Money for the Maternal Family_2
After the two had left, the police officer noticed the thief clutching his right hand and yelling in pain. Initially, he thought the thief was overreacting, but when the thief rolled up his sleeve and revealed a bruise, the officer realized why Qian Xiaoxiao had arm-wrestled him. That strength was unbeatable!
Outside the Public Security Bureau, Qian Xiaoxiao pouted and said, “You shouldn’t have stopped me just now. That police officer underestimated me; I had to show him what I’m capable of.”
Lu Jiaxin replied, “Knowing your own strength is enough, there’s no need to prove it to everyone. Also, with the wallet issue earlier, you should have verified it before handing it over to him.”
Speaking of which made Qian Xiaoxiao angry: “It’s so shameless to even think about claiming the wallet that isn’t theirs. If I hadn’t caught the thief right then, I would’ve chased after him and given him a beating.”
Lu Jiaxin didn’t say that one shouldn’t hit others. Nowadays, people are still relatively simple, and as long as you don’t kill someone, it’s not a big deal to take them down a notch. Not like the bizarre incidents that happen later, like getting injured while running away after being caught stealing fruit from someone’s orchard and still demanding compensation from the owner—it’s infuriating.
Because of this incident, by the time she went to the doctor for a follow-up visit and got back home, it was already after three in the afternoon. As she pushed the door open, she saw Ma Lili washing the bedding.
Lu Jiaxin was surprised: “Fifth Sister-in-law, why didn’t you go to work?”
Ma Lili explained she had taken the day off, and going back to work now wouldn’t make sense: “Jiaxin, have you had lunch? If not, I’ll cook something for you.”
Lu Jiaxin waved her hand and said, “No need, Xiaoxiao and I ate outside. Fifth Sister-in-law, you’ve been running around these days, and I know it’s been hard on you. Go back to your room and rest. Leave the housework to Xue Mao and Xiao Qiu.”
Both of them couldn’t stay idle and had even discussed selling lunch boxes on Xiushui Street, but Lu Jiaxin had quashed the idea. Now that Xiaoxiao was here, she took on the heavy tasks herself.
Ma Lili assured her that she could handle the work.
Lu Jiaxin had the habit of taking a nap after lunch, and her biological clock was relentless. She hadn’t slept today and felt very sleepy, so she yawned and prepared to go back to her room to rest.
Just as she reached the doorway, she noticed Ma Lili following her, which signaled that she had something to say. Inside, Lu Jiaxin smiled and asked, “Fifth Sister-in-law, what’s on your mind?”
Ma Lili found it difficult to speak.
Seeing her hesitation, Lu Jiaxin had a bad feeling. She said, “Fifth Sister-in-law, call Fifth Brother. If there’s an issue, discuss it with him and, if necessary, let him come back to handle it.”
Ma Lili shook her head: “The family is already in so much debt, we’re relying on him to earn money and pay it off.”
Lu Jiaxin nodded, indicating she understood, and then yawned again. The message was clear: she was going to sleep.
Only then did Ma Lili begin to speak, “Jiaxin, I asked my parents, and at first, they didn’t say anything. But after I pressed them repeatedly, they told the truth. They had lent three thousand Yuan to my cousin to start a business. However, my cousin isn’t cut out for business; he lost all the capital and racked up a huge debt.”
Curious, Lu Jiaxin asked, “Your parents lending money to your cousin isn’t something shameful, so why didn’t they tell your older sister straight away, and instead, said it was lent to you?”
Ma Lili replied with a bitter smile, “Jixiang only changed his surname to Ma last month. If my older sister and brother-in-law knew the savings were gone, they’d take the child back and change his surname back to Yan.”
Lu Jiaxin was speechless. It’s not like the Ma family had a throne to inherit that required a male heir to continue the lineage. However, that was the Ma family’s own issue, and she wasn’t inclined to meddle.
With a nod, Lu Jiaxin yawned: “Fifth Sister-in-law, I’m sleepy and going to sleep for a bit.”
Ma Lili called out, “Jiaxin, wait a moment.”
Sighing inwardly, Lu Jiaxin turned back and asked, “Fifth Sister-in-law, is there something else?”
Ma Lili hesitated, then finally said, “Jiaxin, my parents begged me to take responsibility for this, and I refused at first. But when they knelt before me begging, I… I couldn’t say no.”
What does it mean she couldn’t say no? If she had the means to fill that hole, there would be no problem; it would be considered filial. But agreeing without having the money? And she had agreed, but what was she doing coming to her? What, did she look like a fool to be easily taken advantage of?
Out of consideration for Lu Jiajie, Lu Jiaxin still gently reminded, “Fifth Sister-in-law, you’ve taken on the responsibility, which means you have to repay the debt. Three thousand Yuan is not a small sum.”
Ma Lili with tearful eyes said, “I know, but I can’t just watch them die.”
Lu Jiaxin really wanted to say they should hurry up and die, but she restrained her impulse for the sake of reason.
Seeing that Lu Jiaxin remained silent, Ma Lili plucked up the courage and said, “Jiaxin, Jiaxin, could you lend me the money? Rest assured, I’ll repay you as soon as possible.”
Lu Jiaxin had hoped she would back off once she realized the difficulty, but to her surprise, Ma Lili still asked. Feeling irritated, Lu Jiaxin’s response was blunt, “Fifth Sister-in-law, if you want to Enjoy reading on NovelHub - your free online novel platform. My money didn’t fall from the sky; I earned it while dragging around my sick and frail body. If I gave it away to just anyone who asked, nothing would be left of me, not even dust.”
Why did she immediately give three thousand Yuan to Ma Lili upon her return and even offer to lend more if needed for the house? It was because Lu Jiajie cherished the original owner and also tried to protect her to the best of his abilities. Returning favors for favors received, Lu Jiaxin was willing to help him out in difficult times and wanted to build wealth together with him. But what were the Ma and Yan families? Two households she wished she could avoid altogether. Lend them money? What a joke!
Having said her piece, Lu Jiaxin entered her room.
Ma Lili, her face burning, watched the door slowly close. She had thought that asking would be enough to get the loan, especially since Lu Jiaxin had been generous to their family. She never expected to be turned down so bluntly.
Lu Jiaxin didn’t dwell on the incident, lying down and falling asleep. When she woke up, she didn’t rush to get up, instead turning her thoughts to the Ma family’s situation.
Rummaging through her memories, she found that Father Ma and Mother Ma were very frugal, rarely willing to buy meat. Lu Jiajie and Ma Lili had to buy their own if they wanted to indulge. That’s why, after six years of marriage, they had only saved just over two thousand Yuan. She was skeptical: such frugal people, would they actually lend such a large sum of money to a nephew? Even if Father Ma was willing, would Mother Ma agree?
With these doubts, she knew she had to get to the bottom of it.