Chapter 139: Chapter 131 Not to be the Big Head (Part 1)
Ma Lili thought that after so much time had passed, the anger would have died down, but now, seeing that he was being stubborn, she nearly went crazy and couldn’t control her temper, “I already said it’s just this once, it won’t happen again, why are you still clinging to this issue?”
Lu Jiajie was indeed clinging to it, “If your parents were sick and had no money for treatment and you borrowed money, I would recognize that debt. But borrowing money for Yan Fang and Ma Dahua’s son to buy a house, why should I be the one to pay it back? What does that have to do with me?”
“If they had money to pay it back, would I have needed to borrow in the first place?”
Lu Jiajie felt a tightness in his chest and looked down to see his son holding his daughter, nestled at the head of the bed, not saying a word. Jiaxin said that it wasn’t good to argue in front of the children, so they would avoid them when fighting, but now he had changed his mind. He asked, “Qiangqiang, Xiao Feng, your mom borrowed fifteen hundred yuan for Yan Jixiang to buy a house, and now your dad has to pay it back. Tell me, should Dad pay this money?”
Qiangqiang, although only five years old, already knew the importance of money. Previously, their family couldn’t afford a house due to a lack of funds and had to stay at their aunt’s house, “Don’t pay it. He always bullies me and my sister, why should we help him pay the money back?”
Xiao Feng was very scared and remained silent.
Ma Lili, frustrated, said, “Lu Jiajie, don’t use the kids as a shield.”
Lu Jiajie felt that his son was old enough to be aware of these matters, “The money I earn will all go to Qiangqiang and Xiao Feng in the future. You taking the family’s money to subsidize your maternal home amounts to giving Yan Jixiang their things.”
Upon hearing this, Qiangqiang immediately said loudly, “Mom, you’re not allowed to give Yan Jixiang my and my sister’s things.”
After saying that, he gathered his courage and added, “Mom, I don’t want to go to grandma’s house anymore. At grandma’s house, only Yan Jixiang gets to eat meat and eggs, my sister and I can only eat vegetables and tofu.”
At their younger aunt’s house, they were able to eat chicken and duck legs; but at the Ma family, both of those would eventually go to Yan Jixiang, leaving none for him and Xiao Feng.
Ma Lili, angered, scolded, “Lu Jiajie, what nonsense are you filling the kids’ heads with?”
“I only have Qiangqiang and Xiao Feng, and the money I earn will be for them in the future, so where am I talking nonsense?”
Unable to rebut, Ma Lili fell silent and then said, “From the time we got married until last year, we lived at my parents’ place for seven years, and they also helped us raise the two children. Just the rent for those seven years would be several hundred, and hiring someone to care for the two children would also be over a thousand, all together it’s more than fifteen hundred.”
Lu Jiajie thought her accounting was laughable, “So you’re saying that by giving this fifteen hundred yuan, we won’t be obligated to care for them through sickness and in death? If that’s the case, then put it in black and white, and I’ll pay back this fifteen hundred yuan.”
If it meant not having to care for them through sickness and in death in the future, not just fifteen hundred, he would be willing to double it. But putting it in writing was just talk; even putting it in black and white was useless, unless he and Ma Lili got divorced. Otherwise, the responsibility of caring for Father Ma and Mother Ma in their old age would ultimately fall upon them.
Ma Lili dared not respond to this.
Just at that moment, someone knocked on the door from outside, knocking while calling out, “Is anyone there? Is anyone there?”
Upon hearing this voice, Ma Lili’s face instantly turned sour.
Seeing that the person kept knocking, Lu Jiajie went out. When he opened the door to see an unfamiliar old lady, he said, “You’ve got the wrong place.”
The old lady, seeing him, immediately accused, “Are you Lu Jiajie? You agreed to pay back our family’s money before the end of the year, dragging it out until now without paying and not opening the door, are you planning to default?”
Ma Lili knew Lu Jiajie cared about face and thought he would pay back the old lady’s money. Regrettably, to her disappointment, Lu Jiajie was not willing to pay.
Lu Jiajie replied, “Whoever borrowed the money from you, go ask that person for it.”
The old lady’s face suddenly turned fierce, “So you’re planning to default on the debt? Let me tell you, pay up quickly, otherwise I won’t be polite.”
Lu Jiajie said, “The money Ma Lili borrowed, she took it all home to buy her nephew a house. If you want money, go find her or the Ma family and Yan family.”
Upon hearing this, Ma Lili rushed out and cursed, “Lu Jiajie, are you even a man? People are coming to collect a debt, and you have money but won’t pay it back.”
“I don’t have money.”
Ma Lili didn’t believe his words at all and said, “How can you not have money? Didn’t Lu Jiaxin give you a bonus? Where did that money go?”
Lu Jiajie paused for a moment, realizing he hadn’t told anyone about this, and his elder brother and Jiaxin couldn’t possibly have told her. He snorted coldly and said, “The salary and bonus Jiaxin gave you for the house, what bonus are you talking about?”
Ma Lili didn’t believe it, “You’ve made so much money for Lu Jiaxin; she definitely would have given you an extra bonus. Where did the money go?”
It was just like his elder brother said, she was convinced that Jiaxin, being generous, would give an extra bonus, which is why she dared to hide this form him.
The more he thought about it, the more absurd he found it. Lu Jiajie stopped pretending, “Jiaxin did give me a bonus indeed, but I’ll only spend this money on my own family and children.”
After speaking, he looked toward the old lady and said, “The money wasn’t borrowed by me, and neither my children nor I have spent a dime of it. Even so, it’s not my turn to pay it back. I know quite a few people, my uncle, my brother, and I know plenty of folks in the police station. If you dare to be difficult, I’m not afraid of you.”
Even without making any overt threats, the old lady still felt a bit intimidated by his menacing gaze.
Feeling really troubled, Lu Jiajie took the two children out. Since they had been missing their aunt since Chinese New Year, he decided to take them to Radiance Road.
When they arrived, Lu Jiaxin was studying in the room. Qiangqiang, holding Xiao Qiu’s hand, whispered, “Sis, I’m hungry.”
When Xiao Qiu heard that they hadn’t eaten since returning home with Xiao Feng, she didn’t even bother to ask Lu Jiajie, but hurried to the kitchen to boil some seafood dumplings for them. With the cold weather outside acting like a natural refrigerator, she could just leave the dumplings outside in the storage room to be taken and eaten anytime.
After the children had their fill and grew sleepy, Xiao Qiu took them to bed.
Lu Jiajie was in a gloomy mood, but except for Jiaxin’s place, he didn’t want to go anywhere else. He washed the dishes and then crouched by the stove to warm himself by the fire.
Xue Mao, somewhat worried, asked, “Xiaoxiao, do you think Brother Jie might be facing some kind of trouble?”
Qian Xiaoxiao looked disdainful, “Anyone with eyes can see they had a spat. Otherwise, why would he come over with the kids so soon after returning home? But it’s their marital business, don’t go asking, you won’t be of any help.”
When her parents would argue, her grandfather would never interfere, saying that couples would make up shortly after quarreling, and if someone tried to mediate, it would only make them fight even more fiercely.
Lu Jiaxin, taking a break, heard he had come over and asked with a frown, “How do you know he’s in a bad mood?”
Xiao Qiu said in a low voice, “This time when he returned, I noticed that Fifth Uncle’s smile became less frequent and he spoke less than before. He also seemed burdened when he came over this time.”
Lu Jiaxin couldn’t be bothered with him, rested for a while, and then returned to her room to continue reading. Now with three tutors, from Monday to Saturday, eight hours of classes each day, and additional reading, it was tough for her too. Sometimes she thought about giving up, but recalling her original life, she had no choice but to grit her teeth and persevere.