50: Chapter 50 Breaking the Siege 50: Chapter 50 Breaking the Siege An Ping looked at him and felt his legs shaking with fear.
An Hao planted her hands on her hips, raising her voice several notches, “Don’t think I’m easy to bully.
Everyone here saw what happened today.
If anything happens to me or my brother, it’s because of your doing!
If you let An Ping go, we’ll write off the lost money as bad luck and won’t ask you for it.
Then we’re even, but if you dare do anything to us, I’ll go straight to the police station.
I bet you have at least thirty or forty in your hand, right?
Once you get locked up, not only would you not get your hands on the money, but you’d also be facing a few years behind bars!”
The old leper, having been in a re-education through labor camp before, deeply understood the consequences within.
He glanced at An Hao, as formidable as a little chili pepper, and felt a wave of frustration.
Letting her go didn’t sit well with him, but he feared she really would go to the local police and file a complaint against him!
It looks like I really need to shout for help!” An Hao shifted her gaze toward the crowd outside, and shouted toward those watching the movie, “Uncle Chen, Old Zhao, Village Head, come over here and see for yourselves!”
Her voice was sharp and thin, carrying far into the night.
The onlookers felt sympathy for An Hao; it wasn’t easy for a young girl, and they feared she might be bullied by the old leper.
They spoke up in her support, “Yeah, let it go!
It’s just a dollar; don’t lose much over a little!”
Seeing the crowd siding with An Hao, the old leper reconsidered his position.
He might be shameless, but he wasn’t stupid.
It wasn’t worth losing the money in his hand over a dollar.
So he waved his hand dismissively, “Alright, alright!
An Hao pulled An Ping away without another word.
She told Song Yueqin she had something urgent at home and needed to leave first.
The second half of the movie was just starting, and Yueqin didn’t want to leave, so she let An Hao go first and stayed to watch the movie, planning to return home with others afterward.
An Hao, holding An Ping’s hand, walked towards their village.
When they reached a quieter area, An Hao stopped.
An Ping thought An Hao was going to scold him, but instead, she let out a deep sigh and earnestly reasoned with him, “An Ping, you gambled away all your money today, right?
It would take our dad half a month of hauling bricks to earn those six dollars back.
You saw for yourself how half a day’s hard work could vanish in an instant, and you could have been in real trouble.
This was just a small gamble.
What if it had been a large one?
You could have lost your life!
If it led to our family’s ruin, do you think you’d be honoring the memory of our deceased mother?
You’re getting older; I won’t say much more.
You have to be more careful from now on.”
“Sis, I’m sorry.” An Ping hung his head and wiped away tears, “I let you down!
I lost all the money!
Brother Yufeng got me into gambling, saying it was fun and that with a bit of luck, you could win dozens in one night.
At these words, An Hao was so angry she could feel her nostrils flare.
So, it was Bai Yufeng who had led An Ping down this path.
She toiled for the Bai Family, and now they were also corrupting her brother.
She realized her previous thoughts were mistaken; she couldn’t let them stay any longer.
Otherwise, An Ping would surely be led astray by Bai Yufeng.
“What if your luck had been bad?” An Hao retorted, “An Ping, don’t believe in luck!
We’re ordinary people, living ordinary lives!
There’s no such thing as a free lunch!
If you want a good life, you have to work for it with your own two hands!”
An Hao nodded, finally allowing herself to breathe a long sigh of relief!