Xia Rou immediately reached out and gave Zheng Xiaoyu a fierce twist. "Stupid girl, if you keep spouting nonsense, I'll rip your mouth apart!"
"Alright, alright!" Yan Xiaobao suddenly darted forward, "Wife, let me help you."
"No, no, no! I was just joking..."
Xia Rou and Zheng Xiaoyu chimed in unison, waving their hands frantically. Yan Xiaobao was someone who didn't play by the book — if he took Xia Rou's joking words seriously, Zheng Xiaoyu's little mouth might actually be in danger...
"Ripping someone's mouth apart first thing in the morning? Such murderous energy!"
A yin-yang-toned voice rang out, and suddenly over a dozen people poured into the shop, with another dozen who couldn't fit blocking the shop's entrance entirely.
Xia Rou took a look at the newcomers and her face instantly turned pale.
At the front were four people — three men and a woman. On the far left was Sunx Peng, her nemesis who had been chasing her for debts. On the far right, a fat man with bruises and swollen features resembling a pig's head was none other than Lobster Liu, who had been battered by Yan Xiaobao yesterday and forced to drink half a keg of beer.
The two in the middle were a man and a woman. The woman was about thirty years old and had some beauty, but unfortunately, her overly oily makeup made her look garish and tasteless.
That garish woman was clinging to the arm of the man next to her — he was medium-built, ordinary-looking, but carried a composed demeanor that lent him an air of authority.
That man was none other than Zhao Erhu, the infamous local tyrant of several nearby streets.
Sunx Peng and Lobster Liu showing up together with Zhao Erhu made it clear that these two had run to him yesterday to complain and seek revenge. Thus, early in the morning, Zhao Erhu had brought two to three dozen of his men to stand up for them.
"Xia Rou, who is he? Why is he already in the shop with you so early in the morning? What's your relationship? Explain this to me clearly!" Sunx Peng charged forward aggressively, pointing at Yan Xiaobao and questioning Xia Rou with forceful anger.
"Who he is, what our relationship is — what does that have to do with you?" Initially, faced with the intimidating situation, Xia Rou had felt tense and worried. But seeing Sunx Peng's irritating demeanor, she couldn't hold back. More importantly, in her subconscious mind, she somehow felt that with Yan Xiaobao here, there was nothing to fear.
"Oh, I see! No wonder you've been ignoring me more and more lately — turns out you've secretly been keeping a young man behind my back!" Sunx Peng jumped in outrage, spitting furiously.
Chen Long and Zheng Xiaoyu both glanced at Yan Xiaobao. He ate Xia Rou's food, lived under her roof, and had rather fair skin — he did kind of fit the image of a kept man. However, daring to call Yan Xiaobao a young man right to his face? Wasn't Sunx Peng satisfied with the beating he got yesterday...
To their surprise, Yan Xiaobao didn't seem to have any intention of throwing punches. What they didn't know was that Yan Xiaobao actually found it quite amusing — he was young, had fair skin like jade, and honestly, he didn't mind being called a young man...
"Sunx Peng, you stop spouting baseless accusations!" Before Yan Xiaobao could even get mad, Xia Rou was already furious, radiating an air of protecting him.
"Well now! Dear sister-in-law, haven't you gotten a taste of city life! My little brother may not be as successful as you, but he's still your rightful spouse. Now you're turning your back on family — that's not very virtuous of you, is it?" The garish woman stepped forward with an exaggerated yin-yang sneer. She was none other than Sunx Peng's sister, Zhao Erhu's wife, Sunx Mei.
"Who's your sister-in-law?" Xia Rou was particularly fiery today, her confidence brimming as she spoke up, refusing to back down. "Sunx Mei, you've lived in the city for years now — you ought to have learned a little about the law by now. I never got a marriage certificate with your brother, so we're not legally husband and wife! As for the three thousand owed to your family, I'll pay it all within a year. Don't come bothering me again after that!"
"Three thousand?" Sunx Mei gave a seductive laugh, "Ten years ago, your family borrowed ten thousand dollars from us. You've been paying us back bit by bit over the years, and yes, you've managed seven thousand — but do you really think ten thousand minus seven thousand equals three thousand and that's it?"
Xia Rou's face changed slightly, her teeth clenched. "Fine! Calculate based on the highest bank loan interest rate — how much do I owe? Name the figure. I'll exhaust every means to pay it back within a year!"
"Bank loan interest rates? You didn't borrow money from a bank, darling." Sunx Mei burst into exaggerated laughter again. Then she leaned into Zhao Erhu, brushing her ample chest against his arm as she coyly asked, "Honey, according to your street rules, how should this debt be calculated?"
"We're from the same village, so I'll show some leniency and not treat it as loan-sharking." Zhao Erhu calculated calmly, "According to the law: as long as the rate doesn't exceed four times the current annual bank loan interest rate, it's not considered loan-sharking. So we'll go by four times the bank's 5.6% annual loan interest rate. For a ten-thousand-dollar loan, the annual interest is 22.4%, which is two thousand two hundred and forty dollars. Borrowed for eleven years, the total principal plus interest comes to thirty-four thousand six hundred and forty dollars. Subtract the seven thousand you've repaid, and there's twenty-seven thousand six hundred and forty dollars remaining."
"What!" Xia Rou gasped in shock, "You... you're practically robbing me!"
"Missy, words like that shouldn't be thrown around carelessly." Zhao Erhu replied, his voice heavy, "I, Zhao Erhu, conduct business strictly according to the law and regulations — there's no loan-sharking here, and I haven't added compound interest. This calculation is entirely lawful and reasonable, even in court."
"You... you..." Xia Rou had no experience dealing with loans and was utterly flustered, unsure of what to do.
Paying back three to five thousand a year might be achievable with frugal living, but twenty-seven thousand plus was simply impossible for her to bear with her current situation.
"Xia Rou, we're family, we don't have to be so formal. If you obediently come back with me, stay at home as my loving wife, cook and clean for me, and bear me children, this debt will naturally be wiped off the slate." Sunx Peng swaggered forward triumphantly, reaching out to stroke Xia Rou's delicate, smooth face.
Before his hand could touch her, Yan Xiaobao caught his wrist with a firm grip.
Having stayed silent while money was being discussed, Yan Xiaobao had refrained from interrupting. He had no concept of debt — figures in the tens of thousands were meaningless to him. But now he understood — this scumbag Sunx Peng was here to steal his wife yet again. That was unforgivable.
"You piece of trash, didn't I beat you enough yesterday? You actually dared to come here to snatch my wife again?" Yan Xiaobao raged, tightening his grip.
Sunx Peng immediately felt like his wrist was clamped in a steel trap. The pain brought him to his knees, and he called out to Zhao Erhu for help, sobbing, "Brother-in-law, save me! Ahhh, it hurts! It hurts..."
Lobster Liu saw this scene and immediately poured fuel on the fire, "Brother Hu, look at this! This punk is just this unreasonable, attacking people without provocation!"
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