Fang Gang furrowed his brows and said, "Could something have happened in the meantime? Big brother, did you clarify things with the Jiang family when you were there?"
Fang Qiang replied in a muffled voice, "I’ve made it clear. The parents of Jiang Han were very adamant; they basically said that if their demands aren’t met, they will absolutely not marry off their daughter!"
"Big bro, how about this."
Fang Gang glanced at his second brother, Fang Xiong, and an idea struck him. He said, "Let’s each of us two brothers take out two hundred thousand, consider it a loan to big brother, and then have big brother figure out how to gather some more from other places... Anyway, let’s first get together the money to buy a house and satisfy the girl’s family!"
After a pause, he continued, "As for Fang Wu’s job transfer, I think that’s something we can negotiate further with the Jiang family... Big brother has everything ready; we can’t just call off the wedding, can we?"
Fang Xiong had not yet responded when his wife, Sun Xiuzhen, began to shake her head like a rattle-drum, saying, "Although our family has some money, it’s all tied up in the business, and we’ve just bought a new car recently. Where are we supposed to get any money?"
"Little brother, you just casually suggest two hundred thousand. Where can we find so much money?"
Fang Xiong looked at Fang Gang with surprise, his face full of skepticism.
Fang Xiong didn’t contact his youngest brother even once in a year and a half, so naturally, he had no idea about the flourishing business of "Fang’s Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinic."
Initially, Fang Qiang’s eyes lit up at his youngest brother’s suggestion, thinking that if his second and third brothers each lent him two hundred thousand, and he borrowed some more elsewhere, he could buy an apartment in the city for his son. But after hearing what his second brother and his wife said, he knew they definitely wouldn’t lend the money, and he felt completely disappointed.
"Fang Bai, if you have the means, would you please lend some money to your uncle?"
Fang Gang had always been close to his big brother, Fang Qiang, and couldn’t bear to see him in a difficult situation. Knowing that his son had money, he turned his head to discuss with Fang Bai.
Seeing that her second brother and sister-in-law were tight-fisted, and her husband was willing to take on the responsibility, Yang Mei was somewhat reluctant deep down. She was dominant at home but still listened to her husband in public.
Fang Bai saw his first cousin, Fang Wu, looking at him eagerly. He patted his shoulder and spoke earnestly, "First cousin, don’t worry. Whatever amount you’re short for the wedding, I’ve got it covered! In any case, we must ensure your wedding goes off without a hitch!"
He then said to his uncle Fang Qiang, "Uncle, wait a moment. I have some money in my car; I’ll go get it for you right now!"
As he spoke, Fang Bai hurried out, entered his car, took one million in cash out of the Spatial Ring, put it into a large plastic bag, and then returned to his uncle’s yard.
"Uncle, here’s one million in cash. Use it first, and if it’s not enough, just let me know," Fang Bai said as he placed the bag filled with cash in front of his uncle and opened it, pointing at the bundles of brand-new hundred-yuan bills with a beaming smile.
With Fang Bai’s capabilities, becoming a billionaire was easy. Additionally, with his profit share from Beauty Company and given the explosive sales of the three new skincare products recently launched, Fang Bai knew that in no time, the wealth in his bank account would swiftly grow to the billions.
Fang Bai, a Martial Artist, treated Martial Dao Cultivation as his utmost priority. He accumulated worldly wealth solely to ensure a better life for his family and friends. Thus, while he referred to the one million as a loan to his uncle’s family, he had no intention of ever having it repaid.
At the sight of the bag full of cash, aside from Fang Bai’s family, everyone else in the courtyard was stunned.
Although Fang Xiong’s family assets were also worth millions, he had never seen a million in cash, and Fang Ying, who came from poverty, was even more astonished, his mouth agape for quite a long while before he could snap it shut.
Fang Qiang felt his throat go dry. He reached for a stack of bills, looked it over to confirm it wasn’t counterfeit, and asked Fang Bai with a trembling voice, "Fang Bai, where did this money come from?"
"Of course, I earned it!"
Yang Mei, seeing everyone’s shocked expressions, felt indescribably thrilled. Any slight dissatisfaction she had felt before had vanished, and she proudly said, "Our Fang Bai learned some skills from a master a while ago, and he earned this money by treating people in Yanjing! Big brother, sister-in-law, rest assured and use this money—no rush to pay it back."
Fang Qiang, never imagining that his younger brother’s son would lend him a hand in tough times, couldn’t help his eyes welling up with tears, nodded at Fang Bai, and said, "Fang Bai, I thank you for this!"
Fang Bai quickly responded, "Big uncle, we’re all family here, don’t mention it!"
Seeing Fang Bai produce a million in cash, the family of three — Fang Xiong’s household — were all stunned, looking at each other in disbelief.
"I always said that boy Fang Bai was smart from a young age, and he’d definitely make something of himself. Look now, he’s able to make big money, right? Third brother and his wife will have better days ahead!"
Fang Bai’s second aunt, Sun Xiuzhen, changed her tune incredibly fast, having earlier been all high and mighty, full of contempt and scorn, now she was all smiles.
Second Uncle Fang Xiong was also nodding incessantly, heaping praise on Fang Bai.
Second cousin Fang Xiaojuan was even more saccharine, calling him "little brother" with such endearment you’d think they were the closest of kin.
Fang Bai had no fondness for second uncle Fang Xiong and his family and couldn’t be bothered with them, turning instead to chat with his little aunt Fang Ying and her family.
But Fang Gang felt that Fang Xiong, being his second brother after all, shouldn’t be given the cold shoulder completely, so he made some idle conversation with them.
Having received the million cash lent by Fang Bai, Big Uncle Fang Qiang finally had some backing. He told his second and third brothers and his youngest sister to sit in the courtyard and chat, while he went with his wife Liu Caifeng and son Fang Wu to the west side of the town to the Jiang family, ready to renegotiate the marriage arrangement.
With a million in hand, buying a car or a house was no longer an issue. As for Fang Wu’s job transfer, it couldn’t be resolved overnight and would have to be handled gradually. If the Jiang Family continued to use this issue as an excuse to be difficult, it would be thoroughly unreasonable of them.
After Fang Qiang’s family of three left, Fang Xiong and his wife Sun Xiuzhen eagerly chatted up Fang Gang and Yang Mei, seemingly desperate to bridge the gap between the two families, which had previously been quite distant.
Meanwhile, Fang Bai and Fang Yun chatted with Little Aunt Fang Ying and her family.
"Little aunt, uncle, why don’t you come work at my friend’s company along with Tiger? You could earn some money and buy an apartment in the city to live in. That way, you could see my parents often and look after each other."
Fang Bai knew that his little aunt’s family was struggling, and now that he had the means, he wanted to give them a helping hand.
The little aunt and her husband were both in their forties and in good health. Arranging a relaxed job for them at the Beauty Company, earning a few thousand a month, should be enough for them to get by.
(PS: Rise early to cast your vote! Stay strong and spirited!)