Transmigration: Flirted with My Childhood Sweetheart
Chapter 258 - 257: Kicking Someone When They’re Down

Chapter 258: Chapter 257: Kicking Someone When They’re Down

"Hey, sister-in-law is still here. Why didn’t you attend Old Bai’s final journey? At least let the kid send off his dad."

"Look how deserted it is, no one would believe this is Boss Bai’s place... Sister-in-law, you can’t hold up such a big place by yourself as a woman. I’ll give you five hundred for it, just transfer it over to me."

"Five hundred? Haha, you’ve got some nerve to say that, haven’t you seen how dark Fourth Brother’s face has turned?"

"Hahahaha..."

A group of six or seven fat guys sauntered into the courtyard, flanked by five or six dozen skinny underlings, swinging their arms around as if they owned the place. They scrutinized the desolate black market and the small courtyard with its female occupant, as though they had already claimed her and it as their private property.

Zheng Lirong gazed at those disgusting faces and suddenly understood a phrase Bai Bo had once said:

"If I refuse today, I’ll be dead by tomorrow."

Zheng Lirong had never imagined that those who always greeted her with smiling faces and called her sister-in-law would come knocking on her door to cause trouble so soon after her husband’s body had grown cold.

She had not expected them to provide assistance in her time of need, but this... it was truly beyond her expectations.

Zheng Lirong had been well-protected. Her cultured parents never complained about having a daughter, and although Bai Bo bossed people around outside, behind closed doors he let her have her way. Even when the family faced great turmoil, Bai Bo never let her worry about anything.

It could be said that aside from childbirth, Zheng Lirong had barely suffered at all.

But now, all her supports and protections were gone, and she was somewhat unsure of what to do.

The fat man in the center, missing a front tooth and still grinning, stepped forward and said, "Sister-in-law, don’t listen to their nonsense. How could we possibly take this place from you? Although Old Bai is gone, we can’t bully a widow and her orphan, right?"

Zheng Lirong curled her lips in a cold sneer.

This fat guy had lost his tooth to a punch from Laoer years ago, and since then, he had been disregarding his once close relationship. She’d be a fool to believe his words now.

The fat man dug his hands into his pockets and fished out a piece of paper, fluttering it in the air: "We’re here on serious business—Old Bai borrowed fifty thousand yuan from me last year. Though he’s dead, the debt can’t just disappear. There’s a saying, isn’t there? ’The child pays for the father’s debts!’ Bai Xiaojun is still young, so sister-in-law, you should pay it back, shouldn’t you?"

"You’re spouting nonsense!" Laosi was so angry that veins popped out on his forehead, "My big brother borrowing money from someone like you? Have you even seen what fifty thousand yuan looks like?"

Laosi had anticipated that there would be trouble, but he hadn’t expected it so soon nor had he thought they would make such audacious claims.

The fat man spit on the ground near Laosi’s feet and cursed, pointing at his nose, "You damn dog of Old Bai, he gave you face by calling you brother, and now you dare to play the fool with me?"

The brazen and despicable manner in which he spoke was as if it had never been him who used to respectfully call Fourth Brother.

With the fat man tearing off the pretense, others rallied behind him, chiming in:

"Debts must be repaid! That’s true no matter where you go!"

"The money must be paid back! If not, we’re not leaving!"

"You all..."

Laosi was trembling with rage. He looked at the people before him and recognized a few familiar faces among them.

When the tree falls, the monkeys scatter.

Laosi smiled bleakly.

He turned and gave Zheng Lirong a look, signaling her to grab the child and run as soon as things got chaotic.

As for him.

He didn’t have Laoer’s abilities, but he was ready to risk his life to buy some time for her and the kids.

What would happen afterward, he could no longer control.

Zheng Lirong caught the farewell look in Laosi’s eyes and felt her heart sink for a moment.

Just as Laosi was about to take action, Zheng Lirong suddenly tugged at his sleeve.

Laosi was confused and frowned at her. He whispered, "Sister-in-law, what are you doing? Hurry up and go!"

Zheng Lirong shook her head.

She said, "Laosi, you’ve done enough. These matters... you can’t carry them on your shoulders anymore."

With that, she walked past him towards the fat man and snatched the IOU from his hand.

The writing was all crooked, with several misspelled words.

The IOU was obviously a fake and they hadn’t even bothered to forge it well.

Zheng Lirong curled her lips, flapping the paper loudly in her hand, "Fatso, all the money and belongings of my house have been confiscated. You’re asking me for fifty thousand yuan? Why don’t you just reach for the sky?"

Not to mention she simply didn’t have fifty thousand yuan, even if she did, she couldn’t give it to them.

The fat man seemed to have anticipated this and sneered as he reached out his hand towards Zheng Lirong: "Then you’ll have to come back with me, I need to watch you pay back the money! This place of yours also has to be mortgaged to me, when you pay off the money, then I’ll return it to you..."

"Slap!"

Zheng Lirong, unable to contain her fury any longer, slapped away the fat man’s wrist.

That slap was like the spark that ignited a fuse, and the wolf-like figures immediately became excited, their eyes turning red as they swarmed towards her.

Zheng Lirong clenched her fists, not caring what kind of looks these people were giving her, but instead turned around and pushed Laosi.

"Take care of Shanshan and Xiao Jun... if you can, do so, if you can’t, then strangle them both to death, neither your Big Brother nor I will blame you!"

She knew, being a woman, it would be nearly impossible to escape with two children. It might be possible for Laosi.

After all, these people didn’t want the two little bastards, nor were they interested in Laosi.

Desperation filled Zheng Lirong’s eyes.

Just as the fat man’s greasy paw reached towards her for the second time, suddenly, around thirty young men ran over from outside.

Some were wielding kitchen knives, some had sticks, and some were unarmed... These faces, Zheng Lirong was very familiar with, as she saw them nearly every day.

"Sister-in-law, get out quickly!"

Someone shouted, and they charged into the fray with a reckless, fearless momentum.

Zheng Lirong stared at them, unbelieving her eyes.

They... hadn’t left?

Laosi dragged Zheng Lirong by the arm and pulled her away, shoving her back into the house. He picked up a bench and used it to barricade the door, his eyes red as he swung the bench, shouting unintelligible syllables at the approaching men.

Inside the house, Zheng Lirong pressed the faces of her two children into her chest, her hands trembling, as she watched the chaotic fight outside, her eyes bloodshot.

The fight didn’t last long, not only because the mismatch in strength was too great, but also because those men had come to squeeze them for money and didn’t want to suffer too much loss.

The fat man picked up a stone and shattered the glass window.

The shards of glass scraped across Zheng Lirong’s face, leaving behind a bloody mark.

The fat man spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva and pointed at Zheng Lirong, saying, "Three days, within three days either bring the money or clear out of this place, or else I’ll stew your little bastards!"

Most of them had taken hits, especially the fickle ones, who took the worst beatings.

After they had left, cursing and swearing, the young men who had been beaten started to collapse, their legs giving way.

They had also been forcing themselves just now; now that the danger was gone, they lay on the ground panting heavily, those with any strength left didn’t forget to curse at the skies, claiming they would fight those motherless bastards again in three days.

Zheng Lirong took out the last pack of money from her bag, divided half, and went out with it.

Laosi sat on his makeshift weapon, leaning against the wall, gave Zheng Lirong a grim smile.

His head had been cracked open, his face smeared with blood.

He said, "Sister-in-law, quickly take the kids and leave, I’ll tell the brothers to scatter, they won’t be able to find anyone, and they can’t do anything to us... This place, we can’t keep it going anyway, if they want it, let them have it..."

A trace of tears flashed in Laosi’s eyes.

This place, it was built up by Boss Bai and them, piece by piece.

To give it away... it was really hard to accept...

Zheng Lirong stuffed the money into his hand, saying softly, "Laosi, first distribute the money to the brothers, if they can come back... they shouldn’t have to be beaten for nothing..."

Before Laosi could speak, a boy lying on the ground chimed in: "Sister-in-law, we are tough, a few beatings are nothing? Don’t worry about us, hurry and take the two kids and leave."

"That’s right, sister-in-law... don’t let Boss Bai have no way out..."

"You guys should hurry and leave, don’t come back..."

Laosi looked at them, then turned to Zheng Lirong.

He clenched the money, nodded at Zheng Lirong: "Sister-in-law, I’ll take care of them, you guys go."

He coughed twice and pulled out a train ticket to give to Zheng Lirong.

Zheng Lirong looked at the bloodstained train ticket, and then at the people lying all over the courtyard, she paused for a moment, then slowly tore up the train ticket.

"Laosi, I’m going to Lan County, you all recover well, wait for me at home."