FID – Chapter 607

Chapter 607: Even Blood Brothers Settle Accounts Clearly

“What kind of words are these? Xiulan, we are real sisters, we grew up together. You married well, your son and daughter are capable, and you’ve become successful—I don’t envy you. But now that I’m in trouble, who else can I turn to but you? It’s just a matter of some money, and you won’t even consider our sisterly bond?”

Chen Xiulan looked at Chen Xiuying calmly. “Sister, after the flood, I went back to see our parents. I gave them two hundred taels of silver. I also told Mother that if you ever needed help, you could borrow from them, and they should set aside fifty taels for you. Fifty taels of silver—not only is that enough to eat well, but it’s enough to rebuild a house. Don’t tell me you didn’t take it.”

Chen Xiuying choked for a moment, a trace of discomfort flashing in her eyes. “I did take the money, but you know, there are more than a dozen people in the Yang family, not just me and your brother-in-law’s family. Fifty taels might seem like a lot, but when you start spending, it’s nowhere near enough. Just repairing the house already took a big chunk of it. The rest went to purchasing some grain. Once it was divided among everyone, it was gone. This year, the disaster ruined everything—we didn’t harvest a single grain from the fields. We have to survive until next autumn before we can eat what we plant again. With no money, how are we supposed to make it until then?”

“So your whole family of more than ten people is just waiting for the crops to feed you? All of you have hands and feet—why not go out and find work? Sister, are you saying I should support your entire family until next autumn?”

“That’s not what I meant. Right now, everything is being rebuilt—where can we find good-paying jobs? If we go out to do hard labor or short-term work, we can’t even earn a tael of silver a month, and the work is exhausting. 

Just help us get through this tough time. It’s not like you don’t have money—Nannan owns so many distilleries. Taking out fifty or even a hundred taels is nothing for you, but for us, that money could save our entire family’s lives. Xiulan, please, just help us this once.”

“That’s right! You’re willing to take in a sickly girl who has nothing to do with you, keep her in your home, and even register her under the Liu family’s household so she can inherit their property in the future. 

But we—your real blood relatives—you completely ignore? Xiulan, that’s just unreasonable! Are we really worth less than an outsider? You and your older brother and sister share the same parents!”

Wang-shi barged in from outside, her voice dripping with sarcasm, her eyes full of jealousy as she glared at Cheng Xiulan.

She had always been good at fanning the flames from the sidelines. This time, her eldest sister had brought along her husband’s two nieces, and it was likely Wang-shi’s handiwork behind the scenes.

Wang-shi continued with her mocking tone, “If your family is short on daughters, just say the word. There are plenty of girls in my family, and I can find you a few anytime. I really don’t know what your in-laws were thinking—raising an outsider for free and treating her like a noble lady. 

If you like daughters so much, just say the word, and I’ll have one officially adopted into your family. At least relatives are trustworthy and safe. Otherwise, you’re just raising an outsider who might turn into an ungrateful wretch, and in the end, you’re the ones being taken advantage of.”

“Sister-in-law, we already talked about this in the afternoon. Muqiu saved Zhiqiu and our grandparents’ lives. She was severely injured in the process, her health was permanently affected, and she has no family of her own. That’s why we took her in—there’s a reason behind everything. 

Whether she deserves it or not, our family knows the answer, and you don’t need to stand here making sarcastic remarks. Besides, this is a Liu family matter!”

“Oh my, you’re really treating her like your own daughter, huh? So just saving someone’s life is enough to get a lifetime of care in your family? 

Well then, next time your grandparents are in danger, we’ll have our girls save them too. Does that mean you’ll register them under your household and let them inherit part of your properties as well?”

Hearing this, Chen Xiulan’s gaze turned sharp. “Sister-in-law! Do you even hear yourself? Are you cursing our parents, wishing them no peace?!”

Seeing that Chen Xiulan was genuinely angry and realizing that her words had been inappropriate, Wang-shi pursed her lips before changing her tone. “This is indeed a Liu family matter, and we have no say in it. But Xiulan, we are still family. 

Now that we’ve come to you in person to ask for help, are you really just going to argue with us? Are you truly going to ignore our suffering? You can show kindness and loyalty to outsiders, but you’d let your own family die without lifting a finger?”

At the end of the day, they had come to ask for benefits—money, to be exact. Chen Xiulan coldly stared at the two women. “How much do you want to borrow?”

Hearing her ask this, their faces lit up with joy. Chen Xiuying hurriedly said, “Just one… five—five hundred…”

“One thousand taels!” Wang-shi cut her off, blurting out the amount, her breath quickening, eyes gleaming with excitement.

The Liu family was wealthy, and one thousand taels was not a huge sum for Chen Xiulan. But if she really gave them that amount, their families wouldn’t have to work a single day—they could simply stay at home and live comfortably for the rest of their lives. 

They could even afford to buy a servant girl to wait on them, living the life of an upper-class family.

If that happened, they would be the envy of the entire village!

Absolutely shameless! Chen Xiulan was so furious she laughed.

One thousand taels—how could they even say that with a straight face?!

“One thousand taels? Sure, I can lend it. Since this is for your families, Sister-in-law, go back and bring my elder brother here. Let him personally ask me for the loan and write a promissory note, stating when he will repay it. As long as he comes, signs the note, and presses his fingerprint, I’ll hand over the money immediately! Sister, the same goes for you—have your husband come in person and sign a promissory note!”

The joy that had yet to fade from their faces instantly froze. They stared at Chen Xiulan in disbelief.

The truth was, their families had no idea they had visited at all!

Especially for Wang-shi—she had told her family she was just going back to her maiden home for a few days before leaving. 

If her husband found out about this, given his temper, he might not only break her legs but even divorce her outright, sending her back as a discarded wife.

Chen Xiulan was trying to ruin her! What a venomous woman!

Chen Xiuying was equally shocked, staring at Chen Xiulan in disbelief. “You want me to write a promissory note?”

“If you’re borrowing money, naturally, there needs to be proof. Borrowed money should be repaid—only then will borrowing again be possible. Or could it be, Sister, that you’re planning to take the money from my family without ever returning it?”

“I’m your elder sister!…”

“Even blood brothers settle accounts clearly. Never mind you being my elder sister—if our parents came asking for money, it’d be the same. I’m not a moneylender charging you interest. As long as you write a promissory note stating when you’ll return the money, I won’t just lend you one thousand taels—I’d even lend you two thousand! 

But if you won’t do that, then don’t expect to get a single copper coin from me. And don’t bring up this ‘sisterhood’ nonsense—if you don’t act like a sister, don’t expect me to treat you like one!

If there’s nothing else, you’ve traveled a long way and stirred up trouble all day. You must be tired. Get some rest. And tomorrow—leave!”

With that, Chen Xiulan turned and walked away without looking back, leaving the two women standing there, their eyes red with fury.