After sending Gong Peixing off, Song Yao grabbed Wang Qiqi, who was yawning and ready to leave, “Qiqi, let’s find somewhere to get a drink.” She felt she needed to discuss this with Qiqi. Although having her own mother step in would be the best solution—she could absolutely squash the ideas of the elder Gong couple—Song Yao knew she couldn't rely on her mother for everything; she needed to assert herself.

Han Tao had already found an excuse to slip away the moment Song Yao spoke. He knew some conversations weren't meant for him to overhear. However, he also found Song Yao’s demeanor today quite off. Of course, he couldn't place the blame entirely on Song Yao or entirely on Gong Peixing. Familial ties, frankly, aren't something you can just sever. His own family could maintain distance from their maternal grandparents because they weren't close at all, compounded by past schemes. As for their maternal grandfather's side, though they offered a bit of care, the Luo family expected a massive golden ingot in return for that small kindness, which was irritating just thinking about it. “I just hope brother-in-law isn’t being foolish,” Han Tao could only think to himself. He knew that even if Song Yao was very good to Gong Peixing, if he insisted on stepping into the Gong family’s bottomless pit, even if Song Yao didn't object, the rest of the Song family certainly would. The Song family witnessed everything the Gong family did when Song Yao and Gong Peixing married. In their eyes, Gong Peixing’s current standing was solely due to the Song family's financial support, plus the assistance Qiqi provided out of respect for Song Yao. Without those two factors, Gong Peixing would likely still be scraping by in some forgotten corner.

Wang Qiqi looked at Song Yao, who seemed assertive yet hesitant in certain matters, and sighed. Song Yao could easily act as she did, but she worried about Gong Peixing’s existence. “Sister, you really don’t need to worry about the things troubling your mind; let brother-in-law handle it. Haven’t you always advised yourself that way?” Wang Qiqi thought, Song Yao had been handling things perfectly before. How could she become so anxious and insecure in such a short time? She didn’t believe grabbing a drink with Song Yao and talking all afternoon would improve her mood. The key figure here was the Gong family, and most critically, Gong Peixing.

“I know, but the moment I think about the old woman’s family potentially moving into our house later, I don't know what to do,” Song Yao felt nauseous just thinking about it. If her brother-in-law succeeded in business and struck it rich, they would surely become arrogant, boasting about their younger son’s achievements. “I’d rather that boy be successful now, even if I don’t get to see their downfall,” she mused. It would just mean losing a bit of entertainment, but it would be better than facing unbearable hardship. Besides, if the old woman insisted on showing off by making frequent long-distance calls, let her, since it wasn't her money being lost.

“Sister, the problem is he isn't successful right now. Furthermore, if brother-in-law really plans to let his family live in the house, are you going to fight with him, divorce him?” Wang Qiqi countered directly.

Divorce? Song Yao turned to Wang Qiqi in astonishment, looking utterly disbelieving. “Qiqi, how can you say that word so calmly?” Divorce was such a serious matter; she had never imagined a day when that would be an option for her. She thought Qiqi was truly calm, so calm it felt a little cold-blooded.

“What else then? I know you’re worried the old woman won’t leave, and then she’ll demand the house be transferred to the poorest younger son, right?” Wang Qiqi understood Song Yao’s underlying fear. “Actually, you’re overthinking. Your house is currently rented out; getting it back won't be easy, right? How long will you even be here during the Chinese New Year? By the time he starts making trouble, you’ll be heading back to the capital. As for the demolished house in the countryside, it won’t be ready immediately, will it? If you ask my brother to secure a pre-sale unit for them, don’t you think they’ll reconsider?”

If they were going to kick up a fuss, they had to consider the circumstances. If the target of their disruption wasn't present, then any commotion would be pointless. Moreover, Wang Qiqi doubted the Gong family would have the gall to go to the Song family’s place to argue; they’d only end up being scolded by Wang Damei and be too afraid to show up again. Wang Qiqi suspected the Gong family was making trouble now precisely because they had their eyes on the housing allocation from the demolition. It seemed the demolition property might be quite desirable. Wang Qiqi voiced her suspicion, and Song Yao’s tense emotions immediately eased. She thought Qiqi’s mind worked faster than hers, or perhaps she always viewed human nature from its most malicious angle. But she had to admit, Qiqi had hit the nail on the head regarding some possibilities.

Song Yao prayed internally that the Gong family wasn't using this as a ploy for that reason. “Ziwen checked and confirmed there are debts.”

“But exactly how much money was borrowed? I think if the other party intentionally concealed it, Song Ziwen wouldn’t be able to find out, would he?” Wang Qiqi pointed out the crucial missing piece regarding the supposed debt. “A loan of ten thousand is vastly different from one of one or two hundred thousand.” For example, hadn't Wang Rui mixed truth and fiction when relating the situation?

Song Yao hummed in agreement; this was indeed something Song Ziwen couldn't easily ascertain. “Thanks, Qiqi, I should head back now.” Song Yao saw Gong Peixing approaching with several bottles of drinks in hand. Since Qiqi had shared her thoughts, the next step was to wait for them to make a move. No matter what she did now, she risked stepping on a landmine, so she might as well wait for the opponent to attack before making a decision.

Han Tao calculated the time, thinking they must have finished their talk, and slowly strolled over. “Sister, have a drink.” He handed her a cold bottle of beverage. The temperature in the south was still high in mid-September. As for Qiqi, Han Tao handed her an unrefrigerated bottle of mineral water.

Song Yao took the drink, said thanks, and then hailed a taxi to leave. “Settle your sister’s worries?” Han Tao thought it was a pity Wang Qiqi hadn't studied psychology. Song Yao had been frowning moments ago, but now, while not completely relaxed, she seemed much better.

Wang Qiqi sighed. “Not settled, but she doesn’t know how to solve it.” Wang Qiqi wouldn't elaborate to Han Tao, as her views were more extreme and she perceived human nature more darkly than he did. “Let’s wait until brother-in-law gets back to discuss it.”

Han Tao didn't dwell on it. “Let’s go back too. Where are we meeting tonight?” At that moment, he remembered their home phone line was suspended, making dinner arrangements an issue.

“My brother is picking us up.” Wang Qiqi had initially thought Song Yao was just making excuses to avoid seeing her in-laws, but she hadn't expected Song Ziwen to actually treat them. His intention was that tomorrow afternoon would be for Yang Jing’s relatives and friends; today’s gathering was a warm-up dinner for the siblings.

Song Ziwen asked while watching the traffic, “Did you find out about my brother-in-law’s family matter? I ran into someone earlier; do you know how much my brother-in-law’s younger brother owes?” Honestly, he was terrified by the figure he heard.

“Tens of thousands?” Wang Qiqi guessed, looking at Song Ziwen’s horrified expression, wondering if Gong Peixing’s brother was really trying to swindle money.

Song Ziwen shook his head. “No, it’s around three hundred thousand. It’s real.” Heavens, that number was terrifying. Even though Song Ziwen was well-off, he was shaken by this amount. “Do you know how he accrued the debt?”

Around three hundred thousand? Wang Qiqi and Han Tao’s mouths dropped open in disbelief. “What kind of business is he running?” A small venture shouldn't lose this much money. Wang Qiqi wondered if he had gotten involved in some huge project trying to get rich quickly. “If you don’t have the capacity, don’t overestimate yourself.”

Han Tao felt the same way. Considering current wages, selling two houses might not even cover three hundred thousand. How could he lack basic sense? More importantly, how could the Gong family have the nerve to ask Gong Peixing to cover this debt? After repaying the bank loans, the annual surplus wouldn't even reach this amount. What thick skin they must have to assume Gong Peixing would pay. What an utterly bizarre family.

“That’s not the main point. The key is, do you know how he ended up with a debt of three hundred thousand?” Song Ziwen cut in quickly as Wang Qiqi and Han Tao dragged the conversation off-topic. If they didn't pull it back, who knew how they would calculate the repayment of this debt by the Gong family.

“Isn’t it a failed business venture?” Wang Qiqi asked, perplexed. Though she hadn't interacted much with Gong Peixing’s brother—last seeing him at Tao Tao’s hundred-day celebration—she remembered him as someone quite calculating and stingy. But hearing Song Ziwen, was there something fishy about this debt?

“It’s all gambling debt,” Song Ziwen said angrily. He hadn't expected the Gong family to be so shameless. This debt was definitely a bottomless pit. He had personally witnessed the harm of gambling through several friends, but he never imagined his brother-in-law’s brother would be bold enough for this.

Losing three hundred thousand to gambling? Wang Qiqi exclaimed in shock. “Good heavens, has he lost his mind? Doesn't he calculate how much money his family has?” Oh my God, he truly has no sense; is he even human? “Don't his parents and wife care?” It was impossible that such a significant matter hadn't surfaced. Wang Qiqi refused to believe the family members were oblivious.

Han Tao nodded in agreement nearby. “Yes, he probably used up all the family money and then borrowed this much from outsiders.” It wasn't that Han Tao thought poorly of him, but his usual allowance was more than enough. If he needed more, he would have to ask Qiqi, and large cash withdrawals required a reason; the family couldn't possibly ignore such a huge expenditure—it defied logic.

Wang Qiqi agreed. For instance, although she managed the finances and kept accounts, clearly tracking their income and expenses, for any significant outlay, she would definitely inform Han Tao—like how much money to withdraw and for what purpose. There was no reason the Gong family would let that boy take out money without question. How much capital did the Gong family even have to allow the boy to act so recklessly? Yet, the Gong family had apparently done just that foolish thing.

Wang Qiqi and Han Tao simply couldn't understand it. They couldn't believe any parent would support their child gambling away such a large sum.

“Reportedly, he made a little money in business at the beginning, so he wanted to expand his operation. Then, the business wasn’t as profitable as he imagined, and the returns didn't meet expectations. Someone then lured him into gambling. Those people initially gave him a taste of success, letting him win quite a bit, and he got hooked. He sunk all his business capital into it, hoping to recoup his losses. So, he went home claiming he needed money for business expansion, tricking them into giving it to him. But how much capital could the Gong family possibly have?” Song Ziwen thought that perhaps all they had was that little bit of savings, plus his elder sister’s hard-earned money. Those foolish elders actually wanted their younger son to surpass the elder one. Now look—in their old age, they might not even have a house left. They were already old, but such people weren't worthy of pity.

Wang Qiqi thought that boy was quite maniacal when he went off the rails. In her past life, although Song Ziwen gambled and lost a lot of money, he never borrowed this much; at most, he would just sell the marital home, but he certainly wouldn't sell his parents’ house. “He’s crazy, crazy. The people he borrowed from, they aren't underworld figures, are they?” Wang Qiqi suddenly considered a possibility. If that were true, people could really die. Those types only cared about the money; they wouldn't care about anything else. What if, just what if...

“Yes, the loans were high-interest loans. The three hundred thousand grew through compound interest,” Song Ziwen said, impressed by the boy’s audacity. To borrow from loan sharks just to cover gambling debts—and instead of paying off the debt, he kept gambling! “Of the three hundred thousand, about fifty thousand is still unpaid gambling debt. The remaining two hundred and fifty thousand includes maybe a hundred thousand in principal.”

Wang Qiqi was speechless. So, if he hadn't borrowed from loan sharks, it would have only been around fifteen thousand to settle things? “Wait, Brother, how is the interest calculated? How did it become so high?” Such predatory interest rates, Wang Qiqi couldn't even calculate the rate. Moreover, Wang Qiqi thought interest should be paid monthly, meaning the principal was compounding, right? How did it balloon like this? Did he not pay the interest at all?

“The interest rates are high, and besides, whenever he got a bit of money, he gambled it, only thinking of winning back losses. How could he pay the interest?” Song Ziwen reasoned that if he had paid the interest monthly, it wouldn't have reached this point. “If the interest isn’t paid, it gets added to the principal. Compounding yearly, how much does the principal increase?”

“So, if he delays repayment by one month, the principal keeps growing?” Wang Qiqi pondered. Even if the entire Gong family didn't eat or drink and used all their monthly wages to pay the debt, they would only cover the interest. The massive principal was out of the question, and they couldn't possibly stop eating and drinking. “No wonder they’ve been calling nonstop, pressuring him to come back. The pressure must be immense. And what was his wife’s reaction when she found out?” Wang Qiqi couldn't imagine any woman willingly staying in such a household. Even if she was staying put now, she was betting that Gong Peixing would step in to help repay the gambling debt, and the house would remain his family's property.

“No reaction at all. But if my sister and brother-in-law are unwilling to pay, I predict the other party will immediately file for divorce,” Song Ziwen scoffed. He never had a good impression of the Gong family. When his sister and Gong Peixing married, his brother-in-law had already been involved with his current wife for quite some time and was close to marriage. Would the brother-in-law's parents force him into something akin to adoption? Didn't that suggest some hidden maneuvering on her part as well?

“How did the brother-in-law’s brother express himself regarding this matter? He can’t just let his parents force his older brother and sister-in-law to pay this money, can he?” Han Tao thought this money was the younger brother's mess. Did he just hide in the background without giving any guarantees or promises? Furthermore, accruing such massive debt for gambling, Han Tao felt such a person was beyond saving. Did he have any rationality left? If he saw his parents stepping up, and his brother and sister-in-law readily paying, wouldn’t he assume someone would always clean up the mess? He could do whatever he wanted, believing his parents wouldn't end up on the street, and neither would he?

“Express himself?” Song Ziwen let out a few cold snorts. “We’ll know when we see my brother-in-law later.” He didn't know how to explain the situation now. “I already told my sister what I heard.” Although he got along well with his brother-in-law, for Song Ziwen, Gong Peixing was first and foremost Song Yao’s husband, making him his brother-in-law.

“If my brother-in-law truly intends to help his family, I must advise my sister against it.” Song Ziwen felt that saving such a person was the greatest waste; it wasn't worth spending money on him. “My sister doesn't need to get caught up in this situation.” The Gong family was becoming increasingly outrageous. His elder sister shouldn't have been honoring the two elders in the first place; now look—it had given them unwarranted ideas.

Han Tao wasn't surprised by Song Ziwen’s response, but he hadn't expected him to say those words so calmly. It made him wonder if, if he ever encountered some dangerous situation, Song Ziwen would respond with the same calm, or perhaps cold, words.

“The choice is in my sister’s and brother-in-law’s hands. I think if brother-in-law learns the money his brother borrowed is for gambling, I’d bet one hundred percent he won't help pay it off.” Wang Qiqi was very certain about this point. A little gambling wouldn't invite much comment, as it was recreation. But if someone became this inhumane because of gambling, everyone would distance themselves from such a person, and Gong Peixing definitely understood that principle. “However, what worries me is if brother-in-law and his wife don’t help pay the gambling debt, will those thugs do something to harm brother-in-law?” As for his family, Wang Qiqi certainly didn't have the kindness to worry about them.

“Don’t worry, I’m not just fooling around either, and brother-in-law didn't sign a guarantee. Plus, they aren't developing their lives here, so what can they do to my brother-in-law?” Song Ziwen was initially worried about repercussions, but then he realized if they tried anything against them, he wasn't without connections. Besides, didn't the Gong family still have two houses? They could just sell those houses to clear the debt.

Song Ziwen picked up Song Yao and Yang Jing, and as soon as they entered the private dining room, they saw Gong Peixing standing by the window, exhaling smoke. “Didn’t you quit smoking?” Song Yao knew this indicated Gong Peixing was troubled.

Gong Peixing stubbed out his cigarette. “You’re here.” He greeted them before slumping down beside Song Yao. “I went back today and ran into some debt collectors. It turns out the boy gambled; the money claimed to be for business losses was actually from loan sharks.” Gong Peixing had wanted to scold his younger brother for trying to get rich quick without the capability for business—everything he had done until today was small-scale, never aiming to become a millionaire overnight. He was shocked that his brother was bold enough to gamble and even borrow from loan sharks. At this moment, Gong Peixing almost wished his parents were just trying to extort some money from him; in any scenario, it would be better than the current situation.

Although everyone present had somewhat heard the news, hearing Gong Peixing confirm it still made everyone exchange surprised looks. “Ah, gambling debt?”

“Loan sharks?”

“Didn’t he stop gambling?”

It had to be said that everyone present was somewhat of an actor; they all looked astonished. However, if one looked closely, the surprise in their expressions had a hint of performance mixed in. Gong Peixing, currently agitated, simply said, “Mmhmm,” and recounted everything that happened that day in detail.

Because Gong Peixing felt this wasn't good news, he kept running his hands through his hair and speaking with his head down, so he didn't notice the looks of realization on everyone’s faces. “I told my parents I won’t pay the gambling debts. If I pay, it will only encourage him to gamble more in the future, thinking his older brother will always bail him out.” Before coming, Gong Peixing hadn't considered hiding the source of the debt, as it wasn't honorable. But he realized that if he concealed it, Song Ziwen would eventually find out, making the situation much worse, and his mother-in-law’s family would certainly have strong opinions.

Those present, hearing Gong Peixing refuse to clear the debt, still couldn't fully relax. Considering the massive amount and the involvement of loan sharks, and with Gong Peixing being the Gong family's only hope, Wang Qiqi worried that if the thugs couldn't get their money, they might resort to drastic measures.

“If you don’t pay, will your parents let you off?” Song Yao didn't believe the Gong family would easily let Gong Peixing off the hook. That whole family was the type to cry, make scenes, and feign sickness. Especially given the current situation, Song Yao didn’t believe the Gong family would let Gong Peixing off the hook so easily.

Gong Peixing managed a bitter smile. "Did you expect me to offer thirty thousand in debt to cover it?" He knew the family’s finances; scraping together even a tenth of that amount was a stretch, let alone thirty thousand in cash. "I told them our marital apartment is sitting empty; they can live there rent-free. They can sell their current place to pay off the debt, and forget about anything else." His parents had indeed brought up the old house before, but he hadn't anticipated they would keep pushing him even after he'd compromised. "Once the old house in our hometown is demolished, if there’s an apartment around a hundred square meters, they are welcome to live in it if they wish. As for the renovations, that’s on them. And their future retirement care? That’s also their responsibility." Gong Peixing felt exhausted just thinking about it. In truth, he realized his parents were probably doing quite well—decent jobs, pensions, two properties—and later they could even take out a loan for another place. The money he usually gave them invariably ended up in his younger brother's pocket. But his brother’s ambition had ballooned, and now, instead of paradise, they had landed squarely in hell.

Song Yao couldn't say she was entirely satisfied or entirely displeased with Gong Peixing's solution, but she knew that this was the limit; she couldn't very well leave the elders sleeping on the streets. "I have no objection, but when the hometown property is demolished, the title must be in my name. I will let your parents live there while they are alive, but the moment they pass away, your brother needs to clear out immediately."

Happy New Year's Eve! Happy Spring Festival! Wishing all readers your wishes come true, instant wealth, and good health! RS