The 1970s: Married First, Fell in Love Later-Chapter 88 - 87: Losing Money is Like Drawing Blood

Chapter 88: Chapter 87: Losing Money is Like Drawing Blood

"No way!"

Wang Guihua was the first to object.

Then she pointed at Xue Xingzhou. "You’re in on it with them. What you say doesn’t count."

The corner of Xue Xingzhou’s mouth twitched.

"Everything I’ve said is based on our country’s laws. If you don’t believe me, you can ask my two colleagues. They have no connection to the He family."

Xiao Liu and Xiao Gao both nodded. In truth, they were also a little lost. They had studied law before, but they couldn’t remember all the details.

But hearing Xue Xingzhou state it so confidently made them think he must be right.

Wang Guihua fell silent.

Xue Xingzhou nodded at He Nan. "Brother He, calculate exactly how much money Sister-in-law Guo has given her family over the years. We’ll need that figure to get it back for proper distribution."

He Nan nodded eagerly and began to calculate.

The Guo Family grew restless, and Guo Fugui stepped forward.

"Forget it. We’ve already spent the money, and we don’t want the grain or the children. But Dazhu was beaten this badly by him—he has to go to jail for this, right?"

As Guo Fugui spoke, he pointed at He Lang.

Mrs. He’s legs went weak, and she grabbed Aunt He’s arm. Aunt He patted her arm, signaling for her not to panic.

Xue Xingzhou glanced at He Lang and saw that he was perfectly calm.

"Since your Guo Family threw the first punch, the He family’s response falls under self-defense. However, I can see that many of you participated in this brawl, so all of you will have to be arrested and taken to the station for questioning. Furthermore, it looks to me like Brother He is also seriously injured. We’ll have everyone go to the hospital for a medical evaluation to determine who’s hurt worse. After all, you can’t see internal injuries from the outside."

He Nan caught on quickly. "Actually, I do feel really dizzy. My heart is pounding, and my whole body aches. I’ve just been trying to tough it out. I want to go to the hospital for a check-up to see if I have any internal injuries."

Mrs. He cried out as well, "I can’t breathe! My chest hurts!"

Xue Xingzhou’s lips twitched.

The expressions on the Guo Family’s faces changed. "Are you trying to scam us?"

Guo Fugui glanced at the He family, then at Xue Xingzhou. He gritted his teeth and said, "Erzhu, get your brother on your back. We’re leaving."

Guo Erzhu hurried to get Guo Dazhu onto his back, and the family prepared to leave.

"Stop!"

Xue Xingzhou shouted.

"Did I say you could leave?"

Guo Fugui turned to face Xue Xingzhou. "We already said we don’t want anything. Isn’t that enough?"

Xue Xingzhou replied, "You’re the ones who called the police, and we came. This matter isn’t settled, so no one is leaving. If we can’t sort it out here, we’ll all go down to the station."

People back then were generally afraid of the police, and the mere mention of jail was terrifying.

"Then what do you want?"

Xue Xingzhou said flatly, "We’ve only discussed the matter of marital assets. We haven’t even touched on child support. Since you’re not taking the children, the wife is obligated to pay child support. For two children, that would be at least a few dozen yuan a year, wouldn’t it? All the way until they turn eighteen. We should probably calculate exactly how much that would be, shouldn’t we?"

Wang Guihua yelled, "That’s nonsense! We don’t have any money! Why should we have to pay? Those are the He Family’s children!"

Xue Xingzhou nodded. "You’re right, the child support isn’t your responsibility. It’s Guo Jinfeng’s. However, you all trespassed on private property. If the He family decides to press charges, that’s a valid crime. Trespassing and assault... that’s got to be worth at least two or three years in prison, wouldn’t you say?"

The rest of the Guo Family nervously looked to Guo Fugui, their decision-maker.

Guo Fugui was terrified as well. He had no idea if what Xue Xingzhou was saying was true, but they were all deathly afraid of prison.

"Then... then what do you propose?"

He Lang snorted. "Leave fifty yuan as compensation. Otherwise, we’ll press charges."

"Fifty yuan? Are you trying to rob us?" Wang Guihua shrieked.

He Lang shrugged. "Fine. Officer, we, the He Family, want to press charges."

Guo Fugui’s expression changed in an instant, quickly replaced by a smile.

"My dear in-laws, let’s talk this over properly. We’re all family, after all."

He Lang scoffed. "Old man, who’s family with you? My older brother is divorced. That makes you our enemies now."

Guo Fugui was silent for a moment before shaking his head. "No, fifty is too much. We don’t have it."

Xue Xingzhou asked, "Then how much do you have?"

"Two... ten yuan," Guo Fugui blurted out, then immediately regretted it. That was the money Guo Jinfeng had just given him yesterday.

He Lang shot back instantly, "Not a chance. Why don’t you go think it over at the police station?"

Guo Fugui gritted his teeth. "Twenty is the most I can do. Not a single cent more."

Xue Xingzhou nodded. "Deal." He knew when to quit while he was ahead.

Watching Guo Fugui slowly pull the money from his pocket, a look of pure agony on his face, He Lang almost burst out laughing.

Heaven only knew how difficult it was to pry that money from Guo Fugui’s pocket. It felt like his heart was bleeding with every yuan.

"Can we go now?" Guo Fugui asked, his voice drained of energy.

Xue Xingzhou waved his hand and added a helpful reminder, "You should take your son to the hospital to get checked out."

The Guo Family said nothing and just hurried away. Before she left, Guo Jinfeng glanced back at He Nan, only to be met with his ice-cold stare.

The moment they were out the door, Wang Guihua slapped Guo Jinfeng across the face. "This is all your fault, you jinx! Not only did we get beaten, but we lost money too! You’re going to pay me back!"

Guo Jinfeng clutched her stinging cheek, feeling wronged. ’But I was the one who gave him that money in the first place,’ she thought, but she didn’t dare say it out loud.

But Wang Guihua would never acknowledge that. Once money entered her pocket, it was hers.

Still, if they had known the He Family had connections like that, they would never have called the police in the first place, no matter what.

After the Guo Family left, Xue Xingzhou handed the money to He Nan.

"The Guo Family are all shameless scoundrels. Trying to reason with them is a waste of time."

He Nan nodded. "Thank you, Hangzhou."

Mr. He and Mrs. He also looked at Xue Xingzhou with gratitude, especially Mrs. He. She had been scared to death. With Guo Dazhu beaten so badly by He Lang, she had been terrified the Guo Family would extort them, and equally terrified that something would happen to He Lang.

"Hangzhou, Auntie doesn’t even know how to thank you," Mrs. He said, happily grabbing Xue Xingzhou’s hand. "Thanks to you, not only did we not have to pay, we even got twenty yuan back."

Mr. He nodded in agreement. "Exactly. I’ll have your auntie cook a few extra dishes for lunch. You and your colleagues must stay and eat with us."

Xue Xingzhou smiled and waved his hands. "Uncle, Auntie, we’re all family, there’s no need to be so formal. It’s just that we’re still on duty today and have to head back soon, so we can’t stay for lunch. Some other time, when I’m free, I’ll definitely come back. I’ll even have a drink with you then, Uncle."

Xiao Liu and Xiao Gao shook their heads as well. "That’s right, we have to get back and report in."

Seeing their insistence, Mr. He could only nod. "Alright then. Be careful on the road."

"We will."

He Lang walked out of the old residence with Xue Xingzhou and his colleagues.

Xue Xingzhou glanced at him. "Don’t be so reckless next time. The Guo Family is despicable, but you have a wife and child now. If you’d gone to jail, what would have become of them?"

Now that his brother-in-law was calling him out, He Lang felt a little ashamed. "I wasn’t thinking that far ahead."

Xue Xingzhou replied, "You’re a father and a husband, so you have to think about these things. Alright, I’m leaving. You should head back. I’ll come see Yue’er and the kids another day."