NOVEL NEXT Chapter 55: Chapter 55: Debt Collection
"Dad, you..."
Ye Ling watched Liu Yuandong sitting there, and all the toxins in his body had disappeared. Previously, he would always have to wear a thick cotton-padded coat, even in the summer, but now he was just wearing a single thin shirt.
"What are you looking at? Your old man is already fine!"
Liu Yuandong laughed, "Why would I be in such a hurry to call you back? Didn't you see your mom has prepared a table full of dishes? It's all to celebrate my recovery, haha."
Liu Yunzhi couldn't believe it; the illness had lasted for 5 years, how could it have suddenly gotten better?
"Yunzhi, come here, let me introduce someone to you."
Liu Qiao'er pulled Liu Yunzhi over, smiling, "This is Ye Ling, my friend."
"Nice to meet you, brother-in-law," Liu Yunzhi promptly said.
Liu Qiao'er was stunned, then her cheeks turned red as she chided, "You little rascal, what nonsense are you talking?"
Liu Yunzhi chuckled, "Looking at Ye Big Brother's appearance, tall and handsome, perfect match for my sister, naturally I should call him brother-in-law."
"Haha, nice to meet you, little brother-in-law!"
Liu Qiao'er wanted to say something else, but Ye Ling just laughed heartily.
"Yunzhi, you really should thank your brother-in-law. He's a miraculous doctor!"
Liu Yuandong said, standing up and dancing with joy, "You don't know, your brother-in-law used just two silver needles, gave a few pricks around your dad's eyes, and hey, I got better! Isn't that strange?"
"Brother-in-law cured you?"
Liu Yunzhi hastily expressed his gratitude, "Thank you, brother-in-law, thank you!"
"We're all family now, what's all this thanking about?"
Ye Ling said with a smile, "Come on, sit down, you must be hungry, right?"
Hearing these guys calling him 'brother-in-law' one after another, Liu Qiao'er was embarrassingly shy.
However, she also felt, since it was going to happen sooner or later, there was no need for any further explanation.
Ye Ling quite liked this future 'little brother-in-law'.
Liu Yunzhi, perhaps because of Liu Yuandong's illness, seemed more mature than his peers and was also very polite.
The kid was indeed a little clever and witty; otherwise, he wouldn't have called Ye Ling 'brother-in-law' as soon as he saw him.
This was undoubtedly the most discerning person Ye Ling had ever met.
The meal was extremely joyful.
Liu Yuandong kept lamenting the bitter pain and torture he had endured over the last 5 years, with his only regret being the absence of wine.
Just as everyone finished eating and Liu Qiao'er and Zhang Yuhua began to clean up the dishes, several uninvited guests suddenly arrived at the door.
"Yo, Liu Yuandong, looks like you're eating quite well?"
The attire of these people was similar to Liu Yuandong's, and he recognized them; they were all from the same village.
"Looks like your illness is cured, right?"
A somewhat short middle-aged man spoke.
As he spoke, he was also somewhat surprised, thinking, is Liu Yuandong really cured? Even those 'scales' have disappeared.
"Ah, Old Chen, come over and sit down!" Liu Yuandong said, standing up with a smile.
"Sit down my ass!"
Chen Yongqiang, without saying another word, flipped the table over.
"What are you doing?!" Liu Yunzhi immediately stood up.
"Little brat, go stand over there, you want a piece of your Uncle Chen, huh?" Chen Yongqiang sneered.
"Yunzhi, go stand over there!"
Liu Yuandong also glared at Liu Yunzhi, then turned to Chen Yongqiang and asked, "Old Chen, what's the meaning of this?"
"What's the meaning? You still ask me what's the meaning?"
Chen Yongqiang angrily said, "Liu Yuandong, you borrowed money from all of us, and you don't plan to pay it back, is that right? These past few years, because of your illness, we felt bad about coming to your door to ask for it. But look at you, my family can't even afford to eat, and here you are feasting and living the good life?"
"Old Chen, you need to hear me out..."
"Hear you out my ass!"
Chen Yongqiang cut him off before Liu Yuandong could finish speaking, "Liu Yuandong, we've given you enough face already. If you don't pay back the money today, then we will have to see, what needs to be moved will be moved!"
Liu Yuandong furrowed his brows, feeling helpless inside.
He had spent quite a bit of money on medical treatment these years.
Naturally, Liu Yuandong's household didn't have that much money left; it was all borrowed from neighbors and fellow townsfolk.
However, what Liu Yuandong could not comprehend was why Chen Yongqiang and the others were acting so unreasonable all of a sudden?
"Old Chen, we're all neighbors, can't you give it some time?"
Zhang Yuhua, with his honest and simple nature, thought Chen Yongqiang might have misunderstood and said, "Yundong's illness has already healed. In a little while, he can go back out to sea. He'll gradually repay everyone's money then, okay?"
"No money, yet you feast here?" Chen Yongqiang shouted.
A few middle-aged men behind him also sneered, crying out in support.
Ye Ling's brows knitted, and she scoffed to herself.
These guys sure knew how to pick their timing. Not sooner, not later, they just had to come on the day Zhang Yuhua had prepared a great meal?
And normally, those who could lend money to Liu Yuandong would have a good relationship with him. How could they turn on him at the flip of a coin?
Clearly, they were instigated by someone, and surely they must have received something from that person to act like this.
As for who had stirred them up, it was obvious without saying.
"Old Chen, we're all neighbors after all. I, Liu Yuandong, am not one to borrow and not repay. Is it necessary to go this far?"
Liu Yuandong's face looked somewhat displeased.
"Who knows if you're that kind of person? Plus, you borrowed from us, and now you're in the right?"
Chen Yongqiang took out a piece of paper and said, "Here's the IOU, hurry up and pay! If you don't pay today, don't blame us neighbors for turning our backs on you!"
Seeing this, a few people behind Chen Yongqiang also took out their IOUs.
It wasn't forgery; all were IOUs from when the money was initially borrowed.
Liu Yuandong had just been saying that he needed to make money quickly to pay them back.
But unexpectedly, they had appeared just as he was talking about it, and they were ruthless.
"But I don't have the money to pay you right now. Can't you wait a few more days? Once I go out to sea and make some money, I will definitely pay you back!"
Liu Yuandong was getting angry too. Wasn't it obvious by the state of his household that he didn't have any money?
Moreover, families like Chen Yongqiang's had made a fortune from going out to sea these past years. How could they possibly be as poor as they claimed, unable to put food on the table?
Were they really going to push him to the brink?
"Right, it seems you don't intend to pay. Well then, we'll start moving things."
After speaking, Chen Yongqiang and the others immediately set about to move things.
In fact, everything of value in Liu Yuandong's home had already been sold; what was there left to move?
"What on earth are you trying to do!"
Liu Qiao'er shouted loudly. She had just begun to feel a little happier when these people spoiled it.
"Oh, isn't this Qiao'er?"
Chen Yongqiang paused, smiling as he said, "It's been a long time; Qiao'er has grown into a beautiful woman! Not taken yet, right? I think Pang Dahai, Pang Fuming's son, isn't bad. He's a good and honest lad, doing well, and he's made quite a fortune now too!"