"One month!"
Brother Kun raised an eyebrow and sneered, "One month from now, I'll save it to burn for your daughter!"
"Brother Kun, we're all just out here trying to make a living. Don't push things too far!"
In his past life, Song Qiao had a thriving business and dealt with people from all walks of life. He understood the mentality of gangsters like Brother Kun better than anyone.
In his previous life, it was his rash decision to call the police that cornered Brother Kun, leading him to take his daughter and flee to the rooftop in desperation, ultimately falling to their deaths together.
Under normal circumstances, no matter how fierce Brother Kun sounded, he wouldn't dare to go through with killing them, not even with a hundred times his courage.
After all, usury might land you a few years in prison, but murder in China meant execution!
Song Qiao wasted no more words. He directly pulled out the property deed from his pocket and tossed it in front of Brother Kun.
"What's this?"
Brother Kun took the property deed and opened it. His eyes widened, and a smile replaced his ferocious expression. "Song Qiao, if you had produced this deed earlier, we wouldn't have had such an unpleasant situation..."
"Brother Kun, you misunderstand."
"Misunderstand?"
Brother Kun's eyebrows shot up again, a look of confusion on his face. "Aren't you here to use the house as collateral?"
Song Qiao didn't answer. He calmly picked up a pair of chopsticks, took a piece of boiled chicken, chewed it carefully, and only then put down his chopsticks with an air of composure.
"Brother Kun, let's be straightforward."
"This property of mine is worth a hundred thousand. I only borrowed five thousand from you on the mahjong table, and now with interest, it's accumulated to ten thousand."
"You expect to take my hundred-thousand-dollar house for ten thousand? Do you think that's possible?"
*Slap!*
Brother Kun slammed the property deed onto the table and shouted fiercely, "Song Qiao, if the house isn't for settling debts, are you here to toy with me!"
"Even the Buddha gets angry. Don't think I'm afraid to kill!"
"A Biao, A Bao, hold this brat down for me. I'll chop off one of his fingers today!"
"Yes!"
A Biao and A Bao, like wolves and tigers, moved to grab Song Qiao's wrists.
"Wait!"
Song Qiao stopped them and shouted at Brother Kun, "You let my daughter go, and lend me another five thousand. In one month, I'll return thirty thousand with principal and interest!"
"You still owe a debt, and you want to borrow another five thousand!"
This time, Brother Kun was truly enraged. He slammed the table and grabbed Song Qiao by the collar, his face contorted with ferocity. "Song Qiao, you're really looking to die!"
"Brother Kun, let me finish!"
Song Qiao placed his open palm flat on the dining table and sneered, "My five fingers are all here. With so many of your brothers around, are you afraid I can cause any trouble?"
"Fine, I'll listen to what you have to say."
Brother Kun shoved Song Qiao back into his chair and said sternly, "If you try any more tricks, I guarantee you won't walk out of this private room intact tonight!"
Song Qiao calmly took a piece of paper from his pocket and handed it over. Brother Kun took it with suspicion and opened it. On the white paper, in black and white, were the words "IOU," followed by smaller text.
"On April 1, 1995, I borrowed thirty thousand yuan from Duan Kun, using my property deed as collateral, and promised to repay by May 1, 1995. If I fail to do so, the house will belong to Duan Kun."
Below was Song Qiao's signature, only missing a thumbprint.
"Song Qiao, what is the meaning of this?" Duan Kun was even more confused.
"Isn't it clearly written here?"
Song Qiao said calmly, "You release my daughter, lend me another five thousand, and I'll leave the property deed with you. In a month, I'll return thirty thousand. If I can't, you can take this IOU to court!"
"Don't worry, this IOU states you borrowed thirty thousand from me, but it doesn't mention interest. This isn't usury, and the court will definitely accept it."
Could there be such a good deal in the world?
Duan Kun was stunned.
"What? I've given you the IOU and the property deed. Are you still afraid I'll pull some trick?"
Song Qiao mocked, "I'm not even afraid of not being able to return thirty thousand to you. As such a big boss, you don't have this little bit of courage?"
"Fine, I'll trust you one more time."
Duan Kun gritted his teeth, picked up a briefcase, and took out five bundles of brand-new ten-yuan bills, throwing them in front of Song Qiao.
"Put your thumbprint on the IOU, and take this five thousand!"
"Where's my daughter?"
Duan Kun winked at a subordinate beside him. The subordinate opened the door to the private room's restroom, and a little girl, her mouth sealed with transparent tape, was brought out.
Pain!
Excruciating pain!
Song Qiao clenched his fist tightly. Thirty years later, he saw his long-lost daughter, and she was suffering.
He was such an incompetent father!
Song Qiao wished he could slap himself a few times. He rushed forward, shoved the subordinate aside, and knelt down to slowly peel the transparent tape from his daughter's mouth.
"Daddy..."
The little girl's tears streamed down her face as she threw herself into Song Qiao's arms and sobbed uncontrollably.
"Xixi, don't be afraid... don't be afraid, Daddy is here now, it's okay!"
"It's Daddy's fault, it's Daddy's fault!"
"Daddy will never let you suffer even the slightest bit of grievance again!"
"..."
Song Qiao comforted his daughter, picked her up, put the five thousand yuan into his pocket, pressed his thumbprint on the IOU, and strode out of the private room.
"Duan Kun, this isn't over!"
Song Qiao silently vowed, "When we've settled our accounts, I will repay every bit of suffering my daughter has endured, tenfold!"
...
At eight o'clock in the evening, Song Qiao returned home with his daughter.
"Mama..."
The moment the daughter saw Xia Yuqing, who was anxiously waiting in the living room, she wriggled out of Song Qiao's arms and pounced into her mother's embrace.
"Xixi... you're back, that's great... that's great, you scared Mama to death!"
Xia Yuqing held her daughter and wept uncontrollably, not daring to relax for a moment, lest her daughter disappear from her arms again.
Watching the mother and daughter embrace, Song Qiao let out a long sigh.
The tragedy of thirty years ago had finally not unfolded!
*Smack!*
Suddenly, stars flashed before his eyes, and his face burned.
"Song Qiao, you beast!"
A sharp voice sounded in his ear. "You gambling scoundrel! You even gambled away your daughter this time. Next, are you going to sell my sister?"
Song Qiao rubbed his swollen cheek and looked intently. The one who hit him was a beautiful young woman in her early twenties, who resembled Xia Yuqing by about seventy percent, but with a sharper chin, giving her an aggressive aura.
Xia Xueqing!
She was his wife's younger sister, his sister-in-law.
In his original timeline, after Xixi and Xia Yuqing met their fate, Xia Xueqing resented him her entire life and they never spoke again.
"Sister, take Xixi and go!"
Xia Xueqing grabbed Xia Yuqing and her daughter and was about to leave the house.
"Xueqing, what are you doing..."
"Sister, this beast has harmed Xixi this time. Next, he might sell you. You can't stay with a man like this anymore. Let's go home!"
Xia Yuqing still had feelings for Song Qiao and was somewhat reluctant. However, seeing her daughter, who was still crying from fright in her arms, she hardened her heart, hugged her daughter tighter, and walked out the door.
"Yuqing!"
Song Qiao, having barely managed to bring his daughter back safely, was unwilling to see their family break apart again. He quickly rushed forward.
*Thump.*
Song Qiao immediately knelt down.
"Wife, don't go!"
"I swear I won't gamble anymore. I'll work hard to earn money to redeem the house, and our family of three will live happily ever after!"
"Please, don't leave!"
Xia Yuqing froze. Song Qiao had always been a proud man who believed in kneeling only to heaven and earth. Even when he was beaten black and blue from gambling debts, he would never kneel.
Now, he actually...
"Xueqing, why don't we forgive him one more time..."
"Sister!"
Xia Xueqing shouted, "This time, you absolutely cannot be soft-hearted! Don't be fooled by him, you must divorce him!"
Just as he was about to persuade his wife to stay, Song Qiao's anger flared. "Xia Xueqing, this is our family matter. What business is it of yours!"
"She's my sister, and Xixi is my niece. How can it not be my business!"
Xia Xueqing said haughtily, "Song Qiao, it's not that I look down on you. Let alone supporting my sister and Xixi in the future, you don't even have a house right now. Do you expect them to live under a bridge with you?"
"The house is still there!"
Song Qiao took Xia Yuqing's hand and said earnestly, "Yuqing, believe me, I can earn thirty thousand in a month to redeem the house..."
*Slap!*
Xia Xueqing slapped Song Qiao's hand away and sneered, "Earning thirty thousand in a month? You can try to fool my sister with such big talk, but you can't fool me!"
In 1995, the monthly salary of a white-collar worker in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, or Shenzhen was only a little over a thousand yuan. Thirty thousand yuan was an astronomical figure for most families, so it was no wonder Xia Xueqing didn't believe Song Qiao could earn that much in a month!
Even Xia Yuqing's eyes showed disappointment. She felt that Song Qiao was still bragging and being unrealistic, without any genuine self-reflection!
"Sister, let's go!"
"Okay!"
This time, Xia Yuqing didn't refuse. She hugged her daughter and walked out the door decisively.
"Yuqing..."
"Don't come over here!"
Xia Yuqing said with disappointment, "Song Qiao, if you still have me and our daughter in your heart, then let us go!"
"I... I..."
Song Qiao knew he had hurt her too deeply in the past, and she was utterly disappointed in him. He finally sighed and reluctantly moved aside.
Watching the figures of his wife and daughter disappear, Song Qiao shouted, "Wife, I will prove to you that I didn't lie this time. I will definitely earn thirty thousand within a month to redeem the house!"
However, Xia Yuqing walked down the stairs without looking back. The only response he received was Xia Xueqing giving him the middle finger!