Rebirth 1983: Building My Business Empire

Chapter 140: Chapter 132: Not Playing the Fool (2)

Before dinner, Lu Jiajie said to Lu Jiaxin, “Xinxin, I want to talk to you.”

“Come in with me.”

Once they were in the study, Lu Jiajie apologized, “Big Brother has told me everything. Xinxin, I’m sorry, I didn’t expect her to blurt it out, I had clearly instructed her not to.”

This time Lu Jiaxin didn’t scold him but just asked, “What kind of people are Second Uncle and Second Aunt, and what kind of person is your wife? Don’t you have any idea?”

“My sister-in-law is very discreet. Big Brother wouldn’t tell her many things. It’s not that he doesn’t trust her, but if it doesn’t concern her or the family, there’s no need for her to know. In case she slips up, it could bring unnecessary trouble, and in the worst case, it could even affect the family.”

Lu Jiajie’s head almost drooped to the ground, “Jiaxin, I’m sorry.”

“Did Big Brother tell you about what happened afterward?”

“What?”

By his expression, she knew Big Brother hadn’t told him, but she supposed he simply hadn’t found the chance yet. Lu Jiaxin wouldn’t keep it from him, “It was calm when I got back, but after a while, a lot of thugs started showing up around Radiance Road, and I even got tailed when I went out.”

Lu Jiajie jumped in fright, “Xinxin, such a big deal, why didn’t you tell me? That’s too dangerous.”

Lu Jiaxin glanced at him and said, “I didn’t go out much at the time and wouldn’t have known about these things. It was when you went back to find Big Brother and he became suspicious and called the police station chief in our area, that we found out Radiance Road wasn’t peaceful during that time. I later asked Madam Xie, and it was the Xie Family who came forward which made those ill-intentioned people back off.”

Lu Jiajie’s face turned white as he asked, “Was it Fifth Sister-in-law who told the Ma family about the deposit, and then the news spread and attracted those street thugs?”

Lu Jiaxin shook her head, “It’s unclear. Maybe the Ma family leaked it, maybe Ding Jing played some tricks, or perhaps some well-informed people got wind that I had made money and set their sights on it. But your behavior like this has brought me a great hidden danger.”

Lu Jiajie slapped himself in the face, “Jiaxin, I’m sorry, I really, really didn’t think it would be like this. Jiaxin, don’t worry, I will definitely keep my mouth shut in the future and not blabber.”

“Believe me, I will keep my mouth shut. I haven’t told anyone but Big Brother about the bonus you gave me.”

“I didn’t mean to tell Big Brother, he asked when I was repaying the money. Jiaxin, I will definitely change, please don’t be angry, okay?”

Lu Jiaxin asked, “How much money did Fifth Sister-in-law borrow?”

“Fifteen hundred, but for Yan Jixiang’s house she put down two thousand. For the missing five hundred, she sold the gold necklace and ring I bought her when we got married,” Lu Jiajie said.

Ma Lili thought these matters were unknown to Lu Jiajie, but the Ma family wouldn’t hide them. One thing led to another and it reached Ah Le’s mother’s ears.

“What are you planning to do about this debt?”

Lu Jiajie replied, “I can’t pay this debt for them. If I pay this time, she’ll keep borrowing money to help her parents, and my life will be over.”

It was a relief that he could think this way.

Lu Jiaxin said, “They were willing to lend her money because they know you’ve made quite a bit in Yangcheng City, and if you don’t pay them back, they’ll definitely cause trouble at our place.”

With a bitter smile, Lu Jiajie said, “They’ve already brought trouble to our house. Today an old lady came to demand the debt, saying that if we don’t pay up, she won’t let us off.”

Lu Jiaxin didn’t give him any advice, but said, “People work hard for their money, and they loaned it to Fifth Sister-in-law because they thought you were good for it. So you can’t just throw up your hands and refuse to pay it back.”

“You mean I should pay it back? Jiaxin, you can’t start that habit. Once there’s a first time, there’ll be a second. I had a friend’s relative who began by just taking a few things to her parents’ place, and it ended up with every good thing in the house being sent over there, leaving her own kids all skin and bones.”

Lu Jiaxin said impatiently, “I’m not telling you to repay the money, but you have to solve this problem. After all, those people loaned the money because of you. If you don’t resolve this, what if an impulsive person harms Qiangqiang and Xiao Feng?”

“Other than repaying, what other solution could there be?”

Lu Jiaxin wasn’t about to give him advice, preferring instead for him to figure it out on his own. He had come to the Forty-nine City to work right after high school. With an uncle who was the general manager of a department store, he had never suffered at the factory and even his wedding had gone smoothly without him having to worry since Mrs. Lu had taken care of everything. This had fostered a dependent mentality in him, always seeking advice from Lu Hongjun and Lu Jiaguang for any issue, never thinking about the consequences.

Lu Jiaxin’s place had plenty of rooms, so Lu Jiajie moved in with his children.

After a night of thinking, Lu Jiajie still couldn’t come up with a good solution, so he decided to ask Ah Le for advice. Since Ah Le already knew about it, there was no point in feeling embarrassed. Before he left, he reminded Qiangqiang and Xiao Feng to behave and not to bother Lu Jiaxin, then left them in Xiao Qiu’s care.

Ah Le had never dealt with such a situation and couldn’t think of any good solution, so he called his mother over, “Mom, do you have any way to resolve this without repaying the money?”

Ah Le’s mother gave her son a look of disapproval and then said to Lu Jiajie, “That’s their hard-earned money, they’ll fight with you if you don’t pay it back. Even if you don’t care about your wife, you should at least consider your two children.”

Lu Jiajie admitted that this was exactly his concern, and so he wanted to resolve the matter.

Ah Le’s mother, having been through her share of difficulties, quickly came up with an idea, “The people you borrowed from think your family had an emergency; they don’t know your wife borrowed the money to help out her family. Pay back the money and then tell everyone you won’t acknowledge any debt she incurs from now on. If your wife tries to borrow again, no one will dare lend her anything.”

Lu Jiajie thought about it and then said, “What if someone doesn’t believe it, thinking that marital spats resolve by bedtime, and still lends her money? If I pay this time and then have to keep paying because of the kids, won’t I spend my entire life working like an ox for the Ma family and Yan family?”

That was a reasonable concern.

Ah Le suddenly suggested, “You take care of all your household expenses and let your wife save up her salary to pay off the debt. You’re earning more now anyway, and you don’t rely on your wife’s salary to get by.”

Lu Jiajie felt this was a good idea.

Ah Le’s mother immediately responded, “Your wife goes to work, and if no one is home to look after the kids, and you don’t want to send them over to the Ma family, then simply hire someone to do the laundry, cook, and pick up the kids.”

Lu Jiajie said, “Both my kids are in kindergarten, they don’t come home for lunch.”

“They still need to eat dinner, right? Just hire someone to pick up the kids in the afternoon and cook dinner. It won’t cost much, and the children won’t have to suffer at the Ma family’s.”

Lu Jiajie thought this was a good idea and planned to ask around for someone.

Ah Le’s mother smiled and said, “Why ask around? Just let my elder sister take care of the kids for you. She loves children, works quickly and meticulously, and cooks delicious meals.”

Lu Jiajie promptly replied, “Alright, when would Aunt Ah Le be available to come over?”

“She can come after the Lantern Festival.”

“That works.”