Chapter 974: Perplexed and Smitten (34)
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
“Second Aunt, what you’re saying is wrong. When I went to school, the school fees were tens of dollars. Grandma asked you for it but you didn’t lend it to her and even said upsetting things to her. Because of that, she even got sick for a few days. You even stopped Second Uncle from helping Grandma with the ch.o.r.es in her field. Such incidents occurred more than a few times. If Second Aunt wants the 20 thousand dollars, I’ll go get it. If not, then please leave.”
Second Aunt Fang started bawling in despair all of a sudden and collapsed onto the ground. “No matter how your Second Uncle and I treated you in the past, didn’t your Grandma still raise you up? You’re all grown up now and your Grandma is gone as well. We just want a favor from you and you’re unwilling to help us out. If your late Grandma were to know about this, would she be able to rest in peace? No matter what, your cousin is also her grandson. As she watches her own grandson go into prison, she’ll probably blame you for not helping us out when you have the money.”
Mr. Fang pressed her as well, “Erlan, just help out your Second Uncle and Second Aunt once. They’re really desperate.”
“Erlan, you earn money easily, but your Second Aunt and I need to slog our guts to earn such money in one or two years. Now, we really need the money urgently. You don’t have to be afraid that we won’t return it to you. We’ll write an IOU for you, and Second Uncle will return the money to you once we earn it back.”
Fang Erlan responded, “How about this, I’ll loan the 100 thousand dollars to all of you, but it needs to be clearly written on the IOU that if the money isn’t returned within five years, the piece of land you own will be transferred to me.”
“What?!” Second Aunt Fang, who was originally bawling on the ground, sprung up instantly. “Do you know how much that piece of land is worth now? It’s worth at least 170 or 180 thousand dollars. You want us to transfer it to you in exchange for 100 thousand dollars?”
“I said that it’s only in case the money isn’t returned within five years. One hundred thousand dollars isn’t a small amount. Without putting up anything as collateral, I won’t loan it to all of you. If you put 100 thousand dollars in the bank for five years, the interest can already amount to as much as ten thousand dollars. If the loan is returned within five years, the land is still yours. I’m doing all of you a huge favor, what’s with your att.i.tude, Second Aunt? Are you sure you’re here to borrow money or to collect debt from me?”
Without waiting for Second Aunt to speak, Second Uncle Fang replied, “What Erlan says makes sense. We’ll put it up as collateral to you then. If we aren’t able to return the money within five years, the land will be yours.”
“Alright then, all of you go back to the village to write out a letter of proof for me. I’ll make an agreement on my side as well. Come here to get the money from me tomorrow.” It was Fang Erlan’s signal for them to leave.
“We’ll go back first, then.” Second Uncle Fang added, “Brother, Sister-in-law, are you both going back together with us? Or staying here to accompany Erlan for a few days?”
The reason Mrs. Fang had come along was actually to get along well with her daughter, but she had lost such a good opportunity to do so.
Ever since Fang Erlan was young, both mother and daughter had never lived together. With so many years having gone by, the period of time wherein she had needed her mother’s love the most had pa.s.sed as well. She had grown up now and no longer needed it.
However, before Mrs. Fang could answer, Fang Erlan responded, “My filming is about to end soon, so I’ll be very busy these few days. I won’t have the time to accompany the two of you. Father, Mother, there’s no need to stay over.”
Mr. and Mrs. Fang were instantly embarra.s.sed but could not say anything either. Just like that, the whole family left her room.
Once her room door was closed shut, without even waiting for her to knock on the bathroom door, Yan Ge came out from inside.
“From the moment your family members entered, not a single one of them was concerned about the injury on your face.”
She was actually not bothered much by it. After all, since she was young, only her grandmother cared the most for her. As for her biological parents, they were always indifferent toward her.
After hearing what he said, she suddenly felt quite miserable for no reason. Even her voice turned as dull as her low spirits as she answered him, “The injury’s mild, it’s fine.”
He took a glance at her and didn’t say anything further, simply remarking, “Get Xiao Yue to buy a bottle of ointment for you. I’ll return to my room.”
“Umm.”
As she watched the door being closed shut, Fang Erlan walked straight to the bedside and leaned over it, closing her eyes.
After regaining her composure, she called Xiao Yue and told her to buy a bottle of ointment for her.
—
The 963 urns were all buried together in a huge grave.
As for those archeologists who died at the ancient graveyard, Jin Qingyan compensated their family members with money. That was because other than this, he did not know how else to make it up to them.
Those love letters that were taken out from the ironwood door, meanwhile, were sent by An Xiaoning to be translated by professionals.
She could not help but admit that Jin Qingyan was extremely talented in his past life.
In all those love letters, there was not a single repeated word.
As long as one took a simple glance at those words, their heart would literally melt. Every word and sentence was full of his affection, which warmed her heart with a fuzzy feeling.
An Xiaoning especially cherished these letters and got someone to especially have them mounted in a frame to hang on the wall in his bedroom. That way, she would be able to see them every single day.
During one of the few days she had quietly stayed at the house in Wei Ni Estate, Jin Qingyan brought a thick stack of papers and placed them before her.
“What are these?” she asked in a puzzled state.
“It’s the information I received from getting people to investigate the Yin family that sealed up my palace centuries ago. Xiaoning, there’s something I’m especially curious about.”
“What is it?”
“I want to know, could that emperor who killed everyone in my palace back then still be living in the same world as us now? I also want to know if the mastermind within the Yin family who sealed up my palace back then is living in the same world as us now.”
An Xiaoning looked up and stared fixedly at him. “So what? Even if they live in the same world as us now, are you going to kill them?”
He did not answer and kept silent, as if to express his consent.
“Qingyan, the past is the past. Love and revenge…”
Without waiting for her to finish, he said to her with extreme conviction, “If the past really remains as just the past, why are we remembering these past events in this life? What exactly is the root of this? I want to know why the emperor was so ruthless toward me back then and how I died. And also, how did you die? The situation back then, the truth… if we don’t dig it up, it may be buried for eternity. I don’t want all these to be buried over time.”
“Actually, I want to know as well. But if you really don’t fear the danger we may face ahead, why should I not dare to follow you?” An Xiaoning flashed a faint smile and grabbed his hand. “In our past lives, we didn’t end up together. In this life, I’ll do everything to have you firmly grasped in my hands.”
“This should be said by me instead.” He tightened the grip on her hand and fixed his deep gaze on her. “I’m thinking about a possibility. If they are around in this world as well, will they be like us and are slowly regaining the memories of their previous lives?”
Hearing his words, An Xiaoning was suddenly jolted. “This isn’t completely impossible, but no one can be sure of it.”
“The ident.i.ty of that man surnamed Xiao is something we have to straighten out sooner or later. However, it doesn’t seem like he has a feud with us. Otherwise, he would have created obstacles for us long ago. If we could find out something from him that we don’t know about, this could be a quick way out too. The only fear is that he may not be someone that easy to sound out.”