NOVPUB
Chapter 425: End of Chapter 415
Shen Yunfang finished speaking, and a hush fell over the room; Uncle Shen and Auntie Shen both looked thoughtfully at Fang Chengjian, who was standing off to the side.
Fang Chengjian, his face alternating between red and white, said, "Shen Yunfang, don’t slander me. It’s not your place to judge what kind of person I am. The kindness I’ve shown Yunxiu is not something a superficial person like you can understand." While he spoke, he sent a glance over to Shen Yunxiu that said, you understand me, right?
This calmed the flustered Shen Yunxiu. Yes, how could she doubt her own man based on the words of a big liar like Shen Yunfang? She had even borne him a son; how could he possibly treat her like that?
Shen Yunfang didn’t defend herself, but merely twisted her lips in a small smile. To speak of such things now was premature. She had given her warning. As for what Shen Yunxiu or Uncle and Auntie Shen would do, whether they took her words to heart or not, that was no longer her concern. She considered this act of speaking out a favor done for the sake of her uncle’s dignity.
"Uncle, Auntie, and Shen Yunxiu came to me this morning asking for money, saying it was for your and Auntie’s fare back to your hometown. I’ll pay it; you are my uncle, and it’s only right that I show my respect to you in some way. But like I said, I can buy you the tickets directly. If you want the cash, you’ll have to come and get it yourself, Uncle," she continued.
"You asked Yunfang for money?" Uncle Shen turned and glared fiercely at his wife. She had a habit of creating more problems than solutions.
"I, I..." Auntie Shen found herself at a loss for words, sensing the lack of justness in her actions.
Typically, she felt too embarrassed to ask her own son for money, let alone her niece; the latter felt even less justified.
"Later, Shen Yunxiu added that I should consider one hundred yuan as repayment for the many years of kindness Uncle and Auntie have shown our family. I checked with Auntie, and she agreed. Now that you’re here, Uncle, I’ll give you the hundred yuan. Although it’s like severing ties with money, you’re still my uncle, and that will never change," Shen Yunfang said, pulling out ten large bills from her pocket and placing them on the table.
Uncle Shen looked at the money on the table. His lips quivered with barely suppressed rage, but this time it was directed at his own wife and daughter.
Fang Chengjian’s eyes briefly lit up at the sight of the money on the table, then he lowered his head, continuing to play the role of a shrinking quail.
Shen Yunxiu, on the other hand, couldn’t hide the wolfish gleam in her eyes.
"However, we must separate issues appropriately. Shen Yunxiu attempted to steal my money this morning and even said she would kill my child. This matter I must pursue," she declared. Hurt her? Perhaps, but anyone who thought to harm her child was crossing the line—with mothers, even the thought was intolerable.
Uncle Shen fell silent for quite some time before he slowly pushed the money in front of him back towards Shen Yunfang.
"Dad!" Shen Yunxiu cried out anxiously from behind.
It was as if Uncle Shen didn’t hear her, "Yunfang, no matter what I say now, I feel ashamed. But my heart is with you. Even if Yunxiu is worthless, she is still my child. So even though I feel this is wrong, I still have to do it. I never wanted your money. I took care of you and your mother because you were my family, my brother’s blood. It was my duty, and I never expected to be repaid. But now, Yunxiu has done wrong, and I must speak of these things to plead for her."
"Yunfang, take your money back, and let’s not hold Yunxiu’s mistakes against her, okay? Just like you said, you owe me nothing more, and I will have no face to ask for anything else in the future. I’m begging you, okay?" Uncle Shen’s voice quivered, and his eyes reddened.
Shen Yunfang remained silent. Everyone in the room watched her in the quiet.
After a long time, Uncle Shen clenched his teeth and suddenly lurched forward, about to kneel before Shen Yunfang.
Fortunately, Shen Yunfang reacted quickly and grabbed him, preventing his knees from touching the ground.
"Uncle, what are you doing? You’re shortening my life here!" Shen Yunfang exclaimed sharply.
"Yunfang, I’m begging you, let Yunxiu off this once. I promise you, if she does wrong again, I will not protect her anymore. If it happens, I will personally break her legs, okay?" Uncle Shen pled as tears began to flow.
Shen Yunfang didn’t want to agree and sensed this might be her uncle’s tactic to make her compromise. But seeing him like this, even a heart of stone would find it hard to remain unmoved.
Shen Yunxiu would definitely be the first to suffer if she really insisted on pursuing the matter, but the second person who wouldn’t be able to cope would be Uncle Shen.
Let it be, I shall let her off this time.
"Uncle, you should keep the money. As for Shen Yunxiu’s issue," Shen Yunfang thought for a moment, then pushed the money back, "I won’t pursue it, but from now on, she and I have no relationship. I also promise, as long as she doesn’t bother me in the future, I can let bygones be bygones. However, this is out of respect for you, Uncle, and it’s only this once. Next time, it won’t be so easy for her."
Everyone present understood the implication of these words: Uncle Shen’s influence would only work this one time. If Shen Yunxiu behaved recklessly again and offended her, she definitely wouldn’t give anyone face again.
Uncle Shen nodded with difficulty.
Shen Yunfang turned her head to signal to the police officer. In fact, the police had initially intended for them to resolve the matter on their own, and they were pleased with such an outcome as it meant less trouble for everyone. Most importantly, Shen Yunxiu’s case, if taken seriously, wasn’t severe enough to warrant imprisonment. There were no eyewitnesses when she tried to steal money and threaten to harm the child, and the threatened party didn’t sustain any substantial harm. Instead, Shen Yunxiu herself was bitten by a dog. Therefore, even if the case were formally filed, the outcome might not have been satisfactory. Thus, handling it this way was the best solution.
Shen Yunxiu, hearing that Shen Yunfang wouldn’t press charges, felt very smug. But then she remembered that she was the one who had been injured.
"Hey, that’s not right. She’s fine, but I’m hurt. Shouldn’t she compensate me for my medical expenses?" Shen Yunxiu wasn’t really foolish. She could see that the situation was favorable for Shen Yunfang, and she didn’t say anything about counter-suing, but she was certainly entitled to medical expenses, right?
"Sure, go to the hospital for rabies vaccination, and I’ll cover whatever it costs," Shen Yunfang agreed swiftly to pay. After all, her dog had indeed bitten someone.
"No need. Just give me another hundred yuan," Shen Yunxiu demanded brazenly.
The police officer couldn’t stand it anymore, "It seems you never learn your lesson. Alright, don’t go anywhere. Better go straight to re-education through labor for a few days to learn how to be a good person."
"Oh, officer, we don’t want the money, we really don’t. Please don’t arrest my daughter," Auntie Shen hurriedly hid her daughter behind her, afraid that even a hint of Shen Yunxiu showing might result in her being taken away by the police officer.
Shen Yunxiu didn’t dare to make another sound.
Shen Yunfang glared at her; such a person needed to be dealt with by someone strict.
After the police officer completed the procedures, both parties were free to leave.
Shen Yunfang didn’t want to stay any longer, so she turned around and took her child back home.
Auntie Shen hesitated, then walked over to the old man and asked quietly, "Old man, what should we do with the hundred yuan that Yunfang girl gave us?"
She wanted to give it to Yunxiu, but without the old man’s consent, she dared not decide on her own, as it wasn’t a small sum.
Uncle Shen looked back at his daughter and son-in-law who were eagerly watching him, and with a grunt of his eyelids said, "Since it’s a gift from Yunfang girl to us, you just keep it."
The decision was made; they would keep the money for themselves, and no one else should think about it.
Auntie Shen looked apologetically at her daughter, but ultimately pocketed the money.
Shen Yunxiu’s numerous grievances need not be mentioned.
After Uncle Shen and his wife returned to the guesthouse, Auntie Shen still wanted to persuade the old man to give the money to Yunxiu to help them in their time of need. Uncle Shen sighed and said, "What Yunfang girl said makes sense. I don’t trust Fang Chengjian; we should leave a way out for Yunxiu. If Fang Chengjian turns out to be like what Yunfang said, then we’ll give the money to Yunxiu then, so she has something to rely on. If we’re all wrong, it’ll be just the same to give it to her later. Besides, the money you gave Yunxiu before is enough to rent a house in the city for half a year."
