bayedsolid Chapter 108 The Desperate Gambler
Chapter 108 The Desperate Gambler
The next day.
Xu Hemei took half a day off and spent the morning signing a contract with the real estate agent to reserve the house. After signing the contract, she went back to the villa to move her luggage.
As Tian Tian watched her leave with her luggage, her eyes filled with reluctance, she went up to her and tugged at her sleeve.
Xu Hemei squatted down and said with a smile, "I'm only staying temporarily. I'd feel bad if I stayed any longer. But when I have time, I'll come back to visit you, okay?"
Although Tian Tian was reluctant to part with her, she still nodded.
He Qiaoyun followed Xu Hemei to her newly rented apartment, a small one-bedroom apartment with all the necessary furniture, and the place was clean and tidy.
But it's still not like a big villa where you can see the whole thing at a glance, which made Xu Hemei feel a bit disappointed.
He Qiaoyun glanced at the time. "Give me a copy of the keys. I'll tidy up for you and buy some things. You can go to work now."
Xu Hemei replied "okay," then put down the keys, picked up her bag, and hurriedly left.
He Qiaoyun carefully cleaned her room, then went to the supermarket to buy her a new mattress, as well as some pots, pans, and a rice cooker.
After carrying all these things into the house with a clanging and banging, and tidying them up, most of the day had passed.
After finishing all that, she grabbed her keys, went downstairs, and sent Xu Hemei a text message: "Everything's done for you. I'm going home now. Call me if you need anything."
Just as Xu Hemei received He Qiaoyun's text message, Xu Hui called her.
As she stared at the word "Dad" flashing on the screen, her right eyelid twitched violently.
After hesitating for nearly ten seconds, she finally answered the phone, "Hello, Dad, why are you calling me all of a sudden...?"
Before he could finish speaking, Xu Hui's anxious voice came through the phone receiver, "Xiaomei, please save Dad! The debt collectors have come to our house! If I don't pay them back, they're going to cut off my fingers..."
Xu Hemei stood up in fright, her voice becoming flustered, her lips trembling: "What? What debt...?"
Xu Hui sobbed, "You know the economy is bad right now. The factory's business is failing. I've sold my house, my car, everything I could, even your grandmother's old house where she's retired. But it's all gone. I had to borrow money, hoping to turn things around, but the business still failed. I'm at my wit's end..."
"Xiaomei, I heard you made a lot of money on your live stream yesterday. You can't just watch me get my finger chopped off like this..."
After hearing this, Xu Hemei was in a state of utter confusion and didn't know what to do. She remained silent for a long time.
Seeing that she didn't respond for a long time, Xu Hui on the other end of the phone started to play the emotional card:
"Xiaomei, your two older brothers are heartless bastards who would stand by and watch you die, but you're a good child. Back then, your grandma abandoned you on the street, and I spent a whole day and night asking around, turning Haicheng upside down, to finally snatch you back from the human traffickers. They even slashed my arm, and the scar is still there..."
Xu Hemei bit her lower lip before saying, "The money from yesterday's live stream isn't with me. I haven't officially divorced Duan Fei yet, and Mom said the money can't be transferred to my account, otherwise it would become joint property and they would take it away."
Hearing the implication in her words, Xu Hui knew she had relented, and his voice immediately became cheerful: "I understand, Dad knows. As long as you're willing to help Dad with this, it's never too late. I can wait, I'll go back and deal with them some more... but you have to hurry, or they'll beat me to death..."
Xu Hemei sighed deeply in her heart, "Dad, after you pay back the money, sell the factory. Keep the money for your retirement. Don't cause any more trouble, okay?"
Xu Hui quickly agreed, "Okay, I'll do as you say, I'll sell it."
He said that, but that wasn't what he really thought. Like a desperate gambler, he always felt he was just one chance away from turning the tide...
Seeing the money she had just received slip away, Xu Hemei's mood soured, so she said, "That's it, I'm at work right now, I'll hang up now."
Before hanging up, Xu Hui added, "You absolutely cannot tell your mother about this. You can't let her know. You know she's still angry with me..."
Xu Hemei paused for a moment before hanging up the phone, then weakly replied, "Okay, I understand."
Xu Hui then added with a smile, "I heard your account gained a lot of followers this time. You can make a lot of money doing live streaming these days. After you and Duan Fei get divorced, why don't you quit your job? You're working yourself to the bone and have to stay up all night. Why not just focus on live streaming and do some product sales? It's much easier than working in the hospital."
Xu Hemei felt inexplicably uncomfortable upon hearing this. "Dad, how could you say such a thing? Does that mean all those years of schooling I did were for nothing?"
She was surprised even by saying such a thing.
Just two months ago, I was determined to be a stay-at-home mom, devoted to my husband and children. Now, however, I've suddenly come to my senses...
This period of time has indeed helped her to see things in a more open-minded way.
Money is important, but compared to power, it's secondary. She's going back to get her PhD; she's determined to climb the ladder... As for love, that can wait...
Xu Hui was displeased by his daughter's question, but he had no choice but to go along with her, "Yes, yes, alright, you go ahead and do your work, I won't disturb you anymore."
Xu Hemei gave a curt "hmm" and then hung up the phone.
Xu Hui hung up the phone and turned to go inside.
As he entered the room, he saw his youngest daughter sitting quietly on the sofa, writing and drawing. He walked over and patted her on the head. "You sickly girl, you're my nemesis. You're just like your mother, you both bring me bad luck." He pointed to his phone and said, "Look, we're both daughters, but she can help me make a comeback. What's the use of raising you? It's a waste of money and effort."
Even after being hit, Xu Yitong kept her head down and dared not make a sound, nervously picking at her fingers.
Wang Jinghuai, who was tidying up the house, heard him speak and immediately dropped the broom, went to the living room, covered her daughter's ears, and shielded her behind her. She couldn't help but retort to Xu Hui, "She's just a child. Why are you telling her these things!"
Xu Hui was furious and slapped Wang Jinghuai across the face. "You've really gone too far! You dare to talk back to me? Did I say anything wrong? Sickly girls are just my bad luck. My mother was right. You two are incompatible with me, our horoscopes don't match!"
Wang Jinghuai was knocked to the side by the blow, her eyes immediately turning red and tears streaming down her face. She cried out in anger and grievance, screaming hysterically, "Xu Hui, you were the one who provoked me, and now you're turning around and blaming me! What did I do wrong?!"
She cried bitterly and heartbrokenly, recalling the past, "Back then, so many outstanding people pursued me. I could have lived a good life without you! You dragged me into this abyss! You made me suffer the scorn of others for most of my life, and now you have the right to turn around and despise me! Why!"