CHAPTER 184: CHAPTER 184 CONFIRMATION

It was a text message from Kong Man.

"I’ve hinted that I want to get married, and Zheng He has agreed to pay a bride price of twenty-five points to marry me."

"Good."

Xia Liang replied with just one word, fiddling with his phone. A smile crept onto the corner of his mouth.

Does this also mean that Zheng He is desperately asking his family for those twenty-five points right now?

It would be awesome if I could watch this on a livestream, Xia Liang couldn’t help but mutter.

「...」

Meanwhile, on the other side, Zheng He returned home.

He said excitedly, "Mom! Mom! Manman agreed to marry me!"

"Hmm?"

Hearing this, Dai Yingyue, who was sitting on the sofa, was startled and then looked somewhat uncomfortable.

"Son, Mom is very happy that Manman agreed to marry you, but our family doesn’t have even a single Yuan for the bride price right now."

Zheng He waved her words away.

"Mom! We don’t need a Yuan! Manman said that as long as we pay a bride price of twenty-five points, she’ll agree to marry me!"

"What!"

Dai Yingyue’s face lit up with excitement.

"Are you telling the truth?"

"Yes!"

Zheng He nodded vigorously.

"That’s fantastic!"

Dai Yingyue clapped her hands. Her son’s single status had always been a thorn in her side. It seems this thorn is about to be removed.

But after the initial excitement, she came back to her senses.

"But... how are we going to get the twenty-five points for the bride price?"

"We’ll ask Sis for it," Zheng He said with a shrug. "What other choice do we have?"

Hearing this, Dai Yingyue looked troubled.

"But your sister already gave us twenty-five points before. Now, I’m afraid..."

Dai Yingyue didn’t finish her sentence, but Zheng He immediately came up with another terrible idea. "Sis is with Manager Sun now, right? He’s practically my brother-in-law. Have her ask him for it."

That could work... Dai Yingyue thought, narrowing her eyes. She was well aware her daughter was a mistress, but as long as she got money out of it, she didn’t care.

Dai Yingyue immediately dialed Zheng Jin’s number.

「...」

In a hotel room, Zheng Jin was taking a shower. She frowned upon seeing the caller ID but answered the call anyway.

"Hello, Mom? What’s up?"

"My dear daughter, your brother is getting ready to marry and needs twenty-five points for the bride price. Do you think you could... contribute?"

Hearing this over the phone, Zheng Jin was completely puzzled.

"Getting married? What happened? Didn’t Kong Man say she wanted a bride price of one full Yuan to marry him?"

Sensing an opportunity, Dai Yingyue hurriedly explained, "It’s like this: Manman’s family is pushing her to get married, but she wants to marry Zheng He, so she lowered the bride price to twenty-five points. They just have to pay it, and they can get married."

At this, Zheng Jin felt a flicker of desire to help. But then she remembered that she had just gotten twenty-five points from Manager Sun this morning; getting more now seemed impossible.

"I can’t get any money right now," she said immediately.

Hearing these words, Dai Yingyue grew anxious, her earlier joy vanishing completely.

"Zheng Jin, what do you mean by that? This is about your brother’s entire future! He’s your only brother, the only heir to carry on the Zheng family line! How can you be so heartless?"

The questioning tone turned to sobs by the end of her tirade. Zheng Jin knew that if she didn’t agree today, they’ll probably come to the company tomorrow and cause a scene. I’ll never have a moment’s peace.

Gritting her teeth, she said, "Fine, I’ll get it for you. But you have to agree to one condition."

Dai Yingyue dropped the pitiful act instantly. "Yes! Tell me!" she demanded.

Zheng Jin stated, word by word, "This is the last time I am ever giving you money. From now on, you won’t get another cent from me."

"No way!" Dai Yingyue refused immediately. Cut off my money tree for a mere twenty-five points? Not a chance.

"If you don’t agree, then forget about the twenty-five points."

Hearing Zheng Jin’s tone, Dai Yingyue couldn’t accept it and instantly resumed her pitiful act.

"Your father died young! I raised you and your brother through so much hardship..."

She went on for three full minutes, but Zheng Jin remained silent. Dai Yingyue finally realized her daughter wasn’t bluffing this time. Whatever, I’ll just get the twenty-five points from her first, she thought.

Her tone turned heavy as she said, "Fine. Your wings have grown strong, and now you want to fly off on your own, is that it? Alright, I agree!"

Watching her mother’s instant change in demeanor, Zheng Jin felt nothing at all. I’m used to this, she thought, biting her lip.

"Alright then. Remember what you said. This is the last time I’m helping you."

With that, she hung up the phone.

「...」

DOOT... DOOT... DOOT...

Hearing the busy signal, Dai Yingyue was stunned.

Zheng Jin had never hung up on her like that before. A sense of unease crept into her heart, though, of course, it was only because she feared her money tree was about to fly away.

Beside her, Zheng He looked on with anticipation. "So? Mom? Did Sis agree?"

Slowly lowering her phone, Dai Yingyue said blankly, "She agreed... but your sister, she’s different somehow."

"That’s great!" Zheng He exclaimed, bursting with excitement. He didn’t seem to care at all that his sister was different. "How is she different?"

"She said... she won’t give us money anymore."

After Dai Yingyue finished, Zheng He just comforted her, "She says that every time, doesn’t she? In the end, as soon as you start crying, she always gives in and pays up."

But this time, Dai Yingyue’s anxiety didn’t lessen.

It’s different, she muttered to herself. This time it’s really different.

「...」

「The next morning」

Xia Liang was fast asleep when a knock on the door woke him.

"Son, I’ve made breakfast. The rest of the food is in the fridge, so just heat it up when you want to eat. Your dad and I are going to resign."

"Okay!" Xia Liang replied with resignation. This is classic Mom and Dad. They know I already know this, but they still have to wake me up just to tell me. It would’ve been easier if they’d just woken me up for breakfast.

Shaking his head, Xia Liang got out of bed. In the other room, a sleepy-eyed Luu Qi was also getting up.

"Morning, Bro."

Xia Liang nodded and went to wash up.

After breakfast, the two of them headed out. Their main goal was to see if any nearby fish ponds or good storefronts were for sale.

As they were wandering down the street, a young woman holding a microphone suddenly saw them, her eyes lighting up as she walked over.

"Hello! I’m doing street interviews, and I’d like to ask you two a few questions. Would that be okay?"

Xia Liang sized up the woman in front of him.

Name: Zhao Na

Age: 24

Occupation: Video Blogger on a Certain Music Platform

Income: 0.3 points

Attractiveness: 82 (Makeup +5, Minor Cosmetic Procedures +5)

Strength: 3

Agility: 4

Intelligence: 5

Harmonious Value: 15 (Indescribable Act with One Person +10, Personal Indescribable Act +5)

Hmm, a quick glance is enough. Not my type.