Chapter 481 — How Am I Supposed to Repay It?

"That same boss from last time? Didn't you already pay them back the hundred and fifty thousand?" Tang Zhi was taken aback, staring at her brother in confusion.

"I did give him the hundred and fifty thousand, but he says that was the rate ten years ago, and now that prices have multiplied so many times over, the hundred and fifty thousand has to be adjusted for interest too!" At this, Xiaowei looked thoroughly indignant. "He says either we pay him back principal and interest, five hundred thousand, or Xiaodan stays on working at the company, or we pay up..."

"Five hundred thousand?" Tang Zhi's eyes went wide. "How can they open their mouths so wide? Turning a hundred and fifty into five hundred just like that? Does he have a contract? What if we take him to court?"

"What contract?" Xiaowei smiled bitterly. "If there were a contract, things would never have come to this! The only contract is the employment agreement we signed — Xiaodan is to work for him, and if she breaks the agreement, she has to compensate him for all his losses. And that 'all his losses' doesn't specify any amount, so he can say whatever he pleases! Besides, even if we could really take him to court, we can't afford the time or the money... and hasn't Uncle Tang's matter gone unresolved too?"

Tang Zhi sighed. Xiaowei was right — their family was in the weaker position to begin with; how could they stand against those wealthy big bosses? Never mind whether they could win the lawsuit; even if they did win, the man would only trip Xiaowei up behind his back, and it would still be their own family that suffered.

"But... you tell me, what can I possibly do?" Tang Zhi lowered her head. She understood Xiaowei's meaning perfectly well — he wanted her to ask Wei Zhao for money — but how was she supposed to ask Wei Zhao for money now?

"Yun'er, it's true I happen to have the five hundred thousand Wei Zhao gave us on hand, but isn't that the money for buying the shopfront? If we hand it over, our family won't be able to buy the shopfront!" Mother Tang cut in at this point. "See if you can talk to Wei Zhao — ask him for another five hundred thousand?"

"Ask for what? Do you take him for a money tree?" Tang Zhi grew agitated and rose abruptly to her feet.

"What money tree? He's got money, and this money is nothing to him..." Mother Tang looked at her daughter with the air of one whose disappointment was beyond words. "Right now you've got the capital to ask for money, so you must ask for more. Once you open your mouth, he'll surely agree!"

"That's right, sis, I'm begging you. You're the only one who can help in this, and brother-in-law is the only one who can help. If you don't go, what's to become of Xiaodan? You can't just watch her walk into the tiger's mouth!" Xiaowei urged anxiously.

"You don't understand at all! You don't know anything about what's between Wei Zhao and me — why do you always have to push me to go ask for money? Why do you always have to push me?" Tang Zhi was beside herself; tears were about to fall, and her voice came out hoarse and shrill. "I already owe him so much money — how am I supposed to repay it? How am I supposed to repay it? I'm the one who has to go ask him for money, not you — what am I supposed to do with myself after this?"

Mother Tang looked helplessly at her frenzied daughter. "Yun'er, don't you see? Wei Zhao is fond of you. Your beauty is your capital! If you don't make good use of it, then once he breaks up with you, you'll have plenty to regret!"

"Break up — that's right! We've already broken up!" Tang Zhi had not wanted to air her own humiliation, but driven to the end of her patience, she could only say bitterly, "He doesn't want me anymore. Are you satisfied now? The money this morning — that was his breakup payment to me!"

"What?" Mother Tang froze. Father Tang, Xiaowei, and Xiaodan froze as well. "Yun'er, you... what are you saying? Wei Zhao broke up with you? You must be joking?"

"Joking, what joke? Do I look like I'm joking?" As Tang Zhi spoke, thinking of today's heartbreak piled on top of the grievance she was enduring now, her eyes reddened and the tears came, heedless of her pride.

"This..." Mother Tang was at a loss seeing her daughter cry. Snobbish as she was, her heart was ultimately with Tang Zhi. She hurried to take her daughter in her arms. "There, there, Yun'er, don't cry... if it's a breakup, then it's a breakup. I said long ago he was no good, a spoiled rich young master, a wolf with a dog's heart..."

Hearing her mother say this, Tang Zhi found it rather funny, and her tears gave way to laughter despite herself. "Mom, didn't you used to say he was good?"

"What? I..." Mother Tang was momentarily embarrassed. "Yun'er, did he take any advantage of you?"

"No..." Tang Zhi shook her head. "I told him that before he took me to meet his parents, it wasn't allowed..."

"Good, then, good!" Mother Tang was instantly overjoyed. "Since he didn't take advantage, then let it go. We've gotten seven hundred thousand for nothing — that's a huge profit!"

"Mom, what are you saying! That money has to be returned to him!" Tang Zhi panicked at once, hearing that her mother meant to keep Wei Zhao's money. "How could I owe him that much and not pay it back?"

"And why not? He's the one who threw you over, not the other way round. Besides, what he gave you was a breakup payment — it's only right that we take it!" Mother Tang said, wholly unconcerned.

Xiaowei was dumbstruck at this point. He had never imagined that his sister and Wei Zhao had already broken up. He had been counting on her to borrow the money, but now...

"Sis, then what's to become of my problem..." Xiaowei hung his head dejectedly, and beside him Xiaodan's face was full of despair.

"Xiaowei, don't worry. Auntie won't buy the shopfront — we'll use the money for you first!" Though snobbish, Mother Tang was not the cold and heartless sort; toward her family she was generous. "Even if Auntie has to struggle, I can't let you and Xiaodan suffer. Here's what we'll do — in a little while, you take the money over to them first!"

"Mom! You still want to touch that money? I already told you, it has to go back to Wei Zhao!" Tang Zhi grew anxious at once. She had told Feng Xiaoxiao that very day that she would return the money to Wei Zhao—how could they still be talking about using it?

"A breakup fee is naturally yours to keep! Do you want to watch your brother go down a dead end?" Mother Tang glared at Tang Zhi. "It's good enough that he isn't asking for another sum—and you want to give it back to him?"

"I..." Tang Zhi was struck mute. Yes, the money had to be returned, but Xiaowei's troubles could not be ignored either. What was she to do? Yet if she truly took this money with a clear conscience, what would Wei Zhao think of her? He would surely look down on her, and Feng Xiaoxiao would certainly mock her for being vain and greedy while pretending to be above it all...

For a moment, Tang Zhi found herself caught in a dilemma.

"Yun'er, why are you so foolish? He toyed with you—isn't it only natural that he pays?" Mother Tang snorted.

"Toyed with? Mom, must you say it so crudely..." Tang Zhi flushed at once.