Chapter 85: Threat

“Oh, so you’re here to demand payment, after all. Children from poor families really have no upbringing. You’ve already freeloaded off the Bai family by marrying in, but do you expect us to support your sister as well? What’s next, should we also take care of your country bumpkin parents?” Li Xiaojun’s words were sharp and stinging, making my anger rise uncontrollably.

I had come from Pi Family Village to River Crossing City. Aside from Pi Lin’er’s school enrollment, which had been agreed upon with Bai Ranhe in advance, I had never taken a single penny from the Bai family. Furthermore, Bai family owed their current standing entirely to my grandfather’s guidance. I could see Bai Ranhe had been influenced by Li Xiaojun to break his promise, intending to cut off Pi Lin’er’s tuition fees. I didn’t dwell on it, but said coldly, “Uncle Bai, I know you’re there. You’ve broken your word time and again—have you really not considered the consequences?”

Li Xiaojun snorted coldly on the other end of the phone. “You little brat, not even married in yet and already threatening your father-in-law? Let me tell you, we’re not paying Pi Lin’er’s tuition anymore. And if you can’t come up with five hundred thousand for the bride price, you can forget about marrying into our family. If you’re willing to cancel the engagement, perhaps I’d consider sponsoring your sister’s schooling.”

I could no longer hold back after hearing Li Xiaojun’s words. I replied coldly, “Sorry to disappoint you—your plan has failed. I’ve already gathered the money. Not just the bride price, but the tuition as well. My dear mother-in-law.”

Li Xiaojun was obviously stunned into silence for a moment. Then she spat viciously, “Fine. If I don’t see the money, you can forget about marrying my daughter.”

She hung up, leaving me standing there in a daze.

“Brother Xi, let’s go back. The countryside is good enough. I don’t want you marrying into the Bai family.” Pi Lin’er emerged from somewhere, her eyes red from crying, unable to bear seeing me treated unfairly.

I couldn’t bear to see Pi Lin’er suffer either. I quickly comforted her, “Don’t cry, sister. Your brother Xi has money now. Fifty thousand for tuition? When do you need to pay it?”

Fortunately, I had agreed to take Lu Jiu’s boat, earning a million in shipping fees—just enough for the bride price and tuition. Otherwise, I wouldn’t know what to do in this situation.

“The administration said I have to pay by the end of the day on Monday, or I can’t come anymore… The homeroom teacher said he’d try to help. If I really can’t raise it, he offered to pay it himself…” Pi Lin’er wiped her tears. “The teachers are all so kind to me. I don’t want to burden them.”

Hearing her say this eased my worries a little. There are still good people in this world. Truly good teachers make it their life’s mission to nurture students—Pi Lin’er had met such teachers. All the more reason not to let her return to a rural school where she’d have nothing.

“Brother Xi, don’t lie to me. I know our family’s situation—we don’t have fifty thousand. Let’s just go home.” Pi Lin’er was determined. “I can get into a good university even from home.”

I believed her, of course. But education and learning are two different things. The knowledge in the textbooks is the same, but what lies beyond them is worlds apart. When I went to college, I didn’t even know how to buy a subway ticket, while city kids had already traveled the world with their school summer camps. That’s an irreparable gap.

Seeing Pi Lin’er didn’t believe me, I called Lu Jiu. He answered with excitement, “Brother Pi, thought it over? I haven’t found a suitable apartment yet, but we can still share one for now.”

I said, “That million you promised for the shipping job—can you transfer it to my account by the end of Monday?”

Lu Jiu replied, “Look at you, always talking about money. Didn’t I say I’d pay you? I’ll send it as soon as the bank opens. You’re such a money-grubber. Hanging up now…”

Pi Lin’er’s eyes sparkled with happiness after hearing the call. She looked at me incredulously. “Brother Xi, did you win the lottery? Where did you get a million?”

Seeing her smile instantly lifted my spirits. I told Pi Lin’er to focus on studying; everything else was my responsibility. Besides, with the teachers investing so much in her, I couldn’t let her even think about returning to the countryside.

Pi Lin’er nodded vigorously and went back to her room, her face free from the previous worries as she joyfully did her homework.

But after everything that happened, a sense of unease began to gnaw at me. Bai Ranhe, for reasons unknown, no longer wanted me and Bai Xiaoli together. Yet he couldn’t easily retract his promise from the “Canal Marriage” event. He knew Pi Lin’er was my weakness. With the wedding day approaching, who knows what else Bai Ranhe might do to Pi Lin’er.

After dinner, Pi Lin’er returned to school. On my way to Granny Wan’s house, I spotted a rat. Instinctively, I spoke to it.

To my surprise, the rat stopped and looked up at me.

Seeing it seemed to understand my words, I told it that the Bai family might prevent Pi Lin’er from going to school, and asked it to seek the wise man from Shadow Cliff Mountain for help.