CHAPTER 1586: CHAPTER 1587: THE GIRL WITH THREE FAILURES 94

Uncle Zhang’s family isn’t without money; it’s just tied up in three-year and five-year fixed deposits.

Eldest Aunt Zhang watched her husband fumble with the deposit slips, trying to gather enough money, tears brimming in her eyes. "Can’t I just not pay them back?"

Uncle Zhang didn’t even look up. "Sure, but when the time comes, it’ll be me and our son who’ll be humiliated, not you."

"You’re always trying to show off; all you do is yap, yap, yap. See what happens now? They’ve always wanted us to repay them, just never had the chance before."

"Now look, you’re just an idiot who charged in recklessly."

"Forget it, the debt must be repaid. It’s better to pay than to have them show up at your workplace asking for it," he tried to console.

"What if they’re too scared to do it?" Eldest Aunt Zhang refused to believe that Mrs. Zhang and her family would go that far.

"Did they really go and raise a banner?"

"Yeah, because it doesn’t embarrass you." Just as Uncle Zhang was about to scold his wife, their son and daughter-in-law came home.

Seeing their parents’ sour faces, they asked, "Mom and Dad, what’s wrong?"

The elder cousin, knowing his mother had gone to look at houses with his uncle and Zhang Yu’s family, quickly asked, "Mom, how was the house-hunting with them today?"

The elder sister-in-law was also curious, looking to her mother-in-law with anticipation; a colleague had bought a house in the same community and praised its excellent management.

"We didn’t really look. As soon as I went in, I saw your Second Uncle’s family. They bought a three-bedroom, two-living room, and two-bathroom house in full payment," Eldest Aunt Zhang said bitterly.

What? The elder cousin and his wife were stunned, not expecting Zhang Yu’s family to have bought a house. After a pause, he said, "Second Uncle’s family has that much money?"

"Well, apparently not now; they’re asking us to pay them back by tomorrow night," Eldest Aunt Zhang replied, annoyed.

"No money." The elder cousin looked frustrated, never intending to repay it back then. "Zhang Yu earns so much a year; how can they have the nerve to ask for money?"

They never intended to repay when they borrowed it; they simply wouldn’t pay.

"Well, if you don’t, they’ll show up at your workplace with signs." Uncle Zhang retaliated angrily, "I don’t have that much cash on hand; you’ll need to prepare a hundred thousand."

Uncle Zhang dreaded the interest loss, so he didn’t want to withdraw prematurely, instead asking his son to chip in.

His son was shocked to be asked for money. "Mom and Dad, you know how big our expenses are," he protested.

"Your monthly expenses aren’t that big; we’ve bought your house and car," Uncle Zhang argued, insisting they cough up the money.

The elder cousin had no choice. He wanted to be tough and remind them the debt wasn’t his to repay, saying they shouldn’t expect money from him in the future.

The elder sister-in-law grudgingly admitted, "Your parents do have money." Back in their room, she wasn’t pleased.

"I know they have money, but if they want us to repay, what can I do?"

"Do you want my parents to see us poorly and how will we exchange houses otherwise?" The elder cousin attempted to gently reassure his wife.

The elder sister-in-law knew the money had to come out and sighed in resignation, "Alright then, we’ll pay."

"So will we still be able to buy a house?" She was eager, having just seen a house they liked and had envisioned how to decorate it.

"Of course, you know how much appearance matters to my parents; if my uncle has bought a house, my mom will surely do the same."

The elder sister-in-law agreed, knowing how her mother-in-law, in particular, valued image and wouldn’t want to appear lesser than others. "This time, we must live as just the three of us without the elders."

"Absolutely." The elder cousin also disliked living with his parents, facing numerous restrictions and unable to freely invite friends over.

"As for the decoration, it must be according to my tastes." They were now living in a house bought after having their child, shared with three generations.

Supposedly a house for the young couple, it was decorated entirely based on the parents’ tastes, making the elder sister-in-law uncomfortable with its old-fashioned décor and furniture.

The elder cousin also had strong opinions about their home’s decor. "Don’t worry, we’ll decorate according to your wishes."

Just then, Eldest Aunt Zhang came over to ask if they had managed to gather the money. To her surprise, she overheard them discussing not wanting the parents to live in the new house.

She had already planned with Old Zhang to sell their two old homes and keep the current one, buying two new homes—one two-bedroom for them and another three-bedroom for their son’s family.

They wouldn’t be living together anymore; she was older and found housework tiring, leaving the son’s family’s chores to her daughter-in-law.

She couldn’t believe her daughter-in-law was planning not to live with them, even though she, as a mother-in-law, had borne no issues yet.

After all the money spent by them, Eldest Aunt had no part of the new house, infuriating her.

She had thought of asking her son if they needed money now; but seeing this, she wouldn’t ask, convinced they couldn’t be strapped for cash.

The couple discussing in the bedroom had no idea Eldest Aunt Zhang had overheard everything.

Uncle Zhang was in the living room, pacifying his grandson, when he saw his wife approach looking upset, "What’s wrong with you?"

She initially didn’t want to say it, attributing issues to the daughter-in-law, not the son. But considering the future implications, she vented everything she heard to her husband.

Uncle Zhang didn’t want to live with his son but didn’t expect to be rejected by them.

"We should move back to the old house in a while." Uncle Zhang muttered after a smoke, suddenly dropping this idea.

What? Move back to the old house? Eldest Aunt was stunned and asked, "Not buying a new house?"

"No, we’ve paid back the debt; we can’t afford a new house." Mr. Zhang calculated the available money and decided against buying.

"You see, though Laoer’s family only has a daughter, she’s filial. Look at our children; how many have bought a house for their parents? It’s always the parents buying for the kids."

"People say our son is successful and filial, but compared to Laoer’s kids..." Uncle Zhang recalled how much Laoer and his wife traveled over the years.

"They even buy food, drinks, and necessities for them online and send it over."

"Can you say that about our kids?" Uncle Zhang sighed softly, recognizing the stark difference.

"Are you telling me Little Yu bought that house, paid in full?" Eldest Aunt was utterly shocked, doubtful of her husband’s words.

Uncle Zhang also found it hard to believe. "You’ve some idea how much Laoer’s family earns. Could they really afford a house?"

Her husband’s words left her speechless. Yes, she could deny it, but facts were facts.