Chapter 3, The Song Family Father and Son

Regarding the performance of the Song family father and son, Zhou Chongdu pretended not to see. At this moment, Old Master Song suppressed the displeasure in his heart and once again revealed a kind smile on his dark, plump face, saying: "Cousin Zhou is joking. A mere two hundred taels of debt is nothing to the Zhou family, but for our Song family, which runs a small business, it is truly a matter of life and death"

In his previous life, Zhou Chong had a rather volatile temper; otherwise, he would not have physically assaulted his boss at work. Although his experience of reincarnation made him appreciate the value of life and adopt a very optimistic attitude towards it, this does not imply that he lacks temper. In fact, quite the opposite is true. After becoming part of the gray crowd in his previous life, Zhou Chong was exposed to many dark aspects of society, which influenced his character. Therefore, when he truly harbors hatred towards someone, that person should be very cautious.

However, during the Ming Dynasty, the debt relationships among relatives were intertwined with more personal sentiments. Generally, the debtor would take the initiative to repay the money to the creditor. If they truly had no means to repay, they would at least inform the other party in advance, seeking to gain some additional time. On the other hand, if the creditor was in urgent need, they would not personally visit their relatives to demand repayment; instead, they would entrust a mutual acquaintance to mediate. This way, even if the debt could not be collected, the relationship between the two families would remain intact.

With a loud bang, Zhou Zhong stood up, his smile vanishing from his face, replaced by a look of intense malice. This was the first time since his transmigration that he felt an overwhelming rage, even more so than when he witnessed his discriminatory boss harassing a female colleague in his previous life. This time, the offense was directed at his own family, specifically his sister, which made it utterly intolerable for him as an elder brother

Seeing his young master display such a skill in changing expressions, Steward Xu was taken aback. He truly did not expect that this young master, whom he had watched grow up, possessed such depth of character. Just moments ago, he had been vehemently criticizing the Song family, and now he was able to greet them so warmly. This was completely different from the Zhou family's young master he remembered, who only knew how to study. Could it be that the decline of their family fortune had suddenly awakened a different side of his young master?

As Zhou Chong entered the hall, a warm smile immediately appeared on his originally calm face, as if he were greeting a highly respected elder. He stepped forward and bowed to Old Master Song, saying: "Uncle Song, it is an honor to have you visit. I apologize for not welcoming you properly; it is truly a breach of etiquette"

As soon as Zhou Chong entered the front hall, he saw a middle-aged man in his forties and a teenager standing in the lobby. The middle-aged man was dark and stout, dressed in a scholar's robe, with a broad nose and wide green bean-like eyes, and his appearance was indeed somewhat unflattering. In contrast, the young man was pale and thin, with well-defined features, but his eyes had more white than black, and when he looked at others, his gaze was elevated, giving off an air of arrogance.

"Zhong'er, our Zhou family has already fallen, and the entire household relies on you to support it. So you must not act impulsively. If the Song family wants to break off the engagement, let them do so. In the future, when Zhong'er passes the imperial examination, there will be plenty of opportunities for them to regret it!" Aunt Wang was taken aback by Zhou Zhong's words and hurriedly began to advise him. However, when she reached the last sentence, this honest woman also revealed a hint of resentment.

"Alright, you all need not persuade me any further; I understand all of this. For the sake of our family, I will not act impulsively." Zhou Zhong took a deep breath and spoke with great composure, "Butler Xu, please lead the way; let us go meet the Song family father and son!"

However, after listening again, Zhou Zhong revealed a face full of belief and sighed repeatedly, saying: "I originally thought that the Song family, being wealthy and influential, would have no difficulties of their own. It seems the old saying is true: even the landlord's family has no surplus grain"

The matter of Song's family coming to collect debts illustrates the ideological gap between Zhou Chong, a soul from the 21st century, and the people of the Ming Dynasty in the 16th century

Without asking, the two individuals standing inside must be Master Song and the second young master of the Song family. The reason they are standing rather than sitting is that all the tables and chairs in the hall have been sold off to pay debts, leaving the entire hall empty with no place to sit.

Whether in ancient or modern China, it has always been a society characterized by human relationships. However, in modern times, with the liberation of thought, the warmth of human connections has diminished significantly. For instance, among relatives, it is quite common to visit someone to collect a debt, as long as the person collecting the debt does not create a scene or cause a rift. In such cases, the relationship between the two families remains unaffected.

Zhou Chong is no longer the bookworm he once was; he naturally understands the current situation. The Zhou family is now struggling even to afford meals and has no qualifications to contend with the Song family. However, in his heart, Zhou Chong has already marked the Song family. The humiliation the Song family has inflicted upon the Zhou family today will surely be repaid a hundredfold in the future

Hearing this, the stout man from Song continued to lament his poverty, while Zhou Zhong couldn't help but sneer inwardly. However, he put on an even more pitiful facade, resembling a bankrupt young master driven to desperation by his creditors. He incessantly spoke kind words to Old Master Song, pleading for a few more days of grace, but unfortunately, he was firmly rejected by Old Master Song.

Thank you, Uncle Song, for your concern. I wonder if you have any important matters to discuss today? Zhou Chongming asked knowingly. He had already thought it through on his way to the hall; given the Song family's indifferent attitude, even if the other party did not withdraw, he would not be willing to give away the bracelet. However, now that the other party has taken the initiative to withdraw from the engagement, the initiative is in his hands, and the Song family must pay a small interest in advance for today's matter.

Upon hearing Zhou Chong's question, the stout and dark-skinned Master Song cast a meaningful glance at Butler Xu beside him. He had already made his intentions clear to Butler Xu earlier, and he did not believe that Zhou Chong was unaware of their purpose. However, since Zhou Chong was feigning ignorance, he could not refrain from responding. Thus, he suddenly broke into a wide smile and said: "Young Master Zhou may not be aware, but as the year-end approaches, the workers are all waiting to receive their wages to return home for the New Year. Our Song family operates a small business and is truly unable to manage cash flow, so we hope that Young Master Zhou can repay the outstanding debts from before."

Upon hearing that Zhou Chong was willing to repay the money, Old Master Song's eyes immediately lit up. However, before he could say anything, Zhou Chong spoke again: "However, as you can see, my situation is quite difficult, Uncle. You have come, yet there is not even a place for you to sit. Therefore, I am truly in a tight spot at the moment. May I kindly ask you to grant me a few more days?"

Both Master Song and his son were taken aback upon hearing this, their minds pondering where the saying "even the landlord's family has no surplus grain" originated. However, Zhou Chong did not give them any time to think, and immediately continued: "Since Uncle Shi has already spoken, it is only natural that the debts our Zhou family owes to Uncle Song must be repaid."

Hmm! '' https://wwwhetushu.com.com Xu Guanjia responded and turned to leave the small courtyard, with the two of them arriving one after the other at the front hall of the Zhou residence

The Song family and Zhou Chong's sister have already made a betrothal agreement, which means they are now in-laws, a relationship that is quite close. However, the Song family has now come to demand repayment, which is practically equivalent to tearing up the relationship. The fact that they would do such a thing indicates that the Song family does not care about this engagement at all, or that they have had a change of heart regarding it. They seem to want to use the act of demanding repayment as a means to force the Zhou family to break off the engagement.

Finally, Master Song estimated that the time was ripe, so he ceased the topic of debt collection. With a stern expression, he finally revealed his true intentions, saying: "Nephew Zhou, since you are so indifferent to the friendship between our two families and have been reluctant to repay the debt, I have nothing more to say. The daughter of the Zhou family is beyond the reach of our Song family, so I believe we should consider our families' engagement as concluded."

Indeed, Aunt Wang's words are reasonable. Young Master, your future is boundless, and it is truly unnecessary to stoop to the level of the Song family! Steward Xu also advised from the side; being well-versed in human affairs, he understood that given the current situation of the Zhou family, it was not wise to provoke the Song family any further

When Zhou Zhong was saying these words, a look of deep shame appeared on his face, as if he truly felt guilty for being unable to repay the money

Young Master, please do not be angry. The Song family has always been a group of petty individuals. It is said that recently, the second young master of the Song family has been quite close with the daughter of a wealthy merchant from Huating County. Their act of coming to demand repayment this time is likely an attempt to force us to take the initiative to break off the engagement, so that they can marry a woman who can bring them considerable business opportunities

"Others and books have bullied us, how can you expect me to calm down?" Zhou Chong coldly snorted in anger, his gaze flashing with a chilling light that made one feel uneasy

Old Master Song is indeed a seasoned businessman; when it comes to settling accounts, he is straightforward and unflinching, showing no signs of embarrassment despite the fact that both parties are in-laws. Meanwhile, Steward Xu silently curses in his heart. Although the Song family's business cannot compare to the former Zhou family, it is still among the notable ones in Songjiang Prefecture. To claim that there is no money to pay the workers is something even a ghost would not believe.

Zhou Chong, due to the early death of his parents, began working in society at a young age, experiencing the vicissitudes of human relationships. However, he never imagined that in the Ming Dynasty, collecting a debt would involve so many complexities. It was only after Steward Xu explained it to him for a long time that Zhou Chong finally understood.

Old Master Song was taken aback by Zhou Chong's enthusiastic demeanor. He had often visited the Zhou residence and had encountered Zhou Chong many times, but in his memory, Zhou Chong was merely a bookworm, lacking any understanding of social niceties. However, despite his surprise, Old Master Song did not show it too much and responded with equal warmth: "Nephew, there is no need for such formalities. I have heard of Brother Zhou's unfortunate incident, and it truly saddens me. Additionally, I hope you can find solace in this difficult time."

Master Song was quite pleased to hear that Zhou Chong was willing to repay the money, but he did not expect Zhou Chong to follow up with such a sudden twist, which left him both angry and resentful. However, his purpose for coming today was not solely to demand money; he had another, more important objective. Before achieving this objective, it was indeed unwise to confront Zhou Chong directly. Meanwhile, the young Master Song behind him displayed an impatient expression, attempting to speak several times, but was repeatedly stopped by Master Song.