C18 Tear!

Mr. Zong was furious, but he knew that sending Qingshan to school was indeed a lie told by his second son.

"Qingshan, family matters should be kept private. If you make a scene, how can I continue being the village head?"

"Mom and Dad, I've always known you favor my second brother. I've tried to keep the peace for years, but what have I gained from it?"

He became more agitated as he spoke. "You both work tirelessly every day, yet my brother constantly uses your health as an excuse to take all the good food, clothes, and supplies from my home. Have you ever called him out on it? No, you haven't!"

"You keep squeezing me dry, and now you want to bleed me dry too?"

"But don't forget, we've already divided the family assets, and my obligations are clearly written down. If you think you can keep taking from me, you're dreaming!"

This was too much for Zong Qinghui. "That's nonsense. Your family isn't struggling, and every time you gave, it was voluntary."

"Mom, Dad, did you hear that? This is the second son you've protected all your life, your precious one. You can spoil him all you want, but as his brother, I have no obligation to support him. From now on, we'll do things by the book."

"And don't bring up my position as village head. If you had a real case, you would have gone to the town authorities long ago instead of complaining here."

Since becoming the village head, aside from cleaning up after his brother's messes, his own family hadn't received any special treatment.

Mr. and Mrs. Zong were stunned. Their most reliable tactic had failed. They knew Zong Qinghui was in the wrong. If they took it to the authorities, they'd not only lose but also bear the shame of family discord, losing face in the community.

"Son, how did you become like this? Is it money that's changed you? Let me tell you, there's no need to pretend to be something you're not, especially for a girl."

Mrs. Zong was cut off by Zong Qingshan before she could finish her sentence.

"Yeah, a girl like her doesn't deserve anything. My money, my things, they're only good for sending your way, huh."

Mr. Zong realized that continuing the conversation might lead to more unpleasantness. "Qingshan, I think you're not thinking straight. Let's talk when you've calmed down."

He pulled Mrs. Zong away, leaving Zong Qinghui surprised that even bringing up their parents didn't help this time.

He wanted to throw out some harsh words, but the fierce look in Zong Qingshan's eyes made him shiver. He tucked his tail between his legs and scurried off.

The gossip about the Zong family spread through the village like wildfire.

"Parents playing favorites is nothing new, but those two old folks in the Zong family are something else. They favor the useless second son over the accomplished third son."

"Who would've thought the village chief's second brother was like that? He looks so honest and simple, but inside he's so sly."

"If you ask me, the chief's just desperate. He needs money for his daughter's dowry, and his brother just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time."

Various opinions floated around, but gradually the third one gained traction. After all, everyone knew how eager Zong Qingshan was to buy a house!

Mrs. Wang couldn't hold back any longer and hurried to find someone to negotiate.

Qi Qianshan had always been at odds with the Zong family, but he never really intended to buy. Now, being asked to put down a $50 deposit to sign a contract, he wasn't interested. "Mrs. Wang, buying a house isn't a small matter. If you're in such a rush, you won't get a good price."

"I know, but you once said my house was worth $300 to $500. How much are you willing to offer now?"

She understood the situation, but she needed money, so Qi Qianshan, who usually got his way, was at a loss with her.

"Your house is good, and I truly believe it's worth $300 to $500, but you know my family's situation. Even if we don't talk about dividing the family assets, it's not easy to gather that kind of money quickly."

If he could stretch it out, paying ten or fifteen dollars a year, he'd be more than willing to take it on.

"So, how much are you offering? How much can you put down as a deposit, and how long will it take you to come up with the rest?" Mrs. Wang pressed, determined to get to the bottom of it.

Qi Qianshan wasn't keen on giving a direct answer. "Mrs. Wang, for something this big, I need to discuss it with my family first. I can't rush it. How about I get back to you tomorrow?"

"That's not going to work. I need to sell that place by tonight at the latest. You know that, and you're just stringing us along!"

Usually, she enjoyed flattery, but right now, she only wanted straight answers, like the village chief who could put down a $200 deposit and sign the contract on the spot.

Qi Qianshan didn't follow her line of thinking. "Mrs. Wang, that's not how it works. This is a big decision, and you sprung it on us so suddenly. Even in the village, there aren't many who would commit just like that."

He knew that the only ones seriously considering that rundown shack were the Qingshan family; everyone else was just curious and would only jump in if they could snag a bargain.

Mrs. Wang was taken aback by his words. The reason she was in such a hurry was that, after asking around, she couldn't even get an offer close to $200, let alone over $150.

Maybe she was rushing things too much. She needed to discuss it with her husband.