Chapter 35: Blackmailed

“No, no, no, Tian’er won’t run away! She won’t run away!” Qin Mingyue stood up, agitated. She knew Qin Youtian would return, but as for Hua Qinci… At this moment, she truly hoped they had escaped. Looking at the deposit slips in everyone’s hands, her heart beat irregularly.

“Sister Qin, why don’t you tell us what’s really going on? Why haven’t they returned yet? Or when will they come back—this afternoon, tonight, or tomorrow morning? The three-day deadline for the silver has already been exceeded by two days; how will those two days be accounted for?”

At the mention of silver, Qin Mingyue collapsed onto the bench, her face lost and helpless.

“I… I…”

“Everyone, don’t worry, don’t worry. Let’s wait a bit longer. Rare and expensive things aren’t so easy to sell. Besides, you all have received a fair amount of silver; don’t fuss over these two days, all right? Sister Qin is having a hard time! If this were any of you, I doubt you’d share it out with everyone,” Doctor Li said, and everyone began whispering among themselves again. Qin Mingyue hurried to add, “Doctor Li is right, it should… it should be like that! Don’t worry, everyone. We’re all neighbors here, and Qinci—Qinci wouldn’t deceive anyone.”

As she spoke, she dared not lift her eyes, afraid her face would betray her and reveal something.

Now that Doctor Li had spoken so reassuringly, everyone felt more at ease.

“Sister Qin, don’t worry. We’re all neighbors, none of us mean any harm. As long as Qinci comes back soon and settles the silver, even if it’s a little less, it’s all right,” someone said, patting Qin Mingyue’s hand.

“And besides, if Tian’er is in trouble, how could we not help? As for dividing the silver, that was Qinci’s promise, not our demand. Isn’t that right?”

“Yes, yes, that’s right. Everyone’s right. Let’s just wait a bit longer.”

The matter in the Qin family’s courtyard settled for the moment. With Qin Mingyue’s consent, Doctor Li took two strong men and entered the city.

On Hua Qinci’s side, an entire morning had been wasted. The three of them sat in the inn, sipping tea. Qin Youtian wanted to ask something, but recalling Hua Qinci’s coldness at that moment, he swallowed his words. It wasn’t that he had no solution—if only she admitted she was out of options, he could help her think of something.

But Hua Qinci had been in a daze since yesterday, showing no reaction at all.

Earlier, she would get angry because of Liu Bingbing, but now, no matter how close he got to Liu Bingbing, Hua Qinci remained unmoved.

“Cousin, we’ve been sitting here all morning. Let’s go out for a walk,” Liu Bingbing finally couldn’t sit still. Sitting with two stone statues was truly dull. She was certain Hua Qinci would agree to her request from last night—otherwise, would she really go off and die?

Last night, taking advantage of Qin Youtian’s absence, Liu Bingbing talked to Hua Qinci again, finishing what she hadn’t said on the bridge.

She said that if Hua Qinci agreed to let her enter the family as a concubine, she would persuade her mother to lend silver to help the Qin family repay their debts.

Although Hua Qinci didn’t respond at the time, Liu Bingbing was convinced the matter would be settled. Whatever the outcome, as long as she could marry into the Qin family, nothing else mattered. Even if she had to tell a few more lies, she’d do so without a blush or a tremor.

“All right, then cousin will take you out for a stroll!”

“Yes, yes!” Liu Bingbing was delighted beyond measure.