Victory in Life
Chapter 47
76-77
The village was not big, so it took less than five minutes before Jasper arrived at the village chief's house.
In fact, the house only had a larger garden in front. Jasper had not even reached the door when he heard the sharp voice of a woman with a strong accent.
"We're more than neighbors, Charlie, we're family. I help you when your family needs it. It's just a small matter and you suddenly came to fight me because of it? Aren't you afraid to embarrass yourself"
"If I have to say something, then it's always the poor who have so many problems. What do you even need that land for? Can you even build a house? If you're just gonna waste it and leave it empty, then you better give it to us."
"Absolutely. I just don't understand why you think you're here. You don't want to give us a piece of land? All right, then pay back the 10,000 dollars we lent you!"
"Didn't your son live in the city? So you have the money to buy your son a house but not to pay us back?"
The roar of a man suddenly sounded amidst the accusations flying around the room.
"I admit I borrowed money from you and I promise I'll pay it back, but it has nothing to do with a piece of land. The land was given to me by our ancestors. I can't give it to you!"
"Hhhh!" The sharp voice of the woman from before sounded again. "Then pay us back! I've never seen someone as shameless as you, buying a house in town even when you're broke. Aren't you ashamed of pretending to be a big guy?"
"Fright! Don't talk nonsense anymore. Either you hand over the land and we'll give you more time to pay us back, or you pay us back now!"
"Everyone knows how broken your family is. You don't even have any skills at all. I should have known that you were nothing but useless trash."
"Enough about him, isn't his son also useless? I've long heard that they bought a house for their son because his girlfriend wanted a house before she married him."
"What a joke. They're already very broke and they still want to tarnish another family's daughter? Then, what do you get in return for borrowing money and buying a house? All you have now is debt. How great a father you are."
"Don't you see how stupid this father and son are? Who knows, maybe that girl has even cheated the house."
"Absolutely. You're 50 years old, and yet you can't even spend ten dollars? Don't you even have any shame? What kind of family is so blind to marry their daughter to you?"
Dhuaks!
The garden door was kicked open, and his voice interrupted everyone's debate.
Jasper's expression was cold as he stared at the seven to eight people in the room.
Excluding the village chief and his wife, the other five were members of his aunt's family.
Meanwhile, his father faced everyone alone.
Jasper's appearance surprised merey, but her aunt quickly spoke in a furious tone, 'Huh, and now I think someone important has come in. Turns out it was just a useless child of a useless parent."
The village chief frowned and glared at Jasper before turning his head towards Charlie. "Your son is too disrespectful, Charlie. Kicking the door, what did he think I was?"
Charlie frowned as he looked at Jasper. "Why did you come?"
Jasper and Charlie's relationship is very similar to others in this country, where fathers will be more serious and less strict.
Boys would be more willing to spend time with their mothers, and their impression of their fathers was mostly filled with fear.
In his last life, to the end, Jasper's relationship with Charlie was a bit distant.
However, Jasper never once ignored Charlie's love for her.
Her father just doesn't know how best to express his feelings.
When Penelope is aggressive and humiliates him from time to time, Charlie, who is hot-blooded like her, chooses to keep quiet so that Jasper doesn't put her in a difficult position.
Just like that, a manly village man bore the insults of his daughter-in-law.
After living two lives, Jasper finds himself overwhelmed with emotions as he looks at his father's aging features.
"Mom said something was going on at home, so I came back" replied Jasper.
"This has nothing to do with you. Don't interfere in other people's affairs." Charlie glared at Sally who followed after reprimanding for telling Jasper about this.
+++
"Go out with your mother. I'll be out in a minute."
It was like when Jasper was young. For Charlie, Jasper will always be a child who can't solve adult situations like this.
"Did you bring money?" Ask Jasper to Wendy.
When Jasper asks Wendy to come pick him up at the airport, Jasper also tells him to take some money.
Wendy nodded and took out ten new one hundred dollar bills.
While everyone in the house was still stunned by Wendy's refined beauty, they saw her spending the money.
Everyone's eyes sparkled as they stared at Jasper in disbelief.
Jasper's family is known to be poor, and while Charlie has done all he can to buy a house in town, it only worsens their family's situation.
Now there's a hundred dollar bill. Where did Jasper get the money?
"It's 20,000. I paid the 10,000 I borrowed to your family double!"
Jasper then took out two packs and handed them to the middle-aged woman in a cold tone. "My family doesn't owe you anything anymore, so stop using those 10,000 as your bargaining chip."
Turning around, Jasper then handed the four parcels to the village chief." We owe your family 20,000 when my father went to see a doctor. I'm paying you back right now. Here, 40,000 plus flowers!"
The village chief was shocked to receive the money and asked, "Where did you get the money, Jasper?"
"Didn't you see how he got it out of the pretty lady's hand? Who knows, maybe he found a rich woman in town and got himself a beautiful woman?"
Jasper's aunt's son, Bard, has always been a village bastard. People were afraid of him in the village. The man spoke with envy as his gaze was fixed on Wendy.
His words triggered the reaction of everyone there.
"That's fine. I heard Jasper has been doing bad things lately. There's no way he's got a lot of money. Bard's right, he must've sold himself to someone."
"The good god. What a shame to the Laine family! How could your family give birth to such an embarrassing child, Charlie?"
Aunt Jasper pointed at Charlie and accused him.
Charlie's expression turned sour. His gaze when he saw Jasper was filled with doubt and anger.
If that was the case, then Charlie would never be able to hold his head up high again.
"I make my own money" replied Jasper.
"Omong empty!"
Bard sneers. "Don't think it's just because we're not so knowledgeable that you can get away with lying to us. We've been hearing for a long time that you're the lowest trash in town. If you have the guts to sell yourself to the rich, why don't you dare admit it?"
"You're the one talking nonsense!"
Selly stand. He could not bear to see his son accused like this."
"You see it for yourself or what? Don't accuse people of doing something they didn't do when you don't even have proof!*
Aunt Jasper scoffed and was about to speak when Charlie suddenly stood up.
"Enough! If Jasper says he didn't do it, then he didn't. I saw this kid grow up. You think I don't know if he lied to me?
"We've already paid your money, so stop using it as leverage."
Then, Charlie pulled Jasper to leave.
"Wait, Dad. There's more I want to say!"
"Jasper gestured to Charlie that it was fine.
Taking two steps to stand in the middle of the courtyard, Jasper swept his gaze across everyone's faces as he spoke nonchalantly, "We're a poor family, we're a poor family, and I admit that we've borrowed money from all of you for various reasons."
"However, no matter how you ridicule and humiliate my parents when we borrow money, the truth is that we have also paid it all back by now. I have done my part, returned the money I borrowed and with interest as well!"
"So from today onwards, whether it's a plot of land or a contract field, or whatever, if it's not ours, we won't touch it. But if it's my family's, don't ever dream of taking advantage of my family because I'll never let you!"
"I don't care what you all think. What matters is what you do in the future. Continue, and we can all still be a close family and friends group. But if you show off your fangs first, then don't blame me for turning against you too!"