Inside the car, after listening to Ni Yuhua's account, Chen Feng felt speechless.
All I can say is that Chen Guoxiang is too lacking in vigilance and self-control to fall for such a straightforward pig-slaughtering trap.
However, if truth be told, one can't lay all the bla on him.
Such pig-slaughter traps, seemingly simple, still ensnare many people, including those with high intelligence, high education, or even prestigious positions.
They prey on people's greed. In the bustling atmosphere of the casino, watching others win tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, even millions right before your eyes is incredibly tempting for soone without a lot of money; it's hard not to be moved.
"Who was the friend that took him to the underground gambling den?" Chen Feng was curious about the friend who led him into the trap.
Ni Yuhua said with a face full of resentnt, "It's a friend he grew up with, they have so familial connection. After losing the gamble, Guoxiang questioned him if he deliberately led him into a pitfall. But the friend repeatedly denied it, swore on his life, and Guoxiang couldn't do anything about it."
"What about those running the underground gambling den? Do you know them?"
"We only know that the boss of the casino is called Ma Laoliu, and he has a group of goons under him, mostly ex-convicts."
"So he's a mobster. We should report them to the police and have them arrested."
Ni Yuhua laughed bitterly, "If it were that simple, those who lost heavily wouldn't have to repay their debts. When these people borrow money for gambling, they sign regular loan agreents and IOUs, which are considered private lending and protected by law. We have consulted lawyers about this.
Moreover, even if we report them for illegal gambling, there's no evidence. Each ti they gather to gamble, the location isn't fixed, and they always frisk you beforehand to prevent soone from secretly recording, making it impossible to capture evidence of their casino operations. Also, Ma Laoliu and his gang are extrely cunning and ruthless. Soone previously lost in gambling, refused to repay the debt, and reported it to the police. Naturally, there was no evidence proving that Ma Laoliu ran a casino, and later, the person who reported them got into a scuffle with soone during an outing and had his legs broken."
Chen Feng chuckled, "Just broken legs, not killed outright?"
Ni Yuhua looked at him speechless for a good while before saying, "That's why they're cunning. If it resulted in a murder case, the police would thoroughly investigate and might trace it back to them. But they only had the person break the reporter's legs, and it resulted from mutual fighting. As long as it doesn't cause permanent injury, a dical examination would only classify it as a minor injury. With a good lawyer, they would be out in one or two years. Additionally, they can also sue that person to reclaim the money lent."
Chen Feng chuckled and said, "That's a clever tactic; they abide by principles, seeking only money, not life. Did your husband sign a loan agreent or write an IOU too?"
Ni Yuhua nodded, "There's a loan contract signed with a loan company, one million, and there are two IOUs, each for fifty thousand, borrowed from individuals. Actually, they're all from that group of people."
Chen Feng was enlightened, realizing the organized approach of the opposing party, with legitimate loan contracts and IOUs promising success in court litigation, and a group of ex-convicts for enforcent.
Ordinary folks facing such a group can only obediently sell their house, car, and borrow money everywhere to repay debts.
After thinking it over, Chen Feng said, "I can't lend you two million to repay gambling debts, but I can find soone to negotiate with Ma Laoliu and see if they can waive so interest for your husband, allowing you to repay slowly."
Ni Yuhua was greatly disappointed and pleaded, "We know you're very wealthy now; this car of yours must be worth a million. Rumor has it you have a villa in Xiu Zhou. Two million surely isn't much for you."
In Chen Feng's mind, two million is not much for , but must I lend it to you?
If the other party needed it urgently for a serious illness, Chen Feng might lend it, but lending to pay off gambling debts was out of the question.
"You're really approaching the wrong person asking for money. Even if I have so money, how can I lend it for repaying gambling debts? Also, let give you so sincere advice: this trouble was caused by Guoxiang, and you don't have to sacrifice so much for him. If you help him navigate this crisis smoothly this ti, who knows, he might have a second ti."
Chen Feng's words were genuinely heartfelt, considering that she was willing to sacrifice herself to borrow money for her husband to repay gambling debts.
Ni Yuhua laughed bitterly, "Guoxiang has always treated well, been good to , good to my parents, good to the children. He deeply regrets this incident already; I can't just let it go."
Chen Feng said solemnly, "Actually, you could let it go; you could divorce him. Those people collecting debts would go to him anyway, and if they sued, they could only sue him; you don't have to help him repay the debts."
Ni Yuhua shook her head, "Even if we divorce, it would be after repaying this debt. Besides, I don't want the child to grow up in a broken ho."
What more could Chen Feng say? He could only envy Chen Guoxiang for having married such a good wife.
In such cases, most won would choose to divorce their husbands. One reason is to avoid being dragged into trouble with themselves and their family; another is the saying, "When trouble cos, each bird flies separately."
Besides, the husband gambling and incurring debts is a valid reason for the wife to file for divorce, and it's widely understood.
"I'm really out of options. Both my family and Guoxiang's family aren't wealthy, and among our relatives and friends, even those with so money wouldn't lend us much. We currently know only you among the wealthy people we can approach. I an what I say, if you lend money, I can accompany you... for two months."
Ni Yuhua's face flushed with sha as waves of embarrassnt surged within her, forcing herself to hold back and look at Chen Feng with expectant and pleading eyes.
"Accompany for two months, would your husband agree?" Chen Feng shook his head, looking at her with amusent.
"I... I can persuade him." Ni Yuhua said, as she couldn't very well say that Chen Guoxiang had already agreed.
Chen Feng shook his head again, "Forget it; you're a married woman, and I can't do sothing immoral like that."
Ni Yuhua argued, "This is willingly agreed upon by the three of us, nothing to do with morality."
"You are a married woman; even if Guoxiang tacitly agrees, it's still against ethical morality, and I can't do it," Chen Feng insisted.
Ni Yuhua was both angry and embarrassed and confused by his attitude. She didn't know if Chen Feng was sincere or just pretending, hoping she would beg him more forcefully.
It's infuriating!
"Chen Feng, are you really not interested in ?" Ni Yuhua asked desperately, looking displeased.
"Stop it," Chen Feng waved his hand. "You're a good wife and should stand firm and not do sothing you might regret in the future. Two million in gambling debt isn't a massive amount; you can sell your house to repay the debt and continue running the hardware store's business. You could repay it in a few years."
User Comments
0 comments from readers