I meet all the requirements for becoming a god in this world!

As that heart-wrenching scream rang out.

Soon, a large number of villagers gathered to watch the spectacle.

However, most of them were standing in front of their own houses, looking towards this place.

Cheng Laiyun looked toward the source of the voice.

An old woman dressed in black cloth stood at the door of the thatched hut, her face flushed with grief and indignation, tears welling in her eyes, gesturing wildly...

Although the old woman had a full head of white hair and her face was covered with wrinkles, she exuded a fierce aura, pointing to the sky and cursing the earth.

I just saw this old woman.

Information about the old woman immediately came to Cheng Laiyun's mind.

Zhao family.

My cousin Cheng Lingqiao's mother-in-law.

The original owner and her cousin were from Chengjia Village, which was not far from this Big Locust Tree Village.

Actually, to be honest, the original owner's father was once the village head of Chengjia Village. Although his family was not wealthy, they were certainly not short of food and drink.

Unfortunately, an epidemic eight years ago took many lives and destroyed many warm families.

Although the original owner was lucky enough to survive the plague, she became an orphan and depended on her surviving cousin for survival.

However, my cousin was quite lucky. After the plague, she met her honest and kind-hearted husband, Zhao Huaili.

Zhao Huaili was usually quiet and reserved, but he was extremely kind to his cousin.

Out of affection for the owner, Zhao Huaili even spent money to find the original owner an apprenticeship at Xu's Cloth Shop.

Moreover, he often helped the original owner, sending him food, clothing, and other necessities during holidays.

My cousin was also very capable; in the second year after she married into the Zhao family, she gave birth to a big, healthy boy, whom she named Zhao Hu.

But it was because of the help of his brother-in-law, Zhao Huaili.

The original owner had heard plenty of sarcastic remarks from her brother-in-law's mother, Zhao.

Upon hearing these words, the original owner felt so ashamed that she considered severing ties with the Zhao family several times.

……

However, Cheng Laiyun now thinks that although Zhao was a bit fierce in her speech, she was not a bad person at heart.

After all, in this feudal era where filial piety was paramount, how could Zhao Huaili have easily taken out money to help the original owner without Zhao's approval?

But then again.

This Zhao woman is fierce by nature and is definitely not someone to be trifled with.

Who is this living devil who has driven her to such a predicament?

Why are you crying out so helplessly in front of your own door?

At this moment, Zhao's heart-wrenching cries continued.

"No matter how much you throw a tantrum, it won't work."

"Cheng Laiyun has been convicted of betraying his teacher and has been arrested and imprisoned."

"It was your son, Zhao Huaili, who brought Cheng Laiyun into my Xu Family Cloth Shop and pressed his fingerprint on it."

"So, according to the agreement, you now have to compensate my Xu's Cloth Shop with eighty taels of silver."

"The contract is still in order, there's no way to deny it! If you don't want to go to jail, you'd better pay up now."

A hoarse voice rang out from behind Zhao.

Then a tall, thin old man came out of the Zhao family's thatched hut.

The old man had a distinctive appearance; his sparse hair was tied up with a small wooden stick, his face was gloomy, and his nose was swollen and red.

A brocade robe wrapped around it, making it look like a pen holder covered in cloth—a bizarre and incongruous sight.

He slowly combed the long hair on a black mole in his nasolabial fold, his eyebrows slightly raised, his expression as indifferent as if he were watching a mouse rolling on the ground.

"The Cheng family's ancestral graves were struck by lightning!"

"You've brought such a calamity upon my Zhao family!!"

"Cheng Laiyun, you heartless bastard!!"

"I found you a job, but you don't do it properly. You don't deserve to be called a human being..."

Zhao was sitting on the ground, her face ashen, still cursing.

Heaven has mercy.

She turned a blind eye to her son arranging work for the Cheng siblings because she saw that they were all alone and destitute.

It should be noted that back then, it cost twenty taels of silver to pull strings just to get Cheng Laiyun an apprenticeship at Xu's Cloth Shop.

Little did I expect that my good intentions would lead me to this terrible calamity.

In this world, it's ultimately impossible to be a good person or have a kind heart!

"Manager Xu... we absolutely cannot come up with eighty taels of silver right now." My cousin Cheng Lingqiao stumbled out of the thatched hut.

Her lips were dry, her face was pale, her appearance was not particularly beautiful, and her eyes were red and swollen from crying.

She bit her lip and looked at Steward Xu in a humble tone:

"Could you grant me some more time...? I will definitely pay the salary by then."

This statement lacked any real conviction.

Her husband, Zhao Huaili, was a blacksmith, earning only eight taels of silver a month.

His son, Zhao Hu, was also learning martial arts at the martial arts school, and the annual cost of buying spirit rice alone was over a hundred taels.

The whole family is struggling to make ends meet.

How could they possibly come up with eighty taels?

Manager Xu sized Cheng Lingqiao up from head to toe, then stroked the long hairs on his face with a forced smile:

"I don't have the time to wait for you guys to pool your money."

"However, the benevolent deity I worship is compassionate and cannot tolerate filth. He can show you the right path."

There was a subtle hint of danger in his words.

Unexpectedly, no sooner had he finished speaking than Zhao suddenly stood up from the ground, ran in front of Cheng Lingqiao, and shielded her with her body, her old face showing determination:

"Don't listen to his nonsense! He's definitely trying to sell you to that filthy place."

"Even if we have to sell the land, we can't trust his 'open way'!"

Despite the sudden and dramatic change, Zhao remained calm and rational.

"Nonsense! How could my Xu's Cloth Shop do such a despicable thing as forcing women into prostitution?!"

Then Xu Guanshi's expression suddenly changed. She glared fiercely at Zhao Shi and summoned a nimble servant with a wave of her hand.

"Manager Xu."

The servant respectfully approached Steward Xu and took out a contract from his pocket.

When Zhao and Cheng Lingqiao's eyes fell on the contract.

Manager Xu's voice finally rang out:

"I can pay the eighty taels of silver for your Zhao family first, sir."

"But this mark has to be signed by me, sir."

"Nine out, thirteen back."

"I will collect the money after half a month, one hundred and twenty taels."

mark……

These words were spoken.

Even the villagers watching the commotion around them changed their expressions.

Everyone knows this thing is a leech that clings to the bone; once you get it, your life is ruined.

Without a second thought, Madam Zhao flatly refused, her hand trembling as she pointed at the steward:

"Damn it, if we get involved with this stuff, how are we supposed to survive?!"

"Hehe." Manager Xu clapped his hands leisurely, took the apple offered by the servant, took a bite, revealing his yellow teeth as he chewed. His eyes, like those of a venomous snake, were fixed on his cousin, Cheng Lingqiao, with a sly smile.

"Have you thought this through?"

"If you don't pay back the money today..."

"Your cousin will be spending the rest of his life in jail."

These words were spoken.

Cheng Lingqiao trembled.

Cheng Laiyun.

He is the last bloodline of the Cheng family.

If he spends the rest of his life in prison... wouldn't the Cheng family line end up extinct?

After a long silence, Cheng Lingqiao gritted her teeth:

"I'll sign."

"We can't sign it!!" Zhao, who was standing nearby, nearly fainted. She picked up a brick from the ground and was about to fight back...

"Mother..." Looking at her mother-in-law, Cheng Lingqiao pursed her lips, avoiding eye contact, and whispered:

"I will remember your kindness."

"Rest assured, I will only use my own body as collateral and will never implicate the Zhao family."

"It's just Little Tiger..." Her cousin's lips trembled, unable to utter a word. With a resolute expression, she took a deep breath and went to Manager Xu.

……

Cheng Laiyun witnessed all of this.

I have gained a new understanding of this world.

He glanced at Xu Jiayin behind him out of the corner of his eye.

He then turned and looked at Xu Jiayin:

"The young lady once said that the Xu family's cloth shop has strict rules."

"I never imagined it would be so heavily guarded."

"If you can't pay back eighty taels of silver, you'll have to have someone sign and stamp it as payment."

At this point, Cheng Laiyun sighed.

"It seems that today, Miss will have to give me an advance on my monthly allowance."

"Otherwise, if I can't come up with these eighty taels, I won't be able to follow Miss in the future."

Cheng Laiyun's words were no less than a slap in the face to Xu Jiayin.

At this moment, her face flushed red.

He stared intently at Steward Xu in front of the thatched hut.

Her almond-shaped eyes seemed to be spitting fire.

……

Seeing Xu Jiayin's state, Cheng Laiyun chuckled to himself.

His expression turned serious, and with a righteous air, he suddenly shouted in the direction of Manager Xu:

"stop!"

With this loud shout.

All eyes turned to this place.

"Laiyun?" My cousin looked completely bewildered.

"You son of a bitch!! Cheng Laiyun!! You dare to come back?!" Zhao stared intently at Cheng Laiyun's face.

It was him who forced the Zhao family into such a desperate situation!

"Huh? How did you get out of prison?!" Manager Xu naturally knew Cheng Laiyun, and when he saw Cheng Laiyun standing whole in front of him, his face showed some panic.

"So, it seems you're the one who reported me for 'betraying my master,' putting me in jail?"

Cheng Laiyun squinted at Manager Xu, who looked like a monkey.

He seemed to be asking a question, but his voice carried a chilling ruthlessness.