You Still Need a Little Girl to Support You?

Zhou Wanwan came out and looked at Zhou Qingzhou, saying, "Cousin, what are you talking about?"

Zhou Qingzhou shouted excitedly, "Zhou Wanwan, didn't you see these people trying to take me away?"

Zhou Wanwan nodded and said, "I saw it!"

Zhou Qingzhou looked at her and said, "Now that you've seen it, aren't you going to help me?"

Zhou Wanwan blinked, looked up at him and said:

"Cousin, I'm just a six-year-old child. I just came to see what was going on. Do you think you're some kind of scholar?"

You still need to rely on a young girl to support you? That can't be right!"

Zhou Wanwan is shameless anyway.

She is only six years old and will not accept any form of moral coercion.

Zhou Qingzhou looked at her and said:

"You're not your average young girl."

Zhou Wanwan, you're so rich, even a little bit you save from under your fingernails would be enough for me to live on for a lifetime.

Zhou Wanwan sighed and said:

"So my cousin thought I made money really easily?"

But I've severed ties with your family, so I have no obligation to support you!

Even if we haven't severed ties, I have no obligation to support you, right?

Those around him remarked, "This is truly unbelievable. This is the first time I've ever seen anything like it—a grown man being raised by a six-year-old child."

"The problem is, he has absolutely no connection with them! How could he even bring himself to ask such a question?"

"I heard he's a scholar who passed the imperial examinations! How shameless!"

Zhou Qingzhou blushed and said:

"Zhou Wanwan, do you really have to embarrass me in front of so many people?"

You should pay the money quickly.

This person wants to beg for food while standing up.

Zhou Wanwan chuckled and said, "I can't control you."

The burly men led Zhou Qingzhou to the prefectural government office. Zhou Qingzhou looked at them and said:

What exactly do you want to do?

I told you I would pay you back, so why do you insist on sending me to the prefect's office?

Zhou Wanwan smiled faintly and said, "Then pay them back now! Not only theirs, but also several other creditors! Pay them all back today!"

Cheng Chao slowly walked over from a distance and said, "Zhou Qingzhou owes the gambling house 11,000 taels of silver, which must be paid off today."

Zhou Qingzhou looked at him and said:

"Cheng Chao, you're nothing but Zhou Wanwan's dog."

You dare ask me for money? Are you tired of living?

Cheng Chao rolled his eyes and said:

Whether I'm a dog or not is none of your business.

"Since you owe so much money, if you can't pay it back, you'll be worse than a dog."

Zhou Qingzhou looked at Zhou Wanwan and said, "Wanwan, look at him! How dare he talk to me like that? Aren't you going to do anything about it?"

Zhou Wanwan shrugged and said, "I can't control it, and I don't want to."

"You..."

Prefect Fang was fast asleep when his advisor dragged him out of bed.

He angrily cursed, "What are you trying to do in the middle of the night?"

The clerk wiped the sweat from his brow and said, "Your Excellency, something terrible has happened! Your son-in-law has been taken to the yamen (government office), and they need you there now!"

Prefect Fang frowned and said, "Which son-in-law? My two daughters are engaged, but they're not married yet!"

Concubine Mei was standing nearby, suddenly said, "Master, they're talking about Tingting! She's your daughter too!"

Prefect Fang, looking irritated, got up and said, "Has that wretched girl done something wrong again? What's wrong this time?"

The advisor shook his head and said, "I don't know what happened either. Zhou Wanwan is here too."

Upon hearing the name Zhou Wanwan, Prefect Fang reacted with alarm. "What? Her? What's she doing here? Why is she everywhere?"

Prefect Fang went directly to the prefectural government office, which was brightly lit even in the middle of the night.

Prefect Fang looked at Zhou Wanwan and said, "Why did you wake me up so late at night? Is there something you need?"

Zhou Wanwan waved her hand and said:

"It's not me looking for you; it's your good son-in-law who's in debt and has been taken to the prefectural government office."

I was just trying to be nice by making you get up so late at night, so that everyone wouldn't have to make a scene tomorrow morning and know."

Prefect Fang looked at her helplessly and said, "You mean, I should thank you?"

"Do you want to thank me? I think you really should."

Prefect Fang waved his hand weakly and said, "Zhou Qingzhou, what's your situation now? How much money do you owe?"

Zhou Qingzhou was still quite afraid of his father-in-law, so he quickly said, "It's only a little over 14,000 taels."

Prefect Fang looked at him and said, "Only 14,000 taels? You've got quite the nerve! How much do you earn in a year?"

Zhou Qingzhou said tremblingly, "Ten taels of silver."

Prefect Fang rolled his eyes and said, "You earn ten taels of silver a year, but you owe more than 14,000 taels. Who do you plan to get to pay it back? And how will you pay it back?"

Zhou Qingzhou looked at Zhou Wanwan and said, "My idea is for Zhou Wanwan to pay for it first, and I'll pay it back slowly later."

Zhou Wanwan grinned and said:

Why should I pay for you? Do I owe you anything?

Besides, with 14,000 taels of silver a month, how long do you plan to pay it back?

That would take 10 years, and that would only be under the condition of not eating or drinking. Why should we?

Zhou Qingzhou glared at Zhou Wanwan and said, "We're all family, why are you saying these things? What does that money mean to you?"

Prefect Fang coughed and said, "Why don't you help him, Wanwan?"

Zhou Wanwan looked at Prefect Fang and said:

"Your Excellency, by relation, this is your son-in-law. If your son-in-law gets into trouble, aren't you going to help him?"

Aren't you afraid of being laughed at by outsiders? I'm fearless, you know that.

Prefect Fang looked at Cheng Chao and asked, "What brings you here?"

Cheng Chao looked at Prefect Fang and said, "Uncle Fang, your son-in-law owes me more than ten thousand taels of silver. Aren't we here to collect the money?"

Prefect Fang was nearly furious. "Why should I help him pay off his debts? If he can't pay them back, what does it have to do with me? Go ask him for it."

Cheng Chao chuckled and said:

"That's fine too, as long as you say it."

Anyway, I own a gambling den. If he can't pay, I'll have your daughter pay. Someone will eventually come up with the money.

The madam beside her quickly nodded in agreement:

"Lord Fang, our brothel is also a small business."

"It's so late at night, we haven't even done any business, all for your son-in-law's 3,000 taels of silver. Please don't make things difficult for us."

Prefect Fang looked at Zhou Qingzhou and said, "You beast! What are you doing acting so extravagant when you have no money? Now look what's happened, you're drowning in debt."

Without saying much, Cheng Chao summoned Old Madam Zhou, Old Man Zhou, Qian Huihui, Zhou Fuyu, and Fang Ting to the courtroom.

These people were stunned. Fang Ting said aggressively, "Cheng Chao, why did you bring me here?"

Cheng Chao said calmly, "Of course it's time to pay back the money. Your man owes me over ten thousand taels, so of course you're the one who should pay it back."

Why should I pay?

Cheng Chao looked at her dowry and said:

"Since we know each other, I only want my share."

As for whether or not there's a dowry, that's beyond my control.

"Who told you to be married to Zhou Qingzhou?"