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Liang Shiyou had his dumb acupoint pressed and struggled to speak, but from the disdainful look in his eyes, it was clear what he meant: "Son? Is it really yours? Or did you pay to raise someone else’s?"

"Enough, enough," Xia Zheng impatiently interjected, frowning, "We’re not interested in hearing your domestic issues any further. Shopkeeper Xiao, when do you plan on returning the silver? Speak up!"

Shopkeeper Xiao’s eyes darted around, and his mind began to wander.

Return the silver? Where would he find it?

Half of the seven hundred taels of silver had been spent on buying a house and land for his mistress, and the other half had already been spent on living expenses over the past three years.

Where would he find any leftover silver?

"I, I..." After hemming and hawing for a long time, Shopkeeper Xiao finally lifted his head with difficulty and ventured, "Could I have a few days’ extension to sell the house and land? Then I will return the silver."

Lin Yuan raised an eyebrow, "Sell a house? Sell land? Whose wife’s house and land are you planning to sell?"

She had seen through the true face of Shopkeeper Xiao, keeping a mistress behind his wife’s back, and it seemed he even had a son.

If he were to say he was selling his wife’s house and land, she felt like going over and slapping him a few times herself, without even needing Liang Shiyou to lift a finger!

But, clearly, Shopkeeper Xiao did not disappoint her.

"No no, don’t let my wife find out about this at all! You must not tell her!" Shopkeeper Xiao waved his hands frantically in fear, more terrified than when Lin Yuan and Xia Zheng had just exposed his greed for silver.

Liang Shiyou snorted through his nose and eyes, and in Lin Yuan’s understanding, his meaning was probably: You have some conscience left!

Shopkeeper Xiao held his head in his hands, his voice becoming somewhat muffled, whether from fear or remorse, already sounding tearful, "My wife must not know about this, if she finds out, I’m surely done for!"

Cough, cough. Lin Yuan lost the last bit of sympathy she had for Shopkeeper Xiao. It seemed he didn’t want his wife to find out, not because he cared for her, but because he was afraid of being beaten by her! What kind of formidable woman must she be to scare a man into such a state!

However, Lin Yuan stole a glance at Liang Shiyou, robust and fierce as a tiger, and figured his sister must be similar.

After looking at Xia Zheng, Lin Yuan sighed deeply and shook her head silently; she didn’t want to interfere further and decided to leave the matter for Xia Zheng to handle.

Understanding Lin Yuan’s intent, Xia Zheng curled his lips and said to Shopkeeper Xiao, "Fine, I’ll give you three days. Seven hundred and ten taels of silver, I want to see it all in three days. Don’t get any funny ideas, remember, there are new neighbors near both of your homes!"

Shopkeeper Xiao’s body shuddered violently, nodding like he was pounding garlic, "Yes, yes, Second Young Master’s words are remembered, remembered. In three days, I’ll make sure the silver is delivered! There won’t be a single tael missing!"

Xia Zheng hummed a laugh and then turned to see Liang Shiyou. Shopkeeper Xiao didn’t want his wife to know about this matter, but he forgot that Liang Shiyou was his brother-in-law, and if he knew, then his wife would surely find out too.

Anyway, it was their family matter now. If Shopkeeper Xiao hadn’t been so blinded by lust, he wouldn’t have ended up in this situation.

Waving his hand, Xia Zheng signaled Lin Yi to let both men go.

As soon as he was released, Liang Shiyou slapped Shopkeeper Xiao hard across the cheek, fiercely spit on the ground, and cursed, "Ungrateful wretch, you betrayed my sister and sold me out; just wait for my sister to deal with you!"

After cursing, he swished his sleeves and strode away.

Shopkeeper Xiao clutched his burning cheek, a dim light in his eyes, as he staggered out.

Lin Yuan had no fondness for such a heartless man.

Xia Zheng also held him in contempt, and added somberly from behind, "Shopkeeper Xiao, don’t forget the saying that the child pays for the father’s debt.

If you momentarily lose hope and seek death, I’ll have to go to your three sons for the repayment.

Oh, and just a reminder, your youngest son is only two years old, how long do you think he can survive without his father to protect him? "

Shopkeeper Xiao’s form wavered as if it took all his strength to steady himself. When he moved again, his steps were still shaky, but there was a new determination in his stride.

"How did you know he was going to seek death?" Lin Yuan didn’t have a good impression of Shopkeeper Xiao, so she hadn’t looked closely nor noticed his peculiar gaze.

Xia Zheng shrugged his shoulders, not answering her question but instead sighed slightly, "Shopkeeper Xiao used to be an honest man.

He and his wife have two sons; one opened a pawnshop and the other a sundries shop.

Not to mention a mere seven hundred taels of silver, they could have come up with even seven thousand. However..."

Hearing this, Lin Yuan understood. Although Xia Zheng didn’t say it, he deeply detested betrayers, possibly because of his family background.

Xia Yuan and Princess Anle were lovingly devoted to each other, and it seemed Xia Zhen and Tian Hui were no different; thus, he could not tolerate a man betraying his wife for a concubine.

Lin Yuan shrugged her shoulders, unwilling to think further about the scene Shopkeeper Xiao would face when he got home. Curiosity about the day’s events, however, consumed her.

"Hey, what’s the deal with you and Liang Shiyou? Did you already know there was something wrong with his dishes?"

Looking at Lin Yuan’s suspicious little eyes, Xia Zheng finally cracked a smile and gave her a ’beg me and I’ll tell’ look.

Lin Yuan pouted, pinched him in the tender flesh around his waist, which made him squirm and hastily spill everything out.

As it turned out, Liang Shiyou had long thought of getting someone else to cook for him. However, because Xia Zheng had specifically instructed Dong Qing to supervise him, Liang Shiyou had no choice but to put up a pretense and cook.

Then, Dong Qing deliberately found an excuse to leave for a while, and Liang Shiyou arrogantly served the dishes prepared by the substitutes. Fearing discovery midway, he had his most trusted Shopkeeper Xiao stand by.

Thus, when the problem with the dishes emerged, the first person Liang Shiyou suspected was Shopkeeper Xiao, believing he had betrayed him. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have interrogated Shopkeeper Xiao so angrily later.

But Lin Yuan was a bit puzzled, "But from Shopkeeper Xiao’s expression earlier, it seemed like he didn’t even know what was happening!"

Xia Zheng arched an eyebrow and chuckled, lightly tapping her forehead, "Have you not heard of disguises?"

Disguises? Lin Yuan realized, could the person Liang Shiyou had arranged to stand by the table not be Shopkeeper Xiao, but someone disguised by Xia Zheng’s side?

"Smart!" Xia Zheng pecked her face and praised, "Shopkeeper Xiao is too busy with his own affairs, how could he come so early to help him?"

Shui Xian and Dong Qing were startled by their sudden movement and quickly turned their heads with flushed faces.

Lin Yi still had the same stoic face, seemingly used to this by now. Indeed, this wasn’t the first time he had seen them.

Lin Yuan covered her slightly hot face, glared at him angrily, and huffed, "Right, what was that about Shopkeeper Xiao’s neighbor?"