Days of Living with My Sister-in-Law-Chapter 121: Songshan Commerce Association
"Xiaoyi, hurry, take me home!" Luo Qingcheng was frantic.
Chen Xiaobei asked curiously, "What happened?"
"It’s the Songshan Commerce Association." Luo Qingcheng rubbed her temples. "This so-called Songshan Commerce Association is an alliance formed by a few famous second-generation heirs in Qingyang City. They use their prominent family backgrounds to throw their weight around in Songshan, demanding ten percent of the annual profits from local business owners as protection money! If you don’t pay, they use various means to crush you. There was once a small business owner who was driven to suicide by jumping off a building because he wouldn’t pay. And today just so happens to be the day the Luo Family is supposed to pay them. Those damned bastards! I can’t believe they’re coming to collect on the very first day!" she continued, her voice filled with urgency. "Xiaoyi, drive faster! I’m worried they’ll hurt Grandpa."
Luo Qingcheng was desperate, wishing she could grow wings and fly home.
As for Chen Xiaobei, he was completely dumbfounded.
In broad daylight, in a supposedly just society! He had always thought the Li Family of Songshan was bad enough, but he never imagined the Songshan Commerce Association could be even more disgusting. The Li Family at least kept their gangster dealings in the shadows, but this group was committing outright robbery!
Seeing the panic on Luo Qingcheng’s face, it was obvious she had been bullied by the Songshan Commerce Association plenty of times before.
But that was the past. As the woman he had claimed for himself, not even the heavens could bully Luo Qingcheng.
Just as he was about to speak, Murong Xiaoyi exploded first, her tone laced with blame. "Cousin, I’ve spent the last few years training with my master in Qingyang. I had no idea you were going through such hardship! But believe me, now that I’m here, I won’t let them bully you or Granduncle. I might not be good at much, but I can certainly fight. Today, I’m going to give them a good thrashing!"
Murong Xiaoyi’s eyes were resolute. Her chest puffed out, and a righteous aura emanated from her.
Even though she was a lesbian, Chen Xiaobei found himself admiring this side of her.
"Xiaoyi, I know you’re worried, but we can’t afford to offend the Songshan Commerce Association," Luo Qingcheng said urgently. "Any one of them comes from a family with immense influence in Qingyang. As the saying goes, a commoner can’t fight an official. Fortunately, the Luo Family’s profit last year was only a little over thirty million, so ten percent is just three million. It’s not that much. Let’s just consider it paying for our peace and quiet."
As she spoke, the Luo Family’s villa came into view. A Rolls-Royce Cullinan with Qingyang license plates was parked out front. This alone showed what a behemoth the Songshan Commerce Association was; otherwise, they wouldn’t have bothered sending just one car.
Just then, Murong Xiaoyi’s brow tightened. "Isn’t that Murong Qi’s car?" she exclaimed. "What’s he doing here?!"
"Who’s Murong Qi?" Chen Xiaobei asked.
"None of your damn business!" Murong Xiaoyi glared at him and got out of the car.
Luo Qingcheng quickly explained, "Do you remember I told you about Xiaoyi’s father having an affair? This Murong Qi is the son he had with that mistress. The Murong Family has always favored sons over daughters, so ever since Murong Qi was born, Xiaoyi and her mother were kicked out. In this world, aside from her father and that mistress, the person Xiaoyi hates most is Murong Qi. Damn it, why would he show up at my house now? I have to go see!"
Luo Qingcheng had no time for Chen Xiaobei and rushed after her cousin.
Upon entering the villa’s main hall, they saw Murong Qi lounging on the sofa, legs crossed. He looked to be around twenty, with his nose in the air and an air of unrivaled arrogance.
"Luo Wentian, if we’re going by my relation to Murong Xiaoyi, I suppose I should call you Granduncle," he began. "I won’t beat around the bush. Give me six million, and I’ll guarantee you a smooth year. Otherwise, even if we’re relatives, there’s nothing more to discuss!"
As he spoke, Murong Qi lit a cigarette and blew a cloud of smoke in Luo Wentian’s face, a display of extreme arrogance.
"Murong Qi!" Murong Xiaoyi burst into the room. "You are not welcome here! Get the hell out, or don’t blame me for what happens next!"
The aura of a Profundity Rank Ninth Grade cultivator wasn’t just for show; the temperature in the room seemed to drop a few degrees.
Murong Qi, however, remained perfectly calm. "Hmph! Well, look who it is. Isn’t it my dear older sister, the one kicked out of the family by our father? You should be training with Li Hongchun. What are you doing here? Don’t tell me that bitch kicked you out of her tutelage?!"
"That’s none of your concern!" Murong Xiaoyi’s eyes were red with fury. "Get out now, or I’ll kill you!" She wasn’t bluffing; she had already drawn her personal dagger, Moonlight.
"Xiaoyi, calm down." Luo Qingcheng hurried to grab her cousin’s hand, frowning at Murong Qi. "Murong Qi, I heard you demanding six million from my grandfather and mentioning the Songshan Commerce Association. Don’t tell me you’re one of them too?"
"Long time no see, dear cousin!" Murong Qi’s eyes lit up as he grinned. "You’re right. A few of my cronies saw I was bored out of my mind in Qingyang, so they invited me to join them. I have to say, the feeling is pretty great! Unchallenged, feared by all... it’s definitely better than just fooling around with women in Qingyang all day."
"Ahem." Murong Qi cleared his throat and smiled. "Cousin, let me get straight to the point. Starting today, the Songshan Commerce Association’s cut is increasing from ten percent to twenty percent. If you know what’s good for you, obediently hand over the money, and I guarantee the Luo Family’s business will have a prosperous year. Otherwise... well, you know what will happen! Of course..." 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎
Scanning Luo Qingcheng’s ample chest, Murong Qi nearly drooled. "If you’re willing to have dinner with me, cousin, we can certainly discuss the price! We are relatives, after all. That’s a decision I can make."
Faced with Murong Qi’s predatory gaze, Luo Qingcheng’s brows knitted together. She wished she could slaughter the scoundrel right then and there. But she couldn’t afford to provoke the Songshan Commerce Association. Relying on their powerful families, those people could ruin the Luo Family with a single word. If they provoked Murong Qi, it would be all over.
Just as she was about to pay, Murong Xiaoyi erupted. "You bastard! I’ll kill you!"
In a flash of steel, she lunged for Murong Qi’s throat.
But Murong Qi just laughed, showing not a shred of fear. "Go ahead and kill me, sister. It’s easy. But after I’m dead, your master is going to kick the bucket! Don’t you forget, only the Murong Family’s Seven Extremes Life-sustaining Pill can keep her alive. You always talk about how filial you are. Surely you wouldn’t disregard your own master’s life, would you?"
"You—" Murong Xiaoyi froze.
After her father had kicked them out, her mother had passed away within a couple of years. She had been raised by her master, Jiang Hongchun. Jiang Hongchun suffered from an illness that made her cough up blood, a condition that could only be treated by the Murong Family’s Seven Extremes Life-sustaining Pill. But as fate would have it, the formula for the pill was a secret never shared outside the Murong Family. To get medicine for her master, Murong Xiaoyi had done a lot of the family’s dirty work over the years. The moment Murong Qi threatened her with her master’s life, she was instantly silenced.
At that moment, Murong Qi couldn’t have been more arrogant. He shoved Murong Xiaoyi aside and demanded, "Luo Qingcheng, cut the crap! Either give me six million or have dinner with me. Your choice."
"Fine, I’ll pay!" Luo Qingcheng’s face was pale, her chest tight with rage. But the Songshan Commerce Association was a behemoth she truly couldn’t afford to offend. She had no choice but to pay to avoid disaster.
Just then, Chen Xiaobei walked in and snorted, "Pay my ass. All the money you have is mine. Did you ask for my permission?"
