“A family shouldn’t care too much about money!”

This was Xia Dajun’s own belief.

However, when Mother Xia said he should pay off his brother’s gambling debts since he earned more, Xia Dajun felt uncomfortable.

Gambling wasn’t something people like them should do. If he hadn’t been lucky enough to meet Young Master, how could he earn over 3,000 yuan a month? The few thousand that Hongbing lost would take the whole family years to repay.

“Mom, when Hongbing went to play cards, he dared to lose thousands, and you didn’t stop him! I may be earning money today, but what if I couldn’t earn anymore?”

Mother Xia’s expression turned awkward.

“Don’t talk nonsense. How could you stop earning money? Hongbing was led astray by people in the village. Once he’s released, the family will live together, and you can keep an eye on him. He won’t gamble anymore.”

Mother Xia’s words made some sense.

Even if they didn’t, Xia Dajun didn’t want to argue. He had never won an argument with his mother anyway.

His mother was his flesh and blood; he had to show filial piety.

His brother was also family; though he complained verbally, he would ultimately take care of him.

The remaining external debt of a few thousand could be cleared with two months of his salary.

Since rescuing Du Zhaohui last National Day, nearly a year had passed, and Xia Dajun hadn’t saved much. He pondered this while heading to the Yangcheng Detention Center. The introduction letter stamped by Anqing County Police Station finally proved effective – Xia Hongbing’s family of three emerged from the detention center. The three looked slightly plumper than when they entered – no matter how poor the food in detention was, it was better than the black brick factory!

After their tumultuous journey – being rescued only to spend a month and a half in detention – Xia Hongbing’s family had lost all their spirit.

Seeing them so downcast, Xia Dajun’s intended lecture about gambling died in his throat.

Xia Hongbing called out “Second Brother” while wiping his tears.

Wang Jingui seemed to have hit a switch: “Second Brother, why did it take you so long to rescue us!”

The atmosphere turned so emotional that it brought tears to everyone’s eyes, with Xia Hongxia’s tears falling steadily.

Xia Dajun felt heartbroken. “You’ve all suffered. This time I’ll help you process introduction letters and border passes, so you can enter and exit the Special Zone legally in the future.”

The Special Zone truly offered many opportunities.

Even temporary work paid better than back home in South Henan. Xia Dajun was determined to find work for his brother’s family, unaware that they had come expecting an easy life.

Fresh out of detention, the three behaved themselves.

Once they were far enough away, Wang Jingui muttered, “Second Sister-in-law is something now, having people send us to the police station. Second Brother, are we just letting this go?”

Xia Dajun countered, “What do you want to do about it?”

Wang Jingui hesitated, “Second Brother, you’re working with a Hong Kong boss now, why fear some small business owner? It must be that man who sided with Second Sister-in-law causing trouble!”

Was it the business owner’s doing?

The owner had accepted 2,000 yuan as settlement; Xia Dajun doubted they had such influence. He couldn’t risk revenge or trouble now. His face reddened as he said:

“While you were in detention, Big Brother and Sister-in-law were arrested. They’ll serve several years in prison. The police wanted to arrest Ziyu too, but he escaped from school. The university in Beijing expelled him!”

This news shocked Xia Hongbing’s family into silence.

Wang Jingui forgot about stirring up trouble as the three bombarded Xia Dajun with questions. He explained his understanding of events. Wang Jingui was terrified like a quail, desperately trying to recall if she had ever offended Xia Xiaolan.

Apart from joining in calling her loose and pushing work onto Liu Fen, she hadn’t done anything particularly offensive. Xia Hongxia was also stunned. Neither mother nor daughter had particularly persecuted Xia Xiaolan, though Hongxia had caused trouble at the County First High School… She started hiccupping uncontrollably from shock.

Xia Hongbing was more selfish. He had always held back regarding Mother Xia’s insistence that the whole family support Xia Ziyu. Learning that Xia Xiaolan had sent his eldest brother’s family to prison, he regretted not currying favor with this formidable niece earlier.

The rift between Xia Hongbing and Xia Changzheng had formed during the family division when his failed attempt to profit from the snack shop led to the split. Their brotherly bond had weakened considerably – what was there to feel bad about?

Of the eldest brother’s family, some were in prison, some on the run, leaving only a half-grown child who was useless. Xia Hongbing was secretly pleased – there was only one money-making second brother, and many waiting for handouts. With three fewer people competing, far from being afraid, Xia Hongbing was delighted.

Thinking it over, he hadn’t done anything particularly bad to Xia Xiaolan, so what was there to fear?

The eldest brother’s family were the bad ones, driving Xia Xiaolan from home and preventing her from taking the college entrance exam. Naturally, she would turn around and take revenge when she got the chance.

Though Xia Hongbing thought this way, he wasn’t foolish enough to voice these thoughts and change Xia Dajun’s mind.

If Xia Dajun weren’t alone, he wouldn’t be able to take advantage of his second brother. Xia Hongbing kept agreeing with everything Xia Dajun said, promptly promising to stop gambling.

“Second Brother, I’ll listen to you from now on. The Hong Kong boss chose you because you’re capable. Whatever you tell me to do, I’ll do it!”

Xia Hongbing was practically swearing to heaven.

Hearing this, Xia Dajun believed he had truly reformed. The idea of paying off his few thousand in gambling debts became more acceptable.

After retrieving them from detention and settling them in Shenzhen, the Xia family was finally together again – those who weren’t were either in prison or on the run. With family matters finally settled, Xia Dajun still had one concern.

After months apart, he wondered how Xiaoyu was doing, having been too busy to think about her before.

Recent events had made one thing clear to Xia Dajun: he and Liu Fen were impossible, and Xia Xiaolan wanted to sever their father-daughter relationship.

Liu Fen was a divorced woman involved with various men without commitment. Xia Dajun refused to believe that any capable man would choose her over an unmarried woman.

How could divorced men and women be the same?

Women simply didn’t have the same prospects as men after divorce. Without Liu Fen, he could easily find a younger woman and, as Young Master suggested, have a son.

Xia Dajun now wanted to prove himself, to live more happily than Liu Fen. When she eventually regretted her choices, he would already have a young wife and child in his arms, and wouldn’t look back!

“Brother Dajun?”

As Xia Dajun stood at the doorway giving himself this pep talk, the door suddenly opened, revealing Xiaoyu’s delighted face.

“Brother Dajun, where did you go? I’ve been looking for you for so long!”

Xia Dajun was also pleased. He had come with uncertain hopes, not expecting Xiaoyu to still live in the same place.

“I was injured and went to Hong Kong to recover.”

Before Xia Dajun could say more, Xiaoyu boldly grabbed his hand, tears in her eyes: “Brother Dajun, don’t leave me alone next time.”