The two guys holding my cousin were also getting agitated. "MDZZ, you can't even handle a little brat? What did you grow up eating, shit?" one of them yelled.
"Watch and learn. Let me show you my prized karate!" The bald man in the tracksuit stepped forward and threw a karate chop. I ducked slightly, deftly dodging his attack. I grabbed his arm, gave it a push, and he lost his balance, tumbling out into the hallway.
"You're the incompetent one. What right do you have to criticize others?" I sneered. My sister-in-law's face was pale, and her neck was covered in bruises. It was clear she had been roughed up. I was furious. If she hadn't been there begging me to stop, I would have broken their legs.
"Gah." Before, they might have thought I got lucky. But after I threw the bald guy out, fear filled their faces.
They were at a loss, waiting for the bald guy's orders. "Let's go, let's go," he snarled through gritted teeth, but he didn't have the courage to challenge me again.
"Okay," they answered, getting ready to bolt. I held the door with one hand, refusing to let them pass.
"Kid, what's the meaning of this?" the bald guy asked, frowning.
"Apologize to my sister-in-law. You scared her," I said firmly.
The bald guy and his crew were stunned for a moment, then burst out laughing. "Kid, are you fucking kidding me? I've been alive this long, and I've never heard of a debt collector having to apologize."
"Yeah, is your sister-in-law made of glass or something? It's their fault for owing money."
"Oh, so you're not going to apologize?" I asked, my eyes narrowing.
"Of course not. Don't think you're hot shit just because you can fight a little. My nickname, 'Bald Qiang,' isn't just for show." He had barely finished speaking when I slapped him across the face. My cousin and sister-in-law didn't even have time to stop me.
SMACK. Bald Qiang was caught completely off guard. His face turned ugly. "You son of a bitch, you hit me in the face?"
"Yeah. No apology, just a beating until you cry," I said with a grin. The others in the room gasped. The atmosphere was incredibly strange.
Suddenly, a cold glint flashed in Bald Qiang's hand. It was a switchblade. "Don't!" my sister-in-law cried out, her voice filled with concern. A thrill shot through me. Was it really okay for her to ignore my cousin like that?
Bald Qiang was too slow. Even with a weapon, he couldn't hurt me. I grabbed his wrist and squeezed hard. The switchblade plunged into his shoe. He howled in pain. It was a ridiculous sight.
"Do you fucking know who I am?" he roared, his face red with a mixture of shock and anger.
Without a word, I slapped him again. "I don't care who you are. You can't bully my sister-in-law... and my cousin." I had to add that last part. It wasn't appropriate to say something so emotionally charged in front of my cousin. Luckily, they were all too terrified to pay attention to my words.
As the saying goes, the barefoot are not afraid of those with shoes. Faced with my aggressive attitude, these street thugs were finally scared.
Bald Qiang's face was swollen. "Fine, fine, you little bast... brother. I apologize, I apologize."
And so, one by one, they apologized to my sister-in-law and cousin. The two of them were stunned. A few moments later, the thugs fled in terror.
The three of us were left in the room. My cousin began to sigh. "A-Feng, you were too impulsive. Those guys are real gangsters."
I was a little embarrassed and didn't know what to say. My sister-in-law cut in, full of resentment, "You think everyone is like you? Standing by and watching while your wife is about to be violated!"
"Hey, watch your mouth! What was I supposed to do? They were all vicious. And isn't this all your fault? You have over two hundred thousand in savings, but you weren't willing to take it out! I almost got my hands chopped off!" my cousin retorted, putting his hands on his hips, trying to assert his authority as the head of the household.
She used to be afraid of him, but after finding out about his cheating and his debt, she was devastated. Now, she had the courage to talk back. "That's money I saved up by scrimping and saving. Why should I use it to pay off your debts?!"
"Chloe, you're my woman. That includes your money. It's mine too. Shouldn't you pay off my debts? Okay, yes, there are some things I shouldn't have hidden from you. Last year, I lost hundreds of thousands in a business investment. I had no choice but to take out a loan to cover the losses. Wasn't it all to give you a better life? Now the business has failed, and I'm at a low point in my life. If even you don't trust me, I'm really finished."
I had to admit, my cousin was a smooth talker. With just a few emotional words, he not only admitted his mistakes but also painted himself as a pitiful, helpless victim.
Even I, a fellow man, felt a twinge of sympathy. My sister-in-law still had feelings for him. She had always held a low status in the family, and it was rare for him to be so soft with her. Her tone softened. "Hmph. I told you, business is not easy. Why didn't you believe me?"
"Yes, I know you meant well. But I wanted to prove myself. I wanted to get you a bigger house so you could live a carefree life. But my ambition backfired. Honey, the photo isn't what you think. I was drunk, and my friends egged me on to take it. Really, I can swear to God, I absolutely did not cheat! You know my situation, don't you?" he said earnestly.
I knew his secret too. And it made sense. Why would he cheat when he had such a beautiful, sexy wife at home? What was the point?
My sister-in-law was silent, her lips pursed. She seemed to be wavering. He pressed his advantage. "Hey, Meimei, I was wrong before. They were pushing me too hard, and you wouldn't give me the money. I was under a lot of pressure, that's why I hit you. Don't be angry, okay? Don't you remember when we were in school? I only had ten yuan, but I borrowed money just to buy you a gift."
My cousin was a master at coaxing people. I watched, dumbfounded. My sister-in-law shed tears of grievance, but it was clear she wasn't as hostile towards him anymore. Their relationship began to mend. He stayed home for the next few days, cooking and doing housework. It was a relief for me, but I felt uncomfortable. I couldn't be alone with my sister-in-law, and I had to watch their public displays of affection.
I found myself eagerly awaiting his next business trip.
I was even surprised at myself for thinking that. My god, had I unknowingly fallen in love with my sister-in-law?
Honestly, I wasn't sure. "Love" doesn't have a clear definition. When I saw her happy, I was happy too. But I always had a feeling my cousin was lying. It was a man's intuition about his own kind. But she was devoted to him, like a young girl in love, her IQ at zero, believing everything he said.
Because he was home, I went to the library for self-study every night. Day students could go home, but I didn't want to be there. Seeing their shameless little gestures made me feel uncomfortable all over.