The red envelope contained a sum of 888,000 yuan, with a password of six eights, and a card was placed inside.
"Wait for me!" My Uncle said, taking the card and walking out.
I leisurely paced around My Uncle's shop.
A moment later, My Uncle returned, handing the card back to me: "Xiao Long, I checked the balance at the ATM, and it really is 888,000!
You're rich now!"
"Uncle, what are you talking about? What do you mean I'm rich?
You took this order, so this money is yours.
Haven't you always been renting? Take this money and buy a bigger house!"
As I said this, I secretly chuckled to myself.
It was as if My Uncle was younger than me, like he was my nephew.
"Xiao Long, do you really think that?" My Uncle happily hugged me and then added, "You're closer to me than my own flesh and blood!"
To be honest, ever since I was in first grade, the students in our village called me a monster.
They said my family was so well off, and My Uncle was so handsome, so why didn't he get married in his thirties?
They said My Uncle must be having an affair with My Mom, and that I might even be the child of My Uncle and My Mom.
Otherwise, why did My Uncle kneel before My Grandparents to ask to marry My Mom as soon as My Dad died?
At that time, I hated My Uncle and My Mom, ignoring them and refusing to speak to them.
Later, after hearing this so many times, I asked My Grandparents, who really gave birth to me? Was it My Uncle or My Dad?
My Grandpa smiled and said, "Silly boy, of course your Dad gave birth to you.
To think that is disrespectful to your Mom. Your Mom is a virtuous woman, how could you doubt her?
It's precisely because of you that your Mom was unwilling to marry. She married your Uncle to take better care of you!"
After My Grandpa said that, my feelings towards My Uncle and My Mom improved, but on the surface, I still acted indifferent.
Just as we were talking, the lights in the shop suddenly flickered, and a chilling aura once again permeated the air.
My Uncle and I exchanged a wary glance, knowing that the person who cast the curse was coming.
This time, he no longer hid his figure, appearing directly at the shop entrance.
His body was twisted and deformed, his face full of pain, clearly indicating that the backlash from the Rootless Curse had begun to take effect.
"Who exactly are you? Why do you want to harm Lin Xiao's family so cruelly?" I demanded sharply.
The old man glared at me fiercely: "Hmph, you're so young, yet unexpectedly more malicious than me.
Do you know what Lin Xiao did to my family?
You're helping a tyrant do evil!"
"What do you mean?" I asked him.
"Lin Xiao's father, Lin Shen, and I are enemies. He caused my family to be ruined and scattered. What's wrong with me learning some dark arts to get revenge on him?"
I sighed inwardly, thinking, is this the legendary karmic retribution?
"When will the cycle of vengeance end? Using such malicious methods will only deepen the hatred." I advised.
The old man said to My Uncle: "Wang Erlong, go call Lin Xiao. We'll confront each other face to face, like gong against gong, drum against drum.
With your half-baked skills, how could you break my Feng Shui array?
If it weren't for this young master, would you still be standing here so calmly?"
My Uncle immediately called Lin Xiao: "Boss Lin, your creditor is here, hurry over!"
A moment later, Lin Xiao arrived with three or four burly men.
As soon as Lin Xiao saw the old man, his face instantly turned ashen, and the big men behind him immediately stepped forward, surrounding the old man.
"You old bastard, how dare you harm my family!" Lin Xiao roared, his eyes wide with fury.
The old man, however, was not afraid, and sneered: "Lin Xiao, do you think I'm afraid of you just because you have some money now? Your father caused my family to be ruined and scattered back then, and today I'm settling that score with you!"
Both sides were on the verge of a fight, and the atmosphere was extremely tense.
I quickly stepped forward, standing between the two: "Don't be impulsive! When will this cycle of vengeance end? Let's sit down and talk properly."
Lin Xiao and the old man both stared at me. After a moment, they both snorted coldly and temporarily quieted down.
I looked at the old man: "It's wrong for you to harm people with dark arts, and if you continue, you'll only add to your sins."
Then I turned to Lin Xiao: "Calm down and listen to how your father treated others.
Your father must have wronged them back then, and now you should give them an explanation."
Under my persuasion, their emotions gradually calmed, and they began to sit down and recount the events of that year.
"My name is Wei Deng. Because I was very ordinary-looking, I didn't marry and have children until I was over thirty.
My wife was very young, as beautiful as a flower, and her marrying me was truly a godsend.
At that time, my wife was only twenty years old and had a ten-year-old younger brother.
Her brother fell seriously ill and urgently needed money to save his life.
My father-in-law then put out the word that whoever could provide 100,000 yuan to treat his son, he would marry his daughter to him.
Our two families lived not far apart, and we knew his daughter was young and beautiful.
At that time, I was the only person in our village who could produce 100,000 in cash.
Without a second thought, I immediately took 150,000 yuan in cash in a snakeskin bag to his house to propose marriage.
At that time, my wife saw me and firmly disagreed, but her father was moved when he saw the snakeskin bag full of money.
He worked on her, and in the end, I got my beautiful bride as I wished.
Although my wife didn't like me after marriage, I had money and listened to her, and she eventually gave birth to two children for me, a daughter and a son.
When my daughter was ten and my son was five, I met Lin Shen, who was in business.
At that time, every household in our village grew flue-cured tobacco, and they all proactively sold their tobacco leaves to me at a low price because they knew I had extensive sales channels.
I even rented a house in the city to store tobacco leaves.
One day, I was selling tobacco leaves at a stall in the city when a tall and handsome man came by.
He asked me how much the tobacco leaves were, so I discussed the price with him.
Finally, we agreed on a price; he wanted whatever amount I had.
Thus, it was a win-win cooperation, and the two of us went from being just customers to good friends.
So I often went to his house for meals, and he would also come to my house for meals. At that time, Lin Xiao was already over twenty, and he often called me Uncle, and I liked him very much.
Lin Shen was also very generous, often bringing a lot of food when he came to my house, and my wife often praised how good Lin Shen was.
My heart also blossomed, believing that making such a friend was a blessing from heaven.
He would help me resolve many troubles in the city, and I thought he was a true friend who would go to great lengths for others.
It wasn't until one day that I realized Lin Shen was a hypocrite, a truly two-faced person who would stab his friends in the back.
That day, I was setting up my stall in the city and saw Lin Shen.
I suggested we go for a drink that night, and he asked if I wasn't going home tonight?
I said, why go home? My wife has been lukewarm towards me for years.
I'm so free living here alone; when I want a woman, there are plenty in this city for a small price.
Lin Shen said, "Let's not drink tonight, I have something to do. Tomorrow night, perhaps!"
Since that was the case, I didn't press the issue.