Era: Starting with the struggle to refuse being taken advantage of

Chapter 142 Money for Selling Oneself

Looking at Zhu Weiguo, who had stopped him, Wang Chengpeng frowned and said, "Old comrade, going back on your word is not a good habit."

"If you insist on going back on your word, give me back my money first, and I can return the dog to you."

Although the three puppies in the cage were indeed quite cute, a gentleman does not take what others cherish. If the old man in front of him was reluctant to part with them, Wang Chengpeng would naturally not force him.

Shaking his head slightly, Zhu Weiguo gave a bitter smile and said:

"Young comrade, I think you've misunderstood me."

"I'd like to discuss a deal with you. I wonder if you'd be interested."

"Ten yuan, give me another ten yuan, and I'll train your dog."

"Don't worry, my Zhu family has been training dogs for three generations. Whether it's hunting or guarding the house, I can train the little guy to be obedient."

“My son was injured and hospitalized, and I urgently need money for medical expenses. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have resorted to this desperate measure.”

"Don't worry, promise me you won't lose out. My dog ​​training skills are well-known in the surrounding area. I guarantee you'll get your ten yuan well spent."

Seeing Zhu Weiguo come to him and offer his services, Wang Chengpeng refused the request without hesitation, saying, "Training dogs? It sounds like a good idea, but I don't need it."

"If you don't have anything else to do, please go back first and ask around among your acquaintances; perhaps someone can help you."

He could afford to spend ten yuan, but he felt it was somewhat unnecessary.

A puppy is good enough to guard the house, but if something really happens, it's more reliable to take matters into your own hands.

Zhu Weiguo smiled bitterly after being rejected by Wang Chengpeng without hesitation.
If he really had someone to ask for help, why would he ask Wang Chengpeng, a stranger he had only met once, for help?
With a sigh, Zhu Weiguo murmured, "It seems this is Hong'er's destined tribulation, one that he cannot escape."

Zhu Weiguo bowed to Wang Chengpeng to express his apology and then explained:

"Young comrade, please don't mind me. This old man just wants to save his son. I'm not a bad person."

"I told this brat to stay home and train the dog properly and learn the family's traditional skills, but he just wouldn't listen and wanted to go out and fight like a human."

"Now look what happened, all his companions have run away, leaving only this idiot who got caught red-handed."

"So what if you can fight? So what if you can fight seven or eight people? You're still lying in the hospital now, aren't you?"

“If I hadn’t paid out money to compensate the injured party, he would probably be in jail by now.”

"But this is good too, it will teach him a lesson and let him know what he should and shouldn't do."

Perhaps because he was feeling too bitter, or perhaps because he hadn't had anyone to confide in for a long time, Zhu Weiguo started rambling on and on in front of Wang Chengpeng.

However, his bitter face was really frightening, and Wang Meiyan subconsciously shrank back, feeling that the old man in front of her was really too strange.

He does not mean that.

Listening to Zhu Weiguo's rambling, Wang Chengpeng seemed to suddenly remember something and called out to Zhu Weiguo, who was about to leave:

"I can give you a hundred dollars, but the conditions have to be changed."

"Look at your appearance, you scared my sister. It would be better to have your son train the dog instead of you."

"Didn't you say your son is good at fighting? He can protect us siblings while he's training the dog."

“Look at our small arms and legs, it’s not safe for us to go out in the world.”

After saying that, Wang Chengpeng glanced around discreetly, and several people immediately lowered their heads guiltily in his sight.

The two were generous with their money, and their young age had already attracted the attention of some ill-intentioned people.

However, Wang Chengpeng never takes deserted side streets, so he is quite safe.

In addition, he himself was quite capable, so his so-called fear was just an act to show Zhu Weiguo.

As for why he changed his mind and even offered a higher price, it all started with an experience Wang Chengpeng had in his previous life.

This anecdote mainly tells the story of a man named Zhu Hong, who was exceptionally skilled in combat. On one occasion, he even single-handedly defeated twelve people, making him a legendary figure even in a small place like Hetian Town.

Being a good fighter was only one of Zhu Hong's strengths; his other strength was his exceptional loyalty, or perhaps stubbornness. Because someone had once helped him in a time of crisis, Zhu Hong became that person's henchman to repay the debt.

However, Zhu Hong's fate was not good. His opponent was a gang leader, and following him meant going down a dark path. He was made a scapegoat and sentenced to life imprisonment.

Based on Zhu Weiguo's description of "Hong'er" and "capable of fighting," Wang Chengpeng felt that the son Zhu Weiguo was referring to was very likely the Zhu Hong he remembered.

Faced with Wang Chengpeng's offer of a pie, Zhu Weiguo suddenly became wary and said:

"Young man, I'd better train the dog. My son is a bit slow-witted and can't do this kind of thing."

"I don't need you to give me a hundred yuan, just the ten yuan we agreed on at the beginning is fine."

How could Zhu Weiguo not know how stubborn his own son was?

If he knew that Wang Chengpeng had done him a favor, he probably wouldn't be so easily fooled into working for him.

That is precisely why Zhu Weiguo is so vigilant.

Faced with Zhu Weiguo's refusal, Wang Chengpeng said, somewhat bewildered:

"I was trying to help you, and you actually refused me. You're really ungrateful."

"As expected of a dog owner, they're just like dogs—they don't appreciate kindness."

"Your son is so badly injured he's in bed. Is ten yuan really enough?"

"If you don't buy some things to nourish your body when you're injured, you might develop a hidden injury, which could be a lifelong regret."

At this point, Wang Chengpeng said with deep feeling:

"It's not that easy to borrow money, otherwise you wouldn't be asking me, a stranger, for help."

Recalling the terrible debts that had dragged his family into the abyss in his previous life, Wang Chengpeng knew that Zhu Weiguo must be in an extremely difficult situation.

For a dog trainer to sell three such good puppies must be worse than death for him.

Zhu Weiguo was clean, which showed that he was a person who cared about his reputation. For him to ask a stranger for help, he must have been desperate.

Suddenly, Zhu Weiguo felt a string in his heart being touched, and his eyes turned red.

He never expected that the person who understood his suffering best would be a complete stranger like Wang Chengpeng.

Under normal circumstances, I would have agreed and that would have been fine. After all, I'm not the type to renege on my debts, and I'd be able to pay back the hundred yuan if I tried hard enough.

However, this time it involved his son, so Zhu Weiguo was still hesitant, unsure whether he should agree to the other party's conditions.

Her son has been a bit dim-witted since he was a child, and she usually treats him like a dog and disciplines him.

He is physically strong, powerful, and ruthless in fights, but he is stubborn and inflexible.

If they knew that they had received such a great favor from this young man for no reason, they would probably risk their lives.

In Zhu Weiguo's eyes, this hundred yuan was not a help, but rather the money for selling his son into servitude.

However, he was indeed in dire straits and desperately needed the hundred dollars, unless he didn't want his son to return to his former lively and energetic self.

Seeing that Zhu Weiguo was still hesitating, Wang Chengpeng decided to add fuel to the fire, pretending to have just realized something and slapping his head, saying:
"How could I so foolish as to eagerly give money to someone?"

"No wonder my parents always tell me not to talk to strangers, they know I'm easily fooled."

"If they find out I just took out a hundred yuan like that, I'll get a beating when I get back."

“Old comrade, I think you are right. You don’t need this hundred yuan.”

"Little sister, let's go. Parents will worry if we get back late."

After saying that, Wang Chengpeng grabbed Wang Meiyan's hand and immediately prepared to leave with her.

(End of this chapter)