In officialdom: After she left, I rose rapidly through the ranks!

Looking at the 100,000 yuan that Chen Dashan took out of his bag on the table, it would be a lie to say that he wasn't tempted.

The bride price in Linchuan County is actually not too high. In those days, the average income was only a little over one thousand or two thousand yuan.

For ordinary families, marrying off a daughter is usually a matter of choosing one out of ten thousand.

Of course, I don't have many requirements for a car, but I should try my best to have a house.

However, when it came to Wang Yueyue, her parents made a demand of 166,660 yuan, plus a house in the county town, which could be financed with a mortgage, but it was mandatory.

Gold bracelets, gold necklaces, and gold rings are also a must.

This doesn't even include other miscellaneous expenses. Just by calculating this, without even considering the cost of the house, you'd need to come up with at least 200,000 yuan to marry Wang Yueyue.

However, Chen Jingcheng had just started working and naturally couldn't have that much money on hand.

His parents worked hard all their lives, saving money honestly, but they couldn't keep up with all the social obligations and expenses for elderly family members getting sick and hospitalized. In addition, although Chen Jingcheng has graduated and started working, his younger siblings are still in school, which is also a considerable expense.

After scraping together every penny, the family couldn't even scrape together 100,000 yuan in cash, let alone 200,000 yuan for the wedding or the down payment for a house.

In the end, it all comes down to Wang Yueyue's family looking down on her.

In their view, they have better options.

Chen Dashan pointed to the 100,000 yuan on the table and said calmly, "Jingcheng, I have done some business, and so has Jinghan. But it's actually quite difficult to come up with 100,000 or 200,000 yuan in cash. After all, businesses need to keep their cash flow."

"But Jingcheng, you're in a hurry to get married right now, and your parents have already asked me for money. Although I'm in a difficult position, you're my nephew, and I can't just not help you at all."

"But while I have to help out, I also have to keep my business going. After all, my restaurants together support more than a hundred people. If my business collapses, their livelihoods will be gone."

"Jingcheng, as long as you help me introduce your Party Secretary and Mayor to me and help me get the project for your office building, this 100,000 yuan is yours, and you don't have to pay it back. Moreover, I know people in several real estate developments in the county, so getting a discount on the down payment from the buyers shouldn't be a problem."

Nephew?

At this moment, Chen Dashan remained calm. Chen Jingcheng was naturally grateful for the money he lent to his nephew for his wedding. However, the problem was that Chen Dashan's reason for lending the money, or rather, for giving it to him, was still to ask Chen Jingcheng to help them introduce them to the town's main leaders and to provide assistance.

Chen Jingcheng didn't know how much they could earn from the renovation of that office building, but he knew that if you factored in the 100,000 yuan and other expenses, they really wouldn't make much money.

So why did Chen Dashan insist on doing this? Having been in business for so many years, Chen Dashan couldn't possibly be unaware of the gains and losses involved. Perhaps it wasn't that simple; there were just some things that Chen Dashan and his son hadn't told him.

Chen Jingcheng shook his head at Chen Dashan and said softly, "Uncle, I'm sorry, but if you're willing to help me raise the bride price, consider this money a loan, and I'll pay it back."

"But if you still want me to do you this favor, then I really can't help you."

"Uncle, it's not that I, Chen Jingcheng, am being selfless and unwilling to help you, but I really can't do anything about this."

"I, Chen Jingcheng, am not a rigid person. When I entered officialdom, I naturally wanted to do more good things and practical things for the people. But that doesn't mean I don't want to be prominent in front of others, or to make my family proud and bring honor to our ancestors. But, Uncle, I really can't do anything about this. I'm sorry."

Chen Dashan gave Chen Jingcheng a deep look, then smiled, stood up, patted Chen Jingcheng on the shoulder, and said, "Good boy, you have ambition."

"Well then, let me wait and see, and wait for you to become a good official."

After saying that, Chen Dashan put the money on the table back into his bag and said with a smile, "Jingcheng, since that's the case, I'm afraid I can't lend you this money. After all, I have to support so many people, and I can't afford to lose cash flow."

"But don't worry, when you get married, your uncle will definitely give you a big red envelope."

"Jing Han, let's go, let's think of another way."

Then, Chen Dashan and Chen Jinghan, whose faces were gloomy and full of anger, got up to leave.

Chen Jingcheng's parents sat on the sofa from the beginning without saying a word. They were just ordinary people who cared more about their child's future and didn't want him to make mistakes.

However, when Chen Dashan put away the 100,000 yuan, a hint of anger and helplessness flashed in the eyes of Chen Jingcheng's father, Chen Dachuan.

"Brother, Yueyue's parents have given us a deadline. If we can't raise the bride price by then, they won't let the two children get married. You know Yueyue, brother, can't you lend me the money?"

"We can't let two kids be unable to get married because of a little money."

"Don't worry, I will definitely pay it back."

However, Chen Dachuan's words did not shake Chen Dashan in the slightest. Instead, he turned around and began to persuade Chen Dachuan.

"Da Chuan, it's not that your older brother doesn't want to help you. I've already made it very clear that Jing Cheng is unwilling to help me, so I have to find a way myself. All of this requires money."

"Also, I advise you to give up on Wang Yueyue, this daughter-in-law. They're not a good match."

"Wang Yueyue's mother is the vice president of the county hospital, and Wang Yueyue's father is the owner of our county's pharmaceutical company. Their wealth is beyond description."

"You could say they have connections and money, but what about you, Da Chuan? You're a production manager at a food factory, and your siblings are just ordinary teachers at No. 2 Middle School. Of course, Jing Cheng is a civil servant now, but the problem is, he's just a township civil servant. Without money or connections, why would anyone want to work for him?"

"Sometimes, you have to face reality. Reality can be very cruel."

"Alright, that's all for now, we're leaving."

After saying that, Chen Dashan and Chen Jinghan pushed open the door and left, leaving behind only a bunch of unpleasant words.

Chen Dachuan's face was grim. He had hardly ever asked his older brother for money all these years, let alone borrowed any. But what had he gotten in return?

At this moment, Li Sumei frowned slightly, patted Chen Dachuan on the back, and shook her head, saying, "Dachuan, don't be angry. There's nothing wrong with what your brother did."

"If you don't want to lend me money, then don't. Let's think of another way."

"After all, they might be having a hard time too."

However, Chen Dachuan gritted his teeth and said, "Is it difficult for him?"

"If he doesn't want to lend it, he can't. Are they even brothers?"

"If he really couldn't pay salaries or had business reserves after taking out this 100,000 yuan, then I won't say anything."

"But what is the reality?"

"He often goes out to gamble and loses tens of thousands of yuan in one night."

"His belt alone costs tens of thousands of yuan, and he just bought his son a car worth over 500,000 yuan because he didn't have the money?"

"Can someone without money buy two fully furnished apartments in a new development outright?"

At this point, a hint of sadness appeared on Chen Dachuan's face, and he said softly, "I know that lending money is a favor, and not lending is one's right."

"But I'm his own brother, and Jingcheng is his own nephew. How could he scheme against us like this?"

"I saw through what happened today. Just because Jing Cheng wouldn't help him with introductions, he deliberately offered money to provoke us. This is humiliating, utterly humiliating!"

"It's my own older brother who's humiliating me!"

"I'm incompetent, it's all my fault. I'm incompetent! Once a person loses their skills and money, they really have nothing left. Even their closest relatives will look down on them. Today, I've truly understood the coldness of human relationships!"

At this moment, Chen Dachuan's eyes were red, showing some vitality, but more than anything, sadness.

What saddened him was not that Chen Dashan wouldn't lend him money, but that their decades-long brotherhood had turned out to be like this.

What's even more upsetting is that because he's incompetent, his wife and children are also looked down upon.

At this moment, Chen Jingcheng saw all of this and secretly made up his mind.

He was determined to rise above others, to reach the pinnacle step by step, and to ensure that no one would dare to look down on him, let alone his parents.

He wanted everyone to treat his parents and relatives with only respect, reverence, and careful flattery, with no more contempt or humiliation!