Reborn as the Villain's Wife, I Shine in 80s
Chapter 54 - 053 Tian Family’s Calculations

Chapter 54: 053 Tian Family’s Calculations

"If you don’t want Tian Tian to be used as collateral, give me the money already! Stop saying useless things!" Tian Guogui regretted entrusting the money to his wife to manage. All he cared about was gambling but kept stammering whenever he lost. It wasn’t even his own money—just winnings from the last time—so why couldn’t it be used?

"You really have the nerve to say that. Oh, it’s me who lost money and wants to use Tiantian to gamble again, huh?" Chen Guilan shot Tian Guogui a sideways glance, beginning to hatch her own plan. "Let me ask you, who was playing cards with you?"

"Who else could it be? The same old lot from our area who love gambling. Li Xiaoqin’s father, some of her relatives from the village—it used to include her uncle, but her uncle’s gone off to Dongzhen to work now."

Chen Guilan lowered her head, deep in thought.

"Dad, Mom, what’s going on?" Tian Tian’s soft voice came from the doorway.

"It’s so loud, the girl’s heard us. You stay here, I’ll go take a look." Chen Guilan said briefly, then opened the door and led Tian Tian into her room.

"Did Dad lose money gambling?" Tian Tian observed Chen Guilan’s expression carefully.

"Yes, he lost 358 yuan in a row. Biao Ge said if we don’t repay, he’ll take you as collateral." Chen Guilan clutched Tian Tian’s hand. "Your dad’s muddle-headed, but don’t worry—Mom won’t let them take you."

Tian Tian was horrified. Just the thought of the local tyrant Biao Ge sent shivers down her spine. "Mom, didn’t you save up some money? Let Dad use it to pay him back. Biao Ge has a lot of thugs under him—we can’t afford to provoke them. And also, tell Dad to stop gambling from now on."

"I did save up some money, but that money is for you. Besides, very few people know your dad won money, not even your grandma."

When Chen Guilan said this, Tian Tian immediately understood her meaning. A calculating glint flashed across her delicate face. "Then let Grandma chip in a bit, borrow some from Second Uncle’s family, you and Dad contribute a bit...and the rest..."

"What other cunning idea have you come up with, girl?" Chen Guilan raised her voice, knowing her daughter’s mind well.

Tian Tian grinned. "I ran into Matchmaker Miao Hua from the neighboring village the other day. She’s currently arranging a marriage proposal—and guess who the groom is? It’s Biao Ge."

"A marriage proposal?" Chen Guilan couldn’t quite grasp it at first. "Our family’s ruled out—you’re out of the question, and the girls from your Second Uncle’s house are far too young. Where could we find a suitable match? Grandma doesn’t have many relatives we could turn to either."

"Mom, have you forgotten? There’s still Tian Sangsang." Tian Tian pointed out, "Even though she’s raising a son, she still hasn’t remarried. Given her situation, most men wouldn’t consider her—but Biao Ge would definitely want her. If it works out, the bride price he pays would go straight to Grandma."

"But what if Tian Sangsang doesn’t agree?" Chen Guilan felt the plan was risky, especially since Tian Sangsang had made some strong remarks the other day.

"She’ll have to agree whether she wants to or not. Once both families finalize it, her willingness won’t matter. After all, she’s still part of the Tian Family and Grandma’s own granddaughter. Could she actually dare to defy Grandma?" Tian Tian said dismissively. "Besides, Biao Ge’s family is way wealthier than ours. Maybe our cousin might even be eager to marry into their household—she’d be ’enjoying life’ there anyway."

Chen Guilan let out a chuckle before sighing. "But even if Grandma gets the bride price, there’s no guarantee she’d hand the money over to your dad."

"That, Mom, will depend entirely on you." Tian Tian winked at her.

Chen Guilan instantly caught on, exchanging a knowing look with Tian Tian.

Without wasting any time, Chen Guilan stormed into their room, dragging Tian Guogui out into the courtyard. While she appeared to be yelling at the top of her lungs, her real target was Grandma Tian’s door nearby. "Tian Guogui, you heartless scoundrel! How could you even think of using Tian Tian as collateral? That girl is my daughter! My gorgeous daughter—do you really want her to be dragged off by some thug to be his wife?"

"No, Guilan! Everyone’s asleep; why are you shouting so loudly?!"

Chen Guilan twisted his arm with her hand and whispered fiercely, "Why are you so dense? If you want to repay the debt, you better cooperate with me."

Tian Guogui, stunned, eventually stammered and shouted, "You lousy woman, are you rebelling against me now? Mom, Mom, come save me!"

"I’m going to hit you—I’ll definitely hit you! What are we supposed to do, me and our daughter? All you know is gambling, gambling, gambling!"

Second Uncle’s wife yawned as she stepped out of her room. "Sister-in-law, what’s going on? Why are you yelling?" She didn’t even bother trying to mediate, simply looking on as if watching a show.

Finally, Grandma Tian emerged, leaning on her cane, her voice heavy with authority. "What’s all this fuss about? Everyone, pipe down for a moment!"

Most parents would feel humiliated seeing their forty-something-year-old son crying and shouting so disgracefully. But Grandma Tian doted on her son deeply, treating him as her treasure, her "little darling." She was distraught to see him being humiliated. "Chen Guilan, what on earth are you wailing about this late at night? Oh, my Guogui—you ungrateful woman, why are you hitting him? Have you no respect for me, your mother-in-law?"

"Mom, you have no idea what Guogui has done!" Chen Guilan loosened her grip on Tian Guogui, tears sliding down her face. "If he keeps being so ridiculous, I—along with Tian Tian and Big Bull—won’t even be able to keep living. Just listen to me, Mom. Hear us out first, then tell me if it wasn’t justified to hit him."

Grandma Tian snapped, "Enough of this nonsense! Explain properly—how could you say you can’t keep living?"

Crying as though on cue, Chen Guilan let her tears fall freely. "Guogui went out gambling tonight and lost 358 yuan! Those scoundrel thugs said if we don’t pay it back, they’ll take Tian Tian away!"

"What?!" Grandma Tian gasped in rage and struck Tian Guogui with her cane, her trembling body filled with indignation. "When your father and I were alive, earning money was so damn hard—eating tree bark and digging up wild roots, sharing even a single sweet potato. And what do you do? Gambling! I can’t believe I raised a son like you. Why didn’t your father take me with him when he passed?!"

"Mom, Mom, I was wrong!" Tian Guogui broke down as his elderly mother cried and cursed him. The grief carved wrinkles deeper into her face. She was still his mom, after all, and seeing her like this made his heart ache. "Mom, I didn’t want to gamble either—it’s Li Xiaoqin’s dad, they dragged me into it! I was just thinking that if my luck turned, I could win some cash and let Mom enjoy life better. I swear I’ll never do it again, Mom!"

Even as he tried, Tian Guogui wasn’t being truthful. The truth was, he really enjoyed playing cards, and when he won, the first person he thought of wasn’t his mom but his wife.

"Grandma, Grandma, please don’t cry." Tian Tian stepped forward pitifully and supported the elderly woman. "It’s because my dad has no sense that Grandma is shedding tears. We’ll find a way to gather the money, even if I have to go with Biao Ge’s people. I can’t let them come here and trouble Grandma or the rest of the family."

"My sweet granddaughter, how could you go with them? Grandma is counting on you to marry a city boy someday, to bring pride to our family. We’ve been poor farmers for generations—now I’m just pinning my hopes on you. Don’t worry, Grandma will come up with a solution. I won’t let them take you!"

"Second Uncle, Third Uncle, Guilan, Juanzi—you all come to my room to discuss things." Grandma Tian reassured her, "Tian Tian, go back to your room and get some rest. No one will take you away."

"Mm." Tian Tian nodded weakly.