Chapter 93: Moral Hijacking (Part 2)
Thinking of this, Mengyu asked the neighbors, âSo who is Ma Dapanâs brother?â
Sure enough, as soon as Mengyu mentioned Ma Dapanâs brother, the neighborsâ faces all changed.
Granny Long looked around before saying, âHer brother is a repeat offender, a hooligan through and through.â
A tall and thin neighbor added, âHer brother is named Ma Dana. She raised him, and he listens to her every word. If anyone dares to cross Ma Dapan, her brother will help her settle scores with them, until they come bearing gifts and apologize to her.â
Repeat offender here doesnât refer to a playâs title, but a metaphor for someone who has been detained or imprisoned for the second time.
No wonder everyone is afraid of Ma Dapan; she has a brother whoâs been in jail.
âSo, itâs not so much Ma Dapang you all are afraid of, but rather Ma Dana?â Mengyu glanced at the neighbors, âAnd thatâs why youâre helping Ma Dapan, blocking others from buying Old man Chenâs house? Even if Old man Chen is anxious to go live with his son, even if his son urgently needs the money?â
The neighbors all averted their eyes, their guilt showing.
Mengyu continued to question, âDo you know what price Ma Dapan offered me to transfer the house to her?â
The neighbors shook their heads.
Mengyu held up a finger, âTwelve Thousand. She offered me just twelve thousand to transfer the courtyard to her, which I bought for thirty thousand yuan.â
Upon hearing Mengyuâs words, the neighbors were all greatly taken aback. Previously, Ma Dapan was willing to spend fifteen thousand to buy Old man Chenâs house, but no sooner had this young girl bought the place, than Ma Dapan tried to take it off her hands for twelve thousand.
Was this an act of bullying because the young girl was an outsider?
âThe courtyard, for which I spent thirty thousand yuan just yesterday, she wants to strong-arm me today into selling it for twelve thousand. Are you still advising me to transfer the house to Ma Dapan?â
The neighbors had no response; after all, nobody would agree to sell a courtyard bought for thirty thousand yuan for a mere twelve thousand.
But they would not voice this opinion because the threat Ma Dapan had left with was still ringing in their ears.
Mengyu was even more perplexed, âDo you really want such a person to be your neighbor every day from now on?â
Clearly, the neighbors didnât want that, but did they have a choice?
They didnât want to be neighbors with Ma Dapan, but could this young girl truly protect her property?
No, thatâs not the issue. The key was, they didnât stop Old man Chen from selling the house to the young girl, and now that thug of a brother might trouble them for it!
Mengyu sighed, âDonât you realize that the more you give in to evil people, the more they will press on you, crushing you completely? Are you going to wait until youâre completely cornered before you stand up to fight back? Are you sure that by then, youâll still have the strength to resist?â
Granny Long shook her head, âI donât want such a malicious neighbor. Butâ â
The other few neighbors shook their heads as well, âWe donât want it either. Itâs justâ â
The tall thin woman looked distressed, âBut Ma Dapan told me, if I donât stop someone from buying Old man Chenâs courtyard, and if itâs sold to someone else, sheâll have her brother go to Longmen Road Primary School and make trouble for my son.â
She started crying, âIf you donât sell the house to her, what am I supposed to do? What about my son?
Do you just want to watch my son get hurt by that ex-con?
At such a young age, how can your heart be so cruel, sob sobââ