2
"What?"
"880,000? Honey, did I hear it wrong? Didn't we agree on 180,000? We're from the countryside; there's no way we can come up with that much money."
I feigned surprise, furrowing my brow as if I was troubled.
Upon hearing my response, Xu Jiani's expression changed immediately.
"Doesn't your family have an apartment? And your mom's hand-me-down jade bracelet, along with the pension she's saved over the years."
"Besides, we just had relations last night; are you going to pretend nothing happened?"
"If you can't deliver the 880,000 dowry, I won't let this slide!"
Greed flashed in Xu Jiani's eyes, and her words carried a hint of threat.
But I pretended as though I hadn't heard anything at all and told her the apartment belonged to my parents. I couldn't possibly leave them homeless just so we could get married.
Hearing this, Xu Jiani merely laughed and completely dropped her pretense.
"They can live however they want. What's it got to do with me? If they can't survive, then they can die."
"I warn you, if you don't come up with the money, don't blame me for turning against you and accusing you of rape."
I was waiting for her to say that. I quickly pretended to panic, saying, "You came to me voluntarily last night, and we've already been engaged. How can it be considered rape?"
"You make me laugh. How can you prove it was me who came to you voluntarily?"
After leaving those words, Xu Jiani got up, dressed, and left. Before she walked out, she threatened me again, saying that if I didn't come up with the money in five days, I'd better be ready for jail.
Watching her back, I glanced at the surveillance footage on my phone and smiled.
It's going to be jail.
But this time, it won't be me who's going to jail.
It will be you.