At ten o'clock in the evening, my mom called.

She cried on the phone, saying, "Your dad had a scooter accident, it's a disaster!"

I quickly took a taxi to the hospital. At the hospital entrance, I saw my mom crying, Song Xiaobei, and Zhenzhen in a spirited little sister outfit.

Amidst my mom's sobs, I understood the situation. It turned out that after drinking at night, my dad rode his scooter back and collided with an elderly person going the wrong way. My dad was fine, but unfortunately, the elderly person hit his head on a stone when falling and couldn't make it to the hospital.

The elderly person was a rehired engineer from the design unit. His family is demanding 400,000 yuan in compensation, or else they will send my dad to prison.

"Our family doesn't have that much money, how can we afford it!" My mom sat on the ground and wailed.

Zhenzhen yawned and said, "Auntie, they are just trying to extort money. Why do they need so much? Don't give it! If he goes to jail, he goes to jail. He'll be out in a few years anyway."

My mom got angry, "Your uncle is so old. If he really goes to jail, will he come out alive?"

Zhenzhen fell silent, rolled her eyes, looking defiant.

"I can come up with 100,000." I volunteered.

My mom also knew that over the years, I had been contributing most of my salary to the family and couldn't really come up with much money. She turned to look at Song Xiaobei.

After glancing at Zhenzhen, Song Xiaobei hesitated, "Zhenzhen and I still have to get married. When we have children, there will be more expenses."

My mom raised her eyebrows, "Where did all the money I've been giving you over the years go?"

Song Xiaobei turned away, not saying a word, his attitude clear that he wouldn't contribute money.

Zhenzhen looked at me, "Auntie, don't always focus on Xiaobei. Isn't Xiaonan good at sales and can make money? Let her contribute."

I sneered. Since you put it that way, don't blame me.

I shrugged, "I can come up with 100,000. I can't squeeze out a single drop more. Oh, Mom, didn't you save 200,000 as a dowry for Xiaobei? Take it out first to help in this emergency."

Zhenzhen glared at me fiercely, as if she wanted to burn two holes in my body. I pretended not to see.

My mom hesitated.

I added, "Dad has hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes. He needs insulin injections every day. If he goes in, what will happen if they don't let him have his injections?"

My mom made up her mind, "I'll go withdraw the money tomorrow."

Zhenzhen dropped her gentle facade, immediately quarreling with my mom at the hospital entrance, insisting on breaking up if the dowry wasn't given and demanding compensation for mental anguish from Song Xiaobei.

Zhenzhen even called her parents on the spot, accusing our family of deceiving her emotionally. To our surprise, her parents actually advised her to negotiate on this matter.

I felt it wasn't that simple. Zhenzhen's family conditions were not good, and she had an older unmarried brother who had previously demanded 300,000 yuan as a dowry, which was negotiated down.

Could they agree so easily?

But I never expected that they would turn their attention to me!