Chapter 12: Paying Off Mother’s Debt

The village chief quickly pulled her up. Just as he was about to send people out to search, his wife Madam Liu tugged at his sleeve and whispered:

“I think the second branch of the Song family was right—this girl must’ve run away because she couldn’t handle the hardship.”

“Otherwise, why would that girl go into town and not say a word to Wang Guifang?”

“You’d better stay out of this.”

Madam Liu had no fondness for Song Miaomiao at all. In her eyes, this girl had bewitched her son beyond sense. A fox like her—the farther she went, the better.

The village chief’s face darkened at her words. He forcefully pulled his hand away from Madam Liu and scolded, “This concerns a life! How can you treat it as a joke!”

He turned to the gathered villagers holding torches. “We’re all neighbors. Since the Wang family’s daughter is missing, let’s help look for her.”

Wang Guifang bowed deeply to everyone. “Thank you, thank you all.”

Since the village chief had spoken, no one dared refuse.

Madam Wang, clearly displeased by how things had turned out, grumbled with dissatisfaction.

“Wang Guifang, fine, we’ll help you find your girl, but if this delays the work on our house, you must come and make it up tomorrow.”

Li Caixia furiously retorted, “Some relative you are! Guifang already helped you last time and wasn’t even fully recovered yet. Now you want to squeeze her dry again? You won’t be satisfied until she drops dead, will you?”

Madam Wang, louder and more aggressive, stood with her hands on her hips, shouting:

“We’re supposed to hand over our work tomorrow! Tonight’s delay is because of your runaway daughter. Shouldn’t she make it up to us?”

“And we have it in black and white—your family owes us. Wang Guifang must help out. Or was all that silver lent to you for free?”

“You’re standing up for her like that, Li Caixia. What, do you have your eye on her fake noble status? Hoping she’ll marry your son Erniu?”

“Too bad for you! She wouldn’t look twice at a mud-legged peasant like him.”

Li Caixia’s face turned livid. She charged forward. “You lying old hag! I’ll tear that filthy mouth of yours apart!”

Madam Wang wasn’t one to back down. The two women started grappling, and the others had no choice but to drop their torches to break up the fight.

The village chief was fuming, mustache bristling and eyes bulging, just about to shout them down—

When suddenly, a slender silhouette appeared outside the courtyard, approaching slowly.

He squinted and shouted, “Stop it! Isn’t that the Wang family girl over there?”

Hearing that, Wang Guifang rushed out the gate. Seeing it really was Song Miaomiao, her face lit up with shock and joy. She ran over, anxiously asking:

“Miaomiao, what happened? Did you get lost?”

The moment Song Miaomiao saw Wang Guifang, she threw herself into her arms and sobbed, as if she had finally found a safe harbor from the storm. Her voice trembled:

“Mom… It was so dark… I was so scared… And I twisted my ankle… Mom…”

She didn’t dare tell her about the man she almost ran into, fearing it would worry her—especially with so many people around who might gossip.

But inside, she was still terrified.

Wang Guifang held her tightly and comforted her. The villagers watching were moved, seeing the mother and daughter cry in each other’s arms. Many showed signs of sympathy for the struggling family.

Only Madam Wang sneered. “Lost, huh? More like tried to run away and chickened out halfway!”

Only now did Song Miaomiao realize how many people were standing in the courtyard. Uncomfortable, she shrank behind Wang Guifang.

Seeing this, the village chief told everyone to disperse.

People began to leave, but Madam Wang strutted up to Wang Guifang and said provocatively, “Remember to come work at our place tomorrow. Otherwise—repay the money.”

The village chief’s brow furrowed deeply.

He was just about to intervene when Song Miaomiao suddenly spoke up:

“No. My mother isn’t going.”

Madam Wang looked her up and down—soft skin, delicate looks—and didn’t take her seriously. She snapped,

“Then you come. Someone from your family has to show up. Otherwise—repay now. Don’t blame me for getting nasty.”

“Fine. We’ll repay.”

“But my mother has already worked for you many times. That money has to be deducted.”

Song Miaomiao took out the three taels of silver she had struggled to obtain.

Though she was frightened to speak in front of so many people, she firmly stood her ground for her mother’s rights.

Madam Wang’s eyes nearly popped out at the sight of the gleaming silver. This wretched girl… actually had money?

Wang Guifang was also surprised. “Miaomiao, where did you get this?”

Three whole silver pieces, each marked with tooth imprints—clearly real.

Song Miaomiao calmly explained, “I went to town today and pawned that silk jacket.”

Everyone suddenly understood and looked at her with admiration.

The second branch of the Song family had lied—this girl didn’t run away. She’d gone to sell her clothes to help repay her mother’s debt. Filial and admirable.

Such is the life of the wealthy—even a casually worn garment could fetch three taels of silver.

Madam Wang stared greedily at the silver in Song Miaomiao’s hand, itching to snatch it all.

“Fine! Want to settle accounts? Even the moneylenders in town charge interest. I lent you one tael five qian, and now I’m just collecting a little interest—is that so wrong?”

“Your mother working for us counts as interest payment. Just give me the principal—fifteen hundred wen—and we’ll call it even.”

The few villagers still around looked at her with disgust.

“Insane for money… Charging interest on a loan to your own relatives. How shameless can you get?”

“Madam Wang’s always been a penny-pincher. Once the Wang family kid accidentally bumped into her, and she snatched a freshly caught grass carp right out of their hands!”

The village chief frowned and was about to speak for justice again, but Madam Liu stopped him. “It’s their family business. Don’t get involved.”

Song Miaomiao looked at the tall man beside Madam Wang. From how close they stood, she guessed he must be her second uncle, Song Eryong.

So she asked boldly in front of everyone:

“Second Uncle, do you agree with Second Aunt—do you think it’s right to charge interest on the 1,500 wen my mother borrowed for my father’s funeral?”

Song Eryong was a man—and a proud one.

Madam Wang was being unreasonable, and Song Eryong, who had been benefiting from her antics, naturally hadn’t spoken up. But now that Song Miaomiao had called him out by name, everyone’s eyes turned toward him. His expression immediately changed.

He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and, though reluctant, glanced at the silver in her hand.

“N-no, of course there shouldn’t be any interest.”

To bully his own late brother’s widow in front of everyone—if word got out, he’d be utterly disgraced.

Madam Wang loudly objected, but Song Eryong gave her a sharp glare. “Shut up. Haven’t you embarrassed us enough?”

Song Miaomiao asked, “Then how much does my mother still owe your family?”

Song Eryong looked troubled. “I’d have to check the carpentry records I’ve kept over the years… I didn’t exactly keep track…”

It wasn’t easy to manipulate the numbers with the whole village watching. Better to wait until only the two families were around tomorrow and then haggle over it slowly.

But Wang Guifang spoke up just then. “I’ve kept track.”

Limping slightly, she went into the house and brought out a clay jar.

Every time she worked a full day of labor, she would drop one pebble into the jar.

So the number of days she had worked at either Song Dayong or Song Eryong’s household had been recorded.

She poured out the pebbles and counted them one by one—70 in total. At 10 wen per day, that was 700 wen. Since she originally owed 1,500 wen to the second branch, she now only owed 800 wen.

“Nearly half of it already paid back—and Madam Wang still wanted to deny it. What a greedy stomach she has.”

“Exactly. And didn’t Wang Guifang’s husband pass away just two years ago? She’s already worked 70 days for them? They really treat her like a personal maid.”

The villagers all began muttering, their disdainful glances at the couple growing sharper.

Madam Wang jumped up in protest. “You say 70 days, so it’s 70 days? Maybe you just threw in a bunch of stones to dodge the debt!”

Song Miaomiao looked directly at her. “If Second Aunt doesn’t believe it, then go home now and bring your ledger out. We all live in the same village—not far at all.”