Chapter 40: A Huge Sum of One Hundred and Fifty Yuan

Qiu Yinuo had never been the type to submit to unfair treatment. She always followed the principle of “If you don’t let me be happy, then you won’t be happy either.” Without hesitation, she pushed Aunt Qiu out and slammed the door shut in her astonished face.

By the time Aunt Qiu had come to her senses, Qiu Yinuo had even locked the door.

“Qiu Yinuo, how dare you push me!” Aunt Qiu pounded on the door furiously, but the door remained firmly shut, refusing to let her in.

Cheng Hongying, fearing that her sister-in-law would damage the new door, quickly gave He Ziqing a glance.

He Ziqing understood immediately!

She dashed forward and effortlessly lifted Aunt Qiu off her feet.

With her head hanging down, blood rushing to her head, and her cursing with all her might, she quickly became oxygen-deprived and felt nauseous.

Aunt Qiu was both furious and indignant, her finger trembling as she pointed at He Ziqing.

“You… ugh…”

“Since you’re not feeling well, just stay home and rest. Don’t worry about the elders,” He Ziqing said as she turned to leave, casually and thoughtfully closing the door behind her.

When Cheng Hongying saw He Ziqing return, she immediately asked, “Qingqing, where did you take Niu’er’s aunt?”

He Ziqing paused for a moment. “I sent her home.”

“You just carried her back like that?”

“I… did I misunderstand?”

Thinking about how her sister-in-law had been carried like a sack all the way back, and possibly seen by others, Cheng Hongying couldn’t help but laugh and slap her leg. “Yes, you didn’t misunderstand! That’s exactly what you should have done. That way, she won’t keep stirring up trouble. She just can’t stand seeing our family doing well.”

Meanwhile, Qiu Yinuo had already brought Grandpa and Grandma inside.

“There are two rooms in total, one large and one slightly smaller,” she said, pretending not to notice the two elderly faces filled with displeasure.

“Grandpa, do you think this room is enough for Jinzi to get married?”

When the elderly couple heard this, they immediately looked at her in astonishment. “Enough for Jinzi to get married?”

“He’s not a young boy anymore. Let’s get the house ready. Once the house is ready, what’s there to worry about in finding a bride for him?”

Grandpa Qiu pursed his lips. “That’s true. Although Jinzi is good-looking and won’t have trouble finding a wife, it’s still better to have a house.”

Grandma Qiu sighed. “This is my and your grandpa’s fault for not thinking things through. We shouldn’t have let you, his older sister, worry about this.”

“Grandpa, Grandma, what are you saying? Jinzi is my brother, I’m his sister. If I don’t think of him, who will? It’s just a bit of extra money. Life might be a bit tight in the future, but I believe Jinzi will always remember my kindness. He even said that, even if he doesn’t get married, he’ll help me raise the kids.”

The last sentence made the elderly couple panic. “He’s the only one left in our family. If he doesn’t get married, how am I supposed to hold my great-grandchildren?”

Qiu Yinuo could only look helpless. “When Jinzi heard I was giving money to build him a house and get him a wife, he was so moved he cried the whole night. He said I was the best sister in the world and that he wouldn’t let me spend money for nothing—he insisted on helping me raise the children.”

The elderly couple felt a pang of jealousy!

They had always doted on that little rascal, giving him the best of everything, and in the end, it was still his sister who treated him the best. How could they not feel envious?

Grandma Qiu had an idea and tugged at her husband’s sleeve, whispering in his ear, “Jinzi is a smart boy. I’m worried he really won’t get married and will just help his sister raise children. That’s not going to work. I’m still waiting to hold my great-grandchildren!”

Grandpa Qiu had dreamed of holding his great-grandchildren for years, so there was no way he could let his grandson feel pressured.

Qiu Yinuo let out a sigh and said, “Grandpa, Jinzi’s being so distant with me. Building this house cost 230 yuan in total—Mom gave him 80, and I covered the other 150. But Jinzi insists on paying me back. He says to give him seven or eight years, and once he’s repaid me, then he’ll start thinking about marriage. Tell me, how am I supposed to feel good about that?”

Grandpa Qiu was so agitated that he jabbed his cane into the ground. “No way. Absolutely not!”

Seven or eight years without a wife? Who knew if he or his wife would still be around by then!

“Yinuo, I’ll cover the cost,” he declared. “Think of it as me giving him his marriage fund in advance.”

Although it hurt, he was willing to sacrifice for the early arrival of his great-grandchild.

“Grandpa, we can’t let you pay for this,” Qiu Yinuo immediately waved her hands, unsure of what to do. “150 yuan is no small amount. We can’t accept this money.”

Qiu Yinuo knew her grandparents were wealthy, but she hadn’t realized just how much money they had.

In the past, the three Qiu brothers would often go hunting in the mountains and secretly bring game into the city to sell. Most of the proceeds ended up with the elderly couple.

If it hadn’t been for Aunt Qiu bringing the old couple to her, she never would have thought of asking them for such a large sum.

At most, she had intended to trick them into giving a few dozen yuan, making them part with just a little bit of their wealth.

“This isn’t for you,” Grandpa Qiu barked. “Don’t go deciding for Jinzi. That boy better stop dragging his feet and go find a nice girl to marry, soon!” Grandpa Qiu insisted.

No way would he let Qiu Yinuo use this debt as leverage. Heaven forbid she made Jinzi feel like he owed her so much that he gave up on marriage to help raise her kids.

They knew better than anyone how much Jinzi adored his sister.

With everything playing out just the way she wanted, Qiu Yinuo was in a great mood. She led her grandparents to see the smaller room—just big enough for three or four people to sleep comfortably on the kang.

Thanks to the newly installed windows, the warm winter sunlight streamed in, making the entire room feel cozy and warm.

“Grandpa, Grandma, this room is for you two. You can stay here for a while. In the future, when Jinzi gets married and has children, you can sleep here with your great-grandchildren. What do you think?”

“Of course, it’s perfect.”

Just thinking about it made them feel overjoyed.

Grandma Qiu laughed out loud. “Old man, our Yinuo really knows how to talk.”

Qiu Yinuo smiled. When it came to generous people, she always knew the right words to say.

Grandpa Qiu patted the warm kang and imagined the beautiful dream his granddaughter had woven for him. He suddenly felt that spending 150 yuan wasn’t painful at all.

“Grandpa, Grandma, once the old house is done being renovated, you should come try this kang out. See if it’s warm enough for you,” she added, cheerful as ever.

“Of course! Why wouldn’t we?”

Meanwhile, Jinzi had been too busy to sneak off and cause mischief lately. Just earlier, he had gone to the village chief to settle some accounts, and when he handed over five whole ten-yuan bills, it was like carving flesh from his own bones.

As he walked back, he couldn’t shake the feeling that someone had been talking about him. His ears were burning with discomfort.

“Mom, I’m back. Where’s my sister?”

“She’s over at the new house, taking care of your grandparents.”

“Huh? Are Grandpa and Grandma upset?”

“There hasn’t been a sound from them, so they’re probably having a pleasant chat.”

While the mother and son were talking, the elderly couple emerged with smiles on their faces, waving at Jinzi. “Come on, take us home.”

Jinzi always had endless patience for his grandparents. “Alright!”

When Jinzi returned home later, his pocket was noticeably heavier with extra money. He was internally screaming, “Can someone please tell me what my sister and grandparents talked about? How could the frugal old couple give me 150 yuan?”

150 yuan!

It wasn’t 15 yuan—it was a huge sum of 150 yuan!