Chapter 11: Returning the Money

Along the way, Wu Zhiqiu had already planned how to use this money.

Their family currently had debts: two hundred yuan to her parents’ home, one hundred to her younger sister, fifty to her elder sister, two hundred to her eldest daughter, fifty to her younger brother, a total of six hundred yuan in debt. They would return it to them as soon as they had the money. Everyone was struggling financially at this time, they had all borrowed money from relatives and friends to pay for the dowry and furniture when the eldest son got married.

Now that they had money, they would return it quickly! With the remaining money, she and Li Mancang would each buy a bicycle.

She hadn’t given a dowry when the second son got married, she gave the second daughter-in-law one hundred yuan. She had served them a lot over the years, and she couldn’t pretend not to see their kindness.

With this arrangement, the thousand yuan was gone!

Wu Zhiqiu sighed, poverty wasn’t scary, what was scary was that she was the one who was poor!

But at least they weren’t living in debt anymore! It was a good start.

She went to the scrap metal station, first she asked her leader for half a day off. The longer she waited, the more things could change, she had to return the money quickly.

She ran all the way to Li Mancang’s repair shop. The gatekeeper recognized Wu Zhiqiu and didn’t stop her, he let her in directly.

Li Mancang was startled when he saw his wife rushing to find him, he thought something big had happened.

Wu Zhiqiu pulled Li Mancang aside and told him about getting the money from the eldest son.

Li Mancang didn’t expect his wife to actually go and ask for the dowry money back, he thought it was just her talking.

He didn’t expect things to actually happen, the eldest son actually had over a thousand yuan in savings!

“The little bastard, the son of a bitch, I worked my ass off to get him married, and he saved up so much money and didn’t even think about helping me out!” The honest Li Mancang was angry for the first time!

He had been exhausted from the eldest son going to university and getting married! The debt he owed to others was like a mountain weighing on his heart.

This little bastard actually saved up so much money and didn’t even ask about the family’s situation!

For the first time, Li Mancang felt that this so-called eldest son had no sense of responsibility! He had read all those books into his dog’s belly!

“First, take the money for your elder sister and younger sister, then go home and give the money to your younger brother. I’ll go to my parents’ home and return the money to my father and the second brother. I’ll give Fenglan’s money to her tomorrow.”

Wu Zhiqiu didn’t care about Li Mancang, who was red in the face with anger, she just made arrangements.

“Okay! I’ll go now! My bicycle is no good, I’ll borrow my apprentice’s bicycle.” His parents’ home was in the suburbs, it would take three hours to ride a bicycle there, his bicycle wouldn’t do!

“Don’t borrow it, just buy a new one, sell that one as scrap metal! It’s a long way, don’t break someone else’s bicycle.” Wu Zhiqiu’s budget was to buy two bicycles, she might as well just buy them directly.

Li Mancang had wanted to replace his bicycle, which made noise everywhere except for the bell, for a long time.

“We have enough money, you should buy one too, it’s tiring to walk to and from work every day.” Li Mancang was happy, but he didn’t forget to feel sorry for his wife.

“You have a conscience, let’s go, we’ll buy them together!”

The couple happily went to the department store and bought two bicycles, a Flying Pigeon for Li Mancang, one hundred and eight yuan, and a ladies’ bicycle for Wu Zhiqiu, one hundred and six yuan.

It was the eighties, they didn’t need tickets anymore. The two of them rode their bicycles happily.

Wu Zhiqiu’s father lived in the western suburbs, he had bought a small courtyard and two vegetable plots. He had been living there since he retired.

The eldest brother had bought a courtyard next door for convenience in taking care of his father. His wife had retired this year and stayed at home to take care of her grandson and cook for her father-in-law.

When Wu Zhiqiu arrived, the eldest sister-in-law was cooking, and the old man was playing with his grandchildren in the house.

“Our little sister is here!” The eldest sister-in-law greeted her enthusiastically.

No matter what she thought in her heart, she was definitely very enthusiastic on the surface, no one could find fault with her.

“Sister-in-law! Dad!” Wu Zhiqiu handed the eldest sister-in-law two pounds of meat and a pound of candy.

“Little sister, you’re too generous, we have everything at home, you’re not well-off, why buy these things?” The eldest sister-in-law said politely, quickly taking the things from Wu Zhiqiu’s hands.

“Little sister!” The children also gathered around.

“Good, little sister bought you candy, go ask grandma for it!”

“Great! Thank you, little sister!” The children happily surrounded their aunt, asking for candy.

“Wasting money!” The old man pointed at his daughter, disapproving of her buying so many things. There were so many children in the family who hadn’t gotten married yet, and the little girl was still studying, all of them needed money. Why was she wasting money here?

“Dad, the meat today is pork belly, you love braised pork, right? I’ll have my sister-in-law make some for you later.”

“Okay, I’ll make some for Dad later.” The eldest sister-in-law said with a smile, while handing out candy to the children.

The old man glared at his daughter, “Why are you free today? Aren’t you at work?”

The old man looked at the calendar on the wall, today wasn’t a day off, why did she come over?

“Dad, I came to return the money.” She said, taking out two hundred yuan, handing one hundred to her father, and another fifty to her sister-in-law.

“Sister-in-law, I’ve owed you this money for two years, I’m just returning it now, I’m sorry.”

The eldest sister-in-law was stunned, she didn’t expect her sister-in-law to come and return the money.

She looked at the money and didn’t take it, “We’re not in a hurry for the money, you keep it for now.”

Wu Zhiqiu was touched, although her sister-in-law was mostly talkative, she could give away two acres of land even if she didn’t have any food, but she was really good to her. Over the years, she had borrowed money from her parents’ home many times.

“Sister-in-law, we have the money now, I’ll return it to you first. If I need it, I’ll ask you.” Wu Zhiqiu stuffed the money into her sister-in-law’s hand.

“Okay, if you need it, come and get it.” The eldest sister-in-law didn’t hesitate, she put the money in her pocket and then went to cook.

“Are you really well-off? I’m not in a hurry for this money, I don’t have anywhere to spend it.” The old man looked at his daughter, who was thin and her clothes were loose, he felt心疼.

“Dad, I have it. This fifty is for the second brother, you give it to him when he comes. I won’t go to his house, he’s out driving, I don’t know when he’ll be home.”

“Okay, if you need money, just tell Dad, don’t be too hard on yourself.”

Wu Zhiqiu’s nose felt sour, “I know, Dad! I won’t be too hard on myself anymore.”

“That’s good.” The old man took Wu Zhiqiu’s words as comfort. A bunch of children who hadn’t grown up, they would never stop being a burden.

Soon, the eldest brother, Wu Huai’an, came home from work. The eldest brother was now an accountant at the cotton spinning factory, he would also retire in a year.

“Little sister, why are you free to come over today?” The eldest brother was happy to see Wu Zhiqiu.

“Little sister came to give us money, and she also bought a lot of meat and candy.” The eldest sister-in-law quickly chimed in.

“Give us money? Little sister, we’re not in a hurry for that money, you give it to others first.” The eldest brother quickly said.

“Big brother, I have it, if I’m short, I’ll borrow it again!”

“Give it to Mancang’s family first, we don’t need your money! Just consider it as your uncle sponsoring the children’s education.” The eldest brother didn’t even think about taking the fifty yuan.

“I said the same thing, but little sister insisted on giving it.” The eldest sister-in-law heard her husband say he didn’t want the money, she felt a little uncomfortable, but she was afraid of her husband blaming her, so she pushed it onto Wu Zhiqiu.

“Big brother, I really have it, Li Mancang’s family has been paid back, only our family’s left.”

“Really?”

“Really!” Wu Zhiqiu answered affirmatively.

“Okay, if you need money, come and get it!”

“Okay! Thank you, big brother! Sister-in-law!”

“What are you being polite for, we’re family.” The eldest sister-in-law smiled, she was really afraid that the money she had gotten would be given away.