Chapter 21: Collecting a Debt

Jing Xi couldn’t wait any longer.

She went straight to collect the debt.

Zhang Qiang still owed her 300 yuan.

As soon as she arrived at the Zhang family’s house, she saw Wu Dazhuang and Zhang Jianjun talking outside the courtyard. Jing Xi listened carefully and, sure enough, they were discussing the “eating lamb” matter.

Zhang Jianjun hesitated a little, but when he thought about how much money his family had lost, he wondered—if he could win the money back, wouldn’t that make his mother happy?

“Brother, give me some time to think about it. You know my family’s situation right now—I can’t make decisions lightly.”

“Alright, think it over. I have to go to town anyway, and I’ll probably be gone for a few days. If you decide, come find me at my house.”

Zhang Jianjun nodded.

Wu Dazhuang left.

“Hey, Zhang Jianjun! Are your parents home?”

Jing Xi called out.

Zhang Jianjun saw it was her and responded irritably, “What do you want? You jinx!”

“Jinx? Oh, I like that name. Oh, right, tell your parents to hurry up and give me my 300 yuan compensation. I need to go to town to buy bedding. I’m waiting for the money!”

“No money! It was all stolen—where would we get money?”

“If you don’t have money, go borrow some! Isn’t your Zhang family supposed to be so powerful? I don’t care, just get me my money!”

Zhang Jianjun got angry and strode toward Jing Xi.

Jing Xi wasn’t scared. She just smiled.

She had long seen through Zhang Jianjun—he was all talk, always relying on others to act first. Whenever he did bad things, it was always Wu Dazhuang leading the way. Without him, Zhang Jianjun was nothing but a coward.

“Zhang Jianjun, why aren’t you going with Wu Dazhuang to eat lamb?”

Zhang Jianjun was stunned. “How do you know about that?”

“Because he asked me first. He said I’m smart and could make a lot of money doing this.”

Zhang Jianjun was confused. Why would Wu Dazhuang tell Jing Xi about this? Didn’t he say it was a secret? No one was supposed to know.

And since when did Wu Dazhuang and Jing Xi start talking? Zhang Jianjun suddenly felt uneasy.

“Stop making things up! You must have eavesdropped on us!”

“Zhang Jianjun, you really are dumb. Do you actually think Wu Dazhuang considers you his brother?”

“Stop talking nonsense!”

“I’m just saying—maybe your family’s missing money was taken by Wu Dazhuang. He’s always hanging around your house, and he definitely knows where you keep your money. Think about it—both times your family lost money, wasn’t it Wu Dazhuang who reported it first? The first time, when your corn storage caught fire, who was the one who ‘discovered’ it? And this time, when your money went missing, wasn’t Wu Dazhuang the only one who stayed overnight at your house?

“I don’t want to say too much, but you should think about it.”

“Stop making things up! That’s impossible!” Zhang Jianjun protested, but the hesitation in his eyes betrayed his doubts.

“Believe it or not, it’s up to you. But Wu Dazhuang never does anything decent. Stealing under the guise of friendship isn’t out of the question. If you don’t believe me, go search his house—maybe you’ll find something.

“And maybe the reason he invited you to eat lamb is that he lost money gambling and needs you, the ‘rich little sheep,’ to help him pay off his debt.”

“……”

Zhang Jianjun fell silent.

When the police had asked if anyone had been to their house, he hadn’t mentioned that Wu Dazhuang had stayed overnight.

He was too embarrassed to admit that he had been afraid of ghosts, drank too much, and asked Wu Dazhuang to stay over.

For the next two days, until his parents were released from detention, he had stayed at home the entire time. At night, he even slept in his parents’ room because he was scared that his own room might be haunted.

Sometimes, when he needed to use the bathroom at night, he would just relieve himself in a pot inside his room and throw it out in the morning.

“Sigh, Zhang Jianjun, I see dark circles under your eyes, you look lifeless, and your eyes are bloodshot. You’re walking sluggishly… Don’t tell me you’ve been experiencing sleep paralysis? Or having nightmares?”

Zhang Jianjun immediately turned to look at Jing Xi.

How did she know?

Flustered, he snapped, “What nonsense are you talking about?”

“I was just asking out of concern, and now you’re getting mad? Hurry up and tell your parents to give me my money! Otherwise, I’ll sit right here and not leave!”

Jing Xi stuffed her hands into her pockets and leaned against the wall, making it clear that she wouldn’t budge until she got her money.

Zhang Jianjun didn’t know what to do, so he went inside to find his mother.

But in his mind, he kept replaying Jing Xi’s words.

Could Wu Dazhuang really have taken their money?

And how did Jing Xi know about the ghost in his house?

“You can let her stand out there! We don’t have any money! It was all stolen—where are we supposed to get money?!”

Wang Cuihua stood in the courtyard, yelling on purpose so that Jing Xi could hear her.

Jing Xi wasn’t angry at all. Instead, whenever she saw someone passing by, she warmly struck up a conversation.

“Uncle Wang, heading out? Yep, I’m just waiting for my compensation. Once I get it, I’m off to buy some bedding!”

“Uncle Li, going to the fields? Yeah, I’m waiting here for the Zhang family to give me my money. Last time, they ransacked my house and still haven’t compensated me. Aunt Cuihua said she’s getting the money inside!”

“Aunt Wang! Picking up Pangya? Yep, I’m just waiting for my money so I can buy some bedding. It’s way too cold! The Zhang family ruined all my bedding, and these past few nights, I’ve only had a cotton-padded jacket and a thin summer blanket. I can’t keep going like this—I’ve been freezing at night!”

“Sister Huahua! Yeah, I’m still waiting for my compensation… It’s been days now…”

“……”

Inside the courtyard, Wang Cuihua listened as Jing Xi explained to every passerby that the Zhang family still owed her money. Her face turned red, then pale, then red again.

“This little brat…”

Originally, not many people knew about this matter. But thanks to Jing Xi’s public announcement, the entire village would be gossiping about the Zhang family by tonight.

After Jing Xi had warmly “chatted” with the twenty-fifth person, Wang Cuihua couldn’t take it anymore. She went into the side room where they kept valuables, found her secret stash of money, and reluctantly counted out thirty ten-yuan bills.

She also grabbed the settlement letter that Li Tao had left last time and handed it to Zhang Jianjun, instructing him to take it outside.

While picking up the letter, she glanced at Zhang Qiang, who was lying motionless on the heated brick bed like a dead man, and cursed at him.

No one knew how much it pained her to part with this 300 yuan.

When Zhang Jianjun stepped outside, he saw Jing Xi chatting with Pangya from the neighboring Wang family. Pangya’s mother had even brought Jing Xi a bowl of hot water.

“Pangya, go on home now. Tell your mother thanks for the hot water! Next time, I’ll take you out to play.”

“Okay!” Pangya happily ran home.

Zhang Jianjun rolled his eyes. “Here’s your money! And sign this!”

Jing Xi took the money, counted it twice, then signed her name.

“There, isn’t that better? Talking so much was exhausting! Cough, cough…”

She turned to leave with the money, but Zhang Jianjun suddenly called out, “Wait.”

“What?”

“Uh… nothing. Just go. And stay away from my family from now on. Ever since you got involved with us, nothing good has happened.”

Jing Xi chuckled. “That’s funny. You say I caused trouble for you? You and I both know exactly who started this. And Zhang Jianjun, do you think I don’t know about your little thoughts about me? I advise you to drop them as soon as possible.”

She smirked. “Let me tell you something—people like you are nothing to me. Anyone who crosses me will, at best, lose money, and at worst, face disaster. What’s been happening to your family is just the beginning.”

“You…”

“Oh, right! When you sleep tonight, make sure to lie on the east side of the bed. Otherwise, the long-tongued female ghost behind you might get upset and start causing trouble!”

Zhang Jianjun’s face turned ashen.

Just then, a cold wind swept through.

He suddenly felt a chilling gust at his back, as if some long-tongued ghost was hovering over his shoulder, blowing out his life’s flame.

His body shuddered uncontrollably, and he dashed back into the courtyard in a panic.

Jing Xi let out a soft chuckle. Stuffing the money into her pocket, she hummed a little tune and happily headed home.