RYEY – Chapter 3 Debt Collection (Part 2)

“You good-for-nothing, don’t just peek through the crack in the door. Cheng Qiao, you said Xu Laidi borrowed two hundred yuan from you—do you have any proof?”

“Auntie Wang, I do. I made her write an IOU. Village Head, here, look—this is the IOU written by Sister Laidi.”

Cheng Qiao pulled a slip of paper from the inside pocket of her clothes and handed it to the Village Head. The Village Head shone his flashlight over it, then turned his eyes toward Xu Laidi. Xu Laidi’s nails were already digging into the flesh of her palms from nervousness, but she didn’t even realize it.

“Debts must be repaid—that’s only natural. Xu Laidi, return the money to Cheng Qiao immediately. Oh right, Cheng Qiao, how can you prove that the watch is yours?”

Although Auntie Wang of the Wang family couldn’t read, she could read expressions. From the Village Head’s face, she could already tell the IOU was real.

“There’s a character ‘Min’ engraved on the back of the watch. This watch is a keepsake my late mother left me.”

“What? You woman—even dead people’s belongings you want to take away? Cough, cough—I mean, you even want to hog someone’s mother’s keepsake? How shameless can you get!”

Auntie Wang shouted loudly, about to rush forward and snatch the watch, but was held back by Wang Duocai. Stupid woman! Now is not the time to grab petty benefits. Dumb as a brick.

“I say, it’s useless having a leader at the educated youth spot. Look—she’s being bullied like this, and he hasn’t even said a word.” The loafer suddenly piped up again.

Receiving the Village Head’s look, Educated Youth Spot Leader Jiang Guangrong hurriedly stood out. Sternly, he told Xu Laidi to take off the watch first. If there really was an engraving on it, she would have to return it to Cheng Qiao.

Xu Laidi looked at Cheng Qiao, hoping she would say something. But Cheng Qiao only lowered her head, looking aggrieved. Infuriated, Xu Laidi could only remove the watch and place it in Jiang Guangrong’s hand. Jiang Guangrong shone his flashlight on it in front of the Village Head—sure enough, on the case was engraved the character “珉” (Min).

“Cheng Qiao, hold onto it properly. If you get tricked again, don’t expect me to intervene.”

Jiang Guangrong handed the watch to Cheng Qiao, speaking angrily. In truth, everyone already knew about this matter, and they had secretly tried to remind her. But not only did she not appreciate it, she even gave him a white mothball in return.

“Thank you, Leader. Thank you, Village Head. Thank you, Auntie Wang.”

Cheng Qiao quickly put the watch on her wrist. At last, her late mother’s keepsake was back. Next came the money, ration tickets, and all the daily necessities and food Xu Laidi had tricked from her.

“Sister Laidi, could you return me just a few yuan first? I really don’t have any money left. And you said you’d mail food rations back home—so I gave you my rations, too. But after tomorrow, I’ll have nothing to eat.”

Cheng Qiao looked timidly at Xu Laidi again. Xu Laidi was already speechless. She felt she must have gone out today without checking the almanac—everything was going against her.

“Cheng Qiao, I really don’t have any money now. Can I repay you after the autumn harvest when we get our wages?”

Cheng Qiao turned to look at the Village Head. After all, it was the Village Head who distributed wages after the harvest. If he didn’t support her, it would be useless no matter what she said. The Village Head sighed. One last time… if this little girl still doesn’t learn, I won’t care anymore.

“Then it’s settled. After the autumn harvest, all of Xu Laidi’s work points will go toward Cheng Qiao until the two hundred yuan is fully repaid.”

“Village Head, at least leave me a little—otherwise how am I supposed to eat?”

Xu Laidi panicked. Of the two hundred yuan, she had hidden away one hundred. With the other hundred, she had bought pastries, malted milk powder, a thermos, and snow cream.

She had also bought quite a few toothbrushes, toothpaste, towels, and had even spent a high price on the black market to buy a pound of yarn. Anyway, it was all bought with Cheng Qiao’s money and ration tickets.

“You took away all of Cheng Qiao’s rations—what is she supposed to eat then? I don’t care what you eat. If you’ve got no money and no food, write home to your parents and ask them. Didn’t you send them all the money already? Then ask for it back.”

Xu Laidi: “…”

“Jiang Guangrong, if you can’t handle being leader, I’ll find someone else. Day after day, what are you even doing? You’ve been here this long, and you can’t even manage this small matter.”

The Village Head turned to the Educated Youth Spot Leader again, criticizing him unhappily.

Jiang Guangrong felt uneasy. After all, the leader’s position earned one work point every day. A year of that added up to more than twenty yuan. “Village Head, I’ll correct it right away. When we go back, I’ll handle everything properly. I promise I won’t cause you trouble.”

“Good. Disperse now. The autumn harvest is coming in a few days—everyone rest well, eat properly, otherwise your bodies won’t hold up.”

“Yes, yes, let’s go home and sleep.”

Jiang Guangrong ordered two female educated youths to help support Cheng Qiao back to the youth spot. Though unwilling, the girls tactfully complied and helped her along.

“Xu Laidi, when you get back, return Cheng Qiao’s rations and everything else you borrowed from her. Otherwise, I’ll file a report.”

Walking behind Xu Laidi, Jiang Guangrong deliberately said it loudly. Xu Laidi understood perfectly well—his words were not only for her, but also for the Village Head and villagers to hear. Turning her head, she indeed saw the Village Head pause his step before straightening his back and walking away.

“Got it.”

Xu Laidi knew misfortune was clinging to her today. It wasn’t the time to stir up more trouble. She couldn’t understand why Cheng Qiao hadn’t run into that loafer, or why that medicine hadn’t made her that way, but instead had made her fall asleep. Could it be the woman had given her the wrong medicine?

The group returned to the educated youth spot. Under Jiang Guangrong’s watch, Xu Laidi first divided out the rations. Awkwardly, she looked at him, not knowing how much to give Cheng Qiao. Jiang Guangrong too felt awkward—how was he supposed to know the accounts between the girls?

Cheng Qiao took a notebook from her cabinet, flipped to the first page, and pointed at the dates. “The first month, I lent you five catties of rice and three eggs.

The second month, three catties of flour and three taels of brown sugar. The third month, four catties of cornmeal and one sanitary cloth. The fourth month, I didn’t lend any grains, but I lent you one catty of pork…”

Jiang Guangrong stared blankly at the notebook in her hand, not knowing what to say. The other educated youths’ expressions also darkened—they had all borrowed from Cheng Qiao before. Clearly, she wasn’t foolish—she just hadn’t been pushed to the point of tearing faces.

Even Xu Laidi’s expression changed. This person wasn’t the same Cheng Qiao—had she been possessed by something? Thinking that, she actually blurted it out.

Limping on one leg, Cheng Qiao walked up to Xu Laidi and said coldly, “Xu Laidi, you’re spreading feudal superstitious thoughts. I’ll report you to the Village Head.”

Xu Laidi’s mind went blank with a bang. That charge was no small matter. The Village Head already disliked her—if she kept acting out, she might be sent back to the educated youth office, and who knew where she’d be assigned then?

“Cheng Qiao, I was confused today. Don’t be mad. I’ll apologize—I’ll return your rations right away.”