Granny Fang shuffled into her room, muttering something under her breath. It was probably nothing nice.
Wan Yindi watched her tuck the envelope into her pocket, hesitating to speak. She looked reluctant to part with it.
Hua Qingqing didn't care what she was up to. She went into the small room, took out the envelope, and started counting the money.
Surprise! There were twenty yuan in it!
She had thought about asking Su Qiang for the medical expenses before. But Su Qiang was a good - for - nothing in the brigade. He often relied on the brigade's grain subsidies. Even selling all the junk in the educated youth spot couldn't raise much money. It was already a great achievement to send this hooligan to jail.
Who would have thought this scoundrel had savings!
In the whole brigade, the original Hua Qingqing was the most honest.
Hua Qingqing flipped through the bills and took out a ten - yuan note.
The compensation was in hand, the deceiver was punished, and the Yu family had suffered. All these were what the original Hua Qingqing deserved, but she was no longer here... As for Hua Jia and Ruan Yuan, far away in the capital and Hong Kong.
Don't worry. I'll fulfill your wish and go to see them for you.
She lay in the small room for a while when Granny Fang pushed the door open.
Hua Qingqing immediately sat up. "Don't think just because you're here to return the money you can barge in without knocking. Next time, I'll put a stone on top of the door and see if it doesn't draw blood!"
Granny Fang was startled. She quickly looked up at the top of the door. There was nothing there, but she didn't dare to doubt Hua Qingqing's words. This evil spirit was capable of anything!
Hua Qingqing got straight to the point. "Where's the money, Granny? I wasn't lying in front of the police just now. If you keep delaying, it'll be an even greater crime."
There was no table in the small room. Granny Fang looked sour. She really wanted to throw the money at Hua Qingqing, but in the end, she gently placed it on the edge of the bed with her wrinkled hand. Experience told her it was best not to provoke this evil spirit.
"This is three hundred yuan. That's all the family can..."
"What? Three hundred yuan?!"
Hua Qingqing shot to her feet and glared at Granny Fang.
"Thirteen years, that's 5,460 yuan in total, and you only give me three hundred? Are you trying to send me off like a beggar?"
"Don't tell me the family is poor. I'm not buying it! No matter how poor you are, you're not as poor as me! I couldn't even eat my fill or dress warmly. Are you trying to play the victim with me? Who in this family has suffered more than me?!"
"I'm putting it out there. You used my money, and you'd better give it all back!"
...
Granny Fang, as stingy and mean as she was, had finally met her match. If the police hadn't come today, she wouldn't have planned to return the money.
She thought Hua Qingqing might never have seen so much money in her life and that three hundred yuan would be enough to fool her. She really couldn't bear to give all the money back. Giving away three hundred yuan felt like having her heart ripped out!
Who would have thought Hua Qingqing had such a big appetite and didn't even care about three hundred yuan!
She really believed Hua Qingqing would snitch. If she hadn't stopped her in time today, the other party would have definitely exposed the matter. How could the Yu family ever hold their heads up in the Wuxing Production Brigade in the future?
Granny Fang was exhausted. She felt like she had sacrificed so much for this family!
Wan Yindi, who was making lunch in the kitchen, was always on the lookout for what was going on in the small room. She saw her mother - in - law return to the main room with a gloomy face twice. The last time, she took a bulging small bag into Hua Qingqing's room.
There must be money in it!
Wan Yindi was so jealous that she could almost cry. She never thought that Hua Qingqing, who usually kept quiet, could actually get the money out of Granny Fang's hands.
She wondered how much Granny Fang had given to the eldest son's family over the years. They were all sons and daughters - in - law. Why was this old woman so biased!
Wan Yindi gritted her teeth in hatred. She couldn't get the money, but she could drink the chicken soup!
While Granny Fang was away, Wan Yindi scooped up the chicken soup and drank several mouthfuls with gritted teeth.
In the room, Hua Qingqing was counting the money. Her fingers moved nimbly, counting quickly. There was also a stack of bills beside her.
Granny Fang beside her felt as if her heart was being torn in two. It hurt so much. Oh, my money!
"Two thousand three hundred and fifty - five yuan?"
Granny Fang said, "We've raised you for thirteen years. We've spent money on your food, clothing, housing, and transportation for thirteen years."
Hua Qingqing scoffed. "Aren't you ashamed to say that? In these thirteen years, I never had a full meal. I wore your cast - off clothes. I started working for the family the year my parents left. While Yu Linyang and Yu Linyun were at school, I was still working. Are you sure you want to calculate this with me?"
Granny Fang surely didn't return all the money honestly. Hua Qingqing guessed that she must still be hiding some, but not much. The eldest son's family must have used some of this living allowance, like Uncle's job in the factory and Yu Linsen's bicycle...
But Hua Qingqing didn't like to push people to the brink.
Anyway, those who owed her, she would get it back one by one in the future.
Hua Qingqing put the money and bills aside. When she looked at Granny Fang, her expression softened. "Granny, I'm not an ungrateful person. If I really wanted to pursue this money matter, you and Grandpa would be in jail by now. Although I'm not related to the Yu family by blood, I've called you Granny for eighteen years. For me, you're my family. The money you didn't take out, consider it my filial piety to you. As long as the Yu family doesn't make me angry in the future, we'll live in peace."
"Take this morning's breakfast for example. There were only two eggs. Do you think I could be full? Of course not. If I'm not full today, I'll eat the chicken. If I'm not full tomorrow, I'll still eat the chicken. If I'm not full the day after tomorrow, I'll kill all the chickens."
Hua Qingqing said it casually, scaring Granny Fang.
She seemed oblivious to Granny Fang's expression. Her dark little face showed a row of white teeth.
The next day, Hua Qingqing got up unusually early. After eating two eggs and a bowl of porridge, she headed straight for the brigade leader Lin Dongsheng's house. She happened to catch the Lin family having breakfast.
Hua Qingqing didn't go straight in. She knocked on the door outside.
"Good morning, Uncle Lin."
Lin Dongsheng came out with a pancake and stuffed it into Hua Qingqing's hand.
"Have you eaten? How's your head these days?"
As a brigade leader, Lin Dongsheng was only mediocre because he didn't like to get involved in things.
Hua Qingqing took the pancake and gave a bitter smile. "Uncle, that's exactly why I'm here. I still feel a bit of a headache. I've finished the medicine I brought back. I want to go to the hospital again. Fortunately, the police gave me the medical expenses Su Qiang compensated me with yesterday. I have the money to see a doctor now, so I'd like to borrow your bike."
Her tone was ordinary, but considering her background and situation, it made people feel sad.
Although Lin Dongsheng was curious whether the Yu family had returned the money, he still kept his mouth shut as he didn't like to get involved in other people's business.
"Can you ride a bike? If not, go home and wait. I'll take you to the county at noon."
The brigade had bikes, but they were public property. Everyone could rent them, and they were rarely idle. So Hua Qingqing came straight to the Lin family to borrow a bike.
Hua Qingqing said, "I've ridden my eldest cousin's bike before. I can ride."
Lin Dongsheng was a bit skeptical, but he still took out the bike.