Heaven and earth are vast, but repaying debts is paramount. How could Old Man Zhang respond to this?
Zhang Liunian wanted to clear his outstanding debt of over two hundred yuan within half a month. Working his job, earning only twenty-odd yuan a month, was certainly not enough.
Old Man Zhang sighed heavily and began to consider his family's situation. He had five sons and one daughter, meaning plenty of strong laborers. Consequently, they had managed to save some money over the years.
It was possible to secure a job.
However, how did Zhang Liunian suddenly come by such a job?
Old Man Zhang really wanted to ask how this job came about, how Zhang Liunian obtained it. But upon careful thought, it didn't seem entirely impossible.
Zhang Liunian had been active in the county town for the past few years. Most of his friends were people from the city, making it much easier for him to secure a job than it was for them.
It was just that Zhang Liunian was willing to give up a job to repay a debt, which truly shocked him.
What a good young man! How could they have thought he was useless except for his good looks before?
Clearly, he was so responsible and also deeply loyal.
To repay his debts, he was willing to become a self-employed individual that everyone looked down upon. It was so moving.
Moreover, he had only helped once, and Zhang Liunian had already provided both a job and money. Zhang Liunian was truly too good, and it moved him deeply.
Thinking of this, Old Man Zhang's eyes reddened, his expression emotional. He placed a heavy hand on Zhang Liunian's shoulder and said with shame, "Liunian, everyone misunderstood you before."
"..." Seeing him like this, Zhang Liunian wondered what he had conjured up in his mind. Why had he suddenly become so sentimental?
Before Zhang Liunian could speak, Old Man Zhang continued, "Since that's the case, Uncle will accept your favor this time. I want this job. Tell me how much it costs."
"Uncle is not an outsider. Two hundred yuan is fine."
"Nonsense! How could it be two hundred yuan? I heard before that it was three or four hundred. Why don't I give you four hundred!" How could this young man be so good to him?
He was so moved that he wished he could treat Zhang Liunian as his own son.
"No need, three hundred is fine, just right."
"No, I can't take advantage of you. Four hundred."
"It's three hundred, we're not outsiders."
"Three hundred and fifty, it's settled."
"..."
"Uncle knows your good intentions, but you also have a family to support and debts to repay. You can't let me have the job for less just because it's me asking."
In the end, Old Man Zhang forcefully made the decision, securing Zhang Liunian's second job for three hundred and fifty yuan.
Returning to the village chief's house, Zhang Liunian received the money and left.
The village chief's family was overjoyed by this job, followed by the struggle among Xiao Si, Xiao Wu, and the other three brothers to claim it.
At first, they only argued verbally, but seeing that they couldn't resolve it this way, it almost came to blows.
Old Man Zhang was deeply saddened, feeling that these three married sons were all selfish and didn't understand brotherhood.
Zhang Liunian, holding the money, returned home. Upon entering, he saw his wife and younger sister making clothes, while his daughter sat obediently to the side, amusing herself.
"How was it? Did you find anyone to help?"
During dinner, Zhang Liunian mentioned he was going to the village chief's house to find two helpers. After dinner, his husband left. Seeing him return now, Jiang Qingqing looked up and inquired.
"Xiao Si and Xiao Wu will come tomorrow," Zhang Liunian said with a smile as he went to his daughter's side, playing with her with a string.
"Can they keep their mouths shut?" Jiang Qingqing asked nervously.
The lobsters were a secret for their family. Jiang Qingqing also didn't want to reveal it too soon.
After all, the external debts had not yet been repaid.
"They agreed." Zhang Liunian had considered signing an agreement or something similar, but he knew it would be useless. Sooner or later, the matter would be exposed.
Therefore, before that happened, he had to be prepared for the revelation.
"That's great!" Jiang Qingqing, however, thought this matter could be kept secret for a long time. Hearing Zhang Liunian say they agreed, her little face lit up with a happy smile.
Seeing her happy, Zhang Liunian didn't say anything else. He took water to the yard to bathe, then went back inside in his underpants to change.
Just as he finished changing his underpants and turned around, he saw his wife frozen at the doorway, her eyes like water, her face flushed with youth and spring, appearing completely unsure of what to do.
Zhang Liunian paused, then was amused by her shy, flustered expression. He stepped forward, pulled her into the room, closed the door, and pinned her against the mud wall. Leaning in close to her face, their breaths mingled, "Qingqing, what are you looking at?"
*Boom!*
Jiang Qingqing's face turned even redder. She didn't dare to look directly at the handsome face just two centimeters away from her.
She hadn't done it on purpose. She had intended to come in to measure him for clothes, but she hadn't expected to catch him changing.
Ah!
Don't think about it, don't think about the scene just now. The more she thought, the weaker her legs felt and the more flustered she became.
"N-nothing, I wasn't looking at anything," Jiang Qingqing turned her head away, not daring to meet his gaze. She wanted to explain, but her words stumbled incoherently.
How pathetic! How could she be flustered just by looking at her own husband's body?
Thinking this, Jiang Qingqing lost even more courage to see what expression her husband had. She bit her lower lip and began to lower her head, looking at the instep of her own feet.
Zhang Liunian stared intently at his vivid and alluring wife. He reached out and pulled her into his embrace, resting his forehead against hers and whispering, "Really didn't see anything?"
"N-no," Jiang Qingqing was forced to meet his gaze, only able to lift her autumn-like watery eyes and look back at her husband.
"Do you want to see?" Zhang Liunian curved his lips and whispered seductively.
"N-no, I don't want to see." Jiang Qingqing couldn't bear it. Her face was already flushed crimson. Hearing Zhang Liunian's words now, she almost exploded on the spot. She hurriedly pushed him away, about to leave.
But her body was disobedient. Before she could take a step, her legs began to weaken. If Zhang Liunian hadn't quickly caught her, she would have fallen.
Seeing how shy she was, Zhang Liunian dared not tease her any further. If something were to happen, he would regret it deeply. "Did you need something just now?"
This was his way of offering a stepping stone to help Jiang Qingqing relax.
Hearing this, Jiang Qingqing indeed relaxed a lot. Her tense breathing found freedom and began to operate normally. "There's still fabric at home. I wanted to make clothes for you and needed to measure your size."
"No need to make them for me. My clothes are fine. Make a set for little sister; her clothes are all patched.
Tomorrow, I'll buy some more fabric, and you can make another set so they have something to change into."
Zhang Liunian's clothes were always the best in the family, so there was no need to make new ones.
However, the little sister they had just taken in was wearing ragged clothes and urgently needed a set.
"Then buy more tomorrow. After we finish making clothes for little sister, we'll make two sets for you." Jiang Qingqing didn't think her husband's clothes were fine.
Although there were no patches on them, these clothes had been worn for two years. She couldn't bear to see her husband wearing old clothes.
Her husband was so good, so handsome, and so capable. How could he not have new clothes to wear?