Chapter 3: Foreign Aid

Fifteen yuan as a bride price. The Li family is certainly generous, the residents muttered to themselves.

Life in the countryside was hard in these times.

In the city, those bachelors who couldn't find a wife would, at most, give two catties of fine white flour and two feet of floral cloth to marry the prettiest girl in the commune.

"And I, at your Li family's place, was busy running back and forth, taking care of you and your father for several months without a cent of compensation. You are even more ruthless than Huang Shiren!"

Upon hearing this, Qin Huairu bit her pale red lips and said, "Even if I worked in the commune for a day, I could earn five work points!"

As soon as the words left her mouth, Qin Huairu felt a pang of regret, and her face turned even paler.

The crowd's gazes fell squarely on Jia Dongxu, whose face flushed a burning red.

Everyone knew that after Qin Huairu got engaged to Li Aiguo, she moved into the Li family home.

The Li family had two rooms in total: one for Father Li and one for Li Aiguo.

Qin Huairu lived in Li Aiguo's room, separated only by a cotton curtain.

The two were at an age full of vigor; that cotton curtain seemed far too thin, and no one would have been surprised if something had happened between them.

"Slap!"

The mocking, sarcastic gazes felt like knives stabbing into Jia Dongxu's chest.

Jia Dongxu felt that his face had been completely disgraced by Qin Huairu, so he stood up and delivered a heavy slap.

Qin Huairu covered her face, crystalline tears spilling from her eyes, her shoulders shaking as she sobbed: "Dongxu, I really didn't wrong you. Back then, nothing happened between Li Aiguo and me. When we got married, didn't you check for yourself?"

Seeing Qin Huairu's pitiful appearance, Sha Zhu felt a wave of heartache.

Even though he was lying by the bed and unable to stand, he still raised his head and glared at Jia Dongxu: "Jia Dongxu, what are you doing? Sister Qin is such a good person, how could you bear to hit her!"

Jia Dongxu calmed down, thinking of the wedding night when he had indeed seen the "plum blossom" (proof of virginity), and felt he had been played by Li Aiguo.

He turned around, wanting to vent the fire in his heart.

But thinking of Sha Zhu's miserable state just moments ago, he shrank his neck and sat back down.

Useless thing. Jia Zhangshi had never liked Qin Huairu.

But this matter involved over ten yuan.

"Li Aiguo, you heard what my daughter-in-law said. How do we settle that account?"

"Fine. Qin Huairu served me very comfortably back then. I'll give her a high price: five yuan for two months. I'll waive the costs for the floral cotton cloth, the thermos, and the like. I just want the fifteen yuan."

Li Aiguo looked around at everyone: "What do you all think?"

"Served comfortably..." Everyone suppressed their laughter and nodded: "Five yuan for two months isn't little. Work points in the commune aren't worth much; Qin Huairu couldn't earn five yuan even after working in the fields for a year."

"So, Qin Huairu still owes me fifteen yuan. Please pay me back immediately." Li Aiguo strode into the room.

"No money! Our family doesn't have a single cent. What can you do about it!"

Seeing that reasoning wasn't working, Jia Zhangshi skillfully resorted to being a rogue.

Li Aiguo was now all alone, with no father, no mother, no brothers, and no sisters—he was weak and unsupported.

The Jia family, however, had Jia Dongxu and the care of the First Uncle.

Li Aiguo was certainly no match for the Jia family.

Jia Zhangshi calculated her wishful thinking, the corners of her mouth curling up slightly.

Suddenly, a stern voice came from outside the door.

"Paying back debts is only right and proper. This is a new society now; our neighborhood absolutely does not allow anyone to bully the weak."

Everyone turned their heads to see Director Wang from the neighborhood office walking over with her hands behind her back.

Following behind her were Yan Jiefang from the Yan family and an elderly man with graying hair.

Yan Jiefang looked to be only five or six years old at the time. He trotted all the way to Li Aiguo, stretched out his small hand, and puffed out his cheeks: "Brother Aiguo, where is the money you promised me?"

"Jiefang, you're great!"

Li Aiguo fished a 1-jiao coin from his pocket and placed it in Yan Jiefang's palm.

Yan Jiefang took the money, giggled, and ran off.

Yan Bugui turned green with envy.

Seeing Director Wang enter, Yi Zhonghai felt a chill in his heart and stood up to greet her.

"Director, I need to reflect on myself. As the First Uncle of the courtyard, I haven't managed the courtyard well and have failed your expectations. I feel deeply ashamed."

Hearing this, the Second Uncle, Liu Haizhong, and the Third Uncle, Yan Bugui, also stood up, hanging their heads in a posture of being reprimanded.

"Old Yi, when our neighborhood chose you few to be the managing uncles, it was because we thought you had high prestige, could unite the masses, and strictly prevent the infiltration of enemy agents."

Director Wang frowned: "It wasn't for you to interfere in the private affairs of the residents. What fault do you have?"

"This..." Cold sweat began to break out on Yi Zhonghai.

He was an old friend of Director Wang, and she had never reprimanded him in such a tone before.

Could it be... Yi Zhonghai cast his gaze toward the old man behind Director Wang.

The old man had gray hair and was wearing a dark blue railway uniform, with a five-pointed star "railway emblem" on his cap.

The old man entered the room and walked straight to Li Aiguo. Looking at Li Aiguo's thin appearance, his expression softened: "Aiguo, you child, you've suffered such a great grievance, why didn't you tell your uncle! Your father and I were sworn brothers. If your father hadn't kicked me out of the driver's cabin back then, these old bones of mine would have been buried in the dirt long ago."

At this moment, Li Aiguo retrieved the identity information of the old man from the original owner's memories.

The old man was a colleague of Li Aiguo's father named Zhou Tiehu.

At the time, Li Aiguo's father was the lead driver, and the old man was the assistant driver.

In that tragic accident, Father Li had saved Zhou Tiehu's life just as the train was about to derail.

After the accident, Zhou Tiehu, grateful for Father Li's life-saving grace, had tried several times to offer money to repay him, only to be refused by the stubborn Father Li.

Director Wang pointed to Zhou Tiehu and introduced him to Yi Zhonghai: "This is Captain Zhou from the SJS Railway Section of the Beijing Railway Bureau. He was also a close friend of Li Aiguo's father during his lifetime. Upon learning that Li Aiguo's situation was poor, he specifically sought out our neighborhood office."

Her tone turned stern, her sharp gaze piercing Jia Zhangshi

"Li Aiguo's father sacrificed himself to save state property.

He is a hero.

The railway department specifically sent a commendation letter to our neighborhood office, requesting that we take good care of Comrade Li Aiguo's life.

Yet, you people think Li Aiguo has lost his support and make things difficult for him at every turn.

Your behavior is smearing the reputation of this courtyard and smearing the reputation of the neighborhood office!"

Hearing this, everyone present lowered their heads. Jia Zhangshi's face turned pale, and her lips trembled.

"Hehe..."

Yi Zhonghai gave an awkward laugh and glared at Jia Zhangshi, saying: "Mother Jia, Qin Huairu owes the Li family money. She is your daughter-in-law now; you should take out this money."

"You must be in cahoots with this little beast Li Aiguo, all of you bullying me, a widow!" Jia Zhangshi was unwilling to give in.

"Jia Zhangshi, don't make a scene!" Yi Zhonghai put on a stern face.

The crying and wailing stopped abruptly.

Jia Zhangshi was still counting on Yi Zhonghai to take care of Jia Dongxu, so she didn't dare to bare her teeth at him. She could only rummage through the cabinet, take out fifteen yuan, and hand it to Li Aiguo.

Watching Li Aiguo tuck the money into his pocket, she gnashed her teeth in anger.

Damn Li Aiguo, he actually dared to extort our Jia family.

Sooner or later, I'll settle this account!

(End of chapter)