Su Xiao had been fleecing Cheng Hui not just once, but consistently since childhood!
“I don’t remember things from first and second grade, so let’s start from third grade. You borrowed 2.5 yuan from me then, 5.6 yuan in fourth grade, 5…” Cheng Hui calculated meticulously.
Actually, she remembered things from first and second grade too, but saying so would sound frighteningly precise and might seem fabricated.
Even with her current account, everyone’s expressions began to show doubt.
Su Xiao’s eyes gleamed darkly with inner excitement!
But she put on a pitiful face and said, “I never thought you’d remember so clearly… after all these years, even every single fen…”
So much for being good sisters! It was all an act! She was even more hypocritical than me!
Cheng Hui smiled and said, “As the lender, why shouldn’t I remember clearly? Meanwhile, you, the borrower, remember nothing—probably never intended to repay at all?”
Su Xiao’s expression froze.
Cheng Hui sighed and explained to everyone, “It’s not that I deliberately remember everything. Haven’t you all heard Su Xiao talk about my situation?
“I also have a stepmother. Since childhood, my pocket money has been very limited, and I wasn’t allowed to spend it recklessly. I had to keep an account book, recording every fen spent for her review.
“As it turned out, almost all my pocket money was borrowed by Su Xiao.
“If you don’t believe me, I can ask my stepmother to send the account book, and we can cross-check.”
Su Xiao’s face instantly turned pale, and she sat there speechless.
She hadn’t known about this account book, but Cheng Hui never lied—she believed her.
Seeing one party daring to provide evidence for verification and the other silent with lowered head, the truth became obvious to everyone!
The person sitting next to Su Xiao immediately shot her a disdainful look and moved away.
Suddenly, someone exclaimed, “Su Xiao borrowed money from me a few months ago! Luckily, I didn’t lend it to her!”
“Oh, now that you mention it, she asked to borrow from me too. Unfortunately, I didn’t have any money to spare.”
“Ah… I lent her 0.3 yuan! Su Xiao, pay me back!”
“I lent her 0.1 yuan too! She never returned it. Since it was such a small amount, I felt awkward asking, but it turns out she never intended to repay!”
Su Xiao was immediately besieged, and genuine tears streamed down her face!
But all the shouting was in vain—Su Xiao truly had no money left.
Cheng Hui borrowed a piece of paper from a female Educated Youth who was watching the commotion and wrote a formal IOU, then made Su Xiao sign it.
When Su Xiao saw the amount—a staggering 88 yuan—she nearly vomited blood.
Fearful that Cheng Hui might reveal more, she quickly signed, hoping to end the matter sooner.
Inspired, everyone else also made Su Xiao write IOUs for the money she owed them.
This room was unbearable now! Su Xiao ran out in tears.
Cheng Hui then brought up borrowing the adjacent room.
Hearing that she would handle the firewood issue herself, all the female Educated Youth gladly agreed.
Since empty rooms risked freezing, having someone occupy it was beneficial.
“However, let’s be clear upfront: you must take all your valuables with you,” Cheng Hui said with a smile.
“I absolutely won’t touch your things, but if an outsider comes in and messes with them, then tries to blame me, I won’t accept responsibility.”
This had happened in her previous life.
Not long after she gave birth, Zhu Qiufang had taken advantage of her bathroom break to sneak her daughter out and attempt to abandon her!
She had fought desperately to get her back, then moved out of the Gao family and into this vacant room at the Educated Youth Spot.
She returned to work normally even before finishing her month of postpartum rest, and soon after, a female Educated Youth’s belongings in the room went missing.
The items weren’t rummaged through—everything remained neatly arranged—so it was only a few days later when the female Educated Youth went looking for something that she discovered the loss.
Naturally, the blame fell on Cheng Hui, nearly making it impossible for her to stay at the Educated Youth Spot!
Cheng Hui’s eyes flickered with thought. In her previous life, she never found out who was behind it, but this time, she might just uncover the truth!
The person originally living next door, hearing her reasoning, found it sensible and went with her to pack up her things.
Gao Zhi returned carrying a bundle of firewood, all branches as thick as an arm, perfectly sufficient to burn through the night.
She approached Cheng Hui and whispered proudly, “I made a deal with Gao Dabao: he’ll gather a bundle like this for me every day, and I’ll give him one cent! He was over the moon!”
“Impressive, you really know how to delegate,” Cheng Hui praised Gao Zhi repeatedly.
Gao Dabao was ten years old this year, Gao Lao San’s only biological son, hence his name “Dabao” (Big Treasure).
As the true grandson of the Gao Lao San family, he usually did nothing—no school, no work—just ran wild around the village all day.
He was the perfect choice for gathering firewood, and there was no fear of the money matter leaking out. The first thing he’d do with the money was surely buy candy, and no one would ever see a single crumb of it.
Gao Zhi, basking in the praise, wore a constant smile, diligently tidied the room, lit the kang (heated bed), and even fetched a basin of warm water for Cheng Hui to wash her feet!
Only then did she return to the Gao family to fetch her bedding roll.
……
Zhu Qiufang lay half-dead on the kang, and upon seeing Gao Zhi take the bedding to leave, her eyes immediately widened: “Put that down! Where do you think you’re going with that?”
She was adept at sizing people up; toward Gao Lao San’s biological children, she always spoke softly and gently.
But toward the other stepchildren, she showed no kindness.
Gao Zhi found her annoying but also feared her, mainly because she feared Gao Lao San backing her.
As a stepchild, she depended on others for food and felt indebted.
“I… I’m going to stay with my sister-in-law at the Educated Youth Spot,” Gao Zhi said.
Zhu Qiufang narrowed her eyes: “Calling her ‘sister-in-law’ so affectionately, but who knows whose bastard she’s carrying? Probably a wild sister-in-law!”
“What does it matter? Big Brother is wild too,” Gao Zhi muttered.
Gao Yuan was also a stepchild, sharing no blood relation with her.
Zhu Qiufang choked on her anger: “Get out! Get out now! But leave the quilt! That belongs to the Gao family! A stepchild like you doesn’t deserve to take it!”
Gao Zhi had always been spirited; she could tolerate Zhu Qiufang, but only so much.
Insulted like this, she threw down the quilt.
“Hmph! As if I care about this ragged cotton batting! My sister-in-law will buy me new ones someday!” With that, she stamped her foot and ran off.
Zhu Qiufang shouted after her, “Go on! Leave and never come back!”
Gao Zhi paused for a moment, but then remembered the Weifeng Cake and milk she had enjoyed during the day… and ran even faster!
Zhu Qiufang was nearly furious to death, watching her retreating back, her eyes full of schemes.
……
Seeing Gao Zhi return empty-handed, Cheng Hui guessed what had happened.
“Come on, I’ll take you to borrow a quilt.”
She brought Gao Zhi to Gao Qishan’s house again.
In Gao Family Village, Gao Qishan’s family was relatively well-off and might have spare bedding.
Now that they had a mutual interest, borrowing an old quilt would be easy.
Another benefit of involving Sun Tiemei as a “grasshopper” also became apparent: in just over an hour, she had already collected a large basket of eggs.
She was originally the village’s women’s director, exceptionally capable.
She also knew every household’s situation inside out—which family was so poor the couple shared one pair of pants, which household still had eggs at this time, she knew it all clearly.
Cheng Hui praised Sun Tiemei again.
Sun Tiemei happily helped them carry their bedding to the Educated Youth Spot herself, and even tidied up the room before leaving.
As soon as she left, Gao Zhi started pulling eggs out from inside her clothes!
Today had been so exciting and thrilling, she had almost forgotten about the eggs stuffed in her pockets.
It was only when her cotton-padded pants nearly slipped down that she remembered.
The people at the Food Factory thought they used 30 eggs per batch of baking, but they actually only used 25.
Over four batches, they had saved 20 eggs in total!
Both her cotton-padded jacket and pants pockets were stuffed full. Luckily, they were all hard-boiled and wouldn’t break easily.
Cheng Hui gave five eggs to Gao Zhi, kept five for herself, and saved the remaining ten for tomorrow.
Gao Zhi stared at the eggs in front of her, hardly able to believe it.
In all her life, she had never eaten five eggs at once.
“Stop staring and eat,” Cheng Hui said with a laugh. “I told you I’d make you sick of eating eggs, and we’re starting today.”
…….
Su Xiao ran out of the Educated Youth Spot and headed straight for the pond behind the village, where she indeed found Zhao Qingsheng.
Cheng Hui’s former obsessive admirer.