Today was Saturday, so Lu Bin was home resting and had not gone out to work.
“Who is it?”
A few minutes later, the door opened.
Lu Bin had already heard that Lin Zhiyi was planning to divorce Wei Shiyu, and he had been waiting for her to come looking for him.
He had not forgotten the way Lin Zhiyi used to look at him, with such deep affection in her eyes that she practically seemed ready to throw herself into his arms.
The moment Lu Bin saw Lin Zhiyi, he immediately put on a smile.
“Zhiyi, what brings you here? How did things go with your family? Don’t be too upset. That guy surnamed Wei was never a good person anyway. See? Something happened to his family after all.”
The sky was already rather dark, and Lu Bin was so focused on making his presence known in front of Lin Zhiyi that he did not notice anyone standing behind her.
“You call yourself a good person? What kind of good person borrows money and refuses to pay it back?”
Wei Shiyu suddenly stepped forward, startling Lu Bin so badly that he covered his chest and stumbled back two steps.
Under normal circumstances, Wei Shiyu might have already raised his fist, but this was a critical time, and he needed to remain calm.
“Brother Wei, you’re here too? I wasn’t talking about you. But what do you mean by borrowing money?” Lu Bin hurriedly explained, knowing full well how formidable Wei Shiyu could be.
“Lu Bin, this is the IOU you wrote when you borrowed money from me, along with a list of some of the things I gave you before. Return everything to me today. I’m going to the countryside with Shiyu, and I’ll need plenty of money in the future.”
Lin Zhiyi unfolded the paper in her hand and held it in front of Lu Bin.
However, Lu Bin was not paying attention to the IOU.
Had he heard correctly?
Lin Zhiyi was going to the countryside with Wei Shiyu?
“Zhiyi, you’re going to the countryside? You won’t be able to endure such a hard life.” Lu Bin looked at her with apparent concern.
The moment Wei Shiyu heard that, his fists clenched tightly and every muscle in his body tensed.
Naturally, Lin Zhiyi noticed his reaction. The corners of her lips curved upward slightly as she said, “As long as my husband is by my side, a little hardship is nothing.”
Wei Shiyu’s face immediately reddened, and all the anger in him melted into tenderness.
He did not care what anyone else said.
He only listened to his wife.
Lu Bin had not expected Lin Zhiyi to change so much in just one day. Wei Shiyu must have filled her head with some sweet words.
Lin Zhiyi had no interest in continuing to argue with him.
“I want the money now. There’s no need for you to say anything else.”
If someone claimed that Lin Zhiyi had deliberately chosen this time to come, Lu Bin might actually believe it.
At this hour, everyone was returning home with vegetables in hand, preparing dinner, and many of them curiously glanced toward the three of them.
“Zhiyi, you know I don’t earn much every month. If it weren’t for you, and for my hope of finding a better opportunity, I wouldn’t have had the nerve to borrow money from you,” Lu Bin said in a lowered voice.
Lin Zhiyi gave a cold laugh.
“You borrowed money and still act as if you’re completely justified.”
Before Lin Zhiyi could continue, Lu Bin’s mother happened to return from work.
There was undisguised contempt in Wang Hua’s voice as she said, “I was wondering who it was. So it’s you, Zhiyi. Shouldn’t you be hurrying home to pack for your trip to the countryside tomorrow? What are you hanging around outside my house for? Our Lu family is respectable. We can’t have just anyone standing around our doorstep.”
Her words quickly attracted a crowd, and the people nearby began whispering among themselves.
Lin Zhiyi had been worried that she would not have enough of an audience while collecting her money, but one had practically delivered itself to her doorstep.
“What kind of respectable family is the Lu family? If my father hadn’t taken pity on your family back then, do you think you’d be living in this workers’ residential compound now? I remember perfectly well how Uncle Lu came to our house to beg for help.”
Lin Zhiyi had no intention of backing down. Since Wang Hua wanted to make things unpleasant, then no one would have a pleasant time.
Wang Hua immediately looked flustered.
“Y You little brat, what nonsense are you talking about? Our family never…”
Before she could finish, Lu Bin tried to pull her inside.
“So that’s how Old Lu got his job. I always wondered how their family managed to get selected.”
“Who would have thought? The son spent his school days running around after the Lin family’s daughter, and it seems his father was no different.”
“Aunt Lu, Uncle Lu once said that our family was your family’s benefactor. Is this how you and your son treat your benefactors?”
Lu Shulin had indeed said something like that.
Back then, Lu Shulin had asked Lin Zhongshan for help in obtaining a position at the cotton mill. However, Lin Zhongshan had only been a county magistrate and had no authority over recruitment at a city-run factory, so he had directly turned him down.
Even so, Lin Dongshan later reported the situation to the city leadership. When the cotton mill began recruiting, the Lu family eventually received a letter of recommendation.
“Back then, Uncle Lu helped his former workplace catch a thief. My father only stepped in because Lu Bin was still young and he didn’t want your family to suffer retaliation. Have you forgotten all of that? Now that my husband’s family is going to the countryside because of an accident, you immediately turn around and kick them while they’re down. You really are something.”
A middle-aged woman wearing a floral blouse spoke up.
“Wang Hua really shouldn’t be acting like this. Besides, even a lean camel is bigger than a horse. Their trip to the countryside isn’t the same as being exiled. Their treatment will be the same as that of the educated youth sent there.”
“Exactly. It looks like we should keep our distance from the Lu family in the future. Who knows if, one day, when we fall on hard times, they’ll treat us the same way?”
One of the women who usually interacted with the Lu family took several steps back as she spoke.
“I didn’t come here today to argue about these things. Your son owes me money, and he also took things from me. He has to return everything today. Otherwise, I’ll go report this to the police and see who should be more ashamed.”
Wang Hua had been standing too far away earlier and had not heard Lin Zhiyi demanding repayment. When she heard this, her eyes widened.
“What did you say? My son owes you money?”
She grabbed Lu Bin and pulled him to her side.
“When did you borrow money from her? Isn’t your monthly income enough for you? Did you go and…”
Under Wang Hua’s relentless questioning, Lu Bin finally nodded.
He had gambled again.
Wang Hua immediately grabbed a broom from nearby and swung it at Lu Bin.
“You worthless spendthrift! How many times have I told you not to borrow money from other people, especially from women? It only makes people look down on you! I’m going to beat you to death today!”
“Aunt Lu, I didn’t come here to watch you hit him. Can you give me the money now?”
Lin Zhiyi raised her voice and discreetly gave Wei Shiyu a look.
Wei Shiyu immediately stepped forward and stopped Wang Hua from continuing.
Wang Hua had originally intended to use the commotion to avoid the matter, but she had not expected Lin Zhiyi to see through her so easily.
Gritting her teeth, she asked, “How much?”
Lin Zhiyi handed her the IOU and the list of everything Lu Bin had taken from her.
Not a penny more, not a penny less.
Exactly two hundred yuan.
That was equivalent to two months of income for all three members of the Lu family combined.
After reading the list, Wang Hua swayed backward and nearly collapsed to the ground.
“Zhiyi, could we pay you a little later?”
A flattering smile appeared on Wang Hua’s face.
“No.”
Seeing how firm Lin Zhiyi was, Wang Hua knew there was no escaping this matter.
She reluctantly returned to the main house, and after a long while, she finally came back with two hundred yuan.
“I’ve received the money. You can have the IOU back.”
Lin Zhiyi placed the IOU into Lu Bin’s hand, then left with Wei Shiyu.