Chapter 25 Pay back the money
Chapter 25 Pay back the money
"Brother~"
In the small courtyard, Chen Erya wiped Chen Ping'an's body with concern.
Chen Ping'an wanted to wipe it himself as usual, but the little girl insisted on helping.
"Nannan, brother is fine. He just looks a little scary."
Chen Pingan smiled and comforted.
"Yeah. I know, but seeing my brother like this, I still feel bad."
The little girl wiped it carefully with a cloth.
"Don't feel bad, Nannan, this is what martial arts is like. Compared to many people, my point is nothing. I work hard in martial arts just to let us all live a good life. For a good life, we all have to work hard! From now on, I will be responsible for working hard in martial arts, and Nannan will be responsible for watching and cheering for me. How do you think?"
Chen Pingan coaxed Chen Erya like a child. However, she was still a child at the age of nine.
"Yeah." The little girl nodded.
"Brother, I know. Daddy said it before. Only those who endure hardships can become superior people. Brother is enduring hardships now in order to become superior people in the future."
"My daughter is so smart!"
"."
This night passed quickly in the conversation between the brother and sister. Early the next morning, Chen Pingan began to practice the Iron Shirt with a new training method.
One experience point can be gained in half an hour. After two practices, it only takes a little more time than the previous one.
Report to work on time and attend the pre-mission meeting. Two sergeants came today, sergeant Huang and sergeant Li.
The day passed quickly as I chatted and joked with Houtou Dashan. The day's patrol was uneventful.
When I got home in the evening, Chen Erya had almost finished cooking. Today, the little girl was very generous and bought not only beef but also mutton.
The mutton comes out of the pot, smells delicious and makes people's mouths water.
Chen Ping'an asked Chen Erya to fill a bowl with soup, and then went out to deliver it to Uncle Zhang's house.
Since they sent him sand and gravel without asking for money, Chen Ping'an would naturally give him something in return. This was a very simple principle in the way neighbors get along with each other.
When Chen Ping'an brought a big bowl of mutton to the door, everyone except Uncle Zhang's son Zhang Tieniu was there, and it seemed that they had just finished their meal.
There were three dishes and a soup, as well as a lot of meat.
Compared with the surrounding neighbors, the food quality of Uncle Zhang's family is excellent.
Uncle Zhang's son and daughter-in-law help out in the restaurant's kitchen, and they usually bring back a lot of kitchen produce.
Chen Ping'an stated his purpose and Uncle Zhang waved his hands repeatedly.
"Brother Chen, how can this be done?"
"Uncle Zhang, take it. I just happened to have some mutton roasted at home, and I thought you could try it."
Chen Pingan said with a smile.
"That's too much! Just take half."
The little kid from Uncle Zhang's family stood aside, looking at the mutton eagerly. The mutton was so fragrant that even after eating, he still felt hungry.
"Uncle Zhang, take them all. It's just a token of your appreciation."
"Okay then." After looking at his grandson beside him, Uncle Zhang finally agreed.
"Young man from the Chen family, come sit at home for a while." Uncle Zhang's daughter-in-law invited him with a smile. Uncle Zhang's daughter-in-law Cuilan was big and plump, and looked very wealthy.
"I don't want to sit down anymore." Chen Pingan waved his hand with a smile.
After exchanging a few pleasantries and filling the bowl with mutton, Chen Ping'an left Uncle Zhang's house.
"Brother Chen, you are so polite."
Looking at the full bowl of mutton, Uncle Zhang breathed a sigh of relief.
"Yes." Aunt Zhang also agreed.
This bowl is full of mutton. If it is shallow, it can be divided into three bowls. "Brother Chen eats official meals, so he is particular!" Cuilan, the daughter-in-law, also added.
"Mother-in-law, I have to go out now. Brother Niu is waiting for me!"
Cuilan and Tieniu are helping out in the restaurant's kitchen, and this is the busiest time. If something hadn't happened at home, she wouldn't have come back at this time.
Chen Ping'an came out of Uncle Zhang's house and walked all the way home. When he was halfway there, he happened to see a house's door ajar.
This is Old Pan’s house!
Uncle Pan's family in the alley still owes them half a tael of silver.
When Old Chen was still alive, Old Pan's son was getting married and needed money, so even though Old Chen was seriously injured, he still lent him half a tael of silver.
Later, even when Old Chen was willing to borrow money from a loan shark to help Chen Pingan get a temporary job as a errand boy, he never asked Uncle Pan's family to pay back the money.
Now, Old Chen has been dead for more than half a year, and Old Pan's family has borrowed the half tael of silver for almost a year. Logically, they should have paid it back. But Old Pan's family has not mentioned it on their own initiative.
Normally, it would be fine. But now, Chen Pingan has paid off the 14 taels of silver owed, and the family savings are exhausted. In addition, he is now practicing martial arts, so he needs to eat meat every night, and his life is tight for all kinds of expenses.
Being able to get this half tael of silver back can help ease my living expenses.
Half a tael of silver was five cents, a full five hundred coins, but it was more than half a month's salary.
"It's just a coincidence. Better today than tomorrow. I'll pay you back today."
Thinking this, Chen Pingan knocked on the door of Old Pan's house.
Old Pan's family did not live badly in the surrounding area, and was even quite good. They only borrowed some money for their son to get married.
"Who!?"
A woman's voice came from inside the door.
"Aunt Pan, it's me, Chen Ping'an."
After Chen Ping'an's voice sounded, there was silence for several breaths in the house. Just when Chen Ping'an was about to push the door open, the sound of the door slammed.
"Ping An, come on in."
The door opened and it was Old Pan who spoke.
There were several people sitting in the room. It seemed that they had just finished their meal and were resting.
Old Pantou, his wife, and his son and daughter-in-law. The daughter-in-law's belly was bulging, obviously she was pregnant.
Aunt Pan's face looked a little unhappy, and Old Pan's son Xiao Pan's face also looked a little unnatural.
"Hello, Ping'an. Have you had dinner?" Old Pan greeted with a smile.
"Not yet." Chen Pingan responded with a smile.
"Ping An is here now, is there something wrong?"
Old Pan asked.
"Yes, there is something. Uncle Pan, this is what happened. A few days ago, Uncle Pan's family asked my family to borrow half a tael of silver. I came to ask Uncle Pan to return the money."
Chen Pingan went straight to the point.
He noticed that as soon as he finished speaking, Aunt Pan's face became uglier.
"So that's what happened." Old Pan didn't expect Chen Ping'an to speak so directly. "Well, Ping'an, this matter was mentioned rather suddenly. Let Uncle Pan think about it."
Chen Pingan smiled and said slowly, "Then please think about it carefully, Uncle Pan. Don't worry, I'll wait here."
Old Pan really didn't expect Chen Ping'an to react like this. He thought that once he said this, the other party would leave. Seeing that Chen Ping'an was waiting here and not leaving, he said in a pretentious tone.
"Well, Ping An, you go back today and wait for your uncle Pan to think it through."
Old Pan spoke perfunctorily and did not mention the debt at all. His meaning was self-evident.
(End of this chapter)