Chapter 120: Tightening Our Belts Together

Why was Erdan out at this hour?

It was because he was playing a game with his older brother, Dadan. They’d started playing right after lunch, but Erdan kept losing badly. Seeing there was no chance to win back his losses and with only one yuan left in his pocket, he found an excuse—pretending he thought his stepmom was back—to quit the game.

He hadn’t expected to run into Su Qinghu as soon as he opened the door, and even less expected her first words to be about borrowing money.

His mouth opened and closed a few times, and the urge to run over to her froze on the spot at her request.

“H-how much?” Erdan stammered, “I—I only have one yuan left.”

These past few days, their grandparents had given them some pocket money, and before their stepmom left on her business trip, she’d given them a little too—enough for an extra egg each day. Erdan had planned to save it all, but his brother always made sure he ate his egg before leaving, so only the one and a half yuan from their grandparents was left. He’d just lost fifty cents, too…

Su Qinghu reached out her hand. “One yuan is fine. Give it to me.”

Erdan: “!!!” She really wants it? Just one yuan? Isn’t that too little for her? Didn’t she have hundreds herself? Did she spend it all?!

“Mom, my brother has money too!” After handing his money to Su Qinghu, Erdan couldn’t help dragging someone else down with him now that he was broke. “He’s saved the one and a half yuan from Grandpa and Grandma, plus the fifty cents he just won from me!”

Su Qinghu said, “Then call him over and have him bring the money. I’ll borrow it and pay you both back in a few days.”

“Okay!” Erdan answered and disappeared in a flash. Soon, his voice could be heard calling in the yard.

Su Qinghu turned to the thin, anxious man beside her. “Wait a moment.”

No sooner had she spoken than Dadan came out, his face serious. He walked over, handed Su Qinghu a one-yuan note and two fifty-cent bills.

Adults borrowing money from kids—calling it a loan was just to sound nice; they never really paid it back. But not paying it back was still better than just demanding the money outright.

Su Qinghu took the money, pulled out her own fifty cents, arranged the bills by denomination, and handed them to the thin man. “The fifty cents on top is your wage. The three yuan below is for emergencies. Pay it back when you have some spare money.”

Erdan blinked, then was stunned.

Stepmom spent all her money until she only had fifty cents left, then borrowed from them, and now she was lending it out to someone else?

As for Dadan, ever since he saw Su Qinghu take out her last fifty cents and then lend out the money she’d just borrowed from them, his face went blank. Even though he’d been happy to see her return, that feeling was gone now.

“Thank you! Thank you!” The man bowed repeatedly. “I’ll definitely pay you back.”

Su Qinghu nodded, picked up her suitcase, and carried it into the yard. Before closing the door, she saw the man’s eyes brimming with tears and couldn’t help adding, “When life gets tough, try to hang in there. Don’t do anything foolish, and don’t break the law.”

She paused, then asked, “Can you read?”

“I—I just retired as a village teacher this year,” the thin man replied, choking back tears.

Su Qinghu nodded, her face expressionless. She turned to Dadan and Erdan. “Can one of you get me a pen and some paper?”

Dadan turned and went to get them before Erdan could, handing them to Su Qinghu and then frowning at the thin man, his eyes growing darker.

“I’ll give you the address of the Red Cross,” Su Qinghu said as she wrote quickly on the paper. “See if you can get help there.”

The man asked instinctively, “What’s the Red Cross?”

“It’s the Red Cross Society, restored at the start of the reforms, involved in humanitarian aid.” Su Qinghu handed him the paper. “Go see if you can apply for assistance.”

In this era, information was slow to spread and publicity was lacking, so many ordinary people didn’t know about these social organizations that offered support.

“Thank you! Thank you so much!”

Su Qinghu nodded and closed the door.

Turning around, she found Dadan and Erdan staring at her with bright, intense eyes. She took a breath. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Mom, are you… out of money?” Erdan asked hesitantly.

Carrying her suitcase into the living room, Su Qinghu replied, “Are you silly? Isn’t it obvious? You saw me take out my last bit of money just now.”

She said this so matter-of-factly that even Erdan, who was usually quick with a comeback, was left speechless.

Dadan asked, “Earlier, when you tricked people… Did you take out the money from selling those handicraft baskets?”

“I took it out,” Su Qinghu admitted before he could ask further. “I took it all out, and even spent the money your dad left me.”

Erdan gasped, his eyes wide as saucers. She spent all that money?!

Dadan: “…”

For some reason, Dadan suddenly thought of the money he and Erdan had in their savings books, and he had a bad feeling.

“Not even a dime left?” Erdan still couldn’t believe it.

“Not a dime,” Su Qinghu said, dropping her suitcase in the living room and flopping into a chair. She called to Dadan, “Dadan, I’m thirsty.”

Then she looked at Erdan. “Erdan, can you get me a wet towel?”

The two stared at Su Qinghu, who looked completely unfazed by her pennilessness, and felt the urge to bang their heads against the wall.

How could she be so generous when she was broke?!

Erdan was about to rush outside. “Then I’ll go get our money back!”

“Wait!” Su Qinghu called him back. “First, get me a wet towel. Then open the suitcase.”

Erdan frowned, but after a moment, he went to get the towel for Su Qinghu. Dadan still hadn’t moved, and asked, “Did you put everything you bought in the suitcase?”

Su Qinghu just smiled without answering.

Dadan stared at her for a while, but finally went to pour her some water.

Erdan came back with the wet towel, handed it to Su Qinghu, and then silently went to open the suitcase. No matter what stepmom had brought them, he couldn’t be happy now—soon, they wouldn’t even have food to eat at home…

But as soon as the suitcase was opened, Erdan’s happiness returned.

He was nearly dazzled by what he saw. He spun around. “Mom, let’s just go eat at Grandpa and Grandma’s from now on!”

Dadan’s hand shook as he poured water.

Luckily, it was just cool boiled water, so he didn’t get burned.

But he couldn’t take it anymore. Shouldn’t people live with some dignity? It’s not like they didn’t have a home—why should they go freeload off the elders?!

Su Qinghu wiped her face. “No.”

Dadan’s anger dropped by a third at her answer.

“I have hands and feet—why should I eat the elders’ food?” Su Qinghu countered Erdan. “Taking and taking without giving anything in return isn’t right, especially since you haven’t brought them anything worth their effort.”

Erdan scratched his head. “But I bring them happiness.”

Su Qinghu was silent. Yes, happiness was valuable, but she couldn’t encourage Erdan’s habit of getting something for nothing!

“Heh! I bring you happiness too—why don’t you let me take your things?” Su Qinghu shot him a look. “Don’t use your age as an excuse—they’re even older!”

Erdan: “Fine, we won’t freeload anymore. Worst case, we’ll each grab a belt and tighten it as much as we can!”

Su Qinghu looked at Erdan, at a loss for words. “Can’t you think about earning some money to live on before you start tightening your belt?”

More to come."