Lin Hai didn’t even need to look to know who it was.
“Auntie.”
After all, she was an elder, and no matter how harsh her words were, Lin Hai had to greet her politely.
Sun Guizhi was in her forties, and her fashion sense was quite modern for someone living in the countryside. She ran a ladder factory at home and was considered a capable woman in the area. However, her reputation as a person was equally well-known—and not in a good way.
“Tsk, tsk, calling me ‘Auntie’ so reluctantly. Seems like all the love I gave you as a child was wasted,” Sun Guizhi said sarcastically.
Lin Hai snorted inwardly. Love? You wouldn’t even buy me a 10-cent popsicle when I was a kid. What love?
“Oh, you drove back? Did you borrow a classmate’s car? You really shouldn’t be driving something like this. What if you scratch it? How would your family ever afford to pay for the damages?” Sun Guizhi scolded loudly.
“Auntie, let the kid come inside first. He just got home,” Lin Wen, Lin Hai’s father, couldn’t take it anymore and spoke up.
“Hey, big brother,” Sun Guizhi retorted, clearly annoyed. “What’s wrong with me scolding him a bit? I’m doing it for his own good. You’ve been a pushover your whole life, and you and your wife have been stuck farming for decades. Xiao Hai finally got into college, and maybe after graduation, he’ll find a job earning two or three thousand a month. But if he damages someone’s car, what then? Are you going to sell the house to pay for it? And this old house, built when you two got married over 20 years ago, how much do you think it’s even worth?”
“How much it’s worth is none of your concern,” Song Qin, Lin Hai’s mother, snapped, her face darkening.
“Wow, this family really doesn’t know how to take good advice, do they? Fine, do whatever you want. I wash my hands of it,” Sun Guizhi said with a dismissive wave, giving Song Qin a contemptuous look.
Perhaps feeling thirsty after all her talking, Sun Guizhi went inside, poured herself a glass of water, and then pointed at Lin Hai. “You’ve been away at school so long, you don’t even know to pour your auntie a glass of water when she’s sitting here. People might think you’ve gone stupid from all that studying.”
Lin Hai forced a smile, suppressing the anger boiling inside him. “Auntie, I just got back, and I have a lot to catch up on with my parents. Why don’t you head home first, and I’ll come visit you and Uncle tomorrow?”
“Oh, oh, I see how it is. You think I don’t understand what you’re saying?” Sun Guizhi’s temper flared, and she planted her hands on her hips, yelling at Lin Hai. “You think just because you’ve been to school for a few years, you’re better than everyone else? You’re already kicking people out, huh? If this is how you act before you’ve even graduated, who knows how arrogant you’ll be after!”
“Enough!” Lin Wen suddenly stood up. The usually quiet man had finally reached his limit. “Auntie, if you have something to say, say it. But stop picking on the kid. He just got home.”
“Hey, big brother, why are you getting mad at me? If you’re so capable, go make some money for your son and daughter. If you can earn big bucks, then I’ll admit you’re something. But getting mad at me? What’s that supposed to prove?”
Sun Guizhi was a classic shrew, and she had no respect for Lin Hai’s family.
“Auntie, let’s cut to the chase. You’re here to collect money, right?” Lin Hai said coldly.
“Well, Xiao Hai, it’s not that I’m heartless. I know your family is struggling, raising two kids and all, but you know…”
“How much do we owe you?” Lin Hai cut her off.
“Thirty-five thousand.”
“Auntie, that’s a lie! When my husband was in the hospital last year, Uncle only gave us thirty thousand,” Song Qin protested, standing up in frustration.
“Big sister, who lends money for free? Even banks charge interest. If they didn’t, they’d go out of business.”
“You… you…” Song Qin was so angry she couldn’t even speak.
Bang! The door to the inner room flew open, and Lin Yun, Lin Hai’s younger sister, ran out, tears streaming down her face.
“Mom, just give her the money. I’ll drop out of school and start working tomorrow to pay it back.”
“Yunyun…” Lin Hai’s heart ached as he looked at his crying sister.
“Brother!” Lin Yun threw herself into Lin Hai’s arms, sobbing.
“Hmph, if you ask me, Yunyun’s schooling is a waste anyway. She’s just a girl. She’ll end up married into another family sooner or later. Why spend so much money on her?” Sun Guizhi sneered.
Lin Hai took a deep breath, trying to calm the rage building inside him. “Auntie, it’s thirty-five thousand, right?”
“That’s right.”
“Alright, give me a moment.” Lin Hai walked outside and returned with a black plastic bag.
“One, two, three!” He placed three bundles of cash in front of Sun Guizhi. “Here’s thirty thousand. Count it if you want.”
Sun Guizhi was stunned. She couldn’t figure out where Lin Hai had gotten so much money.
Lin Hai ignored her and started counting out another stack of bills. “Here’s five thousand. That makes thirty-five thousand in total. Count it if you want.”
“Xiao Hai, where did you get all this money?” Song Qin asked, her voice filled with worry.
“Mom, I’ll explain later. Let Auntie count the money first.”
Sun Guizhi didn’t care where the money came from. She licked her fingers and started counting eagerly.
“Exactly thirty-five thousand. I’ll take it, then.” Sun Guizhi stuffed the money into a bag.
“Auntie, feel free to visit another day,” Lin Hai said, eager to get her out of the house.
“Oh, so now you’re kicking me out again? Fine, I’ll leave.” Sun Guizhi turned and walked out.
“Xiao Hai, see your auntie out,” Song Qin said, still sitting on the bed, clearly upset.
“Don’t bother. I wouldn’t dare trouble the college student to see me out,” Sun Guizhi said sarcastically as she left.
“Hey, Xiao Hai, this car you borrowed is pretty big. What brand is it? I don’t recognize the logo,” Sun Guizhi said, circling the Land Rover.
“It’s a Land Rover.”
“Land Rover? Never heard of it. Must be some knockoff brand. If you’re going to buy a car, get a famous one. Look at my car—BYD. Everyone knows that brand.” Sun Guizhi pointed proudly at the BYD emblem on her car.
“Yeah, BYD. It suits you perfectly, Auntie,” Lin Hai said, taking a jab at her.
“Finally, you said something sensible.” Sun Guizhi gave Lin Hai a disdainful look before driving off.
Lin Hai chuckled to himself. She just got insulted and still thinks I’m being polite. What a joke.
“Old Song, don’t be upset. Your sister-in-law has always been like that.”
“Sun Guizhi has no heart. When she got married and couldn’t afford furniture, you two gave her all your furniture and appliances without a second thought. And now look at her—she’s forgotten all about it.”
“Yeah, your brother-in-law is too soft. When Old Lin was in the hospital, she wouldn’t lend a single cent. Your brother-in-law secretly gave you thirty thousand, and she scratched his face up when she found out.”
As soon as Sun Guizhi left, the neighbors who had come to visit started comforting Song Qin and Lin Wen.
“Uncles, aunties, thank you all for looking after my parents while I was away,” Lin Hai said, carrying a pile of cigarettes, alcohol, and gift boxes from the car and placing them on the bed.
“Here, Uncle Zhang, you like smoking. Take this pack of Zhonghua cigarettes.”
“Uncle Zhao, you enjoy drinking. Try this bottle of Maotai I brought back.”
“Auntie Li, take these snacks for your kids.”
Lin Hai handed out half the car’s worth of gifts to the neighbors.
“This…” The neighbors were stunned. The items Lin Hai was giving them weren’t cheap.
“Take them. Xiao Hai wants you to have them,” Song Qin urged, seeing the neighbors hesitate.
“Take them, take them,” Lin Wen added.
“Well, then, we won’t stand on ceremony,” the neighbors said, thanking Lin Hai and happily accepting the gifts.
“Xiao Hai doesn’t come home often. You should spend some time with your family,” the neighbors said, taking their leave.
“Xiao Hai has really made something of himself.”
“Yeah, and he’s just as kind-hearted as his father.”
“Xiao Hai is a thoughtful kid. We’re lucky to have him as a neighbor.”
Listening to the neighbors’ praise, Lin Wen’s face lit up with a proud smile.
This simple man, who had lived most of his life valuing respect and dignity, had been the talk of the village for half a year when Lin Hai got into college. He would stop anyone to brag about his son.
Today, his son had come home and made him proud once again.