aircannonsinc Chapter 798 Trivial Matter 2
Chapter 798 Trivial Matter 2
He Yuzhu had been sitting on a stone bench in the courtyard, sipping a cup of coarse tea and chatting with others about the impending renovations. Suddenly, someone mentioned that Old Zhang had privately used the money everyone had pooled for improvements to pay off his son's debts. He instantly felt like a powder keg had been ignited. He jumped up from the stone bench, so abruptly that he knocked over the coarse porcelain tea bowl beside him, spilling the tea all over the floor.
Upon hearing the news, his eyes instantly widened to the size of bells, his already bulging eyeballs seemingly about to pop out of their sockets. The fury on his face was like volcanic lava about to erupt, rising from the soles of his feet and burning his face red.
His eyebrows were tightly knitted together, forming the Chinese character "川", and the veins on his forehead bulged out like winding little snakes. He suddenly raised his voice, and the sound was like thunder, echoing in the yard, and he shouted loudly: "Lao Zhang, Lao Zhang, how could you do such a stupid thing! This money is not a small amount. It was collected by everyone in our yard, young and old, and it was hard to get it together. Everyone is looking forward to using this money to repair our yard, rebuild the dilapidated wall, and pave the bumpy road surface, so that everyone can live more safely and comfortably. This is not for you to fill the hole your son made! Your son's debt is his own business. As an adult, he must be responsible for his own actions. How can you use everyone's hard-earned money to clean his ass! Do you deserve the trust everyone has in you? Do you deserve the money everyone has worked so hard to collect?"
Old Zhang was already feeling guilty and was hiding in the corner of the yard, with his head down and his hands nervously tugging at the corners of his clothes.
Frightened by He Yuzhu's sudden roar, his body trembled violently, like a frightened deer. He lowered his head even lower, as if to bury it in the ground, and his already hunched back now bent even more like a bow.
He kept rubbing his hands together, and they were shaking with nervousness and guilt, with his knuckles turning white. He said in a choked voice, "Zhu Zi, I know I was wrong. I was really driven into desperation by those people. Those debt collectors are simply a bunch of bullies. They come to my house every day and smash things. They smash the tables, chairs, and benches in my house, and even the window glass. They also threatened me, saying that if I don't pay back the money, they will beat me, and even harm my family. I really don't know what to do, so I resorted to this desperate measure. I thought of paying it back first, and when my son finds a job and makes money, I will make up the difference as soon as possible. I will never let anyone suffer any loss. I promise that I will pay back every penny, and even give more interest, as an apology to everyone."
At this moment, the neighbors, having heard the commotion, also rushed over. Some were in their pajamas, some were still clutching spatulas, and some hadn't even put their shoes on as they hurried out of their homes. They surrounded He Yuzhu and Lao Zhang in three layers, completely encircling them. Everyone was whispering and discussing, their faces filled with anger and dissatisfaction.
When everyone heard what Lao Zhang said, their already angry emotions were instantly ignited to the extreme.
The third uncle's already frail body was shaking with anger, like a leaf shivering in the cold wind. He pointed at Lao Zhang with his finger, which was shaking constantly because of anger, and his voice was trembling a little, and he said: "Lao Zhang, Lao Zhang, we trust you so much and give you such important money for safekeeping. We think you are honest and reliable, so we put the money in your hands with confidence. But you did this. Aren't you letting everyone down? The money we worked so hard to collect is for the safety of our yard and for everyone to live comfortably. We thought that after the yard was repaired, everyone would not have to worry when going out at night, and the children could play happily in the yard. But you took the money to pay off your son's debts. How can we trust you and others in the future? What you did is simply destroyed the harmonious atmosphere in our yard and made everyone feel disappointed!"
Xu Damao folded his arms across his chest, his head tilted slightly upwards, a gloating yet mocking sneer playing on the corners of his mouth. He echoed sarcastically, "That's right, Lao Zhang, you're really good at calculating! Look at your abacus beads, they're about to fall on everyone's faces. You're using our money to fill your bottomless pit. Do you think we're all fools, letting you fool around? We all worked so hard to scrape together this money. Some families have been scrimping and saving for months, hoping to renovate our yard and improve our living conditions. Now, the money's gone, like a cooked duck flying away. Our yard renovation plan has also fallen through. We had originally planned to renovate the dilapidated roof and replace the leaky windows with new ones, but now it's all gone. What do you say? You have to give everyone an explanation. You can't just muddle through like this."
When the neighbors heard Xu Damao's words, they immediately became more agitated than ever. They started accusing Lao Zhang one after another. Some neighbors blushed, their neck veins bulging, and they waved their arms and shouted, "Lao Zhang, you've let us down so much! We trust you so much and always consult you about everything, and yet you actually did something so wicked!"
Some neighbors wiped their tears and complained, "My husband worked odd jobs to raise the money, and his hands were covered in blisters. He was hoping the yard would improve, but now it's all ruined by you!" Others were so angry that they stamped their feet, pointed at Lao Zhang's nose and cursed, "You have no conscience! We are always kind to your family. We even send you gifts during the holidays. This is how you repay us?"
Old Zhang was surrounded, like a lamb surrounded by wolves, trembling as if a gust of wind could blow him over. He almost buried his head in the ground, wishing he could find a crack to crawl into. His face was filled with regret and pain, as if he was being pierced by thousands of needles at the same time. Tears kept flowing, soaking his clothes, and his shoulders heaved with sobs. His hands hung limply at his sides, and he kept mumbling, "I was wrong, I was really wrong..."
He Yuzhu looked at Lao Zhang's pitiful appearance. Although he was still angry, and the anger was like a fire burning in his chest, he couldn't help but soften his heart. He took a deep breath, the breath echoing in his chest, and tried to calm himself down.
He frowned, his eyes filled with a hint of seriousness and expectation, and then he said loudly: "Everyone, stop arguing, it's useless. The money has been embezzled by Lao Zhang. Even if we scold him, the money will not come back on its own. We have to find a way to solve this problem. Lao Zhang, you said your son will pay it back, so when can he pay it back? You have to give us a clear time. You can't be vague and say he will pay it back when he finds a job. When can he find a job? You have to give us a real date so that we can have a bottom line. If he can't pay it back by the due date, we will find another way."
Old Zhang had been hanging his head, like a weed drooping after a storm, exuding a sense of dejection and helplessness. But when He Yuzhu asked him to specify a repayment date, he grasped at a last straw and slowly raised his head. His eyes, filled with anticipation, were like two faint yet persistent flames, fixed on He Yuzhu, as if a single nod would rekindle his hope for life. His lips trembled slightly, and his voice was trembling and anxious as he said, "Zhu Zi, my son said he has found a job as a worker in the small factory in the east of the city. Although the work is hard, the salary is relatively stable. He assured me that he would get his salary next month. He promised me that he would pay back part of the money after he got his salary to settle the most urgent part of the debt first. He would pay back the rest slowly. He set a plan for himself to pay it all off in three months at most. Zhu Zi, please believe me this time. My son really wants to change his ways, be a good person, and pay back all the money he owes everyone."
After hearing what Lao Zhang said, the neighbors' already tense nerves instantly became more alert, and they all showed suspicious looks. Those suspicious eyes were like sharp arrows, shooting at Lao Zhang in unison. In the crowd, a burly man with a face full of flesh squeezed forward and shouted in a hoarse voice: "Lao Zhang, who would believe what you said? Your son owed so much debt before, that's not a small amount! Those creditors chased him for debts every day, and he hid from place to place like a rat crossing the street. Now he suddenly said that he can pay back the money if he finds a job, who knows if it's true. Maybe he just wants to stabilize you and prevent you from being scolded too badly by everyone. In fact, he didn't find any job at all, or that job was a cover and he was fired after a few days. What if he can't pay it back, then our money will be wasted? The money we worked so hard to save is not to fill his hole!"
Another thin, petite, middle-aged woman with a shrewd look in her eyes echoed her. "That's right, Old Zhang, you can't trust your son so easily. He used to be a lazy guy, loafing around all day, either hanging out with a bunch of bad friends or trying his luck in the casino. He ended up losing everything and was left with a mountain of debt. It's not that easy to change just like that now! I think he's just trying to coax you through this difficult time, and then he'll be back to his old ways once the storm is over. We can't be fooled by his words, our money is all hard-earned!"
The Third Uncle listened to everyone's discussion, his brow furrowed tightly, like a knot in his stomach. He pondered for a moment, his eyes revealing a wisdom and composure, as if he had already weighed the pros and cons. Then, he slowly raised his hand, signaling for silence. When the noise around him gradually died down, he cleared his throat and said in a slightly hoarse but majestic voice, "Everyone, don't rush to deny it. Although Lao Zhang made a mistake, he also knows that he was wrong. Look at his regretful expression now, it doesn't seem like he is pretending. Let's give him a chance and let his son repay the money as promised. After all, we are all neighbors living in the same yard. We see each other every day. It is best not to make the relationship too awkward. However, to be on the safe side, we have to make a written agreement. Let Lao Zhang and his son sign and seal it, and clearly stipulate the repayment time and amount in the agreement. For example, how much should be paid back with the salary next month, and how much each month thereafter, and finally pay it all off within three months. If they can't pay it back by then, we will contact the street office to solve this problem. What do you think of this solution?"
Everyone nodded in agreement after hearing what Third Uncle said. He Yuzhu also thought this method was feasible. He looked at Old Zhang and said seriously, "Old Zhang, what do you think of Third Uncle's method? This is the last chance we're giving you. If you betray our trust again, don't blame us for being rude."
Old Zhang nodded quickly, as if grasping a lifeline, and said, "Okay, okay, I agree. I'll go notify my son and ask him to come back and sign. I will definitely urge him to pay back the money and will definitely not let anyone down."
So, Lao Zhang quickly sent someone to notify his son. While waiting for his son to return, the atmosphere in the courtyard remained tense. Everyone sat together, and although they appeared calmer on the surface, their hearts were filled with worry and anxiety.
After a while, Lao Zhang's son hurried back. He looked haggard, his eyes revealing fatigue and resignation. He walked up to the group, bowed deeply, and said, "Dear uncles and aunts, I know my father made a mistake and caused trouble for everyone. I apologize to everyone. I have found a job and will work hard to repay the money as promised. Here is my IOU, please rest assured."
As he spoke, Lao Zhang's son pulled out an IOU from his pocket and handed it to the third uncle. The third uncle took the IOU, looked at it carefully, nodded, and said, "Okay, since you are so sincere, we will trust you this time. However, you must remember your promise and pay the money back on time. Otherwise, we will not let you go easily."
Old Zhang's son nodded repeatedly and said, "Don't worry, Uncle San, I will definitely do it."
With everyone watching, Old Zhang and his son signed and pledged the IOU. Looking at the note, everyone felt a little relieved, but they remained concerned about future repayments. While the controversy over public funds had subsided for now, it cast a shadow over neighborhood relations within the courtyard. Everyone silently prayed that Old Zhang's son would honor his promise, repay the money on time, and restore the courtyard's former harmony and peace.