She was stating a fact; indeed, no one in Zhangjia Village dared to lend Jiang Qingqing more than ten yuan. Everyone knew the state of her family, and lending more might mean it wouldn't be repaid.
Wang Xiao'e's expression faltered slightly. She thought, since Jiang Qingqing had money now, shouldn't she repay more? Wasn't the five yuan from three years ago still five yuan now?
"Nonsense! My Renyi lent you fifty yuan to help you through your difficulties, but you have no conscience! To say I only lent you five yuan, Auntie, I really misjudged you. I thought you were a good person, but I didn't expect you to do this." Wang Xiao'e said, covering her face with her hands, feigning distress.
The villagers, not understanding the situation, watched the two women, and their minds couldn't help but wonder if Jiang Qingqing had actually done such a thing and if their debts were as they remembered them.
"Auntie Xiao'e, I wrote this ledger so I wouldn't forget everyone's kindness. Yours was truly just five yuan, no mistake." Jiang Qingqing knew she absolutely could not admit she had written it incorrectly. If she admitted her mistake, another person would surely step forward and claim she had misremembered their debt too. But she hadn't misremembered at all. These ledgers were written the same day the money was borrowed, so how could she have gotten it wrong? Then what was it she truly wanted?
"Since you say you didn't write it incorrectly, what proof do you have?" Wang Xiao'e spread her hands, gesturing for Jiang Qingqing to present evidence.
"I..." This was the first time she had encountered such a situation, and Jiang Qingqing couldn't answer for a moment. How could she prove herself? She hadn't told anyone she was borrowing money, nor had she left any proof. How could she prove it now?
"If you can't prove it, it means you wrote it incorrectly. You borrowed fifty yuan from my family. Pay up!" Wang Xiao'e said triumphantly, immediately extending her hand, signaling for Jiang Qingqing to start repaying.
"I truly didn't misremember; the book clearly states it, word for word," Jiang Qingqing, caught between a rock and a hard place, kept repeating her defense that she hadn't. It was then she noticed the line of people waiting to collect their repayments was growing longer. The hundred yuan she had brought out wouldn't be enough. How could this be?
"If you didn't, then show us the proof!" Wang Xiao'e, seeing that she could outtalk a female educated youth who had come down to the countryside, felt a surge of satisfaction. But before she could enjoy it for long, a voice she disliked sounded out.
"Proof? You show us the proof that our family borrowed fifty yuan from you! If you can't, then you're lying." It was Zhang Liunian, back with a brand new flatbed cart.
Jiang Qingqing looked up at the sound, seeing Zhang Liunian smile tenderly at her. For some reason, the sight of him made her eyes well up with tears. Noticing the moisture gathering in his wife's eyes, Zhang Liunian immediately dropped the flatbed cart and went to embrace her.
The villagers saw this and began pointing fingers. It was the 1980s, and public displays of affection were considered indecent. Zhang Liunian paid no mind to the villagers' opinions; what was wrong with hugging his wife? It wasn't a crime.
"Qingqing, it's alright. I'm back," Zhang Liunian whispered comfortingly to his wife in his arms, then raised his sharp, piercing gaze to fix on Wang Xiao'e. "Auntie, how can you speak such nonsense? A few days ago, you and Uncle Xinhua said you wanted me to repay the five yuan I owed you, so why is it fifty yuan today? Are you getting old and forgetful!"
"You're the one who's old and forgetful! When did I ever say it was five yuan? It was clearly fifty yuan!" Wang Xiao'e retorted, sticking out her neck, refusing to admit it was five yuan.
"Fine, then. I'll have Uncle Xinhua called over right now to clarify." Zhang Liunian knew Uncle Xinhua; he was an honest man who wouldn't lie.
Wang Xiao'e became flustered. If she called her good-natured husband, she was sure to be exposed! How could she allow that? "If there's something to discuss, why call him over?"
"Scared?"
"Who's scared?"
"You're not scared, so then show us the proof that my family borrowed fifty yuan from you!"
"..." Hearing Zhang Liunian use her own words against her, Wang Xiao'e was rendered speechless with anger.
Seeing her silence, Zhang Liunian continued, "Fifty yuan? Your family has been busy marrying off your son these past few years. If you had that much money, you wouldn't need to borrow from my second brother. Many people in our village saw this and can testify for me. Please don't say you're so selfless that you'd give up your son to help me, your distant nephew."
Zhang Liunian's words were logical and well-founded, instantly silencing Wang Xiao'e. The pregnant Jiang Qingqing looked at her husband, who had turned the situation around with just a few words, her eyes filled with admiration. Her husband was so capable, protecting her and speaking up for her – how handsome!
"Yes, I remember three years ago she did borrow money from Liunian's second brother, saying it was for his wedding."
"It seems she borrowed fifty or sixty yuan."
"So Wang Xiao'e is lying?"
"She must be lying. If she really had fifty yuan, why would she borrow from others?"
"Exactly, who doesn't think about their own son?"
"..." The villagers' voices reached Wang Xiao'e's ears, and she knew the tide had turned. But she was unwilling, feeling that Zhang Liunian and she were incompatible. She had been on the verge of victory, but Zhang Liunian's return had caused her to fail at the last hurdle. However, being adaptable and thick-skinned, seeing Zhang Liunian so directly accuse her of lying, she slapped her thigh and pretended she had misremembered.
"Oh! I'm so sorry, Liunian, Qingqing. Auntie just misremembered, I was wrong to blame you. Please don't be angry with Auntie!" Wang Xiao'e said, stepping forward and reaching out to hold Jiang Qingqing's hand for reconciliation. Jiang Qingqing, however, refused to return the gesture, her expression extremely awkward. "I hope Auntie won't misremember next time." She wasn't a saint; she could clearly see that Wang Xiao'e had intended to swindle her. If Liunian hadn't returned to help her, she would have been wrongly accused. Thinking of this, Jiang Qingqing, ignoring the onlookers, leaned closer to her husband's chest.
Zhang Liunian felt his wife's unease and tightened his embrace slightly, careful not to hurt her, holding her even closer. Wang Xiao'e knew her scheme had been seen through by the couple. She withdrew her hand with a sheepish smile and then, shamelessly, added, "Well, Qingqing, now that the misunderstanding is cleared up, shouldn't you repay my family's money?" Five yuan was not a small amount; it was enough for their family to live on for two weeks.
Jiang Qingqing didn't want to see her either. She directly handed over five yuan, not saying a word to her. Wang Xiao'e took the money and left dejectedly, but in her heart, she gnashed her teeth in hatred. Tu Meili, seeing Wang Xiao'e leave, cursed her incompetence and then continued to watch the show. She didn't believe that Zhang Liunian and his wife could repay the debts for half the village.