Old Madam Zhang felt that it was not possible to grow good quality fruits and vegetables in what she deemed as Li Gui’s lousy courtyard, particularly since she had previously eaten crops grown by Li Gui, and evident by the fact that Li Gui had only managed to earn five dollars even after a few days. It was good timing to return these few children to Li Gui so that their family could save on feeding them. Besides, even if they did not take care of these children anymore, the children would still have to support her when she was old. No matter what, she would always be the children’s biological grandmother, it was a fact that she could bring up in any situation!
The sum she quoted was based on 100 dollars each child for four children, and 200 dollars for the adult. In the past ten years, no matter what they had eaten, they would have incurred more than this amount. Qiao Mei thought that the sum was fair and there was no loss to them based on the calculations.
“You’d better be sure. Don’t go back on your word later on and say that you didn’t receive the money!” Qiao Mei said.
Old Madam Zhang looked at Qiao Mei’s stance and wondered if Qiao Mei was going to pay her? She hurriedly said to Qiao Mei, “I’m sure! There are so many witnesses here! I can’t fake it!”
Qiao Mei got up and went home to get the money. Everyone wanted to stop her, but they did not know how to say it. In such a situation, the parents should borrow from elsewhere even if they did not have money. It should not be left to her, being just the older sister of the family, to fork out the money, especially since it was such a large sum of money. However, looking around, Qiao Mei’s family was probably the only one who could afford to fork out a lump sum amount of 600 dollars.
Qiao Mei had 600 dollars in her hand when she returned and showed it to everyone. She then said to Li Gui, “Take this money as a loan from me. You can pay me back later.”
Li Gui quickly agreed. “Alright! I’ll pay you back when I have money in the future!”
Qiao Mei was not a fool and did not intend to fork out this money for nothing. Of course, she would ask Li Gui to return the money. At most, she would give Li Gui more vegetables and fruits to sell to earn money to return to her. Otherwise, Li Gui would feel uneasy.
Everyone heaved a sigh of relief to know that this Qiao Mei was not an indiscriminately nice person who went around poking her nose in everything. This Zhang family was like a bottomless pit which would not be satisfied no matter how much money was thrown into it. If Qiao Mei really used her own money, the Zhang family would go to Qiao Mei’s house to cause trouble in the future and that would mean terrible days ahead.
“Take the money and leave quickly. Check if it’s 600 dollars. Don’t turn around later and say that I didn’t give you enough, and then come back to ask me for more money,” Qiao Mei said to Old Madam Zhang.
Old Madam Zhang felt embarrassed by the fact that Qiao Mei said what she had been thinking. She had wanted to just put the money in her pocket and leave, so that even if she came back later, no one would know exactly how much Qiao Mei had given her. This little girl was young but she was quite scheming. Old Madam Zhang counted the money note by note so that everyone could see.
“It is 600 dollars. Who said I’m going to extort you, I’ll leave now,” Old Madam Zhang said.
“You have to confirm that this money covers all the expenses that my mother and the four children have spent on food over the years. Don’t leave out anything and come asking for more money later,” Qiao Mei said.
Old Madam Zhang just wanted to quickly put the money into her pocket so that it would be a done deal. At the moment, she would agree to whatever Qiao Mei said, given that she had never seen so much money at once.
“Alright, I confirm this covers all the expenses spent on food for these children and your mother,” Old Madam Zhang said.
Qiao Mei pointed at the children and said, “From now on, the children won’t owe you anything, am I right.”
At this moment, Old Madam Zhang realized that something was wrong and that Qiao Mei was setting a trap for her. Just as she was about to retort, she saw Qiao Mei reaching out to take the money in her hand and she hurriedly agreed. “Yes, yes, yes! They don’t owe me anymore!”
You could not lose 600 dollars like that. In such a situation, you had to agree even if you did not want to. It was too big a sum of money to walk away. At most, you could find other reasons to ask for money in the future.
“That’s good. Once you accept the money, these children and my mother won’t owe the Zhang family anything anymore,” Qiao Mei said as she watched Old Madam Zhang put the money into her pocket.
When the children stood at the door of the house and heard that they no longer owed the Zhang family anything, they were ecstatic and felt like spreading the news all throughout the mountain area. In the past, Old Madam Zhang always said that they owed the Zhang family and would owe them for the rest of their lives. Now, they no longer owed anything to the Zhang family! They were free!
After having an elder sister, everything became better. Elder sister must be their savior. This elder sister of theirs was too good! Elder sister was a hero! The children looked at Qiao Mei and smiled. When Qiao Mei saw that, she gave them a wide smile in return.