“Please return it, Uncle Pan.”
Chen Ping'an’s smile remained unchanged. Ignoring Old Pan’s suggestion, he stuck to his point.
“Ping’an, didn’t Uncle Pan say so? You brought this up too suddenly, and Uncle Pan here wasn’t mentally prepared. You go back first and come again the day after tomorrow. We can discuss what to do then.”
Old Pan patiently advised.
His words implied that the matter of returning the money was brought up too suddenly, leaving him completely unprepared. It seemed that Chen Ping’an was in the wrong for bringing it up.
One should know that this money had been owed for almost a year. A normal household wouldn't even need to be reminded; they would proactively bring up the matter themselves. Even if some families were truly tight on money, they would explain the situation, discuss it in advance, and agree on a repayment time. That would be good for both parties, giving them a clear timeline.
Old Pan, being old and cunning, set the pace. He even turned the tables, making it seem like Chen Ping’an’s sudden request for repayment was causing him trouble, when it was he who hadn’t proactively brought up returning the money.
Most young people, hearing this, would feel embarrassed. Thinking that their abruptness had caused the other party such trouble, they would fall into Old Pan’s rhythm.
“Uncle Pan, the debt isn’t a matter of one or two days. Does Uncle Pan need some kind of mental preparation? Why not tell me what it is?”
You have your rhythm, and I have my persistence.
Upon hearing this, the smile on Old Pan’s face completely vanished.
“Ping’an, you’re not married, and you don’t have any external debts, so you’re not short on this bit of money. Why are you in such a hurry to get it back? We’re all neighbors, is there a need for this? It’s not like we’re not going to return it! Didn’t Uncle Pan say he needed to think about it more? Besides, you’re a fine young man; spending all day thinking about this bit of money, aren’t you ashamed to say it out loud?!”
Aunt Pan, standing by, said in a sarcastic tone.
What a way to shift the blame and turn the tables! Truly a couple!
It would have been fine if the other party hadn't mentioned external debts, but bringing it up now made it seem somewhat ridiculous.
Back then, Old Chen would rather borrow from the Tiger Head Gang at high interest than repay the money borrowed from Old Pan’s family.
And Chen Ping’an had managed to gather fourteen taels himself to pay off the Tiger Head Gang’s debt. Now, he was being told he was in the wrong.
He spends all day thinking about this bit of money?!
Who is it that’s thinking about this bit of money?!
Debts must be repaid; it’s only right!
Even if you take a step back, Chen Ping’an returning the money doesn’t require their consent at all. Even if their family had no money, they would still have to find a way to raise the silver to repay his.
No matter where this matter was brought up, he was in the right.
Half a tael of silver, for nearly a year, and he hadn’t asked for a single cent of interest.
Now, in the other party’s words, he was disregarding his neighbors and obsessed with money.
“Uncle Pan, Aunt Pan, whether or not I’m short on this money has absolutely nothing to do with whether or not you repay it. It’s precisely because I value the dignity of our neighborhood that I came here to discuss this matter with you softly. If this matter truly gets out, I wonder who will be the one ashamed and lose face?!”
Chen Ping’an did not get angry, nor did he show any agitated emotions. He spoke slowly and deliberately.
“You!”
Chen Ping’an spoke slowly, but his words choked Aunt Pan instantly.
Seeing Chen Ping’an speak so plainly, Old Pan’s face immediately turned cold: “Ping’an, we never said we wouldn’t return the money. Do you really have to speak like that?!”
“Since that’s the case, then please return it, Uncle Pan.”
“You go back first; I’ll return it in a few days!” Old Pan said coldly.
If Old Pan had spoken like this from the beginning, Chen Ping’an might have indeed followed his words and given them a few days’ grace. But now… he was probably thinking too much.
“Please return it now, Uncle Pan!”
Chen Ping’an’s attitude was firm, and his words were resolute.
The Pan family members were completely stunned. They never expected that Chen Ping’an, a young man not yet of age, would react this way in the current situation.
“Chen Ping’an, don’t go too far!” Aunt Pan began to make a big fuss, her voice becoming sharp and high-pitched, like a madwoman: “We said we’d return it in a few days, do you really have to push so hard?! Are you trying to make it impossible for our Old Pan family to live?!”
Facing Aunt Pan’s actions, Chen Ping’an remained calm and slowly said, “Uncle Pan, neighbors value dignity. If you don’t return my money today, then you can forget about that dignity.”
Bang!
Uncle Pan slammed his palm on the table, stood up, and was furious.
“Chen Ping’an, you also know we’re all neighbors, and no matter what, I’m your elder. Do your words still show any respect for your Uncle Pan?”
To be honest, Old Pan’s furious expression and angry standing up were quite intimidating.
“You little brat, how dare you speak like that! Today, even if the King of Heaven himself came, there’s no money.”
Aunt Pan was ranting, using the tactics of quarreling women.
However, all of this was meaningless to Chen Ping’an.
“Since that’s the case, then let’s meet at the Zhenfu Division!”
With that, Chen Ping’an lifted his foot and was about to walk out.
Seeing this, Old Pan’s Aura suddenly froze.
Zhenfu Division!?
He had thought Chen Ping’an would at most go to the head of the village. How did it get to the Zhenfu Division!?
Each lane in Nanquan Lane had a Head of the Lane, primarily responsible for coordinating civil matters big and small. If it went to the Head of the Lane, their family had many people, they could play rogue, and still confuse things. The worst outcome would be just having to repay that half tael of silver.
But to go to the Zhenfu Division…
This…
Old Pan finally realized a problem.
This young man in front of him was not an ordinary young man. He was a Yamen Runner working in the Nanquan Lane Garrison Office!
When he was polite, he could talk about neighborly affection, calling him Uncle Pan. But if he wasn’t polite, he had plenty of ways to deal with them.
Old Chen was dead, and Chen Ping’an had seemed too easy to talk to, so he had forgotten that he worked for the government.
Damn it!
“Wait!”
Old Pan finally couldn’t sit still and wanted to call out to Chen Ping’an.
However, Chen Ping’an’s steps remained steady, and he completely ignored him.
“Ping’an, wait, wait. The money, I’ll return it right away!”
With that, Old Pan immediately ran into the inner room.
“Lao Pan!” Aunt Pan tried to stop Old Pan but was pushed away by him. This woman was so emotional she hadn't even reacted yet!
Upon hearing this, Chen Ping’an stopped.
There was a sound of rummaging from the inner room, and soon, Old Pan came out holding a black cloth bag.
“Ping’an, don’t be angry. The silver is all inside, take a look.”
Old Pan forced a smile.
Chen Ping’an took the bag. Inside were both large and small coins. He counted the amount of money, then slowly looked up at Old Pan.
“The money isn’t quite right, is it?”
“Ah! How could it be wrong? I counted it! There are a total of five hundred small coins in the bag, which is exactly half a tael of silver.” Old Pan hurriedly stepped forward.
Chen Ping’an quietly looked at Old Pan: “There are indeed five hundred small coins in here. I borrowed half a tael of silver, and according to the common market interest, after almost a year, it should be five hundred and fifty small coins. There are still fifty small coins missing in here.”