How I Tamed My Wolfish Husband Back in 80s
Chapter 256 - 258: Burden_1

Chapter 256: Chapter 258: Burden_1

"Is it too fast? In our village, quite a few people have gotten engaged after just one meeting. Although he and I have met each other’s parents, we haven’t gotten engaged yet. What? Is there a rumor that Liao Fan has some bad habits?" Hu Xiufang said with a tightening heart.

Li Qiao shook his head, "No, I’m just worried that you two are moving too quickly and might end up arguing a lot after getting married because of incompatible personalities."

Hu Xiufang laughed, "Quarreling is normal, isn’t it? Don’t you and Qin Jin argue?"

"Uh?" Li Qiao was speechless; they did occasionally bicker. She changed the subject, "Did you come here alone?"

"I came with my older brother. He had some business in Jiangpu Village, and I thought I’d stop by your place since it’s on the way," Hu Xiufang glanced around, "Why are you packing things? Going back to school? When does your school start?"

"We report on the fourteenth and classes officially start on the fifteenth, how about you?"

Hu Xiufang said, "A good school is different after all, starting so early. We start on the eighteenth."

Li Qiao couldn’t help but laugh, "You make it sound like your school is terrible."

The two chatted about their studies and lives until Hu Xiufang’s brother came to pick her up and their conversation came to a halt.

"Write to me once school starts," Hu Xiufang said.

"Sure." Li Qiao walked her to the door and watched until she was out of sight before turning around and going back inside.

....

Not long after Hu Xiufang left, Li Jinhua’s in-laws came to visit, and Li Qiao moved some stools for them, "Uncle, auntie, please sit."

"Eh, thanks." The couple was exceedingly cautious.

Mrs. Feng asked, "Are your grandmother and Jin not home?"

"Grandma is out visiting, and Jin is probably at Fugui’s playing cards. Is there something you need?" Li Qiao had a feeling it wasn’t going to be good news. They weren’t about to ask for money again, were they?

Mrs. Feng explained, "Well, we’ve heard that the big hospitals in Beijing have excellent medical skills, and maybe they could detoxify Erguanggun. He can’t do heavy labor right now, and we’re worried about how the family will get by in the future. We’re hoping you could help us get him treated in a big hospital in Beijing."

Li Qiao was in a difficult position. She was willing to do what she could for her fellow villagers, but the idea of getting involved with Li Jinhua made her uncomfortable.

What should she do?

At that moment, Qin Jin returned and greeted them, "Uncle, auntie, are you here for a visit?"

Li Qiao approached and in a few words informed him of Mr. and Mrs. Feng’s purpose.

Qin Jin asked, "Do you have the travel expenses? Where will you stay?"

Mr. and Mrs. Feng stuttered.

"Well... we don’t have any money at hand right now, we’ll borrow from you. Don’t worry, once Erguanggun gets better, we’ll pay you back slowly," they said.

Qin Jin replied, "I don’t have any money either."

The rules of the road – help the urgent, not the poor.

What’s the point of taking in a patient and providing him with food and shelter at home?

When his family was in trouble, who cared?

Mrs. Feng said, "Jin, we’re from the same village. Please help us out. You’ve made some money selling fertilizer and socks, haven’t you?"

Mr. Feng added, "We’ll definitely pay you back when the wheat is harvested."

Qin Jin said, "I don’t have money. Whoever says I do can go find them."

Unable to persuade Qin Jin, Mr. and Mrs. Feng left with a sigh.

Li Qiao watched the two leave, and after they were gone,

Qin Jin said, "The moment you show that you’re easy to talk to, everyone brings their problems to you. I knew I shouldn’t have lent them money before the New Year."

Li Qiao did not dare to utter a word; she had almost agreed to Mr. and Mrs. Feng’s request. She thought that would be the end of it, but in the evening, Lamei and Li Shengcai came to the door, bringing up the matter of taking Erguanggun to Beijing for medical treatment.

This time, Li Qiao directly refused, "We don’t have the capability to provide treatment."

"I heard you received a three hundred yuan scholarship. Giving a hundred to treat your brother-in-law’s illness should be enough, right?" Lamei said.

Li Shengcai complained, "Who would have thought you had so much money? Your mother and I are living so tightly, and you didn’t even think to give us a little help."

Li Qiao: "..." Take out a hundred? You make it sound so easy.

Why should she have to subsidize them anyway?

Isn’t it enough to give gifts during the holidays and festivals?

Old Mrs. Qin: "Who told you there’s a three hundred yuan scholarship?" Hardly anyone knows about this.

"Just heard it from the people in your village," Li Shengcai stated without a doubt: "Qiaoqiao, your mother and I are getting old. You have an allowance and a scholarship. From now on, you should give us fifteen yuan a month for living expenses."

Li Qiao: "..." So, the real reason they came to her was not to help Feng Erguanggun detox, but to ask for living expenses?

"How much living allowance does Li Jinhua give you?" Qin Jin asked.

"It’s not easy for her; how could we ask her for money?" said Li Shengcai.

Qin Jin scoffed, "Li Jinhua has it tough, but Qiaoqiao doesn’t? She doesn’t need to live outside? Monthly rent, electricity bill, heating bill, don’t they cost money?"

"Don’t you also make money? Besides, there are dorms at school, why do you need to rent a place if not staying on campus? In my opinion, your grandma shouldn’t have gone to Beijing with you. Without her there, we could save a lot of money, which would be great to show our filial piety. You receive so much allowance each month and add to that the three hundred yuan from the annual scholarship, yet you don’t give a cent to your parents.

What’s this all about?

And keeping it from them, too. If it weren’t for Jinhua coming back and telling us, who knows how long we would’ve been kept in the dark.

He said, a bit angrily, "If you don’t agree to give the living allowance today, I’ll let your university’s teachers and classmates know you don’t support your parents. How will they think of you then?"

Qin Jin started rolling up his sleeves, so they’d come to play tough today.

Li Shengcai nervously said, "What are you trying to do? Hit someone, huh?"

Li Qiao held Qin Jin’s arm to stop him from doing something impulsive and said to Li Shengcai, "School isn’t the only option; I can follow Jin and learn to do business."

Qin Jin was secretly shocked, follow her in doing business?

Isn’t she ashamed?

If she doesn’t study, people will surely laugh at her.

He couldn’t bear the thought of her being ridiculed.

Old Mrs. Qin felt even more heartbroken. To see that their child was about to graduate and their parents were causing such a scene. No matter what, they couldn’t let the children’s future be ruined. "We can give the money, but fifteen is a bit too much. Let’s discuss this properly."

Dong Lamei’s eyes lit up; Old Mrs. Qin seemed willing to negotiate, so there might be a way to handle this.

But she didn’t compromise, saying, "Fifteen is not too much at all. Qiaoqiao gets three hundred per semester, which adds up to six hundred a year, and she has an allowance as well. Cai Hechuan gets twenty-five a month, and Qiaoqiao’s school is even better, right? So they must pay more. Fifteen is already the low end."

Old Mrs. Qin: "If the child’s allowance is spent, there won’t be much left, and she skipped a grade. She has three hundred this term, but that may not be the case next term."

Dong Lamei couldn’t care less; in her eyes, since Li Qiao was able to get it once, she should be able to get it again.

She seemed to have already secured the fifteen yuan per month living allowance, barely containing a smirk, "We can’t do less than fifteen. Otherwise, when the new term starts, we’ll have the school’s teachers sort out this matter."

Old Mrs. Qin felt anxious and afraid. What will happen to the child if this goes to school, how will she face anyone? Grinding her teeth, she said, "Fine, Jin, give it."

Qin Jin’s eyes immediately turned cold, and his eyelashes nearly imperceptibly fluttered, "Hmm."

Li Qiao: "..." Fine what? Hmm what? Fifteen yuan a month here.

For now, she could afford it.

But what about after she starts working and there’s no scholarship?

She’d also need to have children. What about her basic salary when she’s not working while raising children?

Will Qin Jin’s business always be profitable?

When they operate at a loss, won’t she have to subsidize family expenses?

Li Shengcai and Dong Lamei are not even fifty, right? Are they retiring this early? If they lived to a hundred, would she have to set aside her pension to support them into her seventies?

Damn!

They’re just two big burdens.

But Qin Jin and Old Mrs. Qin had already agreed; it wouldn’t be proper for her to object now. She’d keep quiet for the moment and express her opinion to them later.