NFBE Chapter 2018 When Affection and Righteousness Converge into a River
Chapter 2018 When Affection and Righteousness Converge into a River
This complex mix of heartache, relief, regret, and blessings left Lin Weimin speechless for a moment, and he could only let out a heavy sigh.
Li Xiangnan naturally understood his second brother, Lin Weimin, and he understood the look in Lin Weimin's eyes even more. He stepped forward and said sincerely, "Brother Weimin, I understand your feelings! Chu Qiao is too stubborn. She insisted on giving this gift no matter what. But I've known her intentions for a long time. I know her character and her feelings for Xitang. But this money... I absolutely cannot accept it!"
He paused, his gaze falling on the iron box containing the money, his tone becoming even more resolute, "Your Lin family has already presented an official gift, that's enough. I understand giving a small token in private, but for this girl to come with such a heavy gift right away is simply unreasonable! Brother Weimin, please help me take this money back to her! This is the culmination of her years of hard work, and it's her future security. If I accept it, I'll never be able to live with myself for the rest of my life!"
Upon hearing this, Lin Weimin shook his head vigorously, "No, no, no, Xiang Nan, I can't do this! Since this money is my sister's kind gesture, you should accept it! You know how stubborn she is. If I take it back to her, I'm afraid this whole thing will blow up! She probably won't even acknowledge me as her second brother anymore!"
He spoke with heartfelt sincerity, both speaking up for his sister and genuinely believing it to be true.
"You know Chu Qiao's temper. Once she's made up her mind, nothing can change it! Since she's taken out this money, she genuinely wants it for Xi Tang! If you ask me to take it back, well, wouldn't that be a slap in her face? How heartbroken she would be!"
Lin Weimin was afraid that Li Xiangnan would feel resentful, so he patiently persuaded her, feeling helpless himself. "Besides, this is her affection for Xitang, it's her sincere love as her aunt! Just keep it for Xitang, and when she grows up, she can know that she has an aunt who loves her very much. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"
Li Xiangnan, however, remained steadfast in his conviction and shook his head, saying, "Brother Weimin, that's not how it works! Chu Qiao is still in school, and she'll need money for so many things in the future! You know what nine hundred yuan means these days! It would take an ordinary person several years to save up that much. She's just a young woman, and she's emptied her savings. How can I feel at ease?"
The two went back and forth, one determined to back down, the other making all sorts of excuses, which amused the surrounding neighbors.
At this moment, Wang Defa, who had been watching the commotion, interjected, "To be honest, this is a really difficult matter! Chu Qiao's gesture is truly heartfelt, made with real money! But Xiang Nan is right, this amount of money is indeed too much, and it makes me uneasy to accept it! How about this, Brother Weimin, you keep it for Chu Qiao for now, and we'll find a suitable opportunity to..."
"Fatty, don't give me any bad advice!" Lin Weimin interrupted him. "If I take this money back, do you think Chu Qiao will forgive me? With her temper, once she's made up her mind, no one can change it! Xiang Nan, listen to my advice, accept it. This is our Lin family's way of showing our affection for Xi Tang, and it's also Chu Qiao's way of showing her love as her aunt!"
Looking at Lin Weimin's sincere eyes, Li Xiangnan knew that arguing any further would be pointless, so he could only sigh and say, "Well then, I'll keep this money for Xitang for now, but let me make this clear: whenever Chu Qiao or your Lin family needs money in the future, they can take it back at any time!"
"Okay, okay, I'll do whatever you say!" Lin Weimin finally breathed a sigh of relief and a smile appeared on his face.
The minor dispute came to an end, and the neighbors breathed a sigh of relief, with many starting to whisper among themselves.
"Look at the Lin family, they're really treating the Li family well!"
"That's right! First, Miss Lin gave a generous gift of over nine hundred yuan, and now the second brother of the Lin family has given a gift of one hundred yuan on behalf of the Lin family. Their friendship is beyond words!"
"If you ask me, the Li family has really done something good; they've made such honest friends!"
"The Lin family is kind and generous, and Miss Chu Qiao is even more so!"
Although the surrounding chatter was not loud, Li Xiangnan and Lin Weimin heard it, exchanged a smile, and were both somewhat moved.
Just then, the other neighbors who had helped started offering their gifts one after another.
Zhang Jingyang sat back down at the accounting table, with Tao Zhengtie beside him constantly refilling the inkwell to ensure the ink supply was sufficient.
"Little Zhang, our family isn't well-off, we just scraped together two yuan to celebrate!" Aunt Wang from the next courtyard took out her money, feeling a little embarrassed.
"Aunt Wang, you're too kind! It's the thought that counts!" Zhang Jingyang smiled as he took the banknotes, counted them, and then put them into the iron box after confirming that everything was correct.
Tao Zhengtie neatly wrote down in the gift register: Wang Haolan, gift money two yuan.
Next up was Chen Lei from the front yard. He works at a machinery factory and generously took out three yuan. "Dr. Li has always been very kind and helpful to the people in our yard. Here's three yuan!"
"Brother Chen, you're too kind!" Li Xiangnan quickly thanked him.
After that, more than a dozen people came one after another, some with five cents, some with eight cents, some with one or two dollars, and the most was Chen Lei, Chen Hongxing's father from the front yard, who put down three dollars.
In the old Yanjing hutongs of the 1980s, this was already a fairly good gift.
After all, everyone's salary is not high. For an average person, thirty or fourteen yuan a month is the most they can earn. Being able to spend a few yuan on a gift is already a sign of great affection.
Li Xiangnan thanked them one by one, feeling warm inside. Although these neighbors didn't give much, they really gave him face, and their intentions were sincere.
Just as everyone was exchanging greetings in an orderly fashion, a figure quietly squeezed in from behind. He was wearing a faded blue cotton-padded jacket, his hair was neatly combed, and his face showed a hint of unease and anxiety.
She walked to the accounting table, her face flushed, and took out a red paper packet from her bosom. Her hand trembled slightly as she handed it to Zhang Jingyang, "Brother Zhang, please, I'd like to offer a gift as well!"
Zhang Jingyang looked up and recognized it as Lan Cuihua from the back street.
He has been spending more time at the Li family's house recently, so he naturally knows about Lan Cuihua's family situation. Her father is still recovering from poisoning, and the family's source of income has been cut off.
"Cuihua, you..." So Zhang Jingyang hesitated, unsure whether he should accept the answer.
Lan Cuihua insisted on stuffing the red envelope into his hand, saying, "Brother Zhang, please accept it! Doctor Li saved my father's life, and I will remember this kindness for the rest of my life! Today is his daughter's one-month celebration, and I must express my gratitude! Please accept it, I still have to go help out!"
Her tone was anxious, as if she was afraid of delaying things.
Zhang Jingyang opened the red paper package and saw a five-yuan bill inside. Although it wasn't much compared to Lin Weimin and Lin Chuqiao, it was a huge sum for a family like Lan Cuihua's.
The neighbors who witnessed this scene also quieted down.
"Cuihua's family is so poor, yet they still managed to give five yuan as a gift. They are so kind!"
"Yes, her father was so sick a while ago. If it weren't for Dr. Li curing him, he probably would have... sigh, he's a pitiful man!"
"Five yuan is a huge sum for her family! This child knows how to be grateful and is an honest person!"
The commotion caught the attention of Li Xiangnan, who was receiving the guests. He turned around and saw Lan Cuihua presenting the gifts. He quickly ran over and said, "Cuihua, what are you doing? Take them back quickly!"
When Lan Cuihua saw Li Xiangnan approaching, she blushed as if she had done something wrong, turned around and ran towards the hanging flower gate, saying as she ran, "Dr. Li, please accept this, it's a token of my appreciation!"
Li Xiangnan wanted to chase after her, but Lan Cuihua had already run into the yard.
Looking at the red envelope in Zhang Jingyang's hand, he felt both touched and helpless, and could only shake his head and smile bitterly at Zhang Jingyang.
"Take it. Perhaps this gift will make her feel at ease!"
Hearing Zhang Jingyang say this, Li Xiangnan could only nod: "I'll remember this favor!"
Just then, a commotion came from outside the courtyard gate.
Then Cheng Kui from the Red Star Gang Room walked in with several of his brothers.
Li Xiangnan turned around and saw that Cheng Kui was dressed in a clean Zhongshan suit today, looking extremely formal.
What puzzled him and everyone else was that he was holding an object wrapped in red cloth, and surrounded by people, he appeared particularly solemn.
Is Cheng Gangtou going to send something extraordinary this time?
Li Xiangnan was startled and quickly went to meet him.