Chapter 6: Borrowed, Never Returned

“I was just about to change my clothes. Why can’t I lock the door?”

Meng Jia was caught off guard. She had deliberately said what she did, thinking Tang Xin would apologize first, just as she used to, and then try to placate her with some gifts.

But this attitude?

Recalling all the gossip she’d overheard that morning, Meng Jia’s expression became complicated.

There was little in the way of entertainment in the countryside, and the Li family’s courtyard wasn’t secluded. News of last night had already spread throughout the entire Harvest Brigade. At first, only those at the educated youth station and the neighbors of the Li family knew, but since everyone headed out to work in the fields in the morning, idle chatter was inevitable.

So after a morning’s labor, everyone who should know and shouldn’t know all knew: the prettiest educated youth who had come to Harvest Brigade wanted to marry that eldest son of the Li family.

The local bumpkins of the Harvest Brigade couldn’t even dare to imagine such a thing, but aside from Lu Liqin, there were several other male educated youths who liked Tang Xin.

Beautiful, well-bred, and from a good family—who wouldn’t want to marry such a girl?

As for Tang Xin being a bit pampered and lazy, what did it matter? Pretty girls had the privilege of shirking work. Anyone who managed to marry someone like Tang Xin wouldn’t have the heart to make her toil in the fields; she’d be treated like a goddess.

And now, Tang Xin wanted to marry a country bumpkin? The others were so angry they could stomp their feet.

Meng Jia, watching from the side, was furious. She simply couldn’t stand seeing other men fawn over Tang Xin. Especially since last night, Lu Liqin had been sullen and snide, his face as long as if someone owed him a fortune.

Wasn’t it just that the woman he loved had suddenly decided to marry someone else?

Lu Liqin probably thought Tang Xin was just speaking out of anger, but Meng Jia was determined—she would do everything in her power to help bring this marriage about!

Adjusting her emotions, Meng Jia finally said, “I’m sorry, Tang Xin. I didn’t think it through. But I was genuinely worried about you last night—I barely slept. You know how good I’ve always been to you.”

Meng Jia’s mother often said, “Oh, poor Old Meng, look at us now…”

This was a reminder to Tang’s mother and Tang Xin that her husband had died saving Tang’s father—a favor beyond measure.

But she was clever; she would only say such things in front of Tang’s mother and Tang Xin. In front of Tang’s father, she played the gentle, understanding, long-suffering woman.

As for Meng Jia herself, her favorite lines were: “My Tang Xin,” “I’m doing this for your own good,” “You’re like my own little sister,” and the like—always keeping the original Tang Xin obedient and pliant.

Unfortunately, the present Tang Xin had a new soul within, and the sight of Meng Jia’s fake sincerity now filled her with disgust.

She nodded and said, “Since you’ve always been so good to me, let’s tally things up. Just how good have you really been?”

“These two years in the countryside, my mother has sent me all sorts of nice things. You said you were only borrowing them, but you’ve never returned a single one. Not to mention things like my watch, leather shoes, and new clothes—even the food coupons and cured meat my mother sent to help me out, you’ve borrowed and never given back.”

Meng Jia had gone to great lengths to become Tang Xin’s close friend, just so she could cling to her and make her own life a bit easier.

She never expected that this changed Tang Xin would suddenly say such things. Settling accounts? For a few trifling items, she wanted them returned?

The more Meng Jia thought about it, the angrier she became. Even after coming back to life, she still found Tang Xin utterly insufferable—so stingy.

Tang Xin was filthy rich, yet refused to give her a little extra.

Feeling wronged, Meng Jia started to cry. “Tang Xin, how can you say that? Weren’t those things all things you didn’t want, and just tossed to me? I was just picking up your scraps. All these years, have you forgotten how good I’ve been to you?”

Tang Xin said nothing more, only asked coolly, “Will you return them?”

Meng Jia was so furious she wished she could kill Tang Xin on the spot and take her place to live out her happy future.

But remembering her greater plan, she knew now wasn’t the time to fall out with this fool.

Of course, she had no intention of returning those things. Her mother’s days in the Tang family weren’t exactly pleasant; she had to rely on herself to improve her own life.

With these thoughts, Meng Jia’s eyes brimmed with tears as she said miserably, “I… I can’t pay you back right now. I’ll write you an IOU first.”

She looked up, her expression stubborn. “I’ve always treated you like my own little sister, that’s why I’m willing to write this IOU. But Tang Xin, you know that’s not how things really are.”

Even now, she couldn’t resist flinging mud at her. Tang Xin was beyond words when it came to the character of this so-called “best friend” Meng Jia.

She nodded. “You do need to write an IOU. But if I remember right, didn’t your mother send you some powdered milk last time? Why not give me that as a payment for now?”

Meng Jia’s face was stiff from crying as she forced a smile. “Tang Xin, that powdered milk…”

She couldn’t bring herself to say it—how could she admit that the powdered milk actually came from Tang Xin’s father?

But sharing a room, just as she knew about all Tang Xin’s good things, Tang Xin naturally knew she still had most of the powdered milk left, too precious even for herself to drink.

She was loath to part with it, so she certainly didn’t want to give it to Tang Xin.

Just then, someone else happened to pass by and overheard their conversation, unable to resist chiming in, “What’s going on? Powdered milk is a rare treat.”

Tang Xin stated calmly, “I’ve lent her many things before, and now I want them back. She says she can’t pay me now and will write an IOU, so I told her to give me the powdered milk for now.”

Everyone at the educated youth station knew Tang Xin’s family was well-off and often sent her good things.

Before, it was said Tang Xin and Meng Jia were good friends, which was why Tang Xin gave her all those things.

But now, hearing Tang Xin say they were merely borrowed, the others looked at Meng Jia with suspicion.

Meng Jia panicked, forgetting her tears, and cried, “Tang Xin!”

How could Tang Xin air their dirty laundry so openly?

Tang Xin looked innocent. “Did I say anything wrong? Every time you saw me with something nice, you always wanted to borrow it. What, did you only ever think of borrowing, never of returning?”

No longer caring, Meng Jia shouted, “You’re lying! You never wanted those things and just tossed them to me!”

“Food coupons, cured meat, new clothes—why would I not want those?” Tang Xin asked blandly.

Everyone nodded in agreement.

As for Meng Jia’s words, nobody else accepted them. In those days, everyone struggled just to eat and clothe themselves; who would give up meat and new clothes? Of course, as Tang Xin said, they must have been lent.

Since they were borrowed, they ought to be returned. People of that era were enthusiastic about such things.