Reborn in '77, I have a job panel!

Qian Gaofei took out the two yuan and eighty cents and handed them to Sun Xinghua.

Sun Xinghua stared at the few scattered bills, her eyes almost popping out of their sockets.

"Two yuan and eighty cents?" Her voice trembled. "Thirty yuan, and you're only giving me two yuan and eighty cents back?"

Qian Gaofei lowered his head, not daring to look at her: "Xinghua, that's really all we have. The rest is all spent."

"All gone?" Sun Xinghua grabbed the two yuan and eighty cents and slammed them to the ground. "You used my money to buy new clothes and meat so your family could have a good New Year, while my husband is stuck in jail? Qian Gaofei, are you even human?"

Liu Fang stood to the side, her neck hunched, barely daring to breathe.

Qian Fugui and Qian Fusheng hid behind the door, peeking out with half their heads sticking out.

When Sun Xinghua saw the two children, she became even angrier. Pointing at them, she yelled, "You're dressed so smartly! Did you buy those new cotton-padded jackets with my money? You two look so beautiful, while my husband can't even get a hot dumpling!"

Qian Fugui shrank back in fright and closed the door.

Sun Xinghua, panting heavily, glared at Qian Gaofei.

She had suffered a lot of anger at her parents' home. Her five sisters-in-law scolded her, her own nephew called her a jinx, and her own mother tried to kick her out. Now Qian Gaofei was acting like a scoundrel. She wished she could go up there right now and tear this whole family apart.

"Qian Gaofei, listen to me!" Sun Xinghua took a step forward, her finger almost poking Qian Gaofei's nose. "Today is the first day of the Lunar New Year. I'm giving you one day. Tomorrow is the second day. If you still can't pay back the money, I'll be waiting outside your house every day. Let's see how your family manages to live!"

After saying that, she turned and walked away. After taking two steps, she turned back, picked up the two yuan and eighty cents from the ground, put them in her pocket, glared at Qian Gaofei, and then slammed the door and left.

The room fell silent.

Qian Gaofei stood there, his face ashen. Liu Fang leaned closer and whispered, "What do we do?"

Qian Gaofei didn't say a word and plopped down on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed).

Liu Fang started muttering again: "I told you we shouldn't accept that money, but you insisted on taking it."

Now look what's happened, they've blocked our door, what are we going to give them in return?

Thirty yuan? Even if you sold all the junk in your house, it wouldn't be worth thirty yuan.

"Shut up," Qian Gaofei said in a muffled voice.

Liu Fang dared not speak further, but her lips were still pursed.

The two children peeked out from behind the door, and Qian Fugui asked, "Dad, are we still celebrating the New Year?"

Qian Gaofei ignored him.

After sitting for a while, he suddenly stood up.

I'm going out for a bit.

Liu Fang asked, "Where are we going?"

Qian Gaofei didn't answer, and went out the door.

Qian Gaofei came out of his house, stood on the village road for a while, and looked eastward, in the direction of Qian Cheng's house.

He knew in his heart that thirty yuan was no small sum.

Even if he dug out all the savings in his family, he still wouldn't be able to raise enough.

Liu Fang is right, even if you sell the junk, it won't be worth thirty.

But Sun Xinghua needs it tomorrow.

If she really comes to block the door every day, how can we live like this?

The villagers would laugh at him to death.

Qian Gaofei gritted his teeth and walked towards Qian Cheng's house.

He encouraged himself along the way.

No matter what, he is still my uncle, an elder.

Even if Qian Cheng is arrogant, what can we really do to him?

Besides, this time I'm going to borrow money, not to plead for someone's help.

You can at least lend me money, right?

I'll pay them back after I borrow them; I won't take advantage of them.

Thinking this, he quickened his pace.

When he arrived at Qian Cheng's house, he stood outside the gate and peered inside.

The courtyard was swept clean, the couplets were pasted up in bright red, and there were paper-cut window decorations on the windows.

Voices and laughter could be heard coming from inside the house; it sounded lively.

Qian Gaofei cleared his throat and called out, "Is anyone there?"

There was a moment of silence in the room, then voices began to come out again, but no one came out.

Qian Gaofei called out again, "Sister-in-law? Chengzi? Xiaolu?"

Still, no one answered.

He stood at the gate of the courtyard and could hear people talking inside, but no one came out. He knew perfectly well that this was obviously intentional.

Qian Gaofei felt embarrassed, but thinking of Sun Xinghua's face and the thirty yuan, he still gritted his teeth, pushed open the courtyard gate, walked to the door of the house, and raised his hand to knock on the door.

"Knock knock knock".

The room fell silent.

Qian Gaofei knocked twice more: "Open the door, it's me, Chengzi, I'm your uncle."

After a while, the door opened.

Qian Cheng stood at the door, wearing a new cotton-padded coat, enduring Qian Gaofei's unfriendly expression.

Qian Gaofei forced a smile: "Chengzi, Happy New Year!"

Qian Cheng didn't speak, nor did he move aside.

Qian Gaofei peeked into the room and saw Qian Lu and his pregnant sister-in-law sitting on the kang (a heated brick bed) playing cards. Hou Yufen sat next to them, holding needlework. The whole family was there, and there were melon seeds and peanuts on the kang table.

"Chengzi, I need to talk to your mother about something." Qian Gaofei hesitated for a moment before speaking.

Qian Cheng didn't move; he just stood there blocking the doorway.

Hou Yufen said from inside, "Chengzi, let him in."

Qian Cheng then stepped aside.

Qian Gaofei quickly squeezed in, stood in the middle of the main room, rubbing his hands together with a smile on his face: "Sister-in-law, Happy New Year! Happy New Year!"

Hou Yufen sat on the kang (a heated brick bed), still holding needle and thread in her hand, without even lifting her eyelids: "What is it?"

Qian Gaofei gave an awkward smile: "Well, there's something I need to take care of."

He glanced at Qian Lu, who was engrossed in playing cards and acted as if he hadn't seen him at all.

He glanced at Qian Cheng again. Qian Cheng was leaning against the door frame, arms crossed, his expression unreadable, as if he were either cold or smiling.

"Um," Qian Gaofei cleared his throat, "sister-in-law, I'd like to borrow some money from you."

Hou Yufen paused in her needlework and looked up at him.

Qian Gaofei quickly said, "Just thirty, I'll borrow thirty yuan. I'll definitely pay it back after the New Year."

Before Hou Yufen could speak, Qian Cheng spoke first.

"Borrow money? What do you need it for?"

Qian Gaofei opened his mouth, but didn't know what to say.

Qian Cheng answered for him: "Should we pay back Sun Xinghua's money?"

Qian Gaofei blushed and nodded.

"You took thirty yuan from Sun Xinghua to persuade me to sign a letter of understanding."

Now that things haven't gone smoothly, you've spent the money, Sun Xinghua is blocking your door, and you're coming to my mom to borrow money?

Qian Cheng looked at him, finally unable to hold back any longer, and started cursing: "Qian Gaofei, do you have any shame?"

Qian Gaofei's face flushed red: "Chengzi, how dare you talk to me like that? I'm your uncle!"

"Uncle?" Qian Cheng sneered. "I'm only calling you 'Uncle' out of respect. If I didn't, who would you be?"

Qian Gaofei was stunned.

He didn't expect Qian Cheng to swear so filthyly.

He had lived for over fifty years, and this was the first time someone had pointed their finger at him and insulted him like that, and the person who insulted him was his own nephew.

"You, you!" He pointed at Qian Cheng, his fingers trembling, "You little brat, how dare you insult me?"

"So what if I scold you?" Qian Cheng took a step forward. "You've done all that shady stuff, and you're afraid of being scolded?"

My father died, and you didn't contribute a single penny to the funeral expenses, but you took all the money from the gifts.

My mom gave my two kids red envelopes for Chinese New Year. Did you give them a single penny back?

Now, for thirty yuan, you're going to plead with a stranger to let the person who hit me go. Qian Gaofei, are you even human?