Volume One, Chapter 15: Repay the Debt!

I didn’t want to waste time arguing with her, so I simply apologized.

Song Xiaotang was clearly taken aback for a moment, then teased me, “Oh, so you can say sorry?”

Instinctively, I shot back, “What’s wrong with that?”

For some reason, Song Xiaotang suddenly burst into a light laugh, seeming quite pleased.

She didn’t argue further, just reminded me to go to the factory early tomorrow to check in with her, and then she left.

I felt inexplicably confused.

Song Xiaotang really seemed to have something wrong with her head.

Yesterday she was begging me desperately, and today she’s sending me to work at the factory—if that’s not crazy, what is?

I thought it over and suspected that Song Xiaotang likely had ill intentions.

Maybe she wanted me to work under her at the factory so it would be easier for her to cause trouble for me.

That possibility seemed quite strong.

But no matter what, since it involved my sister-in-law, I was willing to brave any danger.

“Gangzi?”

Braid Sister Zhen leaned over and asked what Song Xiaotang wanted with me.

I didn’t tell her, instead I asked if Brother Sheng was around.

After confirming he was in the office, I went to find Brother Sheng.

Since I was going to work at the Zhenglong Garment Factory tomorrow, I needed to report to him.

No matter what, he hadn’t treated me badly.

Brother Sheng looked happy to see me and asked how my arm injury was doing, reminding me to rest more.

After some polite exchanges, I told him about going back to the factory.

I didn’t mention Song Xiaotang’s threats, just said she wanted me to go and I thought working at the factory suited me better.

Besides, with my arm injured, I really couldn’t serve customers.

Brother Sheng was a bit surprised.

But then he smiled warmly and said, “Gangzi, if Lei can work at the factory, he can certainly still work at the billiard hall too.”

I realized my explanation was unnecessary.

While I was pondering how to respond, Brother Sheng encouraged me again.

“Gangzi, Lei can work at the factory during the day and come to the billiard hall at night!”

“I know, I really appreciate you. Think about it, okay?”

I guessed Brother Sheng probably wanted me to come back to the billiard hall, which was why he was so kind.

But since he said that, I couldn’t refuse outright and had to agree.

Hearing my agreement, Brother Sheng was even happier.

He told me I could rest in his office whenever I wanted, go out for a walk, or go home to sleep.

I thanked him and sat on the office sofa for a while.

Just like yesterday, his pager kept beeping and the phone rang one call after another.

After a while, I left.

I watched others play billiards and chatted a bit with Braid Sister Zhen and Tai Qiánlián.

When bored, I helped set up a table or emptied an ashtray to keep myself moving.

The whole evening passed without incident.

Around six in the morning, my sister-in-law came to find me again.

The moment we met, she looked at my forehead with concern, scolding me for being so impatient to remove the bandage.

I told her the pain was gone, and her expression softened a little.

I noticed she was carrying a bag and silently scolded my brother.

My sister-in-law went to work just like him every day, getting up before dawn to buy him breakfast and cooking dinner after work.

Who gave him the right to boss her around like that?

Feeling sorry for her, I told her to tell my brother that if he wanted anything, he should tell me in advance and I’d bring it home after work.

“No need, you’ve just come to Gang City, and if I asked you to buy something, you wouldn’t know where to go,” she smiled at me and then said she hadn’t come to buy breakfast today but specifically to see me.

Then she handed me the bag.

“Here, see if you like it.”

Huh?

For me?

I was stunned!

Since childhood, apart from my parents, no one had ever given me anything.

Moreover, this was the woman I secretly admired—my sister-in-law.

Seeing me didn’t react, she opened the bag and took out a trendy baseball cap.

The black cap was embroidered with letters, and I liked it at first glance.

“Do you like it?”

“Yeah.”

“Try it on.”

“Okay!”

I quickly put it on.

She looked at me, smiled, and nodded, saying, “You look good wearing hats; just keep it on.”

“Hey, hey!”

Hearing her compliment made me feel delighted.

But then I remembered something.

Such a fashionable cap surely wasn’t cheap!

I hurriedly asked.

She told me it was a product from Zhenglong Garment Factory, and she had made it as a sample during her shift yesterday.

Since there were enough samples at the factory, she took it home without charge.

That made me even happier.

This cap was made by my sister-in-law herself!

She added that wearing the cap could cover the wound on my forehead.

That way, I wouldn’t have to hide from my brother.

Though I really didn’t need to hide, I still appreciated my sister-in-law’s thoughtfulness.

Touched, I thought maybe I should buy her a gift in return.

After some thought, I remembered something.

If I told her I was going back to the factory to work, she would definitely be glad.

But after considering it, I decided to wait until my brother woke up and tell him together.

I wanted to see his reaction when he heard I was returning to the factory.

…

Soon, my sister-in-law and I returned to the place where we lived.

She went straight to the kitchen to prepare breakfast.

I sat down on the sofa to rest.

After a while, my brother got up.

Seeing me on the sofa, he glanced at me sideways and went to wash up.

I was puzzled, wondering why he wasn’t picking a fight today.

When he came out, my sister-in-law had already prepared breakfast and invited us to eat together.

The breakfast was simple: porridge, steamed buns, and some side dishes.

But the porridge she cooked and the buns she steamed were especially delicious.

My brother finished eating in a few minutes, panting.

After eating, he crossed his legs, smoked a cigarette, and told me, “You don’t have anything to do during the day, so wash the dishes and tidy up the house.”

“Also, my work clothes are dirty; wash them after you’re done.”

His tone was that of a master of the house.

I felt disgusted just looking at him.

Bossing around my sister-in-law wasn’t enough; now he wanted to treat me like a servant!

My sister-in-law frowned, clearly unhappy with his words.

But before she could say anything, I cut in, “I don’t have time.”

“What did you say?” he glared, grumbling, “You eat my food, drink my water, live under my roof, and when I ask you to do some work, you don’t have time?”

“Don’t you have any conscience?”

I shot back, “When I get paid, I’ll give you money.”

“Tch!” He curled his lips disdainfully, “With your attitude, it’s questionable if you’ll even last until payday!”

His expression made me sick.

So I didn’t waste time and pulled out all the money I had.

I dumped a pile of change on the table.

There were coins of ten cents, twenty cents, as well as one- and two-yuan bills.

I counted it all—forty-eight yuan and seventy cents.

I handed it to my sister-in-law, telling her it was forty-eight yuan seventy cents, and said I’d give her the remaining one yuan thirty cents after I got paid.

She was clearly surprised and quickly refused.

My brother, however, was not so polite.

His eyes lit up greedily as he grabbed all the money I had just put out.

I found his expression laughable.

After counting to make sure it was correct, he told me to remember to pay him the missing one yuan thirty cents when I got my salary.

I didn’t bother responding much and just said okay.

But my tolerance only made him bolder!

Suddenly, he slammed the table, glaring at me as he yelled, demanding to know where I got the money and if I had stolen it from his stash at home.

Before I could answer, he stormed off like a madman to search his room for his money…