Lin Yuezhi looked at Ning Jie, not knowing what to say.
Her mother was ill and needed over two thousand yuan for surgery. In this day and age, where could anyone find two thousand yuan?
The two of them had barely over six hundred yuan to their name, leaving a shortfall of fifteen hundred, and absolutely no one was willing to lend it to them.
Only Zhang Fan's family was willing to lend the money, but they made it clear, both overtly and covertly, that they wanted to use this opportunity to force her and Zhang Fan together. She was nineteen and not stupid—who would help someone for no reason at all?
Yet she truly disliked Zhang Fan. Although they had grown up together, Zhang Fan had too many flaws, lacked any real capability, and spent his days idling about. She simply looked down on him.
However, without financial backing from Zhang Fan's family, her mother would have no choice but to wait for death without the surgery. And if her mother died, she would be left completely alone in the world.
Could this person be trusted?
"Don't look at me like that. I really have it. Is five thousand enough?"
When saving his money, Ning Jie had deliberately set aside five thousand yuan. He had forgotten the exact amount Lin Yuezhi's mother's surgery would cost, but five thousand would certainly be enough.
Lin Yuezhi nodded firmly and said, "Enough, it's enough."
"Alright then, take me to your place for a glass of water, and afterwards, I'll lend you the money."
Lin Yuezhi's mind was buzzing. She didn't know whether she should trust Ning Jie, but she somehow had the feeling that he was trustworthy.
Though they had only met for a mere ten-odd minutes, Ning Jie gave her an unprecedented sense of security.
"Okay."
With her head lowered, Lin Yuezhi led Ning Jie to her front gate and pushed it open. Ning Jie took a deep breath and stepped inside.
The courtyard wasn't large, but it was very tidy. Firewood was stacked with extreme neatness, resembling a cement wall—at a glance, it was clearly not work a man could do.
She brought Ning Jie into the house, where a weak voice drifted out: "Wenwen, who is here?"
Unsure of how to introduce Ning Jie, Lin Yuezhi said somewhat flusteredly, "Mom, it's... it's a friend of mine."
Ning Jie smiled and said, "Hello, Auntie. I'm a friend of Lin Yuezhi's. A while ago, Yuezhi sent word that you were ill, and since I happened to be in the city, I came by to check on you."
Hearing a man's voice, Mother Lin rustled as she got out of bed, supported herself against the door frame, and looked Ning Jie up and down.
The young man seemed decent and was good-looking, except for his rather shabby clothes. If not for her illness...
Ah...
Lin Yuezhi hurried over to support her mother, saying, "Mom, why did you get off the kang? Go back and lie down."
"I'm fine, Mom was tired of lying down. Wenwen, pour your friend a glass of water. It's so cold out, it's very kind of him to make the trip."
Ning Jie smiled. "It's only right, Auntie. Oh, right, I heard from Wenwen just now that you're still a bit short on money for your surgery. I don't have much on me, but please take this."
As he spoke, Ning Jie untied a woven plastic bag and reached inside. Mother Lin waved her hand, thinking to herself how much could possibly come out of a woven bag. The boy didn't have it easy either, and she couldn't accept his money.
Lin Yuezhi's face turned red once more...
This guy really, how could he just blurt out her childhood nickname like that?
She poured Ning Jie a cup of hot water; they didn't have a man in the house, so they didn't drink tea.
Ning Jie pulled out five bundles of brand-new ten-yuan bills, leaving both Lin Yuezhi and her mother instantly stunned.
Mother Lin: This boy is so wealthy?
Lin Yuezhi: He really does have five thousand yuan!
Ning Jie pressed the five thousand yuan into Lin Yuezhi's bewildered hands. Mother Lin quickly said, "Now see here, child, no, this... this is far too much! How could Auntie take your money?"
Looking at the money in her hands, Lin Yuezhi's head was in a daze. First he played the hero saving the damsel in distress, and now he was giving her so much money—could this guy have taken a fancy to her?
Well, he could fight, acted like a real man, was good-looking, and had money, so this...
Lin Yuezhi's face turned red again in an instant...
The moment Mother Lin saw Lin Yuezhi's expression, she knew there was more to this than met the eye. Which family would give away so much money to help them pay for medical treatment for no reason? Even after being tangled with Zhang Fan's family for so many years, their intentions were directed squarely at her daughter.
She didn't care much for Zhang Fan anyway; that lad was a loafer all day and thoroughly unreliable. This boy looked promising, though his background was unknown.
"It's fine, Auntie. Health comes first, and I don't have an immediate use for this money. You use it first, and you can pay me back whenever you have money later on."
Mother Lin gave a bitter smile. Five thousand yuan—how on earth were they going to pay that back?
"Well... Wenwen, why don't you give the money... give it back to your friend? It's simply too much."
For reasons unknown, Lin Yuezhi threw caution to the wind and blurted out without thinking, "Give it back for what? You still need medical treatment, and I certainly don't want to marry that jerk Zhang Fan."
Mother Lin opened her mouth and let out a sigh.
Children and grandchildren have their own fortunes; in her current condition, there were some things she could no longer control.
Lin Yuezhi put the money away, brought out a folding iron stool for Ning Jie, set up a small table, and placed the cup of water in his hands.
"Stop standing there like a post. Did you eat lunch yet? Are you staying to eat here?"
Ning Jie glanced at Mother Lin, shook his head, and said, "No, I need to head back this afternoon."
A look of disappointment crossed Lin Yuezhi's face. After helping Mother Lin back into the room, Lin Yuezhi sat down awkwardly across from Ning Jie, cast a sneaky glance toward the room, and asked in a low voice, "What's your name?"
"Ning Jie." Ning Jie replied in an equally conspiratorial whisper.
Lin Yuezhi voiced her doubt, "We don't even know each other. Why are you lending me so much money? I can never pay you back."
Looking at Lin Yuezhi's cute expression—a mix of awkwardness and nervousness—Ning Jie saw the exact image of when the two of them had first met in their past life.
"I originally just wanted to do a good deed, but then I heard someone using your mother to threaten you, and I couldn't just sit by."
Lin Yuezhi still found it hard to believe. Five thousand yuan, and you couldn't sit by so you just lent it out? Are you shitting me?
"You're lying!"
Looking at Lin Yuezhi, Ning Jie couldn't help finding her a bit amusing. He put on a straight face, nodded, and asked, "That guy named Zhang Fan—did he offer to lend you money on the condition that you be with him?"
Lin Yuezhi's face flushed crimson, and she let out an embarrassed murmur of assent.
"My motive is the same as his."
Lin Yuezhi jerked her head up, her eyes widening as she stared fixedly at Ning Jie. The expression on her face shifted from shock to anger, and then instantly morphed into sheepish embarrassment.
She crinkled her nose, put on a fierce act as she swung her fist, and brought her foot down hard onto Ning Jie's cotton-padded shoe, grinding it in with a couple of twists.
The stomp had real force behind it, but the grinding wasn't actually forceful.
Feigning agonizing pain, Ning Jie winced and grimaced, making Lin Yuezhi burst into a fit of giggles.
As soon as the laugh escaped, Lin Yuezhi hurriedly covered her mouth, cast a guilty glance toward the inner room, and then glared indignantly at Ning Jie.
Inside the room, Mother Lin let out a soft sigh. Good grief, the two of them were whispering sweet nothings in the living room; she hadn't guessed wrong at all—those two were definitely mixed up in something.
Still, seeing that her daughter was fond of him, and given that he could casually pull out so much money, he likely wouldn't mistreat her daughter. Oh well, let things take their course; at the very least, he hadn't used the money to threaten them, making him far better than Old Zhang's family.
Clearing her throat, Lin Yuezhi asked, "Are you really not going to stay for a bite to eat before you leave?"