Linxia

Chapter 52, Borrowing Money
Originally, because of a bet, Cheng Shiliang said he wanted to invite Huang Di to take a bath, but the bookstore was very busy in the afternoon, so he couldn't go and had to postpone it to another day.

In the evening, Fang Lin got off work and said goodbye to Manager Liu, preparing to go back. He had moved to Xixiang Hutong yesterday and had never lived at home. He was a little worried and prepared to go back to check.

After walking out of the door for only two steps, I actually ran into Fu Hong. This guy was all smiles: "Linzi, come on the way, let's go back together."

Fang Lin glanced at Fu Hong and said nothing.

Although the pawnshop where Fu Hong works is not too far from Xuan Mo Zhai, it is definitely not on the way, and the other party obviously came to find him on purpose.

"Fu Hong is a person who won't do anything unless he sees something good. He must have something to ask for since he has come all the way here. I'm afraid it's an unreasonable request." Since it's an unreasonable request, Fang Lin's attitude will naturally not be good, so as not to give the other party any undue expectations.

Fu Hong didn't know that he had been seen through right from the start, and he was still trying to get close: "Linzi, the house I rented is also near your house, in Baishun Hutong..."

What you mean is that I just want to see how much I trust you and that we have a good relationship as brothers.

Fang Lin just said "hmm" and waited for the other party to show his true intentions.

Fu Hong was patient and kept trying to find something to say: "Linzi, you don't know? Song Kai, Bai Bao, and some other people in the village went to the porcelain factory and shipyard. They earn two taels of silver a month and can rest for a day. Although the work is not easy, it is much better than working at the dock."

Fang Lin, Geng Shi, and even Fu Hong, are the only few who have found decent jobs in street shops. Most of the people who stayed in Xiaohe Village are now gradually moving to workshops and factories. After all, the monthly wages are higher than those at the docks, and it is easier.

In the previous month, it was not that the villagers did not want to go, but there was a minimum time limit for signing contracts at those factories, and the docks were more flexible in comparison.

"Oh." Fang Lin nodded slightly, indicating that he understood, but still did not respond.

As a result, the two of them fell into silence for a while, and the awkward atmosphere spread. After walking for a while, Fu Hong finally couldn't help it and showed his fox tail: "Linzi, well, lend me three taels of silver!"

Fang Lin didn't say anything and glanced at Fu Hong.

The meaning is obvious. How shameless are you? How close are we? You dare to ask me for money all the time, or even lend me three taels of silver?
Fu Hong thought Fang Lin's silence was to ask him what the money was for, so he hesitated for a moment and then gritted his teeth and said, "Didn't I mention last time that our shopkeeper withheld half of my wages? I was unwilling to accept this, so I took some things from the store as compensation. It was fine yesterday, but I was caught red-handed today... Then I was fired, and they asked me to pay ten times the value of the things I took, or three taels of silver, or they would arrest me and bring me to justice."

"grass!"

He cursed and was filled with righteous indignation: "This is like working in a pawn shop for more than a month, not only did I work for nothing, but I also had to pay out of pocket..."

"As expected, this seems like something Fu Hong would do," Fang Lin thought to himself.

In the past, Fu Hong often stole things in the village. This is a case of a dog always having bad habits. Although there were reasons for this incident, Fucheng is not comparable to Xiaohe Village, which can't let Fu Hong get away with it.

After another round of complaints and abuses against the shopkeeper, Fu Hong looked at Fang Lin and said again: "Linzi, lend me three taels of silver first. I will definitely pay you back in two months when I have money."

Facing the expectant gaze, Fang Lin calmly uttered two words: "No."

As I said, Fu Hong doesn't have that kind of face in front of him!

Fu Hong didn't expect Fang Lin to refuse so straightforwardly and decisively, and was stunned for a moment.

He came to Fang Lin, thinking that they were closer and could borrow some money. Besides, he had heard that Fang Lin had advanced him one month's wages and given him compensation for the previous ten days' work, making a total of four taels of silver. Even if it was used to rent a house, there should be a lot left, so he could still take out three taels of silver.

He was even prepared that if Fang Lin made an excuse that he didn't have that much money, he would go along with it and ask to borrow less. In short, he would keep pestering him and would try to hammer two pounds of nails out of a broken boat. But he never expected that Fang Lin would disregard his face and be decisive without giving him any chance at all.

Fu Hong was still trying: "Linzi, you can't be so selfish. We are from the same village. If you help me today, I will help you if you have any problems in the future..."

'Are you blackmailing me morally?'

Fang Lin almost laughed, and just looked at Fu Hong as if he was looking at a fool. He suddenly realized that he shouldn't give some shameless people any face, and he should turn around and leave the next moment Fu Hong opened his mouth.

"But it's not too late now." Fang Lin looked at Fu Hong and shook his head slightly. He said nothing and walked away.

This attitude of disregard, especially the last look of caring for the fool, made Fu Hong feel as if his heart was stabbed. He immediately became angry and tore his face completely: "Linzi, don't forget that when Song Kai suggested that your family leave alone, I supported your family. You are so ungrateful, aren't you afraid that I will spread it out and let others poke your Fang family in the back?"

Fang Lin paused.

He didn't want to get entangled with this idiot, but Fu Hong was right. If he really let him go out and spread nonsense to ruin the Fang family's reputation, and then he would go to refute the rumors himself, it would be better to figure it out clearly now, let Fu Hong face the reality, dissect his heart, and let him see what kind of person he really is.

"Heh, since some people are looking for trouble..."

Fang Lin said to himself, turned around calmly, and looked at Fu Hong: "Let's not talk about the fact that your support didn't work at the beginning. Let's just say, after we came to the capital, didn't I take you to find a job? How did you get the job in the pawnshop? Don't you have any idea?"

"But the pawnshop job is a pitfall. If I hadn't gone to this pawnshop, would I be where I am today? Even if I went to work at the docks, it wouldn't be like this!" Since the relationship had fallen out, Fu Hong simply spoke out what was in his mind.

Obviously, people like him will never reflect on themselves. In his words and deeds, he put all the blame on Fang Lin and Geng Shi. He might even hate them for this. This may be one of the reasons why he came to borrow money. If he can borrow the money, he will feel psychologically comforted by not paying it back in the future.

"Didn't I remind you at the beginning that your boss was unreliable?" Fang Lin remained calm and presented the facts.

Fu Hong was suddenly speechless - Fang Lin did remind him, but why couldn't you remind him twice more, maybe he would listen?
"You might be wondering why I didn't remind you twice. But at that time, you thought I was harming you and were afraid that I would take your job. You touched your chest and said, if I had advised you again, would you have really listened?"

Fang Lin looked at Fu Hong and lowered his head, but still didn't let him go. He said, "Do you know why I didn't lend you money?"

"Why?" Fu Hong looked grim and raised his head again.

Fang Lin did not answer directly, but talked about Fu Hong's previous behavior in the village: "When you were in Xiaohe Village, you stole things, and I never heard of you paying them back. If I lend you money, ask yourself, have you ever thought about paying it back?"

Never thought about it! Fu Hong knew it himself. He felt as if Fang Lin had seen through him, and his face became uglier.

"It's easy to lend you money, but it's hard to ask for money back. In the end, you will become enemies after lending money. In this case, why should I lend you money? Huh?" Fang Lin asked.

Now it was Fu Hong's turn to be silent, his face turning blue and red.

"Besides, I have seen through you. When you found the pawn shop job, you immediately abandoned me and Geng Shi. You thought you were superior and distanced yourself from us. Later, when Geng Shi and I found a job, you immediately approached us shamelessly. All these things show that you are cold-hearted and snobbish!"

Fang Lin looked calm and unhurried as he bloodily dissected what kind of person Fu Hong was, something that perhaps even he himself did not want to face.

Finally, he concluded: "So, in my opinion, you are not worth helping at all. Even if I throw a bone to a dog, it will wag its tail at me, but you, Fu Hong, you won't, you won't be grateful at all!"

This last sentence was like an arrow piercing his heart. Fu Hong's body was shaking and his lips turned blue.

——It’s not just because Fang Lin compared him to a dog, but more because Fang Lin knows himself better than he knows himself, and what he said is just right and not wrong at all.

"Heh!" Fang Lin looked at Fu Hong at this moment and knew that the other party's psychological defenses had been destroyed by him. He must be afraid and hateful of him, and it is impossible for him to do anything to damage the reputation of the Fang family, because the reason was clear and he was seen through. Doing so again would only bring humiliation to himself and backfire on him.

Indeed, Fu Hong looked at Fang Lin's back as he walked away, with a mixture of fear and hatred in his heart. The fear was because Fang Lin understood him more clearly than he did, and he saw through his thoughts.

The same is true for hatred - yes, he is such a person, but Fang Lin, how can you know him so well, how can you... say it out loud?
……

(End of this chapter)