sjar Chapter 2015: Lin Chuqiao's stubbornness is beyond imagination.
Chapter 2015: Lin Chuqiao's stubbornness is beyond imagination.
Is all that money not enough to express Lin Chuqiao's feelings for Xiao Xitang?
How much more is needed to express it?
As soon as these words came out, the whole place was in an uproar.
Zhang Jingyang was startled and felt a momentary shock!
Chu Qiao is indeed deeply in love with Li Xiangnan!
Perhaps she could no longer be with Li Xiangnan, but instead transferred her love to that little guy, Li Xitang.
Express your feelings through your most direct and expressive actions!
Zhang Jingyang was moved.
However, as Li Xiangnan's friend, he naturally didn't want to see their mutual friend, Lin Chuqiao, in such a desperate and reckless love!
She clearly hasn't considered her future path!
“Chu Qiao!” Zhang Jingyang picked up the stack of money, weighed it in his hand, and glanced at the gradually quieting crowd. “But this money… it’s obvious that there are both large and small bills. It’s your savings that you’ve accumulated little by little, right?”
Lin Chuqiao didn't look at Zhang Jingyang, but looked elsewhere.
Her expression clearly showed that Zhang Jingyang had figured out what she was thinking.
“In our neighborhood, weddings are all about joy and celebration! The sentiment is what matters most! We appreciate your gift, we truly care, and I believe everyone in the neighborhood, including myself, and all our relatives and friends, has felt it. But this money… listen to me, you really can't accept it like this! You're a young woman, still in school, and your stipends are already low. This is clearly three years' worth of savings! You've had a tough time already, and you'll have many more expenses in the future!”
These words were well-reasoned and based entirely on Lin Chuqiao's perspective. They highlighted the extraordinary nature of the money, how hard-won it was, and Lin Chuqiao's financial situation, while also saving face for Li Xiangnan by attributing the reason for not accepting it to his concern for Lin Chuqiao's future.
Zhang Jingyang is indeed adept at navigating social situations; his words made both parties feel comfortable.
The neighbors all nodded in agreement, thinking that what Xiao Zhang said was absolutely brilliant.
Wang Defa and Song Ziming nodded secretly, also feeling that Brother Zhang's words were humane.
After hearing this, Chu Qiao should be able to take the money back!
What surprised everyone was that Lin Chuqiao's stubbornness was beyond imagination.
She made no attempt to reach out and take it.
Zhang Jingyang had no choice but to force a smile and remind her, "Chu Qiao, let's follow the normal rules. For close friends and family, we should give twenty yuan as a token, what do you say?"
This idea effectively gave the other party a way out, and everyone nodded slightly, feeling that this accountant was quite competent and that with him in charge, nothing would go wrong today.
But Lin Chuqiao turned to Li Xiangnan, shook her head slightly, and said in her resolute tone, "Brother Zhang, what do you think I need money for? I don't need money! Give it to Xitang, that's enough to show my feelings, isn't it?"
You don't need to say anything to express your feelings; they're practically overflowing!
Zhang Jingyang thought to himself, "Look around! I'm not the only one who understands your feelings. Everyone here knows!"
Look at Fatty, look at Zimo, their expressions tell you how much you love Xiaoxitang!
However, having said all that, as the accountant, he had clearly exhausted all the means and methods at hand. He had said his piece, but it was still not enough to break Lin Chuqiao's stubbornness!
Zhang Jingyang sighed inwardly and could only nudge Tao Zhengtie with his elbow.
"Brother Nan!"
Tao Zheng was incredibly quick-witted; he immediately understood what Xiao Zhang meant, opened a pack of Zhonghua cigarettes on the table, stood up, and handed it directly to Li Xiangnan, saying, "Have a smoke!"
"Ah, oh, oh..."
Li Xiangnan's thoughts were interrupted, and he was as if waking from a dream, breaking free from the huge shock and complicated emotions he had just experienced.
He offered cigarettes to Zhang Jingyang, Cui Xingjian, and the others, taking the opportunity to calm himself down while also thinking about how to break the deadlock.
Zhang Jingyang's words reminded him that this was not just money, but most likely all of Chu Qiao's savings.
Thinking of this, he immediately stepped forward, his voice filled with unwavering determination: "Chu Qiao, Brother Zhang is right, take this money back! We, Ruo Bai, and Xi Tang appreciate your kindness, we appreciate it fully! But we absolutely cannot take this money, taking it would be irresponsible towards your future!"
He looked at Lin Chuqiao with a mixture of emotion, heartache, and an unyielding refusal in his eyes.
That's an idiot!
“You know my situation right now, I don’t need this! But you… this money still has its uses, even if it’s invested in the lilac factory, it will still have its value! Take this money back, spend what you need to spend, and save what you need to save! Xitang is still young, and you, as her aunt, will have many years to take care of her in the future, there’s no need to rush!”
All eyes turned to Lin Chuqiao once again.
Throughout, Lin Chuqiao simply stood there quietly, listening to Zhang Jingyang's earnest advice and watching Li Xiangnan's eager refusal, only occasionally replying with a few words.
Her face was expressionless, and her clear, cold eyes were like the surface of a lake covered with thin ice, reflecting the surrounding red light and figures, yet they were unfathomable.
She only slightly raised her eyelashes after Li Xiangnan finished speaking.
This look was calmer than when he was talking to Zhang Jingyang earlier, but it was also more resolute.
It was a resolute determination to completely cut off all avenues of retreat, brooking no dissent from anyone.
"I've already taken out the money." She spoke, her voice not loud, but clear and cold like ice beads falling on a jade plate, instantly drowning out all the subtle whispers. "There's no reason for me to take it back!"
She first looked at Zhang Jingyang, and the corner of her mouth seemed to twitch very slightly, as if in response to his earlier kindness: "Brother Zhang, thank you for your kindness! But I, Lin Chuqiao, never take back what I give away!"
Her tone was flat, yet carried a hint of arrogance.
Then, her gaze fell on Li Xiangnan.
This time, her eyes were deeper, churning with complex emotions that Li Xiangnan could understand but others could hardly perceive.
There is a sense of relief for the past, a sincere blessing for the present, and a deeper promise that transcends romantic love.
"Li Xiangnan," she called him by his full name, the last trace of their former intimacy gone, making the address sound all the more solemn, "This money isn't for you, nor for Ruobai!"
She paused, then spoke each word clearly and distinctly.
"It's for my niece, Li Xitang! It's a full moon celebration gift from me, her aunt, and also part of her dowry that I've been saving up!"
The words "dowry" are clearly visible.
The people in the courtyard were shocked.
In this day and age, dowry is still a very important thing, representing the bride's family's most genuine love and support for their daughter.
For an average family, bringing back four quilts, pots and pans, and all the furniture would probably cost less than a hundred yuan!
As an aunt, Lin Chuqiao promised such a generous dowry on the day of the baby's full moon, which is touching because of her deep feelings and high expectations.
Li Xiangnan recalled what Xitang said to him in the hospital corridor when she was born: "I want to be the aunt that Xitang can never replace!"
"You say you don't lack money, that's your business!"
Lin Chuqiao continued, her tone still calm, yet carrying an undeniable authority, "It's my business to save money for my niece! The amount, whether it's a lot or a little, is a matter of my heart and my ability! If I feel it's the right amount, then I'll give this much!"
She slightly raised her chin, and that stubborn yet proud curve that she had once had in Lijia Village reappeared.
“I’m the kind of person who, once I’ve made up my mind about something, no one can change it! That was true before, it is true now, and it will be true in the future! This money, once given out, is absolutely not going to be taken back! It’s my sincere heart for Xiao Xitang! Xiang Nan, Brother Zhang, please accept it and then register it!”
After saying that, she looked away from everyone and turned to leave.
It was as if the "thousand-yuan gift money incident" that had just shaken the entire house was nothing more than a snowflake brushed off a shoulder.
The entire audience was deeply moved, touched by her tender yet unwavering spirit.
Li Xiangnan, Zhang Jingyang, and the others were speechless for a moment, staring at the heavy stack of banknotes on the table and the various expressions on the faces of the guests in the courtyard.
Just then, a footstep sound came back from the central courtyard, breaking the silence in the room.
"Xiang Nan, hey there! I've been looking everywhere for you! Here you are, Brother Zhang. Here, let me present a gift from the Lin family!"
The audience erupted in uproar once again.
Li Xiangnan, Wang Defa, Zhang Jingyang, and Song Ziming looked at the laughing Lin Weimin, their lips twitching.
Come again?
Lin Weimin noticed something was wrong with them and scratched his head. "Hey? What's wrong with you guys?"