Chapter 40
Xu Zeli waited in the phone room for a while, feeling uneasy, wondering if Zeng Linlin would refuse to answer.
Xu Zeli waited in the phone room for a while, feeling uneasy. Would Zeng Linlin not answer his call?
Zeng Linlin's cold voice came from the other end of the line, "Hello?"
Xu Ze smiled immediately and said in surprise, "Linlin!"
Zeng Linlin was still quite indifferent, "Yeah."
Xu Zeli seemed oblivious to her unhappiness and said happily, "Linlin, I have good news for you! I told my mom that I'll give my salary to you for safekeeping. Although she agreed, she was so angry that she refused to let me eat and kicked me off the table."
Zeng Linlin's tone softened a little, and she said, "Who told you to talk about it while eating?"
Xu Zeli's smile grew wider. He tried to cheer Zeng Linlin up by jokingly saying, "I don't have any experience." After saying that, I remembered that the poor students in my class always ate and drank enough before taking out their test papers after returning home.
Zeng Linlin chuckled, then she asked indifferently, "Speaking of classmates, what's going on with Bei Bitang?"
Xu Zeli thought to himself, here it comes, here it comes.
He coughed lightly and said in a heavy tone, "Linlin, I'm sorry to Bei Bitang. Before I broke up with her, I fell in love with you uncontrollably. I love you so much that I can only be immoral."
At the end of his speech, Xu Zeli's tone was both affectionate and sad.
Zeng Linlin continued to ask: "Then why did you lie to me? Why didn't you tell me?"
Xu Zeli spoke in a very gentle tone, "Because I only want to bear this alone, I don't want to tell you and make you feel guilty. I just want you to be a carefree, happy little princess for the rest of your life. I swore to your father that if I treat you badly in the future, I will not die a good death."
Zeng Linlin did not interrupt Xu Zeli from saying the oath. She did not believe it, but she liked to see Xu Zeli holding her in his hands.
Zeng Linlin was silent for a moment, then asked, "After Bei Bitang returned to Shanghai and you broke up, have you ever contacted each other?"
Xu Zeli hesitated for a moment, then replied somewhat embarrassedly, "Linlin, I borrowed a thousand yuan from Bei Bitang because of my father's illness and the college entrance examination. My family couldn't come up with the money to pay her back right away, so she came to me several times, urging me to pay it back."
Zeng Linlin listened, feeling a moment of disillusionment. In her mind, Xu Zeli was a man who would rather break than bend, a gentleman of the clear wind and bright moon. She hadn't imagined that Xu Zeli would even ask Bei Bitang to pay for his support. This was a complete insult to her choice of men.
Xu Zeli couldn't see Zeng Linlin's expression change from the physical distance. He kept saying, "I promised her several times that I would return the money and told her not to worry and not to come to me again. But Bei Bitang wouldn't listen. I don't know if it was about the money or something else, but she kept calling me every now and then."
"It's understandable, actually. The current situation of the educated youth who returned to the city is very different. Her family is poor, and not only will they not help her, they will also look down on her. Bei Bitang feels insecure, and in her eyes, that thousand yuan is more important than her life."
"In order to completely put her off, I sent her a wedding invitation for you and me, hoping she would give up. Who knew she would be so unwilling to give in and come to you to slander me and destroy our relationship?"
Xu Zeli didn't dare to lie. He'd spoken to Bei Bitang several times on the phone. If Zeng Linlin investigated, she'd know for sure. It was best to clarify things all at once. By getting rid of Bei Bitang, he wouldn't have to worry anymore.
After all, Zeng Linlin's mother divorced her father more than 20 years ago, and Zeng Linlin's temper is still so similar to her mother's.
After saying that, Xu Zeli waited quietly for Zeng Linlin to rate his performance. Fortunately, Zeng Linlin didn't make him wait long.
Zeng Linlin smiled and said, "So that's how it is."
Zeng Linlin seemed to believe what Xu Zeli said. She suppressed the humiliation in her heart and had no choice but to believe it.
The morning light faded and the scorching sun rose into the sky.
The pile of processed fish at Bei Bitang's feet grew larger and larger, leaving her with nowhere to step. She put down her fish-killing knife and asked the customer to wait while she shoveled away the garbage.
Before Bei Bitang went to the corner to get a shovel, she heard a young female voice calling her name.
Bei Bitang stopped and turned around to see Zeng Linlin walking into the fish stall with an unclear expression on her face. She was holding a medium-sized black handbag in her hand.
The last time she tried to find Zeng Linlin, she was unsuccessful. At this moment, when Bei Bitang saw Zeng Linlin coming to find her, she didn't feel much excitement.
Bei Bitang looked directly at Zeng Linlin without any arrogance or servility and said coldly, "What's wrong?"
Zeng Linlin said nothing. A smile appeared on her lips. She raised the black handbag high in the air and said loudly, "Bei Bitang! I'm returning this thousand yuan to you! Don't bother my fiancé anymore!"
The crowd was so noisy at first that you could hear a pin drop, and everyone's eyes moved back and forth between Bei Bitang and Zeng Linlin. Then, suddenly, the discussion became louder and louder.
Bei Bitang was confused by Zeng Linlin's behavior and stood there, not knowing how to react.
This is not the end yet. After Zeng Linlin finished speaking, she turned her handbag around and swung it around. Big solidarity banners flew in the air and scattered on the ground.
"money!"
“It’s money!”
“What great unity!”
…
The crowd was in an uproar. Everyone was shouting, pushing and shoving, their eyes fixed on the banknotes, trying to pick them up, grab them, snatch them, and even rob them.
Zeng Linlin folded her hands and watched everyone rushing to grab the money with great satisfaction. This was exactly the effect she wanted.
After a smug smile, Zeng Linlin turned around and looked at Bei Bitang, whose eyes were wide open, and said condescendingly, "Bei Bitang, this is to return your money. Why didn't you stop them? What if they took all your money?"
The largest denomination of banknotes was only ten yuan. If it wasn't too heavy, she really wanted to change the ten yuan into one cent. That would have made the scene even more interesting. Bei Bitang would have to pick up money until she died.
After her phone call with Xu Zeli that day, Zeng Linlin grew increasingly angry. She was mad at Xu Zeli, but she also loved him and couldn't bear to leave him. She convinced herself to believe Xu Zeli's words, and since she couldn't vent her anger, she could only go after Bei Bitang.
Who asked Bei Bitang to pester Xu Zeli again and again for a thousand dollars? She was unwilling to give up and wanted to destroy her relationship with Xu Zeli so that Xu Zeli would get back together with her?
Bei Bitang is not a good person. He hurt her who was innocent from beginning to end.
Bei Bitang came to her senses and looked at the chaotic crowd, and saw people pouring in to pick up the money. She did not run into the crowd in a panic, in a mess, crying and screaming as Zeng Linlin had expected.
Bei Bitang didn't forget what she was supposed to do. She went to the corner to get a shovel.
The managers of the small vegetable market rushed over after hearing the noise, but they couldn't even squeeze in because people were completely crazy about this unexpected fortune. These were big solidarity notes. If you could pick up one or two, it would be half a month's salary for a strong man.
Zeng Linlin looked at Bei Bitang, who was bending over to shovel the garbage, in astonishment, and said, "What's wrong with you? That's your money, why don't you want to come?"
Bei Bitang ignored her. Is Xu Zeli really that charming? She was betrayed by Xu Zeli, but she didn't do anything crazy. Zeng Linlin made such a big fuss, which shows how much she cares about Xu Zeli.
But think about it, Zeng Linlin has the capital, but she has no confidence at all. If she had one or two things that Zeng Linlin has, such as education, or a loving mother and father, she would definitely not let Xu Zeli have an easy time.
Li Daqiang was sweating profusely outside the crowd. If something went wrong, his job as the market manager would be over! As soon as his subordinates brought a loudspeaker, he immediately grabbed it and shouted into the crowd, "Don't move! Stop! Do you want to go to Tilanqiao and end up in jail?! Think about your child's political review!"
One person stopped first, followed by the second and the third.
Many banknotes were stuck to the damp and dirty floor. People stood still and saw the banknotes not far from their feet. But the managers of the small vegetable market glared at them with stern faces.
No matter how tempted they were, they didn't dare to pick it up, and could only stare at the Great Unity. In order not to implicate the whole family, they didn't dare to pick up the remaining Great Unity, but what they had picked up before was theirs, and they couldn't be asked to take it away.
Besides, Bei Bitang is just a little girl, what are they afraid of?
Li Daqiang came up to Bei Bitang and asked in a deep voice, "Bei Bitang, what's going on?"
Bei Bitang stopped what she was doing. She stood up, looked at Li Daqiang, and said with a smile, "Director Li, you're here."
Li Daqiang ran over from the office after hearing what he heard. The culprit was Bei Bitang. Two women were fighting for one man. This was a romantic dispute.
Jin Jianghai knew Li Daqiang's temper. He looked at Bei Bitang worriedly and said, "Director Li, let me tell you..."
Li Daqiang glanced at him lightly and interrupted loudly: "Shut up!"
For the mediocre Li Daqiang, what he hates most is trouble at work.
Li Daqiang was furious. He glared at Bei Bitang and said in a deep voice, "Bei Bitang, you speak!"
Bei Bitang looked cold and indifferent, and even her tone was indifferent, without any fluctuations. She said, "Director Li, I really don't know. I was killing fish properly."
All the married women present were considered original and legal wives, and those who were unmarried would remain so in the future. They glared at Bei Bitang, a third party, with eyes filled with anger, as if she had stolen their husbands and partners.
Some men stared at Bei Bitang's face with interest.
A female comrade said disdainfully, "Director, I never thought there were such immoral comrades in your market! They actually stole someone's fiancé. They should be dragged out and paraded through the streets. They're sluts, and they deserve to be treated like sluts."
Many people echoed.
"That's right. In the past, they would have been drowned in a pond!"
"Times are good, and those who want to be concubines are coming out again!"
"The girl is really amazing at such a young age. I have to remember her face. My son is honest, so he won't take over in the future."
"You're so self-righteous! How shameless!"
…
Bei Bitang could no longer remain calm. Things were not as Zeng Linlin had said. Her face flushed red and she opened her mouth, wanting to explain herself. But looking at those determined faces, she closed her mouth tightly. She couldn't speak for so many people.
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