"But you know Lao Qi. He wanted to pay the money, but he didn't have it. So he asked if he could get in first and then use his salary to slowly buy things. But the girl disagreed. She said that the forty-eight legs were not necessary, but the three turns and one ring were a must."

"The girl was pushing us very hard, and my parents-in-law also kept urging us and even called the army. But no money means no money. Lao Qi was also annoyed and simply didn't reply to letters or phone calls. Maybe that's why my father-in-law got angry and got gout." Zeng Xinlan said.

Ning Tang, "Captain Qi didn't reply to the letter or the phone call, how did you two know? Your father-in-law has gout?"

"Alas, my mother-in-law has come to the island. She told me in person that they live nearby, and it takes less than two days to get here." Zeng Xinlan's face was full of sorrow. "That's why I hurried to ask Luo's wife for money. My mother-in-law is still waiting for me to bring the money back."

After listening to Zeng Xinlan's account of what happened, Ning Tang felt something was wrong. She said, "How about this, Xinlan, I will accompany you home and ask about the situation. I will take the money only after I have clarified everything. Two hundred yuan is not a small amount."

Zeng Xinlan nodded randomly. Someone was helping her make decisions. She felt like she had found a backbone and said hurriedly, "Okay. Thank you, Xiaoning."

Ning Tang looked at Da Wa and said, "I'll go with Xin Lan. Da Wa, you take Er Niu and San Wa home first."

The three children also saw that the adults were busy. The eldest child nodded, "Got it."

Erniu pursed her lips and said, "Stepmother, please come back soon. If there is anything, go home to find dad."

Sanwa held Ningtang's hand tightly and refused to let go. He said in a tender voice, "Stepmother, I'm going too."

The eldest boy pulled him and said, "Third boy, what can you do if you go there?"

Sanwa said, "Maybe I did it."

Ning Tang was happy, and bent down to pinch Sanwa's nose, "Yes, our Sanwa is the most capable. Don't worry, it's okay. You go home with Dawa first, I'll be back soon."

Sanwa then said reluctantly, "Okay."

After sending the three children away, Ning Tang went to Qi's house with Zeng Xinlan and Mrs. Luo.

The Qi family, like the Shen family, has a white two-story building. There are many plants such as green onions and ginger planted in the yard. It can be seen that Zeng Xinlan is a woman who knows how to live.

As soon as she entered the door, a woman in her fifties with yellow skin came out to greet her. She glanced at Zeng Xinlan and held out her hand, "Where's the money?"

Zeng Xinlan didn't say anything. Seeing this, the woman shrilly asked, "You won't be able to borrow it, will you?"

Ning Tang asked, "Xinlan's mother-in-law, do you really want two hundred yuan?"

Zhong Xianghong glanced at Ning Tang and asked, "Who are you?"

Zeng Xinlan said, "These two are Captain Shen's lover Ning Tang, and Political Commissar Zhao's lover Sister Luo."

Ning Tang said, "Just call me Xiao Ning."

Hearing Zeng Xinlan introduce Ning Tang and Luo Saozi as the lovers of the regiment commander and political commissar, Zhong Xianghong narrowed her eyes and smiled, "Oh, they are the lovers of the regiment commander and political commissar, Xiao Ning, Luo Saozi, you take a seat."

Ning Tang and Luo sat down. Zhong Xianghong pulled Zeng Xinlan aside and said in a stern voice, "I asked you to borrow money, why did you bring them back?"

Zeng Xinlan nodded but didn't say anything. Ning Tang, who had sharp ears, heard it and said crisply, "Xinlan is borrowing money from us. You know Xinlan's mother-in-law, two hundred yuan is not a small amount. My sister-in-law and I have to figure out what the money is for before we dare to lend it out."

Zhong Xianghong smiled and said, "Of course I should."

"We heard from Xinlan that her father-in-law has gout and is lying in bed unable to move, so she needs to borrow 200 yuan for medical treatment. Is that true?" said Mrs. Luo.

Zhong Xianghong showed a sad look on his face, "Oh, this is what happened. My husband was fine before, but suddenly he got gout. Now he can't do farm work. He lies in bed every day and complains about leg pain."

She looked at Zeng Xinlan with resentment, "Maybe, the family doesn't have enough money to marry off their youngest son, so she's angry."

Zeng Xinlan pursed her lips and didn't answer.

Zhong Xianghong looked at Ning Tang and Luo Saozi expectantly, "Xinlan's father-in-law has a very severe attack of gout this time. It hurts so much that he wants to saw off his legs. Can you two please be kind and lend us two hundred yuan so that we can go back and see a doctor?"

Ning Tang said, "You can borrow money. Two hundred yuan can be divided equally. Sister Luo and I can each borrow one hundred yuan. My husband is the head of the regiment, and Sister Luo's husband is the political commissar. Both of them have high salaries, and we still have some savings, but -"

Hearing Ning Tang agree to lend the money, and saying that Shen Lie and Political Commissar Zhao's salaries were not low, Zhong Xiang's eyes flashed with greed. When she heard Ning Tang say "but", her heart was hanging high, and she couldn't help asking, "But what?"

Ning Tang smiled and said, "But, we can lend you the money. When are you going to pay it back?"

Zhong Xianghong was stunned. Apparently, she had never thought about paying it back.

Seeing that she was stunned, Ning Tang said, "You won't give up the fight? Just consider it as repayment, right?"

Zhong Xianghong laughed twice, "How is that possible... Our Qi Wei is promising. He is the battalion commander and earns a lot of money a month. He can just pay it back slowly."

Mrs. Luo frowned and asked, "Is it just Captain Qi who is paying? What about your five sons? Your father is sick, and you only let the eldest son's family pay?"

Zhong Xianghong said without thinking, "Of course."

As soon as she finished speaking, she realized that she had said the wrong thing and quickly looked towards Zeng Xinlan.

Zeng Xinlan said in disbelief, "Mom, are you really planning to let our family pay it back alone? I remember that my second uncle passed the examination to become a worker in a textile factory in the city last month, and he makes more than ten yuan a month. My third uncle is a carpenter, and he also earns a lot of money throughout the year. Not much more, but he can definitely make seven or eight yuan. And my fourth and fifth uncles will graduate from junior high school next year."

She repeated, "Mom, are you really planning to let our family pay only for the two hundred dollars of medical expenses?"

Zhong Xianghong whispered, "Although they can make money, they don't make as much as the boss. Whoever makes more money should contribute more. Isn't this the way it should be?"

Zeng Xinlan never expected Zhong Xianghong and his wife to treat everyone equally, but this was too partial. She felt completely disappointed. "Why should only our family pay for this? Uncle No. 2, Uncle No. 3, Uncle No. 4, Uncle No. 5 don't have to pay? Is Dad just Ah Wei's dad, not their dad?"

She originally thought that Zhong Xianghong came to her for money because it happened suddenly and the family could not come up with so much money at once, so they asked the couple to pay it first and then pay it back later. The money for her father-in-law's medical treatment still had to be shared by everyone.

But they didn't expect that Zhong Xianghong had no such intention at all and just wanted their family to pay for it.

Zhong Xianghong smiled awkwardly, "We are all family..." She reached out to hold Zeng Xinlan's hand and said expectantly, "Daughter-in-law, can you bear to see your father-in-law unable to get out of bed because of the pain in his legs?"

Zeng Xinlan couldn't bear to do it after all. She retracted her hand, looked at Ning Tang and Mrs. Luo, gritted her teeth, and said, "Xiao Ning, sister-in-law, please lend me two hundred yuan and I will write you an IOU." After saying that, she wanted to get paper and pen.

Ning Tang stopped her, "Don't worry about the IOU. It's just a loan. We live on the same island. Our Captain Shen and Political Commissar Zhao are colleagues of your Captain Qi. I'm afraid you'll run away."

She winked at Luo's wife and said, "Sister-in-law, you and Xinlan go home to get the money first. I'll stay with Xinlan's mother-in-law."

Mrs. Luo was stunned and blinked her eyes. "Oh, oh, okay, I will go home with Xinlan to get the money now." She pulled Zeng Xinlan, "Xinlan, come with me."

Zeng Xinlan was so distraught that she let Mrs. Luo drag her away.

After the two of them left, Zhong Xianghong seemed to have gotten over something big, and breathed a sigh of relief. Her tone also became relaxed and casual, "Xiaoning, why don't you go home and get the money?"

Ning Tang made up an excuse, "My husband manages our family's money, and I have to wait until he gets off work before I can get the money."

"Is that so?" Zhong Xianghong flashed a trace of contempt in her eyes. In her eyes, a woman who couldn't control a man's wallet was useless.

Ning Tang looked young and pretty, but Zhong Xianghong felt sorry for her and had already equated her with a vase.

Ning Tang poured a glass of water for Zhong Xianghong, "Xinlan's mother-in-law, have a drink of water. You must be tired after coming here from such a long distance."

Zhong Xianghong took a sip of water and waved her hands, "Why are you so tired? Where we live is only two days away from Hailang Island."

"Then you must come to the island often to visit Captain Qi and Xinlan, right?" Ning Tang said.

Zhong Xianghong said guiltily, "Of course."

Ning Tang smiled and said, "I really envy Mu Xinlan for having such a good mother-in-law like you."

Zhong Xianghong curled her lips, "What's good about that? Xinlan is lucky to be able to follow the army. Unlike me when I was a daughter-in-law, I had to serve a whole family by myself."

Ning Tang didn't respond, but changed the subject and started talking about family matters. "To be honest, I just came here to join the army. My home is in a village in Qi Province, one south of Hailang Island and the other north. It takes seven days by train. Our place is not like Hailang Island, where we have cheap seafood to eat. I sent a lot of seafood to my parents a while ago, and they said it tasted great."

"The seafood from Hailang Island tastes really good." Zhong Xianghong couldn't help licking her lips. "The eldest brother and his wife often send back dried abalone and mackerel. They are delicious when used to make porridge or stir-fry. My husband's favorite is dried squid. I grill one for him and drink it with wine. Even a god wouldn't trade it for that."

Ning Tang's eyes flashed with a strange look, "Does Xinlan's father-in-law like to eat seafood and drink?"

Zhong Xianghong said, "He always has a bottle of wine in his hand. He likes wine more than anyone else. The day before I came to Hailang Island, he asked me who would make him some rice wine and grilled squid and fried mackerel after I left. He can't live without these things every day."

Ning Tang sneered, "Since Master Xinlan loves seafood and drinking, I will give him a bottle of wine soaked in dried seahorses, so that he can replenish his body and quickly cure his 'gout'."

Zhong Xianghong frowned. Why did these words sound so wrong?

Not yet? When she was thinking about it, she heard footsteps at the door. Mrs. Luo and Zeng Xinlan came back.

Zhong Xianghong smiled brightly, "Hey, you're back. Why are you so slow? Did you get the money?"

Zeng Xinlan said expressionlessly, "I got it."

She took out a hundred yuan from her pocket. Zhong Xianghong snatched it away and counted it several times with her fingers dipped in saliva before saying, "Yes, that's the amount."

Zhong Xianghong narrowed her eyes and said, "Xiaoning, now all we need is your one hundred yuan."

Ning Tang smiled and said, "Xinlan's mother-in-law, if I don't pay you back, it will be considered a loan."

"Why?" Zhong Xianghong asked in surprise.

"Because Xinlan's father-in-law doesn't have gout at all, there is no need to lend out this money." Ning Tang said firmly.

Zeng Xinlan was stunned and looked at Zhong Xianghong in surprise, "You don't have gout?"

Mrs. Luo said, "Xinlan's mother-in-law, how can you lie to me?"

Zhong Xianghong opened her mouth to refute, "When did I lie? My husband just got gout, otherwise he would be fine. Why would I curse him?"

Ning Tang said, "Xinlan's mother-in-law, I'll ask you one last time, are you sure Xinlan's father-in-law has gout and needs 200 yuan for medical treatment?"

Zhong Xianghong said without thinking, "I'm sure."

"Are you sure? I'm sure you're lying." Ning Tang said, "Just now when we were chatting, you said that Xinlan's father-in-law always ate seafood with wine, even when he had gout. Is that right?"

"So what? These seafood are given to us by the eldest and his wife. We love to eat them. It's none of your business. Why do you have to interfere?" Zhong Xianghong cursed.

Ning Tang sneered, "I don't want to get involved in your shitty business. I just can't stand seeing people pretending to be sick to gain sympathy and cheat money. Xinlan's mother-in-law, people with gout should avoid alcohol and seafood. If you say that you want to eat seafood with wine every meal, if Xinlan's father-in-law really gets gout, I'm afraid he'll have to have his legs amputated."

Zhong Xianghong rolled her eyes. "Whatever you say is true. You are not a doctor. You are just talking nonsense based on what you heard from somewhere. Do you think I will believe it? Let me tell you, you can still eat seafood and drink alcohol if you have gout."

She looked at Zeng Xinlan, "Xinlan, we are a family. Don't believe her. She just doesn't want to lend money. If she doesn't want to lend, then don't lend. Let's find another company to lend to. Don't listen to her scare talk here."

Ning Tang said, "I have never seen a family forcing someone to borrow money."

Zhong Xianghong said, "Xinlan, say something."

Zeng Xinlan turned her head away and said, "Mother-in-law, do you think that people like us who have lived on an island for many years don't know the common sense that if you have gout you can't eat seafood or drink alcohol?"

Zhong Xianghong was completely panicked now, "No, no, listen to my explanation..."

Zeng Xinlan asked, "Mom, why do you want these two hundred yuan? Is it really for curing Dad's gout that he didn't even know existed?"

Now that everything has been exposed, Zhong Xianghong decided to throw in the towel and said, "Okay, I'll tell you the truth. I want the two hundred yuan to buy a three-turn and one-ring for your sister-in-law and marry her. Just tell me whether you want to give it to me or not."

Zeng Xinlan pursed her lips, "Just to buy her a three-turn ring, so you used the excuse that Dad had gout to ask for money. This is a full two hundred yuan. Qi Wei has to work for half a year to earn this amount. If he uses it all to help his third brother get married, will our family starve for the next six months?"

Zhong Xianghong laughed twice, "How can I starve to death? The boss can make money..."

"The money doesn't come from the wind. Whoever wants to marry a wife should pay for it himself. Don't even think about taking it from others." Ning Tang said.

Zhong Xianghong hated Ning Tang for ruining her good deeds and glared at her fiercely, "What do you mean by other people's families? We are one family."

Ning Tang continued, "You, your old man, and your other four sons are a family. Captain Qi's family is just your cash machine."

Mrs. Luo couldn't help but ask, "ATM?"

Ning Tang paused. It seems that there is no such word now. "It means a machine that gives people money."

This metaphor is really apt. Zeng Xinlan smiled bitterly. Isn't their family just an ATM?

She turned her face away and said, "Mom, there is no way I can give you this money. Don't use this excuse to deceive people next time."

Zhong Xianghong said angrily, "What are you talking about? You are an outsider and your words don't count. Where is the boss? When he comes back, I will complain to him and let him teach you a lesson."

Even rabbits bite when they are cornered. Zeng Xinlan said coldly, "Then? Mom, you go. I'll wait."

Zhong Xianghong widened her eyes and pointed at Zeng Xinlan, "You, you, you are so rebellious!"

After Zeng Xinlan finished speaking, she pulled Ning Tang and Mrs. Luo out of the door, not giving Zhong Xianghong the chance to continue cursing.

After leaving Qi's house, the three returned to Mrs. Luo's house.

Zeng Xinlan apologized, "Sister-in-law, I left in a hurry just now and didn't get the hundred yuan back. Don't worry, I will send it to you tomorrow."

Mrs. Luo nodded and asked her, "What are you going to do about this? If Captain Qi really borrows the 200 yuan, your family will have to pay it back."

Zeng Xinlan smiled bitterly and said, "It's not a big deal. Qi Wei and I have been married for ten years. I know him well. He is filial and cares about his reputation. If I don't help my mother-in-law borrow the money, he will never ask his colleagues to borrow it."

Mrs. Luo sighed, "That's good. No matter what, it's a good thing that the elderly at home are not sick, and it's also a good thing that the money is not lent out."

Mrs. Luo is kind-hearted, but Ningtang doesn't think so. For an old man who has to ask his eldest son's family to borrow money for his younger son's wedding, it would be better for him to really have gout, at least he can be quiet for a while.

Zeng Xinlan looked at Ning Tang gratefully and said, "I am so grateful to you for this. Otherwise, I would still be in the dark and would be so foolish as to ask you to borrow such a large sum of money."

Zeng Xinlan was not stupid. When Mrs. Luo took her home to get money and took a detour on purpose, she found it strange. But now that she thought about it, she probably thought it was just to give Ning Tang time to get some information.

Ning Tang waved his hands, "Nothing."

Zeng Xinlan's family's conditions were already bad. They had to pay out 40 yuan every month, and then add a foreign debt of 200 yuan, which was almost like a death sentence for their family.

Although she didn't lend the money, Zeng Xinlan was still worried. She held Ning Tang's hand and said earnestly, "Xiao Ning, I still have twenty yuan that I saved from various sources. It's all our family's savings. Even Qi Wei doesn't know about it. I want to put it in your pocket first. Is that okay?"

Mrs. Luo was surprised and asked, "You put all your family savings with Xiao Ning? Why?"

Zeng Xinlan gritted her teeth and said, "Because I know Qi Wei, as soon as he gets paid, he will definitely use it to fill the hole in his family. We don't know how we will get by next month. We can rely on eating, but we still have to pay for Dahu's first-grade tuition. We can't let the child go to school without paying tuition."

The tuition for the elementary schools on the island is collected one week after the start of the school term, which is nearly two yuan a year. It is not a lot but not a small amount either. Zeng Xinlan is still worried about this money.

Mrs. Luo nodded and said, "You are right to do this. What if something unexpected happens and you need money? You can't have no savings at home."

"Xiao Ning..." Zeng Xinlan looked at Ning Tang expectantly.

Ning Tang said, "I can keep the money for you temporarily, but it's your family's money and I can't keep it forever."

Zeng Xinlan said worriedly, "What else can we do? Qi Wei always subsidizes their family."

She smiled bitterly, "To be honest, we are almost broke. I went to the market a while ago to pick up a bargain and bought a new bowl at a very cheap price, intending to take it home. But Qi Wei saw it and he said that there were too many people at my parents-in-law's house and my nephew had no bowl to use, so he took the bowl away and gave it to his family. But poor Da Hu is still using a broken bowl. I'm afraid he'll get hurt one day."

Mrs. Luo showed sympathy, "Captain Qi is such a person, I don't even know him. What can I say about him? Why don't you have a good talk with him?"

"Talking, what's the point? He won't listen to anything I say." Zeng Xinlan said, "Sometimes I even doubt that we are not a family. I am not his wife, and Da Hu is not his son. He, his parents, and his four brothers are a family."

Ning Tang said, "So you have to stand up on your own."

"Stand up by yourself?" Zeng Xinlan was stunned.

"Yes, there is a saying that goes, adults can only be screened, not changed. Captain Qi's character has already been formed. It is determined by his living environment and personal experiences since childhood, so it will not make sense if you talk to him about it." Ning Tang said.

"When you told Captain Qi that the family had no money and asked him to stop giving money to his parents-in-law, what was he thinking about? He was thinking about how his family had to tighten their belts to provide him with food and drink, and how it was his younger brothers who took the beatings for him when his father punished him. So, he only told you how good his family was to him. If it weren't for the support and help from his family, he would definitely not have achieved what he has now. He should give more money to his family, and when his younger brothers grow up, his life will be better in the future."

Zeng Xinlan was stunned. What Ning Tang said was almost exactly the same as what Captain Qi said every time. "Xiao Ning, how did you know?"

"I'm just guessing. Anyway, it doesn't matter what those sayings say." Ning Tang said.

Zeng Xinlan's eyes flashed with hope, "Well, then, what do you think I should do? Every time I quarrel with him, he uses these words to stop me, and I can't stop him, otherwise it will be a manifestation of lack of filial piety. If I tell others about it, people will criticize me."

"Xinlan, you have to figure out whether you want to be stabbed in the back or starve to death and become a frozen skeleton on the roadside." Ning Tang said, "Da Hu is getting older, and there will be many places where you need to spend money in the future. Also, you can't eat seafood picked from the beach all the time. You have to keep up with meat, eggs, milk and vegetables, otherwise the child will lack nutrition and may not grow tall in the future."

Zeng Xinlan felt sad when she thought of Qi Dahu's thin little face and the fact that he was half a head shorter than his peers.

The couple originally named Da Hu Da Hu in the hope that he would grow up to be a healthy and strong little tiger, but now he is almost becoming a sick cat.

Zeng Xinlan gritted her teeth and said, "Xiao Ning, give me some advice, and I'll do whatever you say."

Mrs. Luo helped to drum up support, "Yes, Xiaoning, you are smart, just help Xinlan."