Chapter 60: I Will Not Give Up Zhang Yang As a Good Friend

Lin Qiushui quickly wrote down the IOU in a flash and handed it to Zhang Yang for his signature.

Although Zhang Yang had long since mastered a vigorous and powerful handwriting style, he deliberately wrote crookedly to fit the current impression people had of him.

After finishing the IOU, Lin Qiushui held another piece of blank paper and looked at Wang Jie.

"Are you going to write this receipt yourself, or should I?"

Wang Jie's heart had long since been tightly glued to that ten-yuan bill; what mind did he have for writing receipts?

Besides, he hadn't attended school for many years and could barely recognize a handful of characters!

With a grand wave of his large hand, Wang Jie instructed Lin Qiushui, "Just write it along with the rest!"

Lin Qiushui smoothly and effortlessly finished writing a receipt.

Once done, she even kindly handed it to Wang Jie for inspection.

"Take a look at it. If you find anything unclear, I can explain it to you."

There were only a few lines on the paper in total.

In the space for "Actual Amount Received," the words "Ten Yuan Even" were written in large characters.

Wang Jie was overjoyed at the sight!

How could he possibly notice anything else?

He took the initiative to ask Lin Qiushui for a pen and, pointing to the bottom right corner, asked, "Do I sign here?"

"Yes."

With a flourish, Wang Jie signed his name.

"The receipt is signed too. Can you give me the money now? Hurry up, stop dawdling! This has wasted half the day already!"

Only then did Lin Qiushui nod.

With a gloomy face, Zhang Yang took out the money once more.

"Wang Jie, once you take this money today, you are not allowed to come to my house for the foreseeable future! No one's family has a hen that lays money! This ten yuan is something I had to borrow! No matter how urgently you need money, you have to give people time to figure it out!"

As soon as his fingers touched the money, Wang Jie could no longer care about all that, and perfunctorily replied with his mouth, "Understood, understood!"

He bolted away faster than a rabbit.

After he left, Lin Qiushui did not linger at the Zhang household. She deliberately returned to the educated youth quarters with a heavy, preoccupied expression in full view of everyone.

The news that the Zhang family had given a full ten yuan to Wang Jie's family spread quickly.

Everyone also knew that this money hadn't been forked out by Zhang Yang alone.

When the news reached the educated youth quarters, it took on a different flavor.

"I had no idea, Lin Qiushui, that you had hidden away so much money in private."

"We live under the same roof, yet you never mentioned it to us."

Lin Qiushui smiled dryly. "Everyone is currently dedicated to building up the countryside and striving to develop the farm, and there wasn't any occasion where money was needed, so I didn't have the opportunity to bring it up."

Thinking her personality was just eccentric, the female educated youths didn't care to engage with her further. They grabbed their roasted pumpkin seeds and peanuts and went off to chat among themselves.

However, the fact that Lin Qiushui had lent money to Zhang Yang caught the attention of several young men in the production team.

The most anxious among them was Ma Jian—

The very same "javelin boy" whom Zhao Dong despised the most.

Ma Jian said, "Qiushui, everyone is gossiping, saying you lent money to some fellow in the village named Zhang Yang. Is that true?"

Someone reminded Ma Jian, "Zhang Yang is the captain of our village militia squad now, after all. You need to watch your phrasing."

Ma Jian pushed that person aside, looking as if he couldn't be bothered to listen.

He anxiously pressed Lin Qiushui for an answer.

"Those of us in the educated youth quarters know that you have a kind heart and are enthusiastic about helping others when their families face hardships."

"But do you know how loose-tongued these village gossips are? They insist on saying you've taken a fancy to that fellow!"

"I got so angry when I heard that. How could that possibly be? You are a representative of educated urban female youth! No matter what, there's no way you'd fall for some illiterate blockhead in a mountain village..."

"Besides, didn't your family warn you? Never get entangled in overly complicated interpersonal relationships in the countryside."

"Sooner or later, we are going to return to the city! If you get too close to them and put down roots here, it will be hard for you to go back home later."

"I think that even for your parents' sake, you couldn't possibly stay here!"

"So, you'd better go get that money back as soon as possible!"

Lin Qiushui looked at him in astonishment. "Ma Jian, that is my money, and I have the right to decide how to use it."

Ma Jian rubbed his hands in frustration. "Qiushui, why don't you understand? This matter is no longer just about lending money. You're a young woman; you need to cherish your reputation!"

With absolute certainty, Lin Qiushui declared, "I disagree with your view. Young people who grew up in the mountains may not have received much education, but that doesn't mean they are truly fools. My willingness to be friends with Zhang Yang is my own business. Please do not interfere with my personal freedom!"

"Lin Qiushui!" Ma Jian grew anxious. "Are you really planning to let these rumors spread, half-willingly accepting them, and end up marrying a country bumpkin?"

Lin Qiushui blushed.

Previously, she hadn't thought about her relationship with Zhang Yang in overly complicated terms.

She had simply felt that making such a friend by chance was rather nice.

But now that Ma Jian put it this way, she couldn't help but start imagining.

What kind of life would she have in the future if she really married Zhang Yang?

His family members were all very easy to get along with, and being with them didn't require racking one's brains!

Moreover, whenever she thought of Zhang Yang's bright eyes and steadfast gaze, Lin Qiushui felt that Zhang Yang was vastly superior to most of the young men in the educated youth quarters!

These men who had come down to the countryside with her all seemed like promising young men with bright futures.

Yet the light in their eyes seemed to gradually dim and lose its luster ever since they arrived at the farm.

As if the countryside were some sort of wretched place!

The conditions here were indeed harsh, but what Lin Qiushui saw were simple-hearted villagers who exchanged bountiful harvests through their own hands and diligent labor.

Books and the radio clearly sang that labor was the most glorious thing of all.

Yet the attitude of Ma Jian and the others clearly showed disrespect for the working people!

"Ma Jian, I appreciate your good intentions."

"But I will not give up Zhang Yang as a good friend."

"I know what I am doing, and I know what kind of situations I might face."

"You don't need to worry about my future; I will take responsibility for my own actions."

Suddenly, Ma Jian grabbed Lin Qiushui in an embrace. "Qiushui! To tell you the truth! I like you! I like you very much! From the very first day I arrived here and learned your name, I knew it! I've fallen for you! So, you cannot be with that fellow!"

Startled out of her wits, Lin Qiushui shoved Ma Jian away with all her might!

"Whom you like is your own business! But just because you like me, does that mean I must be with you? Please do not make such rude gestures again in the future!"

Lin Qiushui...

Had she actually rejected his advances?!

Finding it hard to believe, Ma Jian secretly clenched his fists.

"Almost every woman in the entire village likes me! And you, Lin Qiushui, actually don't like me? You even pushed me away?"

With a cold smile, Lin Qiushui retorted, "No matter who likes you, it is never an excuse for you to offend me!"

Glaring at her, Ma Jian cursed, "Lin Qiushui! Don't be so ungrateful!"