CHAPTER 423: CHAPTER 418: MONEY FOR TICKETS

As long as Cheng Fei could go to the city to work and earn money, Yu Fen was quite agreeable.

She smiled at Fang Pingying, with a look of great understanding, "I know, I know, this is what the old saying means: the master leads the way, but the practice is up to the individual. It depends on his own efforts."

"Mm, as long as you understand." Fang Pingying nodded and said to her, "We’re all relatives, I think if I can help, I’ll help, but I can’t manage too much of the other stuff."

Yu Fen patted Fang Pingying’s shoulder, and assured her, "I know, sister-in-law. Don’t worry, my Cheng Fei is an honest person. He definitely won’t be like Zhiming; he’ll work earnestly there."

"That’s good to hear." Fang Pingying’s intention to clarify things was mainly because she feared doing harm while trying to help. Now that she had made things clear in front of so many people, if Cheng Fei had any problems in the city, it couldn’t be blamed on her, so she said no more.

After her group had waited a while, Luo Honglan still hadn’t arrived. Looking down the village path, she still couldn’t see Luo Honglan, so she asked Qiu Xiu, "Right, Auntie, did you see Hong Lan when you left? Why isn’t she here yet?"

"We got up early and didn’t hear any movement from your house," replied Yu Fen, rushing to answer. "Don’t know if it’s because Uncle’s family was up late last night. I don’t know if Hong Lan over-slept. Last night, that wife of Zhiming had a big fight with Uncle’s wife..."

Before Yu Fen could finish, Qiu Xiu gave her a look. She felt it was improper to gossip about family matters in public and didn’t want Fang Pingying and the others to worry, so she deliberately changed the subject, "Hong Lan knows you’re going to the county to catch the train today, doesn’t she?"

Fang Pingying couldn’t be bothered with those trifles and pretended not to know, simply responding to Qiu Xiu’s words, "Yes, I told her when I left yesterday."

"Oh no, she won’t delay you from catching the train, will she?" Yu Fen, somewhat anxious about the delay caused by Luo Honglan on the trip to the city today, hastily said, "Otherwise, I’ll go back and call her."

Fang Pingying glanced at her watch – it was just seven o’clock and not too late. She said, "No need, let’s wait a bit more, no rush."

While they were talking, they saw Hong Lan carrying luggage coming from the village path, but oddly, there was a man following her.

Taking a closer look, it turned out to be Luo Cuilan’s husband, Zhang Jianguo. Zhang Jianguo also had a lot of luggage on him, and it seemed like his own; it was unclear if he also planned to go to the city to work.

Fang Pingying felt a bit of a headache. These troublesome relatives, from whom she had fled from the countryside to the city, couldn’t even escape in the city. But the provincial city wasn’t hers alone; if they really wanted to go, she couldn’t stop them.

Luo Zhiyong seemed to realize it too and exchanged a look with Fang Pingying before he walked briskly towards Luo Honglan, glanced at Zhang Jianguo, and asked aloud, "Jianguo, what’s going on here?"

"Big Uncle, sister-in-law..." Zhang Jianguo was sweet-mouthed today, greeting everyone present, looking quite joyful. Like Yu Fen, he was full of immense yearning for the city, thinking that there was money to be picked up everywhere on the city streets and that going to the city would surely earn him money.

Why doesn’t anyone think about Luo Zhiming? After going to the city, life wasn’t even as good as it was in the countryside.

Luo Zhiyong nodded at Zhang Jianguo and then tentatively asked, "Hong Lan, is Jianguo here to see you off?"

"No, big brother," Luo Honglan said somewhat awkwardly to Luo Zhiyong, "My brother-in-law also said he wanted to go to the provincial city to find work."

"Ah?" Fang Pingying frowned and pointed at Cheng Fei, "Hong Lan, you know that Cheng Fei is also going with us to the city for work, your big brother might not be able to find that much work for them."

"Mm, I know, Auntie told me last night," Luo Honglan explained to Fang Pingying, "But sister-in-law, it was my older sister who called last night herself. She said her factory needed people and wanted my brother-in-law to go. When we take him to the city, I’ll drop him off at my sister’s factory."

"Alright then," Fang Pingying had nothing more to say to that.

When the group got to the side of the road and set down their belongings, a car came along. They didn’t delay much and boarded the vehicle.

Arriving at the county, Luo Zhiyong told Fang Pingying and Luo Honglan to sit outside while he and Fang Ping’an went to buy the tickets.

Upon hearing about buying tickets, Cheng Fei immediately pulled out ten yuan from his pocket and handed it to Zhiyong, "Brother Zhiyong, is this enough money for the tickets?"

Luo Zhiyong smiled at Cheng Fei and told him to keep the money, "I’ll pay for them together."

Cheng Fei insisted, handing the money to Luo Zhiyong for the tickets, "No, Brother Zhiyong, I’ve already troubled you by going to the city for work; how can I let you pay extra for the tickets?"

"Just five yuan is enough." Fang Pingying wasn’t unwilling to pay Cheng Fei’s fare; it was more that Zhang Jianguo was part of the situation. If she paid for Cheng Fei, Zhang Jianguo’s fare definitely would be paid as well.

Originally it was only five yuan, and she wouldn’t have minded paying it, but seeing Zhang Jianguo, who upon hearing Cheng Fei was going to pay for the tickets, just sat there purposefully looking around, pretending not to hear their ticket discussion, acting as if someone should pay his fare for him.

Fang Pingying was especially unwilling to let him take advantage and called out to him directly, "Jianguo, are you going to buy your own ticket, or shall your big brother do it for you?"

Zhang Jianguo was stunned, and then smiled at Fang Pingying, "I’ll let Big Uncle do it; I’m not familiar with buying tickets."

After his reply, he still said nothing about the ticket money.

Fang Pingying got angry and very directly told him, "The ticket to the provincial city costs five yuan."

"Ah..." Zhang Jianguo seemed not to comprehend what Fang Pingying meant.

Fang Pingying smiled at him sarcastically, half-jokingly saying, "Tickets cost money. Don’t tell me you’re planning to ride for free?"

"Oh, then I’ll go buy the ticket with Big Uncle." This time Zhang Jianguo had no choice but to comply, and as he was about to follow Luo Zhiyong to the window, he suddenly turned and asked Luo Honglan for money, "Hong Lan, do you have money on you? I need money for a ticket."

Zhang Jianguo’s request sounded natural, not even mentioning borrowing but just asking to take the money as if Luo Honglan’s money was his own.

Upon hearing this, Fang Pingying stared at Luo Honglan, signaling her not to give him any money.

But Luo Honglan just gave a helpless smile and still took ten yuan out of her pocket and handed it to Zhang Jianguo.

Zhang Jianguo happily took the money and immediately called Luo Zhiyong to buy the tickets.

This foolish girl, Fang Pingying really didn’t know what to say about her.

Fortunately, Fang Pingying knew she was like this. If it had been someone else, they might have thought she was deliberately opposing Fang Pingying. It was obvious Fang Pingying didn’t mind about the five yuan; she just couldn’t stand to see Zhang Jianguo, a grown man who had just left home, already looking to take advantage of others.