Repaying the Debt

"Brother..." In the small courtyard, Chen Er Ya gently wiped down Chen Ping'an's body, her heart aching for him. Chen Ping'an had intended to clean himself up as usual, but the little girl insisted on helping. "Nannan, I'm fine. It only looks worse than it is," Chen Ping'an comforted her with a smile. "Mm. I know, but seeing you like this still hurts to watch." The little girl carefully dabbed at him with the cloth. "Nannan, don't worry. This is just how martial arts training is. Compared to many others, what I'm going through is nothing at all. I'm training hard so that we can both live a good life. And for a good life, we all have to work hard! From now on, I'll be in charge of working hard at martial arts, and you'll be in charge of watching from the side and cheering me on. How about that?" Chen Ping'an coaxed Chen Er Ya just as one would a child. Then again, at only nine years old, she truly was still a child. "Mm." The little girl nodded. "Brother, I know. Father used to say that only those who can endure the bitterest hardships can rise above the rest. You're enduring hardships now so you can rise above the rest later." "My Nannan is so smart!" ... The night passed quickly as brother and sister talked heart-to-heart. Early the next morning, Chen Ping'an began practicing Iron Shirt using the new method. A little under an hour gained him 1 point of experience. Two sessions took only slightly longer than a single session had previously. He reported for roll call on time and attended the pre-shift routine briefing. Two head runners showed up today—Head Runner Huang and Head Runner Li. The day passed quickly in playful banter with Monkey and Dashan. The day's street patrol went by without incident. When he returned home that evening, Chen Er Ya was nearly finished making dinner. The little girl had been quite generous today, having bought not only beef, but mutton as well. The mutton came out of the pot piping hot and fragrant, making one's mouth water. Chen Ping'an had Chen Er Ya fill a large bowl to the brim, then stepped out to deliver it to Uncle Zhang's home. They had delivered sand and gravel without taking any money, so Chen Ping'an naturally had to return the courtesy. In neighborhood relations, this was a simple, fundamental truth. When Chen Ping'an arrived at the door with the large bowl of mutton, everyone in Uncle Zhang's family was there except his son, Zhang Tieniu. It looked as though they had just finished eating. Three dishes and a soup, with a fair amount of meat. Compared to the surrounding neighbors, the Zhang family's meals were remarkably good. Uncle Zhang's son and daughter-in-law worked as kitchen hands in a restaurant, so they often brought home scraps and perks from the kitchen. When Chen Ping'an explained why he had come, Uncle Zhang waved his hands repeatedly. "Brother Chen, how could we accept this!" "Uncle Zhang, take it. We just happened to cook some mutton at home, and I thought you might like a taste," Chen Ping'an said with a smile. "This is far too much! Just half would be plenty." Uncle Zhang's little grandchild stood to the side, staring longingly at the mutton. It smelled so appetizing that even after eating, it made one's mouth water all over again. "Uncle Zhang, keep it all. It's just a small token of appreciation." "Well... all right then." Glancing at his grandson nearby, Uncle Zhang finally gave in. "Brother Chen, come sit inside for a bit," Uncle Zhang's daughter-in-law invited with a smile. Her name was Cuilan—broad-shouldered, stout, and looking quite well-fed. "No need, thank you," Chen Ping'an waved with a smile. After a few pleasantries, they transferred the mutton into their own bowl, and Chen Ping'an took his leave. "Brother Chen is truly polite..." Uncle Zhang let out a long breath as he looked at the bowl heaped with mutton. "Indeed," Aunt Zhang agreed. If dished out a bit more sparingly, such a full bowl could easily make three. "Brother Chen earns his keep from the authorities, so of course he has manners!" Cuilan chimed in. "Father, Mother, I should get going too. Brother Niu is still waiting for me!" Cuilan and Tieniu worked in the restaurant kitchen, which was at its busiest around this hour. Had something not come up at home, she wouldn't have returned at this time. ... Chen Ping'an left Uncle Zhang's house and headed back. Halfway home, he noticed a door left ajar. It was Old Pan's house! Uncle Pan down the alley still owed his family half a tael of silver. Back when Old Chen was still alive, Old Pan's son had been getting married and needed money badly. Even though Old Chen was gravely injured at the time, he had still lent them half a tael of silver. Later on, when Old Chen was arranging the temporary runner post for Chen Ping'an, he had preferred to borrow from loan sharks rather than bring up the debt with Uncle Pan's family. Now, Old Chen had been dead for over half a year, and Old Pan's family had held onto that half a tael for nearly a year. By rights, it should have been paid back by now, yet Old Pan's family hadn't breathed a word about it on their own. In normal times, he might have let it be. But right now, Chen Ping'an had just cleared the fourteen taels of debt, draining the household savings. On top of that, his martial arts training required meat every evening, and with expenses on all fronts, money was extremely tight. Getting this half a tael back would help ease their living expenses. Half a tael of silver was five qian—a full five hundred small cash, which amounted to more than half a month of his monthly stipend. *What a coincidence. No time like the present—might as well have them pay it back today.* Thinking this, Chen Ping'an knocked on Old Pan's door. Old Pan's family was not badly off compared to their neighbors; in fact, they lived quite decently, only having borrowed money for their son's wedding. "Who is it?!" A woman's voice sounded from inside. "Aunt Pan, it's me, Chen Ping'an." After Chen Ping'an spoke, several breaths of silence fell over the house. Just as he was about to push the door open himself, the sound of the door opening finally came. "Ping'an! Come, come in." The door opened, and Old Pan was the one speaking. Several people were sitting inside, looking as though they had just finished their meal and were resting. Old Pan, his wife, and their son and daughter-in-law. The daughter-in-law's belly bulged prominently; she was clearly pregnant. Aunt Pan's expression looked sour, and Old Pan's son, Xiao Pan, seemed visibly uneasy. "Ping'an, you're here. Have you eaten yet?" Old Pan greeted him with a smile. "Not yet," Chen Ping'an replied with a smile. "Coming over at this hour, do you have business?" Old Pan asked. "There is something. Uncle Pan, it's like this. Some time ago, didn't your family borrow half a tael of silver from mine? I've come to ask you to return that money," Chen Ping'an said, getting straight to the point. He noticed that the moment the words left his mouth, Aunt Pan's face soured even further. "Oh, so it's about that." Old Pan clearly hadn't expected Chen Ping'an to be so blunt. "Well, Ping'an, this is rather sudden. Let your Uncle Pan think about it." Still smiling, Chen Ping'an replied at an unhurried pace, "Then take your time and think it over, Uncle Pan. No rush—I'll just wait right here." Old Pan genuinely hadn't expected such a reaction. He had assumed that once he said that, Chen Ping'an would leave for now. Seeing Chen Ping'an stay put without any intention of leaving, Old Pan adopted an air of authority. "How about this, Ping'an: you head back for today, and we'll talk once your Uncle Pan has thought it through." Old Pan spoke perfunctorily, not uttering a single word about the debt itself. His intention could not be clearer.