Chapter Nineteen: Who Are You Trying to Fool

“Who do you think you’re fooling?” Xu Qing cast a sidelong glance at Xu Fei.

“Sis, can I eat?” Xu Yun, by her side, asked.

Xu Qing shot Xu Yun a glare and said, “All you think about is eating. You’d dare eat something bought with money of unknown origin? Aren’t you afraid you’ll end up with a stomachache?”

Xu Yun pouted, a little indignant.

“I really haven’t had fried dough sticks in ages.” Xu Fei shook his head and said, “Xu Qing, it’s true that I lied to you in the past, and that was my fault. But this time, when I went to gamble, I told you all straight out. I made a promise and I’ll keep it. I won’t lie to you again.”

“Yeah, so now you can’t even be bothered to lie to us anymore, is that it?” Xu Qing glared at him.

Xu Fei was speechless. This sister of his was really a tough one.

Fine.

He brought the money over to Du Man.

“Hold onto the money for now.” But Du Man pushed the money back to him.

“Can you tell me where this money really came from?”

“I told you—I won it.”

“Won? Xu Fei, haven’t you heard? In Donghai, everyone knows you never win at gambling. If you actually won, the sun must have risen in the west today.” Xu Qing’s comment echoed the worry in Du Man’s heart.

“Yeah, when have you ever won?” Du Man looked at Xu Fei.

“Me?” Xu Fei was exasperated. It wasn’t even about anything else—he was just infuriated by his own reputation. How pathetic must he be, that even his own family didn’t believe in him?

“Enough. Believe me or not, I brought the money back. At least I didn’t steal it, right?”

The three of them exchanged glances.

“Xu Fei, did you… did you really steal it?”

“Brother, can’t you ever let us worry a little less?” Xu Yun, hearing his words, burst into sobs.

“Brother, you won’t get arrested by the police, will you?” Xu Yun’s question startled Du Man as well.

“Xu Fei, you’d better return the money to wherever you got it from,” Du Man said.

“You all…” Xu Fei was both amused and exasperated by the three of them. He had no choice but to recount everything that happened last night in detail.

“You really won it?”

“Sis-in-law, do you actually believe that?” Xu Qing cut in.

Du Man glanced at Xu Qing and said, “For once, I think your brother isn’t lying to me.”

“How do you know? He hasn’t lied to you enough in the past?”

“I just feel he’s telling the truth this time.”

“Are you just afraid he’ll hit you?” Xu Qing shot Xu Fei a look and said, “Don’t worry, sis-in-law. With me here, he wouldn’t dare.”

“Xu Qing, what will it take for you to believe me?” Xu Fei asked.

“Only if you never gamble again.”

Xu Fei frowned. That was something he couldn’t promise yet, since his real goal was to get close to Zhang Mingyang.

“Not yet.”

“You see, sis-in-law? Like a dog that can’t stop eating dung!” Xu Qing said as she got up and stormed into the house.

Seeing this, Xu Fei could only shake his head. “Xu Qing, I promise you—no matter what, even if I do gamble from now on, I’ll never owe anyone money again. Happy?”

“Do you think I’m Xu Yun? How can you guarantee you’ll win next time?” Xu Qing reappeared from the house carrying her schoolbag. She pulled Xu Yun away, who was about to grab a fried dough stick.

“You two haven’t eaten yet.”

“I’ve lost my appetite for this kind of breakfast!” Xu Qing tugged Xu Yun out the door.

Seeing them leave, Du Man quickly grabbed two fried dough sticks and chased after them.

Xu Fei sat alone at the table, lost in thought.

Was what he was doing really wrong?

Du Man came back in, still holding one last fried dough stick.

“She didn’t take it?”

Du Man nodded.

“That’s just how Xu Qing is. Don’t be mad at her,” she said, glancing at Xu Fei—worried he’d lose his temper and fight with Xu Qing later. He used to hit her often, after all.

“I won’t hit her,” Xu Fei replied.

Du Man looked up at him, smiled, and said, “I know. I… I believe you.”

“You’re the only one who does now.” Xu Fei picked up the fried dough stick and took a big bite.

“Are you going to work today?” she asked.

Xu Fei nodded. “I’ve only been at my job three days; it wouldn’t look good to ask for leave.”

“But you didn’t sleep last night.”

“It’s fine. I’m strong—I can handle it.”

Du Man glanced at the clock on the wall. “It’s still early. Why don’t you go lie down for a while?”

Xu Fei nodded. He finished his breakfast quickly and went to lie down in the other room.

Not long after, someone entered from outside.

“Du Man, are you home?”

Du Man, cleaning up in the kitchen, came out to see it was Sister Wang from next door.

“Sister Wang, what brings you here?”

“Is Xu Fei home?”

“He is,” Du Man said, glancing toward the inner room. “He came home late last night and is still resting inside.”

“Oh, it’s nothing urgent. I just heard that Xu Fei works at the Donghai Sugar Factory now?”

“Yes,” Du Man nodded.

Sister Wang looked a little embarrassed. “You see, I have a relative in Taiyang County who’s a buyer at a candy factory. Their factory needs a big batch of sugar urgently, and they’ve searched all the nearby sugar factories, but no one has any stock. I wanted to ask if Xu Fei could help get some sugar from his factory?”

“Him?” Du Man hesitated. “Xu Fei’s just started working there, and he’s only in the workshop. I’m not sure if…”

“How much does your relative need, Sister Wang?” Xu Fei unexpectedly emerged from the room.

Du Man looked at him in surprise.

“One thousand jin. Xu Fei, he said he’d pay fifty cents above the factory price for every jin.”

Xu Fei did the math. A thousand jin, fifty cents extra per jin—that’s five hundred yuan. If he could really pull this off, he could pay back what he owed.

Du Man tugged at Xu Fei’s sleeve, a little anxious. “Can you really get a thousand jin of sugar?”

Although she was worried, she also understood what it would mean if he succeeded.

“Sister Wang, I’ll have to discuss this with the factory management.”

“Yes, of course, Xu Fei. I’ll be waiting for your news,” Sister Wang said.

“Alright.”

After chatting a bit longer with Du Man, Sister Wang took her leave.

“Can you really do it?” Du Man asked.

“I’ll give it a try.” Xu Fei went to get his jacket and headed out.

In truth, he had no clue how to proceed. The only person at the sugar factory who might listen to him was Zhou Lina.

Stepping out of the alleyway, Xu Fei checked the time and went straight to stand at the entrance of Zhou Lina’s alley.

Before long, Zhou Lina came out of her house, wheeling her bicycle. Just as she was about to get on, she saw Xu Fei waiting at the mouth of the alley. Xu Fei waved at her.

“What are you doing here?”

“I’m waiting for you.”

Zhou Lina was taken aback.

“What’s up?”

“Nothing much. I just wanted to thank you. Are you free tonight?”

“Thank me?” Zhou Lina smiled. “Why be so formal with me?”

“I should. I’ll treat you to dinner tonight at Old Li’s place at the corner.”

“No need.”

“You have plans?” he asked.

“Yes, Sun Xing invited me to the movies.”