Chapter 38: Collecting Debts on the Wedding Day

At noon, the sun was shining brightly.

Lin Junsheng sat upright at the main table, gripping a glass of Zhanggong liquor. The clear liquid shimmered with an alluring luster under the sunlight. For him, today was a special day, a turning point that marked the beginning of a new destiny. He had changed the fate of his younger sister, Lin Junwan. She would no longer be married off to the family involved in the old custom of "swapping brides," nor would she meet a tragic end, dying from hemorrhaging while trying to bear a son.

An irrepressible joy and excitement radiated from Lin Junsheng's face. Every sip of the liquor felt like a sweet spring, nourishing his long-parched heart.

"They say wine can dissolve a thousand sorrows and add ten thousand joys. Today, I, Lin Junsheng, shall use this wine to celebrate a new chapter in my life!" he thought to himself.

He stood up and raised his glass high, prompting those around him to join in. Amidst the laughter and cheer, the fragrance of wine permeated the air, and the entire courtyard was filled with a festive atmosphere.

However, as glass after glass went down, his consciousness began to blur. He remembered clinking glasses with every relative and neighbor, remembered the smiles on their faces and their words of blessing, but the memories that followed were as if shrouded in thick fog, indistinct and hazy. Finally, he only remembered being helped into his room amidst the chorus of congratulations, and then... then he fell into a deep sleep.

People say one drinks when sad, and one drinks when happy. People are much like wine—bland without flavor, and intoxicating when drunk. Who isn't full of bitterness, a lone goose in the wilderness? Aren't you and I the same? Drunkenly lying in this mortal world, all is cause and effect.

As night quietly descended, Lin Junsheng slowly awoke in the darkness. The room was pitch black, with only the faint starlight from outside filtering through the gaps in the curtains, barely enough to distinguish his surroundings. He rubbed his still-dizzy head, trying to recall what had happened, but aside from that blurred memory, he could remember nothing.

Just as he was filled with confusion, a cacophony of noise erupted outside; it sounded as if people were arguing about something. Lin Junsheng’s heart tightened, and he hurriedly fumbled his way out of the room to see what was happening.

As soon as he stepped out, he saw the courtyard packed with relatives and villagers. They all wore expressions of anxiety and dissatisfaction. His mother, Li Aimei, stood in the center of the crowd, explaining something with a distressed face, but her words did not seem to satisfy them.

"How can you have so much money for return gifts but no money to pay us back? What kind of logic is that?" a gruff voice rang out from the crowd, filled with resentment and doubt.

Lin Junsheng looked toward the voice and saw Uncle Liu from the village, staring at Li Aimei with a face full of fury.

"I saw with my own eyes your son give 500 yuan as a return gift. How can it be that you have no money to repay us?" another person chimed in, their tone brimming with indignation.

Only then did Lin Junsheng realize that because he had given 500 yuan in return gifts to ensure Lin Junwan could hold her head high in the Li family, it had caused such a stir, leading everyone to believe he had money but was refusing to pay his debts.

Yet, this was indeed hard to justify. A large portion of the money used for those gifts had been provided by Lin Huijuan. How could his family have that much money? They couldn't even scrape together 100 yuan, let alone 300.

He took a deep breath, trying his best to sober up. He strode into the center of the crowd and announced in a loud voice, "Dear fellow villagers, uncles and elders, please quiet down and hear me out." Although his voice was still raspy, it carried strength. This was the trouble he had caused, and he had to bear it himself.

Seeing Lin Junsheng speak, the crowd fell silent, their gazes converging on him. He scanned the area and said sincerely, "First, I want to thank everyone for coming today to celebrate for my sister. I, Lin Junsheng, will keep this kindness in my heart. Regarding the return gifts, it was indeed my lack of consideration that caused this misunderstanding. Here, I offer my most sincere apologies."

With that, he bowed deeply. Seeing this, the tension and anger on their faces gradually softened, as if the taut strings of a spring instrument had finally relaxed. Some, however, still had a glint of suspicion in their eyes, as if his words were merely a light breeze unable to blow away the gloom in their hearts.

"Hmph, can these high-sounding words wipe away the debt you owe us?" a middle-aged man with a thick beard, hands on his hips, said with a tone of disdain and indignation. "When you borrowed the money, you patted your chest and promised to pay it back on time, saying things like, 'We are all fellow villagers, helping each other is only right.' Now that you have money, you want to deny it. We poor relatives are the ones who suffer!"

Beside him, a woman clutching a yellowed IOU added, "That's right, Junsheng. Your words sound nice, but we have so many places at home that need money. You keep dragging it out like this—how are we supposed to live?"

Lin Junsheng had planned everything well, intending to pool together over 2,000 yuan to settle these debts at once, so that the villagers and his aunt's family could have a peaceful New Year. But the time hadn't come yet! Alas! It was his own lack of foresight to have them coming to collect in June.

Lin Junsheng only had a lonely 200 yuan left in his pocket; where would he find the money to pay them back? He gave a bitter smile, pulled those few crumpled banknotes from his pocket, and helplessly spread them out before everyone. "Look, everyone, this is truly all my savings. I know it’s far from enough, but please believe me, I, Lin Junsheng, am not one to forget kindness. As long as I have breath in my body, I will pay back this debt!"

The crowd looked at each other, some shaking their heads and sighing. Just then, an elderly man spoke slowly: "Junsheng, we know you are an honest child, and there was a reason for this. How about this—everyone will give you a little more time, but you must give us a firm date. When can you pay it back?"

Hearing this, a flicker of determination flashed in Lin Junsheng's eyes. "Give me three months—no, two months! I will find a way to pool the money together and pay everyone back."

The old man nodded, signaling for the crowd to be quiet. "Very well, we will trust you one more time. But remember, reputation is more valuable than gold. Don't let us down."

Lin Junsheng bowed deeply, silently swearing to himself that he would hold onto this trust and never let it become a thorn in the hearts of his fellow villagers. He straightened up and continued, "Please believe that I, Lin Junsheng, am not the type of person who refuses to pay when he has money. I will pay back every cent I owe you!"

The crowd reacted with mixed expressions; some showed looks of approval, while others watched him with skepticism. After all, paying back debts is only right and proper, but no one could guarantee that Lin Junsheng would definitely be able to come up with the money.

An elder stepped forward and said earnestly, "Junsheng, we know you are a responsible person and are willing to believe you. However, you must realize this is not a small sum. You must think carefully about how you will pay it back."

Lin Junsheng nodded, looking at the elder with gratitude. "Thank you for your trust. I will certainly have the money by then!"

Li Aimei also spoke up immediately, "I still have some money left; I will go and take it out."