Borrowing money is a thing that throws your pride out of the clouds and tramples your dignity into the muddy ground.

Qiao Jianjun came out of the house early in the morning, but he didn't know where to go, and his eyes were confused. Going to the rich man's brother-in-law to borrow money is the fastest solution, but he really doesn't want to look at the sister-in-law's eyes hanging on his forehead.

His old comrades-in-arms in Hong Kong City fought with him when he was a teenager, and later followed him to sweat in the workshops of state-owned enterprises, but in the end they did not escape the vigorous wave of layoffs at the end of the 90s. At least he had established himself in the port city with his ability to cook, but his comrades-in-arms had to roll up their bunks and wander around doing odd jobs, or set up a small stall on the side of the road, and live in fear. Although they also donated generously when the Qiao family was in difficulty, most of the time, it was Qiao Jianjun who secretly funded them.

They are all little people who are crawling at the bottom of the city, who is better than whom? If you want to borrow money from them, Qiao Jianjun can't open his mouth.

He was sitting at a bus stop, and the bus was coming and going, and the people around him were coming and going, but he didn't know where to go. Squinting at the tall buildings rising from the ground, he said to himself, "When did the port city become so big?"

He sat there for a long time, and felt that he could not afford to waste any more time, so he thought of a place to go, jumped on a bus, and sped away to the edge of the city.

Since the beginning of the 21st century, the port city has grown at an astonishing rate, and the city is like a giant octopus, extending its tentacles into the surrounding countryside, and new real estate is being developed everywhere. The place where Qiao Jianjun came is an urban-rural junction in the south of the port city, where there are many migrant workers, and the "Chengnan Farmers' Market" is located here.

This is the largest farmers' market in Hong Kong City, and Qiao Jianjun occasionally comes over to buy ingredients. Many of the stall owners come from the surrounding countryside, and they farm a lot of land, and may also run greenhouses and orchards. If a vegetable seller goes to the countryside to collect vegetables, the price they offer is only eight cents, but if they come directly to the city to sell it, they may be able to sell it for two or three yuan a catty. Therefore, many people drive small trucks directly to the port city to sell vegetables, and they earn a lot of income at the end of the day.

Qiao Kun is Qiao Jianjun's cousin, about thirty years old, and he is a young man with a fair face. He sold pork at the farmer's market for several years and now buys a 120-square-meter house nearby. He was so busy that Qiao Jianjun walked up to him, and he saw it clearly.

"Second uncle, why are you here?"

Qiao Kun greeted him, and there were no guests now, so he invited Qiao Jianjun to the back of the stall, and the two sat on the pony. Qiao Kun's daughter-in-law was busy cutting meat and didn't have time to greet them.

Qiao Jianjun hesitated for a long time, but decided to say a few words of greetings first: "Business is very good?"

Qiao Kunle said happily: "Okay, although it is a little tired, it is much better than farming in the village." If it weren't for the second uncle who helped me get this stall, I would still be selling meat at the market!"

"That's good. Qiao Jianjun rubbed his hands, thinking about how to speak.

Qiao Kun still said happily: "By the way, I took Huanhuan over, and when it comes to September, I will let her go to elementary school in the city." ”

Qiao Jianjun was happy for his nephew: "That's fine, you are down-to-earth and willing to work, and you will slowly gain a firm foothold in the city." ”

Qiao Kun smiled from ear to ear: "Hehe, it's all the blessing of the second uncle! If it weren't for your constant help, where would I be today? ”

"What kind of aura is not aura, the children of our old Qiao family are all smart!"

Qiao Kun saw the second uncle's eyes flickering, so he asked, "Second uncle, is there something wrong with you?" ”

Hearing this, Qiao Jianjun was overjoyed, thinking that he didn't hurt this nephew in vain after all. Unexpectedly, as soon as he finished saying "don't hide it", Qiao Kun's wife shouted: "You still haven't come to help, do you want to exhaust me?"

Qiao Kun's wife is short and fat, her face is full of horizontal meat, and she wears a big gold bracelet on her wrist. The woman's intuition told her that it would definitely be nothing good for this second uncle to come over suddenly, either to ask his family to pay for it, or to let them contribute. Seeing that her husband didn't move, she yelled again: "Heh, you really picked up the boss's shelf, it's comfortable to sit!"

Qiao Kun scolded: "Didn't you see the second uncle coming, what's wrong with me sitting with him for a while?"

Qiao Kun's daughter-in-law said sourly while chopping meat: "Second uncle hasn't been here for a long time, and he really knows how to pick a time, but he chooses the busiest one." ”

No matter how Qiao Kun scolded his wife, he couldn't hide Qiao Jianjun's embarrassment. But just like that, what should I do with the deposit that Qiao Lu urgently needs?

Thinking of this, he had no choice but to continue to laugh with him: "Niece and daughter-in-law, I'm really sorry, I'll discuss something with Da Kun, and I'll leave when I'm done." ”

Qiao Kun's daughter-in-law rolled her eyes and said, "Second uncle, what do you want Qiao Kun to say? His soft persimmon can't let out a fart for a long time, and he can't stand up to anything at all, just tell me something." ”

If his wife dared to talk to him like this, Qiao Jianjun would have been angry a long time ago. Maybe Qiao Kun is really a person who has no prospects, he was ridiculed by his wife like this, so he lowered his head, he didn't dare to come out, he just played with his fingers.

Qiao Kun's daughter-in-law's eyes widened, and she looked quite proud, as if to say, "Heh, if you want to borrow money, you have to pass the old lady's level first!"

Qiao Jianjun's anger was aroused all of a sudden, he ignored Qiao Kun's daughter-in-law, and asked Qiao Kun bluntly: "Da Kun, I helped you get this stall through a relationship, do you admit this?"

Qiao Kun nodded, but Qiao Kun's daughter-in-law rolled her eyes and muttered in a low voice: "Even the rent is cheaper, so we have to pay so much money every year, and I am embarrassed to say that I got it for us." ”

Qiao Kun timidly replied: "This place is so expensive, it's good that the second uncle can help us get one, don't be ignorant." ”

Qiao Kun's daughter-in-law opened her eyes angrily, and suddenly picked up the kitchen knife, and Qiao Kun hurriedly dodged back.

Qiao Jianjun sighed and continued: "Da Kun, I won't go around in circles with you, your eldest sister wants to study abroad, but she has to pay a deposit of 70,000 yuan first." This money is frozen for at least five years, but I won't let you wait that long, and I will definitely pay you back within three years. The old Qiao family has always been a talker, and I will never break my word. You can also give me a good word, how much can you lend me?"

"I..."

As soon as Qiao Kun spoke, his daughter-in-law cried bitterly: "I said second uncle, we are both rural babies, we just bought a house in the city, and we haven't repaid our debts, how can we have spare money?"

Since she said it so deadly, Qiao Jianjun didn't have any thoughts, and he could escape from here as soon as possible and get rid of this nightmare. He got up to say goodbye, Qiao Kun's daughter-in-law took out a few large bills from the pocket of her apron, and sighed again and again: "You are an elder, you are here with your eyes, you can't leave empty-handed! ”

Qiao Jianjun was about to be unable to suppress his power, if there was a man standing opposite, he would have slapped him down a long time ago. He endured and endured, and squeezed out a few words from his throat: "You take it, my Qiao family is not short of these money." ”

Qiao Kun shouted "Second Uncle" several times, but Qiao Jianjun still left without looking back. Qiao Kun's daughter-in-law put the greasy money back in her pocket, rolled her eyes and said: "Oh, don't be in vain, my mother is still reluctant to give it to you! For the three debt collectors to go to school, who knows when you will be able to pay it off?

Of course, he didn't dare to say these words in front of Qiao Jianjun, Qiao Kun's daughter-in-law muttered a few words, and then she was busy with business again. And Qiao Kun was afraid of the kitchen knife in his daughter-in-law's hand, so he didn't dare to catch up, so he could only stay in the store and work in the store.

Qiao Jianjun walked in the huge vegetable market, surrounded by people, shouting and selling one after another, so lively. But he turned a deaf ear, he was like a lone wanderer, shuttling through this strange continent, and no one could see or perceive his sadness and despair. All his emotions turned into an old and old back, and in this noise, he always walked alone.

If he is young and vigorous, he can point fingers at the heavens and the earth, and even fight with those who insult him, and if he is old and weak, he can rely on the old and sell the old, and sit on the ground and play tricks. But he is still a middle-aged man, a middle-aged man who has struggled in poverty for a long time, but still retains some decency. He has three children who have not yet stood on their own, and he cannot afford to fall, let alone lose that dignity.

Maybe it's really old, and his waist is a little bent when he walks. At the exit of the vegetable market, he unconsciously raised his arm, as if wiping a handful of tears. And Qiao Lu, who was standing not far behind him, had already swollen eyes like walnuts.