Unable to Afford

“Why?”

Wang shrieked at the top of her lungs. “What does my divorce have to do with buying these trinkets?”

“It has everything to do with it!” the shopkeeper said. “If Madam Wang were still the wife of Commissioner Xie, then even if you couldn’t pay me back, the Commissioner draws a handsome salary every month, so the money would always be there in the end.”

“It might be a little late, that’s all.”

“No trouble at all.”

“But now that you’re divorced… as far as I know, Madam Wang, you’ve been idle at home for years with no decent income to speak of. If you take these trinkets now and can’t pay me back later, who am I supposed to chase?”

These words struck Wang right in the heart, and she suddenly realized the truth.

She had messed up.

She had been so busy celebrating her divorce that she had completely forgotten this little detail.

Indeed—divorced from Xie Liu, who would give her money now?

But though her mind raced, her face refused to show defeat. She snapped back, “You dog looking down on people! Without Xie Liu, there’s still Wang Liu, Li Liu, Zhang Liu…”

“I’m mature and charming now, I own a house, and I’m in the prime of my life. There are countless men fighting to marry me. Just you wait… Hmph, don’t ever expect me to step foot in this shabby shop of yours again!”

The shopkeeper’s eyes flickered with contempt, but his face was full of smiles. “When that day comes, I certainly won’t presume to have your patronage.”

“Madam Wang, please see yourself out.”

“The shop still has business to attend to; I won’t keep you.”

Wang turned and walked away.

When she reached the doorway, a fire of rage burning in her chest, she couldn’t help it—she spat loudly, the glob landing right on the shop’s clean, polished floor.

Only then did she feel a little better.

She tossed her head high and strode off with an air of superiority.

But the shopkeeper’s face darkened.

…

Wang strode down the street and decided at once to visit her bosom friend. She had to get her to introduce her to a young, handsome, talented, and wealthy domineering prince.

Then she’d come back and really make that despicable shopkeeper eat his words.

She was lost in this pleasant fantasy when suddenly someone jumped out from the side, grabbed her arm, and said, “Madam Wang, long time no see.”

“Are you going to pay up now?”

“Or do you want me to take that courtyard house of yours?”

Wang recognized him: a man from the Luofeng Slope money-lending shop. Last year, she had mortgaged her house to buy some jewelry. At the time, those moneylenders had been all sweet talk, and the interest wasn’t much.

They had never bothered her before.

She had simply paid them the agreed amount each month.

So why… was he coming to collect now?

“It’s not even due yet, is it? When it’s due, I’ll pay you what I owe for that month, as usual.”

“No.” The moneylender refused flatly. “Times have changed. Today, either you pay off the whole debt, or you hand over the house as collateral.”

His voice was low and cold, like a knife pressed to her throat. It made Wang extremely uncomfortable.

Before she knew it, she blurted out, “Why?”

“It was fine before, wasn’t it?”

“Didn’t I just say?” the moneylender said, growing impatient. “Times have changed. Before, no matter what, Commissioner Xie brought home a steady, generous salary every month, so you could pay it off slowly.”

“But now you’re divorced from the Commissioner, and you have no income. How are you going to pay me next month?”

“Even if you scrimp and borrow enough for next month, what about the month after that?”

“Our shop can’t allow that kind of risk.”

“So…”

“It’s either the money, or the house. You…”

“Pick one.”

The moneylender’s eyes were sharp as blades.

Wang’s face turned deathly pale.

That courtyard house—she had struggled so hard to get it. There was no way she would let it go so easily.

She was about to argue when another man rushed over from the other direction. She recognized him at once: a local gentleman from Luofeng Slope, none other than the man who had sold her that house.

This gentleman had built a batch of houses and sold them on an installment plan with deferred payments. At the time, Wang had been so taken with one that she ordered Xie Liu to secure it, even though the family had no money.

He had managed to get it.

After that, Xie Liu had made the monthly payments.

Everything had been fine.

So why was this man now rushing over in such a hurry, too?

“No way,” Wang groaned inwardly, a bad feeling churning in her gut.

And her premonition came true.

“Madam Wang, since you can no longer afford the annual installments and interest on that house, per the contract, I have the right to reclaim the property and keep the deposit you’ve paid.”

“Madam Wang, now…”

“Let me take the house back!”

Wang felt like she was about to explode. How could everyone suddenly be after her home?

But that wasn’t the last of them.

Still more came flooding in from all directions, racing toward her as if terrified they would be too late and all the money would be snatched up by others, leaving nothing for themselves.

“Madam Wang, you still owe thirty coppers for the clothes from the tailor shop. If it’s convenient, could you settle it now?”

“Madam Wang, last time you and your friend went on an outing, you treated her, and it came to a hundred and twenty coppers, but you didn’t have cash with you. Please, do me a favor and pay up.”

“Madam Wang…”

Each word hit Wang’s ears like buzzing flies. They grew and swelled into a thunderclap, booming in her head. Beads of sweat poured down her face. She understood now—these people had been tipped off by the jewelry shopkeeper.

Because she had spat on his floor before she left, he had spread the news far and wide.

These creditors surrounding her had all decided that since she was divorced from Xie Liu, she could no longer pay her debts. So they had all come clamoring, determined not to leave empty-handed.

But…

She really couldn’t pay.

The panic on Wang’s face was obvious.

The creditors saw it clearly, and it only made them more anxious.

With so many debtors crowded together, what if someone grabbed more than their share and left them with nothing?

They grew even more frantic, their voices sharper and harsher.

“Come on, woman, just pay up, damn it!”

“I have to take that house, or I’ll lose everything.”

“No, the house is mine—she owes me money.”

“Like you’re the only one? Sell her house and pay off all the debts!”

“That’s right, sell her house!”

“Will the Commissioner mind?”

“A debt is a debt—fair and square. What’s the Commissioner got to say about it?”

“Then what are we waiting for? Let’s go and sell that house! Damn it, if we’re late, the money’s gone for good!”

In moments, they had hatched a plan. Like a swarm, they rushed toward the courtyard house, running as if the first to arrive could pocket the whole sale price.

Wang watched them go. Her legs gave way, and she collapsed to the ground.

Then she let out a heart-wrenching wail.

“My house!”