When Xue Ying declared herself Lin Chen's girlfriend, Lin Chen was stunned, his mother was bewildered, and Wu Ma, who had just been blustering, was dumbfounded.
With her tall figure and sweet, attractive looks, Xue Ying stood out not just in their village or neighboring ones but even when compared to movie stars.
Never in her wildest dreams did the matchmaker Wu imagine that this girl, who looked like a movie star, would actually be Lin Chen's girlfriend.
Right now, her mouth hung wide open; just moments ago, she'd been gossiping about how Lin Chen couldn't find a wife, and yet, in the blink of an eye, he brought back a girlfriend who could be a movie star.
Grateful, Lin Chen glanced at Xue Ying and said to Wu Ma, "Wu Ma, you don't need to worry about my marriage anymore. Also, tell the Yu family that I will repay the money soon."
Wu Ma snorted coldly, "The Yu family said the money must be paid back today. Don't think that bringing back some wild woman makes you someone impressive."
Hearing Wu Ma's words, Lin Chen's face immediately darkened; 'wild woman' in his hometown referred to those lost girls often mentioned on TV.
Seeing Lin Chen's grim expression, Wu Ma thought she had guessed correctly and said spitefully, "Sister-in-law, you really need to keep an eye on your little Chen. He doesn't study properly in the city and brings back a 'wild woman'. He's not just losing face for the Lin family but for our entire village."
Lin Chen's mother also showed a slight change in her expression after hearing Wu Ma's words.
"What nonsense are you spouting? Xue Ying is a good girl." Lin Chen finally erupted with anger; it didn't matter what Wu Ma said about him, but Xue Ying was a guest.
"A good girl? How could such a beautiful woman, with status, take a liking to you? What does she see in you?" Wu Ma scoffed.
"I'm not after anything. I just like him, does that bother you? You just mentioned repaying the loan right? Fine, just wait a minute, and I'll repay it now," Xue Ying said.
With a slight smile, Xue Ying took out her phone and dialed a number: "Xiao Zhang, bring ten thousand in cash and also prepare a bank card with one million to Taoyuan Village."
When Wu Ma heard Xue Ying casually mention one million, she nearly collapsed on the spot and suddenly regretted offending this girl.
Lin Chen furrowed his brows, about to refuse, but Xue Ying gave him a wink.
In less than an hour, a Mercedes-Benz stopped at their doorstep.
A woman in professional attire walked in, holding a paper bag. She respectfully said to Xue Ying, "President Xue, here is ten thousand in cash, and this card contains one million."
Xue Ying nodded, tossed the paper bag with the cash to Wu Ma, and said, "Here's ten thousand for you. Give it back to that Mr. Yu. His idiot daughter isn't worth a dime; not even a hundred million would be a worthy price for little Chen."
Then, taking the bank card, she approached Lin Chen's mother, "Auntie, I didn't buy you anything for our first meeting. Please accept this one million as a meeting gift; you must take it."
"What! A one million meeting gift." Wu Ma, standing by the side, was instantly flabbergasted.
Everyone knew that in Taoyuan Village, an annual income was only about ten thousand, and one million was unimaginable.
"My dear, this gift is too generous; I can't accept it," Lin Chen's mother said as she looked at the bank card but did not dare to take it.
"Auntie, this is my sincere gesture; please accept it," Xue Ying insisted, pushing the bank card into Lin Chen's mother's hand without further discussion.
Wu Ma, holding the ten thousand in her hand, looked on enviously and quickly said with a smile, "Sister-in-law, you're truly blessed to have such a good daughter-in-law. I always knew our little Chen had a look of prosperity about him."
"Weren't you just saying that Lin Chen couldn't find a wife?" Xue Ying teased.
"I-" Wu Ma's face flushed with embarrassment and she was at a loss for words.
"Mediating marriages is supposed to be a meritorious deed, but using it to make a dishonest profit is a bit too much. Little Chen is a cut above the rest. You can keep your coarse and common attempts at match-making to yourself from now on," Xue Ying said.
"Yes, yes!" Madam Wu, the matchmaker, nodded awkwardly, aware that staying here would only bring her further humiliation, so she took the money and hurried off.
No sooner had Madam Wu left than Lin Chen took the bank card and said, "Xue Ying, I can't accept this money."
"Lin Chen, you're my lifesaver. Isn't my life worth a million?" Xue Ying pouted, slightly displeased.
Lin Chen shook his head, "Saving you was the right thing to do, I didn't do it for money."
Xue Ying stamped her foot, "I've never seen anyone as silly as you, turning down money like that. You're such a fool."
Though she said this, Xue Ying was very pleased in her heart, reassured that she hadn't misjudged him.
Lin Chen smiled, "I will earn money myself, and I will pay you back that ten thousand as soon as I can."
"Forget it, I won't bother with you anymore. Keep the money with me for now, and ask for it whenever you want it. But that ten thousand will count as your consultation fee. If you're courteous with me again, I'll get angry," Xue Ying said.
Knowing that to refuse again would seem standoffish, Lin Chen could only nod and agree.
Only then did Xue Ying smile, "It's getting late, my brothers are still waiting for me at the village entrance, I must head back to the city now. Here's my business card, call me if you need anything."
Lin Chen took the business card, which bore Xue Ying's name and telephone number, as well as the words 'General Manager of DY Pharmaceuticals'.
Seeing the name 'DY Pharmaceuticals', Lin Chen was struck by a thought and asked, "Does your company buy medicinal herbs?"
Xue Ying was about to leave when Lin Chen's words caught her attention, making her eyes light up, "Yes! If you have any good medicinal herbs, give me a call."
"Alright," Lin Chen nodded.
As soon as Xue Ying left, Uncle Er hurried in. The moment he entered the door, he said to Lin Chen's mother with an envious look, "Your family is so lucky to have Lin Chen as a good son. He just made you a million."
As it turned out, news that Lin Chen's girlfriend had given his mother a million had quickly spread throughout the village after Madam Wu left.
"Lin Chen didn't take the money," Lin Chen's mother said with a smile.
"What? You didn't take it?" Upon hearing Lin Chen's mother's words, Uncle Er was so exasperated that he stomped his foot.
"This year's insect disaster is too severe, all the crops in our village have been destroyed, and I guess many families won't have enough to eat this year. If you don't take the money, what will you eat, and what about Old Lin's illness?" Uncle Er sighed, seeming very disappointed.
"Lin Chen did the right thing, one should not take what one has not earned, taking the money wouldn't have given us peace of mind," Lin Hai, Lin Chen's father, walked in at this moment.
"You and your family, always the same! So, what did the village officials say at the meeting?" Upon seeing Lin Hai, Uncle Er asked urgently.
Lin Hai sighed, "The village just finished meeting. They want everyone to cooperate in eradicating the pests and to burn the crops, then replant different plants."
Uncle Er's expression darkened when he heard Lin Hai's words.
Despite the government compensation, it was a drop in the bucket for families that needed to feed everyone.
With the replanting and necessary growing period, no matter how one looked at it, everyone's losses for the year were substantial.
Lin Chen knew that Uncle Er was counting on the harvest to send money to his cousin, who was attending university out of town, but if the crops were destroyed, what about his cousin's school fees?
If only he could help Uncle Er. Just then, the formula for a pesticide capable of killing the golden beetles flashed through Lin Chen's mind.