Chapter 277: A Life of Toil
The last time Zeke Walton had come to see her was the day after he got back from Sudland.
At that time, "Indeed Love You" hadn’t officially launched yet. Zeke was still wearing the clothes he had bought with Amina. He had decided to use his family’s resources to contact the "Fruit King" for a business deal. Worried he’d be too busy to look after Amina, he had come over and left her 10,000 yuan.
Amina thought that for him to disappear for a few days and come back with so much money, he must have gotten his hands dirty. She refused to take it, no matter what he said.
Zeke had to assure her a thousand times that the money was clean and that her studies were more important. Only then did Amina finally accept it.
To Zeke Walton’s face, looking at his handsome and righteous-looking features, Amina believed in his character.
But he had disappeared for so long again, and now he was back, dressed so stylishly. Amina couldn’t help but feel suspicious once more.
Zeke was at a loss.
’The great young master of the Walton Family, being treated like a thief by her time and time again. Do I really look that much like a thief?’
But he couldn’t blame Amina.
Her worldview was limited; she didn’t know there were many ways for a person to get rich quick. In fact, Zeke found it rather amusing to be misunderstood by her.
"I got my hands dirty? Didn’t you still use the ’stolen’ money? And I brought you more money today."
He had brought 20,000 yuan in cash, which he had already tucked under Amina’s pillow. As he spoke, he lifted it to show her.
"20,000 yuan. A New Year’s red envelope for you. Happy?"
Amina’s eyes went wide. She picked up the money and stared at it, practically scared to death.
"You... you... you... This... this... this... I... Zeke, you can’t live like this! You’re still young, you’re able-bodied, how could you..."
"I know I shouldn’t be saying this during the New Year, but you need to put the money back before someone calls the police! If the cops get involved, the rest of your life will be ruined! Other people’s money doesn’t just grow on trees, how could you have the nerve to just take it? You really..."
Seeing how frantic she was, on the verge of drawing a clear line between them, Zeke had no choice but to tell her the truth.
"Who’s a thief? If you keep looking down on me like this, you and I are going to have a problem."
"Didn’t I tell you? I found a good project and went off to start a business. The business is a success, so now I’m back. I can make a lot of money in a single day now."
"Didn’t I tell you to stop working and just stay home and study? How do you have any time, making deliveries this late every day? Starting tomorrow, stop. Take this money and use it. If you run out, just tell me."
So that’s how it was. Amina finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"As long as you’re earning money honestly, that’s all that matters. I don’t care how much you make a day, I still have to work. I’ve already adjusted my schedule. I memorize my notes on the road while I work during the day, and then I review them when I get back at night. It doesn’t set me back much. Okay, if you’re not hungry, you should get back to sleep. I still have to study for a bit."
As she spoke, Amina opened a textbook without even taking the time to change out of her delivery uniform.
Zeke was genuinely afraid she would work herself to death. He walked over and pressed his hand down on her book.
"Don’t take your health for granted just because you’re young. If you keep this up, you’re going to drop dead from exhaustion. Enough talk. I said I’ll support you, and I will. Starting tomorrow, no more deliveries."
Amina didn’t dare to trust Zeke Walton anymore.
The last time she believed him, he’d said he would make the deliveries while she stayed home to do laundry, cook, and study. But he quit after less than two days.
Even though he came back with money afterward, his sudden departure had almost cost Amina her job, and it left her feeling very insecure.
That incident had taught her a lesson: you can’t rely on others. Unexpected things can happen at any time. In the end, you can only rely on yourself.
"I have hands and feet; I don’t need you to support me. Please, Zeke. Stop talking to me for a bit. Let me finish today’s reading, or I won’t be able to get up tomorrow."
’So what if you can’t get up?’
’It’s the New Year. Who pushes themselves this hard?’
Even if Zeke didn’t have the money—hell, even if he was broke—he couldn’t bear to see his friend suffer like this.
"No. Not unless you promise me you won’t go tomorrow. Otherwise, I won’t let you sleep tonight, no matter what."
Amina knew Zeke Walton was a good person; at the very least, he meant her no harm. Looking at his large, beautifully long-fingered hand resting on her book, a sense of happiness welled up inside her.
’Besides my grandmother, there’s someone else in this world who cares about me.’
Just then, it struck midnight, and a new, louder round of fireworks erupted outside.
’Maybe taking a day off is okay,’ she thought. ’I’ve never seen such beautiful fireworks before. I’ll just consider tonight a holiday.’
"Okay, okay, I promise. No more studying. Let’s watch the fireworks."
With that, Amina took out her phone, moved the table aside, and pressed herself against the window with all her might to look outside.
The apartment wasn’t on a high floor—only the fourth—and was blocked by taller buildings. Just as it only ever got slivers of residual sunlight between the buildings, she could only see remnants of the fireworks.
Before, because he was poor and had no choice, Zeke had made do with this place. But now he had money. Seeing Amina still living so miserably, he suddenly felt a pang in his heart.
He walked over and stood beside Amina, looking out with her.
"After the New Year, I’ll get you a new place."
Amina didn’t hear him.
It was truly the first time in her life she had seen so many fireworks, going on for so long, with such complex designs. She was thrilled and, for once, took out her phone to take pictures of the display outside.
She had bought her phone at a second-hand shop in town so she could contact her uncle when she left home to work.
Although it only cost a little over 200 yuan, it had been a quarter of her total assets at the time. The expense had pained her greatly, and she had always used the phone with extreme care.
Zeke watched the fireworks through her camera, which had barely any pixels to speak of, then looked at the simple, happy smile on her face. He fell silent.
’Forget it,’ he thought. ’I won’t tell her. I’ll just get the apartment ready and have her move in.’
The two of them went to bed a little late that night.
The scene stirred Amina’s emotions, reminding her of past New Year’s celebrations at home. She told Zeke many stories about her childhood.
Although it was a life of poverty, hardship, and busyness—or more accurately, a life of toil—he could hear in her voice that she had been content and was full of nostalgia.
Zeke suddenly found himself filled with curiosity about her hometown, and about the great grandmother who lived there.
In the latter half of the night, Zeke finally fell asleep, not waking until the sun was bright in the sky.
He habitually rolled over, about to drape his leg over Amina’s, only to find her side of the bed empty.
That girl Amina had tricked him! She had gotten up and snuck out at some point!
Zeke opened his eyes and saw that her delivery gear was gone. She had gone off to make deliveries again!
’It’s impossible to get through to her. She was born to toil away.’
’Opportunity is handed to her on a silver platter, and she doesn’t know how to grab it and climb up. All she knows is mindless hard work. Incredibly foolish!’
The food and money he had brought her last night—a person as frugal as her had just left it all on the table, untouched!
Zeke suddenly felt extremely irritated. He couldn’t be bothered with her anymore.
’If she wants to work herself to death, then let her! Hmph!’