After arranging for Qin Feng, Qin Jian returned to the dormitory at the research institute.
Once back in his own room, Qin Jian opened his drawer and took out an envelope.
Inside the envelope was his living allowance, which he saw was less than twenty yuan upon opening it.
His salary was a little over two hundred yuan a month, of which he sent two-thirds back home. The remaining third he kept for living expenses.
Qin Jian did some quick calculations in his head, locked the drawer, and left his dormitory.
He walked alone from his dormitory to Tian Niu’s, and as he approached the door, he heard a cacophony of shouting inside, with Tian Niu’s voice especially loud, "What you guys are describing doesn’t match my sister-in-law at all. I’ve seen sister-in-law, she’s a real beauty, you should see our Qin with her, the way he looks at her, so gentle... If the way he looks at us is like an iceberg, then the way he looks at sister-in-law is like spring water. Let me show you how it’s done..."
Tian Niu simmered with emotion and then imitated Qin Jian’s gaze at one of his colleagues.
The dormitory burst into laughter, but as they laughed, suddenly everyone fell silent, with colleagues signaling Tian Niu with their eyes.
"What’s wrong with you all? Winking and making faces," Tian Niu said, turning his head back only to be startled by Qin Jian’s icy face suddenly appearing before him, "Qin, when did you get here? Why didn’t you make a sound?"
Qin Jian glanced at him sidelong and said offhandedly, "If I had made any noise, I wouldn’t have been treated to such an amusing sight."
Tian Niu chuckled, and the few junior colleagues quickly got up, offering their seats to Qin Jian.
"No need to sit down, I came to talk to Tian Niu about something," Qin Jian said, prompting the others to get up to leave, "You lot don’t have to go. Stay, I might need your help."
"What do you need help with, Qin? Anything we can do?" Tian Niu took a cigarette out of his pocket to offer Qin Jian, but it was declined.
"I need to borrow some money," Qin Jian stated directly.
"Sure, how much?" Tian Niu hadn’t had the chance to send this month’s salary home yet.
Qin Jian pondered and calculated carefully in his mind.
The other few interns, thinking Qin might be uncomfortable asking, quickly voiced their willingness to help, "Qin, just say the word, we haven’t touched this month’s salary. It should be enough for you."
"Two hundred," Qin Jian thought that amount would be feasible.
"Alright, since there are four of us, each can chip in fifty," Tian Niu suggested.
"Okay," the interns all nodded in agreement, "We’ll go and get it for you right now."
Soon enough, they had gathered two hundred yuan.
Qin Jian pulled out some paper and a pen from his pocket, intending to write IOUs on the spot.
"There’s no need for that, Qin! We all work in the same institute. How could we be afraid you wouldn’t pay us back? Besides, you’ve taught us so much academically, technically you are our mentor!" Tian Niu hurriedly objected.
"Different things must be kept separate," Qin Jian insisted on writing IOUs, but Tian Niu grabbed and tore them up, "Are you not considering us brothers? If we’re brothers, we don’t need IOUs!"
The others also objected strongly, and only then did Qin Jian relent, "I’ll remember this and pay you all back within a month. Thank you, my brothers!"
"You’re being too polite, Qin." Everyone laughed awkwardly.
Tian Niu sidled up to Qin Jian with a grin and whispered, "Then, Qin, go easy on us next time you’re instructing, okay? Don’t be too strict, let some things slide."
Qin Jian raised an eyebrow at him, his thin lips parted slightly as he uttered two words, "Dream on!"
Can’t he show a little consideration? Whether it’s manual labor or design work, he’s always the one who pushes hardest.