Chapter 21: Lesson Learned

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Her words infuriated Lin Xiujuan. From then on, the two of them were even more at loggerheads.

Now, Bao Meifang had actually fallen into the feces pit she dug. Lin Xiujuan could finally vent her anger.

She pinched her nose and stood far away as she laughed the loudest. “Hahaha, aiya, evil has its retribution. It’s just not the time for it yet! Bao Meifang, you reap what you sow!”

Many villagers around them covered their mouths and laughed.

One can’t blame the villagers for adding insult to injury. It was just because Bao Meifang had offended so many of them because of this feces pit.

When Bao Meifang dug the pit, it was purposely dug beside the roadside to maximize her space, but that made the already narrow road even narrower.

This was a busy road used by many villagers. It was fine if they walked, but if they were pushing their cart through, one of the wheels might accidentally fall into the pit.

The villagers often went to her house to raise their opinions on it, but this old woman was unreasonable.

Therefore, she could not blame others for rubbing salt into the wound. It was only because she had done too many evil things herself.

Bao Meifang and the others struggled in the feces pit for half an hour, but no one went to pull them up.

In the end, the village chief’s wife sent her eldest daughter-in-law to find the families of those old women to pull them out.

After soaking for so long in the pit, they felt that their entire bodies were marinated. They could be considered as walking ‘biochemical weapons’ and even their families did not dare to approach them.

They probably wouldn’t dare to go out on the streets for the time being.

Today’s ‘feces pit retribution’ would also become fodder for the villagers to laugh at.

—-

Wei Chiyu, who had witnessed the entire process, laughed. He knew how difficult it was to deal with this Bao Meifang. This time, she failed to gain an advantage over Zhou Xiaoli.

As for Zhou Xiaoli, she had only said a few words in a pitiful tone the entire time.

Suddenly, he thought of a game he had seen on the mountain a few days ago.

Two tigers were competing for territory then. One of them was incomparably ferocious and domineering while the other was clumsy as they fought.

At first glance, everyone felt that the clumsy tiger would definitely lose.

However, the end result was the opposite. After the powerful tiger got the lead, it began to reveal its flaws.

The ‘clumsy’ tiger suddenly turned on it and nimbly bit it at a vital point.

Could this be to play dumb to take advantage of someone?

In an instant, Wei Chiyu felt as if he had been enlightened.

—-

It was still very troublesome to slaughter the two wild boars. It was not until evening that they were finally done.

The village chief said that no one could take these two wild boars.

However, Zhou Xiaoli still divided the smaller wild boar into three portions and sent two portions to the village chief’s family and the Liu family respectively.

When she saw Zhou Xiaoli bring the pork over, Lin Xiujuan, who had a dark expression on her face, instantly beamed with joy.

Zhou Xiaoli shook her head helplessly as she looked at her. Then, she and Zhou Yu brought the pork to the village chief’s house.

At this moment, the village chief was sitting in the courtyard and smoking a pipe. When he saw Zhou Xiaoli coming over with the meat, he immediately stood up and said, “Child, why are you so honest? I already said that I don’t want it. Why did you send it over?”

When Liu Yan heard the voice, she also walked out of the house. “Aiyaya, child, why did you send it over again? You can keep and sell it.”

Even though the village chief’s family said that Zhou Xiaoli was a kind person for doing so and that she shouldn’t have, they were nonetheless very satisfied with her gift of meat.

Zhou Xiaoli smiled and said, “Uncle Village Chief, don’t reject and listen to me first. You have to keep the pork. Let’s not talk about how Brother Yonggui and Brother Yongfu carried the pigs down the mountain; they also helped me slaughter and process the meat. They did a lot of work.”

Then, she said in embarrassment, “Also, I have a request to make to Uncle Village Chief. I’m planning to build a house, but there’s no man in charge at home. I’m young and don’t know much about building houses.”

“I thought of Uncle Village Chief. You are highly regarded in the village, so you must know many good contractors. When the time comes, can you introduce them to me?”

The village chief knocked on his tobacco pipe and said with a straight face. “Look at you, child. As the village chief, how can I not help you when you come to me for help? Or do you not trust me as the village chief and think that I won’t help you properly if you don’t give me some gifts?”

Zhou Xiaoli hurriedly waved her hand. “No, no, I trust Uncle Village Chief the most. Uncle Village Chief is the most credible in our entire Boyu Village. However, my mother has taught me since I was young that I can’t think that it’s only right for others to help just because I’m weak.”

“Moreover, next month is the autumn harvest. Building a house is a big deal and it will cause trouble for Uncle Village Chief. Moreover, in the future, my family will still rely on the Village Chief’s help. This pork is a gift from my entire family. You have to accept it.”

Since Zhou Xiaoli had said so, the village chief naturally could not refuse any longer. He paused for a moment and said, “Alright, I’ll accept it first.”

As he spoke, he glanced at his wife.

Liu Yan smiled and took over the pork. “Look at this child. Auntie will accept it without hesitation.”

Then, she asked her eldest daughter-in-law to bring the pork back into the house and said, “Don’t stand on ceremony with us. If you need any help in the future, feel free to look for your uncle.”

Zhou Xiaoli thanked them politely.

Her aim of building a connection with the Village Chief has been achieved, so she bade farewell and left.

After Zhou Xiaoli left, the village chief could not help but nod and praise her. “The daughter of the eldest son of the Zhou family is cleverer than Old Zhou’s two sons.”

After getting the pork, the whole family was very happy.

Liu Yan smiled and said, “Of course. Old Zhou’s two sons always come empty-handed when they come to you for help. This young lady looks smart and speaks nicely.”

Zheng Heping could not help but nod. “Yes, she’s smart and can see things through.”

When he reprimanded Madam Bao and the others earlier, he said that Zhou Xiaoli was grateful to the heavens and wanted to treat the villagers to a meal.

Actually, that was not the case.

At that time, he was the one who suggested that she should treat the villagers to a meal. The reason was that he was afraid that the villagers would be jealous of Zhou Xiaoli’s luck and cause trouble for her family behind his back.

However, as soon as he mentioned it, he saw the young lady’s troubled expression. She immediately expressed that she did not agree with this method.

She said, “Uncle Village Chief, greed can never be satisfied. Not only would this not remove their sense of jealousy, but they will become even more greedy because they have gained from it.”

“Moreover, I was the one who found the wild boars. The ones who carried it down the mountain were Brother Yonggui, Brother Yongfu and Uncle Liu. What does this have to do with others? Why must I give it to them to eat and to be deemed as wrong for not giving it to them?”

At that time, he thought that the Zhou family’s daughter was unwilling to share it with the villagers. She was being selfish and greedy at such a young age.

Unexpectedly, what Bao Meifang and the others did next made him see how shameless they were.

Zhou Xiaoli seemed to be right.