Chapter 48: I don’t like a man like him

“You’re full of crap! Su Zhiqing just arrived today. Where would He Cao have met him?” Zhu Sanni finally reacted, realizing the implication of her words, and immediately retorted, glancing at the neighbors who were enjoying the drama.

“Yes, you know they just arrived. Then how can you say that I know Jiang Zhiqing?” He Wanqing laughed. As expected, when the stone hit her own foot, she knew the lie wouldn’t hold up.

“You went to school in the county. Who knows when you two got together?” Zhu Sanni’s eyes flickered, and she argued stubbornly.

“Really? It seems like your family is quite familiar with He Cao in this regard. I mean, if you weren’t familiar, how did they get together when they were so far apart? But I’m afraid to disappoint you. That educated youth Jiang is from the county below the city, not our county. And I was in school, unlike He Cao, who had more time to go out. So Zhu Sanni, you’re disappointed, aren’t you? By the way, I’ll give you another friendly reminder. That educated youth Jiang has already gone to the commune to find the people from the educated youth office about you and Xu Dahua spreading rumors. Do you think it will affect our brigade’s advanced title when those people arrive and see your family like this?”

Seeing Zhu Sanni’s face change drastically, knowing that splashing dirty water was useless, He Wanqing felt happy. She turned around and walked away with her two cousins, saying, “Xu Weijun, I have a big gift for you and He Cao. I hope you two like it when the time comes. Zhu Sanni, your family will be the most lively one in our brigade. I hope you don’t disappoint us.”

She walked up to He’s mother and Aunt He. “Mom, Aunt He, let’s go home. We’re all hungry.”

He Wanqing’s words left the onlookers and He’s mother speechless. They looked at the dung water all over the ground and didn’t feel hungry at all. They didn’t know how she could say that.

Those who had come to watch the show with bowls had the same thoughts. They looked at the ground, then at their bowls, finally sniffed, sighed, and turned around to go home.

The Xu family, who had no water left to wash with, heard this and didn’t dare to come forward, afraid of the dung scoops in their hands. It wasn’t until the five of them left the house that they all rushed out.

At that moment, the brigade leader, who had been called, saw this and immediately shouted, “Wait, you can’t go to the river. If you want to wash, you have to fetch water back to wash.”

The brigade leader’s words made the onlookers remember something and quickly followed behind them, running faster than Xu Weijun, stopping them. “You can’t go to the river. If you wash there, how will we use the river water?”

Although there were wells in the village, they were far away. Most of the people in this area fetched water from the river. If this family went to wash in the river, the river water wouldn’t be usable for a while. And even if they didn’t use it, people from other villages would still use it. They couldn’t be as immoral as the Xu family.

The Xu family, who were stopped, wanted to pretend they couldn’t hear and run towards the river. But they couldn’t. The brigade leader was still calling out behind them. If they dared to go, they would probably be criticized at the brigade office later.

Seeing the Xu family stop, the brigade leader walked up to them with a look of disgust and lectured Zhu Sanni. Finally, he gave Xu Weijun a brief scolding before turning around and leaving.

He walked a few steps and, not feeling at ease, asked the people nearby to keep an eye on the Xu family before going home. He didn’t have any intention of asking anyone to fetch water for the Xu family.

Seeing the neighbors staring at them like enemies, Zhu Sanni was immediately unhappy. She didn’t even care about the stench on her body and started rolling on the ground, threatening them that if they didn’t help them fetch water, they would go to the river to wash or go to someone’s house to wash.

Xu Weijun, who was called honorable by them, just frowned when he saw this, and didn’t stop his mother. Instead, he waited to reap the benefits.

Seeing this, the few big men who were left to watch, rolled their eyes and exchanged glances with their companions with disdain, then agreed to go home and fetch a bucket of water for them.

Zhu Sanni, having achieved her goal, got up from the ground, raised her head, and went home with a happy expression. After the first bucket of water arrived, she started washing up. It wasn’t until she and her son and husband had finished washing that she went to the river to fetch water herself.

Because of this incident, the Xu family’s reputation in the village dropped even further. Even Xu Weijun’s already limited good reputation in the village was gone.

He Wanqing, who had already returned home, didn’t know about the brigade leader’s arrangements. If she had known, she would have given him some advice. She wouldn’t have let those families each fetch a bucket of water for the Xu family, not only getting nothing in return but also not knowing what they would do with it.

After taking a bath, the three sisters sat on stools and listened to their scolding. Looking at Grandpa He, who was spitting everywhere, they wanted to remind him. But seeing Grandma He looking at them seriously, the three of them didn’t dare to speak. They listened obediently to Grandpa He’s lecture.

Just when they thought Grandpa He had finished and they could eat, Grandma He continued. It wasn’t until Big Brother He Jiadong finally said the words “dinner time” that they could eat.

The three of them, who had been lectured into a daze, encouraged each other under the table. When the words “dinner time” came out, the three of them, who were extremely hungry, devoured a bowl of porridge before starting to eat their cornbread in small bites.

The three sisters, who finished first, put down their bowls, hugged their two nephews, and left without any intention of staying.

After the three of them left with the two children, Grandpa He and the others shook their heads with smiles.

“Eldest son, how did your conversation with Jiang Zhiqing go?” Grandpa He asked his eldest son, thinking about what they had said before dinner.

“Dad, it went well. We can get married as long as Wanqing agrees.”

“What about his identity? Didn’t you say his identity was a problem? Won’t it affect Wanqing and your brother?” Grandma He asked, following his words.

“Yes, Big Brother, what is his identity?” He’s mother also asked with a worried expression. She knew that there were many people who came to the countryside to avoid trouble at home. She was afraid that Jiang Zhiqing was one of those people, and that he would end up hurting her daughter.

“Don’t worry, his identity is very good. It’s just that you can’t know it for now.” Seeing his worried mother and father, Big Brother He simply explained.

As soon as he said this, everyone in the He family, including He Baolian, understood immediately. Thinking about this, Grandma He and Grandpa He exchanged glances and patted their thighs, laughing. “Then we won’t ask. We’ll ask when we can know. Yu Niang, go back and talk to her properly. This marriage is good. Settle it early, so that Xu Dahua and the others don’t cause any more trouble.”

Shen Yu Niang, who had understood after thinking about it, nodded. “Mom, I know. I’ll talk to Wanqing when I go back.”

“Okay.” A few words, and the matter was settled.

He Wanqing, who was still playing with her nephews in the courtyard, didn’t know this. Her mind had already flown off somewhere.

Thinking about what Gu Cheng’an had said in the afternoon, she put the child in her arms into He Wanlin’s arms and hurried home.