Chapter 51: Speculation

After Jing Xi spoke, a fleeting look of guilt flashed across Zhou Wenwu’s face, but he quickly masked it.

However, Jing Xi caught it completely.

He had already spoken.

Zhou Wenwu said, “That’s right, my family has twenty acres of land. So what?”

Jing Xi remained calm, her tone steady. “Nothing much, just curious about how a family like yours managed to acquire twenty acres of land. Just a bit curious, that’s all. The world really is unfair.”

Zhou Wenwu and Li Fenghua exchanged glances. Just as they were about to speak, Zhou Shu cut in first.

“What does it matter to you how much land my family has? What does it have to do with you? Zhang Jianjun’s family has thirty acres. Why don’t you go ask them why they have so much land? You don’t have any land yourself, so now you’re just jealous of those who do!”

Jing Xi chuckled. “I don’t have any land right now, but that doesn’t mean I never had any before or that I won’t have any in the future.”

Zhou Shu snapped, “Enough of that. Stop trying to change the subject. Didn’t you hear what my dad just said? If you don’t give up this position, we won’t farm anymore. Let’s see what you all do if you can’t meet the required quota!”

Jing Xi rolled her eyes internally. Did this Zhou Wenwu family really think they were that important?

Had they forgotten that day when Zhou Wenwu threw a tantrum at the village office and stormed off? The Long family didn’t even spare him a glance.

Even if his family didn’t farm, it wouldn’t affect the Long family at all.

This year, plenty of other households in the village were farming, and they didn’t need the Zhou family’s contribution.

And even if, in the end, there was a shortfall, if the Zhou family refused to farm, Xie Aiguo would simply find other villagers to take their place.

Jing Xi said, “Whether you farm or not is your own business. It has nothing to do with me. I’m only responsible for holding the deposit. If you have issues with farming, talk to the village chief or the Long family. Why are you telling me? If you don’t like the fact that I’m handling the money, go complain to the Long family instead of picking on me like I’m some easy target. You’re just a bunch of bullies who only dare to pick on the weak!”

“Who are you calling a bully?”

“Yeah! Say that again if you have the guts!”

Zhou Shu and Li Fenghua both pointed at Jing Xi, their faces full of anger.

Jing Xi turned to leave, not wanting to waste her breath on them. But then she suddenly remembered the medical expenses issue.

“Li Fenghua, let me make this clear—I, Jing Xi, only admit to tearing your pants. I don’t acknowledge anything else. Your pants were already patched up all over. At most, I’ll compensate you three yuan. Take it or leave it!”

Jing Xi took three yuan from her pocket and handed it to Li Fenghua.

Li Fenghua squinted her small eyes. “Three yuan? Who are you trying to brush off? And what about what you said earlier about me getting a medical checkup? Does that still count? I’m going to the hospital right now. If they find anything wrong, just wait—you won’t get away with this!”

Jing Xi was already losing her patience. She still needed to help at the Liu family’s house with cooking.

“I’ll say it again—I’ll only compensate you three yuan for the pants. If you want to go to the hospital, go ahead. Get checked first, bring back the doctor’s diagnosis and receipts. If they prove that I actually injured you, then I’ll pay!”

A doctor’s report proving she had injured her?

But Li Fenghua didn’t even have a scratch on her!

Realizing that she wouldn’t get anything more, Li Fenghua lost her temper and lunged at Jing Xi, grabbing for her hair, ready to start a fight again.

Jing Xi had intended to dodge, but out of the corner of her eye, she saw Liu Jianchang approaching with Xie Aiguo and Wu Jun.

She didn’t move, allowing Li Fenghua to grab hold of her hair.

However, she kept her footing firm, gripping her own hair to keep Li Fenghua from yanking it too hard.

She could feel Li Fenghua’s spit flying towards her face as the woman screamed at her.

Meanwhile, Zhou Wenwu, Zhou Shu, and Chen Xiaowen had surrounded her.

“You little bastard, you wild brat! Today, I’m going to teach you a lesson! You humiliated me last time by tugging my pants in front of everyone! Now it’s my turn to strip your pants off and let everyone see!”

Jing Xi refused to back down. “You wretched hag, go ahead and try! If I don’t beat you so badly that you’re terrified just thinking about me, then I’m not worthy of my surname!”

Just as Li Fenghua was about to go all out, Jing Xi suddenly felt a sharp pain on her scalp. Then, a furious shout came from behind.

“What the hell are you doing? Let go of her right now!”

The four of them turned around and saw Xie Aiguo approaching.

How did he show up at just the right time?

Zhou Wenwu quickly told Li Fenghua to let go.

Though Li Fenghua was reluctant, she still released her grip.

Xie Aiguo glared at them. “What’s going on here? Huh? As if there aren’t already enough problems in the village! Old Zhou! Is this how you act as an elder? Letting your wife come over and bully Xiao Jing?”

Zhou Wenwu retorted, “Bully her? Wasn’t she the one who hit my wife first?”

Li Fenghua also protested, “Village Chief, how is this bullying? I just came to ask her to give up her position, that’s all! How is that bullying? Besides, she’s the one who tore my pants that day and caused me—”

Xie Aiguo cut her off. “Aren’t you embarrassed enough already? You’re over fifty years old, still running around getting into fights? Old Zhou, if you have concerns about the village or the Long family’s business, you should bring them up properly instead of letting your family come here and make trouble for Xiao Jing!”

Zhou Wenwu snapped back, “And who actually listens when I speak up?”

Xie Aiguo glared at him. “So because no one listens, you think it’s fine to harass Jing Xi? I’m telling you, Old Zhou, this is way out of line! If it were Liu Yan from the Liu family or Jianjun in charge of the money, would you dare to pull a stunt like this?”

Hah. It was only because they thought Jing Xi had no backing.

Zhou Wenwu, caught red-handed, refused to admit it. Seeing her husband being scolded, Li Fenghua boldly stepped up to Xie Aiguo.

“Village Chief, be honest—did this girl give you some kind of benefit? Why else would you keep siding with her? Or did the Long family bribe you in private, huh?”

Xie Aiguo’s eyes widened in anger. “You better think before you speak, Zhou family! If you don’t want to farm your contract land anymore, I’ll just find someone else to do it!”

Zhou Wenwu, oblivious to the warning signs, pushed on even though Xie Aiguo was clearly furious.

“Then go ahead and find someone else! My family is planting corn and peanuts this year. We don’t need to sell to the contract buyers—we won’t starve without it!”

Xie Aiguo nodded. “Fine by me. You didn’t sign this year’s contract agreement at the village office anyway, so you weren’t entitled to that money in the first place. From now on, the Wang family will take over your quota.”

Zhou Wenwu had been planning to use this as leverage to threaten Xie Aiguo, but the village chief didn’t give him an inch, instantly turning his bluff against him.

“Wait a minute! Why should the Wang family replace me?” Zhou Wenwu demanded.

Xie Aiguo folded his arms. “Why? Because if you don’t want to farm, there are plenty of others who will! Do I even need to explain this? Our village has no shortage of farmland. You think your few acres are irreplaceable?”

Zhou Wenwu was completely speechless.

Seeing his father lose the argument, Zhou Shu stepped up to challenge Xie Aiguo.

“Village Chief, you’re being too much! My dad has lived in this village for decades. He’s contributed plenty over the years. Now that he’s no longer useful to you, you’re just casting him aside? Is that how you treat people?”

Xie Aiguo shot him a sharp look. “Oh? Then tell me exactly what contributions your father has made to this village.”

Zhou Shu opened his mouth but couldn’t say a word.

Zhou Wenwu also hesitated.

Zhou Shu finally mumbled, “Even if he hasn’t made major contributions, he’s at least put in effort.”

Xie Aiguo snorted. “If you’re talking about the work he’s done for his own family, go ahead and count that yourselves. But don’t try to bring that nonsense to me.”

Besides demanding handouts, when had the Zhou family ever actually contributed?

Li Fenghua didn’t dare say another word.

Chen Xiaowen, who had been silent the whole time, just stood there, staring intently at Jing Xi.

There was something unsettling about her gaze.

Jing Xi looked back at her, and Chen Xiaowen quickly averted her eyes—only to fix her stare back on Jing Xi the moment she looked away.