Chapter 44: An Unexpected Figure

On the way back, Jing Xi didn’t ask a single question.

She had no interest in talking about land occupation, leasing, or anything related to the Zhang family.

Her mind was entirely consumed by fried peanuts.

She kept thinking about where she could buy some fried peanuts.

Seeing how quiet Jing Xi was, Xie Aiguo didn’t say much either. It wasn’t until they reached her house that he finally spoke.

“Xiao Jing, thanks for what you did today!”

Jing Xi replied, “It was nothing, just a small effort.”

“What were you doing out so late tonight?”

Jing Xi scratched her head. “I went to the small shop to buy something.”

Only then did Xie Aiguo realize why Jing Xi had passed by his house.

“It’s late—hurry and get inside. I’ll head back now.”

Xie Aiguo nodded. He had wanted to say more, but Jing Xi had already gone inside, leaving him to turn around and walk home.

When he had first opened the door and seen her, he had thought she was there to cause trouble on New Year’s Eve.

Now, he suddenly felt a little ashamed.

Jing Xi couldn’t sleep. Every time she closed her eyes, all she could think about was the fried peanuts on the Xie family’s stove.

Glistening with oil, sprinkled with just the right amount of salt—they looked absolutely delicious!

Sometimes, people could be really stubborn. The more they couldn’t have something, the more they wanted it.

She tossed and turned for two hours before finally giving up. She decided to fry some of the roasted peanuts she had bought and see how they turned out.

It took her over ten minutes just to shell the peanuts and place them on a plate. Then, she heated oil in a pan on the stove and slowly fried them over low heat.

They looked decent enough. After taking them out, she sprinkled a little salt and let them cool before taking a bite.

Hmm… they were okay. Not bad, but not great either.

Luckily, she hadn’t shelled too many. But at least she had satisfied her craving.

No matter what, she had finally gotten to eat some fried peanuts. Even though something still felt like it was missing, she felt satisfied enough.

After brushing her teeth, she climbed onto the heated brick bed and quickly fell asleep.

Jing Xi didn’t wake up until noon the next day. The first thing she did after getting up was prepare to go out and ask where she could buy raw peanuts.

As soon as she stepped outside, she ran into Zhang Rui. When Zhang Rui heard that she was looking for raw peanuts, she immediately pulled her into her courtyard.

“Buy what? Auntie has plenty at home. I’ll give you a bowl—go fry them yourself!”

Jing Xi was overjoyed.

Carrying the bowl of shelled peanuts, she walked back home. But as she rounded the corner of her house, she saw Xie Aiguo standing at her door with a bowl in his hands.

“Village Chief, were you looking for me?”

Xie Aiguo glanced at the peanuts in her hands, then at the bowl he was holding. He suddenly recalled what Zhou Junfeng had mentioned—how this girl had glanced at their fried peanuts several times before leaving last night.

His son-in-law really had sharp observation skills. Must be because he had been a soldier.

“Xiao Jing, these are some fried peanuts from our house. My wife just made them at noon—I brought some over for you to try.”

“Then I won’t be polite about it—I’ve been craving these lately.”

Jing Xi took the bowl from Xie Aiguo, and the rich, salty aroma immediately hit her. She couldn’t resist grabbing a few and popping them into her mouth. They were still warm—freshly fried!

“Delicious! These peanuts are amazing!”

“Good, then eat them while they’re still warm. I should head back now.”

“Take care, Village Chief! Oh, by the way, how’s your grandson?”

Xie Aiguo nodded repeatedly. “Much better! His stomach doesn’t hurt anymore, and he’s stopped vomiting and having diarrhea.”

“That’s great. Have him drink some light salt water, and stick to a mild diet for now. But make sure he eats some meat and eggs to maintain his nutrition.”

“Got it!”

After watching Xie Aiguo leave, Jing Xi carried the peanuts into her house.

She set aside the ones she had gotten from the Liu family, deciding to save them for when she had another craving.

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The weather was warming up, and after the sixth day of the new year, the farmers were returning to the fields.

Jing Xi didn’t own any land, but she had her special space. The potatoes and garlic she had planted earlier had grown successfully, but the rice had not.

She figured the failure was likely due to her neglecting to water it regularly.

The soil in her space was fertile, and the temperature was ideal. This gave her a new idea—why not try transplanting some of the plants indoors to observe their growth?

She put her plan into action immediately.

There were several abandoned flower pots outside her house, perfect for repurposing.

She spent the entire afternoon transplanting garlic, some plants from the field, and even a few green onions into the pots.

She was full of confidence, always believing that she could achieve something in agriculture in this lifetime. While it might not be anything groundbreaking, being able to achieve self-sufficiency would already be impressive.

Completely focused on farming matters, she failed to notice the two familiar yet unfamiliar figures standing outside her door.

It wasn’t until she heard knocking that she finally paid attention. She glanced out the window and felt as though she had seen those two people somewhere before, but she couldn’t quite remember where.

When she opened the door, two handsome young men appeared in front of her.

“Jingxi?”

Jingxi nodded. “And you are?”

“I’m Xiao Jie, and this is Liang Chen. You should have seen us before!”

The moment she heard their names, she immediately realized—they were from Long Yue Zhi’s group.

They were the two who had secretly investigated Hong Qifu.

But she had been hiding in Long Yue Zhi’s room at the time. How did they know she had seen them?

Did Long Yue Zhi tell them?

“Oh, I remember now. So, what brings you two here?”

Xiao Jie nodded. “It’s official business. Would you be able to come with us to the village office? We’re here today to discuss this year’s farmland planning with the village.”

Jingxi was puzzled. “What does that have to do with me? I don’t have any land, and I don’t farm.”

Xiao Jie saw the suspicion on her face, along with a hint of wariness. He chuckled—Er Ge was right about her: ‘She’s a little firecracker who once beat someone half to death with a toilet plunger. She’s got some defenses up, but not too many! Just be sincere!’

“I can’t explain it all just yet, but it’s a good thing. I’ll fill you in on the way. Miss Jingxi, as a favor to Fourth Master for the big favor he did for you, could you also give me, Xiao Jie, some face?”

Hearing Xiao Jie bring up Long Yue Zhi, Jingxi hesitated. It was hard to refuse when she owed someone a favor. “Fine, I’ll go with you.”

Xiao Jie and Liang Chen walked with Jingxi toward the village office, explaining along the way why they had come looking for her.

During the investigation into Hong Qifu, all related individuals had been thoroughly examined by the police. Meanwhile, the matter of Wu Dazhuang embezzling the Long family’s public funds meant for the village had also come to light.

To prevent such incidents from happening again, the Long family wanted to appoint someone with a solid reputation in the village—someone they could trust—to manage the funds. This person would act as a third party, handling the money on behalf of the village accountant and serving as a supervisor.

Why Jingxi?

First, because she had a good reputation in the village. Although there had been some issues due to the Zhang family, she had managed to restore her standing through the Liu Chun incident.

Second, also because of Liu Chun. Xiao Jie explained that Fourth Master admired a young woman brave enough to investigate a missing persons case on her own. It proved she was righteous, compassionate, and fearless—qualities that made her trustworthy.

Third, because Jingxi had no personal connections with the Xie family, Wu family, or Tong family. This meant she could serve as an impartial overseer.

What Xiao Jie didn’t say was that Jingxi’s relationship with the major families was actually somewhat strained. This could create a system of mutual checks and balances. Plus, she was alone, a woman with no bad habits—easily controlled and reliable.

By the time Xiao Jie finished explaining, they had almost reached the village office.

Jingxi thought for a moment and asked, “Is this something you’ve decided on your own, or does the village also think it’s a good idea?”