Chapter 1658: Group Favorite vs. Comparison Group 31

Chapter 1658: Chapter 1601: Group Favorite vs. Comparison Group 31

Liu Dalian was almost furious to death.

When Anning and the others returned home, Liu Dalian said to Anning, “The folks next door are really something else. Our family grows vegetables, and they grow them too. That’s fine, but they act all weird about it. When they sell their vegetables, they purposely come to our doorstep to show off and even badmouth your aunt.”

An Xian was busy cooking in the kitchen. Hearing this, she came out with a kitchen knife: “Mom, what did they say?”

Liu Dalian was startled: “What are you going to do? Put down the knife quickly.”

Anning comforted Liu Dalian: “Ignore them. Hmph, as if selling vegetables will make them money just like that. They’re dreaming.”

“What do you mean by that?”

The whole family was puzzled by Anning’s vague statement.

Anning chuckled: “Vegetable vendors don’t come looking for no reason. They came because our vegetables have gained a reputation in the Provincial City. The vendors want to buy the same kind, but can the Yang Family’s vegetables compare to ours? Definitely not. This time, their reputation will suffer. Besides, what’s being bought now are just those leafy greens, which are easy to grow and not high-priced. Later on, we’ll be selling vegetables that can fetch a high price. Our family can grow them, but the Yang Family can’t. When they see our harvest, they will surely be burning with anxiety.”

Anning did not explain to the family the specific details about the nuances of growing vegetables in greenhouses, nor did she mention anything about manual pollination. It’s not the right time to talk about these things yet; she plans to educate the village on this next year.

With Anning’s explanation, Liu Dalian calmed down.

While she kept her cool, someone else wasn’t.

The person upset was Yang Baozhu.

She had previously sent someone specifically to provoke An Xian, thinking that An Xian was lazy, stupid, and greedy, and could surely be instigated to fall out with Anning. Then, she could use An Xian to heavily damage Anning.

But after waiting for so long, there wasn’t a single stir from An Xian.

The Pei Family also seemed harmonious, with no apparent friction between An Xian and Anning, and Anjing was living there peacefully too.

Clearly, An Xian had previously driven Anjing away, saying that a married daughter shouldn’t stay too long at her parent’s house. Yet, now she seemed to be getting along with Anjing, which Yang Baozhu couldn’t understand.

As instigating An Xian proved useless, Yang Baozhu started spreading rumors again through some people.

Soon, not only Xiaxi Village, but several villages started gossiping about the Pei Family.

Some of these people were envious of the Pei Family, making their rumors even more outrageous.

Pei Laoshi, honest as an ox all his life, was also impoverished and had no sons. Everyone within ten miles who knew him always looked down on him.

Especially in Xiaxi Village, the Pei Family lived perhaps the poorest in the whole village. Moreover, the Pei Family was already a small and humble household, and Pei Laoshi’s generation had no sons at all. Naturally, though some villagers pitied Pei Laoshi, most still looked down on him.

Many said Pei Laoshi and Liu Dalian would never have good days. Those four daughters weren’t reliable, and Pei Yu’s reputation wasn’t good either. There was speculation they might be angered to death by their daughters.

However, no one expected the Pei Family’s situation to gradually improve.

They saw the greenhouse vegetables earning money, the Pei daughters finding partners, heard of An Yi and Pei Yu’s success in Dream City, and noticed the Pei Family even installed a phone and bought a truck, causing many to turn green with envy.

If Pei Laoshi had been a prominent figure with a good family life before, no one in the village would be envious of what they bought.

But the Pei Family had always been less well-off than others, and now life had improved so much it inevitably made others feel sour.

Therefore, lots of nasty rumors began to spread.

Many said the Pei Family got rich by selling their daughters, that An Yi and Pei Yu claimed to have saved a big boss in Dream City but were probably just showing off, and maybe had become mistresses instead.

Others said An Yi and Pei Yu were engaging in disgraceful activities, working as escorts in the red-light district.

The rumors about Anning were even worse.

People said Anning wasn’t human, that she took her own sister and aunt out and sold them. Now, she was using that money to make a fuss while making up lies to deceive people. Only Pei Laoshi and Liu Dalian believed her. Some said anyone could talk over the phone, a call could deceive anyone, because no one had actually gone to Dream City to see, wasn’t it just how Anning said it was?

Some people deliberately made sour comments.

Others didn’t mean harm; they just gathered around Liu Dalian, chattering, advising her to thoroughly inquire about An Yi and Pei Yu, and warning her not to blindly believe Anning. They urged her to go to Dream City and see for herself so she wouldn’t be fooled by Anning.

These words made Liu Dalian and Pei Laoshi both angry and sad.

Anning, on the other hand, felt troubled inside.

But she had been through a lot, had experienced things even more suffocating than this, so her emotions weren’t particularly stirred.

However, An Xian and Anjing couldn’t hold their anger.

During a meal, An Xian angrily said to Anning, “I can’t stand staying in this lousy place anymore. Have you heard what people outside are saying? Ptooey! They’re all just envious of our family, making baseless accusations.”

Anjing also added: “Lao Si, how much money do you have? If worse comes to worst, let’s move. After we sell this round of vegetables and make money, we could buy a house in town and leave here to seek some peace.”

Pei Laoshi and Liu Dalian both hung their heads in silence.

The atmosphere was quite gloomy for a while.

Oddly, Anning remained calm.

She served Liu Dalian and Pei Laoshi more rice, saying, “Leave here? Our family has lived in Xiaxi Village for generations, how could we leave? Especially now, we absolutely cannot leave. If we leave now, there will be even more nasty things said. Everyone will think we’re running away out of guilt.”

“But we can’t just keep staying like this.”

Anjing grew more agitated: “Everyone’s just stuffed, wagging their tongues around thoughtlessly.”

Anning looked at Anjing: “Our ancestors are buried here, grandma and grandpa’s graves are here, this is our root. If you leave now, will you never come back? During holidays or on their memorial days, like Qingming and Double Ninth, would you not return to pay respects at their graves? Completely cutting ties with Xiaxi Village is impossible.”

An Xian turned her head: “Then what do you suggest we do?”

Anning smiled: “Ignore them. One day, I’ll make those who look down on us now have to rely on us to survive. Whatever they say now, I’ll make them take it all back in the future. I’ll make sure mom and dad don’t have to bow to anyone in the village. Wherever they go, people will look up to them. I’ll make them unable to harm us even if they’re green with envy. I’ll show everyone that even if the Pei Family only has daughters, we won’t live any worse than those who have many sons.”

Anning said this with a smile, but her fist was clenched tightly.

Xiao Yuan quietly held Anning’s hand.

He said to Liu Dalian and Pei Laoshi, “Uncle, Auntie, Anning and I mean what we say. Whatever they’re saying now, one day, we’ll make them eat their words.”

Pei Laoshi remained silent for a long time before letting out a grunt of acknowledgment.

He looked at An Xian and Anjing, “If you two can’t stand it anymore, then leave. I’ll have Anning buy a house in the city for you, and you can move there. Your mother and I certainly won’t leave Xiaxi Village. Your grandparents are buried here, our roots are here, so we cannot leave.”

Liu Dalian also solemnly said, “Lao Si is right, as long as we have a clear conscience, we have nothing to fear. Now is not the time to leave; if we do, we’ll appear guilty. In any case, I’m not going to run away.”