Chapter 135: Sour and Vicious

Chapter 135: Chapter 135: Sour and Vicious

With Fourth Uncle Guo setting an example, the process went much more smoothly.

The villagers’ enthusiasm was at an all-time high, and they donated grain eagerly.

There were donations of full or half sacks, and plenty of basins and scoops. The days of half-bowl offerings were gone.

After all, who wouldn’t want to be on the Merit List, to be noticed by everyone and praised by the County Magistrate?

Besides, the village chief had said that any amount was fine.

But to feel at ease with their name on the Merit List, they couldn’t be too stingy. Otherwise, they’d just feel guilty...

Of course, things didn’t always go smoothly.

As the drive was in full swing, it was inevitable that some idle gossips would say unpleasant things.

"It’s not my place to say, but what you’re doing here isn’t right, village chief." The one who spoke was Ma Liugun.

The village chief was taken aback. "What’s not right about it?"

"How many families in this part of the village can afford to give anything? You’ve gone to all this trouble to come here, but you won’t collect much. What good is a scoop or two?"

The village chief was standing right at Ma Liugun’s gate, but the one donating grain wasn’t her; it was her neighbor from across the way.

"Don’t worry, Liugun," he said. "I’ll leave right after I’m done here. I’m well aware of which families are struggling. Even if you wanted to donate, I wouldn’t let you."

The village chief thought Ma Liugun was just reluctant to part with her grain and was afraid he would knock on her door next, so his words were well-intentioned.

But who would have thought that his good intentions would strike a nerve with Ma Liugun.

Her family was poor, yes, but for the village chief to say it so bluntly in front of so many people—wasn’t he just trying to embarrass her?

Ma Liugun retorted angrily, "We know we’re poor, we don’t need you to tell us. Why must you grace our humble hovels with your presence, village chief? Why don’t you go ask for grain from those who aren’t poor?"

The village chief was starting to get annoyed by her passive-aggressive tone.

"I’ve already said, I’m not asking, people are donating. You can even think of it as a loan! Everyone is doing this voluntarily; no one is being forced. Seeing our fellow villagers suffer, anyone with something to spare should help out. What does this have to do with who’s high or low?"

Ma Liugun’s neighbor across the way was not pleased either.

"Liugun, that’s a nasty thing to say. What? According to you, if you’re not a landlord, you don’t even have the right to do a good deed? Whether it’s a lot or a little, it’s the thought that counts. A scoop isn’t much, but I don’t see you donating even half a scoop."

Ma Liugun glared and spat back.

"Thought that counts, my ass! Who doesn’t know what you’re like? A real tightwad who only takes and never gives! You think we don’t know? You just want to get your son’s name on that Merit List, don’t you? I’ve never seen you be so generous before."

The woman’s face immediately flushed with anger.

"So what if we want to be on the list? Regardless of the reason, my family still donated grain and helped our fellow villagers! If you want to be on the list, then bring some grain. If not, then stop making sour remarks here!"

Seeing the two getting heated, the village chief put his hands on his hips and stepped between them, frowning at Ma Liugun.

"Liugun, she’s right. To put it bluntly, since you’re not donating anything, what right do you have to criticize someone who is? It’s easy for you to talk when you have no skin in the game."

Although Ma Liugun was used to being belligerent, she didn’t dare push back when the village chief got serious.

Her expression shifted several times before she finally forced a strange, nondescript smile.

"Look at you, village chief, can’t you take a joke? Even though I haven’t contributed, I still want to do my part. I was just trying to give you an idea, but we got sidetracked."

The village chief looked at her suspiciously. "What kind of idea could you have?"

Ma Liugun was famous in the village for her shrewishness and thick skin. Good deeds had nothing to do with her, but you could be sure she’d be involved in any trouble.

’If she could come up with a good idea, pigs would fly.’

Ma Liugun leaned in close to the village chief with an air of mystery, but after glancing at the onlookers, she changed her mind.

She cleared her throat and said in a loud voice, "Don’t we have a newly rich person in our village? Built such a grand new house, who knows how much grain she’s hiding at home? If she donates half of it, that’d be worth half a day of your running around, don’t you think?"

For a moment, the village chief didn’t understand what riddle she was proposing.

But then he thought about it. The only one who had recently built a new house was Ji Huan!

Just as he was about to speak, someone else pushed through the crowd.

"There’s another one! Another one! Don’t forget Widow Xie’s family! They’ve been making a lot of money selling some kind of spicy soup at their stall in town! Haven’t you seen how her kids are all wearing new cotton-padded jackets? How could they be short on fine rice and flour?"

The speaker was Gou Sheng’s wife.

The village chief wondered to himself how these two women had gotten together. They didn’t live near each other; in fact, their homes were far apart.

It was all because of Ji Huan.

Ever since she failed to freeload at the housewarming feast at the village entrance, Ma Liugun had held a grudge against Ji Huan.

As for Gou Sheng’s wife, she couldn’t be happier to have someone join her in badmouthing Ji Huan and Widow Xie, so before long, the two had become fast friends.

They’d become incredibly close recently, always at each other’s houses, joining forces to curse this person and slander that one. They had badmouthed every woman in the village and got along better with each other than with their own husbands.

Today, Gou Sheng’s wife had come to find Ma Liugun to make shoes together and happened upon this opportunity. Her conscience wouldn’t be clear if she didn’t try to screw over Widow Xie.

Seeing that she had backup, Ma Liugun became even more enthusiastic, relentlessly prodding the village chief.

"They say the local environment shapes its people. They live on the land of our Dafeng Village; they can’t forget their roots now that they’re rich! Hiding behind closed doors, eating and drinking well while watching their fellow villagers starve to death without donating any grain—how heartless is that?"

"Oh, isn’t that the truth? They’re not even proper landowners yet, and they’re already looking down on their fellow villagers. Village chief, you should go demand it from them. If they don’t give it, just watch me curse them to death for you!"

"Make them give a lot; they’re not short on money! If there’s any grain left over, you can share some with me. My family wasn’t hit by the disaster, but we’re short on grain too."

The two chimed in one after another, growing more and more excited as they spoke, as if they wanted nothing more than to drag Ji Huan and Widow Xie through the mud.

Few of the onlookers agreed with them. In fact, most thought the two women were being completely unreasonable.

Their words were dripping with jealousy and malice. It was clear they were too stingy to donate their own grain and wanted to make others bleed instead.

Ma Liugun saw the village chief’s face growing darker and darker and thought he was being persuaded. She shot a wink at Gou Sheng’s wife.

Just as the two were feeling smug, they heard the village chief ask bluntly, "Who told you they didn’t donate?"

’That tone... something’s not right here.’

"N-no one."

Ma Liugun stuttered, her mind racing.

’Could it be that Ji Huan and Widow Xie have already donated?’

’That shouldn’t be possible. The village chief has been making a big show of his collection route, and I haven’t heard of him going to the east or north sides of the village.’

The village chief snorted. "Not only did those two families donate, but they donated earlier than anyone else!"

Gou Sheng’s wife looked at him sideways, clearly expressing her disbelief.

"Then why don’t you tell us how much they donated? Village chief, you can’t just put in a good word for them because you pity them. If Sister-in-law Hong found out..."

’What is she implying?’

’Isn’t she blatantly suggesting that there’s something going on between me and Widow Xie?!’

The village chief knew this woman was a scoundrel, but he never expected she’d dare to spread rumors about him. He was so angry his ribs ached.

"Don’t you stand here spouting nonsense at me! While the amounts of grain each family donated aren’t written on the red list, I’ve recorded it all in a ledger! I have to report it to the county magistrate for his review later. If you don’t believe me, you can come with me to the government office and check the accounts yourself!"

Gou Sheng’s wife flinched.

Even if you gave her ten times the courage, she wouldn’t dare go to the government office to confront the village chief.

The village chief couldn’t be bothered to argue with these two difficult women any longer. He ordered his men to carry the grain and was about to leave.

Unexpectedly, he heard Gou Sheng’s wife mutter again.

"Even if they did donate, it was probably just a tiny amount. What’s the point of pretending to be so virtuous..."