Chapter 104: Rent Or Not
Translator: Lonelytree
Xiao Lingyu said with a smile, “Village chief, this is a coincidence. People had been lending and overworking Little Light, which caused him to be in a bad spirit. I was already planning to let Little Light rest when they came to borrow him. So I had to reject them.”
The village chief believed Xiao Lingyu, but that couldn’t stop the rumors. The villagers said that Xiao Lingyu refused to lend the three families the Little Cattle King because they refused to rent Xiao Zhengyang their land.
Little Cattle King only needed to go for a stroll, and the field would be rejuvenated. This was a huge benefit. The three families refused to help the Xiao Family but intended to take advantage of them. They had to be crazy to think the Xiao Family would be so saintly.
Xiao Zhengyang’s family was not people who repaid offense with kindness.
When Xiao Lichun and Xiao Facai family heard this rumor, they were furious. They berated Xiao Zhengyang’s family for being selfish and stingy. The Xiao Family was rich, so why couldn’t they afford to give them a higher rental price? Now, they even refused to loan them the Little Cattle King because of this. It was unreasonable!
However, after some discussions and calculations, they decided it was more logical to rent the land to the Xiao Family.
First, they would get the rent; Second, they would get a good harvest; Third, the Xiao Family would owe them.
Xiao Lingyu had come back from the big city. She understood these two families’ goals immediately.
She analyzed the situation for the village chief.
The village chief smiled and said, “No matter what, it’s great that they finally come to their senses.”
“Correct!”
…
Xiao Fuqi and his family also heard the rumors. They cursed angrily, “Xiao Zhengyang, Xiao Lingyu, what a horrible pair of father and daughter. It’s one thing you don’t want to borrow us the calf, but you go around spreading rumors to ruin our reputation. This is infuriating!”
“We want to work our own land. What is wrong with that? How can they say such things about us?”
“Xiao Lingyu, that wretched girl thinks too highly of herself. So what if she graduated from some unknown university and worked a few years in the big city? Er Gou Zi, you have to study hard and fight for your father’s honor. In the future, no one will dare to look down on our family anymore.”
Er Gou Zi was Xiao Fuqi’s second son. He was thirteen years old and slightly older than Xiao Xiaohui. Unfortunately, Er Gou Zi wouldn’t live up to his father’s hope. His result was even worse than Xiao Xiaohui. If Xiao Xiaohui was the second to last in their grade, then the last place winner was definitely Xiao Fuqi’s second son.
Xiao Fuqi was still hoping that one day his second son’s genius would be discovered. That hope was destined to be lost.
A fat lady beside Xiao Fuqi, Zhang Chunjiao, also grumbled with anger, “Fuqi, since that wretched girl won’t lend us the calf, then we won’t rent her our land. Let’s see what she can do to us!”
She knew that most villagers had agreed to rent their land to Xiao Lingyu. Only a few of them held out. If they didn’t cave, then Xiao Lingyu had to spend more money to build her farm. After all, she heard Xiao Lingyu plan to grow dragon fruits and strawberries. She would need to build a vegetable shed for that. By refusing to lend their land, they would make the building process a lot more difficult!
Xiao Fuqi said with some misgivings, “But if we do that, Xiao Lingyu might really not lend the calf to us.”
Zhang Chunjia snorted. “She will have to because she needs our land. She will come begging us and send us the calf on her accord.” This was a clever plan.
But she was not the only clever person.
Later, the village chief visited Xiao Fuqi to see if he had changed his mind. Perhaps they would be willing to rent the land already. However, the result was not satisfactory.
Xiao Fuqi and Zhang Chunjiao said firmly, “If Xiao Lingyu brings us the calf and let us keep it for three days, we’ll consider renting her the land.” They were certain that Xiao Lingyu needed their plot of land.
The village chief was speechless. He rolled his eyes. ‘Do these people think Zhengyang’s family is stupid? They can’t survive without this family’s land?’
He said seriously, “Do you need to treat Zhangyang’s family like this and order them around like slaves? Fine, I’m not going to waste time on you anymore. This is your land. When you decide to rent it, come to my place or Zhengyang’s place. If you decide to keep it for yourself, then so be it.” Then the village chief left in an angry huff.
Zhang Chunjiao looked at the village chief who had left, and her face revealed a look of disdain, “Who do you think you are? Everyone knows you need to suck up to Xiao Zhengyang. That land is mine. I’ll rent it if I feel like it. If I don’t want to rent it, nothing can change my mind! Now, Xiao Lingyu needs us, and you want me to go to her home to plead with her? You have to be kidding me!”
Xiao Fuqi agreed with his wife.
…
“Village chief, Xiao Fuqi’s family still won’t rent us their land?” Xiao Zhengyang asked.
The village chief nodded, “That’s right.” Then, he added with hesitation, “Zhengyang, Zhang Chunjiao said that they’d consider renting you the land if you give them the Little Cattle King for three days. But they’d only consider it!” That was not a promise they’d rent their land in the end.
Xiao Zhengyang grasped the hidden meaning. Xiao Zhengyang’s expression didn’t change. “So be it. My Yu ‘Er said that we’ll just build and farm around their land.”
“That’s not a bad idea!” The village chief nodded.
Xiao Lingyu said, “Village Chief, since no one has any objections, please tell everyone to come to the village committee center to sign the contract in three days.”
The village chief was slightly surprised. “There’s a contract involved?”
At their village, most of the land rentals were done verbally. There was no contract involved. Of course, as the village chief, he had dealt with contracts in the past, but that was with the people from Xing An Town and Xing Yin Town.
This was the first time things would be so formal at Taoyuan Village.
Xiao Lingyu smiled and explained, “Village chief, I know land rentals at our village are normally done verbally. I’m not worried that people will renege on their words. However, I’m going to rent more than ten Mu of land, and many families are involved. Having a contract is safer. It will have legal effects and protect both parties.. It’ll stop people from suddenly deciding to take back their lands, and it’ll ensure that I pay everyone the required rental.”