Chapter 27: Chapter 27 How do you say Chapter 27: Chapter 27 How do you say Siyang Village was originally a very poor and backward little mountain village, and when Chiang Songhai split from the family years ago, Ho Laidi caused such a fuss that he almost left with his wife without a penny to his name. Ge Liutao was frail, and it had cost a lot of money when she had a difficult childbirth with Chiang Qingzhu, as she had also been frail since childhood and was constantly coddled.
It was almost a repeat of Ge Liutao’s old path when Chiang Qingzhu gave birth to Chiang Xiao, mother and daughter both being frail and exhausting all the family’s money.
When Chiang Qingzhu ran away from home that year, she took away most of the family’s silver.
Afterward, Chiang Songhai continued to pamper Chiang Xiao, so now, the Chiang family could barely scrape together fifty silver pieces.
But if they gave the entire sum to the Ding family, the three of them would really not be able to get by.
Moreover, Guiying demanded more than just fifty pieces.
“Guiying, one should be fair and just!” Chiang Songhai took a deep breath, his heart boiling with rage, but he really wasn’t good at quarreling and only managed to choke out this sentence.
“Who is being unfair?” Guiying’s eyes slanted as she said, “If I were unfair, I would have asked you to pay a hundred!”
Chiang Xiao stood on the threshold of the main house, slightly higher, and could just see outside the courtyard wall where Secretary Yao was coming their way with two others.
She pursed her lips slightly.
It was only when the people arrived that she could do something.
Seeing that Secretary Yao and his company were getting close, she raised her voice a little, completely ignoring Guiying, and said directly to Ding Dani, “Ding Dani, did you say you wanted to save me, and in turn, I tore your clothes, is that right?”
Ding Dani was feeling somewhat guilty, but having seen her parents apparently intimidate Chiang Songhai and Ge Liutao, she regained her confidence.
Indeed, by that time Ji Desheng had already left, and apart from her and Chiang Xiao, no one had seen what happened; as long as she stuck to this story, who could say otherwise?
With that in mind, she straightened her chest, lifted her chin, and said loudly, “That’s right! You tore my clothes, of course, I want you to compensate!”
Finally, someone from the Old Chiang family next door came out. Ho Laidi and Song Xiyun opened the courtyard gate to join the excitement and saw that Secretary Yao had also arrived, promptly greeting him.
Yao Jubin glanced at Ho Laidi and ignored both of them, leading his people into the Chiang family’s yard.
Ho Laidi was momentarily stumped.
Why did she feel Secretary Yao’s glance at her was odd? It seemed a bit annoyed.
She certainly hadn’t done anything to offend him or damage the collective!
“Mom, why did Secretary Yao come to Second Uncle’s house so early?” whispered Song Xiyun.
Ho Laidi glared at her, “Just watch and you’ll find out!”
Guiying, however, jumped in fright at the sight of Secretary Yao, instinctively shrinking back. That damn girl Chiang Xiao, she really was going to complain?
But the two young men who came with Secretary Yao were from the village brigade, one named Yao Cong, who was Secretary Yao’s cousin, and the other named Cong Weimin.
“Secretary Uncle, I appreciate you making the trip here,” said Chiang Xiao, greeting Yao Cong and Cong Weimin with a nod. It wasn’t that she didn’t greet them; in the past, she really hadn’t had any contact with these two and didn’t even know what to call them.
As members of the village brigade were generally in charge of public order and tended to seem fierce, ordinary children were a bit afraid of them. Yao Cong and Cong Weimin didn’t expect a young girl to be unafraid of them and to nod to them as if she were an adult. The two exchanged looks, both finding it somewhat novel.
“It’s nothing,” said Secretary Yao, looking toward Ding Daqiang with a frown. “Brother Daqiang, what are you doing bringing a hoe?”
Not waiting for his reply, he then turned toward Ding Dani and asked directly, “Da Ni, Chiang Xiao is accusing you of attempted murder, what do you say?”
At these words, the Ding family members all showed shocked expressions.