Chapter 29: Chapter 29: Killing the Chicken to Scare the Monkey Chapter 29: Chapter 29: Killing the Chicken to Scare the Monkey Zhao Xiaomei looked up at the brigade leader, “Brigade leader, Luo Qiao, she’s an outsider. Our Zhao Family has been in Qingshan Village for generations, don’t confuse insiders with outsiders.”
Upon hearing this, Gao Jiefang’s face darkened. Not to mention that there were officials from the commune standing behind him now. If he were to bully a lone girl after hearing Zhao Xiaomei’s words, how would he continue to be the brigade leader?
Before he could speak, Zhao Pulin stepped forward and slapped Zhao Xiaomei. Was she trying to bring disaster upon the Zhao Family? No matter what, he was still the brigade leader; there was no need for her to teach others how to do their jobs.
Didn’t she see how long the brigade leader’s face became? She really didn’t understand the severity of the situation.
Zhao Xiaomei did not expect her dad to come up and slap her. She was doing this for whom, and yet he was siding with an outsider to bully her.
Feeling aggrieved, she said, “You hit me for an outsider; I hate you,” and pushed her father away before running off.
In fact, Zhao Xiaomei simply couldn’t stay there any longer. It was just a good opportunity to run away; she knew her reputation was also ruined because of what happened today.
Zhao Pulin hurriedly apologized to the brigade leader, “Brigade leader, please don’t listen to Xiaomei’s nonsense; she’s just embarrassed and panicked.”
The brigade leader said, “Regardless, them going to someone’s house to snatch things is wrong. Luo Qiao brought this matter to me for handling today, which shows the child’s sense of righteousness.
If a case had been filed, your daughter would have to be taken to the police station to be locked up. I’m not trying to scare you; this is a case of robbery, which can be a big or small matter. You need to understand that.”
Zhao Xiaotao, still on the scene, looked extremely uncomfortable, “Brigade leader, this matter has nothing to do with me. I just came over to ask Luo Qiao if she needed any seeds, and I didn’t take part in the snatching of things.”
Her statement only made things worse, as if drawing attention to her guilt. It would have been better for her to remain silent, and it made people despise her even more.
Luo Qiao stood aside, watching. She had to admit that the brigade leader was a smart man. The matter was exactly as the brigade leader had said. If the police had been really called, at the very least, she would have to undergo criticism and education. If she insisted on pressing charges, it would likely result in detention for a while.
Zhao Pulin hung his head and said to Luo Qiao, “Luo Qiao, I have wronged you. Now that this matter has occurred, I apologize on their behalf. Would that suffice?”
Luo Qiao said, “The ones who did wrong are them, and they are the ones who should apologize. Today, I’ve left the matter to the brigade leader, and I trust he is a good village official.”
The brigade leader, not wishing to drag the matter on, said, “Pulin, the fact is your daughters are in the wrong. To give Luo Qiao, as well as the villagers, an explanation and a warning,
Zhao Xiaomei must apologize to Luo Qiao in person. Additionally, as a sign of your apology, you should compensate Luo Qiao with ten jin of cornmeal. Do you agree?”
When Gao Suhua heard this, she thought it was unacceptable, “No way, isn’t an apology enough? The things are still in her possession, our Xiaomei didn’t take anything.”
The brigade leader said, “If there’s no punishment for wrongdoing, then it might set a bad example for the village children. If you do not agree, I will not be involved anymore. If Luo Qiao reports this to the police, don’t come to me.”
When the villagers heard this, they too disagreed. Li Xiulan cried out, “Gao Suhua, does your Zhao Family want to ruin our Qingshan Village’s reputation? Having someone who has been locked up,
it will affect the young men and women of the village when they get married in the future. The brigade leader is right; having made a mistake, there must be consequences. It’s like killing a chicken for something, oh, right, to make an example to the monkeys.”