Chapter 135: Gratitude
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
Most of the men Xiao Wu called over were family heads, visibly blushing from the admonishment they received from the village chief about their ungrateful and narrow-minded attitude.
But on reflection, they knew the chief was right. Ever since Jiang Chuan’s family had moved out of the old Jiang house, they hadn’t asked for their help, and in fact, brought numerous benefits to the villagers. Their continuous private discussions and gossip about the Jiang family didn’t paint them in a good light.
After a quiet moment, a man with a flushed face shouted, “The village chief is right. We’ve been petty. The Jiang Chuan family has been good to us. We shouldn’t gossip about them this way.”
Once one man had spoken up, others chimed in, even recounting the various deeds Jiang Chuan’s family had done for the village.
Not having acknowledged this before, the conversation brought awareness to many. They discovered that their own families had greatly benefitted from Jiang Chuan’s family. Some hung their heads in embarrassment, while others were overwhelmed with gratitude.
Only then did the village chief reveal a gratified smile. He was taking this stand not only for Jiang Chuan’s family but also for the future welfare of the village.
If the reward for serving the village was to be subjected to gossip, who would dare to contribute in the future? A village so devoid of gratitude and empathy had no future.
However, just as everyone was enjoying a moment of harmony, there were always one or two who had to spoil the atmosphere.
A voice rang out from the corner, “Do they think they’re living Bodhisattvas? They help others without expecting anything in return. Every family is struggling, but they’re showing off! I don’t believe they don’t have ulterior motives. They may not want anything now, but who knows about the future? They’ve started living comfortably so soon. Perhaps they took something from the old Jiang house. They could be thieves too.”
The crowd looked towards the source of the voice, spotting a woman in her forties or fifties with yellowish hair.
“Mrs. Zhang, do you have any evidence for your claims?” Xiao Wu didn’t let the woman continue with her accusations and interrogated her sharply.
“What evidence do 1 need? It’s clear as day. If Third Jiang was so capable, why would Old Madam Jiang have thrown them out?” the woman retorted with disdain.
“Mrs. Zhang, you’re wrong. We’ve all seen what the third family was like back then. Are you deliberately trying to find trouble with the third family by saying this now? “A woman who had a good relationship with Zhou Lan said.
Then another woman added, “Mrs. Zhang, everyone knows you’re close to the old Jiang family. If you’re looking to cause trouble, at least pick the right time!”
The instigator’s face tightened as she defended herself loudly, “What’s wrong with speaking the truth? If you’re too afraid to say it, I’ll say it for you. But instead of thanking me, you’re accusing me. Are these not the exact words you’ve been whispering behind closed doors?”
The room fell silent at her words.
After a while, a man broke the silence, “Indeed, I gossiped with my wife at home. That was my loose tongue, and it’s my fault. I’ll go and apologize to Third Jiang s family soon. I was wrong, and if they want to beat or scold me, I’ll accept it. Now that the words are out, my family has received the third brother’s vegetables and seeds, making him our benefactor. From now on, if Third Jiang needs anything, I, Wang Ping, will surely lend a hand.”
Often, once someone speaks up, it’s less difficult for others to do the same, and everyone started admitting their own mistakes.
Suddenly, someone queried, “Zhang family, didn’t your family receive the seeds that Third Jiang found? And the vegetables, didn’t you dig them up?”
The woman choked on her words, nervously saying, “They were given by the village chief, I assumed they were from the authorities.”
Her words drew a wave of boos in the room. She even denied knowing it was from the Third Jiang family. In this village, who doesn’t know about Third Jiang mountain trips? Pretending ignorance at this point really showed a lack of principles.
“Do you even believe what you’re saying? The village chief said that one should have a grateful heart. With such ingratitude, 1 wonder who’d dare associate with your family in the future,” a woman retorted without holding back.
The troublemaking woman, under this onslaught of words, could only curl up in a corner, trying to make herself less noticeable.
Seeing that everyone understood the situation, the village chief did not say anything more and dismissed the crowd.
That night, Jiang Xia’s family received an uncountable number of villagers, all coming to apologize. Some even brought vegetables. It was only later when Jiang Xia asked around that she learned the whole story..