Chapter 56: Chapter 56 Repaying the Money (2)_1 Chapter 56: Chapter 56 Repaying the Money (2)_1 “This is some offal made at home. It’s nothing fancy. You can take it back for your children to try.” Lin Ziyin said with a smile, handing over a basket.
Upon looking down, Lou Zheng was taken aback. There were quite a few pieces of offal in the basket. The rest were dishes from his home.
“What are you doing?” He declined, even though he was delighted. But he knew that accepting gifts because of a small matter was not proper. Indeed, Lou Zheng was an upright man. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have held the position of village head for so many years.
“Offal isn’t a big deal, and I made it myself. You can use it as a side dish for your drink.” Lin Ziyin put the basket in his hands, “Are you looking down on my gift, uncle?”
“Alright, I accept your kind thought.” Lou Zheng saw her sincerity. Therefore, he no longer declined and took the basket happily.
Old Master Lin and Lin Changshu followed him out of the door.
“Lou Zheng, what’s that good stuff?” As soon as they left the Lin family’s gate, they saw a crowd of villagers. Some people were pointing at the Lin family.
A brave villager asked Lou Zheng curiously, seeing him come out first with a basket in hand.
“Mind your own business! Look carefully. This is just some offal made by Ziyin for me to go with my drink. You all better not be envious!” Lou Zheng scolded, then explained for the Lin family, “Those masters from the temple took a fancy to the Lin family’s tofu products. That young master came with them out of curiosity about home-cooked food, so he stayed. Now that he’s left, he has rewarded the Lin family with a few ounces of silver. That’s all.”
How much silver the two young masters gave the Lin family, Lou Zheng wasn’t sure. But his guess was a few ounces of silver, after all, rich people wouldn’t eat for free.
A few ounces of silver? Many villagers looked envious.
“Alright, don’t be envious. This kind of good thing won’t happen every day. The Lin family has the silver and wants to pay back the Ma family. Who wants to come with me to witness this?” Lou Zheng shouted.
Upon hearing this, the people realized right. Rich people must have stayed for a meal out of curiosity. Such good luck indeed didn’t happen often. Well, it’s the Lin family’s good fortune.
However, what Lou Zheng said next aroused everyone’s interest.
Everyone in the village knew about the grudge between the Lin family and the Ma family. Today, the Lin family was going to repay the silver. They didn’t know what face the Ma family would show.
So everyone enthusiastically signed up, all willing to go and witness it.
Seeing the excited villagers, Old Master Lin and Lin Changshu could only wryly smile. What was the fuss about the Lin family repaying silver? However, they were grateful to Lou Zheng. After his explanation, fewer people were likely to target the Lin family.
The Ma family members were all resting at home after lunch. When they heard the noisy sounds coming from outside, they didn’t mind.
“Is anyone home?” But soon after, the gate of their courtyard was knocked.
“They’re here.” Yan’s wife croakily yelled back, unenthusiastically. She then opened the gate. Ma Dalong followed her out.
“What’s this?” Seeing a crowd standing outside, the whole Ma family was dumbstruck.
“Today we’ve come to repay the silver. From now on, there will be no connection between our two families.” Lin Changshu took out an ounce of silver and handed it to Lou Zheng.
“Only one ounce?” Yan’s wife shrieked when she heard this.
“Has your family forgotten about the last time someone was hurt?” Lin Changshu coldly responded.
“Yes, it’s just one ounce of silver.” Lou Zheng also solemnly agreed. He was the one who handled the last incident. Did Yan’s wife intend to go back on her word? “Everyone here witnessed the agreement to compensate for the injury. Isn’t that correct?”
“Yes.” Everyone present came to watch the drama. Hearing Lou Zheng’s words, they all agreed in unison. Some even laughed and ridiculed the Ma family’s thick skin.
Ma Zhicai’s face remained stern, and his chest heaved up and down, clearly infuriated by the crowd. “Mother, take the silver.”
Yan’s wife glanced at her son but still seemed reluctant.
“What? You thought you could make a fool out of me as village head? Or do you think everyone here is naive?” Lou Zheng’s reputation was in question, and his tone turned even more unpleasant.
“Woman, just take it.” Ma Dalong felt obliged to reprimand Yan’s wife, with pain in his heart. That prodigal woman, why was she so thoughtless last time? “Uncle, our bond ends here, but we are still neighbors in this village.”
“We, the Lin family, can’t afford to associate with you, the Ma family. From now on, let’s just act like strangers when we see each other.” Old Master Lin declined without courtesy.