Chapter 33
Repaying debt
“I don’t know,” Jiang Chuan said coldly.
Old Sun’s wife’s expression changed when she saw Jiang Chuan ignoring her. She said sarcastically, “Nowadays, everyone is talking about having kindness, and sharing the good stuff, why can’t your family do the same?”
It was obvious that she was eyeing the deer that Jiang Xia and her mother had brought back. Her eyes were glowing with greed as she thought of something.
Jiang Xia pulled Zhou Lan along and walked a few steps, blocking old Sun’s wife’s line of sight.
“Zhou Lan is back! I was still asking Jiang Chuan where you have been.”
Zhou Lan couldn’t be bothered with her and left with her husband and daughter. It wasn’t the time for them to punish those people from the past just yet.
“Hey, don’t go! You still haven’t told me where you dug up the wild vegetables!”
At first, the group of men was too embarrassed to listen to the conversation, but when they noticed that something was wrong, they started gathering around.
Zhou Lan stopped walking and had no choice but to say, “Why should I tell you?”
“Everyone is advocating the spirit of sharing now. Since you found such a good place, you should tell all the villagers! Good things shouldn’t be kept for yourself!”
Indeed, in this era, the country encouraged everyone to have a spirit of sharing. They had to work and eat together, and everything had to be divided equally.
However, the situation was different now. The drought had caused an extreme shortage of food. If they continued eating big portions of food, then every time anyone ate, they would only have the mentality that it was better to die from overeating than to starve to death. No matter how much food they had, it would not be enough.
It was said that after people starved to death in other places, the country began to change its policy and distributed food to each family so that each family could have enough food. Only then did the situation improve.
Jiang Xia’s eyes flashed with coldness, but the moment she raised her head, she smiled, “Then, what should we do according to your wishes?”
She could see that the eyes of a few people lit up after the lady said that good things would be divided equally.
When she saw that only Jiang Xia responded to her, she gave Jiang Xia a rare smile. Little did she know that Jiang Chuan and Zhou Lan were waiting to watch a good show!
“Zhou Lan, your second daughter is the most obedient one.” After saying that, the woman lowered her body and said to Jiang Xia, “Jiang Xia! Don’t you think the uncles in the village are good to you?” The woman said as she looked around.
As soon as Jiang Xia saw the woman’s small movements, she knew what she was up to.
The ones who were nice to them were the people who came to help with the work. Although she knew that most of the people were here because of the village chief, it was her family’s house in the end, these people should keep that in mind.
Jiang Xia cursed in her heart, but she still kept a smile on her face, “The uncles who came to help us build the house are all very good! Previously, we had nothing and the uncles were willing to help us build a house.”
It was more convenient for children to speak than adults. It was because they were children that their words sounded sincere. Since it happened so suddenly, Jiang Chuan and Zhou Lan didn’t have the time to guide her, so everything Jiang Xia said was based on her own feeling.
The people who had come to help out felt at ease after hearing Jiang Xia’s words.
Because everyone didn’t hear what old Sun’s wife had said earlier, they didn’t understand what had happened. However, some of them were quick-witted and recalled the relationship between the two of them. They couldn’t help but curse the lady for taking advantage of them.
They were the ones who had built the house for Jiang Chuan’s family, but this woman wanted to give credit to the whole village.
Seeing that Jiang Xia was not falling for her trap, old Sun’s wife continued, “Since uncles are so good, shouldn’t Xiao Xia help them? Now that the uncles are all starving, shouldn’t you share some of the wild vegetables and deer you found?”
“Oh.” Jiang Xia purposely dragged out her words.
“Father and mother have already told everyone we will exchange the deer for food. These few days, those uncles that worked hard to help our family build a house will be given food. As for the wild vegetables, my mother and I will also bring the aunties up to dig them, so there’s no need for you to worry. Father and mother taught me to be grateful. We naturally can’t let the people who have helped our family suffer. Do you agree with me, Auntie?”