Free Web NovelChapter 113: Chapter 113: On What Grounds?
Mrs. Tang had just started to speak when she heard Little Tang Mo call out to her, "Grandma."
Little Tang Mo had come back with Su Li, but before he even had a chance to call her "Grandma," Mrs. Tang had unleashed a torrent of words.
Little Tang Mo had been standing off to the side. Seeing Mrs. Tang’s expression suddenly change, he immediately called out.
At his cry, the scolding on the tip of Mrs. Tang’s tongue died away. She stiffly turned her head to look at Little Tang Mo.
"Momo, why don’t you go outside and play? Grandma needs to talk to your mom about something," she said with a stiff smile.
Little Tang Mo didn’t move. He just looked at Mrs. Tang with his big, dark eyes and spoke.
"Grandma, Teacher Zhao’s mother yelled at Mom at noon. I heard everything."
"Er..." Mrs. Tang choked. "We can talk about that later."
Little Tang Mo said no more, just stared stubbornly at Mrs. Tang without moving.
Mrs. Tang tried to coax him for a long time, but Little Tang Mo wouldn’t speak or leave. He just stood beside her, watching her.
These days, Little Tang Mo had heard many stories and had started school. Compared to before, he was more sensible and much harder to fool.
He might not have understood the whole situation, but he could distinguish between the good and bad intentions of adults.
Mrs. Tang was filled with a bellyful of rage, but because of Little Tang Mo, she had nowhere to vent it.
That evening after dinner, the Tang Family received a string of visitors, something that almost never happened.
In less than an hour, the people of Xinghua Village, having finished their own dinners, all converged on the Tang Family’s home as if by prior agreement.
They made no effort to hide their intentions. Whether sitting, squatting, or standing in the kitchen, they looked on, full of hope, at Su Liwen.
"When can we start making clothes to earn money like the people in Li Family Village?"
Some clever "well-wishers" even tried to earnestly persuade her. "Teacher Su, for something like making clothes, just let Xinghua Village do it. Don’t worry, we’ll definitely do a better job than them."
Su Li didn’t engage with any of them. Saying she had to go out and grade homework, she refused to entertain them.
They weren’t annoyed. Instead, they all gathered around Mrs. Tang.
Mrs. Tang had heard a fair bit of flattery in her life, but never as much as she did that night. She felt the same way as everyone else, but she was wary of Su Li. Aside from agreeing to a few things while her head was spinning from the praise, she ultimately didn’t dare to make any grand promises.
Still, the people of Xinghua Village were satisfied with this.
The villagers of Xinghua Village all came to butter up Su Li, but she was the same as always—not rude, but not enthusiastic either. And she never budged on any of their requests.
This made the people of Xinghua Village anxious again, so they hurriedly went to talk to Mrs. Tang.
Unfortunately, going to Mrs. Tang was useless. Mrs. Tang couldn’t do anything about Su Li either. No matter what she agreed to, if Su Li didn’t act, she was helpless.
In the end, the villagers cleverly went to find the village chief.
The village chief had already heard about the matter. Unlike the overjoyed villagers, his feelings were more complicated.
His intuition told him things weren’t that simple. If Su Li had been willing, Xinghua Village would have become another Li Family Village long ago.
But regardless of his intuition, a major, positive event like this still required the village chief to step in.
At the villagers’ request, the village chief, along with the village accountant and a few other main village cadres, paid a formal visit to the Tang Family to see Su Li on Friday evening after dinner, while it was still light out.
They had come prepared.
"...This is a mutually beneficial arrangement, and the village fully supports it. You can use any of the village’s vacant public buildings. If you need any other support, you just have to ask..."
The village chief spoke until his mouth was dry, but Su Li didn’t give a single clear answer.
"Although there was a misunderstanding before, our village is famous for being simple and honest. You can feel at ease letting them make the clothes. The wages are negotiable, too. Teacher Su, what are your thoughts?"
It was rare for the village chief to use the formal "you," especially with a woman. This was a first.
Even his own mother didn’t get this kind of treatment.
Su Li listened, smiled, and finally gave a clear answer.
"I originally had plans to ask the villagers for help. I was just about to discuss it with you when... that incident happened."
Su Li paused. "You probably don’t know, Village Chief, but after what happened by the old apricot tree... I was frightened. Now I don’t dare to even think about it."
The village chief was speechless. "..."
The village chief felt a massive headache coming on. He criticized Fang Yulan at length and then spent a long time saying pleasant things, but Su Li didn’t change her tune.
Su Li sent the village chief away with two phrases: "I don’t dare" and "I really don’t dare."
Watching the village chief leave, a mocking smile flashed across Su Li’s lips.
’How the people of Xinghua Village treated me in my last life and this one—I remember it all crystal clear. I can barely contain my hatred for them, so how could I possibly help them and let them make money!’
’It’s already taking everything I have not to seek widespread revenge, okay?’
’Help them make money? In their dreams!’
’I’m no saint.’
She would rather let strangers like the people from Li Family Village earn the money than let the people of Xinghua Village earn it.
Su Li turned back to wash her face and feet. freёweɓnovel.com
"Su Li, what is wrong with you?"
Mrs. Tang sat to one side, the fury in her eyes unconcealable as she watched Su Li. She had been putting up with Su Li for a long time!
For the past two days, more than half the village had come looking for Su Li, but she still hadn’t given them a straight answer, and they were very unhappy.
They were unhappy but also wary of offending Su Li, so in the end, they had all gone to Mrs. Tang instead. This made Mrs. Tang more and more anxious and furious. fгeewebnovёl.com
"What do you mean, ’what is wrong’?" Su Li retorted.
"What else could it be? It’s about letting the villagers help make clothes! Even the village chief came tonight, and you still have this attitude!"
Mrs. Tang accused, "We’re from the same village; we should look out for our own people. How can you just hand this opportunity to Li Family Village!"
Su Li poured out the water and stood up, looking down at Mrs. Tang as she coolly retorted.
"Why should I look out for them? On what grounds?"
Her eyes were too cold, devoid of all emotion. Every time Mrs. Tang saw that look in Su Li’s eyes, she felt a chill in her heart.
For a moment, she was speechless.
Su Li shifted her gaze, looking at her own hands as she answered her own question.
"On account of the ’kindness’ they showed when they wanted Chen Tang to execute me twice?"
Su Li let out a soft laugh. "Mother-in-law, if we’re going by that ’kindness,’ even if I dared to let them do the work, would they dare to accept?"
Mrs. Tang’s body had frozen the moment Su Li started speaking. She couldn’t utter a word.
Su Li watched her expression as if enjoying a funny spectacle. "Well, Mother-in-law? I’m asking you, would they dare?"
Mrs. Tang looked at Su Li, who was smiling faintly in the light of the kerosene lamp, and her eyes trembled uncontrollably.
"What happened before was just a misunderstanding..."
Su Li said, "Oh." She continued, "A misunderstanding, you say. But Mother-in-law, what am I to do? I don’t have your ’magnanimity and kindness.’"
Su Li shrugged and walked away without another word.
"You... Su Li, how could you..." Mrs. Tang was both angry and frustrated, but she didn’t know what to say.
She didn’t dare say anything more. Su Li’s words had frightened her.
The next day, word of Su Li’s conversation with the village chief spread quickly throughout Xinghua Village.
It sent another small earthquake through the entire village. Realizing that Fang Yulan had ruined everything, everyone couldn’t help but curse her out.
After cursing her, they were filled with regret—regret that they hadn’t stopped Fang Yulan or helped Su Li when she was being insulted.
The next day, Saturday, "well-wishers" showed up at the Tang Family’s home early in the morning, saying they would help Su Li teach Fang Yulan a lesson.
