Chapter 113: Irony

Chunxiao heard they were going to measure the homestead site in the afternoon: "Mom, I'll ask for leave this afternoon too and go along."

Liu's mother tapped her forehead lightly with a chopstick: "Stop causing trouble. The midterms are coming soon; if you fail, just wait and see how I'll deal with you."

Chunxiao stuck out her tongue; she wasn't as good at studying as her second sister, so she naturally lacked the capital to act recklessly and could only obediently shovel up the noodles in Xiao Wanli's bowl.

Because they had to work in the afternoon, the Party Secretary and others had already taken people over early.

When Liu Chuxue went out, she specifically took a box of Xiangshan cigarettes from her space and put it in her pocket; upon arriving, she immediately opened the pack and handed them around to the men who had come to help: "Come, have a cigarette. You've come to measure during your rest time, thank you for your hard work."

Uncle Liangzi, who had come along, smiled and said: "See, one still has to study; those words make everyone feel comfortable."

The Party Secretary took a match to light the cigarette in his hand and didn't forget to borrow a light for the village head beside him: "Liu Chuxue handles things openly; even paper cigarettes are being smoked now. Everyone, get moving quickly."

They were all experienced hands, working very efficiently; it didn't take long before the homestead site was measured out.

Liu's mother stepped forward then: "Secretary, Village Head, our family has been allocated a plot too; should the private plot be marked out for us at the same time?"

The Party Secretary nodded: "Indeed, that is a matter."

The Village Head looked at the remaining space behind the homestead site, then turned to the Party Secretary: "Uncle Da Gui, there is still space left behind the house."

The Party Secretary looked over there: "Here's a good idea; in a moment, we'll let you extend half a meter further out. You'll have to work hard to clear the wasteland yourselves."

The Village Head agreed with these words, after all, that area was overgrown with weeds and indeed required time to clear the wasteland.

Liu's mother naturally had no objections; although her husband needed care, he wasn't at a stage where he couldn't be left alone; before the vegetable seedlings were planted, this land would surely be cleared.

Soon, the private plot was also measured out.

After the people left, Liu Chuxue looked at the allocated private plot and said: "Mom, this way, that thin, long strip left outside can also be utilized; even if we can't grow crops there, we can tidy it up and plant pumpkins, gourds, luffa, and beans along the edge, just sticking trellises out directly."

Liu's mother laughed: "That's what I was thinking too; anyway, only that long strip remains, and it won't be allocated to another family."

As soon as the measuring was finished here, the villagers got the news, and soon the Liu family also learned that the Second Branch was going to build a new house.

Ge Pozi cursed in the courtyard, spittle flying: "Clearly they have money in their pockets, yet they still want to harm their own eldest uncle; truly black-hearted."

"A whole family of ungrateful wretches, caring not a whit for family bonds; just see which family dares to deal with you."

When Liu's mother and Liu Chuxue returned, they happened to hear these few sentences.

Liu's mother's face immediately changed, and she was about to rush up to argue with her mother-in-law, but Liu Chuxue held her back.

Liu Chuxue entered the courtyard and said: "Grandma, no one in the village is a fool; your words aren't scolding us of the Second Branch at all; they are clearly a portrait of the entire eldest uncle's family. It's truly hard on you."

"You black-hearted wretch, what nonsense are you spouting?"

"As for black-heartedness, that title belongs to the eldest uncle's wife; as for being ungrateful, the First Branch is no less so. If they cared about family bonds at all, they wouldn't have done such heartless things. With parents like that, Second Cousin and Cousin will have their hands full in the future; which family would be willing to marry into such a household?"

"Grandma, with your voice so loud, are you afraid no one will know what despicable deeds my eldest uncle's family has done?"

After speaking, she even burst out laughing.

Ge Pozi, furious, pointed her finger at her: "You, you, you..."

(End of this chapter)