Chapter 168: Stop Playing Tricks, or Don't Blame Me for Beating You All Up Too

Ge Xiulan looked displeased: "Village Head, why are we being assigned educated youth again?"

Village Head Deng Huaiming naturally did not want to accept these city kids who could neither carry loads nor lift heavy things, but this was a political task assigned from above; what could he say? "Whatever the commune arranges, we will execute. If you have objections, keep them to yourself."

After the mule finished the fodder in his hand and kicked its hooves around for a while, Deng Huaiming finally started shouting: "Come on, everyone, sit tight; we're heading back to the village."

If the commune were not close to their village, the Village Head would never have let them all ride in the cart; if the village mules got tired, it wouldn't be worth it.

Since those educated youth boarded the cart, Hearing Liu Jiandong had been staring blankly at one female educated youth; if Ge Xiulan had not noticed her son's strange expression and lightly nudged him, he might have made a fool of himself in front of everyone.

As soon as they entered the village, someone said: "They're back, they're back; the Liu Shangang couple and their son have returned together."

"Now there's going to be a good show; the Ge family has brought quite a few people today."

Sure enough, no sooner had those words been spoken than a roar was heard: "Liu Shanliang, where's the money?"

Liu Shanliang glanced at his son on the mule cart: "Send my son home first; I'll give you the money in a moment."

Ge Shuanhu grabbed him: "Stop playing tricks, or don't blame me for beating you all up too."

After all, they were villagers from the same village; someone who couldn't stand it stepped forward to help, allowing Hearing Liu Jiandong to be supported onto Liu Shangan's back.

Ge Xiulan followed on her husband's side, protecting her son as they walked forward.

When passing her own elder brother Ge Shuanhu, she didn't even give him a proper look; through this incident, she had given up on her natal family.

After they settled Hearing Liu Jiandong, the outside of the Liu family house was once again surrounded by people.

Liu Shangan did not dawdle this time; he had Ge Xiulan summon the Party Secretary and the Village Head, made the Ge family write a receipt in front of them, and only then handed over the three hundred yuan.

Ge Shuanhu took the money, glanced at Ge Xiulan standing opposite, and shouted: "Go home."

He then headed toward Ge Lizhuang without looking back.

Those who had been waiting to see the show felt disappointed toward the villagers: "Did Liu Shangang really borrow the money?"

"You're just talking nonsense; didn't you see Ge Shuanhu counting the money with his spit just now?"

"Where did the Liu Shangang couple get so much money?"

"I don't know; most likely they borrowed it from someone."

"With their current reputation, who would dare lend them money?"

As people were discussing, they saw Xia Qiu walking over with Qiu Shaofeng: "Auntie, what's going on?"

"Oh, Xia Qiu, you've brought your husband back?"

"Yes; the farm just finished its busy period, so we came back to check on my father."

"Your family now has hope."

Saying this, she pointed toward the end of the village: "See that? Your new house is built at the village end; it's all blue-brick tiled houses."

Liu Chuxue walked out from the courtyard: "Sister, brother-in-law, you're here; come in quickly."

"Xue, how has father been these past few days?"

"Very well; father is in the room; you can go in and see for yourselves."

When Xia Qiu saw him, she was truly startled: "Father, why do you look a bit fatter than before?"

Liu Shanliang laughed: "Your sister hasn't stopped bringing me delicious food; since I sit and don't move, of course I've gained some weight."

Qiu Shaofeng took the canned goods and brown sugar from his hands and placed them on the kang, then handed the meat to his mother-in-law standing aside: "Father, how has your leg felt these past few days?"

Liu Shanliang smiled and pointed to the edge of the kang, inviting him to sit: "It's not as swollen as before; sometimes I deliberately raise and lower it, and the pain isn't as obvious as before."

Liu's mother looked at the meat in her hand: "You could have just come over; why spend so much?"

Her words were not mere false politeness; she was truly worried that her daughter's in-laws would be unhappy.

Qiu Shaofeng saw his mother-in-law's worry: "It was prepared by my great-grandmother; please keep it; my father needs nutrition right now."

Liu Chuxue smiled and added: "Dad's mouth hasn't lacked for treats recently; with nutrition catching up, he has indeed become a bit fatter than before; seeing him makes people happy."