Chapter 253: Rebirth in the '90s: Tyrant Flower Chapter 254: Livestream Hanging

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Protagonist:

Chai Mi

"Hahaha, if we don't water those crops they'll die of drought and we'll get nothing. Now that we've watered them, there will be a harvest. What's a few things? This isn't much at all—I've watered nearly twenty mu of land." Liu Zhanggui said with a smile.

Afterward, the few people went into the house.

Liu Zhijing put down the things, and Chai Mi glanced at them: four packs of Haifeng Cake, four bags of Mung Bean Cake, estimated to be twenty jin of eggs and one bag of dried mushrooms.

Mm-hmm, the things looked like quite a lot, but apparently not that expensive.

All food, probably worth a few dozen yuan, about the same as the electricity bill, but this was still much better than giving the electricity bill.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Liu Zhijing said: "Chai Mi, I recently acquired an old Inverted Donkey Motorcycle, bought at scrap iron price. The other day you said you wanted to do some business or something; if you don't have a suitable shop to transfer, then taking the whole Inverted Donkey to the market works too. Most people going to the market these days are on Inverted Donkeys, some on bicycles, some on motorcycles. The person I bought it from also does business at the market; that motorcycle isn't a big problem, fix it up and it can still be used, just the exhaust pipe is clogged. I tricked him into saying the engine was broken, so he sold it... If you want it, I'll keep it for you. If you don't, I'll sell it at a higher price in a few days."

Chai Mi was first amazed at Liu Zhijing this Merchant/Businessman: he hadn't learned anything good, but he knew how to trap, swindle, and cheat.

Then she felt that if she took it, she'd be taking advantage, so she stopped making things difficult for Liu Zhijing.

"Keep it for me. Fix it up properly; whether we do business or not, having something to haul stuff around is still useful."

Liu Zhanggui and Liu Zhijing didn't really have anything else to do; mainly they were just delivering some gifts to express their thanks for using the well. They chatted for a while and then left.

……

On the other side.

Che Lianyun, who had been home for three or four days, changed from her usual decadence and finally...

got up...

Mm-hmm, she had slept at the Kang Tou for a full several days, and today was the first day she got up. Originally she had planned to pretend to be sick so someone would come to care for and love her.

As a result, except for a few brothers from her Mother's Family, namely her Eldest Sister and younger sister, who came to see her, no one else came at all.

Not a single person in the Village came to see her, not one of her Colleagues came to see her, and as for the Old Chai Family Clan/Relatives, not a single person came to see her.

If Che Lianyun continued to pretend, it would have no meaning anymore.

After Che Lianyun got up, she found Chai You De was still sleeping...

Of course, Chai You De still had Bandages wrapped around his head, and Bandages on his arm, ribs, fingers, and nose bridge.

He still had an IV Tube in his mouth, and the other end of the tube was facing a bottle of Alcohol...

If one asked why Chai You De was still drinking Alcohol in such a state?

The answer was he would die without Alcohol.

Che Lianyun was already in a bad mood, and seeing Chai You De in this state made her furious. She kicked her lower leg, and with a Thud, Chai You De flew onto the Ground.

"Drinking drinking drinking all day, drink your mother! Our family is only being ridden on our heads and made to Defecate because we have you, this unfilial old man." Che Lianyun cursed nonstop: "Chai You De, you are just a Useless/Waste, the biggest Useless/Waste under heaven. Why don't you go die?"

Chai You De lay on the Ground, neither crying nor making trouble, and barely reacted at all.

Che Lianyun cursed a few more times; seeing Chai You De had no reaction, she got down to look at him and thought Chai You De had fallen to his death.

As a result, a snoring sound started up.

Chai You De had fallen asleep...

Che Lianyun was so angry her face turned green.

"Stuck with this group of Rice Bucket/Useless People from your Old Chai Family, I've really had Blood Mold/Bad Luck for half my life."

After cursing Chai You De, Che Lianyun turned and saw Chai Dajun cowering and trembling in the Corner, and said in a Low Voice: "Son, don't learn from your father; your father is useless. You must Strive, so people won't Look Down Upon you."

Chai Dajun dared not speak.

Che Lianyun then walked out of the Courtyard, came to the East Room, her Face Color darkened, and said to Chai Zhongxiao sitting at the Kang Tou: "Chai Zhongxiao, did someone from the Village come yesterday about whether you owe Grain?"

Chai Zhongxiao gave Che Lianyun a white-eyed look and said nothing.

Wang Huirong sighed and said: "That's right, they came to ask about handing over Grain. But autumn hasn't even ended yet, and besides, this year everything died of drought and there was no Harvest. With no Harvest, what Grain is there to hand over?"

"Whether there's a Harvest or not, I don't care; anyway, your famine, you carry it yourself. It has nothing to do with our Home."

Chai Zhongxiao coldly glanced at Che Lianyun again and still said nothing.

Che Lianyun couldn't find fault, so she went out again.

Just as she went out, she saw several Court Staff driving a car to Chai Zhongxiao's Doorway.

Then the Court Staff got out of the car and entered the Courtyard.

"Who is Chai Zhongxiao?"

Chai Zhongxiao hurriedly went out: "I am."

"You know about owing money to the Credit Union, right? Do you have money now? Can you repay some?"

"I have no money now, only one life."

"It's like this; we also handle things according to regulations. This is a Collection Notice; within Seven Days, pay the money in full and it will be fine. If you can't pay in full, next time it won't be us coming."

The Court Staff handed Chai Zhongxiao the notice with the Official Seal.

A summer afternoon.

Heat Wave rolling.

Chai Zhongxiao, who had been extremely Righteous/Hard, after one Noon passed, finally was not Righteous/Hard anymore.

That morning the Court Staff clearly told Chai Zhongxiao: if he intentionally didn't repay the money, he would have to eat prison food, and squatting in the bamboo fence was unavoidable.

The problem was, Chai Zhongxiao himself didn't know what to do.

Repay the money? He didn't have a single Fenji. Even eating was a problem.

But if he didn't repay, he would definitely squat in the bamboo fence.

As for how long to squat, Chai Zhongxiao didn't know.

But Chai Zhongxiao, who had lived his whole life as Justice Incarnate, didn't want to squat in a pen.

By then, outsiders would say: Hey, that Chai Zhongxiao has squatted in a pen before.

Chai Zhongxiao would probably be so ashamed he'd have no face to meet his ancestors.

But he really had no money.

Not to mention tens of thousands of yuan, he didn't even have several thousand or several hundred.

They say one cent can stump a hero, and now Chai Zhongxiao deeply experienced it; he paced around the room alone, with no thought of taking a lunch break at all.

"What do we do?" Chai Zhongxiao stomped his foot and said: "What do we do?"

Wang Huirong didn't know what to do either: "If I knew what to do, it would be fine. Why not let the three brothers pool together?"

"Heh. Possible? The eldest's family—now they won't even let you open your mouth, just flat-out refuse to lend. The second blows his cowhide very loudly; when it comes to money, he doesn't have the final say. The third..." Chai Zhongxiao frowned: "The third isn't easy either..."

"Sigh... no way." Wang Huirong had no ideas either.

"There's one last method." Chai Zhongxiao narrowed his eyes and said: "This afternoon, you go out and say: my several sons don't support me; we worked hard to raise our sons, they married wives, and now their father is going to squat in a pen because he owes some money. The so-called debt makes sons grow up; this famine will be divided into three, and let the three brothers repay..."

"Ah... can that work?"

By afternoon, the village became lively.

Wang Huirong took a rope, ran to the big willow tree at the east side of the village, and prepared to do a live-broadcast version of suicide by hanging.

"My life is so bitter; I gave birth to three sons and three daughters, and now that I'm old, I still have to suffer this. Her father Chai Zhongxiao worked hard his whole life, saved frugally to marry wives for his three sons; after marrying wives they forgot their mother; back when we married wives for those three, we hauled some famine debt, and now no one repays it..."

Wang Huirong was streaming tears.

The onlookers around immediately perked up...

Song Qiushui had originally been sleeping her lunch break at home and hadn't woken up, but was woken by the noise; she ran out to look, feeling uncertain, so she went pitter-patter to Chai Mi's home.

"Chai Mi, Chai Mi. Not good, not good. Your grandmother ran to the small shop entrance to hang herself..."

Chai Mi had originally been idling in the yard; hearing this, she was a bit bewildered: "What thing? Old Man ran to the small shop entrance to hang herself?"

"That's right..."

"Got the rope?"

"Got it?"

"Hanged yet?"

"Not yet..."

"Then why are you anxious?" Chai Mi spread her hands. "It's not like I'm the one going to hang myself; look at you, panting and wheezing, what for?"

"No, I just thought this isn't a big deal, so I was afraid you'd worry."

Chai Mi paid no attention at all; she pulled Song Qiushui into the room, made her a bowl of honey water, and took out a bag of Haifeng Cake.

That honey was also delivered by Liu Zhanggui that day; there was too much stuff, and Chai Mi hadn't even seen it at the time.

"Pure honey, so delicious, try it." Chai Mi said, and even used a small spoon to scoop a spoonful for Song Qiushui.

Song Qiushui brought it to her mouth and tasted it.

"Hiss... sweet. So sweet..." Song Qiushui had loved sweets since childhood; the honey in her mouth made her immediately excited, and she gulped it down.

That unique sweetness and richness of honey made Song Qiushui extremely comfortable.

After one spoonful, she scooped another, then stared at the remaining bottle of honey.

Chai Mi said with a smile: "If you like it, take it all; I don't like sweets much. My mother's teeth aren't good either; she can't eat too sweet things."

Song Qiushui nodded like a rattle drum, immediately agreed, and before even leaving, she stuffed the honey hard into her own pocket.

The pocket wasn't big enough, but she forced it in, afraid that Chai Mi wouldn't give it to her later.

Chai Youqing wasn't home at this time; someone else in the village wanted to use the well, so Chai Youqing went to the fields.

Su Wan came from the west room; just now she had heard the noise and knew someone had arrived, so she came over holding the child.

"Qiushui came; there are still several bags of mung bean cake at home; take two bags when you leave; they're quite delicious. In this hot weather, soak in water to drink, it can relieve heat."

Song Qiushui hehed a smile, not refusing guests: "Then I won't be polite."

"What politeness; coming here is like coming to your own home." Su Wan smiled, then asked: "Just now you came in a hurry; did something happen outside?"

Song Qiushui didn't hide anything, so she told about Wang Huirong running to the small shop at the east side of the village to make a scene: "Aiya, annoying me to death. I didn't sleep well last night, aiya... this old codger ran there to hang herself. Is it their family's tree? She wants to hang, so she hangs? Did she consider my Second Uncle's feelings?"

Chai Mi covered her mouth and laughed: "Your Second Uncle having such in-laws is really unlucky. Hahahaha... Did the crowd stop her?"

"They stopped her." Song Qiushui was very dissatisfied: "In broad daylight, with people around. The problem is they couldn't stop her; that woman—several old ladies fought her for the rope and couldn't beat her; she was crying and shouting, wanting to hang herself..."

Chai Mi laughed uncontrollably.

Even Chai Xiu, who was usually unsmiling, hehed and laughed, saying in a low voice: "My grandmother, so strong."

Su Wan was both surprised and at a loss; she was surprised that Wang Huirong actually made such a scene, and at a loss because Chai Chunfang had just not...

What if this Wang Huirong also kicked the bucket...

Especially dying in this way would be a particularly bad influence on everyone in the Chai Family.

This nature was still particularly serious.

No matter what, Wang Huirong is the biological mother of her husband Chai Youqing; if she really hanged herself, even if she and her husband were blameless, they couldn't withstand the villagers' finger-pointing.

"Chai Mi, why not go take a look? We can't let the Old Man act recklessly. No matter what, she's also your grandmother; if she really can't take it and dies like this, later whoever mentions it, saying your grandmother was driven by several sons to hang herself and commit suicide—that reputation wouldn't be good."

Chai Mi was unhurried: "No matter, she won't die."

"But what if..." Su Wan sighed: "Back then no one could have imagined your Old Aunt would just die like that. As a result, your Old Aunt pulled such a stunt. Not only did it make your grandfather and grandmother look bad, it also made us lose face. Not a glorious thing. If your grandmother really means it and dies... your father's second half of life—won't people poke his spine?"

Actually, with the Old Chai Family making such a scene, last time Chai Chunfang died. And the influence was particularly bad, even directly driving subsequent events, including this time court staff coming to the house and Chai Zhongxiao demanding money; if Chai Zhongxiao had none, they'd lock him in a pen—this was also an extension of that event.

The so-called life and death is no small matter; in the countryside, although many people in this era can't read a single character, once it rises to the level of life and death, everyone knows it's a major event.

People always revere life.

"No rush, no rush." Chai Mi comforted her mother: "Mom, put your mind at ease. My grandmother won't die; she's just using a scare tactic. She and Chai Chunfang's situation aren't the same — Chai Chunfang couldn't go on living, but Wang Huirong hasn't reached that point. Isn't it just hauling a bit of famine relief grain with no money to repay? At worst, go squat by the fence. And besides, she doesn't even have to go... Chai Zhongxiao owes the debt, so Chai Zhongxiao goes to squat. This old man is something else — he still stays at home pretending to care about face and reputation, but does those shameless things... sending his own daughter-in-law to hang herself, scaring these several sons. He really thought of it all."

Chai Mi felt strong aversion toward this matter: "You tell me who he can scare? He only scares my dad and my Second Uncle. Chai You De isn't afraid — Chai You De doesn't even fear death himself, so why would he care if someone else dies? And my Second Uncle, that man has thick skin, plus even if he wanted to, he doesn't have the money to repay that much famine relief. However you put it, this is still coveting the money in my hands. The idea is, they see Dad's filial piety, see me as easy to bully. Mom, don't interfere. I'll handle this. Isn't the old lady livestreaming her hanging? Then I'll just wait for her to die — I'll see her not die."