Chapter Seventy-Two: Playing the Scoundrel
"We're all on the same island. When a typhoon hits, we're all in this together, aren't we? Why do you think that if your family has no food, others do? Besides, those who had food already gave it away for free when the typhoon passed. If you ask for it again now, who has any left? Aren't you just making things difficult for people?"
A reasonable person couldn't help but retort.
Just because your family doesn't have it doesn't mean other families don't either.
"Besides, it's not that we don't want to pay back; it's just that everyone is struggling to make ends meet, so we had to resort to this tactic. We're all from the same island, so helping each other is only natural. I don't think anyone would be so stingy as to not even be willing to help with this little bit, right?"
Upon hearing this, Xinli understood in her heart that this matter was probably aimed at her.
Sure enough, the other person changed their tone and called her name directly.
“Xinli, you and He Mingzhou took out a lot of food during the typhoon, so your family must have a lot of food stored up, right? Since you were willing to lend it to everyone before, why don’t you take out some more now? We can’t just watch people starve to death.”
Xin Li shrugged and said seriously, "That's all the food my family has. I heard from Sister Lu that there might be a typhoon here, so I was worried about not having enough food and that's why I went with Aunt Yang to stock up on food."
“Aunt Yang was with me at the time, and she knew how much I bought.”
Aunt Yang didn't actually see it; she only heard Xin Li mention it, but that didn't stop her from firmly standing by Xin Li's side.
"That's right, I went with Xinxin at the time, and the things Xinxin bought had already been taken out beforehand."
After finishing her sentence, Aunt Yang glared at the person who had spoken and said irritably, "Uncle Shi, you can't be so ungrateful. Xin Xin and her husband distributed so much grain before. If everyone had been frugal, it would have been enough to eat when grain was sent from other places. It's not nice of you to just ask for more now."
"It's as if not giving food to Xinxin is deliberately trying to starve everyone to death."
"That's right!"
"Nobody wants a typhoon to come, but what can we do when we're standing on a small island by the sea?"
"Besides, this is Xinxin's first time on our island, and she's already paying attention to whether there will be a typhoon and knows to stock up on food. Uncle Shi, you've lived on the island for many years, how come all your years of experience haven't been of any use? And would someone as stingy as you really not stock up on any food at all?"
Uncle Shi never expected that Xinli's reputation would turn around so quickly.
He had originally thought that after what Xu Haiyu had caused, there would still be people who wouldn't believe Xin Li.
He had no idea that after the typhoon, everyone's opinion of Xinli was extremely positive.
Especially after seeing Xin Li and He Mingzhou working so hard for the people on the island and giving them so much food, and knowing that none of them are heartless people, how could they not be moved and change their minds?
Moreover, most of the people on the island are honest and law-abiding islanders who just want to eat and drink their fill, save some money to build a house, or go out to sea to see the mainland.
At worst, he could build a house, get married, and continue the next generation.
Who would stare at what's in someone else's pocket every day?
Only people like Uncle Shi always think that what belongs to others should be theirs, so they never repent and shamelessly try to take advantage of others.
Their attitude of "I'm weak, therefore I'm right" is truly disgusting.
"You...you all know that my family's harvest was bad this year."
"Besides, I went to see it before. When this girl married into the family, she brought a lot of luxurious furniture with her. They even have a TV!"
"No one on our island has ever lived such a good life. Since her things are useless anyway, why not just sell them and use the money to buy food to save more people?"
"Why should she enjoy it all by herself?"
"Don't you want to listen to what you're saying?!"
Someone couldn't stand it anymore and stood up, angrily saying, "Are those other people's things yours? Besides, they're someone's dowry. Why should you sell them for grain?"
"If you're really starving, go find something to eat yourself. Why make things difficult for that young girl?"
"That's right, that's right! Don't you have any conscience? Deputy Division Commander He finally got to marry this woman, don't scare her away!"
Aunt Yang was furious, slapping her thigh and cursing the man for being selfish.
"Besides, how are you even on the verge of starving to death?"
"Didn't you say someone would deliver the house soon? Can't you even wait a little longer?"
Seeing that his words had angered everyone, Uncle Shi simply stopped pretending.
"They even had eggs for lunch today, while we only have some flour and wheat flour. Why are they eating so well? If you're going to do a good deed, you should see it through to the end!"
"Screw you! Even if they have eggs, that's their property. What does it have to do with you? Have you no shame? You even try to steal from a young girl! It's utterly disgusting!"
"I don't care!"
"I just want food. If you don't give it to me, I'll take some people and move their things out of their house. I don't believe they don't have other food. They hoard their own things and refuse to share them, while watching others go hungry. Is this what our military wives are like?"
Everyone else rolled their eyes at Old Shi's words.
I've seen shameless people, but I've never seen anyone as shameless as this.
Previously, everyone only knew that this old Uncle Shi was very old-fashioned, difficult to talk to, and liked to take advantage of small things. But the old man was a bit stingy, after all, they all came from that era, so everyone didn't take it seriously and usually didn't care much about those things.
Unexpectedly, he has now revealed his true colors, and the things he says are truly unbearable to listen to.
"Are you alright? Why should I give you Shen Shen's things? Just because you're old or because you died young?"
Aunt Yang lost her husband early in life, and being a widow made her life on the island difficult. Uncle Shi was one of the people who liked to curse her for bringing bad luck to her husband.
She had previously considered that he was an elderly person, so she didn't do anything about it.
But now I really can't stand it anymore.
Some people just like to act like they're old and arrogant; their disgusting behavior makes you want to punch them.
"Shut up! What right do you, a widow who brings bad luck to her husbands, have to talk to me like that?"
“I’m telling you, anyone who speaks up for her, you’ll have to give me something.”
"If she doesn't want to take it, then you can take it. Otherwise, I'll just bring my blankets and dishes and move into your house. From now on, you can take care of all my needs!"
Everyone took a half step back.
There's really nothing honest people can do about this kind of shameless old rogue.
Xin Li gave a cold smile, cracked her knuckles, and was about to step forward when she heard a deep voice say, "Who's acting like a scoundrel here? Do you want to spend a few days in the detention center?"
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