The men looked at each other, none of them understanding what the old village chief meant.
"Village Chief, you have always been the village chief of Carp Village. You have never let a woman be in charge!"
"Hmph, you still remember I'm the village chief?" The old village chief sneered, puffing out his beard and glaring. "You only pretend I'm still the village chief; in reality, your hearts have long since turned to that orphan girl!"
Mentioning Su Xiaoning reminded Uncle Qingshan of the confrontation between Su Qingcai and the old village chief. He hesitated for a moment before stepping forward and saying, "Village chief, have you misunderstood something? Although everyone in Carp Village has gone into business during this time, Xiaoning is doing it for everyone's good. Moreover, you will always be the village chief. We will never let anyone else take over."
“Since ancient times, men have been in charge of the household, while women stay at home to support their husbands and raise children. Now, it’s all messed up. You grown men are being led by the nose by a woman. Do you even remember the rules of our ancestors? Has the neighboring village of Xiaofeng forgotten how it disappeared? Once women gain status, our village is doomed!”
Xiaofeng Village used to be right next to Liyu Village, also a self-sufficient fishing village. However, a certain village chief became too obsessed with women, marrying a woman from another village and entrusting all village affairs to her. The woman from another village was incompetent and, after gaining power, made a mess of Xiaofeng Village. In the end, unable to contain herself any longer, she secretly ran away. Xiaofeng Village was beyond saving and disappeared.
Among the villagers of Carp Village were some who had migrated from Xiaofeng Village. The thought of this incident filled them with indignation, and they shouted, "The village chief is right. Our Xiaofeng Village suffered misfortune because of women. Carp Village must not follow in their footsteps!"
Their outburst resonated with the others, who also found it reasonable, and they were immediately filled with righteous indignation, joining in the condemnation of Su Xiaoning.
Hearing the shouts and curses all around, the old village chief was extremely satisfied.
"Alright, that's enough for now. Everyone, go back. Don't tell anyone about what happened today. Remember, we men are united, and we'll make those women suffer!"
The men listened to the old village chief and returned home after their emotions had calmed down. However, the more they were provoked, the more they disliked their wives and couldn't help but pick fights. The women were confused and had no idea what was going on, so they could only endure it.
A few days later, the situation worsened, and some families even started fighting. The women were suffering terribly. After discussing it together, they secretly went to find Su Xiaoning without telling the men.
In the hearts of the women who had not been provoked, Su Xiaoning, being a woman herself, was their greatest source of spiritual support. As soon as they approached Su Xiaoning, the women would surround her and chatter about what had happened to them recently.
Su Xiaoning, who was suddenly confronted, listened to the commotion around her with a blank expression. It took her a lot of effort to figure out what was going on.
It turned out that the men in the village had gone mad for some reason during this period. They were all picking fights and finding fault with the women at home, constantly belittling them. The women's retelling of their words made Su Xiaoning furious.
“My husband used to be honest and decent, but these past few days he’s been acting like he’s possessed. Not only is he constantly finding fault, but he even said something like, ‘You women don’t earn a penny every day and just enjoy your retirement at home.’ Can you believe what he’s saying?”
"Auntie, don't be too angry." Su Xiaoning patted the back of the aunt who was vehemently accusing her to calm her down, her brows furrowed deeply.
"Even if women stay at home to take care of their husbands and children, they still have to put in time and energy. I know your difficulties. Don't worry, I will solve this problem for you."
As a woman herself, and a transmigrator influenced by modern ideas, Su Xiaoning confidently assured them she would come up with a good solution. With this assurance, the women relaxed and scattered like birds.
Even after everyone had left, the worry between Su Xiaoning's brows remained.
It's easy to talk big, but it's not so easy to do. Her original idea was to let the women create undeniable value, so that they might have a voice in the village. However, the residents of this small fishing village have always relied on fishing at sea for a living, and the women, due to the difference in physical strength, simply cannot do the same work as the men.
Where can we find women to do easy but lucrative jobs?
Su Xiaoning racked her brains, and before she knew it, it was evening. She didn't even eat dinner and locked herself in her room the whole time.
Su Qingcai noticed Su Xiaoning's unusual behavior. He brought dinner and knocked on Su Xiaoning's door. He saw Su Xiaoning supporting her head with her hand, looking troubled. He frowned and asked, "What happened?"
"Don't even mention it, I don't even know how to explain it..."
Su Xiaoning had an innate sense of trust in Su Qingcai, and without thinking, she told him everything that had happened during the day.
After she finished speaking, she realized that something seemed a little off.
She almost forgot that Su Qingcai was also a man, and unlike her, he wasn't a modern person with progressive ideas. Could he also share the same views as those nitpicking men?
If that's the case, then it would be a huge disappointment for her.
Su Xiaoning paused, then tentatively asked, "What...what's your view on the relationship between men and women? Do you also think women are useless?"
“I don’t agree with that idea,” Su Qingcai said decisively, a resolute attitude that surprised Su Xiaoning.
"Who says women are inferior to men? If they are willing, women can also surpass men."
Heaven knows that Su Qingcai was thinking of the wicked woman from his previous life who made him wish he were dead! That wicked woman tormented him in every way, making every day of his previous life feel like he was in the abyss of hell. Just for that reason alone, she was better than those men who always failed to kill him!
Su Xiaoning was unaware of Su Qingcai's past life. She looked at Su Qingcai in surprise, feeling incredulous, "I never expected this..."
Unexpectedly, Su Qingcai, as an ancient person, also had the idea that "women can surpass men," a progressive idea that Su Xiaoning greatly admired.
A smile slowly appeared on Su Xiaoning's face, and her depressed mood was relieved a lot. After having dinner with Su Qingcai, she went out for a walk to change her mood at his urging.
She strolled alone on the beach and saw many beautiful seashells washed ashore, which immediately caught her eye.
"Got it!"
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