"Let's build the house first, and we'll talk about the rest later." Jiang Hua couldn't stand Village Chief Lu's bright eyes and looked away as she spoke.
“Okay.” Village Chief Lu nodded.
No sooner had Jiang Hua left than Aunt Liu and her family arrived, finding Village Chief Lu to discuss moving to Shili Village.
"You also want to move to Shili Village?" Village Chief Lu frowned as he looked at Aunt Liu's family. He remembered Aunt Liu, but her family had moved away long ago.
“Yes, Village Chief Lu, we want to move to Shili Village in the future.” Liu Tianming expressed his determination to move.
“In that case, we need the consent of your village chief, Xu Family Village,” said Village Chief Lu.
“I know that, so I came to Shili Village to buy a few acres of land to build a house and grow crops,” Liu Tianming said.
"You're also buying land? How much?" Village Chief Lu glanced at Liu Tianming's family's clothes and breathed a sigh of relief. Unlike Miss Jiang, who wanted to build a large five-courtyard house all at once.
"I'll buy two acres to build a house and three acres of farmland," Liu Tianming said after thinking for a moment.
“Okay, once your village chief Xu agrees, I’ll take you to see the land for measurement,” said Village Chief Lu.
"Hey, Village Chief Lu, who built such a big house in your village?" Aunt Liu looked over and exclaimed, "Good heavens, this is even bigger than the houses in town!"
"It's not convenient to talk about this." Village Chief Lu remembered Jiang Hua's instructions and didn't say anything.
After returning from Shili Village, Liu Tianming went to Xu Wanli to discuss the matter of Xujia Village. It was one thing for Jiang Hua to move away, but the Liu family had always lived in Xujia Village and was also moving away.
He had only said it in anger, but he never expected that Lao Liu would be so petty and actually want to move out. Now, he wanted to ask Lao Liu to stay, but he couldn't bring himself to do it.
"Village chief, what's wrong? Is it not allowed?" Liu Tianming asked the village chief, who was deep in thought.
"Tianming, you're still young. Does your father know about moving away from Xujia Village?" Xu Wanli asked.
"I know," Liu Tianming said directly. "My dad asked me to come and ask the village chief. He said that we'll sell our land and move to Shili Village."
Xu Wanli felt a surge of anger. How could the youngest be so ignorant, and the older one just as ignorant? But he had already made his statement, so he couldn't say anything more.
"Since your family is determined to leave, I won't try to persuade you any further. I'll go with you after we finish eating."
"Then thank you very much, Village Chief."
Having received confirmation, Liu Tianming turned and left.
Jiang Hua had just returned home when she saw Madam Xu and Madam Xu standing furtively in her yard.
"Stepmother, why are they here again?" Jiang Jingyi found them annoying; they always came to cause trouble and upset his stepmother.
"I'm too full," Jiang Hua replied casually.
The two walked in slowly. Madam Xu was the first to see Jiang Hua and the others come in, and she quickly nudged Madam Xu.
When Madam Xu turned her head, she met Jiang Hua's gaze and was immediately startled.
"When did you get back?" Madam Xu asked, her heart pounding with fear.
"Do I need to inform you before I go back to my own home?" Jiang Hua asked indifferently.
Madam Xu choked for a moment, then remembered the purpose of her visit, and a smile suddenly spread across her face:
"Jiang Hua, in a couple of days our family will be having a banquet in the village to celebrate Yaozu's admission to Shifang Academy. Although we've severed ties, we're still from the same village, so you absolutely must come."
"I'm not going," Jiang Hua said calmly, walking directly past the two inexplicable people into the inner room.
"Mother-in-law, what should we do?" Xu asked softly as she leaned closer.
Jiang Jingyi looked at the two of them with wary eyes, staring at them intently right in front of them.
"What are you looking at? You've lost yours." Just as Madam Xu was about to continue, Jiang Hua's voice came from behind her.
“Go on, I can’t guarantee what I’ll do if I hear something I don’t want to hear.” Jiang Hua leaned against the door frame and gave Xu Shi a cold look.
Xu immediately stopped talking and silently lowered her head.
"Useless thing, easily intimidated by a single sentence." Madam Xu gave Madam Xu a reproachful look, then smiled at Jiang Hua:
"It's settled then. You must come." With that, Madam Xu dragged Madam Xu away in a flash.
"Stepmother, what's wrong with them?" Jiang Jingyi asked suspiciously, watching their departing figures.
Why are we being asked to attend this banquet?
"Huahua, did Xu and the others come to cause you trouble again?" Aunt Liu asked as she walked in from outside, having just brushed past Xu and the others.
“No, let’s go to the banquet,” Jiang Hua replied.
"Attend a banquet?" Aunt Liu looked puzzled, but as long as they weren't there to cause trouble, it was fine.
"Huahua, we just came back from Shili Village. We'll move there once the houses are finished. It should take about a month."
"I won't be able to come and help during this time; I'm busy building a house back home."
“Okay, Auntie.” Jiang Hua understood; it seemed they were planning to build the house themselves.
"When the time comes, Tianming will go to set up his stall, and your Uncle Liu and I will get busy. We'll also hire two workers to help with the construction," Aunt Liu said to herself.
They also asked Jiang Hua when she would move there, where she bought the land, and whether they could be neighbors.
"No rush, we'll move over around the same time as you guys," Jiang Hua estimated.
"Oh, right, Huahua." Aunt Liu's tone suddenly became mysterious.
"What's wrong, Auntie?" Jiang Hua moved a stool for Aunt Liu to sit down.
"I heard someone in the village today saying that you're possessed by a wandering ghost," Aunt Liu said softly.
"Nonsense, my stepmother isn't possessed by a ghost," Jiang Jingyi retorted immediately.
"Go back to your books. Adults are talking, children should stay away." Jiang Hua patted his shoulder, signaling him to calm down.
She just wanted to hear what outrageous things might come out.
"Stepmother, they went too far with their words!" Jiang Jingyi said sullenly.
"People can say whatever they want," Jiang Hua said. "They're not saying it in front of you. If they do, you can curse them out next time they do it in front of you."
"Is that so?" Jiang Jingyi asked uncertainly.
"Yes, sweetie, go read a book." Jiang Hua ruffled his hair and said.
"No, I want to hear it too." Jiang Jingyi didn't want to go back either.
"I think these words were spread by you, Xu Shi and the others. I heard from an acquaintance in the next village today that they saw Xu Shi and Old Lady Xu at the Bamboo Goddess's place," Aunt Liu said again.
"Bamboo Goddess?" Jiang Hua asked, puzzled.
"She's a well-known local deity in the surrounding villages," Aunt Liu explained. "Many people seek her out for protection from evil spirits."
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