Early in the morning.
The Unity Brigade was awakened by the screams of the Xu family.
Neighbors who lived nearby rushed over upon hearing the noise, but before they even reached the Xu family's door, they were overwhelmed by a stench of excrement that made them want to vomit.
Meanwhile, in the Xu family's courtyard, the screams of women, the cries of children, and the curses of men could be heard from time to time.
"Brother Jinlai, what happened to your family?" A neighbor who was on good terms with the Xu family called out, pinching his nose.
There was a series of chaotic footsteps coming from inside the Xu family's house, and then the Xu family's door opened, and a stench hit us.
The neighbors outside took several steps back before they felt they could breathe again.
Upon closer inspection, they were all dumbfounded.
Xu Baolai opened the door, wearing only a haphazardly pulled-on pair of pants, his jacket unbuttoned, and only one shoe on.
Following behind him, members of the Xu family gradually ran out from inside.
His clothes were disheveled, and he reeked of excrement.
People who had been drawn by the screams moved back a bit, otherwise they really couldn't stand the smell.
As soon as Miao Cuihua came out, she plopped down on the ground, slapping her thigh and crying and cursing, "Which damned bastard is it that has committed such a heinous act! He deserves to die a horrible death!"
The two young wives of Xu Yejun and Xu Yebing, who were standing to the side, were both ashamed and angry at being stared at by so many people. They wished they could disappear into the ground.
Those who didn't get along with the Xu family couldn't help but ask, "Xu Jinlai, did your family's latrine get blown up?"
The village had dry toilets. There had been instances where someone was squatting in the toilet when mischievous kids threw stones into the latrine, splashing excrement all over the person.
But the entire Xu family smells so bad. Did they all have a meeting around the latrine this morning and get blown up?
It would have been better if they hadn't asked; once they did, the Xu family members' faces darkened.
Anyone who is woken up early in the morning by the stench of feces, opens the door to find it splattered with excrement, and accidentally gets some on their clothes and feet, is bound to be in a bad mood.
Being asked that question again made her feel even more embarrassed and uncomfortable.
Xu Jinlai said with a stern face, "Go and call the brigade leader and the party secretary! This matter will absolutely not be left like this!"
Today's incident has made the Xu family a laughing stock in the Unity Brigade. If they don't find out who did it, how will the Xu family ever be able to hold their heads high again?
Someone had already gone to find the brigade leader and the party secretary.
The two of them were already jogging this way.
As he ran, he cursed inwardly, thinking, "The Xu family is always causing trouble!"
When they arrived at the Xu family's door, seeing the Xu family's miserable and disheveled state and smelling the stench, even the brigade leader and the party secretary could hardly bear it.
When Miao Cuihua saw the two of them, she rushed over and shouted for them to take charge.
The stench assaulted their senses, and the brigade leader and the village secretary stomped back a considerable distance, covering their noses and frowning. "Alright, what's with all the crying and shouting? Is your whole family planning to live like this forever? Aren't you going to clean it up? Are you trying to suffocate yourselves or everyone else?"
Xu Jinlai protested, "Captain, aren't we waiting for you to take charge? Look at the state of our family! You have to stand up for us!"
The captain waved his hand: "Clean this up first before you come out and talk!"
The Xu family had no choice but to cover their noses with their sleeves and go inside to clean up.
This matter naturally doesn't fall to Miao Cuihua and the Xu brothers, Xu Jinlai and Xu Baolai.
After they changed their clothes, they came out and asked the brigade leader to find the person who threw the excrement.
The captain looked speechless: "Who have you offended recently?"
The Xu brothers and Miao Cuihua exchanged glances, and the same name popped into their minds: "Siya!"
Miao Cuihua jumped three feet high: "It must be that damned girl, Siya! There's no one else but her! That little bitch, I won't let her get away with this—"
He then called his son and grandson to go and settle accounts with Xu Ningyan.
The Party Secretary and the brigade leader stopped them: "Why do you say it's Siya? Do you have any evidence? You're just making baseless accusations. With her build, tell me, how did she manage to walk through half the brigade unnoticed, and even throw excrement at your house without being discovered?"
Miao Cuihua insisted, "It must be her! There's no one else but her! She's just retaliating because she resents me for going to her and that guy surnamed Gu to ask for the bride price yesterday!"
The captain's face darkened instantly: "Nonsense! You've severed ties with her, so what right do you have to ask her and Comrade Gu for a dowry? Don't you have any shame?"
Miao Cuihua muttered indignantly, "Even if we've severed ties, we've raised her for over ten years. Why should we just give her away to that guy surnamed Gu for nothing?"
The captain was so angry he couldn't speak.
The Party Secretary took a puff of his cigarette and said, "Don't you know what severing ties means? You made it perfectly clear to us back then, in black and white, and now you don't want to admit it? Putting that aside, don't you know why Siya married Comrade Gu? Wasn't it all your doing? Didn't you spread those rumors yourselves, forcing the two of them to get married?"
"Comrade Gu is so magnanimous that he doesn't bother with you, yet you're taking advantage of his kindness? Bah! Why should he give you a bride price?"
Xu Baolai interjected with a forced smile, "Isn't this the custom in our village? How can you get married without spending a penny? Besides, Comrade Gu is from the city. Since he has money, shouldn't he at least give us a little something according to the rules?"
The Party Secretary glared at him: "Bullshit! Whether Comrade Gu has money or not is none of your business! Comrade Gu already said that he knows Siya has no family or relatives after severing ties with you. The house and the newly made furniture are all considered as betrothal gifts for Siya! He knows your family is not easy to deal with and has been on guard against you for a long time! So he simply took out all his savings to buy things and didn't want you to take advantage of him. Do you understand?"
Miao Cuihua was stunned when she heard this, and collapsed to the ground, unable to speak.
Xu Baolai tried to argue, "This...this isn't according to the rules—"
The Party Secretary said meaningfully, "Do you think what your family has done is in accordance with the rules? I see you've become quite capable lately, writing a letter of severance in front of our brigade cadres, only to deny it later. It seems our Tuanjie Brigade can no longer hide your family of big shots, is that it?"
"I heard that your Pearl found a boyfriend in the city who has a job and power. Does that mean she looks down on our little piece of land in Tuanjie Brigade and wants to go to the city to enjoy a better life?"
Xu Jinlai's face changed drastically, and he panicked: "Captain, Brother Zhiguo, Brother Zhihua, we absolutely did not mean that! It's just that the old women in our family are muddle-headed and ignorant. They heard that Comrade Gu was rich, so they got the idea and shamelessly went to his door to make trouble! They are short-sighted and didn't think that much. They absolutely did not have any other intentions!"
Xu Baolai also realized the dissatisfaction in the Party Secretary's words and dared not say anything.
Miao Cuihua didn't understand, but proudly raised her head: "That's right, our Pearl will be here in the future, um—" The rest of her words were covered by Xu Baolai, who was quick-witted and nimble-fingered.
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