In the evening, the whole family sat together and ate corn. The freshly picked corn tasted especially sweet and fragrant after being cooked.
For someone who has never eaten it before, the corn in their hand will seem like the most delicious food in the world.
Xiao Si and Xiao Wu ate seven or eight pieces, while Zhang Shi and Tian Lao Si were full after eating four or five.
Tian Da and Tian Er were at the age of rapid growth, and each of them ate about ten pieces before feeling full.
Tian Sangui could only eat three pieces of food at most, and her whole family laughed at her, saying that she was like a cat and that it was no wonder she couldn't gain weight.
Now that news of their bumper harvest has spread throughout Tianjia Village, it would be unreasonable for Old Man Tian at the old house not to send some over.
After everyone had eaten their fill, there were still about twenty cooked ears of corn left in the basket.
Old Tian stood up and said, "I'll take these cooked ones to your grandparents, and also get thirty raw corn cobs so they can cook them themselves!"
Tian Sangui naturally had no objection. The villagers had already given gifts, so why would he need to give one to the old house?
She was, after all, Tian Laosi's biological mother, so she was bound to receive a share of the inheritance.
Tian Laosi and Tian Da, carrying sacks and bamboo baskets, headed to the old house.
Tian Sangui and Zhang Shi cleared the table, while Xiao Si and Xiao Wu bounced around in the yard to digest their food. Tian Er, preoccupied, went to feed the donkey.
Zhang suggested, "San Gui, tomorrow morning, I'll boil some corn and take some to the construction workers to try. That way, they'll be more willing to do good work for us!"
Out of consideration for past relationships, the construction workers will surely be less likely to take advantage of the situation and be more honest with the workers.
"Okay, Mom!"
When the father and son returned, their faces were beaming with joy, and Zhang asked curiously what had happened.
"Fifth Brother is going to participate in this year's autumn imperial examination and will be leaving for the capital tomorrow. The corn we sent is just what he likes, so Mother packed all the cooked corn for Fifth Brother!"
Upon hearing this, Tian Sangui's expression turned sour. Cooked corn shouldn't be left out for too long, otherwise it will easily spoil.
"Dad, cooked corn can't be kept for long. It will change its flavor and cause stomach upset. If that happens, it will affect Uncle Wu's performance in the exam. Grandma will scold us to death!"
Only then did Tian Laosi realize the seriousness of the matter, and he quickly stopped smiling and ran back to the old house.
We absolutely must not cause trouble at this critical juncture.
The next day, under a bright and sunny sky, it was the perfect time to dry the crops, so Tian Sangui laid the corn out in the field to dry.
Their family now lives on the edge of the field, and since they don't have a yard, they have no choice but to live like this.
Yesterday's joy has passed, and whenever villagers pass by Tian Sangui's house, they remember the bet they once made.
Tian Sangui had intended to talk to Yang Shi when he had some free time, but to his surprise, the villagers disagreed first.
Women and children, in particular, were crowding outside Tian Sheng's house, making a fuss.
"Tian Sheng's family, you asked us to vouch for you back then, but now that you see others are growing high yields, you're hiding in your house and refusing to come out. Do you want us to be like you, people who break their promises?"
The villagers outside started to jeer, some even banging on the heavy wooden door, trying to provoke Yang out.
Tian Sheng stared at Yang Shi with resentment. He originally thought that if they didn't mention it and the whole family didn't go out much, no one would remember it after a couple of days.
Unexpectedly, this spendthrift woman even asked the villagers to act as guarantors?
There's no escaping it now.
Everyone wanted to do their best to show off the potatoes and corn seeds that Tian Laosi's family had.
A moment later, a heavy thud came from outside the door.
Tian Sheng, Yang Shi, and the children, who were hiding in the corner, all looked towards the gate.
After a loud impact, the door visibly shook.
The people hiding inside were all deathly pale.
If they broke down the door, their family would be completely finished. Even knowing the consequences, no one dared to go and hold the door open because they were afraid.
They watched helplessly as Wang Erwazi led the way, using a thick tree trunk to smash a hole in the earthen wall.
Fearing for the couple, the village women, along with their children, rushed in and restrained them, taking them to the big locust tree.
"You two are really capable of this. You were so self-righteous when you were laughing at the joke, but now that the joke has fallen on you, you're shutting yourselves in silence?"
"Pah, shameless! They refuse to honor their bets, yet they make us lose face too."
"Pah!"
Regardless of the consequences, seeing that she had been caught red-handed and had lost face, Yang simply sat down and threw a tantrum like a madwoman, trying to get away with it!
"Throwing a tantrum?"
"It's no use telling you!"
"You swore back then that anyone who throws a tantrum and refuses to honor the bet doesn't deserve to stay in Tianjia Village!"
"What, now you want to slap yourself in the face and not keep your promise?"
The village women, one after another, forced Yang to stop what she was about to do.
At this moment, Wang Erwazi led Tian Sangui into the crowd, and everyone immediately became interested.
"San Gui, come quick! You can see it clearly from here!"
Tian Sangui walked up to her unhurriedly and sat on the small stool that the woman had offered him.
He looked at Yang's embarrassed state with a smile in his eyes.
It was a group of women, and it was inappropriate for the men in Tian Sheng's household to speak up.
So he gave Yang instructions with a sidelong glance, and Yang, with disheveled hair, knelt down at Tian Sangui's feet.
"San Gui, your aunt was blinded by greed at the time. I was just joking with you, I didn't really want to bet with you. I know you're a sensible and good girl, so please be magnanimous and don't hold it against me!"
With teary eyes and an extremely sincere attitude, she tried to get Tian Sangui to forgive her.
As long as she stops making a fuss, the village women will naturally stop making things difficult for them, and the matter will be over.
How could Tian Sangui not understand her scheme?
She raised her eyebrows slightly: "Auntie, I only have one question for you. If I had lost the bet today, would you have told me it was just a joke and not held it against me, just like you are now?"
Yang, who was crying, was speechless when asked the question, and tears streamed down her face.
If that were the case, she would not only make Tian Sangui comply with the agreement, but also send Tian Sangui and his family off from Tianjia Village with gongs and drums. How could she let her off with a joke?
Tian Sangui got the answer from the fierce look in her eyes.
"You can't even let go of things, yet you expect me to take them lightly?"
"I'm sorry, I, Tian Sangui, am small in stature and narrow-minded, and I never thought you were joking!"
One sentence was like a bucket of cold water splashed on her face. Yang felt cold and powerless, and slumped to the ground, her eyes vacant.
Seeing that she was useless, Tian Sheng hated Yang Shi, that old woman, to the core.
Amidst the laughter and shouts of the village women, they forced Tian Sheng's family to hand over the land deeds and move out of Tianjia Village.
They weren't originally from Tianjia Village; their ancestors had settled here while fleeing famine, and coincidentally, they also shared the surname Tian.
Now, as long as they live peacefully, no one will drive them away. The only one to blame is his gossipy wife.
Tian Sangui looked at the ten mu of land deeds in his hand and felt very happy. How could he not be happy to have ten mu of land thanks to God's blessing?
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