So at this moment, they all turned their attention to Zhu Pandi, who had spoken first and caused the conflict.
Zhu Pandi felt flustered under their gaze, but she refused to admit defeat.
"I... I clearly did ask that question because everyone's eyes were off when we arrived."
I didn't say they were spreading rumors. Chunli misunderstood, it's none of my business..."
Zhou Chunli was furious at her words and wished she could tear her mouth apart.
However, she also grasped the key point from Zhu Pandi's words: when they first arrived, the people around them did indeed look at them strangely.
She was convinced that something was going on, and that it must involve Zhu Qinghao and Si Tian, so she turned her attention to the onlookers around her.
"That's right, you were looking at us strangely when we arrived, so you don't need to cover for them anymore, just say what you have to say."
If they really said anything, we'll confront them openly and see if they're spreading rumors!
After saying that, she glared at Zhu Qinghao hatefully, her eyes clearly showing hostility.
At this moment, a woman standing nearby couldn't help but laugh.
"Haha, Zhou Zhiqing, it's not an exaggeration to say that you're not very bright. So many of us here have told you that those two educated youths never mentioned you at all."
And yet you all act as if they've spread rumors about you. What bad things have you done that's worth saying? Between you few, from top to bottom, what is there to be ashamed of?
Zhu Qing looked at the person who spoke. Tian Haiying had introduced her to this person before. Her name was Li Fanghua. She had married into the team a few years ago and, like her mother-in-law Li Shengnan, was known for her sharp tongue.
Sure enough, the next moment a slightly older-looking woman standing next to her spoke up.
"Ha, that's right. To say that others have ruined their reputation, they need to have a reputation to ruin. You call yourselves scholars, how come you can't even understand this simple principle?"
Zhu Qinghao and Si Tian both looked over, guessing that this person must be the mother-in-law she had heard about.
"Oh dear, Mother, why do you say that? Don't they have any shame? What if they come crying to us again later?"
"Oh no! Now that you mention it, I'm sure they're not trying to extort money from us."
After all, they're shameless. Everyone else who comes knows to pay for grain, but they're the only ones who can't pay back what they borrowed last year and still owe it all this year. Tsk, daughter-in-law, what are we going to do?!
"It's alright, Mom. They wouldn't dare. Others might be too embarrassed to say anything to them, but I would. If they dare to extort money from us, I'll help you stand up to them and see if they have the nerve to do it!"
The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law chatted back and forth, expressing the sentiments of most people in the team, which drew a burst of laughter.
The team members had long been dissatisfied with their repeated borrowing of grain without repayment, since the grain they lent out was collective property of the team and would eventually be distributed among every household.
As a result, they kept borrowing but never mentioned paying it back. What if they just packed up and went back to the city? Wouldn't the grain they owed just be left unpaid?
At this moment, Huang Ying and the others finally understood why the villagers looked so hostile, and suddenly they were at a loss for words.
Because they did borrow grain from the village and never paid it back, but the brigade leader didn't say anything, so why should these people?
"You, you all, the brigade leader and the party secretary didn't say anything, so what right do you have to criticize us?"
It was Wang Lan who spoke, and her words immediately displeased the previously smiling onlookers.
“This grain belongs to our team. If you don’t borrow it, whether it’s used as grain or exchanged for money, it will eventually be distributed to every household. Why should we borrow it?”
It was Li Fanghua who spoke again. She was so focused on knitting that she didn't even glance at them, but her words were clear and sharp.
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