"Dou Dou, this is our family matter, so there's no need to trouble the village head." An Bihuai spoke timidly, his voice much softer with the village head present.
“An Bihuai, stop arguing. You should give me the land deed. As for the interest, if you really want it, Dou Dou isn’t stingy. She can give it to you, but not all of it. Half will do.”
Zhou Chuangen remained calm and composed; despite his low rank, he handled official manners with practiced ease.
“You need to understand that this matter could be a big or small issue. If it goes to the authorities, I can’t protect you.” Zhou Chuangen told the truth that illegally occupying someone else’s land is against the law.
An Bihuai didn't understand the law, but he trusted the village head, and whatever the village head said was right.
"Lord Village Head, I know I was wrong, and I will do as you say." We absolutely mustn't report this to the authorities; our whole family is counting on him.
Seeing one of them high and mighty and the other so humble as to be dust, Yuan Doudou deeply understood what it meant for the common people not to fight against officials. The village head was not even a proper official, and that was just how it was.
An Bihuai told Zhuang Shuhui to go home and get the land deed. Zhuang Shuhui pouted, unwilling but not daring to resist.
Yuan Doudou also went inside and took the money. She had bought rice and flour earlier, and there happened to be some copper coins at home.
"Here you go." An Bihuai glanced at the land deed and sighed.
Yuan Doudou quickly took the land deed and read it clearly from left to right, paying even closer attention to the signature at the bottom.
After confirming that there were no problems, she folded up the land deed and put it away, then handed over a string of copper coins.
"No more, no less, exactly twenty-five coins."
Zhuang Shuhui tried to take the money, but An Bihuai glared at her and she lowered her head, withdrawing her hand.
"Alright, go back and pack your things. Bring back everything that belongs to the second wife. Don't try anything funny. I'll have Anrong's wife check it carefully."
Zhou Chuangen's businesslike tone left An Bihuai and his wife speechless. They nodded and ran out of the yard in a flash.
Yuan Doudou went into the kitchen, ladled out a bowl of chicken, and brought it out.
She didn't want to give the village head anything. She needed his help this time, and might need it again in the future, so she might as well give him something to get closer to him.
Yuan Doudou smiled bitterly to herself, realizing that she had become the very thing she used to hate.
The village head looked at the chicken in the bowl with a smile in his eyes. His wife couldn't cook, and even the best meat couldn't taste good.
"It smells delicious, so I won't be polite." The village head generously accepted the chicken, praising it repeatedly.
After the village head was finally seen off, the small courtyard returned to peace.
“Mother, look, I got the land deed back. From now on, we can still farm those five acres ourselves.” Yuan Doudou unfolded the land deed and handed it to Wang Shi.
Wang sat on the bed, looking at the land deed, and smiled.
"Dou Dou, you're so capable. Mom is so happy." All these years of taking care of her haven't been in vain.
With An Rong gone and her health failing, the burden of the family would fall entirely on Yuan Doudou's shoulders, and Wang Shi felt increasingly distressed.
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