NOVPUBChapter 55: Chapter 55: Not Extorting People
Chapter 55 -55: Not Extorting People
Xiaobao, sobbing and covering his bottom, came up to Xiaocui and choked up, “I’m sorry, Xiaocui, I won’t snatch your things anymore!”
Xiaocui, seeing Xiaobao’s eyes swell from crying to the point of barely being able to open them, generously patted his head, “I forgive you, just make sure you change for the better in the future.” Children bear no grudges.
Xiaobao, eyes brimming with tears, nodded, “I definitely won’t bully you anymore!”
Zhang Jie was furious, slapping Xiaobao’s bottom repeatedly, “Are you not going? Waiting for someone to devour us!” Her face was as dark as the bottom of a burnt pot.
Bai Xiao blocked her way, “You think of leaving without mentioning compensation, then try and see what happens if you do leave!”
It’s not that she was petty or greedy! Such matters had to be dealt with decisively once they started, otherwise people would think all it took was an apology to resolve everything, thereby diminishing the value of apologies. It needed to hurt so that they would learn to avoid such behavior in the future and remember the lesson.
Zhang Jie covered her face with her hands, considering resorting to a shrew’s tactics of crying, causing a scene, or even threatening suicide to handle the situation, as apologizing was something she felt forced into. However, spending more money on Bai Ju was something she was unwilling to do.
She could exploit others, but she couldn’t stand being exploited in return.
“Just cry out, and I’ll have to take my niece to the factory gate to weep. Who doesn’t know how to cry? I can too. If you don’t believe it, let’s try — you cry here, I’ll cry at the factory gate! Let’s see who can bring up one, two, three reasons first to avoid feeling wronged,” Bai Xiao was not afraid. To deal with a shrew, you had to outdo her; otherwise, you’re the one who gets hurt in the end.
Zhang Jie’s cries were suddenly stuck in her throat, neither escaping nor fully forming, choking her terribly. Yet, she had to endure, daring not to make even the slightest sound, just in case the young madam actually went through with it — she’d rather die than face that, as her whole family depended on Wang’s monthly salary. She had no capacity to stir up trouble.
Trouble would only bring misery to the whole family, who would really be left to face the northwest wind.
“So, what will you do?”
Bai Xiao’s demeanor made the surrounding people hesitant to say anything about reconciling, as she had just given a stern lesson to another with moral righteousness. If provoked again, this young woman truly dared to follow through, and it wasn’t their family matter to interfere with! Who needed the trouble of dealing with such a shrew?
Just as Bai Xiao said, this moment showcased the strength and advantages of being a shrew, indeed deterring everyone! Everyone immediately assumed a hands-off attitude, which also represented a stance of not wanting to get involved with such matters, thereby further isolating Zhang Jie who thought people did not sympathize with her.
Without a single word of support, Zhang Jie felt she could die of grief. But now, she dared not cry, not letting out even a peep, bitterly resenting how she had such bad luck today to have encountered this fierce girl — truly a shrew to outdo all shrews, and she, Zhang Jie, was definitely outmatched.
“Speak up!” Bai Xiao grew impatient dealing with Zhang Jie in front of so many people, but that didn’t mean she was going to let the matter slide lightly.
Bai Ju tugged at her sister’s sleeve. With so many watching, they couldn’t pressure someone to death.
But just as she opened her mouth to speak, Bai Xiao’s sharp glare made her retract her words. Her sister had always been more timid than her, and seeing her suddenly become so assertive startled Bai Ju.
A twinge of pain in her heart — Bai Xiao must have been having a tough time at her uncle’s house recently. Otherwise, someone who ordinarily couldn’t hurt a fly was now acting so fiercely, like a wolf ready to pounce.
“Then you tell us!” After muttering to herself about her terrible luck for the past generations, Zhang Jie finally spoke up. With so many onlookers, she couldn’t just not respond.
Bai Xiao nodded, “Alright, since you’ve asked me to speak, my niece isn’t the type to falsely accuse or extort others. Our family has run out of coal briquettes. Have your man come over when he is resting and make five hundred pieces of briquettes for us, and we’ll consider it settled with labor for the debt. If you find that inappropriate, we can settle with money, no objections from us!”
“Agreed, agreed! Sure, let’s settle it with my husband making five hundred briquettes for your family!” Zhang Jie eagerly agreed the moment she heard it. It was just a matter of labor, which involved no money. Nowadays, who doesn’t make their own briquettes? Mixing clay and coal slag, everyone molded their own briquettes — it was hardly worth anything.
Zhang Jie felt truly relieved by that, it seemed that Bai Ju’s family was quite respectable. People were trying to extort money from them; otherwise, they wouldn’t have resorted to such a method. Now, she was somewhat convinced, realizing they just wanted an explanation.
She had misunderstood.
“Alright then, come over some day! We won’t keep everyone here to watch the drama anymore, let’s all hurry back and cook!” Bai Xiao said, shooing people away while still not having seen enough of the excitement.
The crowd then all caught on. That’s right! They still had pots on their stoves at home.
They scattered all at once.
Many people pondered, it looked like Bai Ju’s younger sister wasn’t a bad person; she was just forthright but made sense, especially with the compensation she mentioned. Who in the neighborhood could object to that?
Just one look, and you knew they were seeking an explanation, more for respect than taking advantage.
“Bai Ju has a really tough younger sister!”
“Bai Ju can truly hold her head high now with such a sister to stand by her! Who would dare to mess with her?”
“I am actually envious of Bai Ju, I wish I had a younger sister who would stand up for me like she does; I’d be happy too.”
The people gradually left. 𝔫𝖔𝖛𝖕𝔲𝔟.𝔠𝖔𝖒
Zhang Jie, with Xiaobao by her side, also showed a smile. At this moment, the compensation didn’t feel so bad, and she cheerfully said her goodbyes, “Bai Ju, I’ll be taking off. I’ll have your elder brother come over in the next couple of days to help out! Get your materials ready, and we’ll make sure everything is sorted.”
Bai Ju actually felt embarrassed, “Thank you then, brother-in-law and sister-in-law. Look at the fuss this has caused!”
Zhang Jie glanced at Bai Xiao as she walked away with the child.
She dared not stay in this place any longer; this woman was not someone to be trifled with.
Once the crowd dispersed, Bai Ju quickly pulled Bai Xiao along, “Xiao, let’s go home, quick!”
Xiaocui, holding onto Bai Xiao, asked, “Mom, is this my auntie?”
Bai Ju said with a smile, “Yes, this is your auntie! Haven’t you always wanted to meet her? Now you have!”
Xiaocui, gleefully holding onto Bai Xiao, was overjoyed. Her auntie was the coolest, having such an auntie was simply awesome.
The child was so attached she wouldn’t let go, loving her newly met auntie to the bones.
Bai Mei huffed in annoyance, feeling utterly ignored by everyone.
She could only follow grudgingly, carrying her bags as she entered the door of Bai Ju’s house.
