Chapter 54 — IAVD (QT) Chapter 54

“Search! If anything happens, I’ll take responsibility!”

Convinced he had thought it through, Guan Jia’an was uncharacteristically hard-headed for once.

Ji Xiu curled his lips, glanced at Guan Jia’an, and a faint mockery surfaced in his eyes. “Very well. I’m not asking for much. As long as the person who reported me kneels on the ground to apologize to me, and makes a self-criticism at the production mobilization meeting, I won’t pursue this matter.”

Guan Jia’an sneered, even more certain that Ji Xiu was just bluffing to scare him off, and agreed without hesitation.

“Deal. But if we find anything, we won’t ask for much either. You can go turn yourself in at the police station.”

Ji Xiu extended a hand. “Then please.”

Captain Lin stopped in his tracks.

Ji Xiu’s open and fearless attitude made it hard not to believe in his innocence. Captain Lin shot Guan Jia’an a look, irritation rising. “You’re all villagers—why do you have to push this so far?”

After all, this was his own son-in-law. Suppressing his temper, he tried to advise him. “If you stop now, there’s still room to turn back. As long as you let this go, I’ll smooth things over and we’ll drop it. If you insist, and something happens, I won’t protect you.”

Scolded by his father-in-law, Guan Jia’an only grew more resentful and stubborn. “No. We must search. This kind of illegal behavior—if we don’t deal with it now and it’s discovered later, won’t it ruin Chunxi Village’s reputation?”

He knew very well how easy the villagers were to stir up. Turning back, he fanned the flames. “Does everyone want their reputation dragged down by Ji Xiu?”

Of course not.

Dozens of villagers who had followed along to watch the excitement immediately echoed their agreement.

With the crowd riled up, even if Captain Lin wanted to stop it, he couldn’t. In a surge of heated emotion, the villagers pushed forward to conduct the search, dragging Guan Jia’an and Captain Lin—who were standing in front—into the courtyard as well.

The group poured inside. Li Shiyue happened to come out of the kitchen, a basin in her hands, ready to wash vegetables. Seeing the scene, she feigned confusion. “What’s going on?”

Ji Xiu stepped forward and took the basin from her, saying mockingly, “Wife, someone claims we’re profiteering and has brought people to search our house.”

The two already understood each other perfectly and acted their parts.

Li Shiyue widened her eyes. “Who said that? That’s slander! Profiteering is illegal—how could ordinary people like us dare do such a thing?”

“Yes, but someone reported us,” Ji Xiu said, glancing contemptuously at Guan Jia’an. “Since you’re already here, go ahead and search. But if anything goes missing, Guan Jia’an, remember to compensate us.”

Guan Jia’an had dug himself into a corner. Convinced every word Ji Xiu said was meant to scare him off, he sneered inwardly and was the first to rush inside.

Li Shiyue frowned.

Even though she had been prepared, watching others rummage through her home still made her uncomfortable.

Ji Xiu held her hand, signaling her to stay calm and wait for the show.

Only then did Li Shiyue endure it. She took back the vegetable basin and returned to the kitchen to continue cooking.

Ji Xiu called after her, “Make a bit more rice. This probably won’t end quickly. Mom will be staying for dinner too.”

Li Shiyue nodded and went back inside.

Ji Xiu then helped Huang Taohua into the main room, seated her, and calmly watched as Guan Jia’an led several educated youths around, searching everywhere.

…

The first place Guan Jia’an searched was the main room.

Inside the cabinet were Ji Xiu’s and Li Shiyue’s textbooks.

Seeing them, Guan Jia’an showed a trace of disdain.

He had seen too many people like this—never reading, yet hoarding piles of books. Did they think that putting textbooks on a shelf meant they had studied them?

He skipped past the books with contempt and continued searching elsewhere.

Ji Xiu had brought back such a large sack of goods. The Ji house wasn’t big, with nowhere many places to hide things—it should have been easy to find.

He was full of confidence, but as time passed, he still found nothing.

Gradually, his expression grew heavy.

By now, Li Shiyue had finished cooking the rice and started preparing dishes. She came out briefly and urged them, “Hurry up. Our family hasn’t eaten yet.”

Huang Taohua, who had been a little worried earlier, now completely relaxed. Like a vicious mother-in-law, she smugly urged them on. “Yes, yes, everyone came to watch because of you, and they haven’t eaten either. Hurry up already.”

Under everyone’s pressure, Guan Jia’an grew flustered and sped up his movements.

But another half hour passed. Ji Xiu’s family had already started eating dinner in front of everyone, and still he found nothing.

Where is it? Where is it? Where exactly is it?

Guan Jia’an searched inside and out again. Cold sweat covered his forehead, his hands and feet trembling.

Why couldn’t he find it? Such a big sack of goods…

The other educated youths had already given up, watching awkwardly. Only he refused to stop, continuing the search alone.

Ji Xiu watched like a spectator. In front of everyone, he picked up some food for Huang Taohua and said loudly, “Mom, you worked hard today. If you hadn’t been here, I might really have been framed.”

Huang Taohua replied viciously, “Don’t worry. As long as Mom’s here, I won’t let you be bullied for nothing.”

She didn’t know what “beautiful, tragic, and strong” meant, but she could fully immerse herself in that kind of emotion.

In her eyes, her youngest son was clearly smart, sweet-talking, kind-hearted, and filial—yet jealous villains tried to frame him out of spite.

Thankfully she was here to protect him. Otherwise, he would have been wronged by the Lin family.

This matter wasn’t over!

Huang Taohua had lived in Chunxi Village for decades, longer than Captain Lin had been in office. She had her own survival tactics. No longer shouting, she slapped her thigh and began to cry and wail, accusing Captain Lin of favoritism, putting on official airs, and leaving ordinary folk with no way to live.

Captain Lin’s face grew darker and darker. He glared at Guan Jia’an and couldn’t help but scold him in a low voice, “Look at the mess you’ve made!”

Guan Jia’an ignored him, raking his hair in frustration. “Why can’t I find it? Why…”

Unwilling to give up, he searched again, still finding nothing. He looked toward Ji Xiu.

Ji Xiu was still wearing that lazy, roguish expression.

Resentment filled Guan Jia’an’s eyes. It had to be Ji Xiu—he must have disposed of everything long ago, deliberately luring him into this trap.

“What are you looking at!” Huang Taohua blocked him, tugging Ji Xiu’s arm. “Let’s go. We’re heading back to the production brigade to argue this out. I’ll let everyone in the village see your true colors.”

Thinking of that possibility, Guan Jia’an’s face turned pale and panic set in. “No—no, you can’t—”

A frail scholar was no match for a middle-aged woman who worked the fields year-round. He was forcibly dragged away.

Ji Xiu put down his chopsticks and followed at a leisurely pace.

With Huang Taohua around, this matter wouldn’t end easily.

In the end, Captain Lin gave the verdict: Guan Jia’an was to apologize to Ji Xiu and make a self-criticism at the production mobilization meeting.

As for kneeling—it was too humiliating.

The one losing face would be Guan Jia’an, but the Lin family would be implicated as well.

Captain Lin couldn’t bear it and tried to plead with Ji Xiu.

Ji Xiu smiled without smiling. “When you brought people to search my house, did you think about how humiliating that was?”

Captain Lin felt guilty but still tried to struggle. “I was muddle-headed at the time…”

“No other explanations,” Ji Xiu cut him off coldly. “We’ll do it exactly as agreed. If Guan Jia’an doesn’t follow through, I’ll consider it favoritism on your part and go explain things to people outside.”

Captain Lin’s face sank, angered by Ji Xiu’s attitude.

But this mess was ultimately his fault. He had no grounds to argue and grew increasingly annoyed with Guan Jia’an.

He used to like Guan Jia’an well enough. But ever since his daughter had been blinded by love, given herself to him, gotten pregnant, and insisted on marriage, he had lost all goodwill.

Even Ji Xiu, a village ruffian, had known to court properly, marry first, and only then consummate.

And Guan Jia’an? A so-called scholar, yet shameless enough to do such things.

If not for his daughter’s stubbornness, he would never have agreed to this marriage.

After the wedding, for his daughter’s sake, he had tolerated Guan Jia’an again and again. He never expected him to turn around and cause such a huge mess.

Now it was clear: Ji Xiu had made his stance plain. If the outcome wasn’t satisfactory, he would report it upward.

Ji Xiu was reckless, and his whole family was hard to deal with. Without a proper resolution, this matter would never end.

Left with no choice, Captain Lin gave up persuading Ji Xiu and turned to deal with Guan Jia’an instead.

Days later, Guan Jia’an—his face flushed red—was forced by Captain Lin to kneel before Ji Xiu and admit his fault, his eyes bloodshot.

Ji Xiu played the villain to the hilt, saying lazily, “What, that’s how you apologize? You don’t even know how to say ‘sorry’?”

Captain Lin pushed him in frustration. “Hurry up and apologize!”

Guan Jia’an clenched his teeth. “…Sorry.”

Since he was already here, what choice did he have? Captain Lin would be the first to tear into him if he didn’t.

Only then did Ji Xiu smile in satisfaction. “That’s more like it. When you make a mistake, you apologize. That’s how it should be.”

With the apology done, the self-criticism couldn’t be escaped either.

With Huang Taohua involved, the incident had already caused a huge stir. Many people hadn’t seen it firsthand but had heard all about it.

When word spread that Guan Jia’an would apologize and self-criticize at the meeting, the entire village was electrified. Like rushing to a movie screening, everyone carried their benches to the threshing ground, waiting for the meeting to begin.

Their enthusiasm far surpassed their diligence at work.

Onstage, Guan Jia’an held a sheet of paper and read with his head down the entire time, his voice so quiet it was barely audible.

Someone shouted from below, “Educated Youth Guan, louder! We can’t hear you!”

Guan Jia’an gritted his teeth and raised his voice slightly.

“Hahahahaha!” Laughter erupted from the crowd.

Guan Jia’an’s face turned a purplish red. Hatred filled his eyes as he pinned all the blame on Ji Xiu.

Ji Xiu sat in a corner below the stage, relaxed and at ease. He noticed Guan Jia’an’s expression but didn’t care in the slightest.

In three months, he would take the college entrance exam and leave this place.

What was Guan Jia’an, really?

No matter how angry or resentful he was, it was useless. With his current mindset and status, he might not even get into college like he did in the previous life.

He might not even get the chance to sit the exam at all.

An eye for an eye. Since Guan Jia’an had fixed his gaze on reporting him, Ji Xiu would return the favor with a generous “gift.”

When the time came, their paths would diverge— and Guan Jia’an would be left behind in Chunxi Village forever.