Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
âDo you dig wells every year?â
It had been more than two years since Li Shijinâs family moved to the county town.
She thought that after more than two years, this problem would be resolved, but she did not expect it to be the same.
âI donât even want to talk about it. Every year, we come to collect money to build wells, but we canât pump out much water. Many crops have died of drought.â
âI donât know what youâre thinking, but I donât plan to pay this year.â A bald old man said.
âWith this level of drilling, 1 might as well do it myself. Why donât we pool some money and find a drilling team elsewhere to try? Theyâd definitely be better than those people.â
âI think itâll work,â said the man with the hoe.
âWe pay every year, and each time, it costs more than 300 yuan. If we give them money again this year, weâll probably go bankrupt. Itâs better to find someone else to do this.â
âThen letâs do it.â
The villagers spoke one after another, but Lin Yi and Li Shijin didnât answer.
This was a matter for them to handle, and they couldnât interfere. After all, they werenât the ones who took the money.
âUncle Wang, do you have some time later? Iâd like to conduct a survey. Can you cooperate with me?â Li Si jin said with a friendly smile.
âSince youâve said this, naturally we wonât object. Tell us what you need. Weâll cooperate with you.â
In the eyes of the villagers, Li Si jin was one of them, so they were very proactive.
âI have a few forms here. Just fill them out truthfully.â
âOkay, but I canât read. Write them what 1 say for me.â
âThat works too.â
Creakâ¦
Just as Li Sijin was about to get to work, she saw a Jetta sedan stop in front of them, raising a thick cloud of dust.
Everyone was confused. They didnât know who this car belonged to. It had been driving so fast after entering the village.
After the car stopped, four people got out. They were not old. One of them was in his forties, and the rest were younger; they looked to be in their early twenties.
âYo, everybodyâs here.â
Seeing that the villagers were gathered together, the middle-aged man leading the group said with a smile.
âWho are you?â
The villagers looked at him a few times and realized that they didnât know him. He shouldnât be from the village.
âLet me introduce myself first. My name is Liu Xilu. Iâm from the countyâs water plant. Iâll be in charge of digging the well this year,â Liu Xilu said.
âEveryone is familiar with this matter, so I wonât bore you with the details. However, thereâs something 1 have to tell you again. This year, weâve bought new equipment. Theyâre all imported. If we can dig deeper into the well, the effect will be better. However, the cost will be higher. The average arable land in the village is about the same, so 1 wonât charge you according to the land area. Every family will have to pay a fee of 480 yuan. Those with the money ready should come and pay now.â
Upon hearing that they were here to collect money for the well, the villagersâ expressions were not very good. They even looked a little hostile.
âThatâs what you guys said last year when you dug the well. In the end, not much water was brought up,â the man with the hoe said.
âI heard about what happened last year,â Liu Xilu said with a smile. He was not angry at all.
âThose people were indeed not good. They took the money and didnât do anything, so they were replaced this year. Iâll take over this matter completely, so donât worry, everyone. Iâll definitely be able to handle this matter well and ensure that the village has enough water.â
âForget it. That person said the same thing last year. Donât lie to us.â The man carrying the hoe said,
âIf thereâs nothing else, leave quickly. We definitely wonât let you dig a well again this year. Itâs the same story every year, yet thereâs never any water.â âDidnât 1 just say that the equipment has been changed this year? The well will definitely be okay.â
âRegardless, we donât need it. Weâre going to raise the money ourselves and find someone to dig a well in another area. You donât have to stay here. Just go back.â
When he heard that the people from Kuanhe Village were going to find someone to dig a well outside, Liu Xiluâs expression changed and he said,
âYou have to know that weâre from the countyâs water plant. This is at the request of the officials. What youâre doing is illegal. If anything happens, youâll have to bear the consequences.â
âDonât try to fool us. We know the situation at the water plant. It has long been contracted out to individuals, and it has nothing to do with the government,â the man with the hoe impatiently waved his hand. âYou better leave. We donât need you to dig any wells this year.â
At this moment, Liu Xiluâs expression turned completely cold.
âLet me tell you, the countyâs water plant has been contracted to Master Wu. You have to pay this money. This is a hard rule!â
âMaster Wu again?!â
Lin Yi muttered in his heart.
The people who stole the sand just now were in cahoots with that Master Wu.
Now, there was another group of people, and they were once again his people.
Was this guy so influential in Dongsan County?
Could he even get the water plant?
âI donât care about any Master Wu or Master Pu. Anyway, weâre not planning to use you to dig wells this year. Just go back where you came from.â
Whack!
Liu Xilu slapped the man carrying the hoe.
The latter was caught off guard and was dumbfounded.
âWhat are you doing?! 1 didnât let you dig the well, and you actually hit me. Is there any law?!â
Liu Xilu pointed at his nose and cursed,
âLet me tell you, in Dongsan County, Master Wu is the law. Itâs useless no matter where you go to complain. Iâm already letting you off easy by charging you 480 yuan this year. Even if itâs urine from the ground, you have to endure it!â
Faced with Liu Xiluâs harsh scolding, the people of Kuanhe Village did not choose to remain silent.
âYou guys are too much. Are you bullying the people in our Kuanhe Village?!â
The man carrying the hoe called out, âLetâs move together. We definitely canât let these people bully us!â
The people of Kuanhe Village were very united. With a shout, everyone moved. Regardless of whether they were men, women, old, or young, all of them glared at Liu Xilu angrily, looking like they would attack if there was a disagreement.
âYou stinky old farmers actually want to fight us? Do you think weâre vegetarians?â
At this moment, the three people standing behind Liu Xilu took out three baseball bats from the car and stood in front of the villagers.
âIâm not afraid to tell you that in the morning, the people in Houjia Village were also unwilling to pay. After we beat them up, they all became obedient.â Liu Xilu said.
â1â11 say it again. If you donât pay, Iâll strike you all down. Letâs see if the medical fees are more than the 480 yuan Iâm demanding now.â
Even though Kuanhe Village had the numerical advantage, it was clear that the other party was a gang, and they were ready to attack, which instantly stifled their momentum.
They didnât dare to make any rash moves and could only stare at them.
âYou still donât want to fucking pay, do you?â Liu Xilu scolded in exasperation.
âMy time is limited. I still have to go to the next village to collect the money later. Donât waste my time.â
âYou guys shouldnât go too far. Not everyone is like you!â Li Sijin said..