CHAPTER 133: CHAPTER 133: TAKE CONTROL OF THE HOME FIELD

"The village chief is here? I’ve just walked in the door." Meng Yao spoke enthusiastically, "This trip to the county expanded my horizons greatly, and I bought quite a few things to bring back. I even got a wooden hairpin for sister-in-law, intending to send it over soon. Now that you’re here, it’s perfect for you to take it back for me."

Good attitude, and there’s something for his wife.

The village chief’s previously stern face relaxed a bit.

"I really shouldn’t accept it, how can I take your things? Bringing along so many kids is no easy task, and still thinking about my wife while you’re out!" The village chief hesitated before replying.

"I get along well with sister-in-law, and it just happened by chance, it’s nothing valuable. You’ve always looked after Dahe, isn’t it right for us to show some appreciation?" Meng Yao replied smoothly.

"Dahe’s mother, you’re too polite."

You don’t hit a smiling face, and the village chief’s tone became even gentler.

The air of sternness almost completely dissipated, and Meng Yao felt it was enough but continued to maintain the upper hand, inviting the village chief, "Come on in and sit down. I’ll let Dahe tell you about his recent exam, you have experience, you can help analyze it."

The village chief valued scholars the most and genuinely paid a lot of attention to Zhao Dahe’s studies.

With this, the initiative was entirely in Meng Yao’s hands.

Zhao Dahe responded and came out, greeting the village chief with polite bows.

The village chief, having participated in exams several times, though with poor results, had experience and was eager to discuss such topics, naturally starting to inquire with Zhao Dahe.

In front of outsiders, Zhao Dahe was definitely the ideal child.

He answered appropriately, with perfect manners.

Listening to Zhao Dahe’s humble yet confident words, the village chief was very excited.

"Good, good, good, if you make the list, it’s not only a joyous event for the Zhao family, but for the entire Shanghua Village." The village chief slapped his thigh.

"Dahe’s mother, you’ve done well in educating the child so well."

Meng Yao also received a compliment incidentally.

"It’s all thanks to the care you and sister-in-law give our family on a daily basis." Meng Yao casually flattered, who doesn’t like to hear nice words?

"It’s only right, it’s only right." The village chief grinned widely.

"We’ve been focusing on talking about Dahe’s exam and haven’t even asked you, you came over suddenly, surely there must be something?" Meng Yao brought the topic back around.

The village chief slapped his forehead, oh right, he came today to hold someone accountable.

Got so carried away talking earlier, he forgot the main point.

"You just got back, they probably haven’t told you yet, have they?" The village chief cleared his throat.

"Just got back, Xiu’er and the others are busy tidying things up, Xiao Hua reluctantly mentioned that she caused a small trouble, I haven’t had the chance to ask in detail yet?" Meng Yao played dumb.

"She knows she caused trouble? Just a small trouble? Someone almost lost their life, is this a small trouble?" The village chief’s tone grew stern again.

Meng Yao quickly followed his lead, "What do you mean?"

The village chief, full of righteous indignation, recounted what Mrs. Han had tearfully told Meng Yao.

Meng Yao appeared to humbly listen on the surface but was silently criticizing in her heart, in Mrs. Han’s account, her son was entirely blameless.

"Meng, you’re also raising a child on your own, you understand how difficult it can be. Mrs. Han was a lady of a prominent family, bringing her child to settle in our Shanghua Village, which was difficult to begin with. It’s only right for us to look after them a bit more, right?" The village chief said with heartfelt sincerity.

"Yes, you’re right, it’s not easy. We’re not talking about taking care of them, but definitely not bullying them." Meng Yao replied righteously.

"You’ve done well teaching Dahe, but you can’t just teach one, right? Xiao Hua isn’t young anymore, many at her age in the village are starting to receive proposals." The village chief said, "Getting proposals means growing up! A grown-up needs to act appropriately, right?"

Meng Yao agreed verbally.

While thinking to herself, no, our Xiao Hua is still a child. (This is not meant sarcastically.)

"How can a girl be so rough and malicious? How can she tie Young Master Han to a tree to blow cold wind?" The village chief said with distress.

Meng Yao replied solemnly, "I agree and accept what you said before this. However, I do not agree with what you just said. Roughness aside, using malicious to describe her... didn’t you watch Xiao Hua grow up? Don’t you know the nature of this child? Labeling her as malicious would ruin her reputation."

Confronted with Meng Yao’s question, the village chief paused, realizing the words seemed inappropriate. He hadn’t thought much about it, as Mrs. Han had used those words, and he merely repeated them.

Without waiting for him to explain, Meng Yao continued, "Tying someone to a tree isn’t great, but did you find out why Xiao Hua did such a thing?"

What did Mrs. Han say? Oh right, Xiao Hua’s young heart blossomed, got rejected, and in anger and shame...

Though Mrs. Han was vague, that’s approximately how he understood it.

"Meng, climbing branches to become a phoenix is not so easy." The village chief spoke earnestly.

Meng Yao sneered, "You mean Xiao Hua was clinging to Han Muchi, got rejected, and in anger and shame, did such a thing? May I ask, was this a fact seen by someone, or just ’facts’ said by someone’s mouth?"

Isn’t this all the same? Could Mrs. Han be making things up about Xiao Hua?

"Xiao Hua saved Han Muchi’s life, this is well known." Meng Yao stated.

The village chief nodded, "Indeed."

"Young Master Han believes that since Xiao Hua and he had skin contact, even as the one being saved, he should take responsibility and is willing to do so. Thus, Mrs. Han came to propose marriage afterwards. Of course, only our two families know about this matter." Meng Yao continued.

The village chief: ???

"Young Master Han is a young prodigy, liked by all. Logically, with the Han Family proposing, we’d have no reason to refuse. But Xiao Hua believes that saving people is the duty of a medical practitioner, not bound by conventional ethics. Hence, we refused the Han family’s proposal while accepting Mrs. Han’s consultation fee, agreeing between both parties not to mention this matter again." Meng Yao explained.

The village chief, stunned, "Is that so?"

"Young Master Han is a scholar, sentimental and just, with the scholar’s pride and stubbornness, feeling responsible where responsibility is due, even came personally. Xiao Hua also refused face to face, very clearly. So I don’t understand, how could there be any talk of Xiao Hua clinging to Young Master Han?" Meng Yao’s voice grew increasingly chilly.

"This..." The village chief was at a loss for how to respond.

"I’ve explained the situation clearly, but how this matter stands cannot rely solely on Mrs. Han’s account, it deserves a confrontation from both sides, right?" Meng Yao asked, "That would be fair, wouldn’t it? You’ve always been known for your fairness."

Meng Yao did not forget to add a bit of flattery to the village chief at the end.