CHAPTER 165: CHAPTER 165: TOO LATE FOR REGRET

In short, these two were tormented by her, and once inside, they instinctively found a spot to sit quietly like wooden mannequins.

Yi Chichi and the others were used to them acting like this, so they just treated them as wooden mannequins and chatted away.

"Liu Lan picked a really good day for her wedding."

Wu Yongfei grumbled with a speechless expression, "If the snow doesn’t stop tonight, I wonder how she’ll set up her banquet tomorrow."

"The big canteen."

Bai Chen thought he was worrying for nothing. Back when communal meals were a thing, Kao Shan Village built a big canteen, and after the communal meals were canceled, it was abandoned and turned into a storage for farming tools.

A quick clean-up would make it usable again.

"Anyway, given the population of Grandpa Liu’s household and his cousins, Liu Lan’s wedding banquet won’t be bad."

Zhang Yunhao’s eyes lit up, "So that means we can eat well tomorrow."

"Not likely."

Yi Chichi chimed in, "Meat is scarce, but I reckon there should be fish."

If memory serves, Liu Lan has a cousin working in the fisheries department.

It’s hard for outsiders to get fish, but it’s easy for insiders.

"Fish would be fine too."

Qi Yang swallowed, "Hopefully, it’s big fish, with plenty of meat to satisfy us."

Yi Chichi turned and glared at him, "Isn’t my seafood good enough?"

"It’s good."

He replied earnestly, "But it’s not fresh. I just want some meat."

Preferably pork, as fish just doesn’t quite compare to pork.

At that thought, he lamented, "They used to slaughter pigs and share the meat before, but this year they didn’t slaughter pigs, and even hunted meat isn’t shared. What’s going on?"

"...Soon."

Seeing everyone’s deep-seated complaints, Yi Chichi reassured them, "Why so anxious? As long as not all the meat and pigs are handed over, we’ll get a share."

It’ll just be a bit less.

As her own interests were involved, Yan Wanwan stopped pretending to be a wooden mannequin and spoke up, "How much meat did you get last year?"

"It was based on work points."

Bai Chen didn’t intend to isolate anyone, and candidly told the truth, "But you and Guan Zhiqing and Ning Zhiqing shouldn’t count on it. With the work points you three accumulated, you probably can’t even repay the grain you owe to the team, let alone get any meat; you might have to become deficit households."

"Impossible."

Ning Haitao couldn’t hold it in and loudly disputed, "We worked hard, really hard."

"Yes, hard enough that even the kids in the team earn three or four work points a day more than you."

Yi Chichi sarcastically countered, was it really work?

It was lazing around.

All tasks were dumped on the members and her granduncle and his folks.

The more she thought about it, the angrier she got, "Still calling yourself a man; I think you’re just a loser who can’t even support yourself. What good are you?"

Ning Haitao was so rebuked that his face turned livid, "You, you..."

"You idiot!"

Yi Chichi spun her wrist to reveal her silver needles, "Don’t agree? Let’s fight."

"No."

He immediately cowered into the corner, unable to afford any trouble.

This woman who knows how to use needles and medicine is seriously not someone to mess with. She’s even tougher than Guan Mingyue.

He always remembered that Bai Chen and the others said Yi Chichi once caught a spy.

A woman capable of handling spies isn’t someone he can afford to offend; one must know when to back down.

Only regretfully, he realized it too late.

If he had realized earlier and not leached off Guan Mingyue so greedily, he wouldn’t be suffering so much now.

However, it’s too late for regrets!

He sighed and refrained from making any more comments.

He just continued as a bystander.

Bai Chen and the others were speechless after seeing his behavior.

They couldn’t be bothered to deal with him.

"How much are you giving as a gift tomorrow? The same as Liu Xiaocao?"

Zhou Yadong’s question hit the mark, and everyone looked at each other.

As they were pondering what amount would be appropriate, Guan Mingyue suddenly surprised them, "One yuan, too little just wouldn’t do."

"You get out."

Zhou Qiuyu wanted to strangle her, who in their right mind would give one yuan as a gift when they aren’t even close family.

She dared to say that even many of Liu Lan’s relatives in Kao Shan Village wouldn’t give that much.

Guan Mingyue didn’t know. This girl was as clueless about social customs as if she had a new brain with zero understanding.

So, she looked at Zhou Qiuyu, "What, is one yuan too much?"

"Yes!"

In unison.

Guan Mingyue’s eyes widened, "Then how much did you give Liu Xiaocao last time?"

Bai Chen held up two fingers, and she exclaimed, "Twenty cents, right?"

Seeing them nod, she clucked her tongue, "That’s really generous."

"Why not? Twenty cents was already a generous gift; many people just give some vegetables as gifts."

Wang Nan advised earnestly, "Old Guan, we all know your family’s well-off, and your parents and brothers love you, willing to send money, tickets, and goods to support you, but I’m asking you, don’t flaunt your wealth, can you take it easy?"

Don’t be throwing money around like a deity of wealth every day.

It’s just that Kao Shan Village has a fair environment. If it were the neighboring Red Flag Brigade, someone like Guan Mingyue with her attitude would have been fleeced to the bone.

In case she wouldn’t listen, Wang Nan and the others started laying out the facts and reasons, using the Red Flag Commune as an example to make her aware of the dangers of human nature.

Turns out, a comparison is frightening, and when compared, the contrast becomes clear.

The effect was indeed evident.

Guan Mingyue was trembling with fear, "The brigade officers check the parcels and letters of the educated youths?"

"It’s very common; the neighboring one has always been like that. If there’s anything good, they take it first; if they leave you anything, they’re considered kind. If they take everything, you have nowhere to complain."

At this point, Ge Sujuan patted her shoulder, "Old Guan, be mindful."

"I will, definitely be mindful."

Guan Mingyue nodded urgently; she really didn’t know such a thing existed.

Luckily, she came to Kao Shan Village instead of the neighboring brigade.

Otherwise, she shuddered at the thought of living like that.

Seeing that she finally listened, everyone returned to the topic of the cash gift.

After a discussion, Yi Chichi and the others decided to follow the process and use Liu Xiaocao’s standard.

Even though Liu Xiaocao and Qian Ping’an’s wedding didn’t have a banquet, just cash collection, the couple promised that once they got through tough times, they’d hold a banquet and treat everyone to a meal.

With Qian Ping’an’s capability, that day won’t be too distant.

Thus, for Liu Lan as well, everyone decided on twenty cents each.

Once the amount was decided, it was time to wrap it up.

Back in her room, after pouring water, washing up, and soaking her feet, just as Yi Chichi was about to rest, Ge Sujuan knocked on the door.

Knowing her intention, Yi Chichi handed her the money and softly asked, "Did you manage to borrow the grain coupons?"

"Got them."

She nodded, thinking of the stack of coupons Guan Mingyue pulled out when borrowing them. She said rather speechlessly, "Old Guan really has no guard; no wonder Yan Wanwan and Ning Haitao can mess with her so much."

Yi Chichi’s eyes widened, "She lent you grain coupons and you speak ill of her like that?!"

At least show some respect.

"I said the same thing to her face."

Ge Sujuan sighed, "I worry about her flaunting that stack of tickets and causing trouble, so I scolded her."