Chapter 270: Merciless

Translator: Lonelytree 

Xiao Lingyu continued, “If people feel sorry for them, or if they think I’m cold-blooded and merciless, so be it.

“Because I don’t think I’ve done anything wrong. Everyone has to pay for the mistakes they’ve made, no matter who they are. It is true that Zhang Xiaolan has been imprisoned, but what about the damage she caused? Is my family supposed to suffer that loss silently?

“A family is a unit. They share the joy and suffering together. Zhang Xiaolan has contributed to her family before she is captured, so it is only logical for her family to help her after she is captured!”

Xiao Lingyu would never compromise. She wouldn’t pity them either.

In her previous life, when the Xiao family was in the most difficult situation, it was one thing that these people didn’t help her family, but they added insult to injury. They helped the Chen Family and took advantage of her family.

Xiao Lingyu had a very strong memory.

The villagers looked at the proud Xiao Lingyu and the kneeling Xiao Chengcai. The contrast was too stark. They thought Xiao Lingyu was heartless.

Zhang Chunxiang’s mother-in-law, Auntie Li, stood out and said, “Lingyu, we know that your family has worked hard for your wealth.

“However, your family’s strawberries have already earned a lot of money. You don’t lack this little bit of money. But look at their family. They have to eat, drink and marry. I think they really don’t have the money to compensate you.

“Why don’t we just forget about this? After all, the culprit, Zhang Xiaolan, has already been punished, right?”

Aunt Li pressured Xiao Lingyu with her seniority. Even Xiao Lingyu had to call her fourth grandmother.

As soon as she finished speaking, Old Master Gong came out of the room with a cane.

He looked at Aunt Li and said sternly, “Big Sister Li, you’re wrong. The Xiao Family doesn’t lack 108,000 RMB, and the culprit has been captured, but the unlawful has to be punished.

“Fortunately, the villagers helped to put out the fire in time, and the consequences were not that serious. If the entire strawberry field were burned down, then the culprit wouldn’t just be imprisoned but shot.

“The Xiao Family doesn’t lack 108,000 RMB, but they have the right to ask for compensation. After all, why should they suffer for the mistake made by the culprit?

“108,000 RMB might look like a lot, but no one is asking them to pay the debt in one go. They can pay in installments. Don’t tell me they can’t even do that?

“That’s simply shameful!

“Is this how you want to educate your younger generation? When you do something wrong, instead of admitting to it, you should push the blame to someone else?

“I’m telling you, people who have such thoughts will never be able to get rich!”

The villagers were shocked by Old Master Gong’s last sentence. People who shirk responsibility will never be rich.

All the villagers hoped that their children would be successful and rich. Of course, they had to set the best example for them.

Old Master Gong continued, “Big Sister Li, I think you shouldn’t worry about them. If they really don’t want to pay compensation, then we can only ask the court to enforce liquidation.”

Aunt Li was a little confused and asked, “What is that?”

“It means turning Zhang Xiaolan’s and Xiao Chengcai’s assets into money and using that to compensate Zhengyang’s family.”

At this moment, Xiao Chengcai’s mother immediately jumped out and said, “That slut doesn’t have any assets.”

Old Master Gong said, “How is that possible? The house that you live in was built after your son’s marriage to Zhang Xiaolan. There is also livestock in the fields. These things can be auctioned by the court and converted into cash. If there is lingering debt, Zhang Xiaolan can work to pay it off after she comes out of jail.

“But…” Old Master Gong’s eyes sharpened. “Zhang Xiaolan has two sons. I’m sure they’ll be criticized. They won’t even help their own mother. They aren’t even willing to aid their mother. Just on that fact alone, I don’t think your grandsons will be able to find anyone to marry them.

“After all, who will be willing to marry their daughters to these two men who have no filial piety at all?”

Xiao Chengcai’s mother and the others were dumbfounded when they heard this. They didn’t expect these long-lasting consequences…

When Xiao Chengcai’s mother heard this, she immediately said angrily, “My two grandsons are filial to our family. Zhang Xiaolan is just an outsider. She’s just a tool to give birth. She’s an outsider who made a mistake. My children and grandchildren shan’t be implicated.” Clearly, she still didn’t want to pay the compensation.

Xiao Lingyu chuckled, “Grandma Chen, Auntie Zhang has worked hard for your family for more than 20 years. She even gave birth to two grandsons and a granddaughter. But she’s still an outsider? If Auntie Zhang hears about this, she’ll be so sad.”

Xiao Lingyu turned her head to Xiao Chengcai. “Uncle Chengcai, in your eyes, is Auntie Zhang also an outsider?”

Xiao Chengcai said matter-of-factly, “Her surname isn’t Xiao, so of course, she’s an outsider.”

“What about Grandma Chen?” Xiao Lingyu directly pointed at Xiao Chengcai’s mother and asked, “Her surname isn’t Xiao either, right?”

Xiao Chengcai said, “She’s my mother, so of course she’s not an outsider.”

“It looks like to your family, only Auntie Zhang is the outsider.”

The farmer’s wives were shocked when they heard these. Zhang Xiaolan had been married to them for more than twenty years, but in her mother-in-law’s and husband’s eyes, she was still an outsider. They didn’t want to help Zhang Xiaolan because she was ultimately an outsider.

They immediately thought of themselves. Were they outsiders to their married families? If something happened to them, would their husband’s families help them?

Xiao Lingyu glanced at the people present and continued, “In fact, the compensation will reduce Auntie Zhang’s sentence. Assuming Auntie Zhang is sentenced to seven years in prison, if you pay the compensation, she might get only three years in prison. Other than to make up for the loss my family suffered, the compensation is also a chance for Auntie Zhang to correct her mistakes.”

“Oh, we didn’t know that.” Someone said.

“Lingyu, why didn’t you say that earlier? That is a good thing!” Someone smiled.

Xiao Lingyu said indifferently, “It’s not my place to say it. But the people from the police station and the court should have told Uncle Chengcai and Grandma Chen about it.”

“What?” The villagers were shocked again. “Then, why are they still…” unwilling to pay but came to make a scene here?

They looked at Xiao Chengcai and his mother suspiciously.

When Xiao Chengcai and Grandma Chen saw the strange looks in the villagers’ eyes, their faces turned red.

Grandma Chen said matter-of-factly, “We don’t have money. How are we going to pay?”

“It’s not that you don’t have money, but you are unwilling to pay. After all, it was your daughter-in-law who has committed the crime, right?” Gong Tianhao pointed out. “She’s an outsider. If the person in jail is your son, you would have sold even your house to bail him out, right?”

Xiao Chengcai’s mother said, “You’re right. Zhang Xiaolan is an outsider. She’s not worth my family saving her. So what if she is in prison for a few years? What does she have to lose?”

All the women present felt a chill in their hearts. Previously, they thought that Xiao Chengcai’s family was pitiful, and they sided with them. They even thought Xiao Lingyu was being unnecessarily cold-blooded.

However, now, they realized who was the real cold-blooded one.

Zhang Chunxiang’s mother-in-law, Auntie Li, looked at the expressions of the women around her and sighed in her heart. After that, she didn’t say anything else.

‘Chen Jiumei is really an idiot. Even if she sees her daughter-in-law as an outsider, she shouldn’t say that in front of everyone. She announced before everyone that her daughter-in-law is an outsider, and she even told her son to do the same. How will she get the crowd on her side like this?’

Xiao Lingyu said sternly, “I don’t care whether Auntie Zhang is an outsider to you or not. She is your daughter-in-law. You have the obligation to bear her mistake!”

At this moment, Xiao Chengcai suddenly asked, “What if I divorce her? Do I still need to bear the compensation?”

Everyone present was shocked.

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