Lv Cuiping rushed forward to fight, but was blocked by Xie Jian, unable to touch Jiang Lai at all.
"You dead woman! Eating these, are you afraid itâll shorten your life! This is all my daughterâs blessing, do you think you have the right to speak here?"
Jiang Lai wasnât one to back down easily. Lv Cuiping hit her man, so she fought back. Unlike Lv Cuiping who just flailed about, Jiang Lai simply threw a stone at her feet, tripping her and making her stumble to the ground.
Xie Jian quickly helped her up, but still got slapped by Lv Cuiping, his face darkened immediately.
"Xie Yumian, your mother is making such a fuss over these things, do you think if those siblings found out, what would happen?"
Jiang Lai seemed to have seen through her thoughts, and Xie Yumian was so angry that tears almost fell.
"Take your things and go! Take it all!"
Seeing her furious look, Jiang Lai laughed happily and picked up everything.
"With all these things you hide away to eat, arenât you afraid youâll get so stuffed youâll get nosebleeds?"
After saying that, Jiang Lai walked away with the things, and Xie Jian followed quietly. Looking at the small and frail figure in front of him, he felt an indescribable guilt.
"What are you looking at me for? Think Iâm stingy?"
"Iâm sorry, itâs my fault for being useless, otherwise, you wouldnât have to worry about these things."
Looking at the man in front of her, filled with guilt, Jiang Lai stood on her tiptoes and patted his shoulder.
"Thatâs your parents and your sister. As long as you stand by my side at the critical moment, thatâs enough. Iâll handle the rest."
Xie Jian, who had been the filial son for over twenty years, dedicating so much to the family, now it wasnât easy for him to stand firmly in front of her without hesitation.
Jiang Lai didnât expect him to do more.
Bringing back the goods, such as birdâs nest and dried abalone, rare delicacies for this era, Jiang Lai didnât care for them.
At her wealthiest, she had consumed and used the finest things in the world, and after seeing so much, these really didnât appeal to her.
The reason she took them back was simply that she couldnât stand the Xie Family.
Jiang Lai felt relieved, but the Xie Family was already in chaos. Xie Yumian glanced at Lv Cuiping with reddened eyes, then turned and shut herself in the room.
Xie Guo and Xie Qiang supported her, not daring to speak, afraid of saying the wrong thing and getting in trouble.
As for the two sisters-in-law, the gratitude they felt earlier had now completely disappeared.
People are like this, what they initially thought was a kind intention, turned out to be something the others didnât care for, making them feel uneasy.
The once happy breakfast now left everyone in silence with an oppressive atmosphere.
Lv Cuiping sprained her foot and couldnât walk, so she had to lie at home, but even then, she wasnât quiet, cursing Jiang Lai continuously, even in her dreams.
Jiang Lai was unaffected. When Xie Jian went to work in the fields, Zhao Ziyu came.
"Sorry to trouble you today, the car is already waiting outside. Letâs go."
A black car was parked outside, quite rare for this era, especially in the village, drawing attention.
"Did they come specifically to pick me up?"
"It just so happens the leader is in the car too, and itâs on the way to the county."
Once in the car, Jiang Lai saw the middle-aged man from yesterday, holding a newspaper, looking at her and nodding.
Zhao Ziyu sat in the front seat, turning back to look at Jiang Lai. Seeing her calm demeanor, he was secretly curious about who this Jiang Lai really was.
After arriving in the county, Jiang Lai followed Zhao Ziyu into the government building, went up the stairs to the second floor, and entered an office.
Inside the office was already a man wearing glasses, looking about fifty to sixty years old, dressed neatly, wearing leather shoes, resembling a highly-educated intellectual.
"Hello, Mr. Shen, Secretary. This is Mr. Shen Jia, the English teacher from County No. 1 High School."
Secretary Wang nodded, giving Zhao Ziyu an approving look.
In the simply decorated office sat a thirty-something geology research expert. He had gone to the United States with his parents in the 1950s, and now, knowing that the country needed geology-related research talents, he had returned without hesitation.
An area of alkaline land in a remote part of the county had significant research value, prompting the country to send this geologist here to share experience and give lectures.
The translator accompanying him had fallen ill due to acclimatization issues. Unable to find anyone to communicate properly because of the low prevalence of English, and especially for highly specialized terms, the Secretary tried finding someone to help.
Seeing the Secretary, the geologist politely stood to greet him, knowing only simple phrases like "hello." Everything else Secretary Wang said was beyond his understanding.
Beside him, Shen Jia immediately started translating. Though his accent was heavy, it was still comprehensible.
The Secretary nodded with satisfaction and continued speaking, with Shen Jia translating alongside.
Zhao Ziyu served tea on the side. It seemed they didnât need Jiang Lai, so he pulled Jiang Lai aside and whispered.
"I apologize, but please understand, given the special status of this guest."
Jiang Lai nodded.
"Hmm, but this visit delays my work in the fields, youâll have to compensate me."
"Donât worry, have you seen our place? We surely wonât owe you for this!"
Trying not to disturb their conversation, Zhao Ziyu intended to let Jiang Lai leave, but she suddenly looked up and directly approached the Secretary and the overseas Chinese scholar in conversation.
"Apologies, Mr. Shen, some of the content you translated just now might be inaccurate, potentially causing misunderstandings."
Shen Jia frowned.
"Inaccurate? Who are you?"
Zhao Ziyu quickly introduced her.
"This is Jiang Lai, also here to help with translations."
The interruption left the Secretary somewhat displeased.
"If there are occasional errors, we can correct them afterward."
"Incorrect minor points indeed arenât crucial, but Mr. Shen just translated your words âbig shotâ as âbusybody.â The overseas Chinese scholar might take offense at that."
Secretary Wang looked at Shen Jia in confusion. He didnât understand the language, so he was unaware of the translations, knowing only that communication was happening. The main ideas were understood, and small details wouldnât be a big deal.
"Do you have any issues with my translation? âBig shotâ can be translated as âbusybody,â an English teacher is unlikely to get it wrong."
"Translating it directly isnât wrong, but in their vernacular, putting those words together means âinterfering nosy person,â not âbig shot.â"