While they hesitated, Tian Jing wielded her broom and began to sweep directly.
*Ptooey, ptooey, ptooey!*
The broom tip kicked up wet dust and grit, splashing onto their faces and into their mouths.
Can't bear it anymore? No need to bear it.
Several people with backbone scrambled up.
Their feet slipped, *thwack!*
They fell face-first again.
Xiao Xueqi, who had gotten up first, couldn't bear to look at his teammates.
Especially Xiao Xueping, who after falling again, hit his mouth.
The collision of teeth and lips, of course, resulted in his lip being cut and bleeding.
Tian Jing continued sweeping, oblivious.
After much tribulation, the five of them finally managed to get up, already resembling mud-covered dolls.
Tian Jing swept towards the scattered debris on the ground. "Who's been littering? Such lack of public spirit? Sanitation team~"
Tian Jing's loud voice carried, and soon someone responded.
"Hey~ Coming."
Sister-in-law Niu was the fastest. "Team leader Tian, what's the matter?"
Tian Jing pointed at the scattered pieces on the ground.
"Your sanitation team's work isn't up to par. Hurry and ask who threw the trash. Whoever deserves a fine gets fined, and whoever needs criticism and education gets it."
"Yes, yes, it's our sanitation team's dereliction of duty. I'll take my team members and ask all the villagers, see who did it?"
Sister-in-law Niu selectively ignored the six people standing by with extremely grim expressions.
She quickly led her team members to go door-to-door asking.
Within minutes, she ran back with her team. "Team leader Tian, no one among the villagers is so depraved."
Depraved? Were they insulting them?
Xiao Xueqi knew that if he didn't speak up, Chen Jing would come up with more tricks.
"Chen Jing!"
Xiao Xueqi finally understood his father's frustration and anger back then.
His temples throbbed painfully. "You know the reason, playing such a childish game, is it fun?"
"Playing a game?"
Tian Jing feigned surprise. She pointed at the members of the sanitation team. "Look at them, running around sweating, is that just to put on a show for you?"
"Then you think too highly of yourself. Any villager in our village prioritizes hygiene and civility above all else."
"We absolutely cannot have any concealment or deception. This is directly linked to our income next year."
"Oh dear, I forgot. For the Xiao family, a villager's annual income of twenty to thirty thousand yuan is nothing, just a drop in the bucket for the Xiao family."
"Never mind, never mind. You wouldn't understand the hardships of us ordinary folks even if I mention it."
"But, why are you still here? Do you want to experience the special treatment of being carried out?"
"If you need it, our security team can be made to work hard, that's also an option."
Tian Jing's evasive words made Xiao Xueqi nearly spew blood.
"Chen Jing, you just wait."
Xiao Xueqi waved to his companions, abandoning even their bags, and left directly.
Tian Jing whispered a few words to Sister-in-law Niu. Sister-in-law Niu, with her team members, picked up the scattered pieces from the ground.
After tidying them up presentably, they immediately chased after them to the east.
"Mr. Xiao, Mr. Xiao, don't leave your bags behind, we won't be responsible for any accusations of embezzlement."
Xiao Xueqi turned and waited. When Sister-in-law Niu and her team arrived, he asked enticingly.
"Why are you defending Chen Jing so fiercely? What's in it for you? She and Li Zhengguo make you work so hard to earn money, and then they squeeze it all away."
"They even suppress your freedom of speech. What are you getting out of it?"
"Money, we have it too. As much as you want, without having to work hard."
Sister-in-law Niu waved her hand, and her team members gently hung the bags on their shoulders.
"You capitalists, you only know how to corrupt our pure hearts with money."
"Labor is glorious. Money earned through labor is spent with a clear conscience."
"Labor is a source of pride. After hard work, seeing the fruits of our labor brings a joy and sublimation to the soul that you capitalists will never experience."
"You are truly pitiable. From birth, your parents have covered your purity and beauty with money, leaving only calculation and greed."
"You've never experienced a carefree life, have you?"
"Pitiable people. Go on, go on. I'll just consider what you just said as farting, a brief stink and then it's over."
"In the future, don't just randomly dump things, especially not in our village. You'll contaminate the children."
Sister-in-law Niu's gentle words, radiating kindness, almost made Xiao Xueqi spit out the blood he had been suppressing in his throat.
He gritted his teeth and turned to leave.
This broken mountain village was too bizarre.
Everyone was poisoned.
Poisoned by Chen Jing.
Watching the six figures retreat in disarray, the team members gave Sister-in-law Niu a thumbs-up.
"Team leader Niu, you're truly amazing. Your mouth is almost as sharp as team leader Tian's."
"Oh, keep it down, keep it down."
Sister-in-law Niu waved her hand, her eyes fixed on the retreating figures of the Xiao family on the village road to the east.
"Praise from oneself doesn't count. I just hope that one day, I can receive a word of praise from the mouths of the Xiao or Chen family, which would be better than your ten praises."
"Hahaha."
"Hahaha."
The team members burst into laughter. Praise from the Xiao and Chen families? That seemed highly unlikely in this lifetime.
Team leader Niu's ambition was a bit too grand.
...
Li Zhengguo had to arrange the electricity connection for now.
This matter was being followed up by Zhang Shitou and Zhou Chengbin.
He stayed at home to accompany his wife, waiting for the next move from the Chen and Xiao families.
Unexpectedly, it was the Tian family who arrived.
Tian Yongyi and Chen Yun brought their two sons and daughters-in-law, along with their grandchildren.
As soon as she saw Tian Jing, Chen Yun's eyes welled up with tears. "Jing girl, you are my daughter. Don't listen to the nonsense from the Xiao and Chen families."
"Back then, when I gave birth to you, I had a severe hemorrhage and almost died. I resented you for it."
"Besides, aren't all girls like that when they're born? Who knew you'd hold a grudge? It's my fault."
"These years, you've diligently done great deeds that benefit the country and the people. My heart is at ease."
"These years, the Chen and Xiao families have disturbed you many times, but you've always refused them. My heart is very pleased."
Tian Jing watched her performance silently.
Under Tian Jing's cold gaze, Chen Yun could no longer continue her act.
Tian Yongyi stepped forward. "Jing girl, the past is all in the past, don't dwell on it. In the future, come home more often."
Tian Jing's gaze shifted to Tian Lifu. "It's your turn to perform."
Tian Lifu took a step back. "I, I didn't plan to come."
As he stepped back, Tian Jing saw the emaciated woman behind him, and the three equally gaunt girls beside her.
The eldest looked sixteen or seventeen, the middle one about thirteen or fourteen, and the youngest was only seven or eight.
The three girls were so thin they were unrecognizable, even thinner than she had been then.
The youngest, because Tian Lifu stepped back, retreated fearfully and fell to the ground.
After falling, the little girl looked terrified, trembling all over.
Without words, one could understand the status of these four women in the Tian family.
The eldest bent down and picked up her younger sister, then pulled her older sister forward, and took a step forward, kneeling before Tian Jing.
Chen Yun and Tian Lifu didn't react in time. Their outstretched hands grasped empty air.
"Team leader Tian, I know you are not the biological daughter of the Tian family, so I won't call you aunt."
"Today is our sisters' only chance to survive."
"Please, lend us a hand. We are willing to work like oxen and horses to repay you."