I Became Rich by Eating Melons in the Era of Literature (1970s)

　　Xu Baozhu's face changed drastically, and Accountant Xu and Liu Manzhu also looked over.

　　Old Lady Xu waved her hand and was about to hit her, but this time, Manqiu let her go.

　　"Did you know that I have been observing you for ten years?" Xu Manqiu now gave people a completely different impression from before. This was the first time that Jiang Youtao and the others saw Xu Manqiu with an angular appearance, and it was also the first time that the people of Liushugou saw Xu Manqiu like this.

　　Xu Manqiu had not planned to talk about these things before, because she knew that Luo Xuemin, Su Changshan and Accountant Xu all sided with Xu Baozhu, and the three of them were in the same boat.

　　In order to prevent the villagers from revealing the truth that Xu Baozhu was a lucky star, Luo Xuemin emphasized this fact five times out of ten meetings. As a person, Xu Manqiu had never even been to a commune until she was fifteen years old.

　　Because Luo Xuemin and Su Changshan were afraid that she would go to the commune to expose their feudal superstitions.

　　After Luo Xuemin and Su Changshan fell, Xu Manqiu observed Liu Manzhu and others for a long time. They had never covered the mouths of the villagers like Luo Xuemin and others did.

　　It has only been a short time, and even the educated youth know that Xu Baozhu is a lucky star and Xu Manqiu is a disastrous star.

　　Li Yunying has been working in Liushugou for eight years, and she knows less about Xu Baozhu and the others than she does now.

　　There is another more important point that Xu Manqiu doesn't want to endure anymore.

　　Before anyone treated her well, she could still live in the endless silent darkness, but after experiencing the kindness of Jiang Youtao and Gu Nianwei, Xu Manqiu could not bear it anymore.

　　This time, Xu Baozhu gave her clothes, which was an opportunity for her to make a scene. She wanted to see how Liu Manzhu would handle this matter.

　　Should he try to smooth things over like Luo Xuemin did, or will he fight for her?

　　Liu Manzhu did not let her down.

　　Xu Baozhu managed to calm herself down: "Why are you observing me?"

　　Xu Manqiu stepped forward and said, "Are you really a lucky star? Are your good fortunes over the years really your own?"

　　Xu Baozhu was forced to take a step back: "What do you want to say?"

　　Xu Manyu looked around and saw several friends who played very well with Xu Baozhu. She said to them, "Don't you find it strange that Xu Baozhu is so lucky and you play so well with her, but you don't get any benefit at all? The better her luck, the more bad luck you will have."

　　The faces of several people who were particularly close to Xu Baozhu changed instantly, and their parents immediately pulled them over to question them.

　　Liu Xiaoyan and Xu Baozhu are classmates. They have been in the same class since they started school, and later sat at the same table for two years.

　　Xu Dazui hurriedly asked her, "Is what Manqiu said true? Did you really have bad luck when you played with Baozhu?"

　　Liu Xiaoyan was bewildered. She looked at her grandmother and said, "Grandma, when have I ever had good luck? I have never had luck since I was a child."

　　Xu Dazui asked again: "Then are you unlucky?"

　　Liu Xiaoyan was even more confused: "What kind of bad luck is it? Often cutting your hands while sharpening pencils, often losing things? Or when you are walking, a pair of good shoes suddenly breaks, or you just fall and have a big fart?"

　　Liu Xiaoyan is a carefree person. With Xu Manqiu supporting her in front of her, she has never felt that she is unlucky.

　　Other parents asked and got the same answer as Liu Xiaoyan.

　　These are minor issues that don't affect anything, and unless they are pointed out, no one would even notice them.

　　"You're talking nonsense!"

　　Xu Baozhu hurriedly explained to others: "Don't listen to Xu Manqiu, she is crazy."

　　Accountant Xu also hurried over to drag Xu Manyu away: "Qiu'er, I know your grandma treats you badly, and you've been wronged at home. But there are some things we can't say nonsense about. If you say nonsense like this, how can your sister and your parents live in the village?"

　　Xu Manyu shook off Accountant Xu's hand and said, "Am I talking nonsense? Isn't it the truth? If you think I'm talking nonsense, why are you so anxious to interrupt me?"

　　"Your family is so cruel and vicious. Grandpa, since you know that my grandma is not good to me, why don't you stop her? Why don't you ever say a word for me!"

　　"Oh, because I am a jinx and will bring disaster to your family, and Xu Baozhu is a lucky star and can bring good luck to your family, right?"

　　Jiang Youtao frowned when she heard this: [ Tongzi? Is there such a passage in the book? ]

　　Jiang Youtao had finished reading the book, and she remembered that there was no such passage in the book.

　　The melon-eating system had already sensed something was wrong when it heard what Xu Manqiu said. It had already started checking when Jiang Youtao asked the question: [ Host, please wait, we are checking... ]

　　The melon-eating system lacks experience and the query takes some time.

　　The scene fell silent, leaving only Xu Manqiu's accusation: "You are all so afraid that I will bring disaster to you. Why not strangle me to death or give me away? Why not do it?"

　　"Is it because I am the source of Xu Baozhu's good fortune?" Xu Manyu pointed at Old Lady Xu. "You beat me, scold me, and abuse me every day. Is it because the worse my life is, the better Xu Baozhu's luck will be? You pay so much attention to her, but haven't you noticed that her good luck has been insufficient since she was ten years old?"

　　"You must have discovered it, otherwise why would you always force me to accept Xu Baozhu's personal belongings when she gave them to me? Why would you always force me to wash Xu Baozhu's clothes in the cold weather?"

　　Most of the clothes that Xu Manqiu washed all year round were Xu Baozhu's, and every time after washing Xu Baozhu's clothes, Xu Manqiu would feel uncomfortable for a while. The most outrageous time was when Xu Baozhu was seriously ill and was sent to the hospital for a long time but could not be cured.

　　Later, Xu Baozhu was sent back. The first thing Mrs. Xu did when she got home was to put the clothes that Xu Baozhu had worn for a long time in the ward on Xu Manqiu.

　　Xu Baozhu gradually recovered, but Xu Manqiu fell ill, and her symptoms were exactly the same as Xu Baozhu's. At that time, Xu Manqiu was only six years old, and she even thought she would not survive, but she survived in the end.

　　In a half-asleep state, she heard Old Lady Xu say that she was such a nuisance as she couldn't even die from such a serious illness.

　　"You can't say it either, right? That's right, how dare you say such a ridiculous thing in front of outsiders? If Xu Baozhu has noticed it, how could you not notice it yourself?"

　　"Xu Baozhu will only have good luck if she is close to me. If I am not around, and I mainly use her things and take her things, her good luck will also continue."

　　"When she was six, she fell seriously ill because she was too far away from me. You know that, right?"

　　Old Lady Xu looked at Xu Manqiu with surprise, as if she was meeting Xu Manqiu for the first time.

　　She couldn't say a word in response to Xu Manyu's questioning.

　　What Xu Manqiu said was true.

　　She did discover what Xu Manqiu said. As long as Xu Baozhu stayed away from Xu Manqiu, her good luck would disappear. Only if Xu Manqiu continued to suffer and continued to come into contact with Xu Baozhu's clothes could Xu Baozhu's good luck be maintained.

　　But Old Lady Xu never doubted that she had recognized the wrong lucky star, after all, the Taoist priest had said that the two granddaughters in her family were in a relationship of one gaining while the other losing, and if one of them was to be good, the other must be bad.

　　Xu Baozhu retorted loudly: "You are talking nonsense. You are talking nonsense."

　　But apart from these two sentences, she couldn't say anything else.

　　Xu Manqiu felt that it was really meaningless. She originally thought that the Xu family was a gap that she could never cross in her lifetime and a demon in her heart that would never go away. But when she really confronted them, she realized it.

　　It turns out that those mountains that she thought she would never be able to cross in her lifetime were nothing special.

　　"Uncle Manzhu, can you help me? I want to go to the commune."

　　Xu Manqiu rarely talks to people in the village, and this is the first time she has made a request to Liu Manzhu.

　　Liu Manzhu glanced at him and agreed: "Okay, I'll take you there."

　　As soon as Liu Manzhu finished speaking, Accountant Xu's voice rang out: "Manzhu can't go, you can't go!"

　　Accountant Xu's rebuttal instantly reminded Liu Manzhu of Xu Manzhu's words of objection during the meeting, and disgust almost appeared on his face.

　　He had never realized that Accountant Xu, who never got involved, was so annoying: "Why can't I go?"

　　Accountant Xu's face was filled with panic: "Do you remember 1959? The whole country was in drought, but it rained in Liushugou. The rain brought a good wheat harvest in our village. No one in our village starved to death that year."

　　"In contrast, many people in other villages starved to death. Manzhu, you should be conscientious and not be ungrateful! All of this was brought by Baozhu!"

　　Accountant Xu's words caused an uproar in the crowd, and everyone was talking about the matter.

　　The older ones said that they really couldn't go. They had indeed received favors from Xu Baozhu in the past, and if the matter of her promoting feudal superstition were to be exposed, their entire village would be in trouble.

　　Some younger people disagree with this and think it is just a coincidence.

　　Xu Manqiu didn't say anything, but just waited quietly for Liu Manzhu's final decision.

　　She looked at Jiang Youtao and Gu Nianwei and smiled at them.

　　Jiang Youtao called the system again and again, but the system's response to her was always "under inquiry".

　　Jiang Youtao was so angry that she greeted all the ancestors of the melon-eating system in her heart in a friendly manner.

　　Liu Manzhu said: "Uncle, no matter how much favors Baozhu has given the village, we have repaid her. Over the years, our brigade has earmarked a certain amount of expenditure for Baozhu every year. For fifteen years, the village has never treated her unfairly."

　　"You said that our village has enjoyed good weather and good harvests over the years thanks to the pearl, but you forgot. Over the years, not only our village, but other villages have also enjoyed good weather and good harvests. You are the one who does the village accounts every year. You should know that the grain output of the village is almost the same as that of other brigades."

　　"Moreover, over the years, Xu Baozhu's title of lucky star has not brought any benefits to the brigade. Only your Xu family has prospered. Don't drag everyone in the village into this for the sake of your own family's interests."

　　"Over the years, how have you treated Manqiu? Just because we don't tell you doesn't mean we don't know."

　　"Manqiu, it's late today. People in the commune will be off work by the time you get there. Why don't you stay at my house for a night? I'll take you to the commune tomorrow morning."

　　It was already dark by this time.

　　Jiang Youtao heard this and took over the conversation: "Uncle Manzhu, let Manqiu live with us. We have room available."

　　Liu Manzhu has a large family, so adding Xu Manqiu is not a problem, but it will be a bit crowded. After Jiang Youtao said this, he looked at Xu Manqiu and said, "Manqiu, what do you think?"

　　"I will go back with Jiang Zhiqing." said Xu Manyu.

　　Liu Manzhu nodded: "Let's go then."

　　Xu Manqiu followed him out. After taking two steps, she heard Accountant Xu calling her: "Qiu'er, come back, okay? Grandpa promises you that he will treat you well in the future, okay? Just think of it as pity for Grandpa, okay?"

　　Accountant Xu stared at Xu Manqiu. He often went to the commune for meetings. The leaders had said countless times during the meetings that they should oppose feudal superstition. Why did Old Lady Wang from Linjiadian die? Wasn't it because she was reported for fortune-telling and asking a spirit to possess her?

　　Accountant Xu did not invite any gods, but his family had quite a lot of problems. It was true that Xu Baozhu was the lucky star of the whole village, and they had let her accept the village's support for fifteen years with a clear conscience.

　　Accountant Xu is not a fool. He knows that the key to this matter lies with Xu Manqiu. If Xu Manqiu does not go to complain, nothing will happen to their family. The worst result is that he will be dismissed as the accountant of the brigade.

　　He looked at Xu Manqiu with pleading eyes: "Qiu'er, I'm begging you. Just because I'm good to you, let your sister go this time, okay?"

　　Xu Manqiu finally turned around and said, "Grandpa, you're so nice to me because you've been thinking about this day for a long time, right? You really think far ahead."

　　"But how good have you been to me? A sweet potato, a handful of peanuts, an egg that you occasionally give me? Or the melted sugar and choked biscuits that you got from Xu Baozhu and the others?"

　　"You are so good, I can't bear it."

　　After Xu Manqiu finished speaking, he took Jiang Youtao's hand and walked forward with big strides.

　　The crowd gradually dispersed, but the discussion on the matter did not stop.

　　Xu Baozhu was so frightened that she looked at Old Lady Xu and Accountant Xu: "Grandpa, Grandma, what should I do? I don't want to be arrested. Grandpa and grandma, please find a solution!"

　　Xu Baozhu was an activist in everything except studying. When she lived with her parents in the county town, she often followed the Red Army to raid other people's homes.

　　She had also encountered families who believed in feudal superstitions many times. Those red soldiers were so bad that they loved to shave people's heads in the yin-yang style.

　　Xu Baozhu touched her hair with fear on her face.

　　Since she was a child, she has been particularly fond of her long black hair. Every week, she would ask Old Lady Xu to boil water with fragrant soap and medicinal herbs picked from the mountains to take good care of her hair.

　　She took care of her hair as if it were her life. She couldn't imagine what she would look like if her hair was cut into a yin-yang style.

　　Just thinking about it made her terrified.

　　Accountant Xu shook his head dejectedly. What could he do? He had no solution at all!

　　"I told you a long time ago not to go too far. Look, you've made Manqiu angry, haven't you?"

　　Old Lady Xu was naturally afraid too. She had given speeches at the commune before, and the person who gave speeches with her included the man who reported Old Lady Wang for her feudal superstition. She still remembered the scene when Old Lady Wang was stabbed.

　　"What's the point of you saying all this now? Why didn't you stop me at the beginning?" Old Mrs. Xu didn't give in to Accountant Xu at all.

　　When she was first sold to the Xu family, she would still coax Accountant Xu a little. But after she consummated her marriage with Accountant Xu and gave birth to Uncle Xu, she became nervous and only listened to what Accountant Xu said, only what she liked to hear.

　　"This little bitch has really grown wings! Who gave her the courage to sue us? She has to get out of the village at least." Things like feudal superstition will not be investigated by the officials unless they are reported. But Old Lady Xu dared to do it so openly because she relied on the great kindness that Xu Baozhu had shown to the village when she was just born.

　　Even though some people don't want to acknowledge her now, the old people is still alive! Every family has a few old people!

　　Xu Song from Xu Baozhu's uncle's family immediately jumped up from the ground and said, "That educated youth dared to meddle in other people's business. I will go and burn their house down tonight."

　　Xu Song is eighteen years old this year. He has not studied and does not like to work. He just wanders around the village all day long. He is very brave and killing and arson are as easy as drinking water in his eyes.

　　As soon as he finished speaking, his brother Xu Bai agreed: "Yes, we will go too. They dared to make Sister Baozhu angry, we can't let them have an easy time. It would be best if Xu Manqiu was burned to death together with them, and then see if Xu Manqiu dares to go to the commune to complain."

　　When Xu Manqiu and Xu Baozhu were born, Xu Song and Xu Bai were only two or three years old. Children at that time were the most observant. They knew that the adults liked Xu Baozhu, so they treated her especially well and ignored Xu Manqiu.

　　When they grew up a little bit, and after they did not get beaten for bullying Xu Manqiu, Xu Manqiu became the target of their pranks.

　　Over the years, it has become instinct for them to protect Xu Baozhu.

　　Xu Baozhu is pretty, innocent and lively, and has a lucky aura. She is very respectable when she goes out. On the other hand, Xu Manqiu is gloomy all day long and can't say a few nice words to others.

　　Aunt Xu slapped Xu Song on the back of his head and said, "Have you become so capable? Do you think murder and arson are so easy? Stay at home tonight and don't go anywhere."

　　Aunt Xu San watched her sister-in-law's behavior from the side and smiled sarcastically.

　　Their third branch was not favored by Xu Baozhu, and her status as the third aunt in the Xu family was only slightly better than that of Xu Manqiu.

　　Xu Baozhu was in trouble, but Aunt Xu San was very happy.

　　Especially when her hypocritical sister-in-law who loves to play the good person does something wrong, she feels even more happy.

　　Over the years, relying on the support of mother-in-law and Xu Baozhu, how much loss has the third house suffered from the first house?

　　----------------------------------------

　　Jiang Youtao and the others knew nothing about what had happened in the Xu family. Before they arrived at the educated youth point, Xu Manqiu refused to go with them.

　　"Sister Taotao, Sister Weiwei, I won't go with you. Xu Song and Xu Bo are Xu Baozhu's loyal lackeys. They know I'm staying at your place tonight, so they will definitely come to cause trouble. I'll stay in the back mountain tonight and wait for them to come and catch them in the act."

　　Xu Manqiu had lived with Xu Song and Xu Bo for more than ten years and had long been familiar with their personalities.

　　The reason why she didn't go back with Liu Manzhu was that she was afraid of bringing trouble to his family. The Liu family was in the center of the village, and if something happened, it would definitely not just be their family that would suffer.

　　She hadn't originally intended to go back with Jiang Youtao and the others, but for a moment, her mouth almost surpassed her brain.

　　Jiang Youtao and Gu Nianwei looked at each other, and Gu Nianwei said, "We'll go with you."

　　Xu Manqiu refused again and again, but his refusal was in vain. After arriving at the educated youth point, Wang Shanxi and others were already waiting in the yard. Knowing that something would happen tonight, they all said that they would not sleep and would keep an eye on him secretly.

　　No one accused Jiang Youtao and Gu Nianwei of meddling in other people's business.

　　They are all in their teens and twenties, and the passion of youth is clearly revealed in them.

　　Wang Shanxi made a detailed plan for surveillance and arrest. As night fell, everyone waited in secret according to Wang Shanxi's plan. In order to prevent everyone from getting sleepy, Gu Nianwei contributed a couple of mints to refresh the mind.

　　Time passed minute by minute, the moon hung high in the night sky, the last light in the village went out, and at eleven o'clock in the evening, Xu Song and Xu Bai arrived in the dark.

　　They went around the back mountain of the educated youth site and came to the firewood shed, lit the torches they had brought and were about to throw them towards the firewood shed.

　　At this moment, a bright light hit them, and then a loud shout cut through the night sky: "Someone, someone set a fire!!!"

　　At the same time, Jiang Youtao's system, which had been showing that it was in the process of querying, finally completed the query: [ Host, I found out that part of Xu Manqiu's consciousness in the book overlapped with Xu Manqiu at a certain moment today. ]

　　Jiang Youtao was confused. What did this mean?