Rebirth in Famine: She Thrives by Lucky Space

Chapter 49: 49 Food

Zhou Xiangxing lowered his head and laughed sarcastically in his heart. Whether he confesses or not, he can’t escape death. What’s there to say?

”Get the grain, get the grain!” The members below couldn’t wait any longer.

The police couldn’t stop this situation. The leader who came here glanced at Wang Jianqiang.

”Captain of the village, select forty people, follow us, and retrieve the people’s hard-earned grains.”

Wang Jianqiang didn’t bother with pleasantries and directly sought out the remaining four squad leaders along with the village’s robust laborers.

Jiang Xinyu watched as they grandly followed two police officers and the securely tied Zhou Jiaxing up the mountain, feeling relieved.

This matter was handled beautifully by Wang Jianqiang. It seems someone has been eyeing this grain.

The remaining people didn’t move, with Zhou Xiangxing still kneeling in the field. There were also four remaining police officers.

Jiang Xinyu intentionally glanced at Kong Zhongyou, noticing his back was slumped.

”Zhou Xiangxing, are you still going to resist? If you wait until the grain is recovered, there won’t be any chance of a lenient sentence for you, and it may even be increased.”

Zhou Xiangxing didn’t respond regardless of what was said, keeping his head down.

One police officer approached Kong Zhongyou, ”You’re the village chief, right? Try persuading Zhang Xiangxing.”

Kong Zhongyou smiled bitterly inwardly. When the police from the precinct ask, he couldn’t just stand idly by.

He walked to Zhou Xiangxing’s side, squatted down and said, ”Xiangxing, no matter what, you should strive for leniency, just confess. You won’t be able to endure it. Jiaxing has already said that without your words, his testimony alone suffices.”

”Heh, Kong Zhongyou, don’t you fear I might say something about you when you ask me to confess?”

Kong Zhongyou stood up angrily, ”What do I have to fear from you?”

”Your sordid thoughts!”

”What sordid thoughts do I have? I’m wholly committed to the members of our village.”

After saying that, Zhou Xiangxing refused to speak further, ignoring all questions directed at him.

Kong Zhongyou was breathing heavily from anger. This kind of response left him unable to make himself clear.

Jiang Xinyu felt extremely cold now, the chill seeping up from her feet.

”Auntie, I’m heading back, it’s too cold.”

”Go on, take care of yourself.”

Jiang Xinyu hurriedly returned home, quickly lit the fire, having stood for nearly two hours and feeling hungry.

Actually, for the Zhou Brothers, the likelihood of a death sentence is very high.

The main issue is the sensitivity surrounding grain now, and they stole an enormous quantity.

Once again, she steamed rice for herself, made egg custard. Watching the eggs decrease day by day, Jiang Xinyu was becoming anxious. But where could she get more eggs at this time?

She dared not eat other things either. Her space still had quite a bit of raw pork, but she couldn’t stew it. This was such a frustrating problem.

After eating her fill, she sat on the kang sewing curtains, thinking to nail down the hooks directly on the wall according to the distances on the curtain straps, without using ropes.

Once all the curtains were sewn for the house, noise could be heard outside. It seemed the grain had been brought back.

Jiang Xinyu didn’t feel like joining the commotion. Even if there’s grain distribution, her share wouldn’t be missing, as it’s for this year’s grain before her household account was moved.

She’s not trying to fight for food, just pondering if there’s no portion of grain for her this time, then no pork for her.

Thinking about it made her disheartened. How should she cover it up if there’s no meat for her?

Jiang Xinyu didn’t go outside, nor did anyone call for her. She had no idea how the matter was resolved.

However, there was no grain distribution the next day. Could something have gone wrong?

Though curious, Jiang Xinyu didn’t go out to inquire. It’s too cold to let herself suffer just to satisfy her curiosity.

In the afternoon, the gate was knocked, ”Brother Xiaolong.”

”Mm, this is firewood for you.”

”Thanks a lot, brother, but I won’t need any more. I’ve got enough here. With too much, I wouldn’t be able to transport it.”

”It’s no trouble. If one trip doesn’t suffice, take two. You’ll use a lot of firewood living in the county.” Wang Xiaolong left the firewood and was about to leave.

”Brother, how was yesterday’s issue resolved?”

”Zhou Jiaxing and his brother were both taken away. The grain is locked in our warehouse, weighed and recorded at over 3,800 pounds.

The police said not to distribute yet, wait until the case is resolved to decide.”

”Understood, brother. You really don’t need to keep sending firewood.”

”Alright, got it.” Leaving, Wang Xiaolong knew both were unmarried young people. It wasn’t good to spend too much time together, better to avoid.

Jiang Xinyu shut the door and returned inside. She wasn’t worried at all, knowing the grain would eventually be distributed to everyone despite any setbacks.

In normal times, people might not be concerned, but folks nowadays lack the means to live. They wouldn’t let the grain be transported away.

Jiang Xinyu closed the door and went about her life. It wasn’t until a week later that the gate was knocked again.

”Auntie?”

”Xinyu, quickly wear your coat; your uncle has gone to ring the bell. We’re distributing grain today. Remember to bring a scoop and a bag.”

”Sure, this will help tide us over for a while.”

”We’ll manage, every household has a bit stashed away. Hurry up,” Sun Ermei remarked before leaving.

Jiang Xinyu went inside to change into cotton shoes, put on her coat, grabbed her scoop and two cloth bags before heading out.

Everyone hearing the bell came out holding their containers, knowing it was grain distribution day.

Jiang Xinyu queued in the middle and when it was her turn, Zhou Jisheng measured out a pound of wheat and one pound three ounces of corn for her.

Jiang Xinyu didn’t complain; she accepted whatever amount she was given.

Returning home, she stored the grain and left again, heading to the captain’s office to find out when they would slaughter pigs.

Now meat had become her obsession. She thought about it daily, getting increasingly tempted.

”Xinyu, why are you back again?” Sun Ermei asked, puzzled.

”Auntie, when will we slaughter pigs in the village?”

”We’ll deliver the pigs for slaughter on the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, and slaughter them on the tenth. Craving some meat?”

Jiang Xinyu nodded, ”I’m craving now, plus we’re out of grain, and the pigs are hungry, just losing weight.”

”Yes, that’s true. Just wait a bit. Your family should get three portions, your parents raised pigs too.”

”I’m content with whatever portion is given,” Jiang Xinyu replied with a smile, looking forward to stewing meat in a week.

She decided she would definitely stew two big pots, saving it to enjoy slowly later.

”Auntie, tomorrow is market day, are you going?”

”I don’t have anything to buy. If you want to go, I’ll accompany you.”

”No need, I’m just bored; I’ll go and stroll around tomorrow myself,”

”Alright, some folks from our village will go to market tomorrow. Find someone to go with you on the way.”