After being jilted, the entire neighboring village was filled with deep regret.

Chapter 29 Shen Yi and Xiong Clash
Gao Zhi was helped out of the house by his wife, Liu.

Seeing his appearance, Su Changfu took a step back in fright. "Village Chief Gao, have you encountered a ghost? You look so pale!"

"Pah, pah, pah! I'm perfectly fine!" Gao Zhi coughed up a mouthful of blood, unable to spit it out or swallow it down, and gasped for breath.

Liu, unable to contain her anger, chimed in, "It's all because of those people in the village! This family complains that they're paying too much and getting too little in return, while that family worries they'll pay but not get any water. They're all so stingy, no one wants to spend money but they still want to get something for nothing. They're so happy!"

Su Changfu frowned and shook his head. "This won't do! The town magistrate has already spoken. I can't force them to listen if they don't want to, but the town magistrate definitely won't care anymore. Spring plowing is just around the corner. What will your village do then?"

These words really hit Gao Zhi where it hurt, and he was so angry he was about to explode. "What else can we do but die together!"

“Village Chief Gao, as the head of a village, you can’t act impulsively!” Su Changfu said, turning to the side and pushing Shen Yi forward. “This is Shen Yi, the well-drilling master that the town official hired for your village. He’s very busy and doesn’t have time to waste with you.”

Shen Yi cooperated and said, "If Ximen Village doesn't dig a well, I'll go and tell the town magistrate and leave immediately."

Gao Zhi and his wife were shocked and quickly and politely asked them to stay.

One person was responsible for entertaining guests, and the other was responsible for collecting money in the village, whether they wanted to or not.

Chickens and dogs were running amok in the village, and this happened at Gao Zhi's house.

Liu glanced at Shen Yi several times, and finally couldn't help but ask, "Child, I heard you're engaged to the Su family of Dongmen Village?"

Shen Yi nodded expressionlessly.

Mrs. Liu smiled sheepishly, "That's good, that's good. Old Mo Tian handled that matter unfairly, and that's why we were too embarrassed to invite you back then. We're really sorry!"

Upon hearing this, Su Changfu's expression softened somewhat. "Sister-in-law, what are you saying! If it weren't for Mo Laotian breaking off the engagement, our village wouldn't have gotten such a good son-in-law! In fact, we're the ones who got lucky, we should be thanking your village, hahaha."

Su Changfu laughed more and more unrestrainedly, and Liu Shi's face became somewhat embarrassed. She secretly glanced at Shen Yi.

Shen Yi smiled, looked at Liu Shi, and said in a serious tone, "Uncle is right. It is my good fortune to be engaged to Xiao Tai. I have long since forgotten about the past, so Auntie doesn't need to worry about it."

The Mo family and Xiong Kai and his wife, who had just reached the door, overheard this. They exchanged a glance and their faces darkened.

Guan entered first, bypassing Shen Yi, and said to Liu with dissatisfaction, "The village chief just came to our house to talk about digging a well, and said that each person would have to pay twenty coins according to the population. Isn't that going to kill us? What if we pay the money and don't even see a drop of water? Who will bear our losses?"

Liu glared at the composed Su Changfu and Shen Yi, then angrily glared at Guan, "If you can't speak properly, then shut up! This concerns spring planting. If you keep causing trouble, then figure it out yourselves. Don't blame others for your lives!"

Guan was surprised that Liu, who was usually the most tactful, would embarrass her in front of outsiders.

He turned his angry gaze to Shen Yi, but did not name him, and loudly repeated what he had just said.

Shen Yi ignored Guan Shi and said to Su Changfu in a leisurely manner, "Uncle, shall we leave first?"

Su Changfu nodded, "Alright, then the matter of Ximen Village has nothing to do with us." Liu was shocked and pushed Guan away forcefully, trying to persuade her to stay, "She's a madwoman, what she says doesn't count. We're definitely going to dig the well today. Those who don't want to pay won't pay, and they'll have nothing to do with Ximen Village from now on."

Upon hearing this, all the villagers who had objected were in an uproar.

"Why should we not be considered people of Ximen Village just because we don't contribute money? What gives you the right to make this decision!" Mo Chunxiang was the first to lose her composure, relying on the protection of her parents and husband, and was very rude to Liu.

Liu frowned subconsciously, glancing at Mo Chunxiang with disgust, her eyes cold. "Because my husband is the village chief, and because you didn't contribute any money, you naturally can't enjoy the benefits the village provides. Otherwise, it's unfair to the others. I'm telling you right now, if the well yields water, the village won't sell it to you!"

Liu's words directly exposed the discontent of most of the villagers who were against it, and their faces turned extremely ugly. The villagers who were willing to contribute money echoed loudly, and the villagers had no choice but to comply.

Ultimately, pressured by the situation, half of the villagers who had opposed the move reluctantly paid up the money, while the rest began to panic, including the Xiong and Mo families.

These two families had just celebrated a happy occasion and were short of money, so naturally they were unwilling to pay.

Seeing that the situation was not good, Xiong Kai narrowed his eyes and said to Shen Yi, "I know we have some past grievances, but as you just said, we shouldn't dwell on the past. So I'll be presumptuous and believe you. Now, let me ask you, what will you do if we can't dig up any water?"

“Yes! We can’t just fail to find any water and suffer a complete loss!” Mo Chunxiang chimed in, her voice brimming with pride.

Shen Yi glanced at the couple, a mocking smile playing on his lips. "What does it have to do with me that we can't dig for water? It's not like I came to your village on my own initiative. If it weren't for the town official's invitation, I would have been extremely unwilling to make this trip. Of course, it has nothing to do with personal grudges."

It's not even March yet. Although the snowfall this year wasn't heavy, the ground hasn't thawed yet, so whether we can dig it up is another matter. Nobody wants to do something so thankless, right?

Now that you're the ones asking for favors, you act all high and mighty, expecting rewards without putting in any effort. What are you thinking?!

The two men turned pale and then red after hearing Shen Yi's words. Although they were not convinced, they were at a disadvantage and had no leverage to argue with him.

Liu also felt that Xiong Kai and Mo Chunxiang were being unreasonable, so she impatiently shooed them out and looked apologetically at Shen Yi, "Don't bother with them. Anyway, I've already said what I wanted to say. If they continue to be stubborn, my husband and I won't tolerate them!"

Liu clenched her fists fiercely.

Seeing her firm attitude, Su Changfu silently nodded to Shen Yi.

Shen Yi then agreed and began to wander around the village with several villagers who supported drilling a well, looking for a suitable location.

Xiong Kai held his breath and silently followed behind. Every time Shen Yi suggested a possible place where water might come out, he would jump out to refute it and could come up with a very eloquent argument. Gradually, even the villagers who had agreed to dig a well began to waver.

Shen Yi didn't take it to heart at all and continued walking, pointing to several more places before returning to Gao Zhi's house when he felt he had seen enough.

Su Changfu pressed on with concern, "How is it? Is there a suitable place?"

"I"

“There isn’t any! Those places aren’t suitable; it’s impossible for water to come out!” Xiong Kai spoke up before Shen Yi could.