I couldn't take it anymore; when I went home for Chinese New Year, the family genealogy book ha

Jiang Shunde's words, "The situation is different now," cooled down the lively atmosphere in the courtyard.

Jiang Jianjun's heart skipped a beat, and the smile on his face vanished.

He nervously rubbed his hands together and tentatively asked:

"Uncle Shunde, do you mean... my elder brother's family shouldn't offer the first incense?"

In rural areas, lighting the first incense stick is more than just a ritual.

This represents a family's best performance and greatest prestige in the past year, and also their highest expectations for the coming year.

In previous years, although my uncle's family wasn't exactly known for their character, their son, Jiang Wei, worked in the county town and seemed more promising than Jiang Jianjun, a farmer who toiled in the fields.

Therefore, this first incense stick has always been offered by their family.

Jiang Jianjun never dared to dream of this before, but this year... his son Jiang Chen has made something of himself!

He drove back in his big Audi, bought so many things for the house, and paid off all his debts!

Deep down, he also harbored a secret desire to salvage his reputation.

Seeing Jiang Jianjun's expectant yet nervous expression, Jiang Shunde waved his hand and changed the subject.

"Let's not rush the matter of offering the first incense."

He picked up the cup of hot tea, took another sip, then pointed outside the courtyard, his face full of worry.

"Jianjun, Chen'er, I'm here today mainly because of another, more worrying matter."

Jiang Chen moved the ladder to the wall and placed it there, then walked over and listened quietly.

Jiang Shunde sighed heavily, his wrinkled face full of worry.

"As you all know, the main road leading from our village to the town has been in disrepair for many years."

"When it rains, it's all muddy puddles. You can't even drive a car, and you'll get covered in mud if you ride an electric bike. On sunny days, it's all bumpy and dusty, and your butt hurts from all the jolting."

He slapped his thigh in anguish.

"Just two days ago! You all know Grandma Li from the west end of the village, right? She's over seventy years old. She was going to the market in town when her electric scooter got stuck in a big mud pit on the road, and she fell over!"

"He fell directly into the ditch next to the house. If someone hadn't been passing by, the consequences would have been unimaginable in this freezing weather! Even so, he almost broke his leg and is still lying at home unable to get up!"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Jianjun and Wang Xiuying nodded repeatedly, their faces showing expressions of empathy.

Wang Xiuying said angrily, "Absolutely! That lousy road is like it has a rash of sores; it's really a menace! Last time I rode my bike to town to buy groceries, my brand-new pants came back covered in mud splatters that I couldn't wash off!"

That road is indeed a thorn in the side of everyone in Jiangjia Village.

Seeing that everyone's emotions had been stirred up, Jiang Shunde continued, "It's almost Chinese New Year, and those who work away from home, and married daughters, will all be coming back. We can't let them all walk down this shabby road as soon as they enter the village, can we? That would be too embarrassing for our Jiangjia Village!"

"So, the village committee discussed it and decided we couldn't let it drag on any longer. We'll pool our resources, buy some cement, sand, and gravel, and hire some able-bodied men from the village. We'll work overtime before New Year's Eve to fill in the biggest holes! At least that way, everyone can have a peaceful and happy New Year!"

Raising funds to repair roads is the most common, but also the most helpless, way to solve problems in rural areas.

Upon hearing this, Wang Xiuying immediately asked:

"How much will it cost? If it's not too much, our family will definitely support it! Once this road is repaired, it's truly a blessing for everyone."

Jiang Shunde gave Wang Xiuying an approving look, and then slowly extended two fingers.

"The village roughly calculated that the cost of materials and the wages of the workers would be around ten thousand yuan. There are a total of 123 households in our village, so if we split it up, it's not much. If each household contributes about 200 yuan, that should be about right."

Two hundred yuan.

For Jiang Chen's family now, it's not even worth the cost of a cup of water.

Without even thinking, Jiang Jianjun patted his chest and said generously, "Sure! It's only right! This is for the good of the whole village, my family will pay! I'll give it to you right now!"

As he spoke, he turned to go back into the house to get the money.

"Hey, don't rush!"

Jiang Shunde grabbed him, sighed heavily, and looked extremely troubled.

"Jianjun, that's what you say, and that makes sense. But... there are always a few households that don't understand and won't cooperate!"

He lowered his voice, as if afraid of being overheard, his face full of complaints and helplessness.

"I just came from your uncle Jiang Jian's country."

"Your aunt Liu Cuifen, when she heard that we had to pay 200 yuan to repair the road, good heavens, she immediately sat down on the ground and started crying and making a scene!"

"One minute she'll say how difficult things are at home, that she's barely making ends meet."

"Then she started talking about her son, Jiang Wei, who's already in his mid-twenties and hasn't even found a girlfriend in the city. They don't know where the money for his wedding is coming from, and the family can't afford a single penny!"

"What are you even saying? This road doesn't belong to her family, why should she pay for it! Whoever has money should fix it! She just doesn't have any money!"

Jiang Shunde shook his head in anger, mimicking Liu Cuifen's tantrum-like tone perfectly.

"You didn't see it! She was crying and sniffling all over her face. Anyone who didn't know better would have thought I was going to rob her!"

"I argued with her for ages, but she just kept saying, 'I have no money, but you can take my life!' In the end, she even blamed me, saying that as the village chief, all I know how to do is bully honest people like them!"

Upon hearing that it was their aunt who was causing trouble again, Jiang Jianjun and Wang Xiuying's expressions turned rather unpleasant.

Wang Xiuying, in particular, was furious when she recalled the scene a few days ago when Liu Cuifen pointed her finger at her and berated her.

"She's a troublemaker! She can't stand to see the village doing well!"

Wang Xiuying said indignantly.

Jiang Chen didn't say a word from beginning to end.

He just sat there quietly, fiddling with a walnut he had just picked up from the table.

When he heard that his aunt Liu Cuifen was putting on that same tantrum and shameless act again over a mere two hundred yuan, the corner of his mouth twitched almost imperceptibly.

In his heart, he had already made up his mind.