TSWPF -Chapter 303 Forgiveness

After hearing what Liu Zhimou said, Magistrate Zhang could not press the matter any further. He forced a smile and said, “This official failed to consider things thoroughly. Once Lord Liu and the others have rested well, let us gather properly another day, shall we?”

With so many people present, Liu Zhimou could not refuse Magistrate Zhang this bit of courtesy. He smiled and agreed.

Seeing that he could no longer stop them, Magistrate Zhang stepped aside and let Liu Zhimou and the others leave.

Before getting into the carriage, Liu Zhimou nodded once more to Magistrate Zhang. On the way back, no one stopped them, and they traveled smoothly all the way to Niutou Village.

“Village Head, they’re here, they’re here—Zhimou and the others are back!”

When the villagers who had been waiting at the village entrance saw Liu Zhimou’s carriage, they immediately burst into excitement.

The village head clasped his hands behind his back, an uncontrollable smile appearing on his face. Their village had produced a top scholar, making people from other villages unbearably envious. Whenever they went out, they all walked with their backs straight.

As soon as others heard the name Niutou Village, they would ask, “Is that the village that produced a zhuangyuan?”

And when they answered yes, those people were even more excited than they were.

Liu Zhimou was the pride of their village.

When the carriage stopped, Liu Zhimou was the first to get down. Upon seeing the village head, he stepped forward and called out, “Village Head Grandpa.”

The village head excitedly patted Liu Zhimou on the shoulder, repeatedly saying, “Good, good…”

After exchanging a few more words with him, Liu Zhimou saw Master Luo about to get down from the carriage and hurried over to help him.

At this moment, Li Qingling and the others had also all gotten down. They walked up to the village head and greeted him with smiles.

“Good, good…”

“Village Head Grandpa, this is my grandmaster, Master Luo,” Liu Zhimou said, introducing Master Luo before turning to introduce the village head to him as well.

Master Luo was always very down-to-earth toward those who treated Liu Zhimou well. “Old brother, thank you for taking care of Zhimou and the others in the past.”

The village head waved his hands repeatedly, saying he hadn’t helped them much at all. On the contrary, it was Liu Zhimou and the others who had contributed greatly to the village.

If nothing else, just the fact that Li Qingling had led the village to prosperity was enough for them to be grateful for generations to come.

“Village Head Grandpa, Grandmaster, let’s go home and sit down to talk,” Li Qingling interjected at the right moment. Standing and talking at the village entrance was really not appropriate—after all, both the village head and her grandmaster were elderly, and standing too long would tire them out.

“Yes, yes, let’s go home and talk,” the village head said, momentarily forgetting this in his excitement. “When I heard you were coming back, I had people clean the place a few days ago.”

Hearing this, Li Qingling and the others thanked him again.

The village head and Master Luo walked in front, while Li Qingling stayed behind chatting with Aunt Huang and the others.

When they reached the doorway, Li Qingling suddenly looked back and saw Old Li standing on the outer edge, hunched over. He looked much older.

For some reason, her nose stung.

When Old Li saw that Li Qingling had noticed him, he lowered his head and turned to leave.

Seeing this, Li Qingling called out loudly, “Grandpa, where are you going? Come in and sit for a while!”

In the past, Old Li and his family had done many unforgivable things, but those days were already over. Li Qingling did not want to live by clinging to old grudges—if she could forgive, then she would.

As her grandmaster had said, a person’s life isn’t that long. Living with an open mind was far happier than being overly calculating.

Old Li’s steps paused, but he did not dare turn around.

“Uncle Li, your granddaughter is calling you. Hurry over!” Some kind-hearted villagers also helped call out to him. Ever since Li Qingling and the others had left Niutou Village, Old Li had slowly corrected his ways and kept his wife and grandchildren in line. The villagers had seen this and gradually resumed contact with him.

Li Qingling smiled at the villagers and walked up to Old Li. “Grandpa, let’s go. Come inside and have a chat.”

Old Li wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes, responded with a few murmured acknowledgments, and followed Li Qingling into the house.

“Uncles, aunts, brothers, and sisters,” Li Qingling said with a smile as she was about to enter, turning back to the villagers, “once we’ve rested today, we’ll properly host everyone tomorrow.”

The villagers smiled kindly and said yes, adding that they would come over tomorrow to help.

“Alright, then I’ll thank everyone in advance.”

After the villagers gradually dispersed, Li Qingling closed the courtyard gate.

“Sis, I’m heading out for a bit,” Li Qingning said as she ran out carrying a large bundle. She told Li Qingling, opened the gate, and dashed off.

As soon as she went out, the village children swarmed over, chirping noisily as they called out, “Boss!”

“Stop, stop, stop! Line up properly. No lining up, no gifts!” Li Qingning shouted.

The moment she said that, the children, who had been in total chaos, instantly lined up. They fell silent, staring eagerly at Li Qingning, waiting for her to hand out the gifts.

Li Qingning opened the bundle and calculated how to distribute everything.

Each child stretched their necks to look into the bundle. When they saw it was full of tasty treats, they kept swallowing, drool nearly dripping.

Although their lives were better than before, eating meat was still something that happened only once every ten days or half a month—snacks were even rarer.

“Wipe the drool from your mouths. I’m starting to hand out the treats,” Li Qingning said.

Hearing this, the children hurriedly raised their hands to wipe their mouths.

Seeing this, Li Qingning’s mouth twitched. She stood up and let them come forward one by one to collect their share.

But when she saw the dirty hands of the first kid who came up, she rolled her eyes speechlessly.

“Gou Dan, how many times have I told you—pay attention to hygiene. You must wash your hands before eating, or you’ll get sick.” When she had been around before, she often supervised this group. Who would’ve thought that once she left, they’d forget everything she’d said?

Gou Dan scratched his head and laughed foolishly. “Boss, I know I was wrong. I’ll remember next time.” He pulled his hands back and opened his pocket. “Boss, put it in my pocket. My pocket’s not dirty.”

Li Qingning warned him that this was the last time, then stuffed his share into his pocket.

After that, the other kids didn’t dare stretch out their hands anymore. They all directly asked Li Qingning to put the treats into their pockets.

After handing everything out, Li Qingning planted her hands on her chubby little waist and glared at Gou Dan and the others, repeatedly warning them to wash their hands often—especially before eating—and to keep clean, not letting themselves get filthy.

Gou Dan and the others nodded vigorously. Everything the boss said was right. They would just listen to her.

“Alright, alright, go home now. Come play with me again tomorrow.”

Knowing that Li Qingning was tired, Gou Dan and the others didn’t linger. They told her to rest well and said they’d come find her tomorrow before running off.

Back at home, each child proudly pulled out the treats Li Qingning had given them, grinning as they said their boss had specially brought these back for them.

They’d never eaten things from the capital before—just smelling them was fragrant.

The adults, knowing that the “boss” the children talked about was Li Qingning, felt both a headache and relief.

The headache was that with Li Qingning around, the kids became even wilder and didn’t want to go home. The relief was that with her around, the kids could always get to eat many tasty things.

All in all, their feelings toward Li Qingning were very complicated.

Li Qingning knew none of this. She only knew that she could once again lead her little companions up the mountains and down to the rivers.

After thinking about it for months, her wish had finally come true.

She skipped happily back home. Entering the main hall, she ran behind Master Luo and softly asked him if he wanted to go up the mountain to play with her tomorrow.

Thinking of the fun from the last trip, Master Luo smiled and nodded, saying he would go.

“Great! I’ll find lots of tasty things for you to eat tomorrow.”

“Then I’ll thank you in advance, Ning Ning,” he said with a smile.

Li Qingning waved her little hand, saying it was nothing.

Seeing how close Li Qingning and Master Luo were, Old Li’s gaze dimmed slightly. If it weren’t for how excessive they’d been before, his grandchildren wouldn’t be so distant from him now.

Being allowed to come in and sit, to talk with them a bit, already made him very satisfied. He wouldn’t ask for more—he’d just let things take their natural course.

“Ning Ning, didn’t you see Grandpa here? Come over and greet him,” Li Qingling said when she saw Li Qingning tiptoeing, about to slip out.

No matter what Old Li had done, Li Qingning was a junior. When she saw him, she had to greet him—this was basic upbringing and wouldn’t give anyone grounds to criticize.

Li Qingning rolled her eyes, turned around, walked over to Old Li, and obediently called out, “Grandpa.”

Old Li responded with reddened eyes.

“Then Grandpa, you all continue talking. I’m heading out first,” Li Qingning said. Without waiting for him to respond, she whooshed away.

She was just that petty. She simply didn’t like Grandpa—who told him to have treated their family so badly before?

Li Qingling did not force Li Qingning to forgive Old Li and the others. As long as she maintained basic courtesy, that was enough.

“Zhimou, how many days can you stay at home?” the village head asked, looking at him. He knew Liu Zhimou was about to take up his post in Ninghua County and wasn’t sure when he would leave.

“The time is tight. We can only stay three or four days.”

“So few?” The village head frowned. “Then tomorrow we’ll slaughter a pig and open the ancestral hall to worship the ancestors.”

Although Liu Zhimou’s ancestors weren’t here, Li Qingling’s ancestors were—and that was equivalent to Liu Zhimou’s ancestors as well.

Hearing this, Liu Zhimou quickly tried to persuade the village head, saying there was no need to go to such trouble.

Pigs were only slaughtered during the New Year. To do it now was really…

“No,” the village head said firmly. “Our village finally produced a zhuangyuan. How can we not let the ancestors know?” He made the decision without allowing refusal. “This matter is settled. Just follow along to pay respects when the time comes.”

He also had a bit of selfish intent—letting others know their village had produced a top scholar would earn them a bit more respect.

Seeing how resolute the village head was, Liu Zhimou could only nod helplessly. “Then we’ll follow your arrangement. However, we’ll pay for the pig ourselves.”

Even though the villagers’ lives were better now, money didn’t grow on trees. He couldn’t let them spend so lavishly.