Chapter 8: Receiving the Compensation

Chu Xuan was well-prepared; her first target was Chou Daguang.

She hurled the kitchen knife in her hand.

The knife flew past Chou Daguang's face and embedded itself firmly into the wall.

This move was something Chu Xuan had practiced in her previous life during her idle hours at her in-laws' house.

Chou Daguang was scared witless on the spot. Leaning against the wall with trembling legs, he muttered, "Just a little closer, just a little closer..."

And he would have been killed.

As Chu Zhi was desperately fleeing, he ran straight into Wang Depin, Chu Feng, and two construction site security guards who were rushing over with flashlights.

At that moment, Gao Meijuan and the others also ran out to catch the thief.

Under the glare of several flashlights, neither Chu Zhi nor Chou Daguang could escape.

Chou Daguang's mind worked rapidly. He struggled to stand steady and spoke up first, "Chu Zhi and I caught a king mackerel from the sea. We were planning to come here to coordinate with the Village Chief for a tractor to take it to the county to sell. We aren't thieves."

Hearing this, Chu Xuan fought back a laugh; he had used this exact excuse in her previous life.

The only difference was that in this life, Chu Zhi had shifted from being Chou Daguang's accomplice to being his partner in crime.

Chu Zhi instantly gained confidence and chimed in, "That's right. This big mackerel in the sack was caught by me and Chou Daguang from the sea. It's not the one Chu Xuan picked up. This one is lighter than hers."

As he spoke, he moved closer to the sack, attempting to shoulder it and carry it away.

He was intercepted by the Wang family.

Chu Zhi didn't dare do anything to the Wang family, but he dared to act unruly toward Chu Xuan and her brother. "Chu Xuan, Chu Feng, are you two blind? Don't you know to come and help me? We're supposed to be family!"

Chu Feng, having been beaten by Chu Zhi in the past, couldn't help but shrink back in fear upon hearing this.

Chu Xuan lightly scratched her ear. "Chu Zhi, what did you say? I remember you insisted on severing our kinship yesterday afternoon. Have you changed your mind and decided to help me pay off my debts?"

Chu Zhi put on an air of generosity. "As long as you two admit your family's mackerel wasn't stolen, once you've paid off your debts, I might consider reconnecting our kinship."

He thought Chu Xuan and her brother were still as easy to manipulate as before.

The onlookers couldn't help but condemn him. "Chu Zhi, you've got some nerve!"

Chu Xuan didn't bother wasting words on him. "Severing kinship is severing kinship. How can it be reconnected? Xiao Feng and I won't lie for you! I saw with my own eyes that you and Chou Daguang stole the big mackerel from my house. I followed you quietly, and I didn't expect you'd even dare to steal from the Village Chief's house!"

Chu Zhi raised his hand to strike Chu Xuan but was pinned down by the Wang family.

He howled, "Let me go! Let me go! I didn't steal anything!"

Ignoring the smell of urine on himself, Chou Daguang defended himself, "Chu Xuan, you say Chu Zhi and I stole your mackerel, but besides you, who else saw it? Do you have witnesses?"

Chu Xuan looked relaxed. "No witnesses."

This made Chou Daguang arrogant again. His legs stopped shaking, and he walked toward the sack with a swaggering gait. "Since there are no witnesses, there's no way to prove this fish is yours! This is what Chu Zhi and I caught from the sea."

Gao Meijuan, who had been silent, kicked Chou Daguang. "Aren't you just lying through your teeth? Many people in the village saw Chu Xuan pick up that king mackerel, but no one saw you and Chu Zhi catching fish in the sea!"

Chou Daguang was kicked aside and failed to grab the sack of fish.

Wang Depin's expression was solemn. "Chou Daguang, your ability to flip truth and lies is extraordinary. As the Village Chief, I won't be embarrassed—I'll report this directly to the police! Let the professionals handle the investigation."

Chou Daguang remained undeterred. "Whoever investigates, I'll say the same thing! I'll even sue Chu Xuan for assault with a knife! We'll see who ends up behind bars!"

Chu Xuan sneered. "Where did it hit you? I was just catching a thief, and my hand slipped because it was too dark."

The crowd chimed in, "That's right, it was just a slip of the hand."

Everyone supported calling the police.

Chu Xuan whispered something to Gao Meijuan, who nodded calmly.

Half an hour later, the town's security officers arrived on bicycles.

Chou Daguang and Chu Zhi stuck to their previous story, insisting the fish was caught from the sea, salted after being gutted, and that they had come to the Village Chief's house to coordinate a tractor to sell it in the county.

The corners of Chu Xuan's mouth curled slightly. "Although I don't have witnesses, I have evidence proving the fish in the sack is mine."

Chou Daguang and Chu Zhi exchanged a glance, feeling a sudden sense of dread.

Chu Zhi stammered, "Chu Xuan, what evidence do you have?"

Chu Xuan pointed to the sack and said to the security officers, "Inside the mouth of my family's mackerel, there is a note that says 'Chu Xuan's King Mackerel'."

Sure enough, the security officer found the note inside the fish's mouth, and the content matched.

With this, Chou Daguang and Chu Zhi were about to be taken away.

At that moment, Qi Hong rushed over. Knowing her family was in the wrong, she only cared that her husband wouldn't be arrested, as she still relied on him to support the family. "We will compensate! We are all from the same village; we see each other every day. Chu Xuan, and Auntie Village Chief, please don't hold a grudge against my husband, okay?"

Normally, when such incidents occurred in a village, the security officers would respect the victim's opinion.

Chu Xuan's expression was cold. "This fish was stuffed into a sack that had previously held manure. Both Grandma Gao and I find it too dirty to eat. Each of you must compensate Grandma Gao and me one hundred yuan, and then I will agree to a private settlement."

Gao Meijuan spoke up at the right moment. "That's right. If compensation is paid, I also agree to a private settlement."

Without hesitation, Qi Hong pulled a stack of money from her pocket—one hundred yuan in total—and carefully placed it in Gao Meijuan's hand. "Thank you for your generosity, you and Chu Xuan."

Gao Meijuan took it but did not give it directly to Chu Xuan; Chu Xuan had specifically reminded her earlier to hold the money first.

"Once Chu Zhi's hundred yuan compensation is delivered, you two families may take the fish away."

Just as she finished speaking, Feng Chunhua and Chu Dashan came running over, cursing loudly.

Feng Chunhua was particularly brazen. "What's wrong with my son taking his niece's fish? This is called 'taking,' not 'stealing'! This is a matter for our Chu family. The Chou family's compensation has already been paid, so everyone can disperse!"

Chu Xuan knew Feng Chunhua was thick-skinned. She pulled the severance agreement from her pocket and handed it to the security officer. "Please look, this is the severance agreement. Furthermore, he didn't just steal from my house; he stole from the Village Chief's house as well."

Feng Chunhua's gaze was like a knife, as if she wanted to skin Chu Xuan alive.

Using the light from the flashlight, the security officer read it and handed it back to Chu Xuan.

"Chu Zhi, your family refuses to pay, and the victims do not agree to a private settlement. They want to press charges, so I have no choice but to take you to the town to be detained."

Chu Zhi was now terrified. "Father, Mother, save me! We'll compensate! Quick, get the money!"

Having a criminal record would make it hard to marry a wife.

Feng Chunhua raised her hand to slap Chu Xuan but was stopped by the security officer.

She cursed her son inwardly, thinking he had lost his mind; stealing from Chu Xuan was one thing, but stealing from the Village Chief's house as well!

In the end, she had no choice but to painfully go home to get the money and, in front of the security officers, pay the hundred yuan compensation.

Gao Meijuan collected it again.

As for the mackerel in the sack, Chou Daguang and Chu Zhi took it away.

After the crowd dispersed, Gao Meijuan took Chu Xuan's hand and led her into her main hall. She placed the two hundred yuan in Chu Xuan's hand and said kindly, "Xiao Xuan, keep this safe! If Feng Chunhua comes to ask you for the money tomorrow, tell her to come directly to me!"

(End of Chapter)