Chapter 281: Reputation Value
As soon as Li Xi’er arrived at that place, she heard the granny say so, and she felt something was very wrong.
She saw her quickly jump into the river nearby, extremely resolute!
Her son and daughter-in-law, along with some others, watched coldly without anyone pulling her, their eyes revealing a hint of sadness and expectation.
Li Xi’er dashed forward and pulled her back!
“Let go of me, why are you pulling me?”
Qin Apo stubbornly tried to break free from the restraint! Glancing at her son Shigen and daughter-in-law Li Niang, who didn’t come to save her, she inevitably felt some disappointment and sadness…
Someone indignant said, “Who is this person? Let go of Qin Apo, she died as she deserved, why are you meddling?”
Li Xi’er coldly glanced at him, and the person immediately shut up!
“Granny, how did you know that the boss of the glazed ware factory is called Li Xi’er???”
Qin Apo then turned back and saw that a strange young man had appeared before her at some point; it was he who saved her?
Looking closely, this young man had fair skin and handsome features, and he seemed quite kind, giving her an indescribable good impression!
“You, who are you?”
“Me? I am the Boss Li Xi’er you mentioned!”
“What? It’s you… Li Xi’er?”
Qin Apo’s face changed drastically, her expression dark and silent, as if she had committed an unpardonable crime, and she still mustered strength to jump! “Fake benevolence! Let go of me!”
Hearing him say this, the others also showed deep hatred, pointing at her and whispering!
Li Xi’er forcefully held Qin Apo, coldly sweeping a glance over them; these people immediately shuddered and lowered their heads, not daring to look at him!
They looked starved and some were missing arms or legs; it seemed the previous farm owner had not treated them well!
“It’s me, so what?”
“You, how dare you show up after what you’ve done? You bought the land plot here and still want to drive us away; you’re forcing us to death! If I die, it’s your fault; what’s the difference from killing me with your own hands?”
Qin Apo didn’t care anymore and simply sat on the ground, crying and wailing despondently.
“Don’t cry; if there’s any difficulty, bring it up, and we can discuss it together!”
Qin Apo was stunned, “Is she serious?” This Boss Li Xi’er didn’t seem like the ruthless person they described.
“Don’t cat cry mouse fake mercy!”
Li Xi’er’s face turned stern; she had heard someone was causing trouble, and Dong Wen sent people every day to beat them.
This was the third time people were sent to drive them away, so she came specially to take a look!
“Granny, I bought this land plot with real gold and silver; it’s reasonable how I dispose of it!”
It seemed these people weren’t afraid of him; normally, the one managing their life and death should be respected as the way of kings, yet they dared speak to her like this. Though she was occasionally merciful, it didn’t mean she didn’t like being respected!
“You clearly know this is the farm we depend on for survival; just because you have power and bought this land plot, you want to drive us away—what is this if not deliberate?” Qin Apo’s son Liu Shigen said stubbornly, neck stiff.
“I won’t argue with you; just tell me who told you my name is Li Xi’er, who gave you the idea to have Granny seek death and damage my reputation?”
Qin Apo’s face color changed instantly; how did he know?
Looking at her son Shigen and the others, they all shrank back, not daring to look at her.
“If you don’t want to leave, you can come negotiate with me; why make Qin Apo seek death?”
Li Xi’er’s voice rang out again, making them even more guilty.
“Since that’s the case, come with me to the yamen; slandering me and being caught red-handed, inciting Qin Apo to seek death means big prison—they can all testify! Especially you, Qin Apo; you just shouted that if you died, they should go to the street beating gongs and drums to damage my Li Xi’er reputation!”
“Ah, no!” With their low-class identity, going there meant getting beaten with boards; they might not endure it, let alone her two young grandsons?
“Not going, huh? Makes sense! After all, your grandsons—one looks about five or six, the other around three—you should think of them even if not for yourself!”
“It-it was a middle-aged man. He told us to do this!”
“Middle-aged man? Why did he do this?”
“He saw we were pitiful and, passing by, helped us plan; he said there was no other way but to sacrifice one to cause a death, perhaps letting all two hundred of us stay.”
She was old, and living was a burden, so she was recommended to die!
That person also said Li Xi’er was an indecent person, a rabbit lord, a pet of a big figure, ruthless and greedy for profit!
If they obstructed his benefit, they had no chance of survival!!!
“What does he look like?”
“…”
“Speak!”
“Medium build, slightly fat, triangular eyes, dressed in black with dark skin on his face!” Qin Apo answered truthfully!
She actually didn’t want to die! That person instigated her, saying only her death could save her children; seeing her son and daughter-in-law’s expectant eyes, she had to go die!
Li Xi’er curled her lip; sure enough, it was him!
“I see, Granny; I have to say a few words to you—don’t be so extreme when facing things; a slave’s life is still a life! You haven’t dealt with me, so how do you know I’m so ruthless as to give you no way to live?”
“Moreover, since you think I’m ruthless and cruel, why are you so sure I won’t exterminate you for causing trouble?”
“This…”
The others began whispering; right, why? This notion had unconsciously formed under that person’s guidance.
“Heh, you feel something’s off too, right? You were used by someone; actually, this is easy to solve!”
Li Xi’er thought seriously and said:
“I don’t have your deeds of sale, but I need laborers now; I’m building a factory here—can you men stay temporarily to work for me, fifty wen a day, how about it?”
“As for the women, um, building houses requires cooking for workers; you can cook for them, thirty wen a day!”
“Also, the grass on the ground and immature crops need to be cleared; you’ll do that.”
“As for the crops you planted yourselves, we’ll compensate for the losses!”
“Really?” Those people immediately got excited; before, most money from crops went to rent! What upset them most was their half-year hard work being uprooted for nothing!
“Once my factory is built, it’ll take at least a month; with you earning dozens or over a hundred wen daily, that should sustain you for a while, right?”
“Yes, yes!”
“As for the land you live on, it’s a good water source spot; we need it for the factory—can you temporarily settle your homes at the foot of the mountain over there? As for houses, I can fund building them into flats!”
This would be housing for future workers, turned into dormitories!
“Good!”
Everyone suddenly became eager!
“That’s all I can do to help; since I don’t have your deeds of sale, you’re not my servants. As for whether you move later, it depends on your abilities, whether your master remembers you; if you earn money to buy a big house, I can’t interfere, right?”
Now the stone in their hearts dropped; at least they wouldn’t leave now, had livelihoods to busy with, wouldn’t starve to death—this Owner Li wasn’t the kind who forced people to death!
How did it reach their ears as someone so unfeeling, only caring about benefit, a black-hearted ghost?
All that man’s fault, the one in black!
“Just one thing: I don’t tolerate deceitful compliance, those who damage my Li Xi’er reputation, or lazy people—everyone behave yourselves!”
After Li Xi’er left, they began preparing to move, and her reputation soared!
It was Qin Apo who couldn’t let it go and spread the word, “Boss Li Xi’er is a very upright boss; he looks like a little immortal official and is especially kind-hearted.”
“…Not only arranged work for their dozens of households, but also housing, compensated crop losses, and gave each household two bags of white rice and a knife of stew meat!”
It made others so envious! Now everyone knew a glazed ware factory was being built in the southern suburbs, and the boss was so generous; many wanted to go work there!
