Chapter 442: Day 7 into the Farming Story

Chapter 442: Day Seven of Transmigrating into a Farming Novel

The village chief pointed at his still-dripping clothes and hair. "Go... change out of those wet clothes first, and pack up your things. You can't go out looking like this. Take your clothes with you."

As he spoke, he glanced at Wang with a pressuring look.

Wang pursed her lips, wanting to say something, but ultimately didn't dare to make a scene in front of the village chief. She only gave a heavy snort through her nose and turned her head away.

Jiang Chiliu quietly expressed his thanks, then turned and walked toward the corner where he had previously lived.

After about the time it takes to brew a cup of tea, Jiang Chiliu came out.

He had changed into a set of dry clothes, which made him look less pale and scary.

In his hand, he carried a small blue cloth bundle, also patched all over, flat and thin, clearly holding almost nothing.

This was everything he had in the world.

The village chief looked at his pitifully shabby belongings and sighed again, then said to Wang, "No matter what, he's still a person. At least give him some grain to tide him over for a few days."

Wang's eyes bulged as she was about to snap back, but Old Man Li said in a low voice, "Give him half a sack of coarse rice."

Wang reluctantly went inside. After a while, she came out dragging a small cloth sack and tossed it on the ground. "Take it and get lost!"

Jiang Chiliu bent down to pick up the sack of rice, clutched it along with his bundle, and bowed to the village chief once more. "Thank you, Village Chief."

The village chief waved his hand, looked at his solitary figure, thought for a moment, and said, "At the east end of the village, near the bamboo grove at the foot of the back mountain, there's an old house left by a solitary elder from years ago. It's been abandoned since, but though it's a bit run-down, the walls and roof are still intact—at least it can shelter you from the wind and rain. Go there for now. Alas, that's all we can do."

A flicker of gratitude passed through Jiang Chiliu's eyes, and he gave a deep bow. "Thank you, Village Chief."

And with that, the whole mess was settled for now.

Comment section:

"Kicked out with nothing—that's brutal, but it's a classic trope! Tons of novels do this!"

"I'm sure! The Li family is definitely gonna come back to stir up trouble later! Right when the MC gets successful!"

"There's definitely gonna be a face-slapping scene later!"

"Okay, the widower's split-from-the-family arc is done! Next up's gotta be the food business, right? Can't wait!"

"Starting off in a rundown shack—classic farming novel setup!"

"......"

An Yi had finished watching the show; now it was time to take care of his own business.

He smoothed down his ragged clothes and got ready to go see the village chief.

The village chief watched Jiang Chiliu walk out of the Li family's courtyard, clutching his pitiful belongings, passing through the crowd of onlookers with all their different expressions, and heading off alone toward the east end of the village. He sighed again, waved at the villagers who were still gawking and muttering, and raised his voice: "Alright, alright! Break it up! Stop crowding around! Go on, get back to whatever you were doing!"

Only then did the crowd slowly drift off, still reluctant, breaking into small groups and buzzing with hushed gossip. Clearly, this would be the talk of the village for days.

The village chief shook his head, clasped his hands behind his back, and started heading home.

He'd only taken a few steps when he felt someone trailing him at a distance.

He stopped and turned around—it was An Yi.

"Young An?" The village chief halted, his graying brows furrowed as he sized up the young man with the village's worst reputation, his tone none too friendly. "Why are you following me?"

An Yi stepped forward, stopping two paces away from the village chief, a smile on his face—a smile that made his striking features soften. "Village Chief, I need to ask you for a favor."

"What could you possibly want?" The village chief's tone carried undisguised suspicion. Clearly, his opinion of the original owner had hit rock bottom. "Lost money gambling again and need a loan? Or got caught stealing and want to beg for mercy? Let me tell you, the village has no spare cash to cover your debts! If you've done something wrong, I'll hand you over to the authorities without a second thought!"

"I'm not here to borrow money, and I haven't committed any crime." An Yi shook his head, his smile unchanged. "I need you to issue me a travel permit and a household registration certificate. I'm moving to the county town."

The village chief was taken aback, looking him up and down. "Moving to the county town? You?"

His eyes were full of skepticism and disapproval. "What are you gonna do in the county town? Where would you even get the money to settle there? An boy, I'm warning you—don't think you can keep up your thieving, gambling, and drinking in the county! The county isn't like the village. If you cause trouble there, nobody's gonna have your back! If you get your legs broken and tossed back here, or end up in jail, the village won't give a damn! And don't expect us to come collect your corpse either!"

That was harsh—practically a curse.

But An Yi just listened quietly. When the village chief finished his rant, he spoke calmly, his tone even: "Village Chief, my parents passed away five years ago."

The village chief stopped mid-sentence.

He looked at An Yi's calm, unruffled face—those clear, bright eyes reflected the daylight—and his own slightly stunned face.

The village chief's expression softened a bit despite himself, but his tone stayed stern, carrying the frustration of a disappointed elder: "You still remember your parents? If they knew you'd turned out like this—stealing, loafing, gambling, drowning in debt—could they rest easy in the afterlife? Could they close their eyes in peace? An boy, it's not that I'm lecturing you as an old man, but you're eighteen now, not a child anymore! Time to grow up! Settle down, find an honest job, figure out how to get back those few acres you pawned, farm them properly, save some money, find a wife, and live a decent life—that's what would make your parents proud! That's the right way!"

These words did carry a measure of genuine, elder-style admonition—he still hoped this young man who had strayed from the path could turn back.

An Yi listened and nodded.

He smiled. "You're right. That's why I want to go somewhere new and start over."

The village chief looked at him.

The young man before him stood straight as a pine, his ragged clothes unable to conceal his upright bearing.

Somehow, he seemed... agreeable, even strikingly handsome.

The anger in the village chief's heart unknowingly dissipated by more than half, replaced by a deeper confusion and scrutiny.

"You've really thought this through?" he asked, his tone no longer so aggressive, carrying more caution. "The county isn't like our village. Expenses are high—even drinking water costs money. Without a proper job, without relatives to help, how would an outsider like you survive? And your savings... hah, let alone savings, it'd be a miracle if you weren't drowning in debt!"

"I've thought it through." An Yi's tone was firm, without a trace of hesitation.

The village chief stared at him for a few more moments, his gaze roaming over his face and body, and finally let out a sigh—compromising, or perhaps giving up. "Fine. You've chosen your own path; walk it yourself. I'm old, and I can't manage much anymore. I'll issue the travel permit and household registration certificate."