Lilly asked, "Could you provide more details about what happened next?"
The Sterquil recounted, "After completing a construction project in the village, I left behind some construction waste."
After finishing the project, the Sterquil had accumulated a pile of construction waste behind the house because he wanted to return to duty as soon as possible. He had considered leaving it for his mother to handle if he went back to work.
As a result, the Sterquil paid little attention to the growing waste pile since he had no intention of returning to the countryside.
Soon, the pile became a mixture of household and construction debris, including plastic bags, kitchen waste, and unused paint that emitted a strong odor and could be potentially harmful if stored indoors. He saw no issue with disposing of the used paint since it was of no use to him.
Unbeknownst to him, this waste pile would lead to his downfall.
"The waste accumulated behind the house, near the village river. The village chief and others warned me about the impact on the water supply and urged swift disposal. How could I manage such a massive pile alone? Remembering Dudroinia's saying, 'Neighbors are better than distant relatives,' I suggested a collective effort."
The Sterquil believed that he was wasting his energy on this matter. He was confident that the organization wouldn't overlook him, assuming they would continue to support him financially. However, he was mistaken; the money he received for the house construction marked the final payment.
Clearing the massive waste pile required renting a truck from the town, paying for disposal, and hiring laborers to load it onto the vehicle.
The waste had been sitting there for too long and emitted a foul smell.
To his dismay, he discovered that it would cost a minimum of ten thousand for its disposal.
This was a significant amount of money in the countryside, where some people earned as little as twenty thousand annually from farm work. Adding to his troubles, he had no money at that time.
"The neglected waste emitted a foul smell after rain. My neighbors living next door and across the street were furious and demanded immediate action."
Shaking his head and sighing, the Sterquil lamented, "The problem is I don't have any money!"
As days passed, sewage continued to seep into the river, causing frustration among downstream villagers. Some even came to his door to express their anger.
The unpleasant odor troubles my mother, pushing me to address it promptly, but we are financially strapped! It seems like everything is resting on my shoulders. Why does every burden have to be mine?
"I reached out to the villagers, explaining my inability to manage the waste alone. I suggested contributing two thousand myself, with the rest collected from the villagers, each person chipping in a few hundred."
"To my surprise, they refused!" The Sterquil expressed disbelief.
These people demand waste disposal but refuse to contribute any money. Why can't they assist me when we're all part of the same village?
"It sparked heated arguments. Nobody wanted to contribute money, claiming it wasn't their garbage, but they requested me to address the river's pollution!"
The Sterquil confidently argued that it was only fair for the villagers to share the responsibility.
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