"I wonder how Shao Hua and Ye Hua are doing, especially our Shao Hua who is only two months old. I miss him so much..."
Although Jiang Qingqing had been following her man, she thought constantly of her son who was still nursing.
"Let's call back tomorrow. We have a phone at home, don't we?" Zhang Liunian had been too busy lately and had forgotten to call Nancheng to ask about the situation.
"Okay." Jiang Qingqing hadn't not thought about calling back these past few days, but she feared that if she heard her son and daughter's voices, she would inevitably rush back to Nancheng.
However, given the current situation in Nancheng, she couldn't go back even if she wanted to.
"Don't worry too much. With my aunt and Uncle Zhao there, Shao Hua and Ye Hua will be fine." When Zhang Liunian was in the provincial capital, he had called his parents to see if they could go to Nancheng to help. Although it was possible they wouldn't be able to get in, he figured with Uncle Zhao, his aunt, and Du Zi, they wouldn't let his daughter and the others go hungry.
"Let's hope so!" Without her children around and without seeing them with her own eyes, Jiang Qingqing couldn't rest assured. She decided to call tomorrow.
The next day, Zhang Liunian and Zhang Qian arrived at Hongde Village again. As they had expected, the village chief of Hongde Village also refused to sell the mountains.
"I'm truly sorry, we really cannot sell these two mountains." The village chief of Hongde Village, with a bruised and swollen face, apologized sincerely to Zhang Liunian.
He hadn't expected that a mountain sale, which had been planned so well, would encounter threats from the Gu family.
Thanks to the people from yesterday, he knew that the Gu family had a large factory and was a capable family. He was not clear about how much background they had, but he was just a small village chief, an ordinary person. How could he possibly handle these rich people who seemed to have background and strength?
These rich people, with just a flick of their fingers, could make them disappear without a trace.
"Village Chief, you don't have to say that. None of us wanted this to happen.
However, since you've changed your mind, we can't force you. But I still want to ask why you've changed your mind.
Can you tell us the truth? Yesterday, the old village chief of Fude Village was just like you, but he wouldn't say. We don't know why this is happening?"
Zhang Liunian wasn't angry. Instead, he politely inquired about the reason.
Even though he already knew the truth, he still pretended to be unaware, wanting to get the whole story from the village chief of Hongde Village.
Zhang Qian moved when he heard this but didn't interrupt. Brother Liunian must have his reasons for doing this; he couldn't interfere.
"They told me not to say, but I insist on speaking. Actually, not long after you left yesterday, a group of people rushed into my house, beat my entire family, and threatened us not to sell the mountains to you. They said if we did, they wouldn't let our village people have a good life. We are powerless and have no choice but to obey." The village chief of Hongde Village was young and hot-blooded. Although he conceded for the sake of the entire village, he didn't obey the people from yesterday and didn't reveal the truth.
Zhang Liunian frowned. "So brazen. Do you know their identities?"
"They claimed to be acting on the orders of the eldest young master of the Gu family and said that the Gu family was the boss around here. If we offended them, we wouldn't have a good outcome."
"..."
Gu Changqing? This confirmed that Gu Changqing was the mastermind behind this matter. This guy was truly arrogant, having people do things and then revealing his name, as if he were afraid Zhang Liunian wouldn't find the culprit.
"Is the Gu family really that powerful?" The village chief of Hongde Village suddenly asked when he saw Zhang Liunian's silence.
"His family has one of the top factories. They are quite wealthy. As for how powerful they truly are, I don't know."
Zhang Liunian looked at the village chief of Hongde Village, who was worried about the future, and continued to comfort him, "I have some conflicts and grudges with them. This incident is definitely aimed at me, and it has nothing to do with you. As long as you don't sell the mountains, you'll be fine. So, don't worry about them coming to cause trouble."
"Really?" The village chief of Hongde Village was relieved to hear this.
Zhang Liunian nodded. "Since the mountains here cannot be sold, we won't stay any longer. We'll go look elsewhere. I refuse to believe that the Gu family can prevent me from buying a mountain in Bade Commune. They should consider whether their strength can compare to the strength of the commune."
After saying this ambiguous remark, Zhang Liunian left with Zhang Qian and the others.
The village chief of Hongde Village's eyes darted around. Then, he turned back and informed the villagers about the failed mountain sale and the reason why it couldn't be sold.
He didn't hide anything from them, telling them everything exactly as it happened, which led the entire village to curse the Gu family.
Zhang Liunian was unaware of this. At this moment, they were walking to the entrance of another village, where he encountered the main culprit, Gu Changqing.
"Isn't this a bumpkin? Did you fail to buy a mountain again? Or do you want to beg your Uncle Gu to buy one for you?" Gu Changqing deliberately appeared here. He was extremely pleased with himself after his men had thwarted Zhang Liunian's plans again yesterday. He came today specifically to humiliate Zhang Liunian.
Zhang Liunian looked at the dozen or so thugs Gu Changqing had brought with him and sneered, "I was just looking for you to vent my anger. You actually delivered yourself to my doorstep. It seems the beating last time wasn't painful enough to make you remember!"
When Gu Changqing heard him mention the last incident, his body stiffened. The place that had been hurt last time seemed to ache faintly. However, seeing Zhang Liunian, who was equally arrogant, filled him with rage. It was this guy who had embarrassed him and his father. If he didn't get revenge, he wouldn't be a member of the Gu family.
Moreover, this time he had come prepared and was not afraid of his bare fists.
"A bumpkin is just a bumpkin. Do you think you can win everything with just your fists?" Gu Changqing said, slowly taking out a gun from behind him.
Jiang Qingqing was startled and quickly tried to step forward to shield Zhang Liunian, but her man pushed her behind him.
Gu Changqing, who hadn't noticed Jiang Qingqing before, immediately whistled when he saw her. "Beautiful lady, don't be anxious. After I take care of this bumpkin, you'll come and live with me. I'll ensure you live a life of luxury."
"Peh! I'd rather die than go with you." Jiang Qingqing spat out water fiercely, being harassed by Gu Changqing for the second time.
Gu Changqing's expression turned ferocious for a moment when he saw the beauty's disdain. Then, he smiled charmingly. "I like to force people. Even if you dislike me, you will eventually become my woman. This is a fate you cannot escape. You'd better obey me obediently."
"..."
Zhang Liunian was furious and laughed. This Gu Changqing really dared to say such things. He dared to harass his wife in front of him. Did he think he was a patient turtle?
To hell with him! Any man who coveted his wife, Zhang Liunian would beat him if he came alone, and beat them all if they came in groups.