Chapter 642 Blackmail
Zhu Que harbored feelings of admiration for Chen Yang, but having spent so much time together, she dared not overstep.
She didn't know if she could accept the failure if Chen Yang rejected her.
Zhu Que scooped Shi Jingshan into her arms, tapping her head. "Don't speak nonsense. This is Chen Yang gege, he's... he's Sister Que's boss."
After Shi Jingshan led them back to the village, Chen Yang looked at the impeccably cleaned brick house. "You've managed to tidy up the house quite well on your own, little one."
"Jingshan, take Sister Que to the kitchen. I'll make something delicious for you, okay?"
Zhu Que and Chen Yang hadn't eaten much on their journey. Now that they had finally reached "home," Zhu Que naturally wanted to showcase her culinary skills.
Shi Jingshan, however, kept her head down and remained silent.
Chen Yang exchanged a look with Zhu Que. After walking around the small courtyard alone, he understood why Shi Jingshan was so quiet.
Apart from a water well, there was nothing edible in the house.
Recalling the small shop he had seen upon entering the village, Chen Yang whispered to Zhu Que, "I'll go out and buy some things. You wait here."
Just as Chen Yang was about to leave, a commotion erupted outside.
"Lang ge, wait for me. I'll bring the child out now!"
The Shi family's house was at the very end of the alley. The approaching footsteps seemed to be heading their way.
When the wooden door of the Shi residence was pushed open, a strange man paused, staring at the two people in the courtyard, then frowned. "Who are you?"
Chen Yang turned to look at Zhu Que. Seeing her shake her head, Shi Jingshan, who was boiling water in the room, ran out.
"Daddy!" Shi Jingshan excitedly rushed into the man's arms.
The man was Shi Jingshan's father, Guo Changsheng.
Guo Changsheng ruffled Shi Jingshan's hair and said gently, "Jingshan, who are these two people?"
As soon as he finished speaking, someone outside grew impatient. "Guo, hurry up."
Upon hearing this, Guo Changsheng's body trembled. He clutched Shi Jingshan and ran outside.
As he ran, Guo Changsheng cried, "Jingshan, don't blame your father. Please don't blame me. Father is doing this for your own good."
Shi Jingshan was held tightly by Guo Changsheng, tears streaming down her face.
The person outside, seeing Guo Changsheng emerge with a little girl, nodded with a smile. "She looks alright. Here's twenty thousand."
He then took twenty thousand from the car and stuffed it into Guo Changsheng's pocket, simultaneously grabbing Shi Jingshan and heading towards the car.
Shi Jingshan's crying immediately drew the attention of the neighbors.
However, the car door, about to be closed, was held shut by a hand.
With his other hand, Chen Yang crushed the arm of the man holding Shi Jingshan.
"Ah! My arm."
Although the man was just an ordinary person, Chen Yang used considerable force. He showed no mercy to such individuals.
Seeing this, Guo Changsheng was about to bolt, but Zhu Que stopped him.
Zhu Que's face turned ashen as she looked at Guo Changsheng. On their way back, Zhu Que had asked many questions about what had happened after she left.
What bothered Zhu Que the most was this Guo Changsheng.
Shi Laoyezi's daughter, Shi Wenli, was a few years older than Zhu Que. When older boys bullied Zhu Que, Shi Wenli would always stand up for her without hesitation.
In Zhu Que's heart, Shi Wenli was like an elder sister.
Yet, this Guo Changsheng not only tricked Shi Wenli into giving birth to Shi Jingshan and then abandoned them, but now he was selling Shi Jingshan.
Zhu Que wished she could dig out his heart and see if it was red or black.
"Oh dear, what's going on here?"
An elderly woman with white hair emerged from next door. Upon seeing the scene, she hurried over.
Hearing the familiar voice, Shi Jingshan, in Chen Yang's arms, cried even louder, her voice choked with sobs. "Grandma, I'm scared!"
Seeing Shi Jingshan's address for the old woman, Chen Yang handed Shi Jingshan over. "Take Jingshan inside. Don't let her out."
Although the old woman didn't recognize the young people, she had seen enough of the world to guess the situation.
As she passed Guo Changsheng, the old woman pressed Shi Jingshan into her embrace and spat fiercely at Guo Changsheng.
Guo Changsheng, enraged, was about to retaliate, but Zhu Que kicked him to the ground.
As she entered the courtyard, the old woman shouted, "Quick, call Wenli and tell her to come home immediately!"
She then muttered, "This scoundrel who deserves to be struck by heaven!"
Chen Yang glanced at the man in the car, who had already fainted from the pain. Chen Yang closed the car door, then turned to Guo Changsheng. "You're even selling your own daughter?"
Guo Changsheng saw the surrounding villagers glaring at him hatefully, and a few young men had already armed themselves. He immediately cried out, "It was you two who wanted to sell my daughter! Everyone, please be the judge!"
Just as he intended to turn everyone's anger towards the strangers, Guo Changsheng's forehead suddenly ached.
"Ouch! Who hit me!"
Guo Changsheng clutched his forehead, his vision blurred red.
Immediately, someone from the crowd cursed, "Guo Changsheng, you shameless wretch! You not only angered Old Master Shi to death, but you also abandoned your wife and child, and now you're selling your own daughter! Are you even human?"
"Arrest him and hand him over to the constables!"
With someone taking the lead, the rest of the villagers surged forward, their fists and kicks raining down on Guo Changsheng.
Seeing the crowd, Chen Yang pushed aside a few people. "Don't beat him to death. You'll have legal trouble afterward."
Chen Yang directed a few people to drag Guo Changsheng and the man from the car into a room, then had the constables summoned.
At this point, people began to wonder who these two strangers were.
This was a remote village, and visitors were rare.
Fortunately, Shi Wenli rushed back.
Upon learning that her ex-husband was selling her daughter, Shi Wenli had rushed back like a madwoman.
Mother and daughter embraced tightly.
With comfort from the villagers, Shi Wenli finally regained her composure.
"It's all thanks to these two outsiders. If not for them, your daughter would have been taken away long ago."
The neighboring Grandma Wu said this, and Shi Wenli finally noticed the two strangers.
Shi Wenli initially thought they were relatives of their neighbors, but upon closer inspection, she immediately recognized Zhu Que.
"Que'er! You... you're alive!"
Shi Wenli hugged Zhu Que tightly, thumped her twice, and then cried again. "You still remember to come back?"