ã€ŠThe Fortunate Demoniac Little Village Doctorã€‹


 Chapter 1 - 1 1 The Ox Plows the Field

    ?1: Chapter 1 The Ox Plows the Field 1: Chapter 1 The Ox Plows the Field The searing sunlight bathed the earth, making it seem as though everything was placed inside an oven, invisible waves of heat swirling around Wanbao Village under the harsh glare.

    Men in the village shouldered their burdens in the fields, their sweat glistening on their wheat-colored skin as it dripped to the ground.

    Wanbao Village was a name distinctly unique from other villages.

    As for why it was called Wanbao Village, the villagers found it hard to clarify, only hearing the older generation occasionally murmuring while sitting in front of their homes, gazing at the distant hills, ¡°Our village has treasures, our village has treasures!¡±

    However, as time passed, exactly what those treasures were nobody knew.

    ¡°In this day and age, if there really were treasures in the village, they would have been dug up long ago,¡± Liu Hun wiped the sweat from his forehead, scattering it carelessly.

    He watched the robust men laboring in the fields, his face expressionless.

    Liu Hun¡¯s ancestors had been Imperial Physicians serving the Court, and by all accounts, his family should have had no worries about food and clothing, no concerns about making ends meet.

    Yet, it was precisely his lineage that had fallen on hard times, unable to even produce a presentable bowl.

    Fortunately, he had read a few medical books in his youth and was able to treat minor illnesses, which sustained his livelihood.

    Growing up orphaned, his home was merely next to his aging uncle¡¯s, and he was often coerced into chores under the guise of being a younger relative.

    Otherwise, the money he¡¯d earned from treating people over the years would have been enough to rebuild a modest bungalow.

    The only small piece of land he owned had been cheaply seeded by his uncle who had purchased low-cost seeds from the market, forcing Liu Hun to plow and reseed several times.

    ¡°Snap!¡± The soil was turned over again, revealing large clumps of dirt.

    Liu Hun vigorously shoved his hoe into the ground.

    With a ¡°clang,¡± the hoe seemed to strike something hard.

    Dropping the hoe, he crouched down, curiously digging through the soil with his hands, eager to see what it was.

    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Liu Hun picked up the object in his hand, intrigued.

    The pages, yellowed with age, emitted an ancient aura.

    He glanced at the cover, murmuring a phrase, ¡°Judgment reigning supreme, shining anew each day.¡±

    Staring at the yellowed book, Liu Hun couldn¡¯t help but wryly smile.

    Was it possible that he had unearthed some Martial Arts Secret Manual in his field, a legacy of virtue left by his ancestors?

    Or perhaps learning it would allow him to vanquish demons and become the strongest in the world?

    Liu Hun smiled helplessly.

    Although the village was named Wanbao Village, he didn¡¯t give much thought to this book.

    This place used to be inhabited by scholars, but after a few years of change, it had completely transformed.

    It wasn¡¯t surprising anymore for many people to find books in the fields, much less himself.

    Suddenly, the ancient book turned into a whiff of smoke and rushed into his forehead.

    Liu Hun was startled and quickly began feeling his forehead with his hands.

    There was no pain or discomfort, just a sensation that something had entered his body.

    As for what that something might be, he couldn¡¯t say.

    ¡°Hey, little Hun, you¡¯re here!

    Come and see this new dress I¡¯ve bought!¡± A delicate voice called from afar.

    A woman in a dress patterned with large yellow flowers walked across the field.

    Her foot slipped on loose gravel, and with a ¡°swish,¡± the strap on her shoulder suddenly slid down, exposing a swath of white skin and soft shoulders.

    ¡°Ah!¡± The woman let out a shriek, grabbing her strap with one hand while hurriedly covering her front with the other, squatting down, ¡°Did you...

    see anything?¡±

    ¡°I...

    I didn¡¯t see anything.¡± Liu Hun, nervous, quickly turned his head away.

    The middle-aged woman was Fen Ran, the village chief¡¯s wife, who was nearing forty, yet her figure was still stunningly voluptuous.

    It could almost be said that no clothing could contain her full figure, just a quick blush across her pretty face already stirred up the hearts of many men.

    Liu Hun had his eyes wide open and took a few glances, beautiful...

    she truly was beautiful.

    Fen Ran, who was considerably shorter than him, knelt down on the ground.

    Though she covered her front with her hands, she could not hide the mature allure that a grown woman possesses.

    Standing in front of her, Liu Hun felt an itch in his belly, the most primal nature of a man¡¯s hormones.

    ¡°You...

    stop looking!

    Help keep watch for me, and make sure no one sees me like this, if others see, they will gossip about you and me,¡± Fen Ran urgently stomped her foot.

    She didn¡¯t dare to stand up, nor did she dare expose all of herself in front of Liu Hun.

    If her own man were standing in front of her, she would surely treat this place like a battlefield.

    A woman in her forties is at the age of robust passions, and Liu Hun, with his handsome face and sturdy build, if he could toil in her hidden places, would surely let her experience the beauty of the twilight years.

    Liu Hun nodded repeatedly, ¡°Okay, okay, I understand.¡±

    While saying so, he still cast furtive glances at Fen Ran.

    Her soft, voluptuous form could incite endless fantasies, something many men in the village longed to possess.

    Previously he did not know why a group of men gathered in front of the villager¡¯s house, now he understood that standing close was a different kind of bliss.

    Fen Ran hurriedly changed out of one of her garments, putting the ripped strap aside.

    With time pressing, she quickly changed into a newly bought dress when a scream suddenly ensued.

    Hearing the scream, Liu Hun turned around to see Fen Ran kneeling down, her clothing binding her upper body and hands together, making them unable to open.

    Under the naked eye, despite the glaring sunlight, nothing could obstruct Liu Hun¡¯s gaze.

    Those perky features and impressive figure radiated the mature charm unique to a country woman.

    Liu Hun took two steps forward, grabbing Fen Ran¡¯s dress, attempting to free her hands.

    But...

    what he didn¡¯t expect was that just as he had freed her hands, Fen Ran grabbed his wrist in a hurry and said, ¡°Someone¡¯s coming...

    quickly bury the torn clothes.

    If others see them, it¡¯s no joking matter.¡±

    ¡°Okay, okay!¡± Liu Hun released his hands and watched as Fen Ran covered her upper body with her clothing.

    But Fen Ran¡¯s skirt wasn¡¯t so easily removed; unable to perfectly cover the front, she hurriedly said, ¡°Liu Hun, come over and help me, help me take off the clothing at the front.¡±

    Liu Hun swallowed, this being the first time he was in such close contact with a woman.

    His hot fingers touched Fen Ran¡¯s skin, and a burning sensation emerged from his abdomen, making him feel like his blood was flowing too swiftly.

    Fen Ran¡¯s body trembled, and as Liu Hun¡¯s fingers slid over her body, she felt as if thousands of fingers were kneading her body.

    As Liu Hun slowly pulled down the clothing, sliding past those features, Fen Ran leaned forward, her body soft like cotton, tender and incredibly comforting.

 Chapter 2 - 2 2 The Struggle of Ideas

    ?2: Chapter 2 The Struggle of Ideas 2: Chapter 2 The Struggle of Ideas Zipping up the clothes, Liu Hun released his hands.

    He took a deep breath; this little mistress¡¯s charm was indeed strong, no wonder so many men were interested in her.

    Just his fingers accidentally brushing against her twice made Liu Hun increasingly dissatisfied.

    It was just a simple movement, yet Fen Ran still deliberately shrank back.

    He didn¡¯t know what this woman was thinking.

    ¡°Just this little thing, had me so tired,¡± Liu Hun exhaled.

    Fen Ran¡¯s face blushed shyly; she was just a bit away from heaven.

    Obviously, they hadn¡¯t done anything, it was merely zipping up a piece of clothing, yet she felt as if she had gone through countless battles.

    At this moment, a voice suddenly rang out, and soon after, the person crossed the field and came beside them.

    Liu Hun raised his eyebrows and took a good look.

    It turned out to be Bai Lian, the beautiful young wife of the village, who had recently been married but her husband had died of illness.

    Yet she had carried on the family line, giving birth to a son, and because she was young and attractive, many people still longed for her.

    Her delicate skin, gentle eyes, and shiny black hair seemed much purer compared to Fen Ran.

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re here, quick...

    quick, come with me, my cat needs your help,¡± Bai Lian grabbed Liu Hun¡¯s hand and was about to rush towards the village.

    Seeing this, Fen Ran was having none of it.

    She got up and blocked their path, ¡°What?

    You see me and don¡¯t even say hello loudly?

    After all, Liu Hun has his own ideas.

    Dragging him along like this isn¡¯t very appropriate, is it?¡±

    Upon hearing this, it was apparent that Fen Ran was jealous.

    Just as Liu Hun was about to explain, Bai Lian frowned slightly, ¡°Fen Ran, don¡¯t think that just because you¡¯re the village chief¡¯s wife, you can order me around!

    Life and death matter; if anything happens to my cat, I definitely won¡¯t let you off!¡±

    ¡°Oh dear, it¡¯s just your little brat,¡± Fen Ran chuckled.

    Just when Bai Lian arrived, she had already zipped up her clothes.

    If this girl found a piece of evidence, she would be in trouble.

    However, nothing went as she expected.

    At the crucial moment, a corner of the clothes was pulled down, keeping her most private parts well hidden; Bai Lian wouldn¡¯t notice a thing.

    Bai Lian stamped her foot anxiously, ¡°You...

    you just wait!¡±

    Liu Hun watched as the two women quarreled over him, feeling helpless.

    With life and death at stake, he couldn¡¯t just stand there.

    Liu Hun scratched the back of his head, ¡°Then...

    then I¡¯ll go with her first.¡±

    Fen Ran stood dazed, not moving a step.

    She watched Liu Hun walk away with Bai Lian, leaving her standing alone.

    One hand slightly touched those two plump parts, a deep sigh of breath suddenly arose and then fell.

    Damn...

    just a little bit more...

    If not for Qin Yunlan, if Liu Hun were a bit more proactive, perhaps something would have happened.

    In the village, there were many old houses, with a few newly built ones standing out.

    In front of these new houses, a flock of villagers gathered around a house with a chicken coop in front.

    Some villagers lifted their heads, trying to see inside the house, but their view was blocked by the crowd.

    ¡°Hurry!

    Make way!

    Quick, quick!¡± Bai Lian pushed through several villagers, rushing into the house.

    She saw a pockmarked man using tobacco smoke on Mao¡¯er¡¯s body, the choking smoke inside the house keeping others at bay.

    ¡°Get out of my way!¡± Bai Lian pushed the man aside, taking Mao¡¯er from his hands, ¡°Aunt Qiu...

    how could you let Rascal Chen come here!

    You...

    don¡¯t you know what kind of person he is?

    I only have this one son.

    I am counting on him to take care of me in the future.

    We rely on each other; I can¡¯t lose him!¡±

    Aunt Qiu looked uncomfortable, ¡°I...

    I only did it for the child¡¯s sake.¡±

    ¡°For the child¡¯s sake?¡± Bai Lian was almost crying from urgency, ¡°I asked you to find Liu Hun, but you brought Rascal Chen.

    It¡¯s not like no one in the village knows what kind of people he and his mother are.

    You...

    you...¡±

    It¡¯s always Liu Hun, always Liu Hun!

    Aunt Qiu side-eyed Liu Hun, she¡¯d never thought much of him.

    Now, with Bai Lian supporting him, she was even more puzzled.

    Although her husband had died, life still had to go on.

    If one didn¡¯t take care of their field and didn¡¯t sow seeds properly, and instead wanted to be with Liu Hun all day long, it would just invite gossip, wouldn¡¯t it?

    She believed that if she hadn¡¯t stayed in front of her, these two would have already been intertwined.

    ¡°It¡¯s all for the child¡¯s good.

    You should think, isn¡¯t this making the child better sooner?

    What is Liu Hun worth?

    There¡¯s no good outcome being with him!¡± Aunt Qiu disdained Liu Hun, looking at him with a gaze of disgust.

    In her mind, people like him should be avoided to prevent unnecessary trouble.

    ¡°Listen to Aunt Qiu, it¡¯s all for your good.

    Look at that Liu Hun?

    What does he count for?

    He doesn¡¯t even deserve to lace up my shoes.

    What can he do?

    Little ailments, maybe you can look for him, but for this, you need a professional!¡± Rascal Chen¡¯s eyes rolled as he stared at Bai Lian¡¯s petite figure, wiping the saliva from the corner of his mouth.

    ¡°What happens to my child?

    To me?

    To my family is none of your business!

    Rascal Chen, get out!

    You¡¯re not welcome here.¡± Bai Lian, known for her good temperament for miles around, couldn¡¯t tolerate Rascal Chen¡¯s veiled mockery.

    Rascal Chen slightly frowned and waved his hand, ¡°You have to open your eyes wide and look carefully.

    What is Liu Hun worth?

    He¡¯s just a poor kid, absolutely not worth looking at!

    If you choose him, you¡¯re practically lying to yourself!¡±

    Liu Hun felt helpless, inexplicably caught in the crossfire and criticized.

    He finally understood.

    Since he was able to treat minor illnesses, fewer people had been going to Rascal Chen¡¯s mother for treatment.

    This time, they used Mao¡¯er¡¯s illness as a pretext, intentionally gathering the villagers to better undermine him, making sure he couldn¡¯t earn a penny.

    In the early years, when the village was still unfamiliar to outsiders and no one had yet left, Rascal Chen earned some commissions by helping lay cement outside.

    Now having money to build a house, watching many older folks still seek treatment from his mother, he felt quite at ease.

    But over time, Liu Hun¡¯s emergence had significantly reduced the income for their family.

    Naturally, those who returned from the outside world looked down on Chen¡¯s mother¡¯s practice, but these still-obsolete-thinking women were deeply affected by it.

    Sure enough, after listening to Bai Lian, Aunt Qiu discontentedly said, ¡°Hey, you girl, you can¡¯t talk like that.¡±

 Chapter 3 - 3 3 A Bet

    ?3: Chapter 3 A Bet 3: Chapter 3 A Bet ¡°Everyone knows that Rascal Chen¡¯s mother is formidable!

    She has cured many of our illnesses and protected our Taiping.

    Without her, we might have fallen long ago.

    Bai Lian, don¡¯t be blind and deliberately act contrary to me, Aunt Qiu.

    Think about it, what use is Liu Hun?¡± Aunt Qiu spoke earnestly, believing her words were enough to be moving.

    Rascal Chen wanted to say something else, but he found Liu Hun was already holding Mao¡¯er, beginning his examination.

    Wasn¡¯t this clearly undermining him in front of everyone?

    Wasn¡¯t this a direct provocation?

    Daring to be so arrogant in front of him, wasn¡¯t he afraid of being expelled from Wanbao Village?

    ¡°How is it?¡± Bai Lian slightly furrowed her brows.

    Liu Hun shook his head.

    As soon as he held the child, he could feel a coldness within Mao¡¯er¡¯s body.

    If he wasn¡¯t mistaken, it was due to ingesting something wrong.

    Feeling that the cold energy hadn¡¯t traversed long within his body, they still had time to save him.

    If Rascal Chen were to mess around, who knew how long Mao¡¯er would survive.

    Bai Lian clenched her pinky, enraged, ¡°Rascal Chen, what did you do to my son?

    Speak up.

    If you can¡¯t give a proper explanation today, I swear, even if it costs my life, I¡¯ll drag you down to Hell with me.¡±

    A woman going mad is terrifying, as every man knows.

    Seeing Bai Lian¡¯s red eyes for the first time, resembling a demon from Hell, he was genuinely afraid.

    He couldn¡¯t obtain Bai Lian and knew she was close to Liu Hun, his jealousy burned.

    Even if he couldn¡¯t have her, he wouldn¡¯t let Liu Hun have her either.

    He glared at Liu Hun, wondering what charm this guy had used on the girl to make her always side with him.

    ¡°I really think you shouldn¡¯t bother.

    What is he?

    What does he know?

    When my mother was healing and saving people, he didn¡¯t even know where he was.

    Look at how young he is.

    How much capability does he have?

    Just because he learned a few books and treated some patients with a few doctors years ago?

    Compared to my mother, she¡¯s so much more powerful and capable!

    You¡¯d better find her!¡± Rascal Chen was discontented.

    ¡°Spit!

    Rascal Chen, look in the mirror and see your face, what are you?

    Don¡¯t think that just because you have an eye on me, you can act crazy in front of me?

    You can¡¯t pretend to be an elephant by sticking two scallions up your nose!

    Liu Hun is truly talented and knowledgeable!¡± Bai Lian sneered at Rascal Chen in despair, yanking Liu Hun¡¯s hand.

    Liu Hun was speechless.

    Watching Bai Lian and Rascal Chen argue, he kept a straight face, not knowing what to do standing here!

    Now, being pulled by Qin Yunlan like this, anyone could see there was something between them.

    Of course, he admitted he was interested, but being a person of principles, he firmly rejected such notions!

    Mao¡¯er¡¯s condition was peculiar.

    If one falls ill from eating wrongly, they either vomit or have diarrhea.

    Either way, once the ingested bad stuff was expelled, everything would be fine.

    However, Mao¡¯er¡¯s body was weakened by coldness, making it impossible for him to vomit.

    But diarrhea might still be possible.

    The issue was, not knowing how to medicate made it difficult to proceed.

    Too much medication might cause side effects for Mao¡¯er, but using none could lead him to Hell before long.

    Liu Hun patted his forehead, knowing what to do, but unsure of the dosage to use.

    Seeing Liu Hun¡¯s troubled expression, Rascal Chen saw an opportunity and teased with a laugh, ¡°Everyone, take a look at Liu Hun¡¯s expression.

    Doesn¡¯t he look like Diao Chan in a play, seized by Cao Cao, while Lv Bu is furious yet helpless?¡±

    Hearing this, quite a few villagers who enjoyed opera burst into laughter.

    Liu Hun¡¯s flustered expression amused them.

    Being ridiculed was common, and being criticized was something he expected.

    Entrusted by someone, he couldn¡¯t let them down.

    No matter the cold remarks, he had to grit his teeth and endure.

    A cold sensation spread from within him, Liu Hun furrowed his brows slightly.

    He could feel something akin to True Qi flowing in his Dantian.

    A voice suddenly arose in his mind, ¡°The righteous energy fills the universe, my Dao renews daily.¡±

    This voice?

    Wasn¡¯t it from that ancient book he had dug up earlier?

    The voice rang in his mind like an ancient bell, filled with solemnity.

    ¡°Stop, stop it all!¡± Liu Hun took a deep breath, speaking low.

    As he clenched his fists, the voice in his mind completely faded.

    At this moment, observing Liu Hun¡¯s painful expression, Rascal Chen felt even giddier, ¡°Look at this suppressed expression, these eyes, am I right?

    Can he still treat illnesses like this?

    Can he help Bai Lian?

    Impossible, he¡¯s just spouting nonsense!¡±

    ¡°Rascal Chen, I think you¡¯d better hold your tongue.

    He has real talent.

    Even if he can¡¯t save my son, he¡¯s still better than you!¡± Bai Lian said discontentedly.

    ¡°Oh?

    Really?

    Then let¡¯s see if he can save your son.

    If he can¡¯t, shall I help you?

    Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m very reasonable and won¡¯t overcharge you!

    Just come to my house once and cook for me and my mom,¡± Rascal Chen said, ogling Bai Lian from head to toe, eyes nearly popping out.

    There was no denying Bai Lian¡¯s petite and exquisite figure, he wondered how many years of blessings her late husband had accumulated.

    ¡°Get lost!¡± Bai Lian quivered with anger.

    ¡°Hahaha!

    Get lost?

    That¡¯s not up to you.

    The villagers are all watching!

    You don¡¯t want your son to die, do you?

    After all, I¡¯ll even give Liu Hun a chance, let¡¯s see if this guy has true talent.

    If not?

    Hehe...¡± Rascal Chen stroked his chin, showing Bai Lian a lewd grin, ¡°You¡¯ll come home with me.¡±

    ¡°Shameless!¡± Bai Lian accused, pointing a finger at Rascal Chen.

    Publicly teasing her in front of so many people was a humiliation she couldn¡¯t swallow!

    She couldn¡¯t fight Rascal Chen and had no way to deal with him.

    Not only did conservative old women protect Rascal Chen, but he was also among the first to become wealthy in the village.

    Liu Hun chuckled coldly, ¡°Do you want to bet with me?¡±

 Chapter 4 - 4 4 Slap in the Face Error

    ?4: Chapter 4: Slap in the Face Error 4: Chapter 4: Slap in the Face Error ¡°I bet you!

    I just want to see what kind of trouble you can stir up.

    If you can cure Mao¡¯er, I¡¯ll let you do whatever you want with me.

    But?¡± At this point, Rascal Chen rubbed his chin and chuckled, his eyes greedily fixating on Bai Lian¡¯s petite figure, much like a sly fox eyeing a hen, eager yet unable to pounce.

    He had long set his sights on Bai Lian; if it weren¡¯t for that dead husband¡¯s constant attempts to stop him, this little beauty would have already been his.

    ¡°But what?¡± Bai Lian looked at Rascal Chen with disdain.

    His gaze made her feel utterly disgusted.

    With a woman¡¯s intuition, she knew this had been premeditated for a long time.

    A fox needs skills to eat a hen.

    Besides, with Liu Hun here, she believed he would definitely cure her son and not let Rascal Chen succeed.

    ¡°But if Liu Hun fails to cure him, I can treat your son.

    However, the reward isn¡¯t small change.

    I¡¯d need you to come to my house, cook a dinner for my mother and me, and stay for the night, hehe.¡± Rascal Chen chuckled, wiping the drool from the corner of his mouth.

    ¡°Disgusting!¡± Bai Lian spat lightly.

    ¡°Just you wait and see!¡±

    ¡°Everyone heard it, this bet is on!

    Since Bai Lian has already made a bet with me, let¡¯s have you all as witnesses.

    If Liu Hun can¡¯t cure Mao¡¯er, Bai Lian has to come to my house, and cook a dinner for my mother and me!

    But rest assured, I, Rascal Chen, am a righteous man and won¡¯t do anything against my conscience.¡±

    To reassure the villagers, Rascal Chen deliberately raised his voice.

    Most villagers loved gossip; he didn¡¯t want to become their topic of conversation.

    However, having a pretty girl come to his house to cook, and then stay the night, wouldn¡¯t that be delightful?

    If it really happened, life after that would be quite carefree.

    Liu Hun saw through Rascal Chen¡¯s words and couldn¡¯t help but laugh coldly at the villagers¡¯ eager eyes.

    He knew exactly what was wrong with Mao¡¯er.

    He wouldn¡¯t disturb Mao¡¯er with supernatural forces like Rascal Chen.

    The house was already filled with chaos; he couldn¡¯t understand how these ignorant villagers thought.

    ¡°Rascal Chen, what if I actually cure Mao¡¯er?¡± Just as Bai Lian was about to speak, Liu Hun appeared from behind her, holding Mao¡¯er.

    ¡°If you can actually cure him, I¡¯ll let you do whatever you want!¡± Rascal Chen laughed.

    He didn¡¯t believe Liu Hun had the ability.

    Treating minor ailments was one thing, but this time, he was in over his head!

    Mao¡¯er¡¯s illness wasn¡¯t something an ordinary doctor could cure.

    In the town, he would have to stay for seven or eight days.

    ¡°Whatever I want?¡± Liu Hun smiled slightly.

    ¡°Yes, whatever you want!

    If you can really cure him, I¡¯ll listen to you.

    But first, cure him; otherwise, you kneel down, bow three times, and call me ¡®Grandfather¡¯ three times!

    How about that?¡± Rascal Chen sneered, his mind calculating, unaware no one else thought it possible.

    ¡°You said it.

    If I cure Mao¡¯er, you get out of here and follow all my orders from then on!

    Don¡¯t bother Bai Lian anymore or make plans for her; if you dare disobey, I guarantee you won¡¯t be able to stay in this village!¡± Liu Hun pointed at Rascal Chen.

    ¡°Fine!

    I agree!

    But if you fail, you¡¯ll regret it!¡± Rascal Chen laughed angrily, crossing his arms, curious how Liu Hun planned to cure Mao¡¯er.

    If things went awry, he had himself to rely on.

    This little beauty wouldn¡¯t escape his grasp today.

    ¡°Alright, whatever you say!

    Stop wasting my time, get on with it!

    Don¡¯t you know time is life?¡± Rascal Chen urged, watching Liu Hun with an expectant eye, eager to see how he would treat Mao¡¯er, and let out a cold laugh.

    Liu Hun placed Mao¡¯er on a simple table, slowly sliding his hand from Mao¡¯er¡¯s forehead to his belly.

    Where his fingertips passed, he clearly felt the cold in Mao¡¯er¡¯s body hadn¡¯t penetrated the organs and was still treatable.

    However, he wasn¡¯t sure about the herbal tricks; overuse could save Mao¡¯er but might leave a lingering illness.

    ¡°Can this boy do it?

    Mao¡¯er¡¯s illness isn¡¯t just some cold...¡±

    ¡°Exactly, I also took a look.

    Mao¡¯er¡¯s disease is really hard to treat.¡±

    ¡°Stop talking nonsense, look at Liu Hun, his brows are almost knitted together.¡±

    Ignoring the villagers, Liu Hun focused intently on Mao¡¯er¡¯s complexion.

    In medicine, observation was crucial.

    A seasoned doctor didn¡¯t need a pulse or instruments; just by looking, conclusions could be drawn.

    During his observation, Liu Hun¡¯s peripheral vision caught something behind him.

    Several villagers craned their necks, eager to see how Liu Hun would treat Mao¡¯er.

    Following normal procedures, Liu Hun placed Mao¡¯er on a wooden board, then moved to a table beside him, where he piled up herbs and ground them into a powder.

    Once the herbs were completely ground, Liu Hun stopped.

    He added the powder to boiling water, stirring carefully.

    Success wholly depended on whether this remedy would work in his favor.

    ¡°In the air there is emptiness, my Dao revitalizes each day.¡± A voice as ancient as a bell resounded in his mind: ¡°Doctor, energy condensed in the Dantian, absorbing the Spiritual Energy of heaven and earth, gathering the essence of sun and moon to form True Qi.

    Qi is like a vortex, condensing in herbs, curing minor ailments...¡±

    What was this?

    Liu Hun was dumbfounded, staring slowly at his left hand.

    In his left palm, a small vortex suddenly spun, from which energy drifted into the soaking herbal water, its blue light vanishing instantly.

    Almost instantly, Liu Hun hadn¡¯t fully understood what had happened, when the bowl turned colorless again, with only a few herbal particles floating inside.

    Holding the bowl, Liu Hun moved to Mao¡¯er, gently lifting him to feed him the solution.

    Suddenly, a chill rose from Mao¡¯er¡¯s forehead like white smoke.

    The crowd erupted.

    Mao¡¯er opened his eyes, hadn¡¯t seen Liu Hun before bursting into tears, ¡°Mom!¡±

    ¡°Wow, he¡¯s really cured...¡± Aunt Qiu barely finished her sentence when Mao¡¯er started retching onto the ground.

 Chapter 5 - 5 5 Delay

    ?5: Chapter 5 Delay 5: Chapter 5 Delay ¡°Oh no, this is bad, why is the kid vomiting?

    Did something happen?¡± Aunt Qiu immediately became anxious.

    She pushed through the crowd, and upon seeing Mao¡¯er¡¯s agonized expression, she started stamping her feet, looking like she was about to pick a fight with Liu Hun.

    ¡°Hahaha, you all see?

    What did I say?

    What did I say?

    This guy was just spouting nonsense, just babbling!

    Now look, something happened, right?

    That¡¯s what you get for believing him instead of me.

    I¡¯m the professional one here, healing is a piece of cake for me.¡± Rascal Chen laughed loudly at Mao¡¯er¡¯s suffering, eagerly watching the scene unfold.

    ¡°I never expected Liu Hun to be such a person!¡±

    ¡°Ah, I initially thought that when Mao¡¯er woke up, I¡¯d have a chance to praise Liu Hun.

    But now, it seems I was overly optimistic.¡±

    ¡°Hold on, don¡¯t jump to conclusions just yet!

    Something seems off...¡±

    .....

    Someone said something, and many people quickly looked at Gouzi, who had sat up from the bed.

    His face was increasingly flushed, devoid of the previous lifelessness.

    The expression, the eyes, that little smile at the corner of his mouth, it was like the comfort of leaving the outhouse.

    ¡°Mao¡¯er...

    are you...

    are you okay?

    Are you feeling alright now?¡± Bai Lian watched as Mao¡¯er slowly sat up from the bed.

    She didn¡¯t know how Mao¡¯er was doing, and didn¡¯t dare to even touch Mao¡¯er.

    Mao¡¯er chuckled, ¡°Mom, I feel strong; I think I¡¯m better.¡±

    ¡°Better?

    Not yet.

    I just expelled the coldness from your body; it¡¯s too soon to say you¡¯re cured.¡± Liu Hun smiled faintly.

    He picked up a few packets of medicinal powder from the table and sprinkled them back into the boiling water.

    As before, when a stream of air from his left palm floated into the boiling water, a flash of green light appeared.

    He blocked the green light from view, so many people didn¡¯t see this peculiar incident.

    ¡°These packets of medicinal powder should be dissolved in water over three doses.

    Remember to drink it three times a day, and be sure not to drink it all in one go, split it into three portions.

    By then, you should be fully recovered.¡± Liu Hun said calmly.

    ¡°Mao¡¯er!¡± Bai Lian could no longer hold back and rushed forward to embrace Mao¡¯er.

    ¡°Hey?

    Rascal Chen, where are you headed?

    Want to take me along?¡± A pretty Qin Yue saw Rascal Chen attempting to sneak away, and with a giggle, boldly stepped forward to block his path.

    This move drew the attention of the surrounding villagers to him.

    Everyone knew there was a wager between Liu Hun and Rascal Chen.

    Leaving abruptly would leave a bad impression on the villagers, as they all wanted to see Rascal Chen embarrassed.

    ¡°Well...

    there¡¯s something at home I need to handle.¡± Rascal Chen said awkwardly, scratching his head.

    He was about to slip away perfectly, but Qin Yue¡¯s words made many villagers notice him.

    He secretly cursed this girl in his heart.

    Qin Yue had not long been married in the village, and her beauty was unparalleled, especially with her curvaceous figure, which had caught the attention of many village men.

    ¡°Are you really trying to sneak away now?

    Do you remember what you promised me earlier?¡± Liu Hun chuckled.

    ¡°Um, Liu Hun¡¯s here, right?

    We¡¯re all from the same village, shouldn¡¯t we be lenient when needed?

    Let¡¯s not be too harsh, okay?¡± Rascal Chen scratched his head with a smile.

    ¡°Oh?

    Really?

    I remember you said, if I cured Mao¡¯er, you would let me handle you however I wished.¡± Liu Hun chuckled, ¡°Now, I want you to kneel immediately, shout ¡®Dad¡¯ three times, and then roll out of here!

    Furthermore, don¡¯t bother Bai Lian or have any designs on her in the future!¡±

    Rascal Chen, upon hearing this, could hardly do it.

    This would be utterly humiliating.

    If word got out, how could he continue to live in the village and maintain his strong image in front of these villagers?

    ¡°Just put on a show, don¡¯t overdo it.

    We¡¯re all from the same village; don¡¯t you think?

    If we show restraint, things will be smooth in the future.¡± Rascal Chen tried every tactic to make Liu Hun let him go.

    ¡°You want me to let you off?

    Well, I can let you go.

    Roll here three times, then take off your pants and run home?

    This shouldn¡¯t be too hard for you.¡± Liu Hun feigned difficulty.

    ¡°Liu Hun!

    Don¡¯t go too far!

    I mean, I am also...¡± Rascal Chen hadn¡¯t finished speaking when Liu Hun stepped forward and kicked him to the ground, then held his head down to force him to kowtow three times.

    Each kowtow hit the ground hard, satisfying many villagers despite being three short of ¡®grandpa.¡¯

    ¡°You damn kid...¡± Rascal Chen broke free from Liu Hun¡¯s grip, just about to speak.

    Liu Hun stepped up and stripped his pants with a tear, revealing his red heart-patterned briefs to everyone.

    This unexpected move caught Rascal Chen off guard.

    Liu Hun stepped forward and kicked, ¡°Roll!¡±

    ¡°Liu Hun, you just wait!¡± Rascal Chen yelled angrily as he rolled and crawled back.

    ¡°How about it?

    Didn¡¯t I tell you?

    Liu Hun¡¯s got real skills, unlike some people who just pretend.

    If anyone¡¯s in trouble, they should definitely seek him out.

    But if anyone dares to mention Rascal Chen and his mom again, don¡¯t blame me for turning hostile!¡± Bai Lian, holding Mao¡¯er in her arms, pouted slightly.

    After saying this, she deliberately glanced at Aunt Qiu.

    Rascal Chen was brought by Aunt Qiu, whose outdated thinking primarily focused on superstitions instead of seeking proper treatment.

    Had she allowed these two to mess around as they pleased, could her Mao¡¯er have endured the torment?

    ¡°Hahaha, seeing that guy so humiliated is truly satisfying.

    Sister Yulan was right, Liu Hun really is amazing; only Liu Hun could cure such a difficult ailment.¡± Qin Yue laughed, ¡°Liu Hun, come home with me, and I will make you a feast.¡±

    ¡°No way!¡± Bai Lian stood in front of Liu Hun, ¡°He saved my Mao¡¯er today, so he should stay at my house for dinner.

    You can¡¯t fight me on this!¡±

    Several bachelors watching were filled with jealousy.

    A simple meal filled Liu Hun with satisfaction.

    Only later that night, laying in bed after returning home, did Liu Hun take a moment to rest.

    During the day, when he saved Mao¡¯er, he felt a flow of energy from his palm that entered the boiling water, making it flash green, which surprised him greatly.

    ¡°The widespread grandeur of the heavens, my Dao renews daily,¡± Liu Hun whispered.

    The words that echoed in his mind gradually enlightened him and made him realize the profoundness of ancient texts, something he had previously underestimated, and it completely overturned his worldview.

    Reflecting on everything that had happened during the day, Liu Hun suddenly felt that this was an opportunity granted by the heavens, a chance to bring honor and glory to his ancestors.

 Chapter 6 - 6 6 Casting Spells

    ?6: Chapter 6 Casting Spells 6: Chapter 6 Casting Spells Night fell, and after Liu Hun harvested the corn in the fields and stored it at home, he hurried to Bai Lian¡¯s house.

    During the day, Bai Lian had held his hand and thanked him twice, pleading for him to stay.

    Although he was worried about village gossip, Liu Hun had nothing to be afraid of; it was merely a dinner, after all.

    He was still a bit concerned about whether Mao¡¯er would have any adverse reactions.

    He was very curious about the white mist emanating from his palm, wondering how a boy who should have taken two or three days to recover could be lively and bouncing about in just a moment.

    The backward and impoverished Wanbao Village had only recently connected with the outside world, and various facilities had yet to be supplied.

    Coupled with the fact that the houses were quite far apart, by the time Liu Hun arrived at Bai Lian¡¯s house, many villagers had already extinguished their lamps.

    Liu Hun stood at Bai Lian¡¯s door, tapping lightly to knock and softly calling out.

    Before he could continue knocking, the door gently swung open.

    A woman wearing a patterned skirt stood there, chuckling as she pulled him inside.

    Perhaps she had been waiting for him, as the aroma of food wafted from inside, making his stomach growl.

    Bai Lian had not been married to Wanbao Village for long before she lost her husband.

    Her plump and shapely figure was extremely enticing.

    Her eyebrows arched slightly, resembling willow leaves, ¡°You¡¯re here, come, come in quickly!¡±

    As soon as Liu Hun stepped inside, he saw Aunt Qiu sitting on the couch, looking at him disdainfully.

    Because Bai Lian¡¯s husband had been in business before his death, their home had more good things than an ordinary person¡¯s.

    Naturally, Aunt Qiu¡¯s gaze ranked everyone she saw, and Liu Hun might not have even been at the lowest level in her eyes.

    ¡°Hmph, can¡¯t do anything right, yet you¡¯re quick to show up.

    If I weren¡¯t here, who knows what could have happened.¡± Aunt Qiu spat, casting a glance at Liu Hun.

    To her, Liu Hun was just like a blind cat stumbling upon a dead mouse, having merely saved Mao¡¯er by chance.

    Lacking real skills, only capable of physical labor, he wasn¡¯t even as capable as Rascal Chen.

    If Bai Lian hadn¡¯t insisted that Liu Hun stay for dinner, Aunt Qiu would¡¯ve already beaten him with a broom.

    Bai Lian ignored Aunt Qiu, wiped the dust off a chair, and smiled, ¡°Come, come on, sit here, Little Hun.¡±

    ¡±Where¡¯s Mao¡¯er?¡± Liu Hun asked as soon as he sat down.

    Bai Lian smiled helplessly, ¡°He barely got better and ran off to play with the kids next door.

    He hasn¡¯t come back this late, so I think he might be staying over with that family for the night.

    I¡¯m worried he might be in danger if he comes back at night.¡±

    ¡±Is that so...¡± Liu Hun nodded, not questioning Bai Lian¡¯s words.

    The house was filled with items brought back from the city.

    Any single piece in an ordinary farmer¡¯s house would be worshipped like a deity, as it was quite rare.

    ¡°Little Hun, quickly, eat while it¡¯s hot.

    Aunt Qiu brought this from the city.

    It¡¯s delicious.¡± Bai Lian chuckled, pushing a steaming bowl of noodles toward Liu Hun, ¡°I really have to thank you today.

    If it weren¡¯t for you, Mao¡¯er wouldn¡¯t have improved so much.

    Rascal Chen talks nonsense; we shouldn¡¯t listen to him.¡±

    After a day of harvesting corn, Liu Hun was already hungry.

    In no time, he finished the bowl of noodles in front of him.

    As Liu Hun finished eating, Aunt Qiu, with lips like dried tofu, finally spoke, ¡°Little Hun, you¡¯re wrong for doing this.

    You¡¯ve upset them during the day; there¡¯s a high chance of repercussions.

    I¡¯m not lying to you, Rascal Chen and his mother won¡¯t let you off.

    Listen to me, take some good food and drink, go apologize to them sincerely, and maybe they¡¯ll spare you.¡±

    Liu Hun rubbed his forehead, unwilling to talk to someone so deeply brainwashed as Aunt Qiu.

    However, Aunt Qiu was Bai Lian¡¯s relative, and he couldn¡¯t remain indifferent after eating their food.

    ¡°Aunt Qiu, Rascal Chen has always deceived people, you just don¡¯t know.

    He and his mother have harmed countless others, and if we let them continue, Wanbao Village will become their place for profit.

    Think about it, am I making any sense?¡± Liu Hun smiled wryly.

    ¡°Hmph!

    Ignorant of suffering until you face it.

    Little Hun, no wonder you can¡¯t find such a good wife.

    With that expression, don¡¯t even think about marriage.

    The darkness across your brow doesn¡¯t know when it¡¯s going to be cleared, if not for saving Mao¡¯er, did you think I¡¯d let you in?¡± Aunt Qiu glared, her anger boiling inside.

    Bai Lian was anxious.

    No matter what, Little Hun had saved Maoer¡¯s life, and Aunt Qiu¡¯s attitude left her uncertain of what to do.

    ¡°Aunt Qiu, you...

    I...¡± She quickly stood up, only taking two steps before her head felt dizzy.

    The things she saw grew more and more blurred, as if seeing two of Liu Hun and two of Aunt Qiu.

    Then, ¡°thud,¡± she collapsed.

    ¡°Hmph, look!

    You see, this is retribution, retribution indeed!¡± Aunt Qiu stood up immediately, stamping her feet, ¡°Retribution has arrived, Little Hun, you¡¯ll be next!¡±

    As Aunt Qiu¡¯s words fell, Liu Hun felt a wave of dizziness in his mind, and everything before him blurred.

    He looked at the bowl of noodles on the table, saw the smile in Aunt Qiu¡¯s eyes, and in that moment, he understood everything completely!

    It must be the bowl of noodles, Aunt Qiu had poisoned it!

    With a loud ¡°bang,¡± Liu Hun¡¯s body fell straight to the floor, as if a white mist slowly traveled from his dantian to his stomach.

    ¡°Hahaha, I told you, this is all retribution!

    Neither of you listened to me, always disregarding my words!

    Now retribution has come, Little Hun, wait until you¡¯re tied up and thrown into the manure pit!¡± Aunt Qiu spat.

    She carefully opened the door, pounding on the door three times heavily.

    In the distance, the sound of rustling grass echoed.

    A figure ran out from the thicket, it was Rascal Chen.

    ¡°Is it done?¡± Rascal Chen whispered.

    Aunt Qiu looked troubled, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s done, but there was a small problem.

    Yulan has fallen, but so has Little Hun, he¡¯s fine, isn¡¯t he?¡±

    Rascal Chen chuckled, stroking his chin.

    Ever since that stormy day when he saw Bai Lian by the roadside, soaked by rain, those ample and firm peaks revealed themselves under the wetness.

    No matter how he schemed or lied, he couldn¡¯t get Bai Lian, and was even beaten by Liu Hun.

    Now, finally, he would have her, finally achieving his goal!

    ¡°No problem, it¡¯s his retribution, let him sleep it off.¡± Rascal Chen rolled his hands impatiently.

 Chapter 7 - 7 7 Shameless

    ?7: Chapter 7 Shameless 7: Chapter 7 Shameless He hadn¡¯t expected Liu Hun to come here, let alone to have Liu Hun rendered unconscious.

    But this was just as well, as he and Liu Hun could finally settle their grievances properly.

    He was beaten up by Liu Hun earlier in the day, and his face still smarted.

    He couldn¡¯t believe that Liu Hun, in this state, had any ability left.

    How could Liu Hun remain so arrogant!

    ¡°Truly, the road to Heaven is passable, but you choose to court death in Hell.

    Since you threw yourself into the net, don¡¯t blame me for being ruthless!¡±

    Aunt Qiu blushed, ¡°Well...

    um...

    Rascal Chen, do you have any Holy Water left?

    Can I use some?

    As you can see, Yulan used it, and Liu Hun used it too.

    Shouldn¡¯t it be my turn now?¡±

    This old woman was at least forty, if not fifty.

    He really couldn¡¯t muster any interest in her.

    Having coveted Bai Lian for so long, he couldn¡¯t let this old woman ruin his plans.

    Ever since that day of torrential rain, when he had stood on the bridge and happened to see Bai Lian with her chest soaked by the rain, her enchanting figure, her exquisite beauty, everything about her had moved his heart.

    Despite his previous attempts to have her, trying to lure her into his grasp, several times he was thwarted by others.

    He couldn¡¯t believe that no one would be able to stop him now!

    After all, everyone around was already sound asleep; even if Bai Lian screamed, no one would hear.

    ¡°Okay, okay, no problem.

    I still have a bottle of Holy Water now.

    But this Holy Water is just for you.

    You wait at the door and keep watch for me.

    While I¡¯m doing the ritual, make sure no one else comes in!

    Otherwise, if the ritual fails, it might bring trouble to you, and you won¡¯t be able to leave!¡± Saying this, he deliberately raised his voice.

    His words were meant to implicate Aunt Qiu too.

    As long as she helped him, she would inevitably become Liu Hun¡¯s enemy!

    With a radiant smile on her face after hearing Rascal Chen¡¯s words, Aunt Qiu said, ¡°Okay...

    okay!

    I¡¯ll go now; I¡¯ll go now!¡±

    Rascal Chen pushed the door open and carefully walked inside.

    His gaze instantly fell on Liu Hun, who was lying on the ground unconscious.

    He approached and kicked him.

    If it weren¡¯t for this troublemaker messing things up today, he would have already had Bai Lian.

    Unable to wait any longer, he hurried to Bai Lian¡¯s side, deeply inhaling near her ear.

    The intoxicating scent filled him with ecstasy, making him feel electrified all over, ¡°Great!

    Really great, truly a gem!

    I didn¡¯t expect that after such a long wait, this little wife would finally be mine!

    Hahaha!¡±

    He placed his hands on Bai Lian¡¯s shoulders, his fingers moving down from them, ¡°Xiao Hun, oh Xiao Hun, you never thought I could have Bai Lian, did you?

    This little beauty is mine now.

    When I¡¯ve had my fun, and worn her out, I¡¯ll give her to you, hehehe.¡±

    Bai Lian¡¯s soft shoulders stirred his heart.

    Unable to wait any longer, he stood up, took off his pants, and threw the pair of socks on his feet right in front of Liu Hun, causing Liu Hun to frown slightly at the overpowering stench.

    ¡°This little wife is truly beautiful.

    Xiao Hun, wait and see.

    Once I¡¯ve had my fun with her, once I¡¯ve worn her out, she¡¯ll be just like an old shoe, and I¡¯ll give her to you.

    An old shoe that nobody wants, then I¡¯ll put you both together, and call the villagers to see what you¡¯ll do!

    Hahaha!

    A perfect, truly perfect plan!¡± Rascal Chen spread his hands and laughed loudly.

    ¡°Slap!¡± A loud slap resounded on Rascal Chen¡¯s face, and before he could react, another slap landed on his cheek, ¡°Who?

    Who dares to ambush me!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re finished!¡±

    Hearing Liu Hun¡¯s shout, Rascal Chen turned around, only to find Liu Hun staring coldly at him, ¡°Hun...

    Xiao Hun?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, it¡¯s me!¡± Liu Hun threw the foul socks from the ground, stuffing them into his mouth.

    Rascal Chen¡¯s earlier arrogant shouts echoed in Liu Hun¡¯s mind, filling him with disgust.

    If it weren¡¯t for the force of white air that surged into his stomach, neutralizing the sedatives completely, he would never have awakened.

    ¡°You...

    weren¡¯t you unconscious?¡± Rascal Chen spat out the foul socks as the overwhelming stench invaded his nostrils, genuinely unpleasant.

    ¡°Now I¡¯ll tell you what really happened, but if you dare to shout or scream, next year this day will be your death anniversary,¡± Liu Hun said in a deep voice.

    Rascal Chen was stunned; he hadn¡¯t expected Liu Hun to wake up.

    He clearly remembered giving a large dose with the Holy Water, enough to keep Bai Lian asleep for three days and three nights.

    Even if Liu Hun was in his prime, he couldn¡¯t wake up so quickly¡ªunless Aunt Qiu had tricked him.

    That old woman, the moment he could escape from Liu Hun¡¯s grasp, he planned to make her pay.

    ¡°I...

    I didn¡¯t say anything, I didn¡¯t do anything.

    Xiao Hun, you...

    why don¡¯t you look, I didn¡¯t do anything, right?

    I haven¡¯t touched her, I haven¡¯t moved her yet, you can¡¯t treat me like this.¡± The taste of the stinking socks still lingered in his mouth, and Rascal Chen spat several times, unable to rid himself of the foulness.

    Liu Hun smiled, ¡°Really?

    Do you really think I¡¯d let you off that easily?

    You¡¯re too naive.

    If I weren¡¯t concerned for Yulan¡¯s reputation, I¡¯d surely have killed you!¡±

    ¡°Concerned for Yulan¡¯s reputation, so that means....¡± Rascal Chen seemed to have seized Liu Hun¡¯s weakness; his voice rose, his expression provocative, ¡°Liu Hun, if you dare lay a hand on me, don¡¯t force me to scream and shout.

    When that happens, how will you handle it?¡±

    Liu Hun smirked¡ªthreats had no effect on him, especially from this fellow.

    Knowing he was in grave danger, yet still threatening him, Liu Hun was truly tempted to slap him.

    ¡°You and your mother have done so many evil deeds, harmed so many people, and you still don¡¯t repent!¡±

    Liu Hun¡¯s expression turned icy, and he walked forward steadily, with every step full of strength.

    Just as Rascal Chen was about to jump off the bed, Liu Hun had already rushed forward.

    A swift leg whip struck his abdomen, knocking him to the ground.

    Excruciating pain spread throughout his body, and Rascal Chen didn¡¯t dare make a sound.

    ¡°Rascal Chen, are you even human!

    At death¡¯s door, you still dare to threaten me!¡± Liu Hun wanted to strike, wanted to wring this kid¡¯s neck, but he held back.

    ¡°I¡¯m not human, I¡¯m not human, I apologize to everyone, I am a beast!

    I swear I¡¯ll never do this again, I swear I¡¯ll never commit any more evil deeds!¡± Rascal Chen spoke, raising his hand to slap his own mouth.

 Chapter 8 - 8 8 Witch

    ?8: Chapter 8 Witch 8: Chapter 8 Witch ¡°This is already the least punishment I can give you.

    If it weren¡¯t for this being Bai Lian¡¯s home, even if you slapped yourself a hundred times, I wouldn¡¯t let you go!¡± Liu Hun glared fiercely, worried about being discovered by other villagers.

    If that happened, Bai Lian¡¯s reputation would not only be lost but could also become the talk of the neighboring villages.

    This Rascal Chen was truly heartless, using such ruthless means for his own gain.

    Liu Hun watched as Bai Lian fainted on the ground for a short time, then approached and slapped Rascal Chen twice, directly pulling a small gourd from his arms and feeding her a Medicine Pill.

    After doing this, he finally looked at Rascal Chen.

    The two slap marks were bright red on his face, and Rascal Chen squatted on the ground, gritting his teeth in pain.

    In Wanbao Village, except for his own mother, no one dared to lay a hand on him; Liu Hun was the first!

    As long as there are mountains, one need not worry about firewood.

    For now, he¡¯d play weak, but once he had the chance later, he¡¯d make Liu Hun taste something worse than death!

    ¡°Liu Hun...

    you¡¯ve hit me, and saved her, so could you let me go?

    I...

    I¡¯m thinking there¡¯s something urgent at my house, and I must hurry back!

    How about...

    how about we talk another day?¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Rascal Chen was so scared he didn¡¯t dare to look at Liu Hun, and bolted towards the door.

    Liu Hun blocked the door, ¡°Did I say you could leave?¡±

    ¡°Liu Hun!¡± Rascal Chen gritted his teeth in hatred, touching his face, he stepped back a few paces, not daring to look at Liu Hun.

    In the powerful aura and brute strength of Liu Hun, he was like an ant about to be crushed by an elephant.

    He never expected this outcome, nor did he expect Aunt Qiu to bring Liu Hun here.

    If he had known sooner, even with three extra bucks, he would never have stepped into this mess on his own accord.

    Liu Hun maintained a solemn face, gripping Rascal Chen¡¯s collar with one hand, ¡°You¡¯re bold, and I won¡¯t let you off!¡±

    Standing at the doorway, Aunt Qiu paced back and forth, since earlier it had been at least an hour.

    During this hour, there had been no sound from inside the house, as she hadn¡¯t heard Rascal Chen chanting any exorcism spells.

    Rascal Chen had brought Holy Water, ought to be for her.

    This hour she¡¯d waited anxiously, a few times almost pushing the door open.

    However, thinking that Holy Water would eventually end up in her hands, she held her temper.

    ¡°Knock, knock!¡± She knocked twice.

    With no response, Aunt Qiu cautiously pushed the door open, exclaiming in surprise, ¡°Where is everyone?¡±

    She scanned the surroundings, except for Bai Lian still lying in bed, there wasn¡¯t a single person.

    She didn¡¯t know where Rascal Chen and Liu Hun had run off to.

    But seeing the Holy Water on the table, she eagerly went forward, uncorked the gourd, and drank it in one gulp.

    ¡°Thud~¡± Aunt Qiu felt dizzy, unable to support herself, and collapsed to the ground.

    The next day just before dawn, at the village entrance, a middle-aged woman in a qipao walked slowly.

    After accompanying her husband Ye Canghai back from a trip to the county with a carriage full of goods, and even getting her favorite clothes, Fen Ran was delighted.

    Bai Lian ran up hurriedly, ¡°Something¡¯s wrong, something¡¯s wrong, village chief, you should...

    should come take a look at my place.¡±

    Village chief Ye Canghai, looking at Bai Lian¡¯s ample bosom and graceful figure, couldn¡¯t help licking his lips, eyes glowing.

    Not seeing this young widow for so many days, he couldn¡¯t deny she maintained herself so well, making men feel itchy all over.

    Everything was in the right place, her figure swaying like a water snake in front of him.

    Fen Ran took a deep breath.

    Her beauty was accentuated by her clothes, but if compared in body shape, the Bai Lian in front of her could perfectly surpass her.

    Ye Canghai remained calm, ¡°What happened?

    Don¡¯t panic, speak slowly.¡±

    ¡°For some reason, I can¡¯t get into my house.

    And many people say there¡¯s an evil influence that requires the sorceress¡¯s help.

    But if...

    if...¡± By this point, Bai Lian was in such a rush it seemed like her eyebrows were on fire.

    ¡°Speak slowly!¡± Having seen the world, Ye Canghai appeared relatively calm.

    ¡°But if something¡¯s missing from inside, then goodness knows what will happen, please come with me to have a look, village chief.¡± Bai Lian pleaded anxiously.

    Without a word, Ye Canghai led Fen Ran, running with Bai Lian towards her home.

    Not even reaching the door, they already saw a crowd of villagers gathered, peering inside.

    ¡°What are you all doing?

    Why are you crowding around?¡± the village chief¡¯s strong voice echoed around them.

    ¡°The village chief is here, quickly!

    Clear out!¡±

    ¡°Wow, if the village chief is so alarmed, it must be something interesting next.¡±

    ¡°Hahaha, I¡¯m really curious about what¡¯s inside this house.¡±

    Hearing the discussions from many villagers, Ye Canghai frowned slightly.

    Gossip was the least trustworthy thing; he understood this more than anyone.

    Liu Hun was somewhat annoyed, previously these people gathered at Bai Lian¡¯s doorstep, made it so he had to tread lightly while rescuing Mao¡¯er.

    Now Ye Canghai was here, indicating the situation was worse than before.

    But maybe something indeed was blocking the door, otherwise, with his strength, he should¡¯ve been able to push it open.

    Qin Yue hesitated, ¡°Today, I brought Yulan to my house for a meal, everything was fine.

    But I wasn¡¯t comfortable letting her return home alone, so I accompanied her back.

    But upon reaching her place, the door just couldn¡¯t be opened.

    Later, I sought Liu Hun¡¯s help but still, the door wouldn¡¯t budge, so what can we do?¡±

    ¡°Wow, based on what you said, there might indeed be a problem with the door.

    Maybe it¡¯s really something superstitious?¡± Ye Canghai murmured, having some disbelief in his eyes.

    He had received a higher education and naturally understood that evil forces and the like didn¡¯t exist in this world.

    Qin Yue frowned slightly, ¡°How about I call Rascal Chen¡¯s mom over?

    If there really is an evil spirit inside, only she would know how to handle it.¡±

    Ye Canghai swallowed his saliva, he couldn¡¯t deny, Qin Yue was definitely the youngest bride in the village, her exquisite figure was the desire of many men.

    He chuckled awkwardly, ¡°Alright, alright, go invite the sorceress over, let¡¯s see what she can do.¡±

    Qin Yue nodded, slipped through the crowd with her petite figure.

    Fen Ran felt a pang of jealousy, in this village everyone seemed blessed with good figures, and she didn¡¯t know where her advantage lay.

    Ye Canghai¡¯s gaze, seemingly digging out his own eyeballs, as if he wanted to feast on the sight.

    She clung to Ye Canghai, drawing him in, unwilling to let any other woman have the opportunity to succeed.

    Soon, the sorceress was brought over by Qin Yue.

    Many people laughed as they watched the sorceress, some believed with devout expressions, others simply gathered to join the excitement.

 Chapter 9 - 9 9 Decline

    ?9: Chapter 9 Decline 9: Chapter 9 Decline ¡°Heavens above, Earth below, Great Spirit possess me, lend your strength to my family!¡± The One-Eyed Granny squinted her eyes, hopping around the people nearby.

    Her drowsy eyes looked as if they had never slept, but her energy was no less than that of an ordinary person.

    Especially when she was bouncing, many people began to jump around her too, their gazes turning even stranger.

    Watching for a long time, Ye Canghai felt a bit helpless, ¡°So what¡¯s the result inside?¡±

    ¡°No mistake, there is indeed malicious energy at work inside, which is why it can¡¯t be opened.

    However, this door is not an ordinary door, but a Yin Gate, and ordinary people can¡¯t open it.

    Especially men, as their bodies belong to yang, while women belong to yin.

    Naturally, these two cannot be harmonized,¡± One-Eyed Granny said logically.

    Many nodded in agreement, feeling that One-Eyed Granny spoke as if she really knew her stuff, it felt quite impressive.

    After saying these words, One-Eyed Granny turned her gaze to Liu Hun, asking, ¡°Did you just hit this door?¡±

    ¡°So what if I did?¡± Liu Hun raised his eyebrows, never believing in One-Eyed Granny¡¯s nonsense.

    One-Eyed Granny sighed, ¡°No wonder, no wonder at all!

    No wonder no matter how you hit it, the door won¡¯t open.

    Because you belong to yang, and women belong to yin.

    When you hit it, you clashed with the malicious energy inside, so naturally, this door couldn¡¯t be opened!

    Really unexpected, truly unexpected!¡±

    Liu Hun sneered, ¡°What?

    You mean I shouldn¡¯t knock on it?¡±

    ¡°Hmph!

    You are already in great danger, and you don¡¯t even know it.

    You don¡¯t realize that when you hit it, you not only intruded on the malicious energy inside, but now you are also possessed by evil energy, and your life won¡¯t be long.

    If I don¡¯t cast a spell to save you, it won¡¯t be long before you lose your life!¡± One-Eyed Granny slightly lifted her chin, ¡°But, I can save you, if only you kneel!¡±

    ¡°Kneeling is all it takes?¡± Ye Canghai frowned slightly.

    One-Eyed Granny chuckled, shaking her head, ¡°No, that¡¯s just the first step.

    As long as he kneels, then breathes at the soles of my shoes a few times, and shouts, ¡®Invite Immortal to grant a pill¡¯, maybe if Immortal agrees, I¡¯ll mercifully save him.¡±

    ¡°You talk like you¡¯re something special.

    Do you think I¡¯ll believe what you say?

    You claim I have evil energy on me, but why have I been standing here for so long, and nothing¡¯s happened?¡± Liu Hun sneered.

    Qin Yue crossed her arms, her ample chest like two mountains that made Ye Canghai itch with desire.

    She walked beside Liu Hun with feline grace, ¡°Indeed, nothing¡¯s wrong with Hun.

    If I could, I¡¯d want some of that too.¡±

    Qin Yue¡¯s words were obviously meant for Ye Canghai, as when One-Eyed Granny mentioned evil energy on Liu Hun, she caught a glimpse of Ye Canghai retreating a few steps, showing undisguised fear in his eyes.

    She wanted to laugh, but to maintain her dignity, she chose to stand demurely by Liu Hun¡¯s side.

    Watching Qin Yue¡¯s feline steps, her snake-like waist twisting in front of several men, Fen Ran felt disgusted.

    She was scandalously alluring!

    If she weren¡¯t a person, she might really have been believed to be a reincarnated vixen.

    With that small frame, those pert hips, who knows how many men wanted her.

    She wouldn¡¯t let her husband be ensnared in the Ice Abyss.

    ¡°Let¡¯s...

    let¡¯s wait a bit longer.

    Since One-Eyed Granny is here, we might as well wait.

    After all, she is more experienced in such matters than we are; waiting might be beneficial for Hun,¡± Ye Canghai murmured.

    Liu Hun¡¯s expression did not change, coldly watching One-Eyed Granny, he wanted to see what she was up to.

    As for kneeling, that¡¯s absolutely impossible.

    One-Eyed Granny chuckled, growing more excited, ¡°Okay, Hun, don¡¯t blame me.

    I¡¯m not trying to make things difficult for you or intentionally oppose you, truth is Immortal told me you¡¯re already invaded by evil energy, I must expel it, so kneel.¡±

    There was an uproar, with everyone watching, waiting to see if Liu Hun would kneel.

    Anyone could see One-Eyed Granny was deliberately making things difficult for Liu Hun.

    Earlier, when Rascal Chen had been beaten by Liu Hun, he ran back home.

    Everyone knew what was on their minds; they were of a similar sort.

    ¡°Ha!

    You want me to kneel?

    Don¡¯t count on it.

    Break the door quickly, or if you can¡¯t, don¡¯t blame me for ruining your reputation.

    Unless you lack the ability and are venting revenge,¡± Liu Hun smirked.

    ¡°Nonsense!¡± One-Eyed Granny gritted her teeth, ¡°Can what Immortal says be false?

    Hun, this is to save your life!

    Don¡¯t eat your own bitter fruit!

    I will break this door sooner or later!¡±

    Rascal Chen squeezed through the crowd, ¡°Hun, hehe, you better listen to my mother and kneel.

    Otherwise, with evil energy invading your body, you really won¡¯t live long.¡±

    Qin Yue pouted, giving Liu Hun a coy smile, elbowing him gently, and casting a coquettish glance at Ye Canghai, ¡°As people age, they talk more.

    Whether there¡¯s evil energy behind the door, we can find out just by opening it.

    Isn¡¯t it true Liu Granny doesn¡¯t want to open it because Rascal Chen seeks revenge for being beaten?¡±

    ¡°Beaten?¡± Liu Granny¡¯s lips twitched, Qin Yue¡¯s words clearly leading her into trouble.

    She preferred to believe Rascal Chen lost to Liu Hun because he was caught off guard.

    Fen Ran giggled, and several women covered their mouths laughing, looking at Rascal Chen with disdain.

    Rascal Chen grew anxious, stamping his foot in panic, how could he not feel their eyes on him, embarrassing him in front of so many people, leaving him without a shred of dignity.

    Flushing with anger, he yelled, ¡°Liu Hun, do you really think I can¡¯t beat you?

    Yesterday, I held back because you¡¯re thin, let you go hungry.

    Today...

    today I¡¯ll show you what real strength is, what a nightmare is!¡±

    With that, Rascal Chen charged forward, Liu Hun took a step back, which only fueled Rascal Chen¡¯s arrogance.

    He wanted to laugh, seeing Liu Hun as soft as tofu in his eyes.

    ¡°Thud!¡± A figure was sent flying, landing heavily on the ground.

    ¡°Oh my god!¡± Before others could react, One-Eyed Granny cried out, running to kneel beside Rascal Chen, wailing.

    That strike was fierce, brutal!

    A man weighing over a hundred pounds was sent flying by a punch from Liu Hun, imagine the strength in that!

    It completely broadened their perspectives.

 Chapter 10 - 10 10 My Dao

    ?10: Chapter 10 My Dao 10: Chapter 10 My Dao No one expected that Liu Hun, who appeared physically frail compared to the other villagers, could send a Rascal Chen, who weighed over a hundred pounds, flying.

    Though they were stunned in appearance, their hearts were already roiling like the sea by the power of Liu Hun¡¯s punch.

    Rascal Chen lay on the ground while the one-eyed granny worriedly patted him all over and tossed aside broken stones.

    After a long while, Rascal Chen still couldn¡¯t get up, his face contorted in agony.

    ¡°How¡¯s that, Rascal Chen?

    I only used a bit of strength, and you¡¯re already down?

    Now you realize there are some people you shouldn¡¯t mess with, right?¡± Liu Hun chuckled while rubbing his forehead.

    ¡°Seems like I hit too hard; I didn¡¯t expect you couldn¡¯t take a punch.¡±

    The two stunned henchmen finally reacted and helped Rascal Chen to his feet.

    Rascal Chen clutched his stomach, groaning, and looked at Liu Hun as if he had seen the King Yan, terrified.

    Qin Yue chuckled, her snake-like waist swaying beside Liu Hun.

    Her almond eyes gently blinked, her gaze at Liu Hun sparkling with fascination.

    ¡°See, Rascal Chen, there are some people you just can¡¯t provoke.

    That punch alone was enough for you.

    If you took another one, you¡¯d be doomed, hehe.

    With that strength, if it was used in bed, who knows...¡± Realizing something, Qin Yue quickly slapped her mouth softly.

    ¡°Oh dear, look at me and my mouth, really.¡±

    ¡°Little flirt, your eyes are about to spill water,¡± Fen Ran scornfully glanced at her, but had to admire Liu Hun¡¯s masculinity.

    This was what a real man should be like!

    Mao¡¯er looked at Bai Lian strangely, ¡°Mom, Auntie, why are all of your faces so red?¡±

    The child didn¡¯t understand the adult¡¯s thoughts and couldn¡¯t fathom what was on their minds.

    Ye Canghai¡¯s face turned cold when he heard Mao¡¯er¡¯s words.

    He quickly glanced at the women beside him.

    Sure enough, the women were captivated by Liu Hun, and their eyes seemed to melt.

    If he wasn¡¯t around, who knows what might have happened?

    As the village chief of Wanbao Village, all the attention was being stolen by Liu Hun.

    As a man, how could he submit?

    As the village chief, the more he looked at Liu Hun, the more displeased he felt.

    ¡°What are you showing off here for?

    You think this is some idol drama?

    Are you ignoring me, treating me like air?¡± Ye Canghai¡¯s face darkened.

    Qin Yue snickered, arms crossed, perfectly showcasing her curves.

    ¡°Oh, looks like our village chief is upset.

    In that case, chief, tell us, how should we handle this?¡±

    Ye Canghai glanced sideways at Qin Yue¡¯s front, swallowing slightly.

    ¡°Well...

    let¡¯s first see what the one-eyed granny has to say.

    If she has a way, maybe she can help us drive away the evil energy; that would be wonderful.¡±

    Liu Hun¡¯s words filled with hate as she stood up, glaring at Liu Hun.

    ¡°You...

    hmph!

    I¡¯m Immortal¡¯s aid sent to help you all, Liu Hun, and you treat my son like this.

    I can open this door, but you¡¯ve already been tainted with evil energy.

    If you don¡¯t let me expel it today, it¡¯ll harm us all, and nobody will feel right.¡±

    Liu Hun clarified what she wanted¡ªLiu Hun groveling at her feet like a dog.

    Driving away evil energy was just an excuse; without venting her rage and Rascal Chen¡¯s hatred, she wouldn¡¯t feel right.

    ¡°Why say so much?

    Just tell me whether you can open this door!

    If not, don¡¯t speak!¡± Liu Hun gave her a sidelong glance.

    Liu Hun snorted angrily, ¡°With the help of the Immortal, how could such trivial evil energy affect me?

    Today, I¡¯ll let you all see clearly¡ªwhat true strength is, what expelling evil really means!¡±

    Liu Hun chuckled, impatient, ¡°So much talk and you¡¯re just boasting.

    Hurry up; if you can¡¯t even open this door, don¡¯t blame it on evil energy.¡±

    Liu Hun narrowed her eyes, ignored Liu Hun¡¯s words, and pulled two talismans from her pocket.

    She handed them to the two henchmen behind Rascal Chen.

    ¡°You two, take these talismans and smash the door open!

    Remember, with the Super Strength Talisman, this flimsy door is no match for you.¡±

    The two took the Super Strength Talismans and stuck them to their backs.

    Everyone understood this; the talisman was a trick.

    One person couldn¡¯t break the door, but two certainly could!

    But no one present spoke up or ruined Liu Hun¡¯s scheme.

    ¡°Bang!¡± The two henchmen slammed the door open with force.

    Standing inside were two naked individuals who immediately appeared before the crowd.

    Ye Canghai froze.

    One was the adopted son of the one-eyed granny, who later renamed himself Rascal Big Chen.

    The other was Aunt Qiu from Bai Lian¡¯s family.

    The pair stood bare before everyone, shocking everyone into a gasp.

    ¡°Stepmom?

    Why are you here?¡± Rascal Big Chen shouted excitedly as he saw the one-eyed granny in front of him.

    ¡°Hurry, bro!

    Mom, and you two, help me deal with this Liu Hun...

    this...

    this guy!¡±

    ¡°You shut up!¡± Before Rascal Big Chen could finish, the one-eyed granny spat.

    ¡°You¡¯ve completely shamed me!¡±

    Aunt Qiu realized what was happening, looked slowly at herself, let out a cry, and covered herself as she ran away outdoors.

    No one stopped her.

    Rascal Big Chen had no interest in Aunt Qiu; the woman was nearly fifty, not as attractive or well-shaped as the young women from the neighboring village.

    But he couldn¡¯t understand why his stepmom and Rascal Chen wouldn¡¯t help him.

    ¡°Aunt Qiu...

    Aunt Qiu¡¯s age is the same as mine, and yet...

    you actually...¡± The one-eyed granny said no more, running as far as she could.

    Qin Yue snickered, picking up a pair of shoes from the ground and tossing them in the one-eyed granny¡¯s direction.

    ¡°Hey, one-eyed granny!

    Don¡¯t you want your shoes?¡±

    The one-eyed granny couldn¡¯t care less, grabbed her shoes, and ran.

    Rascal Chen didn¡¯t dare stay, leaving with the two henchmen in shame.

    ¡°Well...

    Liu Hun, we¡¯re all from the same village, so let¡¯s not go overboard.

    Just a little lesson is enough.

    I...

    I¡¯ll leave first.¡± Rascal Big Chen cautiously stepped outside the house.

    Liu Hun sauntered forward, grabbing Rascal Big Chen by the ear, ¡°Hey?

    Rascal Big Chen, long time no see.

    How did you end up at Yulan¡¯s place?

    Do you think there¡¯s something good at Yulan¡¯s house that lures you here?¡±

 Chapter 11 - 11 11 Reviving Vitality

    ?11: Chapter 11 Reviving Vitality 11: Chapter 11 Reviving Vitality ¡°Hey...

    Liu Hun, we¡¯re all from the same village.

    You can¡¯t do this to me.

    I...

    I rarely come back here, I just wanted to have a little fun...

    You, you just need to let me go.

    I promise wherever you go, just mention my name, and I¡¯ll ensure you have no worries in the future.¡± Rascal Chen chuckled, his gaze toward Liu Hun filled with pleading.

    As long as he could escape from Liu Hun¡¯s grasp, he could repay the favor some day eventually.

    Liu Hun chuckled, Rascal Chen¡¯s clothes were stripped off entirely, leaving nothing to cover his body.

    Many middle-aged women watching blushed with embarrassment, a trace of mockery between their brows.

    Honestly, Rascal Chen¡¯s little thing was too small; one wonders what Aunt Qiu saw in him.

    Wasn¡¯t she afraid this guy couldn¡¯t satisfy her?

    Fen Ran¡¯s lips twitched, despite her age she still had zest, one had to admire her.

    But thinking about her being from Bai Lian¡¯s family made her furious, so she quickly smiled, ¡°Exactly, with Liu being so capable, Aunt Qiu ran away, but you can¡¯t let this fellow off.

    Otherwise, our Bai Lian¡¯s reputation will be ruined by this guy.

    Once other villages find out, who knows what they¡¯ll think of our Wanbao Village?¡±

    Hearing this, Ye Canghai¡¯s face turned a bit unpleasant.

    This was the most sensitive topic, even if other villages knew, they¡¯d look for him first.

    Who knew this foul woman would say such things, leaving him no room for dignity.

    Qin Yue and Bai Lian¡¯s proud figures, plump in the right places, were much better than Fen Ran¡¯s.

    ¡°Scram!¡± Liu Hun didn¡¯t want things to escalate, he kicked Rascal Chen in the butt.

    Chen rolled and crawled away, drawing a round of laughter from many onlookers.

    Ye Canghai pretended to remain composed, raising his proud chin, ¡°Good thing, it¡¯s a good thing, good thing I came this time.

    If I were any later, who knows what those two bastards would have done?¡±

    ¡°You?

    Who do you think you are?

    Do you really think you have any strength?

    If it weren¡¯t for Liu, could you have resolved this?

    You might have been hoping for Granny Liu¡¯s help to establish your authority.¡± Bai Lian said irritably.

    This act was carefully orchestrated by her and Liu Hun.

    Just last night, Rascal Chen used sedatives to knock her and Liu Hun out, then Aunt Qiu let Rascal Chen in, planning to take advantage of her, to violate her.

    Had Liu Hun not woken up in time, who knows, she might have been defiled by Rascal Chen.

    What chilled her the most was that shortly after, Aunt Qiu also drank the sedatives, and she was the one who let Rascal Chen in.

    She initially thought Aunt Qiu was just dissatisfied with Liu Hun, but never expected her to become an accomplice to Rascal Chen.

    If she hadn¡¯t seen it with her own eyes, she wouldn¡¯t have believed it.

    Naturally, the two of them dragged Rascal Chen and Aunt Qiu to the bed, which led to today¡¯s act.

    Liu Hun stepped out of the house, Ye Canghai coughed dryly, ¡°Liu, you did well this time.

    As the village chief of Wanbao Village, I don¡¯t have much to reward you with.

    But here¡¯s one thing: I hope you can set an example, let the village¡¯s delinquents learn from you what it means to start a family, what it means to have responsibility!¡±

    Formerly an official, Ye Canghai quickly adjusted his demeanor, looking extremely imposing, causing several people around to involuntarily step back a few steps.

    Fen Ran rolled her eyes at Ye Canghai, ¡°Alright, don¡¯t say more.¡±

    After saying this, Fen Ran was about to praise Liu Hun, but recalled what Qin Yue had said earlier.

    She hesitated, then instinctively looked down, feeling a chill in some places, and hurriedly left in embarrassment.

    ¡°Haha, who would have thought Rascal Chen and his mother would end up in such a scene today, it¡¯s truly satisfying.

    Liu, you did brilliantly, I give you a big thumbs-up.¡±

    ¡°Exactly, if it were me, I couldn¡¯t confront them at all.

    Look at how brave Liu is, it¡¯s not something an average person can do.

    I must say, if it were me, I would have avoided it from afar.¡±

    ¡°Impressive, this isn¡¯t child¡¯s play, only someone like Liu can accomplish this.¡±

    Qin Yue giggled, wiping her mouth corner, ¡°Really nice, if I had someone like that at home, how wonderful it would be!

    With him at home, every day would be...

    hee hee hee.¡±

    ¡°Gosh, you¡¯re just not serious.

    Liu is a decent guy, unlike you all.

    Think about something else seriously.¡± Bai Lian glared at Qin Yue.

    Recently married, she naturally had high demands in that area; though a widow, a widow is still a woman.

    When Liu Hun exhibited his masculine charm, her heart was already unsettled.

    Fen Ran poked Qin Yue¡¯s waist, ¡°Listen to yourself, you could try swaying your little hips, your little waist, see if Liu gets swayed by you and gets stolen away.¡±

    ¡°Ah!¡± Qin Yue covered her mouth with a laugh, ¡°I alone couldn¡¯t handle it, Liu¡¯s that great, I couldn¡¯t manage alone!¡±

    A few women immediately laughed together, their voices lively with teasing and jesting tones.

    Bai Lian¡¯s family affairs thus settled, Liu Hun hurriedly left after having lunch at Bai Lian¡¯s.

    He hadn¡¯t worked all morning, and if his uncle found out, who knows how he¡¯d berate him.

    His parents¡¯ cornfield often got scavenged by his uncle, leaving him with very few days of food.

    He hadn¡¯t even reached the cornfield when he saw the corn roots and many nearly ripe corns trampled, the corn stalks uprooted from the soil.

    ¡°Damn, who did this!

    Who did this!¡± Liu Hun looked around, no one responded, nor was anyone in his sight.

    He quickly squatted down, carefully retrieving the trampled corn stalks from the ground, seeing how many hadn¡¯t been damaged.

    Liu Hun clutched his chest, this was his hard-earned cornfield for the year.

    To ensure watering, to let the corn grow better, he had lost much sleep this year.

    ¡°It¡¯s over, if this corn could be like a person, healed, I wouldn¡¯t hesitate myself!¡± Liu Hun felt a pang of pain in his heart.

    Suddenly, he lifted his head, as if remembering something.

    Before, he healed Mao¡¯er because a burst of energy came from his hand; could this energy restore the cornfield to its original state?

    Liu Hun decided on the spot, if he didn¡¯t try, how would he know?

    He raised his hands, palms facing a patch of trampled cornfield.

 Chapter 12 - 12 12 The Village Bully

    ?12: Chapter 12 The Village Bully 12: Chapter 12 The Village Bully The yellowish-green leaves gradually returned to dark green, large swaths of corn stalks seemingly rejuvenated as they stood up before Liu Hun, roots spreading, leaves unfurling, with individual yellow cobs curling up amidst the greenery.

    In no time, the entire cornfield had been restored to its original state.

    ¡°Wow, it really works.

    Looks like I was right, these leaves have returned to normal.

    Just...¡± Liu Hun¡¯s excited shout was cut short when he soon discovered a footprint in the mud.

    The footprint was robust and well-defined, clearly that of a man.

    Next to this man¡¯s footprint, there were several others resembling those of a canine, slowly moving along.

    Liu Hun felt it odd, for other than his uncle who always seemed to want to trick him, very few people would come here.

    But he was certain that the footprint was definitely not his uncle¡¯s; it belonged to someone with a build even more robust than Chen Duzi¡¯s.

    No, that wasn¡¯t right...

    Liu Hun narrowed his eyes, realizing the footprints seemed to lead toward the entrance of the village.

    The depth of the footprints and the compacted state of the surrounding mud made it clear that the man must have just wreaked havoc in his cornfield before leaving.

    ¡°Hmph, I want to see just how formidable you are?¡± said Liu Hun, his expression darkening as he followed the footprints toward the village entrance.

    Several miles later, Liu Hun¡¯s pace showed no sign of stopping.

    Reaching the village entrance, he saw a woman hurrying toward the old Kuai tree, looking back several times in abject terror, as if she had glimpsed the horrors of Hell itself.

    She grabbed one of the branches of the old Kuai tree with one hand and stepped on the roots, heaving herself up.

    Below the tree, a local mutt was barking ferociously at the tree, while a bald man with his arms folded was laughing wickedly at Fen Ran up in the tree, a malicious sneer on his face.

    ¡°Eh?

    Isn¡¯t that the village chief Ye Canghai¡¯s wife, Fen Ran?

    What¡¯s she doing here?¡± Liu Hun wondered, confused.

    Upon seeing Liu Hun, Fen Ran urgently called out to him, ¡°Little Hun...

    Little Hun!

    Please come save me!¡±

    ¡°Kid, I advise you, there are some things in this world you just can¡¯t touch.

    If you dare to help her, if you dare to save her, my little black here doesn¡¯t take kindly to strangers.

    If he catches you, you might end up missing an arm or a leg, and that wouldn¡¯t be pleasant.

    Maybe, hehehe, he¡¯ll bite off an important part of you, making your life miserable forever after,¡± the bald man laughed heartily.

    Liu Hun chuckled, unafraid of the bald man and even less so of his dog, ¡°You¡¯ve got some nerve, daring to come to our Wanbao Village to stir up trouble.

    Did you think our Wanbao Village has no one to stand up to you?¡±

    ¡°Hahahaha, your Wanbao Village?

    I¡¯ve never taken it seriously!¡± the bald man laughed skyward.

    Just as he was about to say something else, Liu Hun suddenly noticed a large amount of mud on the bald man¡¯s pair of shoes, his expression darkening, ¡°My cornfield, could it be your doing?¡±

    ¡°Quite the nose you have, you¡¯re even keener than my little black.

    Why don¡¯t you become a dog?

    or a cat, even!

    Yes, I¡¯m the one who trashed your cornfield, so what?

    Displeased, are you?

    If you¡¯re not happy about it, come at me then!¡± The bald man laughed out loud, clutching his belly, not taking Liu Hun seriously at all.

    A cold glint flashed in Liu Hun¡¯s eyes, ¡°Right now, leash your dog and kneel down to apologize.

    Otherwise, I¡¯ll make you regret ever living in this world.¡±

    The bald brute¡¯s eyebrows shot up, and he slapped his own face while speaking with a crisp yet feeble voice, ¡°Come on then, hit me?

    So, do you still want me to kneel?

    Are you dreaming?

    How did your parents raise you?

    Didn¡¯t they tell you there are some people in this world you just can¡¯t afford to mess with?

    Haven¡¯t they taught you that provoking others can be worse than death!¡±

    Liu Hun¡¯s expression darkened, he didn¡¯t speak, but with a swift move, he was in Big Black¡¯s face.

    The bald brute urgently shouted, ¡°Good opportunity!

    Xiao Hei, bite him!

    Bite him so he becomes unable to look after himself!

    Tear off one of his fingers!¡±

    With a whip of his leg, Liu Hun struck Big Black¡¯s head.

    Fen Ran quickly closed her eyes, daring not to look.

    She seemed to envision Liu Hun being mauled to death by Big Black, already imagining Liu Hun with broken arms and legs.

    ¡°Boom!¡± A violent noise erupted near her ears.

    She didn¡¯t know what had happened, nor how Liu Hun was faring.

    All she knew was that something had struck the rocks, as she felt a gust of wind carrying fragments of stone flying toward her.

    Her heart prayed as she slowly opened her eyes.

    Before she could let out a scream, her eyes went wide with shock, unable to speak.

    She would have never imagined Big Black slamming into the rocks, with a deep dent in his round head, blood and brains spattering out, gasping ragged breaths through his mouth.

    Between Liu Hun and Big Black lay a long, bloody streak, gruesomely vivid.

    Fen Ran didn¡¯t know what had occurred; after all, she hadn¡¯t opened her eyes.

    But the bald brute had seen everything.

    Liu Hun¡¯s leg whipped perfectly against Big Black¡¯s forehead, sending the dog¡¯s body flying like a cannonball before it crashed onto the gravel.

    Such a powerful kick was something even he couldn¡¯t achieve.

    Big Black wasn¡¯t dead yet.

    Liu Hun quickly stepped toward him, slamming a heavy fist onto Big Black¡¯s forehead, a muffled groan as haunting as a scream.

    The bald brute was dumbstruck; he wanted to flee, to leave this place.

    But no matter how much he tried, he couldn¡¯t lift his feet.

    Watching Liu Hun approach step by step, feeling the coldness in Liu Hun¡¯s eyes, a chill ran through his entire body.

    ¡°Kneel!¡± Liu Hun commanded gravely.

    ¡°Whack!¡± The bald brute¡¯s legs hit the ground as he kneeled, not daring to stand.

    Liu Hun pointed to the old ash tree, ¡°Crawl!

    Crawl to it right now!

    And if you dare do anything against my will, I¡¯ll cripple you!¡±

    The bald brute, terrified speechless, began wriggling his body slowly forward, his hands and knees on the ground, his waist bent.

    Fen Ran knew what Liu Hun was trying to accomplish.

    She knew Liu Hun was strong, but she hadn¡¯t expected that he would take care of the bald brute so swiftly and efficiently, catching her completely off-guard, which could well leave other villagers dumbfounded, unsure if they could have subdued the bald brute themselves.

    Fen Ran stepped onto the bald brute¡¯s back and cautiously climbed down.

    Her body, soft as a marshmallow, started to slump towards the ground, but Liu Hun stepped forward, bracing her shoulders, and helped her sit on a rock.

    She wanted to lean into Liu Hun¡¯s embrace, to enjoy the warmth of his sturdy chest.

    Liu Hun didn¡¯t understand Fen Ran¡¯s intention; all he felt was his grip on her shoulders, sensing Fen Ran¡¯s body nearly collapsing into his arms.

 Chapter 13 - 13 13 A Grand Ride on Horseback

    ?13: Chapter 13 A Grand Ride on Horseback 13: Chapter 13 A Grand Ride on Horseback Liu Hun didn¡¯t know what Fen Ran meant.

    He looked into the vulnerability in Fen Ran¡¯s eyes, saw a tear welling up, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?

    Quick, show me the wound.¡±

    Fen Ran felt heartache.

    She slightly furrowed her brows as the hands Liu Hun rested on her shoulders emitted a faint warmth.

    She enjoyed this, and liked how Liu Hun was holding her.

    Only now did she truly understand why Bai Lian and Qin Yue were both drawn to Liu Hun.

    Because Liu Hun was a real man, by his side, one could feel the tenderness that other men couldn¡¯t provide.

    Liu Hun coldly smirked as he stood up.

    He walked over to the bald strongman, squatted down, ¡°You just said, you wanted to deal with me, wanted to set your dog on me, right?

    Now, there¡¯s still time to correct your mistake, I can even overlook the destruction of my cornfield.

    But, her leg was bitten by your dog, and if you can¡¯t get her back to the village on your back, I¡¯ll take your life!¡±

    The bald strongman trembled, nodding his head repeatedly.

    In front of Liu Hun, all his dominance melted into a meek little kitten.

    ¡°Now, immediately, go!¡± Liu Hun commanded in a deep voice.

    The bald strongman crawled towards Fen Ran in a scramble, sprawling on the ground with both his hands and feet.

    ¡°If you dare to make any other move, if you dare do anything else, I guarantee you¡¯ll be crippled for life!

    Do you understand me?¡± Liu Hun said icily.

    A twisted, mock smile appeared on the bald strongman¡¯s face, the flesh around his face contorting together.

    Fen Ran stepped back, her eyes filled with fear when she looked at the bald strongman.

    Seeing this, Liu Hun shook his head with a smile, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, I¡¯m here, he wouldn¡¯t dare do anything to you.¡±

    The bald strongman sullenly pursed his lips.

    A big guy like him couldn¡¯t beat a boy who looked like a bamboo stick; if word of this got out, how could he ever mix with the ten miles of countryside?

    Several village chiefs didn¡¯t dare to forcefully meddle with him, and now Liu Huyi, this kid?

    Liu Hun kicked the bald strongman¡¯s buttocks, with those shifty eyes, what was going through his mind, how could Liu Hun not guess?

    ¡°You want to die?¡±

    ¡°No, no...

    I don¡¯t wanna die!¡± the bald strongman pleaded repeatedly.

    ¡°Louder!¡± barked Liu Hun.

    ¡°I don¡¯t wanna die!¡± the bald strongman roared to the sky, his face ugly.

    Liu Hun¡¯s mouth curved into a smile.

    He squatted down, placing a palm on the bald strongman¡¯s neck, ¡°Now, I¡¯m asking you, I¡¯ve killed your dog, even dared to hit you, any objections?¡±

    ¡°No...

    none.¡±

    ¡°What about if I slap your face?¡± Liu Hun sneered coldly.

    ¡°No...¡±

    ¡°What was that?

    I didn¡¯t hear you clearly?¡± Liu Hun asked.

    ¡°No objections!

    I won¡¯t dare do it again, boss,¡± the bald strongman kept begging for mercy, worried that Liu Hun would smash him against a rock like he did with the dog, worried that Liu Hun would kill him with a single punch.

    Liu Hun had a deep disdain for the behavior of bullies; it was what he despised most.

    Had he not followed Fen Ran that day, who knew what might have happened to her.

    To deal with a bully, one needed to be even more fierce than the bully, to let them know they were not to be trifled with.

    Especially after seeing what the bully had done to Fen Ran, rage had filled his heart.

    ¡°Now, immediately behave like a dog, and let her ride you back to the village.

    If you have any other sneaky ideas, I won¡¯t spare you again,¡± Liu Hun¡¯s voice was ice cold.

    ¡°Yes, yes, yes,¡± the bald thug crouched on the ground.

    Fen Ran rode on the bald thug¡¯s back, listening to his barks along the way, while watching Liu Hun¡¯s icy face, looking particularly handsome.

    She found it hard to imagine that Liu Hun, once viewed as the poorest and least capable man in Wanbao Village, could possess such strength today, compelling the bully who was hated throughout ten miles of countryside to submit completely.

    She had initially wanted Liu Hun himself to carry her back to the village, but considering what people might say if they saw the two of them like that, she dismissed the idea.

    Having the bald thug, who had bullied her, act as a dog to ride back to the village was the ultimate satisfaction.

    Upon returning home, Liu Hun threw a piece of straw rope next to the bald thug, ¡°Put this rope around your neck yourself, then roll back home!

    If you dare to do this again, don¡¯t blame me for leaving you with a lifelong disability!¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes, yes,¡± the bald thug scurried to flee.

    Liu Hun promptly shouted, ¡°Stop right there!¡±

    The bald thug turned around tremblingly, ¡°Wha...

    what else is there?¡±

    With a smile on his lips, Liu Hun said, ¡°Listen carefully.

    This is Wanbao Village, and my name is Liu Hun.

    If you wish to seek revenge, come find me.

    Now, get lost!¡±

    He was not someone who enjoyed trouble, but he could make a guess or two about the bald thug¡¯s character.

    By saying this, he meant to direct all the bald thug¡¯s anger towards himself and steer him away from Fen Ran.

    Unable to take Liu Hun¡¯s torment any longer, the bald thug let out a cry of alarm, sprinted to the village entrance, and threw down the straw rope from his neck forcefully.

    His gaze fixed on where Liu Hun stood, he viciously declared, ¡°So, you¡¯re Liu Hun.

    Liu!

    Hun!

    You just wait for me, wait!¡±

    With that, he bolted away down the small road leading out of the village.

    ¡°Little Hun, you¡¯re so good to me, really, I never expected you to be this formidable.

    I¡¯ve never felt this relieved in my whole life.

    Today was really a joy,¡± Fen Ran chuckled, about to stand up when her hand accidentally brushed her injured calf, causing her eyes to squint in pain with an ¡°ouch.¡±

    ¡°Let me take a look,¡± Liu Hun carefully shifted Fen Ran onto the chair.

    Just as he knelt down, lifting Fen Ran¡¯s calf slowly, his hands were extremely gentle on her leg muscle, feeling the extreme softness and the elasticity covered by the flesh-colored transparent stockings, creating an aesthetic of flowing curves.

    Nevertheless, Liu Hun¡¯s gaze focused on a swollen wound on her calf that had clearly been bitten by a dog.

    ¡°If this wound isn¡¯t treated properly, once infected, it could lead to something serious,¡± Liu Hun frowned.

    ¡°Oh, is it that severe?

    Then...

    should I go to the hospital?¡± Fen Ran became anxious upon hearing Liu Hun¡¯s words.

    Liu Hun glanced at his right palm.

    He faintly felt that he could heal the wound effectively.

    However, using True Qi to heal could lead to misunderstandings and possibly make him the oddball in the villagers¡¯ mouths.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just to scare you.

    By the way, do you have red flower oil?¡± Liu Hun asked.

    ¡°Red flower oil, it¡¯s in the second drawer of that cabinet,¡± Fen Ran pointed to the second small cabinet placed on top, watching Liu Hun follow her finger to get it, feeling an increasing warmth in her heart.

    Liu Hun was really a gentle and considerate person; how had she not noticed it before?

    Liu Hun fetched the red flower oil, walked over to Fen Ran¡¯s side, ¡°It¡¯s going to hurt a bit; you¡¯ll have to bear with it.¡±

 Chapter 14 - 14 14 Give it a Try

    ?14: Chapter 14: Give it a Try 14: Chapter 14: Give it a Try ¡°Mm, I¡¯ll try to bear with it, Xiao Hun, but please be gentle, I¡¯m afraid of pain,¡± Fen Ran said, squinting her eyes, not daring to lift her head.

    Liu Hun poured some red flower oil into his palm and carefully began to rub his hands together.

    The liquid heated up as he rubbed, and soon after, he grasped Fen Ran¡¯s calf with both hands as the red flower oil slowly slid down from his palm.

    The calf muscles and meridians slowly expanded under the kneading of Liu Hun¡¯s hands, speeding up the blood circulation and reducing the swelling.

    ¡°Hmm?¡± Fen Ran bit her lip, unable to deny that Liu Hun¡¯s hands on her calf were very comfortable.

    It felt as if a warm heat was enveloping her calf, the muscles spreading out in all directions with the motion of Liu Hun¡¯s palms.

    Liu Hun smiled slightly as he felt a gentle white vapor slowly streaming from his palms while he pressed them against Fen Ran¡¯s calf.

    The red flower oil took shape beneath this mist, slowly traveling up along her calf muscles.

    Liu Hun noticed the swelling on the wound gradually decrease with the white vapor mixed with the red flower oil, fortunate that Fen Ran had her eyes closed and saw nothing.

    With her eyes closed, Fen Ran felt powerful surges relaxing her taut muscles.

    With each massage from Liu Hun¡¯s hands, the energy within her meridians skyrocketed.

    What surprised her the most was that Liu Hun possessed such skill.

    The more she thought about it, the more she felt that this young man before her might be capable of great things.

    ¡°Xiao Hun, it¡¯s kind of itchy,¡± Fen Ran murmured softly.

    Liu Hun frowned slightly.

    ¡°Itchy?

    That shouldn¡¯t be.

    With such a good technique, how could it itch?

    Maybe you¡¯re mistaken?

    If it really itches, there might be a risk of wound infection, which could cause serious trouble.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?

    That¡¯s not it,¡± Fen Ran pouted.

    ¡°I mean my calf is itchy from your rubbing!¡±

    Itchy?

    Liu Hun was curious; he pressed his fingers a bit harder into the calf muscle, and every push made Fen Ran gasp, ¡°Gentle...

    gentle...

    it hurts a bit.¡±

    Liu Hun helplessly said, ¡°This shouldn¡¯t be a wound infection, but rather, your muscle is just reacting to the pressure.

    Fen Ran, should I massage it again?

    Look, the swelling has gone down quite a bit.¡±

    After Liu Hun finished speaking, Fen Ran opened her eyes and looked at her calf.

    True to Liu Hun¡¯s words, the swelling had significantly decreased under the influence of the red flower oil and his peculiar hand technique.

    How did he do it?

    It was almost more miraculous than going to the hospital.

    ¡°Oh my, that¡¯s not what I meant!

    Are you really that naive, or just pretending to be?¡± Fen Ran was getting a little anxious.

    Liu Hun frowned slightly; he truly didn¡¯t understand what Fen Ran was trying to say.

    All his life, he had focused solely on healing people, never concerning himself with other matters.

    He shook his head and said, ¡°I really don¡¯t understand.¡±

    Looking into Liu Hun¡¯s honest eyes, Fen Ran felt an urge to laugh.

    So pure and yet unaware of what he wanted to do, Xiao Hun was truly innocent.

    ¡°Alright, alright, keep massaging, keep massaging.

    You¡¯ve made my calf comfortable, but there are other places that aren¡¯t yet!

    Don¡¯t you want to?¡± Fen Ran chuckled, looking at Liu Hun with a pair of puzzled eyes, and couldn¡¯t help but speak out.

    Looking at Liu Hun, Fen Ran suddenly had a thought and asked softly, ¡°Do you like watching operas?¡±

    ¡°Like.¡± Liu Hun nodded.

    Fen Ran grinned and responded, ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, let me tell you about a drama.

    Maybe you¡¯ll find it pretty interesting?¡±

    ¡°Hmm.¡± Liu Hun nodded subconsciously, eagerly awaiting the drama Fen Ran was about to describe, which he had never seen before.

    After all, everyone loves a good drama in Wanbao Village.

    Fen Ran smiled faintly, ¡°Once upon a time, there was a rich young master named Mr.

    Ximen.

    One day, as he passed by an inn, Pan Jinlian just happened to open a window, and to her surprise, a stick fell out.

    The two saw each other and fell in love at first sight.

    Mr.

    Ximen joined Pan Jinlian for a meal, and during their dinner, Pan Jinlian¡¯s chopsticks dropped to the floor.

    As she was about to pick them up, Mr.

    Ximen grabbed her foot, and then...

    then Pan Jinlian could no longer bear it.¡±

    ¡°Why couldn¡¯t she bear it?¡±

    Liu Hun did not understand.

    He had never heard of such a drama.

    Perhaps it was not the kind of play that made it onto the stage, but Fen Ran brought up this story to tell him something, though he was not sure what.

    Fen Ran chuckled, unsure if Liu Hun was playing dumb or pretending, ¡°Silly, a woman¡¯s foot should not be touched by any man other than her own husband, and you...¡±

    ¡°I get it.¡± Before Fen Ran could finish, Liu Hun grabbed Fen Ran¡¯s small foot and slowly lifted it.

    By rights, even if Liu Hun understood, he should not have been interested in her foot.

    He quickly asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?

    You...

    you¡¯re acting a bit strange today.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t move; I can heal you in an instant.

    If you fidget, beware I might accidentally harm your bones.

    Then, anything you do would be in vain.¡± Liu Hun was getting impatient; he knew what Fen Ran wanted to say, but he certainly would not do it.

    For him, it was better to focus his energy on thoroughly studying the book they had unearthed.

    Just as Fen Ran was about to say something, Liu Hun had already pressed several acupoints on her body.

    Suddenly, a warm current dashed through her acupoints and quickly entered her body.

    In the blink of an eye, Liu Hun took a deep breath and announced, ¡°Fen Ran, it¡¯s done.¡±

    Fen Ran felt the pain in her calf dissipate, replaced with comfort.

    Surprised, she looked down to see that the wound on her leg had vanished, along with the intense pain.

    The muscles in her calf had returned to their regular state, and she even felt she could run three laps without a problem.

    Fen Ran was thrilled; she stood up and ran a few laps, ¡°Goodness, this is truly amazing!

    I never expected you to be so skilled, Liu Huyi.

    You¡¯re even more incredible than the ¡®reincarnated someone¡¯ and better at healing than scraping bone to treat injury!¡±

    Liu Huyi chuckled and touched his forehead, ¡°You flatter me, that bone scraping treatment should be Hua Tuo¡¯s.

    In terms of genuine medical skills, I still have a long way to go compared to him.¡±

    ¡°Fen Ran, this isn¡¯t flattery; this is a great skill!

    You must hone it and develop it properly.

    Perhaps one day it could become a significant asset and benefit us all,¡± Fen Ran said earnestly.

    If Liu Huyi could leave Wanbao Village, perhaps he could lead them all to prosperity.

 Chapter 15 - 15 15 Just a Little Cough Relief

    ?15: Chapter 15: Just a Little Cough Relief 15: Chapter 15: Just a Little Cough Relief ¡°Wait for me, I¡¯ll run home first, don¡¯t go anywhere!¡± Fen Ran said with a smile as she ran back home.

    Liu Hun watched Fen Ran¡¯s departing figure strangely, unable to guess what she was thinking.

    If only the dilapidated temple at the village entrance could be used to store medicinal herbs and then develop medical skills for the welfare of the villagers of Wanbao Village.

    Wouldn¡¯t that be wonderful?

    However, he knew in his heart that to obtain the temple, he must get the village chief¡¯s approval.

    The village chief¡¯s home was indeed much more affluent than an average family¡¯s home, with many pieces of furniture and items Liu Hun had never seen.

    Just as Liu Hun was marveling at it, the main door suddenly opened, and two men walked in.

    ¡°Oh dear, look at me...

    you can¡¯t say that, can you?

    This bronchitis of mine can¡¯t get better in a short while.¡± The village chief, Ye Canghai, smiled awkwardly, scratching the back of his head.

    Before the other man spoke, Ye Canghai noticed Liu Hun sitting in front of his house.

    Feeling odd, he asked, ¡°Eh?

    Liu Hun, what are you doing at my place?¡±

    Liu Hun stood up and explained everything he knew.

    Ye Canghai laughed heartily, ¡°Good, good, thanks to you.

    If it weren¡¯t for you, my little woman would have suffered.

    Liu Hun, I really need to thank you.¡±

    ¡°Rural folks,¡± the man nearby scoffed.

    Whether his voice was too low or not, Ye Canghai paid him no mind and patted Liu Hun on the shoulder, ¡°Not bad, with your skills, if you use them in the city, you could become a captain of the security team.

    That would benefit our Wanbao Village!¡±

    ¡°The skills of a street performer and you dare to show them off?¡± The man laughed coldly, his eyes peculiar.

    To him, Liu Hun was just an unemployed vagrant, a true country bumpkin.

    This man, Liu Hun knew, was Mo Wen, the only one in the village who had attended high school.

    Because of this, after graduating, his view of the villagers changed.

    In all of Wanbao Village, only the village chief¡¯s home was worthy in his eyes.

    Liu Hun raised his eyebrows, ¡°Village chief, I¡¯d like to borrow the dilapidated temple at the village entrance to store medicinal herbs, would that be okay?¡±

    ¡°This...

    Liu Hun, it¡¯s not that I¡¯m saying this, but the dilapidated temple is property of the entire village.

    If I just give it to you like this, it might not be appropriate,¡± Ye Canghai said reluctantly.

    ¡°Village chief, I know the temple is the village¡¯s communal property.

    But I want to store herbs and open a pharmacy for everyone¡¯s good, don¡¯t I?

    I can help everyone when they¡¯re sick.¡± Ling Fei felt uneasy.

    From the moment the village chief and Mo Wen entered, he felt Mo Wen¡¯s strange gaze upon him.

    Until just now, when he proposed to store herbs in the temple, Mo Wen¡¯s eyes seemed to blaze with fire.

    Could it be that this guy also wanted the temple?

    ¡°Liu Hun, listen to me.

    This dilapidated temple is the only property in the village, belonging to everyone.

    I can¡¯t make decisions on my own,¡± Ye Canghai said, looking troubled.

    Mo Wen sneered, ¡°Village chief, ignore him.

    He¡¯s just a person with no connections.

    What does he know about business opportunities?¡±

    Liu Hun felt that in the past few years, he had only occasionally encountered Mo Wen and couldn¡¯t remember how he had offended this kid.

    ¡°You can¡¯t say that, can¡¯t you?

    We can¡¯t just let the temple go to waste.

    I¡¯m doing a good deed for the whole village.¡±

    Mo Wen chuckled, ¡°What nonsense are you talking about?

    By your logic, if no one goes to the bank, does that mean the money can be used?

    You step aside, don¡¯t block us.¡±

    Liu Hun grew impatient with Mo Wen constantly clashing with him.

    He decisively said, ¡°In that case, let¡¯s let the whole village vote.

    If they disagree, I¡¯ll abandon the temple, and you can think whatever you want.¡±

    ¡°This...¡± This clearly was a slap in his face.

    Everyone knew that Liu Hun had cured Mao¡¯er and beaten the one-eyed old lady, which gained him some status in Wanbao Village.

    He worried that if this kid had a vote, his dreams would be dashed.

    Mo Wen¡¯s mouth twitched, unable to think of anything to counter Liu Hun.

    He forced a smile and said to Ye Canghai, ¡°This is really...

    Liu Hun saying this is just disrespecting the village chief.

    How can he go out like this?

    Whether he can get the temple¡¯s usage right isn¡¯t it just up to one word from the village chief?¡±

    After speaking, Mo Wen arrogantly tilted his chin at Liu Hun and said, ¡°I¡¯m right, village chief.

    I¡¯ve seen you cough for a long time, so I brought something really good for you to cure your cough.¡±

    ¡°Really?

    Quick, let me see!¡± The village chief¡¯s eyes lit up.

    Mo Wen lifted his bag, ¡°Look, these are top-quality pears that can cure your cough.

    One can promote blood circulation and remove stasis, two can stop coughing.

    Quick effects, immediate increase, see the good.¡±

    ¡°What you¡¯re saying is true?¡± Ye Canghai was thrilled hearing Mo Wen¡¯s words.

    If these pears really worked, not to mention one dilapidated temple, even two wouldn¡¯t be a problem!

    Liu Hun helplessly smiled, realizing that this guy also had his eyes on the temple and even brought gifts.

    Emotionally and rationally, Ye Canghai had no reason to refuse, especially with his long-standing bronchitis, these pears seemed like a perfect remedy.

    ¡°Fake,¡± Liu Hun laughed coldly.

    ¡°You...¡± Mo Wen¡¯s hand holding the pear suddenly halted in mid-air.

    He snorted, ¡°What do you know?

    These are top-quality pears, excellent supplements.

    I see, you just can¡¯t get your hands on it and still want to bite!¡±

    ¡°Fake is fake, it¡¯s a fact that can¡¯t be changed,¡± Liu Hun glanced at Mo Wen.

    ¡°Say that again!¡± Mo Wen was enraged, pointing straight at Liu Hun.

    ¡°You make these statements clear here today.

    If you don¡¯t explain it properly, I¡¯ll never let you go!

    It¡¯s an insult; it¡¯s slander!¡±

    Ye Canghai wanted to mediate between the two but couldn¡¯t suppress a cough and coughed several times.

    Liu Hun chuckled and said, ¡°Since these pears are so magical as you said, let the village chief try them.

    If eating two still has no effect, you would just slap your own face, wouldn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°You...¡± Liu Hun¡¯s words left Mo Wen tongue-tied.

    He had said it to strengthen his impressions of himself in the village chief¡¯s heart.

    With one sentence, Liu Hun not only hit Mo Wen back to his original form but left him instantly speechless, not knowing what to say.

    Countless people coveted the decrepit temple at the village entrance.

    Mo Wen thought he would be the first to start, but looking at Liu Hun, he finally understood that this kid would definitely become his future opponent.

 Chapter 16 - 16 16 A Powerful Dragon Cannot Suppress a Local Snake

    ?16: Chapter 16: A Powerful Dragon Cannot Suppress a Local Snake 16: Chapter 16: A Powerful Dragon Cannot Suppress a Local Snake ¡°I could cure him, but you can¡¯t!

    Because I do what I¡¯m capable of doing,¡± Liu Hun said coldly.

    Unlike others, he didn¡¯t just brag.

    Being able to treat the village chief was better than any gift.

    ¡°You think you can treat him well?

    Are you kidding me?

    You could cure Mao¡¯er before just because you were lucky.

    This time, it¡¯s bronchitis.

    Do you really think you¡¯re omnipotent, some kind of reincarnation, or what,¡± Mo Wen spat sarcastically.

    It wasn¡¯t that he looked down on Liu Hun, but in Mo Wen¡¯s eyes, Liu Hun¡¯s status was already low.

    There were many rumors about Liu Hun these days, but not much made it into his ears.

    Now, after Liu Hun said this, he suddenly wanted to laugh.

    If bronchitis could be cured with a few herbs, then what was the point of hospitals?

    He refused to believe Liu Hun was as legendary as the rumors said!

    ¡°Who said Liu Hun can¡¯t do it?¡± At the entrance of the staircase, a woman in changed clothes walked down slowly.

    Her face was flushed, eyes gleaming with a peculiar light.

    From the moment she entered until now, half an hour had passed, and Liu Hun had no idea what this chick did at home in that half-hour to make him wait so long.

    ¡°You¡¯re here?¡± Seeing this woman, village chief Ye Canghai awkwardly smiled, a bit at a loss.

    Fen Ran glared at Ye Canghai.

    This guy always had issues with Liu Hun¡¯s ability.

    If it weren¡¯t for Liu Hun today, she wouldn¡¯t even know if her leg could recover.

    Ye Canghai smiled awkwardly, ¡°Well...

    I didn¡¯t know...

    for our own good, Ling Fei has some skills, but he doesn¡¯t have a certificate.

    What if someone dies?

    If people came to confront us, I¡¯d definitely be the first to suffer.¡±

    Fen Ran glared fiercely at Ye Canghai.

    Liu Hun¡¯s capability was evident to everyone.

    Not only did he uncover the secret of the one-eyed old woman, but he also helped everyone break the feudal superstitions.

    One could say his contributions were significant.

    ¡°He¡¯s now helping you with your bronchitis.

    Are you going to do it or not?

    If you don¡¯t, you can forget about getting into bed tonight!

    You keep coughing and coughing, and it¡¯s starting to affect my sleep!¡± Fen Ran said disdainfully.

    Mo Wen chuckled dryly, unsure how to alleviate Ye Canghai¡¯s awkward situation.

    After all, this was Ye Canghai¡¯s family matter, and he couldn¡¯t intervene.

    But if Liu Hun was really so incredible, then why would the village still need a doctor?

    He had long set his eyes on this rundown temple and didn¡¯t want Liu Hun to take it over.

    A bundle of wood was worth a fortune; if it were short of any, he¡¯d cry for sure.

    ¡°But this...¡± Ye Canghai gritted his teeth and nodded heavily, ¡°Alright then!

    Liu Hun, go ahead, what¡¯s the worst that can happen?

    Maybe you¡¯ll really make me feel a lot better.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s more like it,¡± Fen Ran nodded.

    Liu Hun quickly grasped Ye Canghai¡¯s left hand, placing his fingers on Ye Canghai¡¯s acupuncture points.

    As he pressed continuously, a stream of energy flowed from his fingertips into Ye Canghai¡¯s body, climbing through his veins and blood vessels straight to the trachea.

    Ye Canghai only felt a breath gathering in his throat, and before he could fully react, he coughed violently, turning red in the face, extremely painful, as if his entire face was knotting up.

    Seeing this, Mo Wen instantly tensed up, ¡°Oh no, this is going to be the death of someone!¡±

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Fen Ran felt resentful, ¡°Barking all day like a dog, if you¡¯re not tired, others are!¡±

    Mo Wen shut his mouth immediately, unable to say anything.

    Fen Ran was Ye Canghai¡¯s wife and the second-in-command in the village.

    Besides, Ye Canghai was a typical henpecked husband.

    Angering Fen Ran would render all his efforts in vain.

    ¡°Liu Hun...

    what...

    what¡¯s going on?¡± Ye Canghai was about to ask in doubt when his trachea went numb, causing him extreme pain.

    The continuous coughing echoed throughout the courtyard, and even the neighbors heard Ye Canghai¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Refreshing!

    Truly refreshing!¡±

    After Liu Hun withdrew his hand, Ye Canghai laughed heartily to the sky.

    The chronic illness that had plagued him for years finally received perfect treatment.

    The lack of hydraulic feeling in his throat made Ye Canghai feel refreshed.

    He looked at his hands, feeling the airflow rushing up and down in his throat, and took a deep breath.

    The lightness he hadn¡¯t felt in so long made him want to shout towards his courtyard.

    Mo Wen was stunned, watching Ye Canghai¡¯s comfortable expression, he couldn¡¯t help but rub his eyes.

    The miraculous effect of curing a chronic illness in just a few moments opened his eyes.

    Liu Hun patted Mo Wen on the shoulder, ¡°Mo Wen, this is just a little thing.

    Remember, there¡¯s always someone better, don¡¯t think you¡¯re great just because you¡¯ve read a few books.

    Sometimes, the truly powerful is yet to come.¡±

    Mo Wen looked upset, never expecting this brat Liu Hun to actually cure the village chief.

    Staying here any longer would only boost Liu Hun¡¯s momentum.

    He chuckled awkwardly, ¡°Well, village chief, I just remembered something might not be settled at home.

    So, I¡¯ll head back to check.

    We can discuss this in detail another day.¡±

    As soon as he finished, he was stopped by Fen Ran after just a couple of steps.

    ¡°Hold on, Mo Wen, you should take these things back.

    Even though being a village chief isn¡¯t much, if others find out, it¡¯s not good,¡± Fen Ran said.

    Hearing his wife¡¯s words, Ye Canghai couldn¡¯t say anything, so he had to act as the village chief, ¡°Yes, you should take them back.¡±

    Mo Wen¡¯s mouth twitched, barely having arrived and without delivering his gifts, he received his marching orders.

    Angrily, he grabbed the pear beside him and stormed out.

    With Fen Ran¡¯s support and Ye Canghai¡¯s help, the broken temple¡¯s rights transferred smoothly into Liu Hun¡¯s hands.

    Once Liu Hun obtained the temple, he didn¡¯t rush to find medicinal materials but considered how the temple, not repaired for years, could easily collapse.

    Without repairs, he feared that during treatment, villagers¡¯ little heads might get hurt.

    But how to repair it?

    Where would the money come from?

    Liu Hun sat in his home¡¯s chair, pondering for a moment.

    Just as he was about to get up, a graceful figure entered from the doorway.

    He looked up, and it was Bai Lian.

    ¡°Liu Hun, you¡¯re home.

    I was worried if you weren¡¯t here, what then?¡± Bai Lian said with concern.

    Liu Hun shot Bai Lian a peculiar glance, ¡°What¡¯s up?

    Bai Lian, do you need something from me?¡±

    Bai Lian didn¡¯t enter Liu Hun¡¯s room; she scratched her head and chuckled dryly, ¡°Liu Hun, this illness might be a bit tricky.

    Could you come with me to Qin Yue¡¯s home to take a good look at her?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with her?¡± As soon as he heard Qin Yue was sick, Liu Hun immediately stood up.

    He wanted to know what illness Qin Yue had, so getting the medicine would become much easier.

    After all, relying solely on an airflow to treat others would soon make him an anomaly in the eyes of the entire village.

 Chapter 17 - 17 17 Hidden Danger

    ?17: Chapter 17 Hidden Danger 17: Chapter 17 Hidden Danger ¡°This illness could only be checked if you and I go together.

    If...

    I...

    oh dear, I can¡¯t put it into words.

    It¡¯s a woman¡¯s secret.

    Won¡¯t you come with me?

    There are some things I...

    I really can¡¯t say out loud.¡± Bai Lian grew more nervous as she spoke, her delicate little face looking as if it could drip water.

    Liu Hun smiled faintly, not quite understanding what Bai Lian meant.

    Since it was an illness, she could have said something, but if she couldn¡¯t speak of it, it was usually a condition affecting the trifecta of points.

    By the looks of it, this was a gynecological issue.

    Bai Lian¡¯s voice grew quieter as she spoke until she glanced around, fearing someone might misunderstand.

    After all, Liu Hun wasn¡¯t the same as before, being able to cure Mao¡¯er, heal Ye Canghai, and resolve the sinister magic of the one-eyed old lady and her two sons.

    He¡¯d been a great help to the village.

    Liu Hun said nothing more, taking the shortcut with Bai Lian all the way to Qin Yue¡¯s house.

    Qin Yue was the youngest woman in the village and had the best figure.

    Years ago, she had married a well-known wealthy man in the village, but as the man¡¯s business grew bigger, Qin Yue had to stay behind to take care of the home.

    Bai Lian took Liu Hun to the house.

    Qin Yue opened the door without a hint of displeasure.

    But when she saw Liu Hun, she was momentarily stunned, his smile at the corner of his lips like the warmest sunshine in the world shining on her heart.

    Her whole body trembled, and she nearly fell over from the tingling sensation.

    Seeing Qin Yue not speaking, Bai Lian looked at Liu Hun¡¯s vacant eyes and suddenly felt out of place, redundant.

    Rather than staying here looking foolish, she¡¯d better...

    ¡°You?

    You¡¯d better talk to her yourself.¡±

    With those words, Bai Lian ran off in a flash.

    Qin Yue didn¡¯t know how to start, so she chatted with Liu Hun for a while until she suddenly felt unwell.

    If not for her body leaning against the wall, she felt like she would collapse.

    However, before Liu Hun could approach, she steadied herself, looking at Liu Hun with a serious expression, ¡°Liu Hun, let me ask you something.

    You must answer me honestly!¡±

    ¡°Hmm, go ahead,¡± Liu Hun nodded.

    With Liu Hun¡¯s assurance, Qin Yue finally exhaled a breath and carefully asked, ¡°In your heart, what kind of person do you think I am?¡±

    Women who stayed at home generally cared deeply about their reputation.

    Bai Lian did, and this woman did too.

    At least in Liu Hun¡¯s heart, he had a good impression of Qin Yue.

    ¡°You¡¯re a good person, different from other women.

    In your voice, I can feel something others don¡¯t have,¡± Liu Hun chuckled.

    In the hearts of the villagers, Qin Yue was nearly a perfect goddess with that tiny waist, that stunning face.

    Many men harbored thoughts about her.

    Only, everyone knew Qin Yue was a fierce woman; anyone who provoked her would certainly face disaster.

    ¡°Good, since you say that, I¡¯m relieved.

    However, Liu Hun, my ailment is unlike others, it¡¯s not an illness per se, just...

    just...¡± As she spoke, she moved to the door.

    The reason for going to the door was to prevent any surprises.

    If, while removing her pants, someone suddenly broke in, she would react quickly.

    With one man and one woman in the room, they were bound to gossip.

    No matter how she explained, others wouldn¡¯t believe her.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Liu Hun asked.

    He found Qin Yue acting strange today, not as fierce as before, lacking yesterday¡¯s decisiveness, and instead displayed a little woman¡¯s demeanor.

    Suddenly, Qin Yue began taking off her pants, the black stockings slowly sliding down her thighs, revealing white and tender skin.

    Liu Hun couldn¡¯t sit still, under the broad daylight, she actually started undressing in front of him.

    Even if there was an ailment, even if worried about his ability to heal, there was no need to repay his efforts like this.

    Moreover, not long ago, he had already obtained the usage rights of the abandoned temple from the village chief, Ye Canghai.

    As long as the medicinal materials were stored in the abandoned temple, he could carefully renovate and then treat the villagers.

    ¡°Wait!¡± Liu Hun took a deep breath, needing to calm his mind.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?

    The root of my condition is below.

    Aren¡¯t you skilled in medicine?

    Please take a good look.¡± Qin Yue¡¯s face blushed more seeing Liu Hun¡¯s tense expression.

    After all, in such a private part, it meant a lot to her.

    ¡°Really no need.¡± Liu Hun wiped the sweat from his forehead; he wasn¡¯t sure what Qin Yue was thinking, but when she removed her pants, he had already caved in.

    Both of them sat back down, Liu Hun took a deep breath, it took him a while to calm his restless heart.

    As for Qin Yue, her red, blushing face looked as if water could be squeezed out.

    ¡°That¡¯s great, Liu Hun, I never expected you to be so capable.

    If you really get rid of this ailment for your sister, whatever you want, your sister will give it to you!¡± After saying this, she felt something amiss, and her little face blushed even more.

    ¡°I will take your pulse.¡± Liu Hun sat next to Qin Yue.

    Qin Yue nodded, extending her hand to Liu Hun¡¯s side.

    Liu Hun chuckled awkwardly, ¡°It might have some effect on you.

    Because, doing this, you might feel some numbness.¡±

    ¡°Numbness is nothing!¡± Qin Yue replied seriously, ¡°Sister fears nothing, go ahead!¡±

    Liu Hun didn¡¯t speak further.

    He sat beside Qin Yue, pressed two fingers on her pulse.

    One had to say, this woman was distributing stress quite well; there wasn¡¯t the usual irritation of a widow within her body, but rather a steady flow of blood and energy.

    What puzzled him was that her heartbeat was speedy, as if something was applied to her lower body, resembling ointment on critical areas, which led to her initially taking off her pants.

    Liu Hun¡¯s two fingers pressed on Qin Yue¡¯s pulse, his fingertips moved over each acupuncture point, with white energy infusing into her body to smooth her channels.

    Qin Yue¡¯s body softly trembled, her gentle moans echoing like a kitten in Liu Hun¡¯s heartstrings.

    He was still a man, a man just over twenty.

    To withstand such a fiery temptation and resist the allure of her voice was extremely challenging.

    When Liu Hun¡¯s fingers withdrew from Qin Yue¡¯s wrist, her body, like cotton, collapsed onto him.

    Liu Hun carefully supported her, not daring to touch her shoulders too much.

    After assisting her back up, he deliberately distanced himself from her.

    ¡°Almost done, I¡¯ll prescribe you a couple of concoctions, and after taking them, you¡¯ll recover.¡±

    Liu Hun smiled, pulling out paper and pen swiftly jotting down a prescription.

    He was only curious about why this girl had such an unusual symptom, something not triggered by an ailment at all.

 Chapter 18 - 18 18 A Knife Over the Character for Lust

    ?18: Chapter 18 A Knife Over the Character for Lust 18: Chapter 18 A Knife Over the Character for Lust Ordinary illnesses could often be detected through pulse reading alone, revealing the peculiarities within the body.

    When Liu Hun placed his fingers on Qin Yue¡¯s pulse, he felt not only an unstable energy but also a blood temperature higher than any woman¡¯s, likely due to a burst of hormones in her brain causing discomfort.

    Liu Hun certainly knew what this meant, but he would never act on it.

    ¡°Liu Hun, just be honest with me,¡± Qin Yue grew more nervous as she spoke, ¡°I won¡¯t really have any serious problem, will I?

    If there¡¯s something wrong, you can tell me, it¡¯s okay, I can handle it!¡±

    Liu Hun awkwardly smiled; it was indeed troublesome to talk about this.

    However, Qin Yue was no outsider, and it wouldn¡¯t hurt to discuss it here since there were no people around, especially not busybodies like Aunt Qiu.

    ¡°Qin Yue, I¡¯m not trying to trick you.

    Although I haven¡¯t seen the exact cause of your illness, I can at least sense the fervor of your blood through your pulse.

    Now, tell me what is really going on?

    Why did you want to take off your pants?

    Do you have some strange, embarrassing disease?¡±

    This was what Liu Hun was most curious about; no matter the ailment, or how private the area, one should still be able to show it to a doctor, though he had stopped it earlier.

    But somehow...

    the site of Qin Yue¡¯s malady only deepened his confusion.

    Qin Yue understood what Liu Hun meant, her face flushed with embarrassment, and she looked down, too shy to speak.

    Not until Liu Hun urged her did she slowly lift her head, her features as charmingly red as the setting sun, and there seemed to be a faint sound of her catching her breath.

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you, but you mustn¡¯t laugh at me,¡± Qin Yue worried that once she spoke, Liu Hun would laugh.

    She had her pride, and there were things a man shouldn¡¯t know about, especially a man as masculine as Liu Hun, who made many women in the village swoon.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t laugh at you.

    And right now, I¡¯m your doctor, here to treat you.

    If you don¡¯t tell me the source of the problem, how can I know what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Liu Hun gave Qin Yue a reassurance, and smiled lightly.

    Relieved by Liu Hun¡¯s words, Qin Yue no longer held back.

    She then placed a long, thick object from behind her onto the table and said, ¡°All the men are out there striving, and which woman wouldn¡¯t want to find a solution for some problems?

    Liu Hun, you see, if this gets out, won¡¯t it be embarrassing?¡±

    ¡°The source of your problem might be right here,¡± Liu Hun slightly frowned, staring intently at the smooth object on the table, ¡°Qin Yue, have you been using this all along?

    Have there been any problems with it before?¡±

    ¡°Before?

    There was none... but this past month, I¡¯ve felt uncomfortable using it,¡± Qin Yue scratched her head, ¡°Do you think the problem might be with it?¡±

    Liu Hun nodded solemnly, ¡°Possibly, maybe it¡¯s contaminated with something.¡±

    ¡°Contaminated?¡± Qin Yue lowered her head, lost in thought.

    Suddenly, she shot up and exclaimed in alarm, ¡°No way...

    I need to check if my items are still hung outside on the wall!¡±

    Liu Hun did not follow her; such a situation could be awkward if a man were present.

    Before Liu Hun could react, Qin Yue had already run outside.

    A few minutes later, Liu Hun sat inside, hearing no noise from outside.

    Just a glance at those knobbly items wouldn¡¯t take long; could something have happened?

    ¡°Qin Yue?

    Qin Yue?¡± Liu Hun called out as he walked outside.

    No one was around, and the knobbly items hanging on the wall were intact, as if untouched.

    As he was about to regain his composure, a wailing noise came from the neighboring house.

    ¡°Qin Yue?¡± Liu Hun softly called, grasping a stick beside him.

    He walked toward the side house, and as his steps quickened, a foul odor increasingly filled the air.

    It was a smell Liu Hun found disturbingly familiar.

    With a push of the door, Liu Hun, without a second word, threw the stick in his hand toward the figure inside.

    ¡°Ouch!¡± A cry of pain rang out as a man dressed in disheveled clothes fell to the ground.

    ¡°You...

    who are you?¡±

    Liu Hun moved in front, recognizing the man¡¯s face, ¡°Mo Wen?¡±

    He instantly recognized him as the man who had recently wanted to compete with him for the right to use the dilapidated temple at the village chief¡¯s house.

    But what was Mo Wen doing in Qin Yue¡¯s side house?

    Could it be that this guy...

    A sound resembling a lamb¡¯s cry echoed from within the hay.

    Liu Hun looked over to see Qin Yue pressed down by Mo Wen in the hay, her hands tied and her mouth gagged, unable to scream.

    He suddenly felt relieved; had he arrived a moment later, who knows what might have happened.

    Liu Hun forcefully tore the ropes binding Qin Yue, and she instantly grabbed the stick from his hand and began savagely beating Mo Wen, ¡°You little brat!

    How long have you been holding back?

    How dare you target me?

    If it weren¡¯t for Liu Hun being here...

    today, I would¡¯ve truly fallen into your trap!¡±

    Liu Hun then realized, Mo Wen had targeted Qin Yue, the culprit behind tampering with her items.

    But he hadn¡¯t expected Qin Yue to call him.

    Had it been delayed any longer, Mo Wen¡¯s effort over the past month would have come to fruition.

    ¡°Ow, ow...

    please, madam, stop, I was wrong,¡± Mo Wen wailed in pain.

    Mo Wen, trying to avoid the blows, moved frantically, his face twisting grotesquely with each strike.

    Qin Yue did not hold back, the force of her blows growing as her anger drew the villagers to the scene, eager for the spectacle.

    ¡°What¡¯s happened here?

    Why is it so noisy?

    Could there be a fight?¡±

    ¡°Oh my, I heard it too, it¡¯s so loud here.

    Hey, isn¡¯t that Mo Wen?

    Why is Qin Yue beating him?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s not just Mo Wen, Fei Zi is here too.¡±

    The villagers, usually occupied only with farm work, rarely got to witness such a scene.

    Now presented with a drama, they certainly weren¡¯t going to just walk away.

    Village chief Ye Canghai, along with his wife, was passing by Qin Yue¡¯s house when he was drawn by the noise of the villagers spectating.

    Normally, these people were too busy.

    Now gathered at Qin Yue¡¯s place, something must have happened to the girl ?????

 Chapter 19 - 19 19 The Wronged Person

    ?19: Chapter 19: The Wronged Person 19: Chapter 19: The Wronged Person ¡°Make way, make way!

    What¡¯s the point of everyone crowding around here?

    What¡¯s the excitement?

    What¡¯s there to see?¡± Village Chief Ye Canghai let out a cold laugh, pushing his way through the crowd with his wife by his side.

    Before he could speak, he saw Mo Wen crawling on the ground like a dog.

    His face bore wounds as though lashed by sticks, and he seemed to be in as much pain as an old hen laying eggs.

    ¡°You?

    What are you doing here?¡± Ye Canghai asked, puzzled.

    He knew that Mo Wen had been restless at home these past few days.

    Since the abandoned temple was no longer available for storing herbs, he had demolished the old house next door to stockpile wood for future emergencies.

    Logically speaking, he could have made something of himself, achieving success on his own.

    So why on earth was he here today?

    And of all places, in the home of Qin Yue, the woman with the best figure in Wanbao Village.

    ¡°Village Chief!

    You¡¯re finally here, finally!¡± Mo Wen wailed, kneeling at Ye Canghai¡¯s feet.

    Qin Yue clutched a stick in her hand, beating and running until she was panting heavily.

    With her hands on her hips and sweat rolling down her forehead and cheeks, she was so agitated she felt like whipping him three hundred more times wouldn¡¯t be enough to quench her anger.

    ¡°Damn it, Village Chief, you¡¯re finally here.

    This bastard has decent business to do but set his sights on me instead.

    If it weren¡¯t for Feizi arriving in time, God knows I might have fallen into this guy¡¯s clutches today.

    It¡¯s so infuriating, I never would have pegged Mo Wen as that kind of person!¡±

    Upon hearing this, Ye Canghai¡¯s expression changed dramatically.

    He knew the Mo family was somewhat well-off, but he had no idea Mo Wen¡¯s character was this deplorable.

    Mo Wen panicked, clearly sensing the shift in the surrounding gazes.

    Many looked at him with hatred, as if viewing a perennial villain.

    What would happen if the village chief found out?

    Not only would his prospects be bleak, but he might also struggle to live peacefully in the village thereafter.

    ¡°Village Chief, Village Chief, you have to believe me.

    Everything Qin Yue said is false, I...

    I¡¯m being wrongly accused!¡± His face elongated, and he cried like a tearful statue, the picture of wrongful blame, surpassing even the loss of Dou E.

    Listening to Qin Yue¡¯s words, Ye Canghai frowned slightly and crossed his arms authoritatively, looking every bit the official.

    With such an incident occurring in the village, how could they uphold the status of Wanbao Village?

    And how could he continue being the village chief?

    ¡°You...

    you¡¯re talking nonsense!¡± Qin Yue seethed.

    Ye Canghai glanced at the chaotic scene, which seemed disordered but, with some scrutiny, showed signs of truth.

    At least Qin Yue¡¯s claim that someone targeted her was true, for he saw the marks of bondage on her body.

    ¡°I¡¯m not talking nonsense!¡± Mo Wen touched the scar on his face and howled in pain.

    Qin Yue, infuriated, stamped her foot, ¡°You...

    you!¡±

    Fen Ran¡¯s frown deepened.

    Although she felt indescribably relieved to see that Qin Yue had nearly been violated, something seemed amiss when she noticed Liu Hun standing over the two, right in their midst.

    Why did Liu Hun always show up whenever something happened?

    Why was he in Qin Yue¡¯s house?

    ¡°I¡¯m not wrong!

    Village Chief, you must believe me.

    I wanted to go to the abandoned temple today, just passing by.

    But...

    I never would have imagined that these two were engaging in indecent acts at home.

    If I hadn¡¯t heard some odd noise, who knows how long they would have kept it a secret from everyone.

    No matter how much pain I endure, I have to bring the truth to light!¡±

    Groping his own face, the wound hurt so much that Mo Wen¡¯s mouth twitched.

    He was unwilling to submit, even less willing to be outwitted by that young woman.

    ¡°Is that really the case?¡± Ye Canghai looked coldly towards Liu Hun.

    He would rather focus all the questions on Liu Hun than turn his gaze to Qin Yue.

    He, too, wanted to possess Qin Yue, to gaze upon her graceful figure.

    But he hadn¡¯t expected that such a fine ¡°cabbage¡± would simply be rooted out by a ¡°pig.¡±

    Liu Hun coldly smiled; Ye Canghai¡¯s remark must have been stewing in his mind for quite some time.

    It was only today, taking advantage of Mo Wen, that he finally voiced his suspicions.

    In principle, if one¡¯s conduct was upright, they would not give away the slightest hint of impropriety.

    However, he would certainly own up to things he had done.

    As for the ones he hadn¡¯t committed, even if they bound him up, even if they tied him to a wooden rack, he would absolutely not nod in agreement.

    ¡°The situation is not at all as you¡¯ve seen, nor should you believe Mo Wen.

    When I arrived here, Qin Yue was already pinned down in the haystack by this lad.

    Look, there are still bits of hay on Qin Yue¡¯s body!

    That¡¯s the best evidence!

    Moreover, Mo Wen was about to strike, if I hadn¡¯t sensed something amiss, Qin Yue would have already met with a terrible fate!¡±

    While speaking, Liu Hun¡¯s gaze towards Mo Wen grew increasingly icy, as if he¡¯d like nothing more than to kick him right then and there.

    ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense, you¡¯re slandering me,¡± Mo Wen gritted his teeth.

    Previously, at the village chief¡¯s house, they had taken away his right to use the old temple and demeaned him over and over.

    Today, having finally caught a break, how could he possibly let it go easily!

    ¡°You little rat, you brought this upon yourself.

    Don¡¯t blame others!¡± Mo Wen smirked.

    But this smirk went unnoticed by all.

    ¡°Liu Hun, is this truly the case?¡± The village chief Ye Canghai had held some favorable views on Liu Hun, especially after he had cured his tracheitis.

    But having heard what Mo Wen said, coupled with his previous opinions about Liu Hun, he came to believe that Liu Hun took advantage of his accumulated reputation to cause trouble willfully.

    He didn¡¯t take him seriously, nor did he consider the villagers at all!

    ¡°Liu Hun...

    Liu Hun didn¡¯t do it!¡± As soon as Qin Yue heard this, she became anxious, stepped forward to defend Liu Hun, but was cut off, ¡°Let me handle it.¡±

    With Qin Yue¡¯s temperament, the more she explained, the more she would be misunderstood, further arousing the villagers¡¯ suspicion.

    Besides, when it was time to treat illness before, it also involved curing some private areas of Qin Yue¡¯s body, which would be unspeakable for a woman.

    ¡°Liu Hun, I know you are pretty formidable now, but rules are rules.

    If you don¡¯t give us an explanation today, if you don¡¯t clarify the situation thoroughly for everyone, even if you refuse to admit it, I will take you to the city, hand you over to the Security Team Captain!¡±

    Ye Canghai laid it out like this, not just to deter Liu Hun, but also to intimidate everyone present.

    The village chief¡¯s official position might be minor, but once he got serious, it was no laughing matter.

    Everyone turned against him, even Ye Canghai said so.

    The smile on Mo Wen¡¯s lips deepened, and his eyes filled with mockery when he looked at Liu Hun.

    Fight him?

    Impossible!

    Liu Hun took a deep breath as the murmurs of the surrounding villagers echoed in his ears.

    After completely calming the turmoil in his heart, Liu Hun then indifferently said, ¡°Let me handle this matter.

    In front of everybody, I will reveal the truth in its entirety, unequivocally so.¡±

 Chapter 20 - 20 20 Stirring Up Trouble

    ?20: Chapter 20 Stirring Up Trouble 20: Chapter 20 Stirring Up Trouble Mo Wen still wanted to say something, still wanted to defend himself.

    But when he saw Ye Canghai¡¯s icy gaze, he had to shut his mouth.

    In front of Ye Canghai, he seemed completely powerless, unable to even voice his own thoughts.

    Since Liu Hun wanted to defend himself so much, since he wanted to help Qin Yue, he couldn¡¯t let him have his way.

    Moreover, all the circumstances favored him now, and he didn¡¯t believe this kid could turn the tables.

    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll wait for you to speak.

    I don¡¯t believe you can change things, kid,¡± Mo Wen chuckled, his gaze toward Liu Hun increasingly disdainful.

    ¡°Everyone, watch closely and see the true face of this guy!¡±

    Fen Ran believed that Liu Hun could speak up but, given the situation, she couldn¡¯t say anything.

    As Ye Canghai¡¯s wife, she should stand behind him and watch her husband handle the matter at hand.

    But she never imagined that Liu Hun would appear in Qin Yue¡¯s house.

    Was she wrong in her thinking?

    ¡°This is going to be quite a show, hehehe, really want to see Liu Hun when he¡¯s down.¡±

    ¡°You want to see it?

    You might not be able to.¡±

    ¡°This is better than a play.¡±

    The villagers¡¯ chatter arose, but Liu Hun was not affected in the slightest.

    Ye Canghai frowned slightly.

    ¡°Liu Hun, this is your decision, and it¡¯s unchangeable.

    If you can¡¯t explain it clearly, today will be the last time you see everyone.¡±

    Liu Hun walked to Mo Wen¡¯s side, grabbed Mo Wen by the collar, and said in a deep voice, ¡°I¡¯m giving you a chance to change your statement.

    If you don¡¯t tell everyone the truth, don¡¯t blame me for being ruthless.¡±

    ¡°You...

    what truth?

    What I said, everything I said is true!¡±

    ¡°Smack!¡± A slap struck, leaving Mo Wen stunned.

    Liu Hun said in a deep voice, ¡°Say it again!¡±

    ¡°What I said is true!¡±

    ¡°Smack!¡± Another slap landed.

    Mo Wen covered his reddened face, looking at Liu Hun with eyes blazing like fire.

    ¡°Look, everyone, Liu Hun is going to hit someone.

    He¡¯s going to kill to silence.¡±

    ¡°Smack!¡±

    ¡°Liu Hun, you!¡± Mo Wen was furious.

    ¡°Smack!¡± Liu Hun continued with another slap.

    This time, Mo Wen didn¡¯t dare to voice his anger or contradict Liu Hun.

    After several slaps, his face was beaten into extreme asymmetry.

    He knew Liu Hun was formidable and once he became angry, Mo Wen was no match for him.

    But...

    he had long wanted to deal with Liu Hun, wanted him to know his own strength.

    Before, with village chief Ye Canghai helping him and other villagers supporting him, why were they all silent now?

    Liu Hun sneered coldly.

    Mo Wen¡¯s character was well-known.

    Daring to slander him in public, daring to tarnish Qin Yue¡¯s reputation, cost him nothing as reputation was just external, but for a woman, reputation sometimes equaled her life.

    Many were stunned by Liu Hun¡¯s repeated slaps; no one expected Liu Hun to choose this course of action.

    Exciting!

    Satisfying!

    This was how it should be, beating until he cried for his mother, hitting until he doubted life!

    Qin Yue felt a wave of relief in her heart, with every slap from Liu Hun her anger diminished.

    This was a real man, a man who spoke and acted with conviction!

    With this man by her side, even if she got divorced, even if she was disgraced, with Liu Hun she didn¡¯t care about anything.

    ¡°Liu Hun, you¡¯re wrong here.

    The matter has been entrusted to you, but acting like this is forcing a confession by torture.

    If this gets out, and the other villages find out, how will Wanbao Village get by?¡±

    In the crowd, a villager couldn¡¯t bear it any longer.

    Ye Canghai was slightly taken aback; he immediately clapped his hands.

    Yes, this was Wanbao Village, and this incident happened here.

    If people from other villages found out, it wouldn¡¯t just be Liu Hun and Qin Yue¡¯s reputations at stake.

    As the village chief, and the one with the most power here, he couldn¡¯t let the scandal spread.

    In this situation, he couldn¡¯t entirely control it.

    And no matter what he said, Liu Hun would never listen.

    Instead, it was better to observe the situation carefully.

    Liu Hun looked at the other villagers who were chiming in.

    Only then did he realize that although he had treated Mao¡¯er, exposing the one-eyed granny¡¯s trick, it hadn¡¯t earned him full trust from these people.

    If he acted rashly, it might backfire, and he could have his medical practice disrupted in the ruined temple in the future.

    No one would believe what they heard, and few would stand up for him.

    Human nature was both terrifying and capable of being understood.

    Regardless of today¡¯s outcome, regardless of how the villagers saw him, he had to expose Mo Wen today.

    Let them all see what this beast in human clothing was really like.

    ¡°I know that what I say, everyone might not believe.

    Since that¡¯s the case, let me take action and reveal this guy¡¯s true face, so everyone gets to know what kind of person Mo Wen really is!¡±

    As he spoke, Liu Hun stepped forward to Mo Wen, ¡°This is the opportunity you missed, so don¡¯t blame me for being ruthless!¡±

    ¡°You...

    what do you want to do?¡±

    Mo Wen looked at Liu Hun in terror, but before he could react, his clothes were torn off by Liu Hun.

    Exclamations ensued, many eyes focused on Mo Wen as if they had seen something extraordinary.

    ¡°My gosh...

    this...

    this bastard really is something, where did he get these items from?

    Can¡¯t believe he...¡±

    ¡°Wow, that takes guts.

    Who would have thought Mo Wen¡¯s tastes were this unusual?

    No one could accept that.¡±

    ¡°Could it be that we¡¯ve all wronged Liu Hun?¡±

    Listening to the villagers¡¯ discussions, Liu Hun felt confused.

    But when he looked at Mo Wen, he realized that a bunch of colorful women¡¯s underwear had fallen out.

    He knew that he no longer needed to explain, nor do anything else.

    Several villagers began to curse Mo Wen, and their trust in Liu Hun grew.

    This Mo Wen, smug as he seemed, assumed he was superior because he¡¯d studied for a few years and was still a high school student.

    Today they saw that this so-called high school student was actually a beast, a beast who liked to steal women¡¯s underwear.

    If Liu Hun hadn¡¯t appeared today, Qin Yue might have suffered at the hands of this kid.

    No one could have expected Mo Wen¡¯s loneliness to almost allow him to take advantage of Qin Yue.

 Chapter 21 - 21 21 Elevation

    ?21: Chapter 21 Elevation 21: Chapter 21 Elevation ¡°He really is a piece of work.

    And you still wanted to have him as your accountant?

    I honestly didn¡¯t expect that even you could misjudge someone.¡± Fen Ran spat lightly, casting a sidelong glance at her husband.

    If Liu Hun hadn¡¯t exposed Mo Wen in front of everyone today, they might still be kept in the dark, and even she might not have been able to escape danger.

    Women¡¯s instincts are generally sharp, and Ye Canghai couldn¡¯t say much in response.

    Mo Wen was indeed someone he brought in, and he had raised him up, but he never expected things to end up like this.

    Ye Canghai said nothing.

    It was Mo Wen¡¯s strong moment now, and there wasn¡¯t much he could say.

    Ye Canghai¡¯s silence also directly contributed to making Liu Hun the hero.

    Liu Hun stepped forward and kicked Mo Wen¡¯s backside.

    ¡°Get up, and kneel before everyone!¡±

    Mo Wen got up, listened to Liu Hun¡¯s words, and knelt down in tears before everyone.

    This act only reinforced what Liu Hun had said earlier and deepened the villagers¡¯ disdain and hatred toward Mo Wen.

    Such a person appearing in their Wanbao Village could only make them feel disgusted.

    ¡°Now, recount what you have done, including the things in your pocket.

    If you don¡¯t tell the truth, don¡¯t blame us for handing you over to the town¡¯s security team.

    By then, it won¡¯t be resolved in just a day or two!¡± Liu Hun chuckled threateningly, slightly warning Mo Wen.

    As expected, upon hearing Liu Hun¡¯s words, Mo Wen trembled with fear.

    ¡°I¡¯ll say...

    I¡¯ll say!

    I¡¯ll tell everything!¡±

    ¡°Today...

    it was my fault.

    I was coveting Qin Yue¡¯s beauty and went to her home to steal things...

    but...

    but I was caught by Liu Hun, who beat me up and let go of Qin Yue...

    As for...

    as for the things that fell out of my pocket, they were also taken from the clothes everyone hung out to dry, just to...

    satisfy my urges...¡±

    At this, Mo Wen slightly raised his head, not daring to meet Liu Hun¡¯s gaze.

    ¡°Qin Yue...

    today I saw what was hung on her wall, that wheel thing, and I thought...

    I thought she used it for...¡±

    ¡°Shut your filthy mouth!¡± Before Mo Wen could finish, Qin Yue interrupted.

    ¡°You dirty bastard, how dare you speak about it!¡±

    ¡°Everyone, please calm down and listen to me.¡± Ling Fei knew what Mo Wen was trying to say and also understood why Qin Yue interrupted him.

    He suddenly realized why Qin Yue had acted strangely with him earlier and why she hesitated to explain her illness to him.

    Indeed, it was quite embarrassing.

    For a woman, this was a private matter!

    ¡°Everyone, I, Liu Hun, am unworthy but have happened to learn some medical skills.

    Therefore, I have decided to run a clinic to help and heal at the old temple, serving everyone.

    I also hope everyone can spread the word for me.¡±

    People¡¯s words are powerful weapons, capable of spreading information far and wide.

    Today, he took advantage of the villagers¡¯ mouths to root out the malignant tumor in Wanbao Village and won over their hearts.

    ¡°Good!

    Just for what you said, Liu Hun, I agree with you!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right!

    Liu Hun is right, I support you, Feizi!¡±

    ¡°From today, Liu Hun is the hero of our village, our village¡¯s guardian deity!

    Everyone, together, let¡¯s carry him to the old temple!¡±

    Everyone started lifting Liu Hun, cheering as they headed toward the old temple.

    The procession was grand and vigorous, as if the remote mountain village was reverberating once again, echoing like an ancient bell throughout the valley.

    ¡°Alright, stop watching.

    If you keep looking, everyone will be gone soon.¡± Ye Canghai was upset and troubled.

    This was the scene he least wanted to see.

    Liu Hun had stolen his spotlight, causing Ye Canghai to lose some of the villagers¡¯ respect, making it seem like there was only Liu Hun and no Ye Canghai in Wanbao Village.

    ¡°You only know how to do this!

    Every time something happens, you just run away!¡± Fen Ran glared at Ye Canghai fiercely.

    This kind of man was the most despised by her, and she least wanted to see him.

    Without another word and without waiting for Ye Canghai to call her back, she strode toward their home.

    But her heart had long drifted toward the old temple with the crowd.

    That night was the first sweet sleep Liu Hun had in many years at Wanbao Village and the most comfortable he felt.

    A few days later, while Liu Hun was working in the cornfield, he noticed many villagers running toward his home.

    He frowned slightly, sensing something amiss, and quickly followed the villagers toward his house.

    As soon as he arrived, he squeezed into the crowd and immediately saw Rascal Chen sitting leisurely on a chair.

    ¡°Oh, wow?

    So it¡¯s Liu Hun back.¡± Rascal Chen instantly noticed Liu Hun in the crowd, raising his eyebrows and grinning.

    Seeing Liu Hun return, his old uncle ran over immediately.

    ¡°You finally returned!

    Of all people, you had to provoke the one you shouldn¡¯t!

    He smashed everything in our house and demands compensation!

    Your aunt is now hiding inside the house, afraid to come out.¡±

    ¡°What?

    Smashed our things and still wants us to pay?

    This is outrageous.¡±

    Liu Hun looked at Rascal Chen, and if there weren¡¯t so many people, he would¡¯ve slapped him already.

    This guy is just asking for trouble, looking for a beating!

    However, Liu Hun wouldn¡¯t act before clearing things up.

    That Rascal Chen dared to cause trouble at his doorstep meant he had a backer or some reason to feel confident.

    ¡°Hmph!

    Outrageous?

    My mother is still in a coma from the medicine you prescribed!

    Take a good look, she¡¯s lying right here!¡± Rascal Chen spat.

    Following Rascal Chen¡¯s gaze, Liu Hun observed the one-eyed old woman lying on the ground.

    Her complexion was healthy, but her eyes were closed, giving her a seemingly asleep appearance.

    Liu Hun took a deep breath, his mouth twitching several times.

    This one-eyed old woman wasn¡¯t really in a coma but was pretending!

    Because just as Rascal Chen shouted, Liu Hun had already seen the old woman¡¯s eyes slightly twitch.

    Obviously, this was a scheme aiming to ruin his reputation.

    ¡°Rascal Chen, you¡¯d better clarify.

    My medicine is all harvested from the mountains, without any issues.

    Besides, who allowed you to use my medicine?

    Who let you randomly grab medicine?

    How dare you blame me for this?

    Is your skin itching lately?

    Haven¡¯t I cleaned you up in a while?¡±

    With that, Liu Hun rolled up his sleeves, intending to grab Rascal Chen¡¯s arm.

    Rascal Chen was scared.

    Even though he mustered enough courage this time, when it came to Liu Hun, he was still somewhat daunted.

    This guy doesn¡¯t mess around when he acts, it could be deadly.

    He had only just regained some confidence, managed to come here, yet he didn¡¯t want it all to crumble away just yet.

 Chapter 22 - 22 22 Dog Beating Staff Technique

    ?22: Chapter 22: Dog Beating Staff Technique 22: Chapter 22: Dog Beating Staff Technique ¡°You little punk, I¡¯ve put up with you time and time again, but don¡¯t blame me for being ruthless if that¡¯s the case!¡± Liu Hun¡¯s eyes flashed with anger.

    He wanted to slap him, but he couldn¡¯t do it under the gaze of so many villagers.

    Perhaps with these villagers around, Rascal Chen suddenly realized that Liu Hun didn¡¯t dare to lay a hand on him easily, much less beat him in front of these people, giving him a lot of courage.

    Because he always believed that Liu Hun would not strike, giving him great courage and opportunity!

    Today, here, he was going to use his strength to show everyone that he and his mother were the true protectors of the village, whom they should worship!

    ¡°Slap!¡±

    A medicine jar fell to the ground, and a strong medicinal smell wafted from it.

    Looking at the medicine jar, Liu Hun frowned slightly.

    He already smelled a peculiar scent in it.

    This smell could be distinguished from other medicinal scents, and anyone who had smelled herbs could detect something unusual.

    Rascal Chen shouted angrily, ¡°Smell it yourself, isn¡¯t this the smell I was talking about!

    You think I don¡¯t know?

    You added some strange things to those herbs!

    That¡¯s what harmed my mother!¡±

    Hearing his words, Liu Hun crouched down and picked up the medicine jar, placing it in front of himself.

    Being closer to the jar only confirmed his suspicion that someone had tampered with it.

    Besides, he had been in the cornfield all day.

    Where would he have had time to treat people?

    ¡°Rascal Chen, I¡¯ve told you before!

    Did you think I wouldn¡¯t know?

    Who allowed you to touch my medicine?

    Who gave you the courage?

    Moreover, my prescription was never written down, you¡¯re flailing around to frame me, did you really think I wouldn¡¯t find out?¡±

    Rascal Chen grew anxious, already sensing the increasingly strange looks from others.

    ¡°Fake, it¡¯s all fake.

    Don¡¯t believe him, everyone!¡±

    While speaking, Rascal Chen took a deep breath, ¡°Liu Hun, since you¡¯re so skilled, why don¡¯t you drink it yourself?

    I reckon, you¡¯re just a coward, denying the herbs you gave my mother, and now you don¡¯t even dare drink your own medicine?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, after all, these herbs were dug up by Liu Hun himself, if he doesn¡¯t dare to drink them...¡±

    ¡°Tsk tsk tsk, I never expected that Liu Hun would be this kind of person.¡±

    ¡°This is no joke, if Rascal Chen keeps after him, it won¡¯t be a laughing matter.¡±

    Listening to the villagers, Liu Hun¡¯s mouth twitched a few times.

    He had already wanted to deal with Rascal Chen, but was held back by the other villagers.

    Looking at the medicine jar in front of him, smelling the scent from inside, Liu Hun made a move that surprised everyone.

    He actually drank the entire contents of the medicine jar in front of him.

    A stream of white air suddenly surged within him, sublimating the potion in his stomach until it quietly dissipated.

    Everyone was shocked, realizing this was clearly a scheme Rascal Chen concocted to retaliate against Liu Hun.

    What Liu Hun did was simply bringing trouble upon himself.

    A green-haired hooligan beside Rascal Chen whispered, ¡°Boss, look, this idiot drank the medicine we tampered with, maybe he¡¯ll get the runs for three or four days, hehehe.¡±

    Rascal Chen smirked, ¡°Serves him right for messing with me!¡±

    Liu Hun finished drinking, and the jar suddenly smashed on the ground, the fragments scattering.

    ¡°I¡¯ve finished drinking it, and I¡¯m still fine, Rascal Chen, your scheme probably won¡¯t succeed!¡±

    ¡°Oh?

    Is that so?

    Why rush?

    I¡¯ll smoke a cigarette now, and once it¡¯s gone, the effects will show, right?¡±

    Rascal Chen giggled, lighting a cigarette with one hand.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll wait for a cigarette then.¡± Liu Hun smiled helplessly, turning around.

    Seeing his uncle¡¯s anxious expression, he murmured, ¡°Uncle, go inside and get me a needle, today I¡¯ll expose Rascal Chen and his mother¡¯s scheme in front of the whole village, showing everyone their true colors!¡±

    Uncle nodded and went inside.

    Rascal Chen chuckled, sitting on the chair and crossing his legs, ¡°I want to see what kind of tricks you¡¯ll pull out?¡±

    After a moment, Liu Hun remained unharmed, while Rascal Chen¡¯s cigarette had long been extinguished.

    The crowd sighed, could it be that Liu Hun was really a deity sent to save them?

    Liu Hun laughed, ¡°Now that you¡¯ve finished smoking, and I¡¯m fine.

    How would you like me to beat you?

    Stripped naked or what?¡±

    ¡°This...¡± Rascal Chen was speechless.

    The cigarette in his hand was indeed smoked, yet he couldn¡¯t allow Liu Hun to take charge, otherwise all his efforts would be wasted.

    ¡°You...

    this medicine, didn¡¯t you say it would work immediately after taking?

    Why?

    Why isn¡¯t there any reaction now?¡± Rascal Chen yelled angrily at the green-haired hooligan next to him.

    The green-haired hooligan said begrudgingly, ¡°I did test it, yes?

    I...

    I even tried it on the old Wang family¡¯s cow in the neighboring village.

    It proved that the cow collapsed in seconds.

    This...

    this, I don¡¯t know either.¡±

    Rascal Chen stood up, kicking the chair behind him, ¡°If this doesn¡¯t work, don¡¯t be afraid!

    We can try forcing him!

    I just don¡¯t believe this kid can turn the world upside down!¡±

    The green-haired hooligan nodded, Rascal Chen¡¯s aura was compelling, dazzling like an idol in his eyes.

    ¡°Liu Hun!

    You bastard, so what if you drank some medicine?

    Look at my mother!

    See what she¡¯s become?

    It¡¯s all because of your medicine, if you can¡¯t cure her today, even if it means breaking the pot to sell the iron, even demolishing your shabby temple and home, it won¡¯t be enough to compensate!¡±

    Uncle handed a silver needle to Liu Hun, fuming at Rascal Chen¡¯s words, ¡°Rascal Chen, don¡¯t go too far!

    Everyone needs a basic decency, Liu Hun already said, it was medicine you found yourself!¡±

    Rascal Chen chuckled, tilting his head, ¡°I don¡¯t care about that, all I care about is whether my mother can get better!¡±

    Today, he was determined to make his stand!

    He didn¡¯t believe that Liu Hun could overturn everything alone.

    Moreover, he had brought many people today, so even five against one, chances were in his favor.

    Liu Hun smiled helplessly, already noticing the movement of the one-eyed old lady¡¯s fingers on the mat.

    With that motion, he understood that the one-eyed old lady was obviously pretending to be asleep.

    However, years of performing spirit and ghost tricks made her seem like she was half a step into the grave as she lay on the mat.

    ¡°Uncle, enough with the words.

    Before all the village elders and folks, I, Liu Hun, will reveal the true facade of this mother-and-son duo in front of everyone.

    Otherwise, this will impact my shabby temple¡¯s business in the future and make many suspect that the herbs I collect are poison!¡±

 Chapter 23 - 23 23 Letting the Chips Fall Where They May

    ?23: Chapter 23: Letting the Chips Fall Where They May 23: Chapter 23: Letting the Chips Fall Where They May Liu Hun held back his impulsive uncle; he knew what tricks Rascal Chen was up to.

    If he could have fought, he would have done so long ago.

    However, he wanted Rascal Chen to surrender sincerely, and he wanted the villagers to know that Liu Hun was not an insignificant man!

    He stared at the one-eyed old woman lying on the mat and said to Rascal Chen, ¡°Rascal Chen, are you saying your mother is unconscious and can¡¯t wake up?¡±

    Rascal Chen shouted angrily, ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious?

    What living person would lie on a mat like that?

    Liu Hun, stop dawdling.

    If you can¡¯t cure my mother, then pay up quickly and let us smash some things!¡±

    ¡°Fine, that¡¯s what you said.¡± Liu Hun chuckled.

    He walked over to the one-eyed old woman and squatted down.

    He had to admit, the one-eyed old woman was good at playing dead.

    Just by looking at her, she really seemed like someone in a coma.

    If he hadn¡¯t caught a glimpse of her finger moving earlier, he might have been fooled himself.

    ¡°Rascal Chen, I¡¯m telling you this for the last time.

    If your mother doesn¡¯t get up, the needle I¡¯m about to use really isn¡¯t something a human can endure!

    Don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t give you a chance.¡±

    Liu Hun wasn¡¯t a heartless person.

    After all, they lived in the same village; they saw each other every day.

    He didn¡¯t want to sour their relationship.

    However, if Rascal Chen kept targeting him, he really didn¡¯t mind teaching him a lesson.

    Rascal Chen spat, ¡°Liu Hun, you¡¯re just talking nonsense.

    Your medical skills might be able to treat a cold, but anything else, forget it!

    With your petty abilities and pretending to be an expert!¡±

    Liu Hun no longer looked at Rascal Chen; he already knew what Rascal Chen was thinking.

    Since both of them were talking like this, he felt helpless.

    Many people crowded closer to Liu Hun.

    He looked at the one-eyed old woman, ¡°Old woman, I¡¯m telling you, if I use this needle, even a strong person might not be able to withstand it.

    If you think you can¡¯t take it, get up immediately, and I might spare you.

    But if you don¡¯t...¡±

    Before he could finish, Liu Hun glanced at the one-eyed old woman.

    Her eyes were shut tight, without a twitch, as if she had tossed his words into the clouds.

    He had heard from many doctors that the most painful places were the palms and soles of the feet.

    But today, he would try it out!

    Liu Hun took a needle in his hand and forcefully stabbed it into the one-eyed old woman¡¯s palm, then moved the needle to her ankle and aimed it at her sole, stabbing vigorously.

    Repeating the action two to three times not only didn¡¯t wake the one-eyed old woman up in pain, but it also made many people present believe that her unconsciousness was real.

    Liu Hun was puzzled.

    After these needles, the one-eyed old woman seemed unfazed, still lying on the mat.

    There was a limit to how much pain a person could endure.

    He smiled and pierced the needle into the one-eyed old woman¡¯s palm.

    Just then, Rascal Chen behind him erupted, ¡°Liu Hun!

    What are you doing, you bastard?

    If anything happens to my mother, I will never forgive you!¡±

    A stream of white energy suddenly surged from Liu Hun¡¯s fingertip, penetrating the one-eyed old woman¡¯s body through the needle, continuously attacking her meridians and acupoints.

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    The one-eyed old woman cried out in pain, leaping up like a startled frog, jumping back and forth.

    Although the energy was within the one-eyed old woman¡¯s body, it moved according to Liu Hun¡¯s will.

    Rascal Chen, seeing his mother running around frantically, shouted, ¡°Mother?

    What¡¯s wrong?

    Aren¡¯t you supposed to stay down no matter what?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t take it!

    I really can¡¯t take it!¡± The one-eyed old woman wiped the sweat off her forehead in agony.

    Their conversation reached the ears of many villagers.

    Everyone knew that these two had come to cause trouble for Liu Hun, and their words just confirmed their intentions.

    With a thought, Liu Hun recalled the energy to his wrist.

    ¡°Comfortable, really comfortable.¡± The one-eyed old woman touched her stomach, exhaling as if releasing a heavy burden.

    Seeing the one-eyed old woman was fine, Liu Hun said in a deep voice, ¡°Rascal Chen, your mother is fine now.

    You destroyed things in my house, shouted outside my door, trying to ruin my reputation.

    We¡¯ll settle these accounts today.

    Let everyone see how I teach you a lesson!¡±

    ¡°Liu Hun!

    Who¡¯s the dog isn¡¯t certain.

    Don¡¯t think you can steal our business just because you can treat a few injuries and diagnose some illnesses.

    Today, I¡¯ll show you my prowess, make you afraid to bark in front of me!¡±

    With that, Rascal Chen rolled up his sleeves, his eyes spitting fire, ¡°Get him!¡±

    Behind him, three men with strange hairstyles rushed forward, swinging at Liu Hun.

    The crowd gasped, and many widows in the village quickly closed their eyes, afraid to watch.

    Before they could fully close their eyes, Rascal Chen was already flying through the air and landed heavily on the ground.

    ¡°Courting death!¡± Seeing a white-haired thug swinging a punch, Liu Hun struck his abdomen with a powerful blow, causing the white-haired thug to nearly vomit from the impact.

    Liu Hun didn¡¯t stop there.

    He grabbed the white-haired thug¡¯s wrist and swung him, immediately colliding with two others.

    Like meteors, the three of them fell to the ground.

    Liu Hun spat, kicking the three of them, causing them to cough up blood, their spirits crushed.

    Shocked!

    The one-eyed old woman, uncle, and many widows watched Liu Hun¡¯s simple yet elegant moves, which rendered the three men unable to get up.

    Rascal Chen clutched his stomach and stood up, thinking four against one was a surefire win.

    But he never expected this guy to be so tough, knocking him out in seconds.

    Liu Hun exhaled, feeling a surge of energy flowing through his meridians and energizing his entire body.

    With this power, he felt invincible.

    Liu Hun clapped his hands and said, ¡°Rascal Chen, do you see now how skilled I am?

    Now get lost!¡±

    Rascal Chen held his abdomen, his eyes filled with resentment as he looked at Liu Hun.

    He wanted to fight him but couldn¡¯t match his strength.

    No matter how many people he brought, in Liu Hun¡¯s eyes, it was like slicing soft tofu.

    ¡°I...

    I...¡± Rascal Chen glanced around, his eyes landing on the butcher¡¯s knife outside the fence on the chopping board.

 Chapter 24 - 24 24 Coming to Cause Trouble

    ?24: Chapter 24: Coming to Cause Trouble 24: Chapter 24: Coming to Cause Trouble ¡°Are you crazy!¡±

    ¡°Rascal Chen, if you dare to do it, you¡¯ll be a murderer!¡±

    ¡°Damn, has this guy gone mad with bloodlust?

    He dares to kill someone!¡±

    Many villagers exclaimed in surprise, and a few young widows even shut their eyes in fear, not daring to look.

    Qin Yue and Fen Ran were both so frightened by Rascal Chen¡¯s move that they couldn¡¯t move.

    No one had expected that Rascal Chen would actually harbor murderous intent.

    Liu Hun furrowed his brows as he watched the kitchen knife flying toward him.

    A burst of white energy surged from his Dantian.

    His body seemed to move uncontrollably forward a few steps as both hands caught the knife, and the burst of white energy instantly dissipated from his palms.

    ¡°Bang!¡± With a crisp sound, Liu Hun had caught the kitchen knife.

    ¡°Wow, Liu Hun looks like he¡¯s performing a stunt, catching that knife with his bare hands.

    Amazing!¡± A little kid from the neighboring village clapped and jumped in excitement.

    Hearing the kid¡¯s cries, many villagers who had closed their eyes slowly opened them, only to find that Liu Hun wasn¡¯t cut and bleeding from the knife, but instead had caught it with his own hands.

    This scene was like something straight out of a television show.

    ¡°Phew...

    scared me to death.¡± Qin Yue exhaled.

    Fen Ran rolled her eyes at her, ¡°It¡¯s not like he¡¯s your man, why are you scared?¡±

    As soon as she said that, Qin Yue¡¯s face flushed red, and she lowered her head.

    Fen Ran realized she might have misspoken, as others looked at her with increasingly odd expressions, like gossip was brewing in their eyes.

    The kid pouted, ¡°Aunt Fen Ran, you¡¯re one to talk.

    Liu Hun isn¡¯t your man either.

    So why are all of your faces so red?

    Are you feeling unwell?¡±

    The child¡¯s words were the most innocent and naive.

    But for the other villagers, Liu Hun had already stolen the show and displayed all his charm before them.

    But no one dared to step forward and speak.

    No one wanted to provoke Rascal Chen, who had gone mad with bloodlust.

    ¡°You still dare to kill?

    You still want to kill me!¡± Liu Hun tossed aside the knife and stepped up to deliver a kick to Rascal Chen.

    With a fierce kick, Rascal Chen¡¯s body flew backward like a cannonball, landing heavily on the ground.

    He spat out a mouthful of blood toward the sky, his body collapsing like a deflated balloon.

    Intense pain spread from his abdomen throughout his body, especially the spot where Ling Fei had kicked him, as if he had been hit with a hundred punches.

    He took a deep breath, and as he inhaled, he felt his whole chest throb.

    ¡°Pow!¡± Liu Hun slapped him across the face.

    Rascal Chen could barely move, let alone retaliate.

    Seeing Liu Hun¡¯s bloodshot eyes, he repeatedly begged for mercy, ¡°Grandpa, Grandpa, I was wrong.

    Please forgive me and spare my life.¡±

    ¡°Spreading falsehoods, ruling the village, bullying the villagers, and even trying to take advantage of good women.

    Now, you still dare to kill!

    Even a lonely bachelor in the village is better than you!¡± Liu Hun gritted his teeth, suppressing his rage.

    ¡°Liu Hun, we¡¯re all fellow villagers.

    We see each other every day.

    Let¡¯s let this matter pass quietly, for it¡¯ll do us no good in the future.¡± His aunt opened the door and whispered.

    She knew that Liu Hun was very capable and that Rascal Chen wouldn¡¯t come out well against him.

    But she didn¡¯t want to make a big deal out of it or have the other villagers gossip about them, preferring to turn a big issue into a small one and eventually into nothing.

    His uncle nodded in agreement, ¡°Yes, Liu Hun, your aunt is right.

    The fewer people who know about this, the better.

    After all, our family doesn¡¯t have the same power and background as others, so it¡¯s best to leave it at that.¡±

    Liu Hun understood that his uncle and aunt wanted to diminish the seriousness of the incident as much as possible.

    Regardless, the conflict with Rascal Chen was already established.

    Liu Hun laughed coldly and stepped on Rascal Chen, ¡°Speak!

    Who¡¯s the dog!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m the dog, I¡¯m the dog!¡± Rascal Chen answered repeatedly.

    ¡°Oh?

    Someone really admits to being a dog.

    If he¡¯s the dog, then anyone could ride him, and that feeling, tsk tsk.¡± The kid looked at Fen Ran, ¡°Aunt Fen, don¡¯t you think so?¡±

    ¡°You...¡± Hearing the kid¡¯s words, Fen Ran was momentarily stunned, then blushed, ¡°A beast is just a beast, merely cloaked in human skin.¡±

    ¡°Haha, well said.¡±

    Many people immediately responded, and Fen Ran¡¯s words resonated in their hearts.

    Liu Hun didn¡¯t stop, and he said coldly, ¡°Listen up.

    I originally wanted to discipline you a little, but considering Granny with the one eye is so old, and if you¡¯re dealt with, she¡¯ll have no one to care for her!

    You must compensate for the things from my house!

    Also, you and your mother must leave our village today and never return!¡±

    Liu Hun was different from others.

    He wasn¡¯t an idle person; he had ambition and ideals.

    But once his inner ambitions played out, whoever obstructed him would become a major stumbling block.

    Rascal Chen hurriedly took out a dozen yuan from his pocket and placed it in front of Liu Hun, then ran outside alone.

    Liu Hun said coldly, ¡°Rascal Chen, have you forgotten what I told you before?

    How you came in is how you should leave.

    I shouldn¡¯t have to remind you, should I!¡±

    ¡°Woof!

    Woof!

    Woof!¡± Rascal Chen barked a few times and crawled out of the door.

    The surrounding crowd burst into laughter, and many young widows blushingly gazed at Liu Hun¡¯s muscular physique, wondering what was on their minds.

    Three young thugs helped Granny with the one eye leave slowly.

    This place was no longer where they could stay.

    The longer they lingered, the more they felt the pressure emanating from Liu Hun, which stifled their very breath.

    His aunt picked up the dozen yuan from the ground while Liu Hun wasn¡¯t paying attention.

    It wasn¡¯t easy to get some money, and she wasn¡¯t about to tell Liu Hun.

    After the villagers gradually left his uncle¡¯s house, Liu Hun exhaled.

    His aunt personally went to the kitchen to make Liu Hun a bowl of noodles, which was the first time she ever allowed Liu Hun to eat in her presence.

    ¡°Bang!

    Bang!

    Bang!¡± Just as Liu Hun was about to eat, a loud knock sounded at the door.

    His aunt was so frightened that she dropped her chopsticks, ¡°Could it be...

    could it be that Rascal Chen found someone to seek revenge?¡±

    Liu Hun furrowed his brows, put down his chopsticks, and stood up, ¡°I¡¯ll go check.¡±

    As soon as he opened the door, a gust of cold wind roared in, and before Liu Hun could see who stood outside, a group of authoritative figures came striding in, ¡°Where¡¯s your uncle?

    Tell him to come out!¡±

 Chapter 25 - 25 25 Debt Repayment

    ?25: Chapter 25 Debt Repayment 25: Chapter 25 Debt Repayment ¡°Who are you?¡± Liu Hun asked in confusion.

    He had never seen someone like this before.

    ¡°Who am I?

    You¡¯re actually asking who I am?

    Hahaha, I¡¯ll tell you, there¡¯s no place for a little brat like you to speak here.

    Where¡¯s your uncle?

    Get him out here immediately.

    I know he¡¯s in there.

    If he doesn¡¯t come out, don¡¯t blame me for smashing everything here!¡± The leading man said coldly, a sharp gleam in his eyes.

    Hearing voices outside the door, the old uncle quickly ran out from the side room.

    Upon seeing the leading man, he nearly collapsed in fright.

    This man was the one he had borrowed money from some time ago.

    To plant crops on the land and improve their living conditions, he had no choice but to borrow some money from the man.

    Recently, however, he had been short on cash, and Rascal Chen had been causing trouble continuously, forcing him to spend some money.

    But now...

    He couldn¡¯t repay it; he couldn¡¯t pay back a single penny.

    ¡°Liu Hun...

    he...

    he¡¯s the one I borrowed money from to buy seeds...

    he¡¯s here to collect the debt!¡± the old uncle whispered.

    The leading man laughed heartily, ¡°Hahaha, look at the state you¡¯re in?

    I never expected that someone like you would still need to rely on a junior to make ends meet.

    I really never thought you¡¯d be this kind of person!

    Cut the crap and return the money immediately!¡±

    Liu Hun frowned slightly, ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±

    The leading man paused, taken aback by how the young one spoke with such confidence when the older ones hadn¡¯t yet spoken.

    It left him speechless.

    But looking into Liu Hun¡¯s blank eyes, he figured telling him wouldn¡¯t change anything.

    ¡°I¡¯m from the neighboring village, and my name is Tang Hu!

    Your uncle owes me a lot of money; if he doesn¡¯t repay it today, don¡¯t blame me for smashing everything here!¡± Tang Hu sneered coldly.

    This time he was determined.

    If Liu Hun¡¯s uncle didn¡¯t give him the money, he would smash everything here.

    Moreover, the money from pawning this small house¡¯s land deed would be enough for him to spend for a while.

    With a little intimidation, he believed this guy wouldn¡¯t have the nerve to stand up to him.

    Sure enough, the old uncle took a few steps back in fear, hiding behind Liu Hun.

    ¡°Don¡¯t hide behind a junior.

    Whatever needs to be settled should be settled.

    Even if you hide at the ends of the earth, Grandpa will still find you!¡± Tang Hu said coldly, waving his hand.

    A young man standing behind him pulled out a loan note from his pocket.

    ¡°This is the debt you signed when you borrowed money from Brother Hu.

    Don¡¯t forget, from the day you borrowed until now, you owe a total of four hundred and thirteen yuan; not a cent less!¡±

    ¡°What...

    did you just say...

    you¡¯re saying I owe you four hundred and thirteen yuan!

    How is that possible?¡± the old uncle shook his head in disbelief.

    ¡°Hey, do you still want to play tricks?¡± The young man, seeing the old uncle¡¯s demeanor, was dissatisfied and wanted to step forward to slap him.

    However, with the loan note in hand, surprise was inevitable.

    Tang Hu chuckled, ¡°Now you can¡¯t deny it, can you?

    Don¡¯t blame me for not taking care of you.

    Among all the debtors, you¡¯re the only one I¡¯ve given a day¡¯s comfort because of your age.

    If you don¡¯t repay me today, don¡¯t blame me for being impolite!¡±

    ¡°Four hundred and thirteen?¡± Liu Hun murmured softly.

    In a village, borrowing money shouldn¡¯t be that much; clearly, it¡¯s usurious lending.

    But even if it¡¯s usurious, didn¡¯t his uncle pay attention when borrowing?

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not right!

    This isn¡¯t what we agreed on!

    Tang Hu, didn¡¯t you say when I borrowed the money to calculate it at the bank¡¯s savings interest rate?

    How could it rise so fast in just a few days?¡±

    He didn¡¯t believe Tang Hu¡¯s words, nor did he believe the loan note waived in front of him.

    ¡°This was agreed upon back then; you can¡¯t cheat!¡± Tang Hu feared the old uncle would try tricks, so he purposely waved the loan note in front of him.

    ¡°Are you blind?

    Do you realize how many people you¡¯re harming by doing this?¡± The aunt, seeing the old uncle checking the loan note repeatedly, knew her husband couldn¡¯t read a single character, and the densely written agreement was even more beyond his understanding.

    The old uncle was anxious, pacing back and forth.

    The loan note before him seemed like a death warrant.

    Seeing the anxious expressions of the aunt and uncle, Liu Hun said in a deep voice, ¡°Enough, you two don¡¯t need to talk, I¡¯ll handle this!¡±

    With Liu Hun speaking, they stopped talking.

    With Liu Hun around, what issues haven¡¯t been resolved?

    What problems hasn¡¯t he managed to handle?

    Tang Hu smiled slightly, ¡°Oh, a young brat, daring to speak wildly in front of me without even fully growing hair.

    Aren¡¯t you afraid that once I move, you¡¯ll end up crippled?¡±

    ¡°Who ends up crippled remains to be seen,¡± Liu Hun lowered his voice.

    ¡°Full of arrogance, aren¡¯t you?¡± Tang Hu couldn¡¯t believe it, ¡°You guys, close the door!¡±

    ¡°Alright!

    Close the door and beat the dog!¡± Liu Hun said in a deep voice, eager to deal with these tyrants.

    Just as the door was about to close, a hand suddenly held it.

    ¡°Close what?

    I¡¯m not in yet.¡±

    Hearing this, Tang Hu immediately patted the person next to him, ¡°Quickly open the door and invite in Ye Canghai, the village chief.

    What are you doing?¡±

    Frankly, Ye Canghai didn¡¯t even want to come in; if it weren¡¯t for Fen Ran¡¯s urgent request and her pulling him in, even with the best offerings, he wouldn¡¯t have looked.

    Fen Ran followed behind Ye Canghai, and as he sat down, Tang Hu chuckled, ¡°Great...really great.

    I didn¡¯t expect our village chief, Ye Canghai, to be so lucky.¡±

    Hearing this, Ye Canghai felt displeased, but with seven or eight men behind this brat, he couldn¡¯t say much.

    With eyes almost dripping with water, Tang Hu stared at Fen Ran, raising a hand to wipe his chin.

    ¡°Great, truly great.

    I didn¡¯t expect this girl to have such a good figure.

    All the right places stand out, without an ounce of excess flesh.

    She¡¯s the belle of the nearby villages.

    Village chief, you¡¯re really lucky.

    I just wonder, as you get older, can you still farm, still manage?

    Or should I help you out?¡±

    ¡°Hah, exactly, exactly!¡±

    The men following Tang Hu laughed immediately.

    Fen Ran gasped and glared fiercely, ¡°Shut up!

    Keep your mouth clean!¡±

    ¡°Yo yo yo,¡± Tang Hu laughed, ¡°Didn¡¯t expect this girl to have some fire in her.¡±

 Chapter 26 - 26 26 Owing Money Without Repayment

    ?26: Chapter 26 Owing Money Without Repayment 26: Chapter 26 Owing Money Without Repayment ¡°Canghai, someone is bullying your wife.

    Are you going to do something about it or not?

    You are the village chief after all.

    You should act like one!

    Or are you just going to sit here and watch your wife being bullied?¡± Fen Ran glared at Ye Canghai sitting motionless in his chair, clearly furious.

    Ye Canghai murmured, ¡°Look at their people.

    Once they start, not to mention the two of us, even everyone in this room combined wouldn¡¯t be able to beat them.

    Let¡¯s just calm things down for a while, because honestly, if things escalate, we can¡¯t do anything about it, right?¡±

    ¡°You...

    you¡¯re driving me crazy!

    Are you even a man?

    Are you really okay with watching your wife being bullied?

    Ye Canghai, I¡¯m not done with you.

    And tonight, you¡¯re not allowed to come to bed!¡± Fen Ran was so angry she could barely contain herself.

    Her own husband being so cowardly, and then there was Liu Hun, facing Tang Hu with no fear, his gaze sharp as a sword.

    That was a real man, that¡¯s how a man should carry himself!

    Tang Hu chuckled, and in his eyes, Fen Ran¡¯s angry expression was adorably vivid.

    ¡°She¡¯s really cute.

    Look at her.

    Isn¡¯t this how a real beauty should look?

    I really want to savor her taste.¡±

    Seeing her husband¡¯s cowardice, Fen Ran angrily stepped forward and slapped Ye Canghai across the face.

    Only someone like Ye Canghai could watch his wife being bullied and do nothing about it.

    How could she have been so blind to marry someone like him?

    If Ye Canghai weren¡¯t the village chief, she¡¯d rather divorce him and be with Liu Hun.

    Seeing Ye Canghai shrivel, Tang Hu eagerly stepped forward a few steps.

    ¡°Look, the little wife is mad now.

    Shouldn¡¯t we, as leaders, do our best to comfort her?¡±

    Upon hearing this, Ye Canghai furrowed his brows.

    But what could he do about his displeasure?

    After all, Tang Hu wasn¡¯t just anyone.

    If it were Rascal Chen speaking like this, he¡¯d have kicked him long ago.

    Seeing Ye Canghai back down, Liu Hun let out a cold laugh.

    ¡°Tang Hu, there are people you can¡¯t touch and money you can¡¯t take.

    Today, since I¡¯m here, you won¡¯t get near Sister Fen.

    You better stay away from her, or I¡¯ll make you regret it!¡±

    ¡°Hahaha, this kid, so arrogant.

    Does he even have hair on his chest yet?¡±

    ¡°Exactly, who would dare provoke Tang Hu?

    Such a person hasn¡¯t been born yet.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s certainly fearless.

    Only young people have the gall to provoke the unprovokable.¡±

    A few guys following Tang Hu chuckled giddily.

    Ye Canghai¡¯s frown deepened, but even so, he was helpless.

    Seven people¡ªonce they started, they wouldn¡¯t care if he was the village chief.

    ¡°Shut up!¡±

    Fen Ran angrily stepped forward and slapped Tang Hu across the face.

    ¡°Slap!¡± A big red mark appeared on Tang Hu¡¯s cheek.

    Rubbing his face, Tang Hu giggled, ¡°Refreshing, truly refreshing.¡±

    The faint fragrance emanating from Fen Ran wafted before Tang Hu, a scent that made his heart itch.

    ¡°Come on, lady, use some strength.¡± Tang Hu chuckled and advanced step by step, his face moving ever closer to Fen Ran.

    ¡°Go ahead, keep hitting me, hit me hard.¡±

    Feeling at a loss, Fen Ran retreated step by step.

    The scene before her was beyond what she could intimidate.

    Liu Hun strode forward, grabbing Tang Hu¡¯s face with a strong grip.

    ¡°Ow, ow, ow!¡± Tang Hu¡¯s pained voice exhaled white with each breath, his left cheek feeling swollen.

    But as soon as he opened his eyes and saw Liu Hun, he shouted in disbelief, ¡°Rascal, you¡¯re not the kind of person who can squeeze Grandpa¡¯s face, let go now!

    Otherwise, I¡¯ll kill you!¡±

    He expected Liu Hun to back off, but unexpectedly, the grip on his face tightened.

    Liu Hun was fearless.

    Fen Ran watched Liu Hun stand up for her, her pretty face blushing even redder.

    Tang Hu jumped aside, forcibly separating his face from Liu Hun¡¯s hand.

    Once free, his cheek swelled like an egg.

    ¡°You rascal, I didn¡¯t want to waste words with you.

    But since you¡¯re provoking me and daring to act this way, did you really think I¡¯d be easy to bully?

    Did you really think I retreated out of fear?

    Attack him!¡±

    At Tang Hu¡¯s command, several young men stepped forward.

    ¡°Courting death!¡± Liu Hun said in a deep voice.

    ¡°Crack~!¡± A crisp sound echoed in everyone¡¯s ears¡ªthe sound of bones dislocating like cotton.

    A muscular man lifted swiftly under Liu Hun¡¯s palms, and before he knew it, he was thrown out.

    ¡°Thud!¡±

    Tang Hu crashed to the ground, dust billowing up, groaning in a sorry state.

    His dislocated bones tortured him with severe pain at any slight movement.

    ¡°What a chance!

    Wife, let¡¯s go now!

    If we wait any longer, it¡¯ll really be too late!¡± Ye Canghai seized the moment, wanting to drag Fen Ran away.

    Fen Ran kicked him.

    ¡°Go if you want!

    Liu Hun is fighting them because of me.

    If you¡¯re scared, run away then!¡±

    ¡°Fine, you stay here, and if anything happens, run!

    I¡¯ll go find help.¡± Ye Canghai chuckled lamely and dashed off.

    Watching Ye Canghai¡¯s pathetic retreat into the distance, Fen Ran shouted, ¡°Let me tell you, if you can¡¯t get help, don¡¯t expect me to come back!¡±

    Whether he heard her or not, Fen Ran caught a glimpse of Ye Canghai running away pathetically and spat disgustedly.

    Supported by a few men, Tang Hu eventually got to his feet, struggling to pop his dislocated jaw back in.

    As a few people noisily discussed something, Tang Hu paid them no mind.

    ¡°Beat him, beat him to death!¡±

    Tang Hu wiped the sweat off his forehead and roared in anger.

    ¡°You want to hit me?

    Bring it on!¡± Liu Hun rolled up his sleeves.

    ¡°Look at you guys; you might as well all come at once and save Grandpa some effort!¡±

    ¡°Hit...

    beat him to death!¡± Tang Hu said in a low voice.

    In the small courtyard, a chorus of lamentations arose.

    Alongside the few bone-crunching sounds, cries resounded incessantly like the squeals of pigs being slaughtered.

    Observers like Old Uncle watched nervously, seeing how any one of these men could demolish their homes.

    But for Liu Hun, it was just like slaughtering little chicks.

    With the dust settling, Liu Hun brushed off his sleeves, his gaze steady.

    Fen Ran hurried forward, anxiously asking, ¡°Are you alright?

    Did you get hurt anywhere?

    Does anything hurt?

    I...

    Sis will massage it for you.¡±

 Chapter 27 - 27 27 Medicine for Injuries

    ?27: Chapter 27: Medicine for Injuries 27: Chapter 27: Medicine for Injuries ¡°No...

    no problem, don¡¯t move yet, these people might just be temporarily down, they actually still have the strength to fight back.¡± Liu Hun was somewhat worried, after all, he had just hit too hard, and some people might really have been killed by his punch.

    He looked ahead, several people were lying on the stone mill, unable to move.

    Tang Hu was gasping for breath, unable to stand up from the stone mill, and those eyes looking at Liu Hun were filled with fear.

    The other people were lying on the ground as well, some foaming at the mouth, others clutching their abdomens, enduring severe pain.

    ¡°What...

    what¡¯s wrong with these people?

    Liu Hun, our family can¡¯t afford to be responsible for a life, these people better not be in trouble.¡± The uncle, being a honest man, immediately became anxious when he saw this situation.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Liu Hun said lightly, aware of what his uncle was worried about, ¡°I¡¯ll count to ten, and if you don¡¯t get up by then and still pretend to be dead on the ground, don¡¯t blame me for not being polite!¡±

    Watching those lying motionless on the ground, Liu Hun wanted to laugh out loud, to burst into laughter.

    A stream of white air flowed from his Dantian into his eyes, and he could clearly see that these people hadn¡¯t been seriously injured, they were just enduring the severe pain because he had put too much force into his previous attack.

    ¡°Ten...

    nine...

    eight...

    seven...¡± Liu Hun counted in a deep voice, his gaze fixed on the people in front of him.

    It was not until Liu Hun counted down to two that these people got up from the ground.

    ¡°Tang Hu, it¡¯s one thing to come to us for debt, but you also wanted to bully Fen Ran.

    If I hadn¡¯t stepped in today, Fen Ran would have been ruined by you!

    But, speaking of which, you took advantage of my illiterate uncle; how do you plan to settle this debt!¡±

    Liu Hun furrowed his brows, speaking word by word.

    As Liu Hun approached step by step, Tang Hu felt as though his legs were bound by concrete, rendering him immobile.

    The intense pressure and mental torment caused Tang Hu to feel utterly desolate, unable to stand again.

    ¡°Tang Hu, what do you think should be done about this?¡± Liu Hun said sternly.

    Just as Tang Hu steadied himself, he didn¡¯t know where inside his body something had broken, but he felt sharp pain in his ribs.

    Pressured by Liu Hun, he slowly lifted his head, ¡°I...

    I was wrong, I failed to recognize Mount Tai, I looked down on you, you are the boss, you are the ¡®big brother,¡¯ I¡¯ll listen to whatever you say.¡±

    Now, all it took was to intimidate him, and Liu Hun couldn¡¯t handle it.

    Who could have known that such a ferocious person was hidden in a rundown house.

    Fen Ran almost laughed out loud as she watched Tang Hu, weeping and sniveling, ¡°Get lost, seeing you like this, you¡¯re never going to amount to much.

    Don¡¯t embarrass yourself here and dirty our eyes!¡±

    ¡°Hold on, Tang Hu, don¡¯t forget, how did you swindle my uncle before?

    You think I¡¯ve forgotten about that paper?

    What should you do now!¡± Liu Hun said coldly.

    What should he do?

    The question echoed in Tang Hu¡¯s mind over and over.

    He hated Liu Hun thoroughly, hated this place¡ªif he had known Liu Hun was here, he wouldn¡¯t have come even if he had been given ten thousand guts!

    ¡°You say it, whatever you say goes, whatever you say, I¡¯ll agree to!¡±

    Liu Hun snorted coldly, ¡°I want you to eat this piece of paper!¡±

    ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯ll eat it right away, immediately.¡± Scared, Tang Hu crumpled the paper into a ball and stuffed it into his mouth.

    Under the watchful eyes of Liu Hun and the others, he actually swallowed the IOU.

    Because he knew, if he didn¡¯t eat that paper, he wouldn¡¯t be able to leave this place, and Liu Hun would never let him off!

    Tang Hu chewed for a long time before finally swallowing the paper.

    He took a deep breath and barely managed to respond, hastily saying, ¡°Boss, you are even closer to me than my own elder, can I leave now?¡±

    Liu Hun sneered, ¡°Don¡¯t think that just because you¡¯ve swallowed an IOU, you can act arrogant!

    I¡¯m telling you, today is just a lesson for you to remember.

    If you dare to do this again, not only will I end you, but I won¡¯t spare your hideout either!¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes, yes...¡±

    Tang Hu nodded repeatedly, not daring to retort.

    He was terrified that if he hesitated for even a moment longer, he wouldn¡¯t live to make it back.

    The uncle and his wife sighed in relief, they knew that with the IOU gone, the matter of borrowing money was finally settled.

    However...

    since when had Liu Hun become so powerful, even stronger than the village chief.

    In every area, there¡¯s a king, and in every group, there¡¯s the strongest might.

    This simple truth was better understood by Liu Hun than anyone else.

    He was even clearer about it than anyone.

    ¡°Fen Ran, something doesn¡¯t seem right about you,¡± Fen Ran said, looking at Liu Hun¡¯s waist.

    She had been watching that spot ever since earlier.

    Hearing this, Liu Hun immediately looked down, and as she said, there indeed was a red mark the size of a little finger on his waist.

    Maybe the mark was just a minor injury from the melee earlier, not a big deal.

    But to Fen Ran, it was a life-threatening important matter, and her fair little face was almost anxious enough to drip water.

    ¡°This...

    this is no small matter, Liu Hun.

    Tell me, what kind of medicine for treating bruises and injuries do you have in your temple?

    I need to apply some for you, this can¡¯t be delayed.¡±

    In her urgency, Fen Ran grabbed Liu Hun¡¯s hand and hurried towards the broken temple.

    Liu Hun was speechless, he wanted to tell Fen Ran it was just a minor injury, and not a concern.

    But Fen Ran, too frantic, didn¡¯t give him a chance to speak.

    The temple wasn¡¯t big, in Liu Hun¡¯s memory it was a scene of ruin.

    But since Liu Hun took over the temple, he had cleaned it inside and out.

    Apart from the dust inside, the supporting structures around were still intact.

    However, with the passage of time, the temple had long been without any idols.

    Fen Ran took a few steps forward, ¡°Oh, you¡¯ve fixed this temple up quite nicely; it¡¯s just a bit empty.

    When I get a chance, I¡¯ll bring some things from home to fill the emptiness here.¡±

    Only Liu Hun could renovate this ruined temple so well with his own strength.

    She never thought that not only was Liu Hun good at fighting and healing, but he was also skilled at renovation.

    Remembering the brief glimpse of the well-defined muscles Liu Hun had unintentionally revealed not long before, Fen Ran¡¯s heart pounded wildly.

    ¡°Sister Fen Ran, really, you don¡¯t need to worry.

    I¡¯ve already fixed part of this broken temple.

    Before long, it will show a new face.

    All these, are just matters of time.¡±

    Liu Hun helplessly held his forehead, finding that Fen Ran was very concerned about his affairs.

    This temple was only beginning to take shape; it had not yet truly risen.

    In his heart, he had a very grand plan, one that could develop the future, one that could lead Wanbao Village out of poverty.

 Chapter 28 - 28 28 Cultivating Wasteland

    ?28: Chapter 28 Cultivating Wasteland 28: Chapter 28 Cultivating Wasteland ¡°Oh, come on, just don¡¯t talk anymore.

    Think about it, you¡¯re injured, doesn¡¯t it hurt?¡± Fen Ran glared at him.

    Liu Hun felt a bit helpless.

    He pointed to a bottle of medicine on the shelf, ¡°Just take that bottle of medicine.

    I specially refined it, it¡¯s really good.¡±

    Following Liu Hun¡¯s finger, Fen Ran stood up and took down a bottle from the shelf.

    She quietly opened it, and a fragrant herbal aroma wafted over, ¡°Fragrant, truly fragrant.

    This is indeed good medicinal material.

    No wonder you were able to cure Mao¡¯er, that little kid.¡±

    This medicinal material was something he personally dug up from the mountain, then meticulously boiled to make, very precious.

    However, the people in the village had long been faithful to the one-eyed granny, extremely sensitive to unusual smells, so he had to add some flavor-enhancing herbs.

    But really, after these herbs were added, not only were the medicinal effects enhanced, but the bitterness was also successfully removed.

    Fen Ran turned over, ¡°First, lift up your shirt, and let Sister give you a rub.¡±

    Before Liu Hun could agree, Fen Ran stepped forward, lifted Liu Hun¡¯s shirt with one hand, and with the other hand directly dabbed some medicinal powder on Liu Hun¡¯s waist.

    She gently massaged, her fingertips slowly moving upwards along Liu Hun¡¯s waist.

    She could feel the firm lines and perfect muscles in Liu Hun¡¯s waist moving.

    Her fingers pressed down lightly, and she could even sense the firmness and slight twitching of the muscles, which wasn¡¯t something general fitness could achieve; it was a hundred times stronger than that old thing, Ye Canghai.

    The more she touched, the itchier her heart became.

    Fen Ran was breathing heavily and could hardly bear it.

    Her breath was still warm as she said, ¡°Hey, Liu Hun, let me ask you something.

    How many push-ups can you do?¡±

    Push-ups?

    Liu Hun suddenly felt like laughing.

    He didn¡¯t know why Fen Ran was suddenly asking him this.

    ¡°Oh, just a few hundred, I guess.¡± Liu Hun answered casually.

    ¡°A few hundred!¡± Hearing this, Fen Ran almost stood up.

    No matter how strong a person is, how skilled in farming, doing a few hundred push-ups is impossible.

    Moreover, Liu Hun was so young; no matter how firm his muscles were, doing a hundred or two was already quite impressive.

    If Liu Hun could really do a few hundred push-ups, how would he be in bed?

    The more Fen Ran thought about it, the redder her face became.

    She even felt her cheeks beginning to blush hotly, mumbling, ¡°A few hundred is really amazing.

    In that case, what about those thirsty lands?¡±

    ¡°What thirsty lands?¡± The more Liu Hun heard, the more confused he became.

    ¡°Ah!

    No!¡± Realizing she¡¯d misspoken, Fen Ran quickly redirected the topic, ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I meant.

    I meant to say...

    I meant to say, you¡¯re so talented, yet it¡¯s not certain that you can reclaim those idle fields.

    You¡¯re still so young, you can¡¯t just farm all your life like this.¡±

    Liu Hun nodded, acknowledging that there was some sense to what Fen Ran was saying.

    His uncle had cheapened out and bought some inferior seeds, which didn¡¯t yield any harvest from the fields.

    As the planting season was about to pass, if they couldn¡¯t find seeds to plant soon, they¡¯d have nothing to eat that year.

    Fen Ran sighed, ¡°No matter how good a hoe is, it has times when it ruins the land.

    But if you could separate and cultivate some other lands, maybe you could grow some seedlings and, if the harvest goes well, live better days.¡±

    ¡°Could I really switch a plot?¡± Liu Hun was left dumbfounded by what Fen Ran said.

    ¡°Yes, what do you think I¡¯m talking about?

    These lands have been deserted for so long; if they could be cultivated anew, they could definitely grow good crops.

    It¡¯s just a pity... they¡¯ve been idle too long, and nobody cares about them,¡± Fen Ran continued to massage Liu Hun¡¯s waist, using her little finger to slide gently along his waist, her eyes widening with wetness.

    ¡°Yes, this is indeed a good idea!¡±

    Liu Hun¡¯s loud voice echoed throughout the entire dilapidated temple.

    Fen Ran was so startled by his shout that the medicine bottle in her hand nearly fell to the ground, and her body, soft as cotton, almost fell into Liu Hun¡¯s arms.

    But unexpectedly, there suddenly came a heavy knocking sound at the door.

    ¡°Liu Hun, come, taste what I¡¯ve just made... Oh!

    What are you... What are you doing?

    Huh, aren¡¯t you Fen Ran?

    Why are you here?¡± Qin Yue pushed open the door and stood at the entrance.

    In her hand was a basket with a plate of freshly made, fragrant eggs and clean water, yet she hadn¡¯t expected Fen Ran to also be in the decrepit temple.

    Wasn¡¯t this intentionally ruining her plans?

    ¡°Sister Qin, you¡¯re here too.¡± Fearing being questioned by Qin Yue, Liu Hun quickly pulled his shirt down.

    Qin Yue scratched her hair, and her gaze towards Fen Ran changed, ¡°I just made a plate of tasty food and thought of letting Liu Hun try it.

    I didn¡¯t know Fen Ran was also here.

    What a coincidence, just not sure what Fen Ran is doing here?¡±

    The tone was clearly off; it wasn¡¯t doubt but reproach.

    Fen Ran could hear the meaning in Qin Yue¡¯s words.

    She was so angry she gritted her teeth, hearing a crackling sound, ¡°I was bullied by Tang Hu from the neighboring village.

    Ling Fei helped me out, so I¡¯m applying medicine for him here.¡±

    Qin Yue walked into the room, ¡°Oh, that¡¯s what happened.

    I just happened to hear something about hoes and farming.

    Guessing this so-called farming might not be the farming in the fields.¡±

    Hearing Qin Yue say this, Fen Ran was so mad she wanted to grab her by the collar and scold her.

    Her so-called farming was clearly sarcasm towards herself.

    Ling Fei was someone Qin Yue liked too.

    They both liked the same guy, yet this woman repeatedly mocked her.

    Did she think she was a better catch?

    Ling Fei didn¡¯t notice the anger in Fen Ran¡¯s eyes and immediately spoke up, ¡°I just remembered, oh right, Sister Qin, doesn¡¯t your backyard have a piece of idle land?

    Are you still planting there now?¡±

    As soon as she heard this, Qin Yue burst into laughter, ¡°Oh, don¡¯t mention it.

    That land has been abandoned for a long time.

    Ever since your brother in-law went into town to develop, the field¡¯s been left idle, and I¡¯ve been taking the time to weed it.

    Otherwise, by the time he returns, the field won¡¯t even be farmed.¡±

    ¡°I see, but my uncle bought inferior seeds this year and couldn¡¯t plant them, so that field won¡¯t be usable for much longer.

    I wonder if I could try planting in your field?¡± Liu Hun was somewhat hesitant.

    He looked at Qin Yue, with eyes flickering, then spoke again, ¡°I won¡¯t farm it for nothing; if I do get any income, we can split it fifty-fifty.

    Would that be okay?¡±

    Liu Hun felt worried; if Qin Yue refused, it¡¯d be troublesome.

    Before Fen Ran could respond, Qin Yue immediately put down the basket in her hand and applauded, ¡°No problem, Liu Hun, anything you say is fine.

    This field, whether it¡¯s left idle or planted by you, might not only yield good but also abundant crops, and save some people from eyeing it longingly.¡±

 Chapter 29 - 29 29 Displaying Ones Complete Skill Set

    ?29: Chapter 29: Displaying One¡¯s Complete Skill Set 29: Chapter 29: Displaying One¡¯s Complete Skill Set Liu Hun became excited, ¡°Good, really good, this is just too great.

    Then, Qin Yue sister, I...

    I¡¯ll go back and discuss with my uncle first.

    Once he agrees, I¡¯ll move all my things into the dilapidated temple to live there; to be honest, it would be more convenient.¡±

    Before Qin Yue could respond, Liu Hun had already run out of the temple.

    He had already obtained his answer; if he could put all the wasteland here to use, even if the profits were split fifty-fifty in the end, his income would still be several times that of others.

    Fen Ran watched as Liu Hun disappeared into the distance and immediately got up to sit next to Qin Yue.

    She knew Liu Hun was not an ordinary man and that he was someone with great ambitions, unlike others who were simply waiting for death.

    However, she coveted Liu Hun, and so did Qin Yue.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to look at me like that, I know,¡± Qin Yue said.

    ¡°In fact, you¡¯ve been here for quite some time, just never showing yourself.

    Just now, the look on your face as you stood at the door with the basket, I knew you were eavesdropping on my conversation with Liu Hun.¡±

    Fen Ran looked at Qin Yue unhappily.

    Qin Yue chuckled, ¡°You have the nerve to talk about me.

    What were you and Liu Hun doing here?

    If I hadn¡¯t suddenly burst through the door and seen you applying medicine, who knows what others might have thought.¡±

    ¡°Hmph, let me tell you, Qin Yue, you don¡¯t need to talk to me like that.

    I know full well what¡¯s in your heart,¡± Fen Ran immediately stood up, glaring angrily.

    ¡°Do you know Liu Hun?

    He¡¯s a man with big ambitions, destined to achieve greatness, and this I can see.

    I know you like Liu Hun, and I like him too.

    Since this is the case, why don¡¯t we cooperate and give him a hand?

    As long as he becomes famous, we will ride his coattails to fame.

    This is our only chance!¡±

    This was the first time in many years she had spoken so seriously and the first time she had pleaded with Qin Yue.

    Because in her eyes, such a great opportunity had been given to Liu Hun, she did not want anyone to disturb him.

    Moreover, just the fact that Liu Hun was being treated at Qin Yue¡¯s home made her very uncomfortable.

    As long as she could cooperate with Qin Yue, as long as she could get a grip on her, it would mean eliminating a rival.

    Qin Yue was stunned by Fen Ran¡¯s words, and it took her a while to recover.

    ¡°Alright then,¡± Qin Yue stood up and dusted off her trousers.

    ¡°Since our beautiful Fen Ran has spoken, how could I refuse?

    Let¡¯s help Liu Hun together.¡±

    Fen Ran exhaled, relieved that at least this person had agreed.

    If Liu Hun came to live in the temple and spent his days farming at Qin Yue¡¯s home, there was a chance that Qin Yue might take advantage of him.

    Wouldn¡¯t that be a huge loss?

    But, recalling how Qin Yue had just agreed with her, she could be at ease for a long while.

    The two chatted and laughed together inside the temple, as if they had buried the hatchet.

    Qin Yue got up, pushed open the temple door, and walked away before turning around.

    ¡°Fen Ran, there¡¯s something I¡¯ve been keeping in my heart all this time.

    This time, I have to tell you.

    Some things can¡¯t just be done because you say so.

    I, Qin Yue, am not as nice as you think.

    I have my desires, I have my loneliness, and I want to taste some tendon meat too,¡± she said.

    With these words, Qin Yue took a few steps forward and lightly smiled, ¡°Who wouldn¡¯t want to have a good taste?

    But it seems I¡¯m even luckier than you.¡±

    ¡°You!¡± Fen Ran clenched her teeth in frustration.

    Qin Yue giggled and then ran off.

    She hadn¡¯t gone far when she suddenly stopped, ¡°If only I hadn¡¯t fallen ill earlier, who knows what might have happened with Liu Hun in my house...

    What a pity.¡±

    After returning home, Liu Hun had a good discussion with his uncle.

    With his uncle¡¯s agreement, he moved everything he could into the dilapidated temple.

    Ever since Qin Yue¡¯s husband, Big Hao, moved to the town for development, he hardly ever came back home.

    A piece of wasteland in the backyard lay fallow, uncultivated by anyone.

    ¡°Would you like me to fetch you some water?

    It¡¯s unnaturally hot today.¡± Seeing Liu Hun¡¯s arrival, Qin Yue excitedly ran up to him.

    Liu Hun smiled, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll definitely make this barren land yield a great harvest.

    But before that, we¡¯ll have to wait a while.¡±

    ¡°No problem, no problem.

    Whose crops haven¡¯t needed a long wait?¡± Qin Yue immediately replied with a smile.

    The scorching sun shone down on the earth, and clumps of soil splattered with each forceful dig from Liu Hun¡¯s efforts.

    Qin Yue helped at his side, wiping his sweat which drenched his entire body, causing the two mounds on his chest to sway left and right, attracting the gaze of passing villagers who couldn¡¯t help but stop in their tracks.

    ¡°Eh?

    Qin Yue, what are you doing here?¡± an old lady with a bent back heard the noise and hurriedly ran to the backyard.

    ¡°Mother,¡± Qin Yue immediately stood up upon seeing the old lady and called out.

    The old lady was Qin Yue¡¯s mother-in-law, Big Hao¡¯s mother.

    As Qin Yue had not become pregnant, she had been constantly chided over the years.

    Big Hao¡¯s mom glanced at Qin Yue¡¯s chest.

    Her wet clothes revealed her voluptuous figure and slender waist, creating quite a spectacle that caused many people to drool.

    Big Hao¡¯s mom pointed at Qin Yue¡¯s chest, ¡°Look at yourself, what have you become?

    You...

    are you trying to kill me?

    Don¡¯t you know you are married?

    Don¡¯t you know your surname is Big, that you belong to our family?

    You...

    you even brought Liu Hun here behind my back.

    If word gets out...¡±

    She was so angry that she almost collapsed to the ground before she had finished speaking, ¡°I may have no face, but I still have my pride!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not the case!¡±

    Qin Yue suddenly became anxious, ¡°I was just helping, I swear it¡¯s just sweat, you can smell it if you don¡¯t believe me!

    And yes, I did ask Liu Hun to come here, but he came to farm.

    We can¡¯t just let our land remain uncultivated, right?¡±

    ¡°Pah!

    It seems I haven¡¯t disciplined you for too long!¡± Big Hao¡¯s mom glared, ¡°Now go and change your clothes!¡±

    Qin Yue felt wronged, full of resentment but unable to express it.

    Moreover, the damp sweat on her body was truly uncomfortable, and no one liked that feeling.

    Even if Big Hao¡¯s mom hadn¡¯t told her, she would have run back to the house to change her clothes anyway.

    Watching Qin Yue return to her room, Big Hao¡¯s mom then fixed a stern look on Liu Hun, who was still tilling the soil, before slowly walking away.

    Qin Yue soon ran back out after changing her clothes.

    She knew her mother-in-law¡¯s temperament all too well.

    If her mother-in-law caused trouble for Liu Hun, it would weigh heavily on her conscience.

    ¡°Liu Hun, did you...

    did you see my mother-in-law just now?¡± Qin Yue asked because of the turmoil in her heart.

    Liu Hun scratched his head, ¡°No, I¡¯ve been busy plowing the whole time, haven¡¯t seen her.

    What happened?¡±

 Chapter 30 - 30 30 Getting On in Years

    ?30: Chapter 30: Getting On in Years 30: Chapter 30: Getting On in Years ¡°No worries, maybe they¡¯re just stopping by for a quick look.

    But I must say, Liu Hun, you¡¯re really impressive, getting this land up and running so quickly.

    If it continues like this, when winter comes, the harvest will be bountiful!¡±

    Qin Yue looked at Liu Hun with increasing admiration, not only for his strength but his skill¡ªwho wouldn¡¯t love a guy like that?

    ¡°Humph, bountiful indeed, but who knows how the harvest will really turn out?

    And by then, it might not just be the crops, but even the person could end up being ¡®farmed¡¯ too.¡± Unnoticed, old Daohao¡¯s mom appeared above the two, grumbling and complaining.

    When Qin Yue heard this, she retorted, ¡°You can¡¯t talk like that.

    If you could tell the gender of the seeds, now that would be impressive.

    Liu Hun is here to help us farm.

    Otherwise, what would we eat if the land remains uncultivated?¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡±

    The old Daohao¡¯s mom, upon hearing this, glared furiously, ¡°Looks like it has been a while since I last put you in your place.

    These days, not only have you become irritable, but you¡¯ve also learned to talk back!

    If it weren¡¯t because Daohao went to the town to advance his career, do you think you would still be standing here?

    All day long, you babble nonsense and don¡¯t provide me with a chubby grandson, what are you even good for?¡±

    Trembling with anger, Qin Yue looked at the old Daohao¡¯s mom with disdain, wishing she could jump up in protest.

    She had been talking about her behind her back, spreading rumors everywhere, to the point that many people¡¯s gaze had changed when they looked at her.

    Despite everything, she was still Daohao¡¯s mom¡¯s relative¡ªwas this not exposing her own family¡¯s disgrace?

    ¡°Look at the past, before liberation, our Liu landlord here also couldn¡¯t have children.

    If he hadn¡¯t taken another wife later, where would his descendants be?

    You¡¯re just like a hen that can¡¯t lay eggs¡ªcompletely useless!¡±

    Daohao¡¯s mom fearlessly pointed her dry finger at Qin Yue.

    ¡°You!¡± If it weren¡¯t for Liu Hun holding her back, she would have rushed up to attack the old woman.

    While Qin Yue was changing her clothes, Daohao¡¯s mom gathered all the neighbors, especially those inclined towards meddling and gossip, including the village chief, Ye Canghai, whom she dragged over forcibly.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?

    What happened?¡± Ye Canghai looked impatient.

    Seeing the crowd, he knew instantly that there was trivial drama to handle.

    As village chief, he was, indeed, a busy man.

    Daohao¡¯s mom voiced loudly, ¡°Village chief, look, instead of doing household chores, my daughter-in-law is bringing Liu Hun to till the fields.

    Isn¡¯t that just a blatant attempt to disgrace me?¡±

    The village chief, Ye Canghai, frowned and pulled Liu Hun and Qin Yue aside to ask quietly, ¡°Tell me clearly, what exactly is going on here?

    Why are you gathered like this?¡±

    Scratching the back of his head, Liu Hun explained, ¡°It¡¯s like this, because my uncle got some bad seeds, we can¡¯t count on this year¡¯s harvest.

    Luckily, Qin Yue¡¯s family has a piece of wasteland so I thought of planting something there.

    Besides, I live in that old temple and can also offer medical treatment¡ªit¡¯s not a hindrance, right?¡±

    This was not only about survival but also about preserving his own reputation.

    It took Liu Hun a while to articulate his thoughts, uncertain whether Ye Canghai would agree, but he was adamant about his integrity!

    Ye Canghai took a deep look at Liu Hun, then turned to Qin Yue, ¡°In that case, Qin Yue, do you agree?¡±

    ¡°I agree!

    Of course, I agree, who would refuse such good fortune?

    Only a fool,¡± said Qin Yue, glancing sharply at Daohao¡¯s mom.

    ¡°I, Qin Yue, walk the straight path¡ªnot only for Liu Hun¡¯s reputation but for my own integrity too.

    With Liu Hun helping to farm the land, I can even earn some money, unlike some who are always up to something.¡±

    Quietly stepping forward, Fen Ran added, ¡°Exactly, Qin Yue is right, this is a good thing.

    Besides, think about it, with Liu Hun¡¯s help in farming, they can even receive half the income¡ªwhy not?¡±

    Ye Canghai hesitated briefly before Fen Ran swiftly kicked him, ¡°Hurry up and agree!

    If anything happens to Liu Hun, I¡¯ll be the first to hold you accountable!

    Don¡¯t forget, I still remember the incident you ran away from¡ªif you don¡¯t handle this well, just see how I deal with you!¡±

    Ye Canghai inhaled sharply, ¡°Right... Old Daohao, think about it, even the plum trees in my backyard haven¡¯t been taken care of for a long time.

    If someone helped me plant them, I could get some money too.

    This is a good thing; think carefully.¡±

    Liu Hun spoke decisively, ¡°That¡¯s right, Old Daohao, will you really give us half of the produce?¡±

    ¡°Absolutely, I, Liu Hun, always keep my word!¡± Liu Hun patted his chest proudly.

    He had thought that Daohao¡¯s mom¡¯s interference would ruin his reputation.

    But, unexpectedly, her pulling him this way and that only spread his statement further.

    Daohao¡¯s mom frowned slightly, ¡°Don¡¯t be so quick to promise.

    I know you¡¯re great at treating ailments, but farming?

    I know about your uncle¡¯s land being neglected; what if you can¡¯t make anything of my land?¡±

    ¡°Right, Liu Hun may be excellent in treating diseases, but can he farm?¡±

    ¡°Hey, there¡¯s no need to look further; just look at his muscles, those sinews.

    Do you match him?¡±

    ¡°Old Daohao is right, if this young man Liu Hun can farm, that would be quite something¡ªeven better than that what¡¯s-his-name Mo Wen.¡±

    The villagers whispered among themselves, all busybodies, especially keen on gossip like this.

    Liu Hun stepped forward, addressing the surrounding villagers calmly, ¡°Folks, I, Liu Hun, guarantee that this year¡¯s cabbage yield will reach five thousand pounds!

    If it fails, I¡¯ll make up the difference.¡±

    ¡°Hahahaha, a madman, an absolute madman, look at him?

    Wanting five thousand pounds, it¡¯s ludicrous...

    Ah!¡± Ye Canghai was about to speak when Fen Ran pinched his side hard.

    ¡°Liu Hun, five thousand pounds is no joke, better take it back,¡± Qin Yue suddenly worried.

    ¡°That¡¯s a lot, with just these little fertilizers?

    You wish for five thousand pounds?

    Hahaha, you must be dreaming!¡±

    ¡°Who knew Liu Hun had a sense of humor!

    If he really manages to grow five thousand pounds, then I¡¯ll run three laps around the village.¡±

    The villagers¡¯ laughter gradually grew louder; not a single one believed Liu Hun.

    Forget about five thousand pounds¡ªif he could even produce a thousand pounds, that would already be remarkable.

 Chapter 31 - 31 31 Germination

    ?31: Chapter 31 Germination 31: Chapter 31 Germination Many villagers burst into laughter, none of them had expected Liu Huyi¡¯s joke to go this far.

    How much effect could such a tiny bit of fertilizer possibly have?

    The mere cost of the fertilizer was enough to drive Liu Hun to question his life.

    Daohao¡¯s mother scoffed coldly, disregarding everything with a snort, ¡°Hmph, this is the first time I¡¯ve heard someone say this!

    I¡¯ve known all along that you, boy, were up to no good.

    Do you think I, an old lady, am so easily deceived?

    A little fertilizer and it¡¯s supposed to sprout?

    Are you joking?¡±

    ¡°Daohao¡¯s mom, when Liu Hun says something, he does it.

    I say I can grow five thousand pounds, and it will be five thousand pounds.

    What¡¯s more, once I¡¯ve grown them, I can share half with you all at that time.

    Wouldn¡¯t that be great?

    You get yours, and I get mine,¡± Liu Hun said with an oath, ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, I can prove it right here.¡±

    ¡°Prove it?¡± Daohao¡¯s mother scoffed with disdain, ¡°With your scrawny frame, you need to prove it?

    No disrespect, but think about it yourself, your rundown temple and that little shabby house along with the wasteland, can you actually scrounge together a few dozen yuan?¡±

    Liu Hun was suddenly speechless; Daohao¡¯s mother¡¯s words hit him right where it hurt.

    If he really had that much, he wouldn¡¯t be living such a miserable life.

    ¡°Mom, you can¡¯t say that.

    Opportunities are made by people.

    And they come only once, let Liu Hun plant it anyway.

    Even if nothing much grows by the time it¡¯s due, at least we can have a look, right?

    If he really manages to grow the crops, won¡¯t our family strike it rich?¡± Qin Yue took two anxious steps forward, her chest heaving in a way that caught Ye Canghai¡¯s attention.

    Daohao¡¯s mother glared at Qin Yue; this little hen, her elbows turning out more day by day.

    However, with so many villagers watching her, indeed it wasn¡¯t good to say much more.

    People need face as trees need bark; even if it¡¯s just to bluff, she could wrest her dignity back.

    ¡°Fine, today I¡¯ll give Liu Hun a chance!¡± Daohao¡¯s mother stated coldly.

    Qin Yue and others sighed in relief, somehow managing to persuade the stubborn old lady.

    But before they could celebrate, Daohao¡¯s mother pulled out a bunch of beansprout seeds and tossed them into the cracks of the rocks.

    ¡°Liu Hun, you think you¡¯re so capable?

    You think you¡¯ve got such great abilities?

    Let¡¯s see you sprout this seed from here.

    If you can do that!

    Forget the proof, I won¡¯t even need half the yield!

    It¡¯s all yours to do as you please!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s it, it¡¯s all over, forget whether those seeds can be planted, it¡¯s impossible even in three years.¡±

    ¡°Exactly, I¡¯ve been wanting to persuade Liu Hun not to take on this job, you see, it¡¯s ruined now.¡±

    ¡°No matter how much fertilizer there is, it won¡¯t grow, it¡¯s just a pipe dream.¡±

    The villagers began to discuss amongst themselves as Daohao¡¯s mother stretched her neck out and laughed proudly, ¡°Liu Hun, this isn¡¯t me making things difficult for you, you chose this path yourself.

    If you can¡¯t grow it within three years, hmph, off you go!¡±

    ¡°Three years?

    Forget three years, let¡¯s say tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Haha, tomorrow, Liu Hun, it¡¯s not me being mean, but how could it possibly be by tomorrow, ah ow!¡± Ye Canghai hadn¡¯t finished speaking when Fen Ran pinched him fiercely at the waist.

    Liu Hun¡¯s words rendered many people speechless; sprouting beansprouts in one day, how could that be possible?

    Moreover, the seeds had fallen into the rock crevices.

    Let alone whether they could be fertilized, even if all the fertilizer was poured in, without soil to cover, they couldn¡¯t possibly take root and sprout.

    ¡°Hahaha, Liu Hun, you¡¯ve made quite the claim; you¡¯d better take it to heart.

    If the seed dropped into a rock crack can actually grow, then wouldn¡¯t ducks be able to fly in the sky?¡±

    At this, Daohao¡¯s mother let out a snicker, muttered a few words and walked away at a slow pace.

    Ye Canghai wanted to scold Liu Hun, but before he could say anything, Fen Ran glared at him fiercely.

    The surrounding villagers also slowly returned home as the excitement ended.

    By the time most people had left, Qin Yue anxiously grabbed Liu Hun¡¯s hand, ¡°Look at what you¡¯ve done, how are we going to deal with this?

    How can beansprouts possibly grow out of these rocks?

    Isn¡¯t this a joke?

    If my mother-in-law makes a fuss about this, it won¡¯t just be me losing face; your reputation and your uncle¡¯s family will too.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, they will sprout tomorrow for sure.

    I¡¯m a bit tired today, I¡¯ll head back to the temple,¡± Liu Hun stretched his back; a day¡¯s work indeed exhausted him.

    Now he wanted to rest properly and recover his strength.

    It was still dark, but Qin Yue¡¯s backyard had already seen the likes of Qin Yue, Daohao¡¯s mother, Fen Ran, and Xiaoxiang.

    Each one eager to witness this miraculous scene and see how the seeds could sprout from the crevices of the rocks.

    But not a single one could stay awake, and soon they all had returned.

    Shortly after they left, a dark figure appeared in the field, soon disappearing as if it had never been there.

    ¡°Waking up?

    The sun is shining down, and the flowers are smiling at me!

    Cough cough...

    they¡¯ve sprouted, the seeds have sprouted, villagers rise and come have a look.¡± Before dawn had even broken, Heizi went around with a bronze gong, knocking on every household¡¯s door.

    By the time the villagers stepped out their homes, dawn had already broken, and Heizi¡¯s shouting could still be heard down the village road.

    Many people, grumpy and hopeful about the seeds sprouting, slowly rushed towards Qin Yue¡¯s backyard.

    ¡°Wow, they really did grow, this is too miraculous, the seeds can actually grow!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve never seen anything grow out of a backyard rock crack before!¡±

    ¡°Interesting, interesting indeed, this is very rare to see!¡±

    ...

    Still in bed, Qin Yue tossed and turned unhappily, awoken by the commotion in the backyard without having had enough sleep.

    She hastily got dressed and stepped out.

    But when she pushed past several villagers and looked forward...

    ¡°My heavens, how is this possible?

    They really grew!¡±

    Seeing the beansprouts poking through, Qin Yue was too shocked to speak.

    She recalled many planting methods in her mind, but none that could make beansprouts grow from a rock crack overnight.

    Regardless, there was something she had to do now, and that was to call Daohao¡¯s mother to come and see.

    The possibility of beansprouts growing out of stone crevasses, in a village scarce of resources, spread like a bombshell, with even the most bedridden of villagers gaping in disbelief as they listened to the tales of this extraordinary event.

    Wherever Liu Hun went, he could hear the villagers singing his praises, this was his ability, this was the effect he had wanted to achieve!

 Chapter 32 - 32 32 Teaching Support

    ?32: Chapter 32: Teaching Support 32: Chapter 32: Teaching Support As long as he could make the villagers of Wanbao Village believe in his farming skills, it would provide strong support for his future development in Wanbao Village.

    This was just the first step.

    Qin Yue jumped up laughing, she had not laughed this much all year.

    Her eyes widened as she looked at the bean sprouts in the cracks of the rocks, excitedly exclaiming, ¡°That¡¯s amazing, I never expected you to have this skill in farming.

    Are you even better than your brother-in-law?

    If only you could use this skill elsewhere, our Wanbao Village could really prosper.¡±

    Liu Hun laughed loudly, ¡°Hahaha, this is just the first step.

    Moreover, although these bean sprouts are growing in the cracks of the rocks, they have almost sprouted after I watered them with my own concoction.¡±

    Qin Yue giggled, ¡°You are really something, really amazing.

    If this concoction could be used on people, wouldn¡¯t we be able to ascend to heaven.

    It¡¯s just...

    5000 kilograms might be a bit too little, after all, we don¡¯t have much fertilizer at home.¡±

    Liu Hun smiled helplessly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I have a plan.¡±

    A mu of land, full of vibrant green bean sprouts that normally would take a month to flourish, was impressively quickened by Liu Hun¡¯s concoction.

    Before long, the bean sprouts grew, encompassing the entire vegetable field in a lush green view which sparked envy among many villagers.

    However, this was only the first step, since Liu Hun was just trying it out in Qin Yue¡¯s backyard.

    To plant all the villagers¡¯ fields, trust must be earned.

    As noon approached, a large truck entered.

    Many villagers brought out their home-grown cabbages and other crops, among them naturally was Liu Hun squatting at the village entrance.

    Since Fen Ran had brought people over, Liu Hun had already placed his best cabbages in front of them.

    They looked good and were in great condition, increasingly attracting the attention of these agricultural businessmen.

    ¡°Hahaha, quick, quick, money, money, Liu Hun!

    Come count this money,¡± Ye Canghai couldn¡¯t stop grinning, grabbing the man¡¯s wrist repeatedly saying, ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard on this journey, really worked hard.¡±

    ¡°Hahaha, no worries, no worries, it wasn¡¯t really trouble, but the cabbage isn¡¯t bad, and those people bought well.

    If possible, I hope you guys can plant more next year, so we can do even better, right?¡± the man laughed.

    This man was an agricultural goods purchaser who came every year to buy green produce.

    Liu Hun took some money, counting it repeatedly.

    He looked up and extended his hand to the man, ¡°This batch of cabbage was just a start, but I still feel it might not be enough.

    If possible, I hope next year we could...¡±

    ¡°Hahaha, don¡¯t worry, don¡¯t worry, you have the heart for it, and I¡¯ll do it.

    After all, it¡¯s a win-win situation, isn¡¯t it!¡± The man understood what Liu Hun was thinking and knew what he wanted to say.

    Fen Ran glared at Ye Canghai, who was always sour when he missed out.

    Liu Hun¡¯s success today was all his own skill, but luckily her judgement was no worse than Ye Canghai¡¯s.

    Watching the man drive the large truck slowly away from the village, Ye Canghai felt indescribably awkward.

    After all, he was the village chief, and all the prestige had been taken by Liu Hun, not to mention his wife constantly nagging at him.

    In total, it was more than two thousand, still too little.

    Liu Hun clenched his fists, with the concoction for the crops made from herbs picked from the mountain and adding airflow.

    Considering per mu, wouldn¡¯t development be too slow?

    ¡°It looks like I need to speed up,¡± watching the distant mountains, Liu Hun unconsciously clenched his fists.

    ¡°Look!

    What do you call real skill!

    What do you call amazing!

    This is it!¡±

    ¡°How nice, I wish I could be like that.

    If I could be like him in the future, then I would make it.¡±

    ¡°You might as well forget it, if you could be as great as him, I would call you my grandson.¡±

    Ye Canghai¡¯s heart grew increasingly bitter.

    If things keep going this way, wouldn¡¯t Wanbao Village only know Liu Hun and not him, Ye Canghai?

    ...

    Today, the villagers of Wanbao Village gathered at the village entrance.

    They were not there to watch Liu Hun water the cabbage, but to welcome the new teacher who was coming to teach.

    They had been eagerly waiting for this day for several years.

    ¡°Did you hear?

    The one coming today is a university student, we¡¯ll have a teacher in our village.¡±

    Several villagers started discussing and quickly many villagers were abuzz.

    ¡°Stop talking, let¡¯s watch, this is a blessing for our Wanbao Village.¡±

    As the villagers¡¯ voices fell, the rumbling sound of a tractor could be heard in the distance.

    Everyone looked in the direction of the sound, a woman in jeans and a shoulder tank top smiling brightly at them, her appearance strikingly fetching.

    ¡°Wow, this girl is not bad, look at how beautiful and charming she is.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s even prettier than our village¡¯s Qin Yue, look at that figure.¡±

    ¡°Tsk tsk tsk, this kid is really well-grown, look at that tender skin.¡±

    ...

    When the tractor stopped, Fen Ran glanced at the young woman.

    Today¡¯s young girls develop really well, with all the right curves in all the right places, nothing vague about it.

    Especially since Ye Canghai was already staring dumbfounded, his eyes nearly glued to her.

    Fen Ran felt dissatisfied and slapped him on the back, ¡°What are you spacing out for, don¡¯t just stand there, go and show her around.

    Aren¡¯t you the village chief or is it just for show?¡±

    ¡°Oh, right, right, right.¡± Ye Canghai awkwardly smiled, stepping forward a few steps, ¡°Hello, I am the village chief here, you can call me Uncle Ye, welcome to Wanbao Village, you are the village chief.¡±

    ¡°Hello village chief, I¡¯m the teacher coming to teach, my name is Du Lingyue, I hope you¡¯ll take good care of me in the future.¡± Du Lingyue pursed her lips and smiled, reaching out and shaking hands with Ye Canghai.

    The hand of a university student was indeed different, holding it just felt very comfortable, a feeling Fen Ran couldn¡¯t give.

    Watching Du Lingyue¡¯s playful demeanor, his heart was constantly stirred.

    Her neat ponytail, cute dimples, and exquisite features, especially her trendy clothes that accentuated her figure, left him dazzled.

    ¡°Village chief, come on, the teacher has come all this way not easily, don¡¯t you think you should offer her a drink so she doesn¡¯t get thirsty?¡± an unhappy voice suddenly interjected.

    ¡°Right, right, right, hahaha, look at my memory, I almost forgot.¡± Ye Canghai scratched the back of his head, laughing awkwardly.

 Chapter 33 - 33 33 Ghosts

    ?33: Chapter 33 Ghosts 33: Chapter 33 Ghosts ¡°Our Teacher Du has made it very clear, she belongs to our Wanbao Village!

    You people trying to take her over, it¡¯s impossible!

    If you don¡¯t leave us today, don¡¯t blame me for being rude!

    The people behind me are all supportive, they stand behind me not for personal gain or weighing options, but for the heartfelt resolve we have to defend our land!

    A true resolve!¡±

    Liu Hun had not been well-educated or attended much school.

    These words came from the bottom of his heart, because this is Wanbao Village, the place where he was born and raised!

    ¡°Well spoken, even I was almost moved!

    Kid, you haven¡¯t had much schooling or read many books, but you speak quite well!

    However, I have only one thing to say, since you won¡¯t hand her over, don¡¯t blame us for being impolite!¡± Sun Xing said coldly, and the men standing behind him immediately charged forward.

    As the men charged over, Fen Ran smiled at the corner of her mouth, ¡°Girl, don¡¯t be scared.

    This is the capable man of our village.

    With him here, no difficulty is a problem!¡±

    One man wielding a wooden stick struck down towards Liu Hun.

    Liu Hun didn¡¯t dodge or flinch, he raised his left hand, and with the ¡°snap~¡± of the stick, it immediately broke in half.

    Blood sprayed out, and one man fell down.

    Liu Hun swiftly dodged a few more strikes.

    He charged into the crowd alone, and anguished screams followed.

    Visible to the naked eye, one of Sun Xing¡¯s teeth was knocked out by Liu Hun¡¯s fist, along with a streak of blood, and buried into the ground.

    The first, the second, the third, in an instant, none of the men Sun Xing brought had a good look on their faces.

    ¡°Good, hit them!¡±

    ¡°Go for it, beat the crap out of them, so satisfying!

    Really clean these youngsters up!¡±

    ¡°Beautiful, Liu Hun indeed!

    Let these old things taste our prowess, let them know we¡¯re not to be trifled with!¡±

    ...

    Many villagers of Wanbao Village increasingly couldn¡¯t see what was happening upfront, and with the dust rising, all they could do was listen to the shrieks coming out of these people¡¯s mouths.

    ¡°You guys...

    you¡¯re all men, are you going to let Liu Hun fight these people alone?

    Where are your faces?

    Are you even men!¡± Fen Ran glared.

    ¡°I¡¯m going!¡± a villager¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°I¡¯ve even been looked down upon by Fen Ran, damn it, we¡¯re all villagers of Wanbao Village, they¡¯re just a few, what¡¯s there to fear!

    At worst, we¡¯ll fight them!¡±

    A group of villagers grabbed their tools and prepared to join the fray.

    Now things had really turned up, as these villagers joined the melee, screams and roars awakened this remote small mountain village fully.

    Before the people could clearly see the battlefield, a man following Sun Xing was thrown out and heavily fell to the ground.

    ¡°Great!

    Hahaha, we won, we won!

    We have won!¡±

    Watching the people from Qingquan Village gradually retreat, a villager excitedly hoisted Liu Hun jumping around.

    Many villagers rushed to join, ¡°Long live Liu Hun, long live!

    We won!¡±

    A thunderous cheer rose within Wanbao Village, fighting alongside Liu Hun not only fired them up but also gave them a taste of real manliness for the first time.

    Holding onto Du Lingyue, Fen Ran couldn¡¯t close her smiling mouth, she whispered softly: ¡°Did you see everything just now?

    This is the capable man of our village, the most impressive man in our village.¡±

    Du Lingyue didn¡¯t speak, she gently nodded, within this small mountain village, what wasn¡¯t just the unique ambiance of a poor countryside, but also the spirit of solidarity among the villagers deeply affected her.

    There was no school in the village, naturally, there was also no place where Du Lingyue could stay.

    She could only stay in the temple.

    There were only about twenty kids in the village, after Du Lingyue started classes every morning, Liu Hun could hear their clear reading voices.

    These sounds didn¡¯t disturb Liu Hun but rather gave him a sense of seeing future hope.

    Every day, the children in the temple ate vegetables grown by Liu Hun himself, very nutritious.

    Sometimes Du Lingyue also dined with Liu Hun.

    Although it was just the two of them eating, it could be somewhat awkward.

    Until evening, when Liu Hun returned from Qin Yue¡¯s house, a day¡¯s work in the fields had exhausted him.

    Not yet entering the temple gate, Liu Hun smelled an extremely delicious fragrance coming from inside.

    He gently pushed open the door, Du Lingyue pursed her lips in a smile, ¡°What are you standing there for?

    Come in.¡±

    Liu Hun entered, sitting down on a chair.

    Du Lingyue brought out freshly made cabbage soup in front of Liu Hun, ¡°Taste this, the food I made this time is much better than before.

    But even if it isn¡¯t tasty, you¡¯re not allowed to say so!¡±

    Liu Hun laughed heartily, he found Du Lingyue was becoming more adorable, yet some words could only be kept in his heart.

    He picked up the chopsticks on the table, fetched a piece of cabbage leaf, and slowly tasted it, only to be surprisingly aware that this girl¡¯s cooking skills were indeed improving.

    Just a bowl of cabbage soup made him feel as if he had been hungry for three to four days.

    ¡°How is it?

    Tasty?¡± Du Lingyue held her small face, seemingly waiting for Liu Hun¡¯s compliment.

    ¡°Mmm, delicious!¡± Liu Hun gave a thumbs up, he smiled and said, ¡°By the way, why did the person who came here with you suddenly run away?

    Does he not like it here?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like that.¡±

    Du Lingyue quietly lowered her head, she didn¡¯t want to bring up this matter, nor speak about it.

    But since Liu Hun asked, she didn¡¯t avoid it, ¡°Actually, he thought coming here would just be touring around and enjoying.

    Only when he really found out how poor here is and couldn¡¯t endure the hardships did he run...¡±

    Liu Hun watched Du Lingyue¡¯s increasingly downcast look, he knew he had asked something he shouldn¡¯t have.

    ¡°Don¡¯t just talk about him, by the way, I heard them say that you¡¯re the most capable person in this village.

    You can treat illnesses, farm, and break feudal superstitions, you¡¯re really amazing.¡± Du Lingyue giggled, ¡°Besides these, what else can you do?¡±

    ¡°This...¡± Liu Hun felt a bit awkward, as he looked at Du Lingyue¡¯s twinkling eyes, his heart stirred, ¡°Not much really, just a bit better at farming than most people.

    If...

    if you could do it, you could achieve it too.¡±

    ¡°No wonder, back when I ate cabbage in those restaurants, it always had a weird feeling.

    Now that you¡¯ve said this, it really comes back to me.¡±

    ¡°As long as you find it tasty.

    This is just the beginning, if these vegetables were sold to those places, our village could soon develop,¡± Liu Hun mused, feeling that what Du Lingyue said was right.

 Chapter 34 - 34 34 Ghosts in the Heart

    ?34: Chapter 34 Ghosts in the Heart 34: Chapter 34 Ghosts in the Heart Du Yueling watched with a cheeky smile as Liu Hun cleared the dishes on the table, her mouth forming a slight curve, looking extremely adorable.

    If Qin Yue Fen Ran was characterized by the charm of a mature woman, then Du Yueling was like a lark in a flower, leaping gracefully without leaving any regrets.

    Liu Hun scratched the back of his head, ¡°By the way, you paused mid-sentence earlier.

    Were you trying to ask me something?¡±

    ¡°Hehe, it¡¯s nothing!¡± Du Yueling pouted, clearing away all the dishes from the table.

    Liu Hun looked at Du Yueling¡¯s petite and adorable figure, recalling her words, feeling that something was missing in his heart.

    The night sky was rendered black, with stars barely visible, and the sounds of insects began to arise around the temple.

    Liu Hun lay on the simple bed, tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep.

    With Du Yueling staying at the temple, he felt an indescribable sensation.

    It was like being embraced yet feeling uneasy, a sensation he had often experienced in his childhood, even as his parents shielded him.

    After all, his uncle had tormented him numerous times over the years.

    ¡°Sigh!¡± Liu Hun turned over, rubbing his eyes.

    Just then, a figure swiftly flashed before him, disappearing without a trace before he could react.

    What was that just now?

    Liu Hun sat up suddenly, clutching his chest, trying to recall the figure that had flashed past the window.

    If it had been a mere illusion from sleepiness, then the soft footsteps wouldn¡¯t have been audible.

    Which meant the sound was real and nearby!

    ¡°Oh no!¡±

    Realizing this, Liu Hun jumped out of bed, worrying if the figure had gone to Du Yueling¡¯s room.

    Taking a deep breath, he slowly made his way to Du Yueling¡¯s door, clearly hearing her gentle breaths and occasional soft murmurs from inside.

    There was no sign that the figure had been there, nor anything peculiar.

    But if the earlier sensation was an illusion, he wouldn¡¯t believe it.

    Especially since he had become increasingly sensitive to external sounds, he was almost certain that the speed of the figure surpassed his own.

    Unable to sleep all night, when breakfast time came the next day, seeing Du Yueling¡¯s cute dimples, Liu Hun yearned to share his discovery with her.

    But before he could speak, he heard her announce that the children would stay in the temple today.

    Telling Du Yueling might scare the children, which could backfire.

    As night fell, the temple surroundings were utterly silent.

    Ling Fei leaned against the door, drowsily closing his eyes, slipping into sleep.

    ¡°Ah!

    Help, there¡¯s a ghost!

    Save me!¡± A cry echoed from within the temple, abruptly waking Liu Hun.

    Sounds of banging and pot clattering erupted, throwing the ancient temple into chaos.

    Liu Hun was the first to wake, realizing that strange figure had reappeared.

    Several children awoke but didn¡¯t grasp the gravity of the situation until the cries rang out again, prompting many of them to push open windows and flee swiftly, disappearing from sight.

    Liu Hun stepped forward, wanting to stop the children.

    But then he thought, in this mountain village, the children have explored every nook and cranny, whereas Du Yueling was different, having grown up in the city.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t good!¡± Ignoring the children, Liu Hun immediately turned and ran to Du Yueling¡¯s room.

    The breeze blew through, with no sounds of human presence; the room was emptily void of Du Yueling¡¯s figure.

    A tightness gripped Liu Hun¡¯s heart, and he wondered if perhaps...

    Without delay, he searched the entire temple, even checking the rooftop, yet found no trace of her.

    Where is she?

    Where could she have gone?

    Could it be...

    No...

    impossible.

    Liu Hun crouched, his spirit dazed, eyes darkening.

    Du Yueling, truth be told, was weaker than an average farm woman.

    Against that strange figure, she wouldn¡¯t have the strength to resist.

    Yet, he hadn¡¯t heard a cry or even footsteps within the room.

    ¡°No...

    this can¡¯t be happening.¡± Liu Hun felt a numbness throughout his body, letting out an angry roar to the sky.

    His left hand clenched with tightened muscles, hitting the ground with fierce force!

    Debris scattered, blue veins slowly surfaced on his arm.

    A white aura spread throughout his veins, and anyone near could feel the sheer potency of his muscle power.

    ¡°Liu Hun, what happened?

    My little girl just ran back saying there¡¯s a ghost in this temple, is that true?¡±

    ¡°Liu Hun!

    Tell us straightforwardly, what on earth is going on with this temple?

    My children were scared!¡±

    ¡°Today, if you don¡¯t give us a satisfactory explanation, you won¡¯t be leaving here!¡±

    Many villagers, bringing their children, surrounded Liu Hun, faces filled with anger, as though wishing to lash Liu Hun with a whip.

    Liu Hun stood up, brushing the dirt off himself, gradually regaining composure, ¡°Let¡¯s not discuss this now.

    Help find Teacher Du first; she¡¯s missing.¡±

    ¡°What did you say!¡± Ye Canghai quickly realized, ¡°This is bad!

    If Teacher Du goes missing, even I can¡¯t bear this responsibility!¡±

    With many villagers mobilized, a great force gathered.

    Fen Ran and Mao¡¯er found the unconscious Du Yueling lying on the ground in the woods behind the temple.

    ¡°Wake up, wake up!¡± Liu Hun gently patted Du Yueling¡¯s small hand.

    A white aura flowed from his wrist into Du Lingyue¡¯s body, worried that Du Lingyue might be maladjusted to the temple.

    ¡°Hmm?¡± A sheep-like sound slowly murmured, Du Lingyue softly groaned, turning and shifting gently against the earth.

    ¡°Eh, Teacher Du looks just like my mother, sleeping in bed like a big lazybug.¡± Mao¡¯er squatted beside Liu Hun, resting her chin in her hands, muttering.

    ¡°You rascal, who¡¯s the lazybug!

    You¡¯re the biggest lazybug!¡± Bai Lianhua glared fiercely at Mao¡¯er.

    Mao¡¯er¡¯s remark triggered bouts of laughter from many people.

    Liu Hun exhaled, relieved that regardless, Teacher Du was alright.

    He lifted his head and looked at Fen Ran, ¡°Sister Fen Ran, Sister Qin Yue, you both stay and guard her while she sleeps.

    Everyone else, come back to the temple with me now!¡±

    His words caused a commotion among the crowd.

    Everyone knew that the highest authority here wasn¡¯t Liu Hun, but Ye Canghai.

    His directive seemed like a disregard for Ye Canghai.

    Nonetheless, many nodded and followed Liu Hun back to the temple, indicating Liu Hun¡¯s growing influence.

    Back at the temple, Liu Hun spoke in a low voice, ¡°Mao¡¯er, recount everything you saw yesterday.¡±

 Chapter 35 - 35 35 Wandering Soul

    ?35: Chapter 35 Wandering Soul 35: Chapter 35 Wandering Soul ¡°That kid, Mao¡¯er, what nonsense is he talking about?

    It¡¯s like all the books he¡¯s read went straight to the dogs, talking about tomb mounds and whatnot!

    Can he say something else?¡± Qin Yue¡¯s mother-in-law, Da Hao¡¯s Mom, originally came for some excitement, but after hearing Mao¡¯er¡¯s words, she regretted coming.

    ¡°Mao¡¯er, go on.¡± Liu Hun ignored Da Hao¡¯s Mom and continued questioning Mao¡¯er.

    ¡°Then, I got scared...

    screamed once, and then...¡± Mao¡¯er paused, glancing at the little girl beside him.

    ¡°Er Niu woke up and asked me what was wrong, so I said there was a ghost, a monster, and told everyone to run.¡±

    ¡°So, all of you got woken up and ran?¡± Liu Hun asked the surrounding children.

    The children around all nodded, spilling the beans like pouring beans from a bamboo tube, but not one could clearly describe what they saw.

    ¡°Wait a minute!

    Teacher Du was sleeping in the same big bed with you all last night.

    Did any of you see Teacher Du?¡± Liu Hun scanned the surrounding children and asked.

    The children, who had been chattering like frying beans, suddenly fell silent, shaking their heads one by one.

    ¡°Are you shaking your heads because you didn¡¯t see Teacher Du after waking up, or because you didn¡¯t pay attention to whether Teacher Du was there?¡± Liu Hun tried to be as specific as possible with his question.

    ¡°Heh...

    Hun Brother, we were all busy running for our lives, not caring about Teacher Du.¡± Mao¡¯er said a bit embarrassed, as if he¡¯d been caught stealing corn cobs.

    After hearing this, Liu Hun thought to himself that he had rushed to Du Yueling¡¯s room the night before, finding it empty, so Du Yueling must have disappeared before Mao¡¯er woke up.

    After asking all he could, Liu Hun let the villagers take their children home.

    After the villagers left, Bai Lian and others accompanied Du Yueling, chatting and laughing all the way back to the temple.

    Liu Hun watched Du Yueling, who seemed to wear a smile like a blooming flower no matter the season, just like a begonia.

    ¡°Teacher Du, are you alright?¡± Liu Hun asked, pouring her a cup of tea after she sat down.

    ¡°Nothing¡¯s wrong, I¡¯m perfectly fine.

    I could jump and dance,¡± Du Yueling replied with a cheerful smile, suddenly tilting her head.

    ¡°I...

    slept quite well on that haystack, so soft, so plush...

    Oh!

    Right, I forgot to arrange today¡¯s lesson schedule.¡± With that, she hurriedly left the table and went back to her room.

    ¡°Is this girl really that thick-skinned?

    Acting like a silly deer, not taking anything seriously...

    and off she goes to arrange lessons?¡± Qin Yue¡¯s eyes widened, her straightforward nature always leading her to speak her mind.

    ¡°Qin Yue, that¡¯s so rude.

    Keep your voice down; it wouldn¡¯t be good if Teacher Du hears,¡± Fen Ran, standing by Qin Yue, quickly tugged her sleeve.

    Bai Lian, worried about Fen Ran and Qin Yue bickering, immediately chimed in, asking Liu Hun, ¡°Hun, what should we do about this?

    Should we talk to Teacher Du?¡±

    ¡°No!

    It was hard for Teacher Du to come to our village, and the kids finally have someone to teach them.

    We can¡¯t scare Teacher Du away,¡± Liu Hun replied after some thought.

    ¡°Unless Teacher Du asks, we say nothing.

    Whatever it is, I¡¯ll definitely catch it.

    But I¡¯ll need your help.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t mention help!

    Ensuring Teacher Du can teach in peace is the responsibility of everyone in Wanbao Village.

    Just tell us what you need,¡± Qin Yue said straightforwardly.

    ¡°Can you all stay with Teacher Du in the temple overnight for the next few days?

    I¡¯ll stand guard and catch whatever it is!¡± Liu Hun suggested to the three women, believing it to be the best plan.

    Without any hesitation, the three women nodded in agreement.

    As the saying goes, ¡°Good news lack doors while bad news travels a thousand miles,¡± the rumors of ghosts and monsters in Wanbao Village¡¯s temple spread quickly to nearby areas, yet Liu Hun was glad that Du Yueling remained calm and composed.

    The children continued attending classes on time, and the three women stayed in the temple overnight.

    Days passed without any sign of the so-called ghost or monster, leaving Liu Hun as restless as an ant on a hot pan.

    That night, Liu Hun twisted and turned in bed like a sweet potato, unable to sleep or calm himself.

    After countless flips, he finally felt the urge to urinate, so he climbed out of bed and discreetly relieved himself in a corner of the temple.

    ¡°Ah!

    Comfortable!¡± Liu Hun buttoned his trousers, ready to head back, when suddenly he heard a ¡°crack¡± behind him.

    A twig breaking wouldn¡¯t be anything during the day, but at night, it was creepily unsettling.

    Liu Hun spun around abruptly...

    ¡°Hey!

    Qinyue Sis, it¡¯s you?

    Scared me half to death,¡± Liu Hun said, his heart settling after realizing it was Qin Yue.

    Qin Yue was dressed lightly and coolly, her white legs both eye-catching and dazzling.

    As she yawned, her heavy chest swayed up and down energetically.

    ¡°Why can¡¯t it be me?

    You weren¡¯t waiting for someone else, were you?¡± Qin Yue teased with a hands-on-hips, mock-smiling look at Liu Hun.

    Liu Hun laughed, saying, ¡°Qin Yue, what are you talking about...

    so what brings you out?¡±

    ¡°To pee, of course!

    It¡¯s not like you¡¯re the only one who needs to pee,¡± Qin Yue said, swaying like a willow tree, sidling up to Liu Hun and asking, ¡°Hun, Sis here is scared something might jump out from this temple.

    Can you stand guard for me?¡±

    Even if Qin Yue hadn¡¯t asked, Liu Hun planned on standing guard for her, just in case something did happen.

    He nodded, telling Qin Yue, ¡°Go ahead, I¡¯ll be right here, just call if you need anything.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t go too far!¡± Qin Yue said, heading to the corner, stealing a glance at Liu Hun and confirming his back was turned.

    She sighed, pulling down her trousers to start peeing.

    ¡°Sssss...

    sssss...¡±

    Qin Yue¡¯s vigorous stream sounded like a waterfall hitting the ground.

    As she was finishing, shivering from the release, a hand suddenly wrapped around her waist.

    Qin Yue was about to scream when she saw it was Liu Hun!

    ¡°Don¡¯t scream, Qin Yue Sis!

    It¡¯s me!

    That thing appeared!

    I saw it clearly go into the temple.

    You go and wake the others inside, and tell them not to be scared.

    I¡¯ll handle that thing!¡± Liu Hun pulled Qin Yue up, not even waiting for her to finish adjusting her trousers, stealthily saying as he headed into the temple.

    ¡°You be careful...¡± Qin Yue whispered, tying her trousers as she headed for her room.

    Liu Hun cautiously followed the shadow.

    He could see it clearly now; the shadow had definitely entered the dilapidated temple.

    It must be hiding in the backyard, unable to escape.

    Liu Hun crept to the backyard door, pressed against the frame, ready to push and reveal what was inside with one swift move.

    ¡°Poof!¡±

    Liu Hun suddenly felt something land on his shoulder.

    He spun around tightly, surprised to see, ¡°Why...

    why are you here?¡±

    ¡°Hun!

    Teacher Du is missing!¡± Fen Ran said anxiously, her face pale under the moonlight.

    ¡°Heh...

    hah...¡±

    Before Liu Hun could respond, strange noises emanated from inside the door, causing the three women to tremble in fear.

    Taking a deep breath, Qin Yue dared to ask, ¡°Hun, what¡¯s inside there?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the thing we¡¯ve been searching for, maybe related to Teacher Du¡¯s disappearance!

    Step back a bit,¡± Liu Hun instructed, exhaling heavily and preparing to push the door.

    ¡°Creak!¡±

    The wooden door swung open as Liu Hun charged into the backyard, fists clenched, scanning the surroundings...

    He was stunned!

    ¡°Sun Xing!

    What are you doing here?¡± Qin Yue, worried about Liu Hun¡¯s safety, followed him in and immediately spotted Sun Xing.

    ¡°Teacher Du!

    Why are you here too?¡± Fen Ran exclaimed, utterly bewildered by the situation.

    ¡°Teacher Du?!

    Teacher Du?!¡± Bai Lian called out several times, but Du Yueling didn¡¯t respond to him at all.

    The scene was incredibly bizarre, like watching a play where Zhuge Liang was confronting Monk Fahai.

    Sun Xing¡¯s upper body was bare, leaving him only in his shorts, while Du Yueling stood fully dressed, staring blankly at Sun Xing from three meters away.

    ¡°Sun!

    Xing!¡± Liu Hun reprimanded sharply.

    He never expected the chaos would be caused by the local bully Sun Xing from a neighboring village, and that somehow it involved Du Yueling.

    ¡°Heh...

    uh...

    Hun, listen to me!

    Teacher Du and I, it¡¯s...

    mutual consent, no one forced anyone, you have to understand...

    understand!¡± Sun Xing rattled, nervously backing away, fearful of Liu Hun¡¯s wrath.

    ¡°Teacher Du!

    How could you fancy this scoundrel?!

    Are you blind or what?

    Ugh!¡± Qin Yue fumed, her frustration almost palpable.

    She felt like a bellows blocked at both ends, unable to vent her emotions and ended up stomping in anger.

    ¡°Qin Yue!

    Impossible!

    Even a dog is better than Sun Xing!

    How could Teacher Du possibly be interested in him?!

    Teacher Du, what¡¯s going on?

    Say something!

    This is driving me mad!¡± Bai Lian also couldn¡¯t contain her anxiety, constantly urging Du Yueling.

    Sun Xing, having learned his lesson from a previous beating, was now cautious around Liu Hun.

    Sensing the tension, he quickly said, ¡°Look, I¡¯m just saying we fell for each other at first sight, like Sima meeting Gentleman Wen.¡±

    Liu Hun clenched his fists tightly, unwilling to believe Sun Xing¡¯s nonsense.

    But Du Yueling¡¯s silence was unsettling, leaving him anxious and on edge.

    ¡°Something¡¯s wrong!

    Hun, Qin Yue, Bai Lian¡¯er!

    Look, I think Teacher Du¡¯s soul is wandering!

    That¡¯s why she isn¡¯t responding to us!¡± Fen Ran suddenly exclaimed, grabbing everyone¡¯s attention.

    ¡°Soul wandering?¡± Bai Lian asked Fen Ran in surprise.

    Fen Ran nodded, hurriedly explaining, ¡°My brother back home has this soul-wandering problem.

    At night, while asleep, he¡¯d get up and wander around.

    If you ask him anything, it¡¯s like he can¡¯t hear you.

    And the next day, he doesn¡¯t remember a thing about his nightly wanderings!¡±

 Chapter 36 - 36 36 The Stone Revealed as the Water Recedes

    ?36: Chapter 36: The Stone Revealed as the Water Recedes 36: Chapter 36: The Stone Revealed as the Water Recedes Upon hearing Fen Ran¡¯s words, Qin Yue tried calling out a few more times, but Du Yueling still stood motionless like a tree stump.

    ¡°All right!

    You scoundrel!

    Just wanted to take advantage of Teacher Du while she¡¯s in a daze to do something shameless!

    What are you talking about with that Sima nonsense, huh!

    Scoundrel!¡± Bai Lian furiously scolded Sun Xing, thinking that if Liu Hun hadn¡¯t arrived in time, Du Yueling might have been harmed.

    ¡°What do you mean by ¡®in a daze¡¯?

    Don¡¯t...

    don¡¯t say that, we agreed to meet here tonight...

    Hunzi, what do you want?

    Don¡¯t do anything rash...

    Ouch!¡± Sun Xing lied shamelessly, denying everything, and looked at Liu Hun¡¯s fist as big as a clay pot smashing toward his stomach, reacting as if he was a dumbstruck fool.

    ¡°Ugh!¡± Sun Xing took Liu Hun¡¯s punch, feeling as if his insides were attempting to burst out, and the pain travelled from the tips of his toes to the ends of his hair.

    ¡°Speak!

    Are you Sima?¡± Liu Hun grabbed Sun Xing by the collar and asked him coldly.

    If it hadn¡¯t been for that puddle of urine today, who knows what might have happened.

    ¡°No...

    no, I am not.

    I¡¯m not!¡± Sun Xing quickly raised his hands, looking at Liu Hun while feeling pain all over his body.

    ¡°What are you?¡± Liu Hun released his grip, throwing Sun Xing to the ground.

    ¡°I¡¯m just a filthy toad!

    A filthy toad!¡± Sun Xing shivered, kneeling on the ground, not daring to lie anymore.

    Qin Yue stepped forward and spat on Sun Xing¡¯s face, saying, ¡°Pah!

    You dare call yourself a toad?

    You¡¯re disgracing all other toads out there!¡±

    ¡°Hunzi, you¡¯re my lord!

    My dear lord!

    Father!

    Grandfather!

    Please let me go, I can¡¯t take this anymore, it feels like I¡¯m about to spit my guts out.¡± Sun Xing began to cry as he spoke, sobbing like an owl at night.

    ¡°Shut up!

    Now you¡¯re crying like a cat in heat.

    If we hadn¡¯t arrived in time, who knows how smug you¡¯d be right now, you disdainful wretch!

    You only cry for dad when you¡¯re caught.

    I hate people like you, cowards who bully the weak!

    Just like a piece of filth, disgusting!¡± Bai Lian looked at Sun Xing, full of disdain.

    ¡°Sun Xing, tell us why you¡¯re here.

    If I find out you¡¯re lying, I¡¯ll break one of your teeth, so you¡¯d better think about how many you have!¡± Liu Hun warned Sun Xing.

    Previously, it was always people like that rascal, those bald men¡ªthey were like snakes on a mountain; once you subdued them, you were their master, but let them go and they¡¯d turn on you as viciously as possible.

    Upon hearing Liu Hun¡¯s threat, Sun Xing was so scared that his jaw shook, teeth chattering until he finally managed to speak, ¡°I...

    I heard rumors about ghosts haunting the temple...

    and I wanted to take advantage of it.¡±

    Fen Ran, who had sharp eyes, noticed a gourd beside Sun Xing¡¯s discarded clothing, picked it up, and asked him, ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±

    Sun Xing looked at the gourd in Fen Ran¡¯s hand, his face twitching, and said, ¡°It¡¯s filled with black dog¡¯s blood.

    I...

    I was worried the things in the temple would find me.¡±

    ¡°Wow!

    You¡¯re just a coward with one big tremble, huh?

    Bringing all this stuff just to cause trouble for our village¡¯s people!¡± Qin Yue spat another mouthful directly at Sun Xing¡¯s face.

    ¡°Sun Xing, when did you sneak into the temple?

    And why were you with Teacher Du?¡± Liu Hun asked Sun Xing, determined to get to the bottom of things.

    Sun Xing, with Qin Yue¡¯s spit on his face, didn¡¯t dare to wipe it away and quickly replied, ¡°I hadn¡¯t been in the temple for long.

    I saw a woman heading to the backyard...

    I thought she was going to relieve herself, so I sneaked in too.¡±

    ¡°And then?¡± Liu Hun continued to ask.

    ¡°I took a look and, oh, it was Teacher Du!

    I called out to her but she didn¡¯t respond, so I knew she was in a daze.

    I...

    I thought...

    hey, maybe a taste of swan meat.

    But I hadn¡¯t even taken off my underwear when you came in.¡± Sun Xing stammered, telling Liu Hun what had happened, with a tone revealing much regret.

    Now Liu Hun understood what was going on¡ªthe shadow he¡¯d seen earlier was Sun Xing sneaking around the temple.

    However, there was still something he didn¡¯t understand, so he asked Fen Ran, ¡°Sister Lan, is being in a daze something temporary, or can it last a while?

    Does it happen every day?¡±

    Fen Ran thought for a moment and said, ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure.

    It¡¯s just that my brother goes through this quite often, and the duration varies.

    Sometimes...¡±

    As Fen Ran spoke, suddenly Bai Lian shouted, ¡°Teacher Du is down on the ground!¡± Several people hurried over to see Du Yueling lying on the ground, eyes closed, breathing evenly¡ªclearly, her sleepwalking was over.

    Sun Xing saw them all attending to Du Yueling, jumped up, grabbed a stone, and hurled it at Liu Hun before sprinting towards the door.

    Liu Hun heard the commotion, turned around, and saw the stone flying towards his face; he didn¡¯t dodge but clenched his fist and smashed it into the stone, ¡°Bang,¡± the stone shattered into pieces.

    ¡°Ow!¡± Sun Xing had just taken a couple of steps when the place where Liu Hun had punched him felt like a recoiling elastic band, causing him to collapse on the ground in pain.

    Liu Hun had the three women carry Du Yueling back into the room, then himself went to Sun Xing, bending down to say, ¡°You¡¯re like a venomous snake, waiting for a chance to strike!¡±

    ¡°I was momentarily dazed, blinded by profit.

    Hunzi, could you...

    give me one more chance?

    I promise I won¡¯t do bad things again, and I¡¯ll never come to Wanbao Village.¡± Sun Xing realized that escaping was impossible and began to plead again.

    ¡°Fine!

    I¡¯ll let you go, but before I do, we have to catch the ghost together.¡± Liu Hun said, smiling at Sun Xing.

    Sun Xing looked at Liu Hun¡¯s smile, feeling a shiver like standing shirtless in a cold breeze.

    ¡°Bang bang bang!

    Bang bang bang!¡± Gazi, holding a gong, walked around the entire Wanbao Village early in the morning, shouting, ¡°The monster from the temple has been caught!

    The temple¡¯s monster has been caught!

    Everyone come see!

    Everyone come see...¡±

    With such clamor, nearly everyone in the village gathered at the temple entrance, even those who usually slept in, not wanting to miss this rare spectacle.

    ¡°Oh!

    Look at that, what is that thing?

    Is it a wild boar?

    Why does it look like that?

    Why does it look like a monkey?¡±

    ¡°Listen, does that thing still grunt?

    Will it eat people?

    My goodness, how did Hunzi catch this?

    What if it bites someone?¡±

    ¡°Nonsense!

    How could it bite someone?

    With such a thick rope around its neck, it could restrain a tiger!

    We can safely observe!

    Let¡¯s see what Hunzi says!¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Liu Hun stood on a stone platform at the temple entrance, beside a pillar tied with a grunting creature, red and black all over, with circles of grass on its head¡ªtruly an unknown monster.

    ¡°Dear villagers, lately there have been rumors about our temple being haunted, causing you worry.

    I¡¯m Liu Hun, and I apologize to everyone!¡± Liu Hun said, bowing to the villagers and continuing, ¡°Last night, this thing came to the temple to scavenge for food and I caught it in the act!¡±

    ¡°Hm hm hm...

    hmm hmm hmm...¡± The creature tied to the pillar seemed to hear Liu Hun¡¯s words and began grunting loudly again.

    ¡°After catching it last night, I found this monster to be quite troublesome; no matter what I tried, it couldn¡¯t be killed.

    But, I found its weakness¡ªit¡¯s scared of firecrackers!¡± Liu Hun said, gesturing for Gazi, who immediately handed him a long string of firecrackers.

    Holding the firecrackers, Liu Hun continued, ¡°If we taunt it with these firecrackers, I guarantee it will never come back to disturb our village!

    Plus, you can safely send your kids to Teacher Du¡¯s class!

    I¡¯m going to blast it out of the village with these firecrackers, okay, everyone?¡±

    ¡°Okay!

    Hunzi, do it!

    I support whatever you do!

    Blast the hell out of it and see if it dares to scare our kids again!¡± The villagers below voiced their support for Liu Hun¡¯s decision.

    Liu Hun carried a string of firecrackers to the blackened creature and tied them around its waist, muttering something and then releasing the rope binding the creature before lighting the firecrackers¡¯ fuse.

    ¡°Crackle crackle crackle...

    hmm hmm hmm...¡±

    As the firecrackers exploded, the blackened creature grunted, dragging the firecrackers like smoke from a train, running frantically toward the village exit, while the surrounding villagers laughed heartily, several bravely following it.

    Ye Canghai, returning from a round of morning mahjong, spotted his wife and approached her, pulling Fen Ran aside and asking, ¡°Wife, what just ran out of the village?¡±

    ¡°Pfft!¡± Fen Ran couldn¡¯t hold back her laughter, saying, ¡°That was the ghost!

    We caught it last night!¡±

    ¡°A ghost?

    I thought it looked like someone smeared with soot...

    No, it seemed just like Sun Xing from the neighboring village who didn¡¯t show up for mahjong last night?

    Could it really be him?¡± Ye Canghai asked Fen Ran, his words making him more convinced it was the case.

    ¡°What¡¯s with your wild guesses?

    Why are you standing here like a post?

    Go home!¡± Fen Ran laughed, pulling Ye Canghai away toward their home.

    Ye Canghai chuckled, saying, ¡°About Teacher Du¡¯s part, how¡¯s she doing?

    As the village chief, I should care and visit.¡±

    ¡°Care about what?

    You can¡¯t even take care of your wife, and you think about someone else¡¯s college student?

    With Hunzi around, what are you worried about?

    Go home!¡± Fen Ran snapped playfully, dragging Ye Canghai home.

    After the commotion, the villagers went back to their farming duties and dispersed, while at the temple, Liu Hun unceremoniously gave the kids a day off.

    ¡°Why did you cancel the classes for the kids?¡± Du Yueling asked Liu Hun with some anxiety on her face, her hands twisted anxiously together.

 Chapter 37 - 37 37 Something Happened

    ?37: Chapter 37: Something Happened 37: Chapter 37: Something Happened Liu Hun poured a glass of water for Du Yueling and said, ¡°I¡¯d like to talk with you for a while.¡±

    ¡°About what?¡± Du Yueling glanced at Liu Hun, then hurriedly averted her eyes as if she were a thief.

    She didn¡¯t know why she sometimes felt relaxed in front of this man and other times very tense.

    ¡°Do you know what happened at the temple gate just now?¡± Liu Hun asked Du Yueling.

    Now, facing Du Yueling, he felt much calmer; after all, it was a big deal.

    Du Yueling rubbed her shoe against the ground and nodded, saying, ¡°Just a monster, right?¡±

    ¡°Do you really think that¡¯s a monster?

    Just a little trick to reassure the villagers, to make them feel safe sending their children to school.

    You¡¯re a college student; can¡¯t you see through it?¡± Liu Hun was somewhat anxious, his tone becoming a bit heavy.

    He really disliked people pretending to be ignorant.

    ¡°Fine, it¡¯s a person.

    I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re doing this.

    Maybe it¡¯s a village custom, or for some other reason.

    In any case, it has nothing to do with me.¡± Du Yueling looked at Liu Hun, tossed out this line, and then avoided his gaze again.

    ¡°Then let me tell you what¡¯s going on.¡± Liu Hun said, recounting the whole story to Du Yueling, and then asked her, ¡°You sleepwalk at night, so the dark shadow Mao¡¯er saw earlier was you.

    This also explains why you were sleeping with the kids but woke up on the haystack outside the next morning.¡±

    Hearing Liu Hun¡¯s words, Du Yueling suddenly trembled all over and bit her lower lip tightly, not speaking for a long time.

    ¡°I may not have gone to school, but I¡¯m not stupid.

    When you woke up from the haystack that day, I wanted to talk to you, but you clearly avoided the topic.

    Last night¡¯s incident once again proved you do sleepwalk.

    Furthermore, Sister Lan said this happens from childhood to adulthood; you should know yourself.

    Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± Liu Hun spoke directly, realizing these words might hurt Du Yueling, but he couldn¡¯t let her keep evading it.

    Last night¡¯s incident could happen again.

    In the future, the mountain¡¯s wolves, tigers, poisonous snakes, insects, or even the villagers¡¯ dug pits could kill Du Yueling during sleepwalking.

    ¡°Since you know everything, what else is there for me to say?

    How should I say it?

    I¡¯m not a normal person; I sleepwalk, I¡¯m a monster.

    Is this enough?!

    I¡¯ve run all the way here, yet I can¡¯t escape.

    Will I only be left alone after I¡¯m dead?¡± Du Yueling shouted at Liu Hun with reddened eyes.

    Her hidden affliction had been exposed, exposing old scars and bringing her bloody past back to the forefront, causing a mental breakdown.

    Du Yueling¡¯s lips trembled, and tears streamed down her cheeks.

    She pushed Liu Hun away and tried to leave the room.

    She ran a couple of steps, suddenly feeling her arm being grabbed, and then she was pulled by a tremendous force into Liu Hun¡¯s embrace.

    ¡°What... what are you doing?

    Let go of me!¡± Du Yueling¡¯s heart panicked, struggling to break free from Liu Hun¡¯s embrace.

    Liu Hun held Du Yueling tightly, refusing to let go despite her struggles, until she was too weak to continue resisting.

    Then he said to her, ¡°Ms.

    Du, I don¡¯t want to take advantage of you; I just don¡¯t know how to calm you down.

    Before, I raised a lamb that got frightened, and this was the method I used to calm it.

    So...

    you can hit or scold me later; I¡¯ll accept it.¡±

    Exhausted, after venting her inner affliction, Du Yueling naturally leaned her head on Liu Hun¡¯s shoulder.

    She had experienced breakdowns when her hidden affliction was exposed, facing only a dark and cold wall alone.

    After gathering herself, she buried the hidden affliction deeper, feigning strength to rejoin society until the next exposure and subsequent breakdown.

    Today, right now, things seemed different.

    Du Yueling could feel this man¡¯s gentle and strong arms and heard the steady, rhythmic heartbeat.

    She suddenly understood he was a man both inside and out, as resolute as this land, capable of carrying more than just his own fate.

    ¡°I just really wish I were a little lamb...¡± Du Yueling murmured, turning her mouth slightly askew, leaning on Liu Hun¡¯s shoulder, and closing her eyes.

    At this moment, Liu Hun¡¯s heart was pounding anxiously, just like a lame donkey pulling a cart, feeling it might fall into a ditch at any moment.

    Even he didn¡¯t know why he acted this way; it seemed instinctual, and after doing it, he felt a tinge of sweetness mixed with his anxiety.

    Perhaps it was like swallowing pure honey without water straight into his mouth.

    ¡°Du...

    Ms.

    Du...¡± Liu Hun felt as if Du Yueling hadn¡¯t reacted for a long time.

    He gently called her name twice, then slightly lowered his head to see...

    she was standing and actually asleep?!

    Liu Hun had never experienced emotional collapse, nor did he know the extreme exhaustion following it.

    Looking at the soundly sleeping Du Yueling, he gently moved and managed to get her onto the bed.

    ¡°Phew!¡± Liu Hun let out a long breath, then carefully drew one hand out.

    Just as he was about to extract the other hand...

    oh no!

    Du Yueling turned over and hugged the hand Liu Hun was about to pull out to her neck, and then, cuddling her face against it, fell back asleep.

    Liu Hun finally realized Mao¡¯er was right.

    Du Yueling did resemble a cat when sleeping, always snuggling up against something comfortable.

    What was he to do?

    Liu Hun thought it over and decided to let Du Yueling have a good sleep.

    After all, there were no kids coming to school, so there was no need to worry about anyone seeing.

    The sun slowly set in the west, and Liu Hun sat on the bed, dozing off.

    He wasn¡¯t sure when he woke up with a sore waist from sitting, stretched his arms, and suddenly noticed¡ªDu Yueling was gone.

    Startled, Liu Hun stood up, just stepping out the door, when he saw Du Yueling coming over, holding two plates.

    She said to him, ¡°You¡¯re awake?

    Time to eat.¡±

    Liu Hun felt as if a water bucket was swinging in his heart as he sat at the table.

    He took a few bites and raised his head, intending to speak to Du Yueling, only to find she was watching him.

    As their eyes met, Du Yueling smiled; her dimples immediately emitted a charming light, saying, ¡°Thank you for earlier; I felt very warm.¡± After speaking, Du Yueling lowered her head, and her voice became a little somber, ¡°I... plan to leave soon.¡±

    ¡°What?

    Leave?

    Why leave?

    If it is something I...¡± Liu Hun truly didn¡¯t understand what Du Yueling was thinking.

    He was speaking, but Du Yueling interrupted him.

    ¡°It has nothing to do with you.

    In fact, I should be thanking you.

    It¡¯s just that...

    I always thought if I left my previous environment and avoided everything from before, my illness would heal, but I didn¡¯t expect it to be the same.

    The first attack was the time Mao¡¯er saw me.

    At first, I still held out hope and didn¡¯t dare to sleep deeply.

    Last night, I was too tired and fell into a deep sleep, and it happened again.¡± Du Yueling smiled slightly at Liu Hun, but this smile bore profound helplessness.

    ¡°I can heal!

    I promise to cure your illness!

    I hope you¡¯ll stay!¡± Liu Hun said sincerely to Du Yueling.

    For the first time, he felt something emerging from the muddy field in his heart that he wished to hold on to.

    ¡°You¡¯re a very good person.

    My illness isn¡¯t ordinary sleepwalking; it¡¯s a rare condition similar to it, which even a psychiatry professor at Harvard Medical School couldn¡¯t cure.¡± As Du Yueling spoke, her smile faded, replaced by deep sadness.

    ¡°Whenever I¡¯m in a new environment, there¡¯s a period when I don¡¯t have attacks.

    Once familiar, it starts again, the longer I stay, the more frequent the attacks.

    Eventually, terrible things happen.

    This village is peaceful, full of life and vigor.

    I love it here dearly, but...

    I don¡¯t want to harm anyone here...

    including you.¡±

    Liu Hun wasn¡¯t in the mood to guess the meaning behind Du Yueling¡¯s words.

    With determined eyes, he said to her, ¡°Ms.

    Du, I know I¡¯m not better than some top-notch professors.

    But I promise to heal you, so you can stay here in peace.

    Three days!

    Just three days!

    This is my promise as a man!

    Please eat first; I¡¯ll go get the medicine.¡±

    After speaking, Liu Hun got up from the table and went into his room.

    He was certain he could cure Du Yueling¡¯s illness, but he needed to gather some herbs for the show.

    During these three days, Liu Hun used the excuse of giving Du Yueling palm acupressure massage to let Qi Force circle throughout her body.

    Du Yueling felt tranquil and peaceful, and the anxiety, tension, and inexplicable fears that had once plagued her disappeared.

    ¡°Hey...

    hahaha...¡±

    ¡°Why are you laughing?

    Is something wrong?¡± Liu Hun, holding onto Du Yueling¡¯s hand, suddenly heard her laugh, which made him a bit nervous.

    Du Yueling looked at Liu Hun and said, ¡°I used to laugh to hide my sadness from others.

    Now I laugh because I¡¯m genuinely happy...

    Ha...

    haha...

    Why such a serious expression?

    Are you nervous to see a teacher?

    You¡¯re not my student.¡±

    ¡°Are you...

    planning to stay?¡± Liu Hun still couldn¡¯t understand what Du Yueling was saying, like trying to catch a loach in muddy water, slippery and unclear.

    What mattered most to him was if Du Yueling would stay.

    Du Yueling smiled a silly smile, her dimples deepening, nodded slightly and said, ¡°I said I love it here.

    Now I feel like the nightmares encircling me are gone.

    So, I have even less reason to leave.¡±

    ¡°Brother Hun!

    Brother Hun!

    Something big has happened!

    Where are you?¡± Gazi¡¯s sharp voice suddenly rang out in the temple, as startling as a firecracker.

    Liu Hun hurriedly let go of Du Yueling¡¯s hand and walked out of the courtyard to ask Gazi, ¡°Gazi, what¡¯s going on?

    What¡¯s happened?¡±

    ¡°Brother Hun, you need to come with me!

    Widow Cheng...

    no, Aunt Cheng has drunk pesticide!¡± Gazi said, rushing up to grab Liu Hun.

 Chapter 38 - 38 38 Major Events

    ?38: Chapter 38 Major Events 38: Chapter 38 Major Events Cheng Rurong had drunk pesticide, and Liu Hun instinctively felt it must be related to the contracted mountain of her family.

    Apart from the contracted mountain, Cheng Rurong really had nothing else worth causing a fuss over, so he immediately dashed to Widow Cheng Rurong¡¯s home with Gazi.

    Upon hearing the commotion, Du Yueling quickly followed the two men, but her pace wasn¡¯t as fast because after each massage from Liu Hun, she would feel as if something was darting around inside her body, and when it flickered to certain sensitive areas it was particularly embarrassing.

    Although it was evening, the gates of Cheng Rurong¡¯s home were wide open.

    As Liu Hun rushed in, he saw Qin Yue, frantic as a grasshopper, about to jump out of her skin.

    Then he noticed Cheng Rurong lying flat on the bed with only a thin, short shirt on, revealing nothing underneath, while the broken glass bottle on the floor beside the bed must have contained the pesticide.

    ¡°What do we do?

    What do we do?¡± Qin Yue spun anxiously around the room, her mind utterly blank, unable to think of any tactics.

    When she saw Liu Hun, she immediately grabbed him and said, ¡°Hunzi, Cheng Rurong has taken poison!

    Think of something quick!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t panic, Sister Qin Yue!¡± After pulling Qin Yue aside, Liu Hun went over to Cheng Rurong, checked for her breath, and felt somewhat relieved.

    ¡°What do we do now?¡± Qin Yue craned her neck, on the verge of tearing her shirt corner with her hands.

    ¡°Stomach wash, make her vomit out the pesticide,¡± Du Yueling said as she walked in, even though she arrived late, she could tell what had happened by looking at the shattered pesticide bottles on the ground.

    Liu Hun initially wanted to make up some excuse to use Qi Force directly, but now that Du Yueling had spoken, he had to follow through, so he told Qin Yue, ¡°Go find a teapot filled with water and bring me a tube.¡±

    ¡°Teapot...

    Oh!

    Right, right!¡± Qin Yue took a moment to realize what he was talking about, then she hurried into the kitchen.

    Liu Hun helped Cheng Rurong to sit up and then held her in his arms, slipping one hand through her armpit.

    Soon, Qin Yue came running over, lugging a teapot full of water, and gasped, ¡°What do we do next?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll open her mouth, you insert the tube, and then flush her with water!¡± said Liu Hun as his hands pried open Cheng Rurong¡¯s jaws.

    Seeing the situation, Du Yueling came over to help.

    Following Liu Hun¡¯s instructions, they inserted the tube and began vigorously pouring water from the large teapot into Cheng Rurong¡¯s mouth.

    After pouring almost half a pot, there was still no reaction from Cheng Rurong, and Du Yueling and Qin Yue grew frantic.

    ¡°What do we do?

    If she doesn¡¯t vomit after more flushing, she¡¯ll become a water balloon!¡± Qin Yue wiped the sweat off with the back of her hand, even more worried that Cheng Rurong¡¯s belly might burst.

    ¡°Lift her up, let her spit it out!¡± Liu Hun said, while simultaneously stimulating Qi Force towards Cheng Rurong¡¯s stomach.

    ¡°Cough, cough, cough...

    cough, cough, cough...

    vomit...¡± After coughing, Cheng Rurong opened her mouth and spewed out water and pesticide like a flood, Du Yueling sat behind her, gently patting her back, and it took a while for Cheng Rurong to finally ease up.

    Qin Yue anxiously asked Cheng Rurong, ¡°Why do such a foolish thing?

    What can¡¯t you get through?¡±

    After sniffling and sobbing for a while, Cheng Rurong said, ¡°That old and muddled mother-in-law of mine, I don¡¯t know who incited her, insisted on forcing me to transfer the contracted mountain.

    I disagreed, and she cursed me, saying I would bring her death.¡±

    In Wanbao Village, the villagers either contract fields or mountains, really having nothing else to offer.

    ¡°Transfer the contracted mountain?

    To whom?¡± Qin Yue blurted out, finding the matter truly odd.

    Cheng Rurong, exhausted, shook her head and said, ¡°How would I know?

    She wouldn¡¯t tell me.

    I just said no, and she cursed me.¡±

    As everyone was discussing inside, suddenly the yard came alive.

    The once quiet space, as silent as a cellar, had turned into a bustling marketplace in the blink of an eye.

    ¡°You all look after Auntie Cheng; I¡¯ll go take a look.¡± Liu Hun told Qin Yue and Du Yueling, then left the room and walked into the yard.

    ¡°Aiyo!

    It really is a stone person!

    When someone said there was a stone person in Widow Cheng¡¯s yard, I didn¡¯t believe it.

    Look, isn¡¯t that one dug out?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just you old men and women who lack experience.

    What¡¯s so strange about a stone person?

    It might be an antique from some dynasty!¡±

    ¡°You just think you¡¯re knowledgeable?

    Don¡¯t dream!

    Look at that thing, it¡¯s as ghostly as it can be; could that still be an antique?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    As soon as Liu Hun entered the yard, he heard the chatter of the crowd.

    However, what struck him as odd was that all the old women were at the forefront to see the commotion, with Qin Yue¡¯s mother-in-law and Bai Lian¡¯s aunt among them.

    ¡°Hooligan, what are you up to here?¡± Cheng Rurong¡¯s mother-in-law, Wang Dajiao, asked Liu Hun with a look of disdain.

    She disliked Liu Hun immensely because he had driven away her superstitious one-eyed mother-in-law.

    Liu Hun said to Wang Dajiao very seriously, ¡°Auntie Cheng drank pesticide, which is why I came.¡±

    ¡°What?

    She drank pesticide?

    Is she dead or what?¡± Wang Dajiao immediately stepped up to Liu Hun with her short legs and asked.

    ¡°She¡¯s inside with Sister Qin Yue and Teacher Du, she¡¯s fine,¡± Liu Hun replied to Wang Dajiao succinctly.

    ¡°I thought we might have to deal with a funeral here,¡± Wang Dajiao said with a hint of disappointment on her face, mixed with contempt and disdain, as if she had seen a stone in the latrine¡ªstinky yet too lazy to kick away.

    Wang Dajiao hadn¡¯t waited for Liu Hun to speak and went on, ¡°Hooligan, let me warn you, I know you¡¯re quite capable now!

    All the girls and kids in the village believe in you!

    But today¡¯s matter is my family affair, it has nothing to do with you.

    If you¡¯re happy to, just stand there and watch; if you¡¯re not, please leave and don¡¯t mess up my business.¡±

    Liu Hun ignored Wang Dajiao, as he was curious to see what Wang Dajiao planned to do.

    Seeing that Liu Hun wasn¡¯t speaking, Wang Dajiao felt relieved and then she went into the courtyard and said to the people around her, ¡°Today, I called everyone here to witness something.

    Last night, Lord Lao Zi of the Great Monad came to me in a dream and mentioned that there¡¯s a stone figure buried in this yard!

    That¡¯s a bad omen!

    He said I must deal with this stone figure today, or else...¡± Wang Dajiao said, as her cloudy old eyes swept over everyone present, and she pretended to be scared, ¡°our people in Wanbao Village will face a huge disaster!¡±

    ¡°Goodness, that sounds so mysterious!

    You¡¯re not scaring us for fun, are you?

    Besides, why would Lord Lao Zi come to Qi Laopo in a dream?

    Why not me?¡±

    ¡°You better shut your mouth!

    Beware lest you cut your own life short; with your mouth, it¡¯s no wonder Lord Lao Zi wouldn¡¯t come to you in a dream!

    We have to believe!

    Now that this stone figure has been dug up, what else do you want?

    Do you want everyone in the village to suffer bad luck?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s better to believe it exists than not; the stone figure has been dug up, so what¡¯s there not to believe?

    I say, Qi Laopo, hurry up and tell us, what else did Lord Lao Zi say to you?

    Did he say how to resolve it or not?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Wang Dajiao listened to the old men and women¡¯s words with great satisfaction and continued to shake her head and pretend to be possessed, ¡°Listen to me!

    Today, I came to this yard following the will of Lord Lao Zi himself!

    Hey!

    Guess what?!

    Sure enough, we dug up this stone figure!¡± she said, pointing at the stone figure and then continued, ¡°I know my abilities are limited, and I am scared!

    I¡¯m afraid of the bad luck the stone figure could bring upon me!

    But, how could I not think about our Wanbao Village?

    For the sake of us all, no matter how scared I am, I have to bear it!¡±

    Liu Hun stood with his arms crossed in front of his chest, watching as Wang Dajiao rambled on, yet he still hadn¡¯t seen her reveal her true intentions.

    ¡°Enough, Qi Laopo, stop beating around the bush, and just tell us what we should do!¡± some people in the yard asked impatiently.

    Just as someone yearning to sleep might toss and turn, Wang Dajiao had been waiting for someone to ask this.

    She sauntered leisurely over to the newly dug-up stone figure and said, ¡°Lord Lao Zi said, as long as we take precautions against the characters on the back of the stone figure, our Wanbao Village will have peace.¡±

    ¡°What characters?

    Hurry and take a look!¡±

    Hearing this, Wang Dajiao immediately bent down to look, taking a long time without any reaction, then suddenly!

    Like a corpse rising from the grave, Wang Dajiao sprang up and exclaimed, ¡°A widow relying on the mountain brings misfortune for ten thousand years!¡±

    ¡°A widow...

    A widow relying on the mountain brings misfortune for ten thousand years?

    What does that mean?

    What¡¯s relying on the mountain?

    Living next to the mountain or what?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you understand?

    Clearly, it¡¯s talking about Widow Cheng Rurong.

    Isn¡¯t she in charge of the mountain behind her house?

    That¡¯s a curse, one that can bring disaster to our Wanbao Village for ten thousand years!¡±

    ¡°Oh dear, this Widow Cheng really...

    how could she bring misfortune to our village?

    We can¡¯t let her be in charge of the mountain anymore.

    What if the bad luck touches me?

    How would I deal with it?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°I say, Qi Laopo, do you have any solution?¡± Liu Hun finally spoke to Wang Dajiao, as he really didn¡¯t want to watch her pulling out radishes one by one, never seeing the dirt underneath.

    ¡°Good question, hooligan!

    People with abilities are indeed different.

    Lord Lao Zi told me the solution; we need to smash this stone figure, and then have Rurong transfer the contract for the mountain, then our Wanbao Village will have peace!¡± Wang Dajiao finally revealed her true intentions with those words.

    Suddenly!

    The tightly closed door was flung open, and there stood Cheng Rurong, trembling and pale-faced at the doorway.

    She simply couldn¡¯t bear to listen to her mother-in-law¡¯s words any longer.

    Seeing Cheng Rurong at the doorway, Wang Dajiao mockingly said, looking triumphant as a cicada on a withered tree, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?

    Dared to show your face?

    Who knows what you were up to inside?

    Whether you were hiding a man or doing some other shameful deeds!¡±

    Cheng Rurong was terrified at the sight of Wang Dajiao, frightened as a sparrow on the barrel of a gun.

    After Wang Dajiao had caused trouble at her doorstep several times, she had tried to drink pesticide.

    Now face to face, hounded by Wang Dajiao¡¯s cold mockery, her heart felt clogged like a lump of dough, unable to draw breath, and she fainted on the spot.

    Qin Yue had been encouraging Cheng Rurong not to go outside, but seeing this situation, how could she hold back any longer?

    She had to take swift decisive action, like a drunkard who grabs a carrot.

    She immediately scooped up a basin of dirty water from the backyard and brought it straight to the doorway.

 Chapter 39 - 39 39 The Corpse Changed

    ?39: Chapter 39 The Corpse Changed 39: Chapter 39 The Corpse Changed Wang Dajiao looked at Cheng Rurong as she collapsed to the ground, even more proud of herself than a monkey admiring its own reflection, shaking her head and saying, ¡°Well!

    Rurong, how did you end up collapsing on the ground so quickly?

    Could this really be...¡± She was about to say ¡°a stone curse,¡± when she saw Qin Yue step out and immediately shuddered, asking, ¡°Wi...

    Qin Yue, what are you going to do?¡±

    Qin Yue clenched her teeth, smiling, and said crisply, ¡°What am I going to do?

    You old women, all babbling nonsense here, I¡¯m going to wash your mouths out, keep it up!¡±

    With a splash, the yellow water stank to heaven and Earth; Wang Dajiao, standing right in the middle of the courtyard, was doused with a thoroughly bone-chilling splash, looking like a crow dragged out from a filthy ditch from the tips of her hair down to the soles of her feet.

    With that basin of stinking water thrown, not a soul wanted to stick around to watch the drama unfold; covering their noses, they cursed and ran without a care about cursing themselves with the Stone Man or anything of sorts.

    ¡°Get in quickly, you bastard!¡± said Qin Yue as she went into the house, carrying Cheng Rurong.

    ¡°Bang!¡±

    Liu Hun had barely stepped inside when Du Yueling slammed the door shut.

    He still had no idea what was going on when suddenly the sound of Wang Dajiao cursing and swearing came from behind.

    It took a while for this noise to gradually fade away.

    ¡°Hahaha...

    How about that?

    My plan wasn¡¯t too bad, right?¡± Qin Yue, hands on hips, playfully smiled at Liu Hun.

    ¡°Impressive?¡± Liu Hun gave Qin Yue a thumbs up, thinking that such a shrew needed to be dealt with by a woman like Qin Yue.

    ¡°But, Wang Dajiao learned her lesson this time.

    Surely she won¡¯t let it go at that.

    We can¡¯t just keep doing this, can we?

    What will we do in the future?¡± Du Yueling asked, quite worried, her gaze involuntarily drifting toward Liu Hun.

    How could Liu Hun allow Du Yueling to become disappointed?

    He pondered for a moment before suddenly saying, ¡°I have an idea!¡±

    ¡°What idea?¡± Qin Yue, ever impatient, immediately asked.

    ¡°Someone dies.¡±

    The next day, the news that Cheng Rurong had been driven to her death by her mother-in-law spread quickly throughout Wanbao Village.

    From early morning, people arrived at Cheng Rurong¡¯s home¡ªto offer condolences, to rubberneck, and to secretly rejoice.

    Cheng Rurong was a widow with no children, so the funeral arrangements for the first day fell upon Ye Canghai, the village chief.

    While Ye Canghai and his wife, along with Qin Yue and others, were busy receiving guests, Wang Dajiao opportunistically appeared at the entrance to Cheng Rurong¡¯s home, feigning sorrow as she walked up to the courtyard gate.

    ¡°What are you doing here?

    You drove Rurong to her death.

    Do you even have the shame to come?¡± Qin Yue asked Wang Dajiao with a sidelong glance.

    ¡°What are you talking about, you girl?

    I¡¯m her mother-in-law.

    How could I not be here?

    Besides, what does her death have to do with me?¡± Wang Dajiao retorted to Qin Yue, watching her with the feeling that she seemed like a reincarnated spirit of a vixen from a fox.

    In her heart, she couldn¡¯t wait for Cheng Rurong to die, just to stop ruining her good fortunes.

    Wang Dajiao didn¡¯t want to talk much with Qin Yue and pulled Ye Canghai aside to ask, ¡°Is she really gone?¡±

    Ye Canghai nodded, thinking that Wang Dajiao¡¯s hatred for Cheng Rurong was such that heaven and Earth could not contain it, somehow making him feel like he was more involved in Cheng Rurong¡¯s affairs than an outsider should be.

    ¡°Is she...

    really gone?¡± Wang Dajiao pressed once more, showing a hint of schadenfreude akin to a blind cat finding a dead rat.

    ¡°She¡¯s gone,¡± Ye Canghai simply said.

    Wang Dajiao looked around, noticed Liu Hun wasn¡¯t present, and felt much relieving.

    If it were true her hard-to-please, barren daughter-in-law was gone, then the matter of leasing the mountain could be settled.

    She thus suggested to Ye Canghai, ¡°How about...

    I take a look inside?¡±

    ¡°Go ahead, go ahead,¡± Ye Canghai quickly waved his hand impatiently.

    Wang Dajiao, feeling smug inside, walked into the main house.

    Upon entering, she saw Cheng Rurong covered with a white cloth from the waist down, only her head was exposed, her lips deathly white and no different in color from other corpses.

    At that moment, the visitors who had come to pay their respects exited the room.

    Wang Dajiao, emboldened, took a few steps closer to look at Cheng Rurong¡¯s face, thinking the widow was rather attractive.

    It seemed such a waste now that she was dead.

    She couldn¡¯t help but whisper, ¡°Ah, Rurong, why put yourself through this?

    If you¡¯d just listened to me, all would be well.

    Look at you now, not only did you fail to leave us with an heir, but you also hexed my son to death.

    Now you¡¯re disrespectful and unfilial towards me.

    Could you possibly end up with a good fate?

    Now that you¡¯re gone, just stay quiet over there and stop causing trouble...¡±

    ¡°Bang!¡± Suddenly, before Wang Dajiao could finish her sentence, a loud sound of a door closing came from behind.

    Wang Dajiao¡¯s legs went weak, and she whirled around to see, fearing the worst.

    Without a second thought, she shot towards the door, pulling at it several times but failing to open it.

    Cold sweat broke out on Wang Dajiao¡¯s forehead as she instinctively felt a strange chill seeping through the room.

    Slowly turning back, she saw Cheng Rurong on the bed, eyes closed, motionless, easing her heart somewhat.

    Suddenly!

    The Cheng Rurong lying on the bed cracked her pale lips into a smile at Wang Dajiao, who rubbed her eyes in disbelief, thinking to herself, My dear mother, what¡¯s happening?

    Yes!

    Cheng Rurong laughed again, and this time she not only grinned but also slowly opened her eyes.

    ¡°Dear mother!

    She¡¯s feigning death!

    Help!

    Help!¡± Wang Dajiao frantically knocked on the door behind her, wailing to the heavens as if mourning the death of her own father, her despair amplified by the utter silence from outside.

    With a deathly pale face, Cheng Rurong threw off the blanket that covered her and stepped out of bed, advancing step by step towards Wang Dajiao.

    ¡°Rurong...

    Rurong...

    don¡¯t come any closer!

    Don¡¯t come any closer!

    No...

    no, it wasn¡¯t me who killed you, you committed suicide!

    I¡¯m your mother, Chun Sheng¡¯s mother...

    don¡¯t come any closer!¡± Wang Dajiao flailed her hands in front of her eyes, worried that Cheng Rurong might pounce on her at any moment, feeling relief that Cheng had stopped moving a meter away.

    ¡°Wang...

    Da...

    Jiao,¡± Cheng Rurong slowly opened her mouth, her voice eerily drawn-out, like a mountain wind blowing through.

    ¡°Rurong...

    what do you want?

    Don¡¯t...

    don¡¯t call my name.¡± Wang Dajiao¡¯s face turned deathly pale, her trousers unknowingly soaked through.

    ¡°Who placed the stone effigy?¡± Cheng Rurong continued to question Wang Dajiao.

    ¡°If...

    if I tell you, will you promise not to come after me?¡± Wang Dajiao was still trying to negotiate with Cheng Rurong, worried that she might wake up one night to see Cheng¡¯s face.

    ¡°Speak!¡± Cheng Rurong barked at Wang Dajiao.

    ¡°I...

    I...

    it was me.

    I had someone bury it in your backyard at night, and I had someone carve those words on it.¡± Wang Dajiao was terrified, confessing everything in one breath.

    ¡°Why did you do it?¡± Cheng Rurong persisted.

    ¡°It was Sun Xing from the neighboring village who gave me money, he...

    he wanted to cut down the trees in his backyard to sell...

    Aiyah!¡± Wang Dajiao was mid-confession when suddenly the door behind her was kicked open.

    She tumbled forward, face-first onto the ground at Cheng Rurong¡¯s feet, her hands instinctively grasping Cheng¡¯s legs.

    Realizing Cheng was already dead, she looked up, only to meet Cheng Rurong¡¯s hateful eyes.

    With a splutter, Wang Dajiao felt a warmth in her groin, as if a bowl of watery porridge had spilled into her trousers, a hot clump spreading.

    ¡°Wang Dajiao!

    How could you, an elder, concoct such lies just for a bit of money, framing Cheng Rurong?

    What else do you have to say for yourself?!¡± Liu Hun¡¯s stern voice sounded from behind Wang Dajiao.

    If not for the fact that he was concerned about her being an old woman, he wouldn¡¯t have resorted to this feigning death trick and would have taken direct action.

    Hearing the familiar voice, Wang Dajiao turned her head sharply, only to see Liu Hun, Qin Yue, Bai Lian, and the couple of the village chief all standing at the door.

    Even a fool like Wang Dajiao could grasp what was happening.

    ¡°What the...

    you were all trying to hoodwink me!

    Damn it, Cheng Rurong didn¡¯t even die!¡± Wang Dajiao exclaimed, leaping to her feet, the stool and urine she had scared out of her running down her legs.

    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for Hunzi, Rurong would almost have been killed ¨C and it was you who drove her to it!

    Now that your grotesque true colors have been revealed, what else do you have to say?!¡± Qin Yue angrily interrogated Wang Dajiao, unable to believe that Wang had colluded with Sun Xing to harm her own daughter-in-law.

    Looking around at the few people present, seeing Cheng Rurong in such a state was indeed frightening.

    Stammering, Wang Dajiao said, ¡°Well...

    at least she¡¯s not dead!

    Everyone...

    let¡¯s disperse.

    My heart¡¯s all aflutter.¡±

    Ye Canghai, upon realizing that this was all a play arranged by Liu Hun, felt relieved.

    Torn between fearing Wang Dajiao might ask for his help and being indecisive, he was also eager to return to his card game, so he sneakily made his escape.

    Now that the charade was clear, Wang Dajiao called after the village chief several times.

    Ye Canghai, rolling away like a winter melon, moved quickly and ignored her cries, leaving Wang Dajiao to curse in her heart, helpless and itching with fury.

    ¡°Everyone¡¯s fine, what more do you want?

    I¡¯m getting on in years.

    If something happens to me, who among you can bear the responsibility?¡± Wang Dajiao addressed the crowd, eager to leave as quickly as possible.

    Liu Hun wasn¡¯t really worried about Wang Dajiao¡¯s well-being.

    He said, ¡°Wang Dajiao, I need you to promise you won¡¯t go after Cheng Rurong¡¯s contracted forests anymore.

    And you must write a big-character poster to inform the whole village of your deceit.¡±

    Wang Dajiao, seeing the determination in the others¡¯ faces, realized she had no choice but to nod in agreement if she wished to leave.

    ¡°Alright, alright!

    I promise you, Hunzi!

    Can I go now?¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Liu Hun still blocked her way, then pulled out a big-character poster that he had already prepared and pointed to a spot on it, saying, ¡°Sign here and press your fingerprint.

    Once you¡¯ve signed and pressed your fingerprint, you can go.¡±

    Wang Dajiao glanced over the proclamation, which detailed all the swindling deeds she had committed ¨C it was as exposing as having her skin flayed to reveal rotten insides.

    ¡°Smack!¡± Qin Yue slammed a carrying pole on the table and demanded, ¡°Are you going to sign or not?!¡± She knew Liu Hun couldn¡¯t lay a hand on Wang Dajiao, but that didn¡¯t stop her.

    Facing the looming carrying pole held by Qin Yue, Wang Dajiao felt an involuntary twinge of pain, bit her lip hard, and scrawled her name in a wobbly hand.

    Under the insistence of Liu Hun and the others, she bit her finger and pressed a bloody fingerprint onto the poster, then left Cheng Rurong¡¯s house with her trousers full of filth.

    Wang Dajiao, clutching at her stained crotch, dripped a trail of yellow as she tentatively took a few steps, only to hear barking behind her.

    Turning, she saw the lame dog from the village entrance chasing after the scent.

    Wang cried out in alarm and ran towards home, heedless of everything else, as the villagers along the way nearly doubled over with laughter.

    After the feigned death incident, Liu Hun¡¯s image in Du Yueling¡¯s mind became even clearer.

    She had always thought of Liu Hun as someone who relied on brute strength to resolve problems, but this encounter showed her that Liu Hun¡¯s intellect was far from simple.

    In the night, the moonlight, like liquid silver, shone on the paper window, while Du Yueling lay in bed reflecting on the day¡¯s events, feeling that there was something inside her, just out of reach, that was irritatingly itchy.

 Chapter 40 - 40 40 Means of Getting Rich

    ?40: Chapter 40 Means of Getting Rich 40: Chapter 40 Means of Getting Rich The heap of troubles happening in the village was like a tangled ball of yarn, and Liu Hun had finally grabbed onto the thread¡ªpoverty!

    Leading the entire village out of poverty had always been Liu Hun¡¯s plan.

    He thought, if he didn¡¯t use his Qi Force to heal people and lead the villagers to prosperity, then what use was it?

    Anyway, that was what he thought, so that¡¯s what he would do.

    Liu Hun was as straightforward as slicing radishes on a doorstep; he summoned everyone neatly and directly¡ªno mess, no fuss, gathering all of them at the temple¡ªa bunch of women.

    ¡°I called everyone here today to discuss something with you all,¡± Liu Hun said, looking at these young wives and widows.

    Most of the strong laborers from the village had left, and the old men and women practically hated him, so this group of women was all he could count on.

    ¡°Hun, what¡¯s the matter?

    Just say it.

    Look at you being all serious, like you¡¯re running for village chief,¡± Qin Yue blurted out in her usual straightforward manner.

    Liu Hun nodded and said, ¡°Everyone knows that I rented Qin Yue¡¯s vegetable plot recently and it yielded quite well.

    You all saw that clearly, and it wasn¡¯t just some show.

    So, I have a plan now.

    You give me the lands you leave fallow or can¡¯t manage, and I¡¯ll plant vegetables.

    The yield will be split fifty-fifty.

    What do you all think?¡±

    ¡°Oh, that sounds great!

    You have no idea how I drooled over Qin Yue¡¯s cabbages.

    My land is itching to be used.

    Hun, feel free to plant there,¡± Bai Lianhua said with a shaky laugh, truly hoping to earn a few hundred like Qin Yue.

    ¡°Look at you all excited!

    What nonsense!

    Where is it itching?

    Open up, let me scratch it for you.

    I¡¯ll surely stop it from itching,¡± Qin Yue laughed playfully, reaching out to tickle Bai Lian¡¯s armpits, and the two burst into laughter together.

    Cheng Rurong, who had been saved by Liu Hun, naturally supported his idea but asked worriedly, ¡°Hun, seeds, pesticides, and fertilizers all cost money.

    Have you calculated how much it would be for Qin Yue¡¯s acre, my two parts, and Bai Lian¡¯s acre?¡±

    After Cheng Rurong spoke, everyone around nodded their heads in agreement, while Du Yueling, sitting to the side, was also pondering this issue.

    After thinking about it for a while, she felt that Liu Hun¡¯s idea was too strong-willed with low feasibility, though she kept silent.

    However, she did enjoy the atmosphere of these village women joking and laughing together.

    Liu Hun laughed heartily and said, ¡°This is a piece of cake, like Zhang Fei eating bean sprouts!

    I have over a thousand yuan in hand, enough to buy seeds.

    As long as you agree, you won¡¯t have to spend a penny.

    How about that?¡± He was confident now as he had more capital to buy seeds, allowing him to rent and plant more fields without the need for pesticides and fertilizers.

    ¡°I still think it won¡¯t work!¡± Fen Ran frowned worriedly and said, ¡°Hun, don¡¯t push yourself too hard.

    Money aside, you¡¯re not made of iron.

    You can manage an acre or two, but any more will exhaust you.¡±

    What Fen Ran said was exactly what Du Yueling was concerned about, the main reason she felt this plan couldn¡¯t work.

    She wanted to see how this so-called ¡°capable person¡± planned to deal with it, so she tilted her head to look at Liu Hun.

    Liu Hun wasn¡¯t aware of Du Yueling and was fully focused on this matter.

    After hearing Fen Ran, he spoke, ¡°Sister Yue, don¡¯t worry about this.

    Aren¡¯t you all here as well?

    The vegetable fields only need to be tilled, sown, and sprayed with medicine.

    Just keep an eye on them to prevent the chickens from pecking and the pigs from rooting; it¡¯ll grow vigorously without any of us having to toil over it.¡±

    ¡°Hun, stop trying to fool us.

    Even though we¡¯re all women, we¡¯ve all hoed the land and know what it takes,¡± Fen Ran advised Liu Hun, knowing his desire to achieve something big but feeling this plan was stirring up trouble unnecessarily.

    Liu Hun smiled again and said, ¡°Sister Yue, I¡¯m really not just pretending.

    If you don¡¯t believe me, ask Sister Qin Yue how much pesticide and fertilizer I used on her vegetable plot, and if I was there every day?¡±

    Qin Yue crossed her legs with a shoe dangling from her toe, her face full of smiles as she said, ¡°I would have loved him to come every day, but it wasn¡¯t necessary.

    Honestly, I really didn¡¯t use fertilizer or anything.

    I barely took care of it, yet it grew so well.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s your special method?¡±

    As soon as this sweet and soft voice rang out, all the women turned to look at Du Yueling.

    It was her who had asked the question.

    Liu Hun hadn¡¯t expected Du Yueling to hit the point with just one question.

    That was exactly what he intended to explain, ¡°I¡¯ve concocted a medicinal broth.

    This broth can heal human ailments and improve crop yields.

    However, it¡¯s no miracle pill, just something to help with the vegetables.

    That¡¯s why I dared to gather everyone to discuss this matter.¡±

    ¡°Oh!

    So that¡¯s it.

    Then it¡¯s settled!

    Hun won¡¯t get exhausted, and it won¡¯t cost much.

    This good deal can¡¯t just be for Qin Yue alone.

    My fallow land needs to be worked too!¡± said Bai Lian, joking again with Qin Yue.

    The matter was thus decided amid the women¡¯s laughter.

    After sending them off, back in the temple, Du Yueling began, ¡°Liu Hun, since you have this ability, why don¡¯t you lease more land for yourself and make a fortune?¡±

    Liu Hun gave a somewhat silly smile and said to Du Yueling, ¡°Who doesn¡¯t want money, right?

    But what¡¯s the point of one person living well while everyone in the village is struggling?¡±

    Du Yueling smiled gently, like a breeze passing through an herb garden, leaving a faint fragrance.

    Her eyes carried a unique glow as she looked at Liu Hun and said, ¡°Just one acre of cabbage from Qin Yue¡¯s land can earn over a thousand.

    Considering market and natural factors, even if an acre yields eight hundred, with all those plots combined, the seasonal vegetable income would be tens of thousands.

    What do you plan to do with that money?¡±

    Although Liu Hun didn¡¯t understand some of what Du Yueling said, when it came to his vision and plans for the future, he spoke like the Yellow River bursting its banks, ¡°Look, in our village...¡±

    The two kept one asking, the other answering, unaware as the sun slowly set, stretching their shadows on the temple wall until they merged.

    The next day, when Liu Hun finished breakfast, the temple gate was abuzz.

    ¡°Auntie, aren¡¯t you just causing trouble for Hun?

    We can¡¯t behave like this!¡±

    ¡°Mom, this thing is not as simple as you think!

    Just go back, don¡¯t meddle here.¡±

    ¡°I respectfully call you mom, but don¡¯t rely on your age and act entitled.

    I won¡¯t let Hun agree to this, so stop creating a fuss.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Liu Hun glanced at the temple gate, and what he saw was the whole village of young widows, wives, and old women gathered, with Qin Yue and others busy pushing their aunts and mothers away, chattering like sparrows, leaving him puzzled like a monk from the Tang dynasty.

    ¡°Everyone, stop making a fuss!

    Quiet down!

    The kids need to study!

    If anything, let¡¯s go outside the temple to talk,¡± Liu Hun instructed, moving the noisy group of women a bit away from the temple, as their racket could make it impossible for Du Yueling to teach.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?

    You can speak now,¡± Liu Hun asked the women around him.

    Qin Yue¡¯s mother-in-law, Grandmother Hao, smiled with her face creased and asked, ¡°Hun, I heard you plan to plant all unused vegetable plots in our village.

    Is it true?¡±

    ¡°Mom!

    This is Hun¡¯s business, what does it have to do with you?

    Stop meddling here,¡± Qin Yue said, displeased, glancing at Grandmother Hao.

    Liu Hun waved his hand and said to Qin Yue, ¡°Let Aunt Cuihua speak first.

    Aunt Cuihua, I do plan to plant the fallow vegetable plots in the village.

    The grain fields are leased by individual households and can only be cultivated with grain, so I won¡¯t interfere, right?¡±

    Grandmother Hao chuckled slyly as if she had picked up a few cents and said to Liu Hun, ¡°Hun, since you¡¯ve got this plan, Qin Yue¡¯s vegetable plot is a plot, and the one in my backyard is also a plot.

    You should plant both.¡±

    ¡°Just stop!

    Hun isn¡¯t made of iron, you think he can just plant everything?

    You¡¯re here because you¡¯re eyeing the money, right?¡± Fen Ran looked unhappily at the surrounding old women, annoyed at how they often caused trouble for Liu Hun, but eagerly came for profit with fake smiles.

    ¡°Oh my, who was here worrying unnecessarily?

    Turns out it¡¯s the village chief¡¯s wife.

    You are well off and unbothered, but we are not the same.

    At this age, we don¡¯t even have burial savings.

    We¡¯ve got to think of something,¡± Wang Da Jiao climbed the ladder of conversation, making Fen Ran fume with anger.

    Auntie Jin, Bai Lian¡¯s aunt, bounced out at this time, having long forgotten being locked in with an undressed Rascal Chen and drawing pointing fingers.

    She jumped in to ask Liu Hun, ¡°Hun, you¡¯re helping these young women but not helping us, won¡¯t you be laughed at if word gets out?¡±

    ¡°Aunt Chen, you really do forget the pain once the wound heals.

    You weren¡¯t afraid of being laughed at fooling around with Little Coward Song.

    We¡¯re doing things openly, so what do we have to fear?¡± Qin Yue, hands on her hips, shot back at Aunt Jin, absolutely fed up with these old women.

    Seeing things were about to get heated, Liu Hun quickly intervened and said, ¡°We¡¯re all family here, a feast before dawn with no outsiders.

    I, Liu Hun, want to help everyone prosper together.

    But, I¡¯m not made of iron, am I?

    Initially, I didn¡¯t plan to include all the fallow land in the village.

    But more or less, it makes little difference.

    I¡¯ll take on everyone¡¯s land here!

    However,¡± Liu Hun said, sweeping his gaze over the old women before continuing, ¡°from your harvest, I¡¯ll take seventy percent and leave you thirty percent.

    Don¡¯t ask me why; nod and we¡¯ll put it in writing.

    If not, let¡¯s just drop it.¡±

    These old women hadn¡¯t expected Liu Hun to take such a big cut, but after a little secret discussion, they realized even ten percent was free money.

    Although it didn¡¯t sit well compared to the young wives and widows, they weren¡¯t stupid.

    They all nodded in agreement.

 Chapter 41 - 41 41 The Rich People

    ?41: Chapter 41 The Rich People 41: Chapter 41 The Rich People It seemed as if a spring breeze had swept through Wanbao Village.

    In just a month, the barren land had turned lush and colorful with an abundant harvest; from the village¡¯s limping yellow dog at one end to the meddlesome old women at the other, everyone seemed to be basking in an unprecedented joy of harvest, their faces nearly cramping from too much smiling yet still grinning.

    However, the joyful atmosphere lasted only a while before dark clouds loomed overhead.

    It turned out that the vegetables had been harvested extensively throughout the village, but an ensuing problem arose¡ªwho would buy them?

    ¡°I did the math,¡± Du Yueling said, chewing on the end of her pencil and seriously examining her notebook as she spoke to Liu Hun and the others.

    ¡°We farmed thirty acres, and the average yield per acre was ten thousand catties.

    If we sell it all at the average price of twenty cents per catty, that¡¯s sixty thousand yuan.

    But...

    we need to manage to sell all these three hundred thousand catties of vegetables first.¡±

    Liu Hun¡¯s brow furrowed like bitter melon skin; he hadn¡¯t considered this issue before¡ªthe sheer volume of produce was definitely a problem.

    Suddenly, he remembered what a cabbage buyer at the village entrance had mentioned and asked Fen Ran, ¡°Sister Yue, what did the Cooperative say?¡±

    Fen Ran¡¯s expression shifted between cloud and sunshine, and she pursed her lips before replying, ¡°Hun, the Cooperative has a quota; they praised our veggies for being large and well-formed, but they can only take two hundred thousand catties.¡±

    Liu Hun nodded slightly, his eyebrows relaxing a bit.

    He had invested all the previous money, over a thousand yuan, into seeds planted in the ground.

    If he couldn¡¯t sell these vegetables, not only would it be a total waste, but it would also impact everyone else in the village.

    However, now that he had heard from Fen Ran, he felt almost ready to let go of his worries.

    ¡°Hun, that¡¯s just over half sold, what about the remaining one hundred thousand catties?¡± Bai Lian asked Liu Hun anxiously, her worried face resembling a wilted camellia.

    ¡°Besides the Cooperative, who else can take so much?

    We can¡¯t let them rot in the field.¡±

    Qi Yue secretly nudged Bai Lian, signaling her to avoid discouraging words, then turned and took over the conversation cheerfully, ¡°Hey!

    What¡¯s the big issue here!

    If we can¡¯t sell them, can¡¯t we just eat them ourselves?

    Cabbages can be made into spicy kimchi, and radishes can be sliced and dried.

    Aren¡¯t we all married women or daughters-in-law?

    Why worry about this?

    We have mouths not just for nagging, but for eating too.¡±

    Qi Yue¡¯s words were crisp like pickles, bringing a light-hearted, teasing tone that eased the atmosphere around them.

    ¡°I doubt it!¡± Bai Lian continued teasingly, ¡°Our mothers and aunts act as if they could turn mud into money if they could; let alone these lush vegetables, they¡¯d never let them sit at home to be eaten.

    They¡¯d surely come here to Hun¡¯s place causing a ruckus every day.

    Wouldn¡¯t be surprised if they took the temple apart!¡±

    Bai Lian¡¯s remark stirred the pot once again, turning the lightened mood sour.

    Fen Ran, massaging her temples, told everyone, ¡°No need to rush, folks.

    I¡¯ve sent Canghai to the town to look for solutions.¡±

    ¡°Ye Canghai?

    What can he do?¡± Qi Yue blurted out without thinking, her tone quite dismissive.

    After all, Ye Canghai didn¡¯t have much capability; he was merely chosen as village chief because he was a mediator and Wanbao Village was too poor to offer anything substantial¡ªno one really respected the position much.

    Fen Ran knew her husband¡¯s limitations, so she wasn¡¯t bothered by Qi Yue¡¯s words and simply responded, ¡°He often plays cards in town and knows quite a few people.

    So, when Hun asked me to negotiate with the Cooperative about selling vegetables, I figured I¡¯d have Canghai snoop around as well.

    Let¡¯s hope he can prove himself useful this time.¡±

    Speak of the devil, and he shall appear.

    Just as they were discussing this matter, Ye Canghai appeared at the temple entrance, accompanied by a middle-aged man slicking back his hair, wearing glasses and a pair of yellow leather shoes.

    ¡°Cough cough, ah... well, everyone¡¯s here,¡± Ye Canghai entered with an air of authority.

    ¡°Canghai, what¡¯s up?

    Any news?¡± Fen Ran immediately approached Ye Canghai.

    ¡°Ah, this little issue¡ªdo you think I can¡¯t handle it?

    Let me introduce you; this is Bai Dajun, a big boss in agricultural trade,¡± Ye Canghai pompously introduced the stranger to Fen Ran.

    Upon closely observing Ye Canghai¡¯s wife, Bai Dajun felt a delicate flower had been crudely paired with a pile of dung, a beautiful cabbage ravaged by a pig, especially when he saw Fen Ran¡¯s smile, which could easily pass her for a mayor¡¯s wife.

    ¡°Hello, I am Bai Dajun.¡± Bai Dajun reached out to shake Fen Ran¡¯s hand, his body trembling so much that the hair on a mole beside his nose stood on end.

    Fen Ran could tell what Bai Dajun was thinking just from his gaze and reluctantly smiled as she pulled her hand back.

    ¡°Mr.

    Bai, please have a seat.

    Let me introduce you to everyone here,¡± Ye Canghai led Bai Dajun to the table and began introducing Liu Hun and the others.

    Bai Dajun felt like a dung beetle amongst flowers; he wanted to fertilize each and every one of those budding beauties.

    Liu Hun briefed Bai Dajun on the situation, and Bai Dajun was so mesmerized by Du Yueling¡¯s smiling face that he wished he could drown in her dimples.

    After listening to Liu Hun, he immediately slammed the table and declared, ¡°Stop talking, just one word¡ªbuy!¡±

    Everyone was overjoyed and didn¡¯t expect that, despite Bai Dajun¡¯s sly-looking eyes, he was actually straightforward.

    Liu Hun, wanting to confirm again, asked, ¡°Boss Bai, you want all 100,000 jin of vegetables?

    When do you plan to take them?

    I¡¯ll have everyone pick them straight from the fields to ensure you get the freshest.¡±

    ¡°Wait a minute, Village Chief Ye!

    Liu Hun!

    I want these 100,000 jin of vegetables, but there¡¯s one condition,¡± Bai Dajun said to Liu Hun and the others.

    ¡°What¡¯s the condition?¡± Liu Hun asked.

    ¡°I need these vegetables urgently, so I came straight here to the Village Chief.

    The tractor has already been called to the village entrance.

    We¡¯ll exchange the money and the vegetables on the spot, and I haven¡¯t had time to check your vegetables out, so I need a written agreement.¡± Bai Dajun said, pulling out a notebook and a pen from his bag.

    ¡°A written agreement?

    What kind of agreement?¡± Liu Hun asked, somewhat confused.

    Bai Dajun patted Liu Hun on the shoulder and said, ¡°Kid, I¡¯m a businessman, so I have to be cautious.

    There¡¯s a saying, right?

    ¡®Do no evil to others, but guard against the evil of others.¡¯ We just need a written agreement stating the vegetables you sell me have no quality issues and are all fresh.

    If there¡¯s any rotten or moldy produce, you¡¯ll compensate at the price, which is fair, right?¡±

    Liu Hun was absolutely confident in the vegetables he grew and had no intention of cutting corners, so he let Bai Dajun draft the agreement, and then signed it and stamped it with his fingerprint.

    As soon as he got the agreement, Bai Dajun happily slammed the table and immediately requested to settle the payment for the vegetables.

    The women, as giddy as peanuts in hot oil, began to pick the vegetables from the fields, even Du Yueling rolled up her sleeves and joined them, sweating profusely.

    The entire village got busy, and after a half-day¡¯s effort, they managed to harvest and hand over 100,000 jin of vegetables to Bai Dajun, who then settled all the payments according to the Cooperative¡¯s prices.

    Three days later, all the money from the Cooperative was transferred, and then...

    ¡°Ding ding ding!

    Ding ding ding!

    Money distribution time!

    Everybody hurry to the temple to get your money!

    Brother Hun is distributing money!

    Everybody hurry!¡±

    Liu Hun¡¯s designated messenger, Gaizi, carrying a copper gong, once again rang it throughout the village.

    Soon, the village women gathered at the temple, and the crowd of onlookers almost broke the temple¡¯s threshold.

    ¡°Look!

    Everybody, look, oh my god, how much money is on that table?

    What happened?

    Did he find a nugget of gold?¡±

    ¡°I think you¡¯re the one losing your mind!

    That¡¯s the money Brother Hun made from selling vegetables!

    It came from his own hard work!

    If nuggets were so easy to find, go try picking one up yourself.¡±

    ¡°What are you all babbling about?

    Make way!

    You don¡¯t have a share in this, so why squeeze in here?

    Don¡¯t block my way to get money!¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Wang Dajiao pushed through the crowd of onlookers, strutting into the temple like a county official on an inspection, while the villagers whispered about how shameless these old ladies were.

    ¡°Quiet, please!

    Fellow villagers, please quiet down and let me say a few words,¡± Liu Hun stood behind the table, waving his hands to quiet the noisy villagers before speaking, ¡°Today, I gathered everyone to distribute money.

    We made a written agreement before, and we need to fulfill it!¡±

    ¡°Hun, cut the crap and just distribute the money,¡± Aunt Jin couldn¡¯t help complaining, her eyes almost falling out at the sight of all the money on the table.

    ¡°Alright!

    No more nonsense.

    Let¡¯s start distributing the money!¡± With that, Liu Hun took the notebook Du Yueling handed him and began reading from it, ¡°Qin Yue, one mu of radishes, a total of 1800¡ªtake it!¡±

    Qin Yue joyfully took the money from Liu Hun, savoring the sweet feeling for the second time, feeling completely content.

    ¡°Bai Lian, one mu of cabbage, a total of 1500¡ªtake it!¡± Liu Hun said as he counted out 1500 from a stack of bills and handed it to Bai Lian.

    ¡°Oh my, this is my first time; I¡¯m so envious of Qin Yue, she¡¯s tasted this twice now.

    Look how happy she is.

    Hey Hun, make sure to include me next time!

    It doesn¡¯t even matter if you include Qin Yue or not!¡± Bai Lian teased as she took the money from Liu Hun.

    Qin Yue would not let anyone verbally outwit her and chimed in with some banter, livening up the atmosphere.

    Du Yueling watched with a smile, feeling that the mountains, water, and people all radiated a vibrant Life Force.

 Chapter 42 - 42 42 Scoundrel

    ?42: Chapter 42 Scoundrel 42: Chapter 42 Scoundrel ¡°Wang Dajiao, for the two acres of white radish, here¡¯s 1584 for you!¡± Liu Hun said as he counted out 1584 and handed it to her, but as the money was presented before Wang Dajiao, it was as if she had been smeared all over with cement, fixating her gaze on Liu Hun without taking it.

    ¡°Aunt Qi, why don¡¯t you want it?¡± Liu Hun asked, slightly puzzled.

    Wang Dajiao twisted her withered lips dismissively as if she was opening the door to an outhouse, and nasty words spilled out, ¡°Look here, rascal, are you trying to cheat an old woman?

    Do you think I¡¯m blind, deaf, or dumb?¡±

    ¡°Aunt Qi, what do you mean by that?¡± Liu Hun looked at Wang Dajiao and asked, knowing well that none of the old ladies in the village were easy to deal with.

    Hearing Liu Hun¡¯s words, Wang Dajiao immediately started bellowing, ¡°Rascal, tell me, isn¡¯t it true that both my land and Qin Yue¡¯s land were planted with white radish?

    My family has two acres, Qin Yue has one acre, so why do I only get 1584?

    Why does Qin Yue get 1800?¡±

    ¡°Hey!

    That does seem odd.

    Why does Wang Dajiao only get so little?

    Qin Yue gets over 200 more for just one acre?

    Could it be that the rascal messed something up?¡±

    ¡°You can knock it off!

    What mischief could the rascal be up to?

    He¡¯s the most honest person.

    If I were him, I wouldn¡¯t give Wang Dajiao a dime.

    Do you realize, Wang Dajiao hasn¡¯t properly tended to the land for even a day?

    Tying up a dog there would probably do better than her, and now she¡¯s trying to snub us too.¡±

    ¡°I heard that the rascal didn¡¯t even use any fertilizers or pesticides.

    With so much land, he barely put in any effort.

    Anyone else would have been exhausted by now.

    How come his harvest is so good?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    The surrounding people each started murmuring, and Liu Hun let them talk without intervening.

    Today, he had deliberately had the crier make a loud announcement calling everyone in the village just to promote and popularize the matter.

    The more they gossiped, the better his purpose would be achieved.

    Displaying over sixty thousand yuan on the table also served this intention.

    ¡°Everyone, look at this!¡± Liu Hun said as he took out a written agreement that he had set up early with these old ladies, ¡°I made it clear before that I could farm their land, but I would take seventy percent.

    These are your fingerprints, you recognize them, right?¡±

    Although it was previously agreed upon, watching the money diminish in their hands made everyone uncomfortable and unhappy.

    Aunt Jin then stepped in to speak, ¡°Rascal, aren¡¯t you a bit too greedy?

    Even landlords before the liberation didn¡¯t take as much!

    Besides, we are neighbors and kin.

    You¡¯ve already got so much, why not let some out?¡±

    ¡°Listen to this!

    Listen!

    What kind of talk is that?

    Isn¡¯t it clear that she¡¯s being unreasonable?

    According to you, if I bought grain and it didn¡¯t taste right, should I spit it back at you?¡±

    Qin Yue, with a proud expression, looked as resolute as a plum blossom standing against frost, ¡°Why go back on your words?

    Previously, you all were begging the rascal to farm your land.

    Think about it, did you spend a cent or lift a finger?

    Aunt Jin, I, Qin Yue, must say, your land is no better than a hillside¡ªonly fit for growing stones.

    Ask anyone in the village who doesn¡¯t know what¡¯s going on?

    Consider yourselves lucky to have this money; don¡¯t be ungrateful.

    Pies don¡¯t just fall from the sky¡ªyou still need to bend over and be careful not to be killed by them.¡±

    ¡°Pfft¡± Du Yueling couldn¡¯t help but cover her mouth and laugh, finding Qin Yue¡¯s sharp tongue quite satisfying and immensely relieving.

    Aunt Jin¡¯s face turned as red as a March tomato, and seeing Du Yueling giggling, she promptly shut her mouth and dared not say more.

    ¡°Let¡¯s stick to what was agreed, if there¡¯s less or more produce from one acre of land, white radish, I¡¯ve calculated as twelve thousand jin per acre.

    Those truly at a loss are the young wives toiling on the land daily, not you.

    The white radish at two yuan per jin, cabbage at two yuan as well, all meticulously recorded here by Teacher Du.

    According to the agreement, I haven¡¯t taken a cent more.

    Today, I Liu Hun lay it out straight!

    If you trust me, from now on, we¡¯ll work together, eat meat, and drink heartily!

    If you don¡¯t, after you walk out this door, don¡¯t come back.

    We¡¯ll each go our separate ways!¡± Liu Hun spoke sternly, slamming his notebook on the table with authority that was as oppressive as dark clouds over mountains.

    Everyone underneath, whether they admitted it or not, had to acknowledge his resolve.

    Although Wang Dajiao and others still had their doubts, they eventually took the money, albeit shamefacedly.

    ¡°Wow!

    Talking about eating meat and drinking heartily!

    Looks like some people might end up eating shit and drinking piss!¡± A piercing voice rang out from the back of the crowd.

    The people in the temple turned around, curious to see who had emerged daring enough to disrupt Liu Hun¡¯s arrangements.

    They saw a man with greasy, side-parted hair, wearing gold-rimmed glasses and chewing on a cigarette, followed by six others shoving their way through.

    ¡°Who¡¯s this now?

    Look at him; doesn¡¯t seem like a good sort, does he?

    Could he be here for the rascal¡¯s money on that table¡ªthat¡¯s quite a few...¡±

    The onlookers, pushed and jostled away, felt disgruntled, yet not one dared to say a thing upon seeing Bai Dajun approach with his lackeys, Liu Hun included, who didn¡¯t speak or lift a finger against them.

    ¡°Bai boss?

    What¡¯s the meaning of this?¡± Liu Hun wondered to himself, as it seemed Bai Dajun was here to start trouble.

    ¡°Ptui!¡± Bai Dajun spat the cigarette butt from his mouth onto the ground.

    His shifty eyes scanned over a few women before landing on a stack of money, saying, ¡°Look at you, kid, already splitting the spoils, huh?¡± Bai Dajun continued, pointing at a few people who still held money in their hands, and then he banged on the table hard, ¡°I want to make one thing clear upfront.

    Whoever took my money had better hand it over now, hmph!

    Otherwise, you¡¯ll learn what regret really means!¡±

    ¡°Wow, do you think you¡¯re some big deal causing trouble here when you weigh next to nothing?

    Didn¡¯t you ask around?

    Who has ever caused trouble in Wanbao Village and come out better for it?¡± Qin Yue glanced at Bai Dajun disdainfully.

    She was worried that he couldn¡¯t withstand a hit from Liu Huyi.

    ¡°Bai boss, how exactly have I offended you?

    And this money, we all dug deep in the fields to earn it.

    How is it yours suddenly?¡± Liu Hun asked Bai Dajun.

    He really didn¡¯t know why Bai Dajun was picking a fight.

    ¡°Slap!¡± Bai Dajun slapped a contract Liu Hun had fingerprinted right onto the table and said, ¡°This contract clearly states, if any produce you sell me turns bad, you have to compensate for it at the same rate!¡±

    Bai Dajun had hardly finished speaking when one of his goons threw a bundle of rotten cabbage onto the ground.

    Bai Dajun continued, ¡°See this?

    One hundred thousand pounds of cabbage, at fifty cents a pound.

    Do the math, how much is that?¡±

    ¡°Bai Dajun!

    Are you out of your mind, or did you get your head caught in a door?

    Wanting money so badly, why don¡¯t you just rob someone?

    When we loaded the vegetables onto the tractor, each one was inspected carefully.

    What are you talking about, claiming one bad piece and demanding we compensate for one hundred thousand pounds at fifty cents a pound?

    Who would agree to that?¡± Fen Ran was livid; if Ye Canghai were there, she really wanted to grab him and find out where he found such a man.

    ¡°Enough of that nonsense.

    The contract is here; either you hand over the money willingly today, or I¡¯ll make sure you do!¡± Bai Dajun declared and waved his hand behind him.

    ¡°Shing, Shing, Shing!¡±

    The thugs Bai Dajun had brought along drew their knives from their belts.

    The gleaming blades shone menacingly, making anyone shudder at the sight.

    Du Yueling was shocked that these people would so blatantly brandish knives, deeply concerned, she suddenly felt warmth in her palm ¡ª it was Liu Hun holding her hand.

    ¡°Stay behind me, and keep your distance with the others,¡± Liu Hun whispered to Du Yueling, pulling her behind him.

    Du Yueling obediently hid behind Liu Hun¡¯s back and tilted her head to look at his profile.

    She suddenly remembered their first meeting in similar circumstances.

    ¡°What¡¯s it going to be, kid?

    Planning on behaving or do you need me to teach you a lesson?¡± Bai Dajun said arrogantly, his face the epitome of pompousness.

    Liu Hun nodded and responded, ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll behave myself.

    How could I possibly trouble Bai boss to lift a finger?

    Maybe we should step outside since it¡¯s too crowded here and the light isn¡¯t good for counting money.

    Let¡¯s settle it at the temple gate.

    It¡¯s spacious and bright there.

    You count the money and see how much I owe, how about that?¡±

    ¡°Oh my!

    It¡¯s like finding a long-lost son!

    It¡¯s settled then!

    Let¡¯s go outside and have my grandson count it for me!¡± Bai Dajun yelled, instructing his men to carry the table and money out of the temple.

    ¡°Hunzi...¡± Qin Yue was about to speak but was stopped by Liu Hun.

    ¡°Qin Yue sister, look after Teacher Du for me.

    I¡¯ll handle these dung balls.

    You all just watch, no need to dirty your hands,¡± Liu Hun said to Qin Yue before following the others out of the temple.

    Some villagers inside the temple sighed in relief, worried about getting hurt if trouble started while others, concerned for Liu Hun, followed them out.

    Liu Hun stood at the temple gate, surveyed the surroundings, and thought this was a good spot to handle a fight.

    If it had happened inside, it could have hurt the villagers.

    ¡°Son!

    Count out the money loudly; I want to hear it!¡± Bai Dajun swaggered over to the table, staring down Liu Hun.

    Liu Hun gave a small smile and glanced at the tens of thousands of yuan on the table, then asked Bai Dajun, ¡°Bai boss, aren¡¯t you afraid of overeating with all this money?¡±

    ¡°Look at you; it¡¯s like we¡¯ve been apart for years now.

    You can¡¯t even remember how big your father¡¯s appetite is.

    I could eat ten times more,¡± Bai Dajun laughed heartily, his eyes gleaming as he gazed at the money on the table, feeling a deep sense of satisfaction.

 Chapter 43 - 43 43 Eating Money

    ?43: Chapter 43: Eating Money 43: Chapter 43: Eating Money ¡°Since you can stomach it, you can eat it all...¡± Liu Hun spoke evenly, then suddenly bellowed, ¡°Come here!¡± Grabbing Bai Dajun¡¯s greasy hair, he yanked him close, then, pressing Bai Dajun¡¯s head down, ¡°Bang!¡± he smashed it onto the table.

    Bai Dajun was secretly thrilled watching the money, never expecting Liu Hun to suddenly make a move, let alone with such strength.

    By the time he came to, his head had already dented the table, half buried in it.

    ¡°Ow...¡± Bai Dajun screamed like a slaughtering pig, his legs kicking in agony.

    Liu Hun held Bai Dajun¡¯s head with one hand while he turned and caught a cleaver flying at his head.

    Catching a blade barehanded, with a ¡°swhoosh,¡± Liu Hun clenched his five fingers and snapped the cleaver in two.

    Staring at the stunned onlookers, he asked, ¡°Still want to chop me?¡±

    The lackey had never seen such a move and was so frightened he could only swallow hard, his mouth quivering, unable to utter a word.

    Liu Hun, holding the broken blade, pressed it against Bai Dajun¡¯s neck and said, ¡°Shut your mouth, cry out again, and I¡¯ll let your blood.¡±

    Bai Dajun, seeing the gleaming blade against his neck, like a hog tied for slaughter, dared not make a sound, enduring the numb pain in his head.

    ¡°Tell them to throw their knives on the ground.¡± Liu Hun then pulled Bai Dajun up from the table.

    Bai Dajun felt like his head had been stung by wasps, painful and numb, he stuttered, ¡°You guys, throw your knives on the ground!¡±

    These men had come for Bai Dajun¡¯s money and had no real loyalty to him.

    Having just witnessed Liu Hun¡¯s show of force, they were lucky not to have wet themselves.

    Obediently, they all dropped their knives.

    Seeing the knives dropped, Du Yueling quickly whispered to Fen Ran and the others.

    They rolled up their sleeves and rushed to pick up the knives.

    ¡°Have I heard you say you were my long-lost wild dad?¡± Liu Hun, holding Bai Dajun, questioned him.

    Bai Dajun shook his head so hard he almost threw oil from it and hastily said, ¡°No, no, no, you¡¯re my long-lost wild dad...

    No, my real dad!

    Definitely my real one!¡±

    ¡°Do you understand clearly now?

    I¡¯m really your real dad?

    No mistake, right?¡± Liu Hun continued to press Bai Dajun.

    Upon hearing this, Bai Dajun felt a chill and dared not say ¡°no,¡± pleading, ¡°No...

    no mistake, you¡¯re truly my real dad!

    Real dad!¡±

    ¡°Ladies and Gentlemen, see for yourself, I, Liu Hun, don¡¯t even have a wife, and now out of nowhere, I¡¯ve got a son!¡± Liu Hun laughed heartily, addressing the villagers around him.

    ¡°Mixed Kid, I reckon this son of yours doesn¡¯t look like you!

    Looks more like those turtles in the river, what do they call it?

    Turtle spawn!¡± A villager chuckled at Liu Hun, and the crowd around them couldn¡¯t help but laugh along.

    After the laughter had subsided, Liu Hun called over Gazi to find a thick hemp rope several meters long and ordered Gazi to tie the feet of the six lackeys, perfectly illustrating the saying ¡ª grasshoppers on a string.

    ¡°Today!

    Those who joined me, Liu Huyi, got paid.

    I can¡¯t let the rest walk away empty-handed.

    So, today, I¡¯m treating everyone to a show!¡± Liu Hun said, scarcely containing his laughter.

    ¡°Mixed Kid, what are you sneakily laughing about?

    What kind of show is it?

    Hurry and start, don¡¯t make us young and old anxious!¡± a villager urged impatiently.

    Liu Hun nodded, and under the puzzled eyes of the crowd, Gazi led a dozen children each holding a basin out into the yard.

    ¡°Whoosh!¡± a few kids at the front threw the water in their basins at the six lackeys, followed by the kids at the back hurling the black and muddy contents onto them as well.

    ¡°What¡¯s that?

    What¡¯s all that?

    What¡¯s Mixed Kid up to?

    Where¡¯s the good show to watch?¡±

    ¡°Look, isn¡¯t that the crushed anthill by the roadside?

    Ha!

    I get it now, Mixed Kid had the first few kids pour sugar water, and those behind threw the crushed anthill!¡±

    ¡°Look out!

    Look out!

    They¡¯re jumping!

    They¡¯re jumping!

    Hey, you see, they¡¯re like monkeys!

    Fell down, one of them, so clumsy, and there goes another!¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    The six lackeys, doused in sugar water and then covered in ants, began hopping fiercely, scratching the itches all over as they jumped on the spot.

    Yet, with their feet tied together, one falling to the ground dragged the second and third down with him, shouting and trembling on the ground like they were having epileptic fits.

    ¡°Ouch!

    Why are you pulling me?

    Your own mother¡¯s!¡±

    ¡°Your mom!

    As if my leg is tied to you...

    Ouch, you dog ball, why are you pulling me?¡±

    ¡°You two dumb balls, stop pulling my leg, I¡¯ll kill you two dumb balls!¡±

    ...

    The six flunkies were itchy all over and shivering, all wanting to get up, but as soon as they tried, they either pulled someone else down or were pulled down themselves.

    Frustration igniting, they ended up taking it out on each other, and the itchy-dance scramble once again became a struggle for the live clown show.

    The surrounding villagers watched with roaring laughter; they had never seen such a hilarious and funny scene in their lives, even Bai Dajun couldn¡¯t help but start laughing.

    ¡°Is it funny?

    Having a good time watching?¡± Liu Hun asked, holding Bai Dajun.

    Hearing Liu Hun¡¯s voice, Bai Dajun shuddered and pleaded, ¡°Dad!

    Oh, dad!

    Please let me go, I won¡¯t cause trouble ever again.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re just a boneless maggot from a dung pit!

    Where¡¯s the IOU?¡± Liu Hun coldly cursed Bai Dajun, then asked.

    Bai Dajun immediately pulled out the IOU and tore it up in front of Liu Hun, then looked at him with a face begging for favor and acting cute.

    Liu Hun, seeing the scraps of paper on the ground, called over Gazi and ordered him something.

    Gazi ran off with a mischievous smile, a grin that made Bai Dajun feel like he¡¯s seen a ghost in broad daylight, clueless about what Liu Hun was plotting.

    Before long, Gazi ran back, sweaty, with a hemp sack.

    Liu Hun placed the hemp sack on the table and slapped the table heavily, announcing, ¡°Everyone, look over here!

    There¡¯s more drama to watch!¡±

    Hearing Liu Hun¡¯s shout, the villagers who had enjoyed the comedy act all crowded around, craning their necks to see what performance was up next.

    Liu Hun pointed at Bai Dajun and told the crowd, ¡°Boss Bai just confessed to me that he has a big appetite, and what he loves to eat the most is money!

    So today, I specifically asked him to perform for you all his talent of eating money!¡±

    After saying that, Liu Hun opened the hemp sack, and the surrounding villagers immediately burst into laughter.

    The sack was full of Joss Paper used for burning to the dead during the Qingming festival.

    ¡°Boss Bai, our RMB denominations are too small; there are too few zeroes after the number, the largest having only two.

    That just doesn¡¯t match your status or appetite.

    If we¡¯re going to eat, we eat big, that¡¯s the real thrill!

    Look at this!¡± As he spoke, Liu Hun pulled out a piece of Joss Paper and said, ¡°This is the smallest denomination, and it¡¯s ten thousand!

    This sack has at least several billion, guaranteed to fill you up!

    Go on, eat!¡±

    ¡°Wow!

    Genius!

    Hunzi, I¡¯ll write ¡®impressed¡¯ for you!

    Ordinary money isn¡¯t satisfying enough; we¡¯ve got to eat Joss Paper!

    Everyone agrees, right?¡± A villager clamored loudly, asking the surrounding people.

    The crowd unanimously replied with a ¡°yes,¡± followed by another wave of laughter.

    ¡°Boss Bai, you said you wanted to eat this, but if you find Joss Paper too bland, we can switch to RMB.

    This whole table with tens of thousands of RMB should be enough for you.

    But after you¡¯ve eaten, you have to poop out RMB to make it square, or else you must press your thumbprint on an IOU.

    Choose one,¡± Liu Hun said to Bai Dajun with a smile.

    He originally wanted Bai Dajun to eat an IOU written in RMB, but considering Bai Dajun might skip town and become unreachable, the money would be wasted.

    So, it¡¯s better to just eat Joss Paper for the sake of assurance, to really fill him up!

    Bai Dajun looked at the sack of Joss Paper and felt like his bile was about to pour out.

    Catching Liu Hun¡¯s gaze, he shivered all over and started stuffing a hundred thousand denomination note into his mouth tremblingly.

    ¡°Smack smack smack...

    why does this ink taste so strong...¡± Bai Dajun, with a face as if he had lost his dear father, began eating one note after another.

    ¡°Hey!

    Boss Bai, Qingming isn¡¯t here yet, why are you starting to collect money?

    Aren¡¯t you worried that King Yan, seeing you enjoy it so much, would call you over ahead of time?¡± The villagers were merciless with their mouths, coldly mocking and scoffing at Bai Dajun.

    Bai Dajun finally managed to eat half a sack of Joss Paper, his face turning ink-colored, and after begging Liu Hun for mercy and making enough promises, he left Wanbao Village dragging the six flunkies who were beaten until they were unrecognizable, even to their parents.

    After Bai Dajun¡¯s commotion, Wanbao Village was peaceful for a while, but Liu Hun was restless during this time since everyone in the village saw him leading a group of women in making money and they all wanted to follow suit.

    The problem was that the mass-produced vegetables couldn¡¯t find a market.

    His Qi Force-cultivated vegetables grew fresh and delicious in just a month or so, but the Cooperative had only a small quota per season and had to accommodate other large vegetable producers in the villages.

    Agreeing to the requests would make him a culprit if they couldn¡¯t sell the produce in the end.

    ¡°Ah!

    It¡¯s like holding a pig¡¯s head and can¡¯t find the temple gate,¡± Liu Hun sighed heavily.

    Before finding a buyer, he flatly refused all the villagers who came to rent land, including previous associations with Qin Yue and Bai Lian.

    After explaining the situation to them, they also stopped planting.

    ¡°Hunzi, we all understand you, don¡¯t take it to heart.

    I¡¯ve inquired repeatedly about the Cooperative, and they won¡¯t need any vegetables for at least three months,¡± Fen Ran comforted Liu Hun as she sat beside the table.

    She constantly kept herself informed of the situation at the town Cooperative.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, Hunzi, I support your decision,¡± Qin Yue joined in.

    ¡°Turning down these people will indeed offend many, causing resentment.

    But agreeing to them and then not having a buyer for the produce will create even more resentment.¡±

    Bai Lian also nodded and added, ¡°Exactly, Hunzi, I support your decision too.

    None of us will plant; it keeps everything fair and prevents some shameless people from gossiping behind our backs.¡±

 Chapter 44 - 44 44 Accident Happened

    ?44: Chapter 44 Accident Happened 44: Chapter 44 Accident Happened ¡°I messed this up, didn¡¯t think it through thoroughly,¡± Liu Hun said with a frown.

    He had thought he found a shortcut to lead the villagers to wealth, but now selling the product had become the actual problem.

    Just as a group of people were discussing the matter, Gazi suddenly rushed in breathlessly and exclaimed, ¡°Brother Hun, Teacher Du, you guys need to hurry and see, lots of people have come to the village, and there are many tractors parked at the entrance.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go!

    Let¡¯s take a look!¡± Liu Hun felt it was odd because Wanbao Village, situated near Qi Mountain, usually saw hardly any outsiders, so why would there suddenly be so many people coming.

    When everyone got to the village entrance, there were only a few people left watching the tractors, and none of the others were to be seen, so Liu Hun asked someone guarding the tractors, ¡°Master, what are you here for?¡±

    ¡°Fetching timber, what else,¡± the elderly man answered briskly.

    ¡°Fetching timber?

    All of us in Wanbao Village are just women staying at home; who would go up the mountain to chop trees?¡± Liu Hun asked the tractor driver with some puzzlement.

    The tractor driver wiped the mud off his shoe soles on the tractor¡¯s tires and opened up to Liu Hun, ¡°The women can¡¯t, but the men can, can¡¯t they?

    Isn¡¯t there a saying, live off the mountain if near a mountain, live off the sea if near the sea.

    Since Wanbao Village is near a mountain, of course, you have to live off the mountain.

    Some people in your village who have contracted the mountain forest came to our boss wanting to sell the timber, so our boss got people together to chop and haul it.¡±

    Upon hearing this, Liu Hun furrowed his brows, about to speak, when the tractor driver continued, ¡°I heard that there¡¯s a capable person in your village, called Hunzi or something like that, an able man who made tens of thousands!

    Tell me, aren¡¯t you jealous?

    If you are, you have to think of something, you¡¯ve got to sell whatever you can!¡±

    Hearing the driver finish, Liu Hun now realized that someone was definitely stirring this up and was about to head up the mountain when he heard someone calling him from behind.

    Turning around, it was Ye Canghai.

    ¡°Village Chief, did you need me for something?¡± Liu Hun asked Ye Canghai.

    He was planning to head to the mountain and could bring Ye Canghai along.

    Ye Canghai pulled Liu Hun aside and spoke, ¡°Hunzi, I already know about this.

    Don¡¯t get involved, okay?¡±

    Liu Hun knew that although Ye Canghai held the title of village chief, he was typically the type who would not act unless there was something in it for him, quite the opposite of the strictly upright Qin Yue.

    But Liu Hun felt there was something not quite right about this.

    Ye Canghai seemed to notice Liu Hun¡¯s worries and quickly patted his shoulder, saying, ¡°Hunzi, you can be absolutely sure this time, nothing like the incident with Cheng Rurong taking the medicine will happen again.

    This time it is people with legitimate contracts to cut trees.

    Last time, Bai Dajun was a cunning old fox, and you dealt with him fine.

    I still have to commend you for that, but now, it¡¯s all legal and legitimate, don¡¯t you agree?¡±

    Liu Hun pondered for a while.

    What Ye Canghai said made sense.

    Other¡¯s contracted mountains weren¡¯t his business.

    Besides, Ye Canghai was the village chief and he had spoken to this extent; Liu Hun decided not to interfere and nodded, ¡°Chief, don¡¯t worry, I understand how things work.

    As long as our villagers don¡¯t get in trouble or suffer, I won¡¯t meddle.¡±

    ¡°Hey!

    Come on, let¡¯s go inside for some tea,¡± Ye Canghai, arm around Liu Hun¡¯s shoulders, led him into the house, chatting and laughing.

    Those black eyes fixated on gleaming silver, none of the villagers with contracted mountains could resist temptation; they all got people to chop trees on their mountains, except for Cheng Rurong¡¯s family.

    Several households around Wanbao Village had mountains that were starting to bald, and Liu Hun went several times to advise against excessive deforestation, but no one listened and he received plenty of cold words.

    ¡°Crack!¡± A sharp flash of lightning tore through the night sky, and the rain poured down like pearls, as if someone had punctured a hole in the celestial river, raining nonstop, now into its third day.

    ¡°Oh, my dear mother, today I really experienced what rain is.

    What we had before wasn¡¯t rain, it was just leaking!

    This is what you call rain!¡± Qin Yue laughed heartily, took off her bamboo hat, and placed the basket of eggs she was carrying on the ground, completely drenched from head to toe.

    ¡°Qin Yue, what brings you here?¡± Liu Hun asked, quickly grabbing a towel for her to dry off.

    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I come?

    Can¡¯t this temple fit a college student?¡± she teased, then pointing at the basket of eggs on the floor, she said, ¡°These are for you and Teacher Du.

    The rains been pouring for days, you haven¡¯t had much to eat.

    Look at this temple, raining hard outside and dripping inside.¡±

    Liu Hun was indeed a bit embarrassed; he had planned to use the money earned from selling vegetables to repair the temple properly, get some desks and chairs for the kids, and with the leftover money, make other plans.

    But this rain had suddenly arrived.

    Qin Yue, wearing a floral short-sleeved shirt and thin, translucent long pants, was soaked through by the torrential rain, her wet clothing clinging tightly to her body, revealing areas that should be red, white, and black.

    ¡°Ahchoo!¡± Unable to hold it in, Qin Yue sneezed, her entire body shivering, sending a wave of energy throughout the room.

    ¡°Qin Yue, I¡¯ll go ask Mr.

    Du if he has any dry clothes.

    You should change your clothes, or it might lead to a cold and be troublesome,¡± Liu Hun said as he stepped toward the door, only for someone to bump directly into his arms.

    Staggering backward, Liu Hun caught the person in his embrace and saw that it was Bai Lian.

    ¡°Huff, puff, puff...¡± panting heavily, Bai Lian gasped out to Liu Hun, ¡°Bad news... the mountain... the mountain has collapsed!¡±

    ¡°What?

    The mountain has collapsed?¡± Liu Hun¡¯s eyes widened in shock as he asked Bai Lian.

    Nodding vigorously, Bai Lian shook the water off himself onto Liu Hun and exclaimed, ¡°Hun, you must hurry over and see.

    Many houses at the foot of the mountain are buried!

    Cheng Rurong has already gone to inform the village chief.

    Let¡¯s go quickly!¡±

    Just as Liu Hun and Bai Lian were about to head out, Liu Hun stopped and turned to Qin Yue, ¡°Sister Qin Yue, you and Mr.

    Du stay in the temple and gather all the wooden boards you can find to make beds.

    We might need to carry many people here.¡±

    ¡°Okay!

    I¡¯ll listen to you,¡± Qin Yue nodded earnestly, her heart concerned about the village¡¯s situation but still complying with Liu Hun¡¯s request.

    Leaving the temple, Liu Hun felt why the elders described the rain as if heaven were collapsing; he couldn¡¯t see anything a few meters ahead.

    If it weren¡¯t for growing up in the village, he would surely have gotten lost.

    Bai Lian, leading the way, sloshed through the muddy path till they heard crying.

    They ran towards it and found Da-Hao¡¯s mother, the most eager to sell lumber.

    Upon seeing Liu Hun, Da-Hao¡¯s mother clung to him as if he were her dear uncle, sobbing, ¡°Hun, please save my old man!

    He¡¯s buried underneath.

    This damn rain, why does it target me for bullying?¡±

    ¡°Move it!

    Still blaming this and that, it¡¯s all because you were crazy for money!

    When Hun advised you before, why didn¡¯t I see you crying then?

    Use that money for his coffin!¡± Bai Lian, not caring about seniority, was moved to tears as he saw more houses buried by the landslide.

    ¡°You come and help pick out rocks!

    Stop crying, what¡¯s the use?

    Hurry up!¡± Liu Hun, dragging Da-Hao¡¯s mother, reached the buried site of her house.

    The three of them dug together, and after a long effort, they unearthed Old Li, who was barely breathing.

    ¡°Hun, please save my husband, I beg you!

    From now on, I¡¯ll do whatever you say and won¡¯t oppose you anymore,¡± Da-Hao¡¯s mother pleaded, holding onto Liu Hun¡¯s legs, fearing he might leave Old Li unattended.

    Liu Hun placed his hand on Old Li¡¯s philtrum, sending his Qi Force straight into him.

    In moments, Old Li regained consciousness, and the first thing he did upon waking was to slap Da-Hao¡¯s mother across the face, scolding, ¡°You wretched woman!

    How dare you cry here?

    Didn¡¯t Hun come by and advise you?

    You just wanted to sell the trees, and you cursed at me every day at home!

    Now you understand what retribution means!¡±

    ¡°Uncle Li, Aunt Cui Hua, please stop arguing,¡± Liu Hun intervened, ¡°Bai Lian and I need to keep rescuing people.

    You two be careful and head towards the temple.

    Sister Qin Yue and Mr.

    Du are there.¡± Then he and Bai Lian stepped back into the storm.

    ¡°Hun, be careful out there!¡± Old Li called after him as he and Da-Hao¡¯s mother headed toward the temple, chastising her all along the way.

    Liu Hun and Bai Lian walked and dug along the edge of the mountain.

    Soon, Fen Ran, leading Ye Canghai and others, joined them.

    If not for Liu Hun¡¯s robust Qi Force, many more in Wanbao Village might have been lost.

    Ultimately, they managed to rescue everyone.

    Days later, when skies cleared, Wanbao Village was a mess.

    Ye Canghai, entering the temple, looked at the unharmed villagers and remarked, ¡°Ah!

    This was indeed a close call without danger.

    Thank goodness everyone is fine!¡±

    ¡°Fen Ran!

    It wasn¡¯t right to speak like that,¡± Qin Yue said, not caring that Fen Ran was there.

    ¡°When Da-Hao¡¯s mother and others went up to cut the tree, why didn¡¯t you, the village chief, stop them?

    Even if you couldn¡¯t stop them due to contracts, at least you should have informed about the consequences of cutting too many trees.

    It was only Hun who went door to door advising against it, even enduring cold responses.

    Seems like you, the village chief, only pick the easiest tasks.¡±

    Hearing Qin Yue, those who had insisted on selling trees initially hung their heads in shame; they hadn¡¯t listened to Liu Hun then and had even needed him to save their lives now.

    They had no face to speak up.

    ¡°Village Chief Ye!

    Is Village Chief Ye here?¡± a voice rang out at the temple entrance, making everyone turn to look.

 Chapter 45 - 45 45 Mayor

    ?45: Chapter 45 Mayor 45: Chapter 45 Mayor ¡°Oh!

    Secretary Xie!

    What brings you here?

    Just look at the mud everywhere in our village.

    If you had notified me earlier, I would have welcomed you at the entrance.

    We don¡¯t even have tea or water to offer you,¡± said Ye Canghai, immediately nodding and bowing as he walked up to the somewhat balding middle-aged man at the door.

    ¡°This rain has been pouring for three days and nights, how could I not come see how your village is coping with such a serious situation?¡± Xie Heguo said, pointing to the woman next to him who was dressed in a ladies¡¯ suit, wearing glasses, with permed hair that gave her an intellectual yet somewhat imposing air.

    ¡°This is the new Director of the Rural Affairs Office at the Township Government, Director Ren Peiling.¡± He then introduced Ren Peiling to Ye Canghai.

    Ye Canghai¡¯s eyes became round like he had stuck them into Chinese drumsticks, he said with a beaming smile, ¡°Director Ren, hello, hello!

    Welcome to Wanbao Village for inspection.

    If you have any suggestions, please feel free to express them.

    I guarantee full cooperation.¡±

    As Ye Canghai shook hands with Ren Peiling, he found her as slippery as an eel.

    He thought to himself, if his own wife were a cup of fragrant tea, then Director Ren would definitely be a cup of aged daughter red.

    ¡°Cough cough cough!

    Everyone, quiet down!

    Quiet!

    Next, we will have our Ping¡¯an Town Mayor and Party Committee Secretary, Secretary Xie, speak.

    Let¡¯s welcome him!¡± Ye Canghai shouted at the top of his lungs, bringing Xie Heguo into the temple.

    Liu Hun was astonished by the grandeur of Xie Heguo¡¯s arrival, there were at least a dozen or twenty people in his entourage.

    ¡°Folks of Wanbao Village, today I did not come here for a mere formality but to address real issues.

    With the heavy rain lasting three nights and days, has our Wanbao Village encountered any specific problems?¡± Xie Heguo addressed the villagers in an official tone, making sure to maintain his dignity in front of his female subordinate, and showing his dedication to serving the people.

    The villagers of Wanbao Village didn¡¯t realize that Mayor Xie¡¯s words were just high-pitched but empty rhetoric, and many immediately took him at his word.

    ¡°Secretary Xie, my house was destroyed by the flash flood, and my old man was trapped inside.

    If it weren¡¯t for the timely rescue by our villagers, he would have been gone.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, Secretary Xie, I¡¯ve lost my house, lost my land, how are we going to live after this?

    Secretary Xie, you are our official parent, you can¡¯t ignore us!¡±

    ¡°Secretary Xie, just look at Wanbao Village; the flash flood has destroyed half of the village.

    We are left with nothing, how are we supposed to live?

    Secretary Xie, you must save us!¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Upon hearing this, Xie Heguo¡¯s heart skipped a beat.

    He hadn¡¯t planned to get embroiled in an actual issue during a routine inspection, to impress this attractive subordinate with some background; he wouldn¡¯t have come even if carried on a palanquin.

    But now he found himself in a real predicament.

    ¡°Cough cough cough...

    My fellow villagers of Wanbao Village, nobody wishes for natural disasters and calamities.

    As for what you have suffered, I personally express my deepest sympathy and hope that everyone can unite to overcome this hardship!¡± Xie Heguo continued to offer nothing but empty reassurances, failing to provide any concrete help.

    ¡°Good!

    Very good!

    Well said, Mayor Xie!

    Let¡¯s give him a round of applause!¡± said Ye Canghai, sycophantically leading the applause, calling out to the villagers.

    ¡°Good?

    What¡¯s good about it?

    Mayor Xie, could you perhaps offer something substantial?

    I have neither a place to stay nor food to eat.

    Doesn¡¯t our town have any kind of aid or subsidy?¡± A voice came from the back of the crowd.

    Given the small temple and the number of people, nobody saw who had spoken.

    Xie Heguo was publicly contradicted, and his face instantly darkened.

    He hadn¡¯t even had a chance to speak much when another outcry arose.

    ¡°Mayor Xie!

    Will you take care of us or not?

    Could you please say something?

    Look at the condition of our village.

    What are we going to do in the future?

    At least give us some hope!¡±

    Seeing the villagers becoming more and more agitated, Xie Heguo hurriedly spoke up, ¡°My dear fellow citizens, please calm down!

    This was only an initial assessment visit, and we did not expect the situation in Wanbao Village to be so dire.

    As for any follow-up arrangements, we need to discuss them back at the office before we can give you all an answer.¡±

    After saying this, Xie Heguo urgently signaled to a few of his subordinates, preparing to leave Wanbao Village.

    ¡°Mayor Xie!

    It¡¯s been several days since the disaster and you just arrived in Wanbao Village.

    If you¡¯re going to just say a few words and leave, what does that amount to?

    We want aid!

    We need support!¡±

    ¡°Right!

    Mayor Xie, over the past few days, it was Liu Hun who has been spending his own money to help us all.

    Otherwise, we would¡¯ve starved!

    Mayor Xie, please have some mercy on us!¡± Aunt Jin in the front row was also stirred up by those words, thinking that things couldn¡¯t go on like this.

    Who was this Liu Hun, having heard his name twice from the villagers, Ren Peiling at Xie Heguo¡¯s side couldn¡¯t help but wonder about the kind of person he was.

    While she was curious, the villagers around suddenly began to grow restless.

    ¡°We want relief!

    We need subsidies!

    We want money!¡±

    ¡°Yes!

    If you don¡¯t hand out money today, we won¡¯t let you leave!

    Without money, we can¡¯t survive!¡±

    ¡°We won¡¯t release anyone until we see the money!

    We¡¯re almost starving, and no one cares!¡±

    ...

    No one knew where they came from, but a few loud shouts abruptly ignited the surrounding villagers like sparks to kindling, and they immediately began to crowd around Xie Heguo.

    ¡°Back off!

    Back off!

    What do you think you¡¯re doing?

    This is Secretary Xie!

    He¡¯s Wu Secretary...

    ow...¡± Ye Canghai had initially wanted to make a good impression, so he stood in front of Xie Heguo.

    He hadn¡¯t expected the enraged villagers to simply drag him aside.

    ¡°What are you all trying to do?

    Have you all lost your minds?

    I¡¯m the Mayor, who¡¯s pulling at my clothes, my new leather shoes!¡± Xie Heguo had never anticipated that his visit to understand the people¡¯s sentiments would result in him being cornered by a mob of troublemakers.

    ¡°Something¡¯s not right!¡± Liu Hun, who had been standing aside, felt something was amiss from the moment Xie Heguo entered.

    He observed for a while and seemed to have found some clues.

    ¡°What else could be wrong?

    It¡¯s just those old women wanting to demand money from the township!

    Hunzi, you have to help, Canghai has been swallowed by the crowd.¡± Fen Ran looked around, worried, craning his neck like a long-necked goose, and truly didn¡¯t see Ye Canghai anywhere.

    ¡°Qin Yue, protect Teacher Du.

    Yue, push through and don¡¯t let anyone harm the Mayor or Director Ren.

    Bai Lian, get Gazi to find me the gong and hemp rope!

    Quick!¡± Liu Hun instructed the nearby women.

    The women nodded immediately and set to work.

    It was good that they worked in the fields on regular days, or else they would¡¯ve been nearly choked by the crowd.

    Du Yueling followed Qin Yue to a corner.

    The more she looked, the more worried and scared she became.

    The scene that unfolded in her mind was summarized by one word: ¡°riot.¡±

    ¡°Clang!¡± A loud gong sound echoed through the air, and the villagers, who had been like headless flies agitating to confront the Mayor, instantly fell silent and looked up to see Liu Hun standing on a table with the gong in his hand.

    ¡°Listen up, villagers of Wanbao Village!

    I¡¯ve settled your concerns about food and housing.

    Now everyone get out!¡± Standing on the table, Liu Hun towered over the villagers, pointing authoritatively towards the temple door like thunder striking down, and no one dared to utter a sound.

    ¡°Who are you?

    Get down!

    We need to eat!

    We need to live!

    The Mayor has to solve this for us!

    Otherwise, we won¡¯t leave today!¡± Another voice erupted from within the crowd.

    Originally silenced by Liu Hun, the crowd again became restless.

    Liu Hun, with a stern glance, stretched his hand to the Gazi by the table and said, ¡°Gazi, give me the hemp rope!¡± After taking the rope from Gazi¡¯s hand, he leaped off the table like a tiger pouncing down the mountain and swiftly moved through the crowd, grabbing hold of someone¡¯s collar from behind.

    ¡°Hmph!

    Inciting villagers to cause trouble, besieging the Mayor!

    Trying to run away now?!¡± Liu Hun remarked as he dragged the person over and quickly tied them up securely, then tossed the person onto the table like carrying a small chick.

    ¡°Hehe!

    You¡¯re stuck like an old cow to a tree post, no escape for you today!¡± Gazi chuckled as he twisted the captive¡¯s ear.

    Standing atop the table, Liu Hun stepped on the person and demanded, ¡°Speak!

    How many of you are there?

    Who else?¡±

    As soon as he asked, several people in the crowd began to push towards the temple door.

    Liu Hun, seeing more from his vantage point, immediately jumped down from the table and raced to the door, catching three who tried to slip away.

    In just half a minute, Liu Hun had pinpointed and exposed the troublemakers.

    At this point, Xie Heguo was a disheveled mess, his clothes twisted and hat askew, genuinely worried that the villagers would strip and devour him.

    He had just managed to catch his breath.

    Ren Peiling, who had initially been by his side, was now pushed several meters away, but thankfully Fen Ran was there to protect her, so she was unharmed.

    Regaining his composure, Xie Heguo boiled with rage and, pointing at the mud-covered Ye Canghai who was getting up from the ground, he burst out, ¡°Well done, Village Chief Ye!

    It seems Wanbao Village wants to rebel!

    If something really happens today...

    you will have brought disaster upon yourselves!¡±

    Ye Canghai, like a mute having to swallow bitterness, had been pushed and shoved, swallowing mud, and oblivious to everything.

    He had barely managed to stand up when he was already getting a lecture from Xie Heguo, clueless about what had happened.

    ¡°Mayor Xie, this has little to do with the villagers of Wanbao Village.

    There were people who sneaked into the temple and deliberately instigated the villagers to make trouble,¡± Liu Hun hurriedly explained to Xie Heguo, knowing that if the Mayor¡¯s ire turned towards them, not only could they forget about future aids and support, but many might face problems as well.

    ¡°What?

    Instigating?

    Who¡¯s behind this?¡± Xie Heguo looked at Liu Hun, a young man he had never seen and had no idea where he came from, full of questions.

    Immediately, Liu Hun showcased the four securely tied men, pressed against the table as if at a struggle session, then reported to Xie Heguo, ¡°Mayor Xie, these four were the ringleaders stirring up the crowd, inciting trouble among the villagers.¡±

    Xie Heguo, surprised at the four men tied up like dumplings, took a closer look at Liu Hun, internally admitting that the young man was rather capable, having captured the provocateurs so efficiently and without much commotion.

 Chapter 46 - 46 46 Saved the Mayor

    ?46: Chapter 46 Saved the Mayor 46: Chapter 46 Saved the Mayor Liu Hun saw Xie Heguo looking at him without speaking and didn¡¯t understand what trick he was playing, so he said to him, ¡°Mayor Xie, these four people are not from our Wanbao Village, but have come to our Wanbao Village deliberately to cause trouble.¡±

    ¡°Who says!

    Stop yapping nonsense, have your dog eyes gone blind?

    I¡¯m from Wanbao Village, I grew up here!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right!

    I¡¯m from Wanbao Village too!

    My house was destroyed by a flash flood, and the town has to solve it for me!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be fooled by this kid!

    Let¡¯s keep making noise!

    We¡¯ll only get subsidies if we cause a commotion!

    Otherwise, what are we going to eat and drink?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°You dare incite my villagers when you¡¯re witnessing your own funeral, planting peonies in a fire pit?

    You really don¡¯t know whether you¡¯re alive or dead.

    Gaga, bring me your socks!¡± Liu Hun waved his hand at Gaga, who reluctantly brought over his smelly socks.

    ¡°Stuff these people¡¯s mouths for me, don¡¯t let them spew shit!¡± Liu Hun ordered Gaga, who immediately stuffed his socks into the mouths of the four men.

    Afterward, Liu Hun said to Xie Heguo, ¡°Mayor Xie, whether these people are from our Wanbao Village or not, you listen to what the villagers have to say.¡± Having said that, Liu Hun asked the surrounding villagers, ¡°Everyone speak up, have you seen these four losers?¡±

    ¡°Who are these guys?

    How come I¡¯ve never seen these people?

    Are they relatives of someone from here or what?¡±

    ¡°Yeah!

    How come I haven¡¯t seen these folks in the village before?

    If they¡¯re not from Wanbao Village, what are they doing in our temple?¡±

    ¡°Hey!

    I remember now, that kid was standing right next to me just now, he was hollering so loud he nearly gave me a heart attack.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Listening to what the villagers had to say, Xie Heguo was pretty convinced by Liu Hun, and he actually admired Liu Hun¡¯s methods quite a bit, they were decisive and fierce, showing true talent.

    ¡°Stirring up the villagers to besiege the Mayor, you¡¯re being used as pawns in someone¡¯s game; this is serious business!

    I¡¯m telling you now, if you confess in front of the Mayor who put you up to this, you might suffer less as accomplices.

    If you stay silent like gagged starlings here, just wait for the Mayor to warm you up!¡± After Liu Hun finished speaking, he pulled out the stinky socks from the mouths of the four, had the Mayor not been there, he would have taken real action, not wasted so much breath.

    ¡°My dear mother...

    It reeks to death...

    I¡¯ll tell!

    I¡¯ll tell!

    It was the bald guy from the neighboring village...¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell too!

    A bald thug from the next village paid us to make trouble.¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes, it was the bald thug who told us to come, said that if there was trouble when the Mayor was inspecting, Wanbao Village would look bad, and Qingshui Gully would get the advantage.¡±

    People who were paid to do a job didn¡¯t have any sense of loyalty, and they would spill everything when frightened or intimidated.

    Hearing these words, the villagers around immediately erupted, spitting saliva and cursing, while Liu Hun also said to Xie Heguo, ¡°Mayor Xie, it¡¯s true that our villagers have made mistakes in this matter.

    But, as you have seen the actual situation, I hope you can overlook this incident.¡±

    A debt has its debtor, and even if Xie Heguo was confused, he couldn¡¯t be so unclear as to not know whom to confront, he nodded in appreciation at Liu Hun and asked, ¡°Now that the matter has been clarified, I as the official of Wanbao Village, can certainly discern right from wrong.

    And...

    what¡¯s your name?¡±

    ¡°My name is Liu Hun.¡± Liu Hun answered Xie Heguo with neither servility nor overbearingness.

    ¡°Ling...

    Fei!

    Good lad!

    I¡¯ll remember you!

    Calm in crisis, clear-cut in action, you hold the fort well!

    Very good!¡± Xie Heguo patted Liu Hun¡¯s shoulder admiringly, still a bit concerned that the villagers might remember to ask for help and assistance then waved his hand to the people around and said, ¡°Take these four away, send them to the Town Police Station.¡±

    ¡°Mayor Xie, are you leaving?

    Would you like to come to my house for a while?

    I have good tea...

    This way, please.¡± Ye Canghai diligently followed Xie Heguo out of the temple.

    At this time, Ren Peiling also followed to the temple entrance, turned back to Fen Ran and smiled, ¡°Thank you just now...

    That person, that was Liu Hun?¡±

    Fen Ran smiled back and responded, ¡°Yes, that¡¯s our village¡¯s capable man, Liu Hun.

    Don¡¯t be fooled by his age, he¡¯s quite skilled.¡±

    Ren Peiling¡¯s gaze lingered on Liu Hun, exchanged a few polite words with Fen Ran, then left Wanbao Village.

    ¡°Tsk tsk, the wife of an official really is something else, she looks like...umm...what¡¯s her name...¡± Bai Lian¡¯er walked up to Fen Ran and said, ¡°Oh, right!

    Like Mu Guiying!

    Not only does she have a handsome face, but she also looks young.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, we still need to discuss how to rebuild our houses.¡± Fen Ran felt an odd taste in her heart as if women meeting other women never end up eyeing each other rightly.

    The farce seemed to be resolved, but with nearly half of the people left without homes or land, the tens of thousands of yuan in Liu Hun¡¯s hands could only help for so long.

    ¡°We need to think of a way; so many people staying and eating in this temple can¡¯t go on forever.¡± Qin Yue furrowed her brows and said to Liu Hun.

    What was originally intended to be a temple for teaching had now become a chaotic mess like frying chicken feathers with garlic shoots.

    Liu Hun nodded and said, ¡°Mmhmm, the weather has been clearing up these past few days.

    We need to get the villagers organized and mobilized.

    The mud that needs clearing has to be cleared, and anything that can be salvaged should be used for the time being.

    We can¡¯t just keep waiting here forever!¡±

    ¡°Great!

    I agree with Hunzi¡¯s decision.

    I¡¯ll go find Canghai right away and have him call a mobilization meeting to get all the villagers moving.¡± Fen Ran, who was always quick to act, said her piece and immediately left the temple.

    Du Yueling, who had been sitting aside, felt that the matter certainly wouldn¡¯t be so easily resolved.

    First and foremost, building houses isn¡¯t a small sum; add in the cost of food and drink, and it¡¯s another big expense.

    Even if some materials could be salvaged, it would only save a bit of money, but the major costs would still need to be paid.

    Thus, either someone had to step forward with the money, or the Township Government had to provide financial support.

    Although she thought this, Du Yueling never spoke out, not wanting to pour cold water on Liu Hun¡¯s efforts.

    More importantly, she felt that since her arrival in Wanbao Village, she had encountered various difficulties, but it seemed that every tough situation would be smoothly resolved with Liu Hun.

    This time, she wanted to see how this man would handle it.

    After the mobilization meeting was called, Liu Hun led the villagers in a flurry of activity.

    It wasn¡¯t long before the entire Wanbao Village was cleaned up of mud and debris, but the issues Du Yueling was worried about immediately surfaced.

    ¡°Village Chief!

    What do we do now?

    We¡¯ve done all we can do.

    The stuff we dug out of the mud at my place is only enough to build half a house, and we still haven¡¯t solved the problem!¡±

    ¡°Yeah!

    I¡¯m telling you, Qiangzi, after we¡¯ve been busy these past few days, I thought we were digging up gold bricks.

    Instead, we end up with this.

    How are we supposed to solve the problems of eating and drinking, and aren¡¯t we going to have to squeeze in with others at Hunzi¡¯s place at night?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m saying!

    That day we shouldn¡¯t have let that what¡¯s-his-name, the Mayor, go.

    We must make him give us an answer!

    If the higher-ups don¡¯t give us money, where are we going to get food and drink?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Originally, Ye Canghai, who was busy organizing a meeting for all the villagers on the platform in front of the temple gates, had planned to take the opportunity to show his worth.

    However, before he could even begin his speech, the villagers started firing questions at him like hot beans popping in a pan.

    With no other choice, Ye Canghai had to pull Liu Hun aside and ask in a low voice, ¡°Hunzi, take a look at this mess.

    This was your idea, and now it looks like I¡¯m taking all the blame.¡±

    ¡°Shut your mouth!

    Hunzi has come up with a solution while you still throw all the blame on others.

    If we didn¡¯t have the villagers clean up that mud and waste, our Wanbao Village would become a landfill, wouldn¡¯t it?

    Always blaming others, you really are something!¡± Fen Ran crisply scolded Ye Canghai like a deep-fried twisted dough stick.

    Liu Hun smiled slightly and said, ¡°Let¡¯s not argue anymore.

    Since I came up with this idea, I¡¯ve already thought of a solution.¡±

    ¡°What solution?¡± Ye Canghai asked, not really believing that Liu Hun could resolve this situation without money.

    Liu Hun didn¡¯t answer Ye Canghai, but instead addressed the villagers, ¡°Please listen to me for a moment.¡±

    The surrounding villagers, hearing Liu Hun speak, immediately stopped their murmuring, listening intently, curious to hear what kind of ¡°Spirit Pill¡± Liu Hun might have to offer in this emergency.

    Seeing the villagers quiet down, Liu Hun began, ¡°Listen to me, everyone.

    I know everyone is in a hurry, and I, Liu Hun, am just as anxious as all of you.

    We¡¯ve cleaned up what needs to be cleaned up in our village, and what is it that we lack the most?

    Money!

    We need money to build houses, we need money to start farming again!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s for sure!

    After all, it¡¯s about the money, isn¡¯t it?

    With vegetables like cabbage and radishes unsellable, now we don¡¯t even have land¡ªwhat do we do?¡± A villager couldn¡¯t help blurting out, his words tinged with some resentment towards Liu Hun, since the first group of villagers who had planted vegetables managed to sell, but those who followed couldn¡¯t find buyers.

    Of course, Liu Hun was aware of this, so this time he had already scouted out the possibilities before making a decision.

    This time he was like Zhuge Liang prepared for the East Wind, seeing the villagers all eagerly waiting, he didn¡¯t keep them guessing and spoke directly, ¡°The good opportunity lies within our Qi Mountain.¡±

    ¡°Are we going to chop down trees again?

    That¡¯s not going to work!

    If we keep cutting, there¡¯ll be no village left!¡± a villager anxiously interjected.

    ¡°No!

    I firmly oppose cutting down trees!

    This time we¡¯re not going into the mountains to chop trees, but to go¡ªmushroom picking!¡± Liu Hun said, emphasizing his words to the villagers around him.

    ¡°What?

    Picking mushrooms?

    Hunzi, you really don¡¯t know business¡ªselling ice pops in cold weather.

    Even if those mushrooms can sell at a price, how many can there be in the mountains?

    Could it really sustain half of Wanbao Village?¡±

    ¡°This definitely won¡¯t work!

    It¡¯s as sure as nails on a board!

    Mushroom picking is even less likely than tree chopping.

    Where are we supposed to pick them?

    Are they supposed to grow right under your eyelids?

    That¡¯s kid¡¯s play.¡±

 Chapter 47 - 47 47 Playing Big

    ?47: Chapter 47: Playing Big 47: Chapter 47: Playing Big ¡°Yes!

    It¡¯s unreliable.

    This whole thing is not trustworthy at all.

    I thought it might be something, but it turns out to be a fool¡¯s errand!

    We should still be asking for help from the authorities!

    We must!¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Listening to the opinions of the surrounding villagers, Liu Hun didn¡¯t take it to heart.

    He knew exactly what he was capable of and what he could or couldn¡¯t achieve.

    ¡°Of course, these mushrooms can¡¯t just be found by walking around; it¡¯s hard for us to find wild mushrooms on the mountain, but isn¡¯t cultivating our own mushrooms right under our eyes?¡± Liu Hun said to the villagers around him.

    He still wanted to try his best to persuade all the villagers to join him in this endeavor.

    ¡°Hunzi, no offense, but have you ever cultivated mushrooms?

    I¡¯ve only heard about wild mushrooms.

    I¡¯ve never heard of anyone successfully growing their own.

    I think, as far as mushroom cultivation is concerned, our entire village is blind, deaf, stuffed-nosed, mute, and utterly clueless!¡± Another villager stood out and poured cold water on the idea.

    Du Yueling, standing beside Liu Hun, tugged at his sleeve and said, ¡°These people are older than you and have grown up farming the land.

    They naturally resist what they think can¡¯t be grown.

    Picking on their perceived strengths is probably not going to persuade them.¡±

    Liu Hun turned around and gave Du Yueling a faint smile.

    Even if she hadn¡¯t mentioned it, he had already realized this point, but he couldn¡¯t treat his fellow villagers the same way he would treat the hooligans from neighboring villages; he had to be gentle rather than confrontational.

    After coming up with a plan, Liu Hun said to the villagers around him, ¡°Listen up, everyone.

    If you¡¯re willing to join me, Liu Hun, then let¡¯s do this together.

    Consider it a loan from me to you.

    Once we make money, you can pay me back.

    And if you don¡¯t want to join me, then you¡¯ll have to figure out how to get through the tough times on your own.

    What do you say to that?¡±

    ¡°Deal!

    I¡¯m in with Hunzi!

    I missed out last time, can¡¯t fall behind again this time.

    Taking a loan is fine.

    Better than waiting to die at the temple!¡±

    ¡°Well, we need to think this through.

    If you¡¯re not talking about lending money, I might consider it.

    Nobody¡¯s grown mushrooms before.

    If it doesn¡¯t work out, then what?¡±

    ¡°Forget it!

    I¡¯ve never heard of anyone cultivating mushrooms.

    You might as well say you¡¯re growing lingzhi mushrooms¡ªthat would be even more impressive.

    Anyway, I¡¯m out.

    We should just wait for relief from the town.

    If they don¡¯t provide, let¡¯s make a fuss!¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    The villagers, as they talked, split into three factions, with the younger women mainly choosing to join Liu Hun in mushroom cultivation.

    As the people who were leaving left, and those who were staying stayed, those who remained gathered in the temple, ready to hear what Liu Hun had to say.

    ¡°Alright, folks, those of you who are able-bodied, head up the mountain to look for mushrooms, but be sure to stay safe.

    Those who remain, go and collect rotting wood.

    After that, let¡¯s pile all the mushrooms and wood together here in the temple,¡± Liu Hun instructed the people around him, then waved his hand to set them in motion.

    After a few busy days, the temple courtyard was stacked with a mountain of rotting wood, but there were only a basketful of mushrooms, far fewer than Liu Hun had anticipated.

    ¡°Yo-ho!

    Hunzi, what¡¯s this all about?

    Preparing to go into agriculture now?

    Impressive!

    Truly a capable man!¡±

    Suddenly, a very grating voice came from the entrance of the temple.

    Liu Hun turned his head to look, and his eyes instantly narrowed as he said, ¡°Sun Xing!

    You really are like a dead fish slipping back into the pond, daring to show up here in Wanbao Village!¡±

    ¡°Hunzi, take a good look!

    Sun Xing is my brother, I am Sun Ke!

    I made a name for myself in the county seat over the past few years; all the big shots have to call me ¡®Boss Ke¡¯!

    I heard someone hurt my brother recently, so I specifically came over to see what kind of deity has such great skills!¡± Sun Ke was twirling a hair on a mole on his face with a mad dog¡¯s brazen arrogance.

    Liu Hun listened carefully and then noticed that Sun Ke did have some differences from Sun Xing.

    He was about to speak when he saw Sun Ke had brought quite a number of people with him, and to Liu Hun¡¯s surprise, they were not just any hooligans¡ªthey were villagers from Wanbao Village who didn¡¯t trust him or were hesitant.

    ¡°We need to be careful.

    I think this Sun Ke is more trouble than Sun Xing.

    He must have played dirty to get so many villagers to follow him,¡± Du Yueling warned from behind Liu Hun, her hatred still fresh from the near fatal encounter with Sun Xing.

    Sun Ke laughed heartily and said, ¡°Hunzi, I¡¯ve heard you¡¯re planning to grow mushrooms.

    I find that truly fascinating!¡±

    ¡°Eh!

    Sun Ke, did you know that not too long ago, we caught something in the temple that wasn¡¯t quite animal nor monster?

    I bet you¡¯d find that even more fascinating.

    I reckon others might not know what it was, but you definitely would,¡± Liu Hun said, not directly responding to Sun Ke¡¯s remark but instead throwing a question back at him.

    Sun Ke had planned to come and help his brother save face, but as soon as he opened his mouth, he found himself swallowing a bitter pill that wouldn¡¯t go down his throat.

    His own brother had been made a fool of by Liu Hun, strung up like a monster with a string of fireworks and sent home, now a notorious and humiliating village scandal in Wanbao Village.

    He felt such an itch in his teeth from hatred.

    Sun Ke was a man who used his brain.

    He knew that trading verbal blows with Liu Hun right now wouldn¡¯t amount to much, so he just gave a cold laugh and said, ¡°Hun, you¡¯ve done quite a bit here in Wanbao Village, but...¡± Sun Ke spoke, then turned to the people around him and said, ¡°Has anyone noticed something?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± A curious villager behind him blurted out.

    Sun Ke had been waiting for someone to ask.

    His face wore a smug look, full of mischief, like a winter melon with its insides hollowed out.

    He chuckled and said, ¡°Think about it, everyone.

    Since when did any business this rascal started ever benefit him alone in the end, with the rest of us left holding the short end of the stick?¡±

    As soon as Sun Ke uttered these words, those who already had their doubts about Liu Hun felt their misgivings flare up, and they started muttering among themselves, clearly agitated by Sun Ke¡¯s provocation.

    ¡°Sun Ke!

    This is Wanbao Village!

    You¡¯re not welcome here!

    Get out!

    Stop spouting nonsense here.

    When has Hun ever thought only of himself and forgotten about us?

    When he makes money, don¡¯t we all make some too?

    Isn¡¯t it a big deal to be able to make money?

    Let¡¯s see who among you has the capability to farm dozens of acres¡ªcome on, stand up so I can take a look!¡± Qin Yue was straightforward and had a fiery temper; she couldn¡¯t stand Sun Ke¡¯s whining and immediately stepped forward in rebuttal.

    ¡°Qin Chunhua!

    You sure are spirited and sassy!¡± Sun Ke¡¯s shifty eyes swept over Qin Yue, feeling as refreshed as if he¡¯d just eaten a watermelon on a hot summer day.

    He chuckled and then targeted Liu Hun again, ¡°I heard that this whole mushroom farming venture of yours requires everyone to put up their own money.

    No money?

    Well, aren¡¯t you the good samaritan, lending it to them!

    How delightful is that?

    But don¡¯t celebrate too soon.

    What if the mushrooms don¡¯t grow and everyone ends up losing money?

    Then you¡¯ll all be in real trouble!¡±

    ¡°Sun Ke, this is our business, and even if we lose money and get into debt, it has nothing to do with you!

    You can leave now!¡± Fen Ran too stood up and spoke out, feeling disgusted looking at Sun Ke.

    ¡°Village chief¡¯s wife, you¡¯ve got a pretty face and a sharp tongue, leaving your man at home to guard Hun so closely,¡± said Sun Ke with a sarcastic tone, his words piercing to the ear.

    ¡°Sun Ke, save your breath.

    If I can handle one Sun Xing, I can handle an additional Sun Ke just as easily.¡± Liu Hun spoke, stepping closer to Sun Ke.

    Sun Ke really feared Liu Hun might get physical, so he hurriedly said, ¡°Hey!

    If you start a fight, you¡¯ll be the one in trouble.

    Unlike some, I understand the law; I¡¯ve lived in the county city, after all.

    Don¡¯t try to pull any of that stuff here!¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s there to be afraid of?

    Did I say I was going to clean your clock?

    Look at you, all scared.

    I¡¯m busy, so cut the crap.

    What do you want?¡± Liu Hun said bluntly to Sun Ke, thinking that it was better to cut to the chase rather than let him incite the villagers any further.

    Sun Ke sneered inwardly, thinking Liu was such a simpleton for falling right into his trap.

    So he immediately said, ¡°Hun, I heard you¡¯ve got some cash on hand.

    How about you and I play a little game?¡±

    ¡°What game do you want to play?¡± asked Liu Hun, looking at Sun Ke as if he were a toad trapped in a jar.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got fifty thousand, and you should have about the same.

    Let¡¯s play it this way: you say you can grow mushrooms and make money for everyone, right?

    Let¡¯s bet on this crop of mushrooms.

    I¡¯ll give you twenty days to produce five kilos.

    For every kilo over, I¡¯ll pay you ten thousand, and for each kilo under, you pay me ten thousand.

    How about it?

    Do you dare to play or not?¡± Sun Ke said, revealing his fox tail.

    ¡°Five kilos of mushrooms?

    That¡¯s not a lot!

    Ten thousand for a kilo?

    Sounds too good to be true.

    Is this Sun Ke an idiot?¡±

    ¡°I think he¡¯s cunning as a fox, not dumb!

    Hun would be the fool to agree to this.

    Just look at the basket on the ground, it took days to gather just that much.

    If you can¡¯t even get five kilos out of the wild, how is he supposed to grow any?¡±

    ¡°I have a feeling Hun is about to eat humble pie.

    He¡¯s been leading us on with this and that, saying it makes money, but I haven¡¯t seen a dime.

    I reckon what Sun Ke says is mostly right.

    What can a greenhorn like Hun possibly do?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Facing the villagers¡¯ myriad whispers, Du Yueling couldn¡¯t help but whisper to Liu Hun, ¡°Liu Hun, we only have forty-seven thousand left in the accounts.

    Mushrooms are true fungi and extremely demanding regarding climate, environment, and humidity.

    You can¡¯t agree to this bet.¡±

    ¡°Have you forgotten that I am capable?

    When have I ever let down Wanbao Village?

    When have I ever disappointed you?

    Don¡¯t worry!¡± Liu Hun replied to Du Yueling with a confident smile, offering a full assurance borne of utter conviction.

    ¡°Twenty days is too long!

    Seven days will do!

    Sun Ke, words are wind, so let¡¯s put our money where our mouths are!¡± Liu Hun turned to Sun Ke and said.

    Sun Ke¡¯s timely arrival was like manna from heaven; Liu was worried about whether the proceeds from the mushroom sales would cover expenses, but Sun Ke had just made up the difference.

    ¡°Humph!

    You¡¯re really not afraid of your tongue getting caught in the wind!

    Fine!

    Let¡¯s get Ye Village Chief here; that should make you feel safe, huh?¡± Sun Ke was so smug, feeling like he¡¯d just found a pile of cow dung by the road, already counting the money he would make in the next few days.

    In the end, the two men, in front of the entire village, drew up a written agreement, and each handed over forty-seven thousand to Ye Canghai, thereby formally sealing the bet.

 Chapter 48 - 48 48 Delivered to the Door

    ?48: Chapter 48: Delivered to the Door 48: Chapter 48: Delivered to the Door The villagers of Wanbao Village drooled over the two stacks of money, Sun Ke not only wanted the money, but also to vent his frustrations, while Liu Hun, apart from wanting money, wanted to solidify his status in the village.

    After returning to the temple, Liu Hun and the young women of the village neatly stacked the hollow rotten wood in the courtyard, then crushed a basket of mushrooms and sprinkled them over the hollow decaying wood.

    Du Yueling watched Liu Hun fussing and felt it was unreliable; how could mushrooms grow from crushed pieces scattered on rotten wood?

    Although worried, every time she tried to voice her skepticism, Liu Hun¡¯s smile and confident promises came to mind, silencing her.

    She used to express her opinions and views unabashedly, especially on things that completely contradicted her education and common sense.

    But since meeting Liu Hun, she felt that anything could happen around this man, from curing her own illness to producing incredibly high yields of vegetables; perhaps he was a miracle himself.

    That night, after everyone went home with uneasy hearts and fell asleep, Liu Hun moved from one piece of rotten wood to another under the moonlight, applying Qi Force to each, before going back to his room to sleep.

    ¡°Oh my goodness!

    This is incredible!

    Look, everyone, it sprouted!

    Everyone come look!¡± Qin Yue, concerned about the mushrooms in the temple, arrived early in the morning only to find that the crushed mushrooms from yesterday were gone, and new little mushrooms had sprouted on the rotten wood.

    Soon, villagers, whether they lived in the temple or not, came to see the curiosity.

    It was as surprising and joyous as the first time they saw a local opera in the village.

    ¡°My heavens, the scoundrel did it!

    What kind of skill does the fellow have?

    Immense skill, I tell you!

    It looks like our houses are in good hopes now.¡±

    ¡°Hey!

    It¡¯s true that one would not dare to ascend Liang Mountain without three chopaxes.

    He talked the talk and is living up to his responsibility!

    As for whatshisname Strong, I think he¡¯s a fool!

    Coming here to throw away his money!¡±

    ¡°You folks better not get too carried away.

    This is only the first step of a thousand-mile journey, isn¡¯t it just a sprout?

    Why all the fuss?

    I bet if the sun comes out and it rains, they¡¯ll all wilt away.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Watching the sprouts of mushrooms, everyone had something to say, but the happiest among them was Du Yueling.

    Witnessing each small mushroom, she couldn¡¯t contain the smile that lit up the entire temple, experiencing once again the miracle of Liu Hun, feeling that this man was steadily overturning her world.

    ¡°We¡¯ve got a crop now; we should keep it safe!

    How about we arrange for people to keep watch at night to prevent any sabotage?

    What do you all think?¡± Qin Yue¡¯s mind worked quickly, immediately voicing her thoughts.

    Once she brought it up, it was immediately approved by those around, so they discussed together and set up a night watch schedule.

    The first few days were quiet, nothing unusual happened, and the mushrooms on the hollow rotten wood grew promisingly.

    On the sixth night, a cold breeze woke Liu Hun.

    As he was about to turn over and continue sleeping, he suddenly felt something close in front of him and abruptly opened his eyes.

    ¡°Hmm...¡± His mouth was immediately covered by someone.

    ¡°Scoundrel, keep quiet.

    It¡¯s me, Bai Lian.¡± Bai Lian whispered, her hand covering his mouth, feeling the warmth radiating from Liu Hun which tingled her heart.

    ¡°What?

    What¡¯s the matter, Sister Bai Lian?¡± Liu Hun finally saw who it was by the moonlight.

    It was indeed Bai Lian, whose formidable figure had initially blocked his view.

    ¡°Scoundrel, I just saw a sneaky figure at the temple door.

    I was worried and scared, so I came to find you,¡± Bai Lian said as she pressed closer to Liu Hun, the thin wool clothes rubbing against their skin creating an indescribable sensation, as if part of his body tingled while another felt uncomfortable.

    ¡°Quiet, let¡¯s go check it out together!¡± Liu Hun whispered to Bai Lian, tiptoeing out of the house like a thief.

    Bai Lian always relished the rubbing sensation, especially at the itchy spots that made her shiver as if dogtail grass was tickling the soles of her feet, uncomfortable yet hard to let go.

    ¡°Shh!

    Quiet, that guy is over there.¡± Liu Hun suddenly pulled Bai Lian down to squat, and by the moonlight, he spotted a dark figure near the hollow rotten wood, seemingly up to something.

    As Bai Lian looked, her other thoughts vanished, pulling at Liu Hun she said, ¡°Scoundrel, he¡¯s definitely up to no good!

    We need to catch him, or the mushrooms will be ruined!¡±

    Liu Hun was pondering the same thing.

    As his shout reached the brink of escaping his throat, he suddenly changed his mind and swallowed it back down, then he said to Bai Lian, ¡°Bai Lian, let¡¯s go back.

    Don¡¯t make a sound.

    I have a plan for tonight.¡±

    Bai Lian was utterly confused.

    She wanted to say something several times, but since Liu Hun already had a plan, she obediently followed him and left quietly.

    That night, more than one shadow lurked in the temple, and it seemed only the moon knew what had happened.

    The next morning, just after Liu Hun had relieved himself at the base of the wall, Sun Ke arrived with a group, as if he had sniffed something out.

    ¡°Big trouble!

    Huge trouble!

    Hun, you¡¯re still peeing here...

    Sun Ke, what brings you here?¡± Qin Yue, still not fully dressed, ran toward the temple gate.

    She spotted Sun Ke with his group and quickly covered her chest, though she had initially planned to casually show a little.

    But seeing Sun Ke, she lost all interest in that.

    ¡°Well, well!

    To see such a pair first thing in the morning, it really stirs my heart like oil to a flame!¡± Sun Ke¡¯s eyes lit up as if he saw something utterly enticing, glaring with wide-eyed surprise.

    ¡°Tch!

    You¡¯re a bad seed that won¡¯t even sprout!¡± Qin Yue cursed under her breath and adjusted her robe to cover herself properly, thankful that only the silhouette was shown to Sun Ke.

    After glaring at him, she pulled Liu Hun aside and whispered, ¡°Hun, bad news, the mushrooms are all dead.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t panic!

    Go back and put on some clothes first.

    I¡¯ve got it under control,¡± Liu Hun reassured Qin Yue, then led her into the temple.

    Sun Ke swaggered into the temple followed by a few people, and soon Ye Canghai and Fen Ran, along with the money pressed on them, arrived.

    The gambling event at Crossroad had been well publicized; today was the final day, and everyone from Wanbao Village, whether they could make it or not, crowded inside the temple.

    ¡°I¡¯m saying though, where are the mushrooms?

    Why didn¡¯t I see them?

    This rotten wood is bald like a monk¡¯s head, how could there be any mushrooms?¡±

    ¡°Something¡¯s not right, did someone sabotage them?

    I saw sprouts just a few days ago, how could they be gone today?

    Didn¡¯t Hun pick them yesterday?¡±

    ¡°If he picked them yesterday, they¡¯d probably be spoiled by today, right?

    I bet it was some disaster at some unknown time, and now they¡¯re just gone.

    Boy, Hun really messed up this time.

    That¡¯s a lot of money gone.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Ahem!

    Folks of Wanbao Village, though I, Sun Ke, am not from our village, I do care about our village¡¯s survival and development!

    I genuinely have a heart as warm as a pancake on my chest!

    I, Sun Ke, do not want everyone to be deceived by Hun, so!

    Today, right in front of everyone, I¡¯ll expose his tricks and let everyone see what Hun really is!¡± Sun Ke addressed the villagers, his face reflecting his petty nature that was annoying to look at.

    Yet, unbelievably, there were still some who believed him, and someone immediately voiced their support, ¡°It¡¯s a good thing that someone cares about the development of Wanbao Village.

    Sun Ke came back from the county town and has seen the world.

    He knows what works and what doesn¡¯t, unlike some who just mess around.

    Right, everyone?¡±

    ¡°What are you on about?

    He¡¯s nothing but a pretentious good-for-nothing, pretending to be virtuous.

    You really think he¡¯s a living Buddha!¡± Qin Yue immediately countered, disgusted by the fence-sitters in the village who flip at the sight of profit.

    ¡°Stop with the nonsense and let¡¯s just settle this.

    I still have to go to town for cards later...

    ow!¡± Ye Canghai was impatiently complaining when Fen Ran gave him a sharp twist on his waist.

    He grimaced and said to Fen Ran, ¡°Go easy, I¡¯m already weak, and if you twist me like that, what happens if I can¡¯t perform tonight?¡±

    ¡°Tssk!

    Like anyone¡¯s eager for that.

    With that broken rifle of yours, it¡¯s a wonder it stands at all, let alone storm a fortress.

    You wish!

    So shameless!¡± Fen Ran scoffed, visibly irritated bringing up this topic.

    ¡°Exactly, exactly!

    Village Chief Ye spoke rightly!

    Let¡¯s not veer off topic.

    The scales are here, and we have the villagers of Wanbao present.

    Let¡¯s witness this together!

    Shall we start now, Hun?¡± Sun Ke rubbed his hands together, eager to stir up drama.

    ¡°Where did the mushrooms go?

    I specifically checked them last night before going to bed, and they were all still there.

    Did you pick them?¡± Du Yueling, frowning, questioned Liu Hun.

    She knew the man¡¯s ambitions; this was a crucial first step, and if it faltered, it would be impossible to recover.

    ¡°Right!

    Wasn¡¯t Bai Lian watching over them last night?

    Where is she?

    Why haven¡¯t I seen her?

    Come on, speak up, you¡¯re making me so anxious I could pee!¡± Qin Yue said urgently to Liu Hun, crossing her legs in desperation.

    Liu Hun, however, was bright inside like a lamp in his belly; he knew that if he lost this time, not only would the hard-earned money be gone, but he would also lose the villagers¡¯ trust, turning more of them into opportunists.

    It would then become impossible to lead them in any future endeavors.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m confident about this.

    Besides, when have I ever let you down?¡± Liu Hun grinned at the two women, his words landing forcefully like a rock dropping onto the ground with a thunk!

 Chapter 49 - 49 49 Craftiness

    ?49: Chapter 49: Craftiness 49: Chapter 49: Craftiness Sun Ke walked over to the hollow dead tree with a scale in his hand and suddenly started shouting as if stepping on an accelerator, ¡°Oh!

    Listen here, Hunzi, what kind of mushrooms are these?

    Green and glossy, they look just like turtles.

    I¡¯ve never seen them before!

    Look at this, what kind of mushrooms are these?¡±

    While speaking, Sun Ke grabbed a handful of moss and said as if looking through a stereoscope, ¡°A new variety!

    This must be a new variety.

    Hunzi, why don¡¯t you introduce this new variety to everyone?¡±

    ¡°I tell you, Sun Ke, are you blind or just plain stupid?

    Did you forget to take your meds this morning?

    That¡¯s moss, not mushrooms!

    You don¡¯t even know what a mushroom looks like, and you¡¯re trying to bet on it!¡± Wang Dajiao couldn¡¯t help but curse while looking at Sun Ke¡¯s foolishness.

    The nearby villagers who understood the situation burst into laughter, as Sun Ke had intended to mock Liu Hun but ended up being taken literally by the dense Wang Dajiao, making a complete fool of himself.

    Sun Ke¡¯s face turned from red to green with embarrassment, and he angrily threw the moss on the ground and then said to Ye Canghai, ¡°Village chief!

    Hurry and certify this, Hunzi didn¡¯t produce any mushrooms, and the money must be all mine!¡±

    The surrounding villagers couldn¡¯t laugh anymore.

    This was a real demand for money, with tens of thousands possibly going to Sun Ke.

    With no mushroom harvest and the houses damaged by the mountain torrents, how were they supposed to survive?

    ¡°Hunzi!

    Think of something!

    Why aren¡¯t you speaking?

    Look, Sun Ke is about to take the money away.

    Do your earlier promises of leading us all to prosperity still count?¡±

    ¡°Yeah!

    Hunzi, you gotta say something!

    Just a few days ago, the mushrooms were looking good, how come they disappeared in the blink of an eye?

    Wasn¡¯t there someone guarding them every night?

    What is going on with your plan?¡±

    ¡°You all stop nagging.

    Hunzi doesn¡¯t have that much capability or power!

    We need to look for other ways.

    Relying on Hunzi is hopeless now.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Ye Canghai had to speak up at this point, ¡°Hunzi, did you pick the mushrooms?

    If you picked them, just show them to us.

    Look, you even signed and fingerprinted the agreement...

    What are we going to do now?¡± He couldn¡¯t say much more, stuck between Fen Ran and having to maintain justice, truly stuck between a rock and a hard place.

    Liu Hun, smiling broadly, stepped forward and said to the crowd, ¡°Everybody, hear me out, there definitely are mushrooms.¡±

    ¡°If you have them, just bring them out and stop beating around the bush!

    I don¡¯t have time to waste here,¡± Sun Ke waved his hand impatiently at Liu Hun.

    Although he didn¡¯t know what Liu Hun was really up to, he was sure that he was going to get the money today.

    ¡°Don¡¯t act tough here, Sun Ke.

    If the money is meant for you, it won¡¯t slip away.

    If it¡¯s not meant for you, you won¡¯t get a penny,¡± Liu Hun glanced coldly at Sun Ke, then continued speaking to the villagers, ¡°Before we weigh the mushrooms, there¡¯s something I need to tell everyone.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re all on edge here, what is there left to talk about?

    The mushrooms!

    The most important thing is to bring out the mushrooms...

    oh, my mouth!

    I¡¯ll shut up!¡± Ye Canghai got pinched hard by Fen Ran again, really getting anxious on Liu Hun¡¯s behalf.

    ¡°Hunzi, whatever it is, say it, we¡¯re all listening!¡± Fen Ran said to Liu Hun after pinching Ye Canghai.

    Liu Hun nodded and spoke straightforwardly, ¡°Many of you must be wondering, where have the mushrooms on these dead woods gone?

    They were here a few days ago, and now they¡¯re gone.

    Last night, when I got up to pee right here by the corner of the wall, I suddenly saw a shadow...¡±

    ¡°Hunzi!

    Stop feeding us BS and farting around!

    Are you just trying to say that you grew the mushrooms but someone destroyed them last night?

    Don¡¯t act like those street storytellers, get to the point, do we have mushrooms or not?¡± Sun Ke rudely interrupted Liu Hun, not caring about anything but the money.

    ¡°Sun Ke, can you let Hunzi finish speaking?

    You haven¡¯t seen money before, have you?

    Even a dog sniffs before eating shit, but you just jump right in!¡± Qin Yue looked disdainfully at Sun Ke, refusing to give him any face.

    ¡°Fine!

    Hunzi, keep making up your stories, I want to see what fantasy you can spin for me today!

    I really don¡¯t believe your nonsense that you could produce five pounds of mushrooms!¡± Sun Ke looked eager for a good show, like watching a fire from the safety of City God Mountain.

    Liu Hun smiled slightly and continued, ¡°I saw the shadow and felt it was up to no good, and when I caught him and asked, it turned out not to be the case!¡±

    ¡°Brother Hunzi!

    If he wasn¡¯t up to no good, then what was he there for?

    Just spill it!¡± Gazi was really hooked now, eagerly waiting like a greedy dog for a bone.

    The villagers around were also eager for Liu Hun to continue, even the usually talkative Sun Ke stayed silent.

    ¡°Everybody must be wondering, if that person wasn¡¯t there to do harm, then what was he there for?¡± Liu Hun shifted his tone and said, ¡°He was there to help!

    He came especially to warn me that someone was going to sabotage my mushrooms and told me to be cautious.¡±

    ¡°Give me a break, Hunzi, you can really spin a yarn.

    If he came to warn you to be careful, then why are the mushrooms completely gone?

    I think you¡¯re just lacking some common sense!¡± Big Hao¡¯s mom burst out frustratedly.

    She had planned to work with Hunzi on this, but things had gone wrong on the first cycle, and even after being warned.

    ¡°Look, Auntie Cui Hua, I¡¯m not a fool!

    I¡¯ve got an extra crafty mind,¡± Liu Hun said as he walked to the hollow deadwood, bending down to touch it while addressing the villagers, ¡°All thanks to that person¡¯s warning, so...¡±

    Suddenly!

    While he was speaking, Liu Hun fiercely tore open the hollow deadwood, and with a crisp snapping sound, a heap of white objects tumbled out.

    ¡°Mush...

    mushrooms!

    Hey!

    My goodness!

    It¡¯s really mushrooms!

    Look what Liu Hun has managed to wrangle up!

    Nicely done, buddy!

    Thumbs up to you!

    From now on, we¡¯re following you!¡±

    ¡°Wow, that really blindsided me, I had no idea Liu Hun could actually pull something off like this!

    From now on, we really should follow Liu Hun!¡±

    ¡°I tell you!

    Don¡¯t listen to some people¡¯s nonsense; I just missed the boat!

    Happened both times, Liu Hun really has some great luck with people tipping him off in the middle of the night!¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Liu Hun casually picked up a mushroom and approached Sun Ke with it, asking, ¡°Hey Sun Ke, recognize what this is?¡± Hearing Liu Hun¡¯s words, Sun Ke was so agitated he couldn¡¯t utter whether it was or wasn¡¯t.

    Liu Hun, holding the mushroom, loudly asked the villagers, ¡°Everyone, tell this blind guy what this is!¡±

    ¡°Mushrooms!¡± The villagers unanimously called out, the chorus reverberating off the rooftops.

    ¡°Hey!

    Fantastic!

    Look, Teacher Du, look!

    Here¡¯s our village¡¯s hero and savior!

    I told you he would make it!

    You agree, right?¡±

    Du Yueling nodded incessantly, her ponytail swinging vigorously, her dimples showing her captivating smile.

    She no longer cared to ponder why mushroom scraps could produce mushrooms or how such dense mushrooms could grow inside a hollow deadwood.

    She discarded all reasoning in her mind, only wanting to revel in the incredible joy this man brought at the moment.

    Sun Ke instantly panicked like someone with corns on his feet and boils on his buttocks, overwhelmed by how quickly Liu Hun had entirely turned things around, with the villagers of Wanbao Village rallying behind him so uniformly.

    ¡°Not right!¡± Sun Ke suddenly realized something, his eyes fierce as he turned around and grabbed a lackey behind him, saying, ¡°You double-crossing bastard!

    I told you to destroy the mushrooms, and you dared to tip off Liu Hun, telling him to watch out and hide them in the tree hole!

    Do you really have a death wish swirling in a cesspool?¡±

    ¡°Brother Sun!

    No, no, no...

    I didn¡¯t!

    I...

    I personally destroyed all the mushrooms as you ordered.

    I didn¡¯t even see Liu Hun last night!¡± The lackey, terror-stricken with a pale face, told Sun Ke, shaking all over.

    ¡°Look at you, dumb as a donkey, Liu Hun was fooling you!

    You fell for the bait without it even being fully laid out, with your stupid act, you even paid him and lost face here!¡± Bai Lian stood up at this moment, her face unable to hide her amusement.

    Qin Yue was puzzled where Bai Lian had been until she pulled her aside and learnt about last night¡¯s events.

    And today, Liu Hun was cautious she might accidentally spill the beans, which would fail to lure out Sun Ke¡¯s cunning nature.

    ¡°Liu Hun!

    You damn tricked me?¡± Sun Ke, angry and frustrated, released the lackey he was holding and pointed at Liu Hun furiously.

    Liu Hun slightly smiled and said, ¡°Yeah I damn tricked you, what¡¯s it to you?

    You can¡¯t win in a fair game, and you can¡¯t play dirty either.

    Aren¡¯t you just like a dogshit whip, neither smellable nor usable?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll destroy you!¡± Sun Ke, eyes bulging with anger, reached out to grab Liu Hun¡¯s neck.

    There was no way Liu Hun would tolerate Sun Ke, this little worm, raising his voice at him.

    Qi Force surged into his hand, and he promptly grabbed Sun Ke¡¯s wrist, twisting it fiercely.

    ¡°Crack!¡± Bones distinctly snapped.

    The pain shot straight to his forehead.

    Sun Ke just opened his mouth to howl, but Liu Hun quickly moved, displacing Sun Ke¡¯s jaw, ¡°Shut your trap!¡±

    ¡°Ouch, that twist sounded like twisting dough, that crispness is eerily discomforting!¡± Wang Dajiao couldn¡¯t help but shiver, grateful Liu Hun had never been harsh with him.

    ¡°Woo woo woo!¡± Sun Ke held his wrist, absolutely unable to shriek, only managing to hop agitatedly in place.

    ¡°Hey!

    Look, the one who threw the first punch ended up getting handled.

    Everyone, doesn¡¯t Sun Ke look just like a grasshopper?¡± Qin Yue smirked, having been quite scared by Sun Ke¡¯s initial move.

    ¡°Sun Ke, aren¡¯t you just looking for trouble as if searching for it with a lantern in daylight?

    Let me tell you, our Brother Liu Hun can take on ten!¡± Gazi was brimming with excitement, just talking about it wasn¡¯t enough.

    Eyeing Sun Ke¡¯s rounded rear, he felt a ticklish urge in his foot and followed with a solid kick right there.

 Chapter 50 - 50 50 Not Following the Rules

    ?50: Chapter 50: Not Following the Rules 50: Chapter 50: Not Following the Rules ¡°Pfft!¡± While jumping around, Sun Ke was kicked by Gazi and lost his balance, plunging headfirst into a hollow tree trunk with his head inside and body still outside.

    ¡°Look at this turtle, burrowing just like a loach, only his head went in while his body¡¯s still out!¡± Grandma Hao watched and laughed heartily, her face wrinkling up like braised pork, her missing teeth all showing.

    Liu Hun turned around and pointed at the lackey who Sun Ke had grabbed earlier, saying, ¡°You!

    Come here!¡±

    The lackey shivered with fear, wishing he could burrow into a hole like Sun Ke.

    It took him a while to drag his uncooperative feet to where Liu Hun was, looking like he had lost two of his three souls.

    ¡°I won¡¯t lay a hand on you, but you need to tell everyone here what Sun Ke had planned for you to do,¡± Liu Hun patted the lackey¡¯s shoulder, almost knocking him to his knees.

    The lackey was a local from Qingquan Gully, and Liu Hun had dealt with all the bullies there¡ªa fact known to all like thunderous rain.

    It was crystal clear to him too, and to say he wasn¡¯t scared would be a lie.

    Barely managing to get his tongue straight, he said, ¡°I...

    He...

    No!

    It was Sun Ke...

    Sun Ke sent me here last night to destroy...

    destroy all the mushrooms, and even...

    even gave me five hundred yuan.¡±

    ¡°Hey!

    This son of a gun Sun Ke really is a dark-hearted bastard!

    If the mushrooms were all destroyed, what would we use to rebuild our homes?

    What would we use to reclaim the land?

    Shameless creature!¡±

    ¡°Yeah!

    We can¡¯t let such beasts get away with this, all they care about is money for themselves, without a thought for the many people in Wanbao Village who are still hungry!¡±

    ¡°Right!

    Hun, we need to deal with these people properly, we can¡¯t let them off so easily!

    Otherwise, word will spread, and others will think the people of Wanbao Village are easy to bully!¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Liu Hun had already formed an idea in his mind and raised his voice to the people around him, saying, ¡°Everyone, rest assured, since Sun Ke and his group want to act like animals, we¡¯ll let them be just that!

    Gazi, go get the plow head for me!¡±

    The savvy villagers immediately understood Liu Hun¡¯s intention and clapped their hands in approval.

    Before long, Wanbao Village had a bunch of new plowers, which was invaluable for a village lacking strong labor, and it didn¡¯t cost a penny!

    Sun Ke and the lackeys he brought to Wanbao Village thoroughly experienced what it meant to be part of the animal kingdom, as every one of them was harnessed to plow heads, sorting out the fields that had been destroyed by mudslides.

    When they had arrived at the village, they looked decent, but upon leaving Wanbao Village...

    they were hardly recognizable!

    Sun Ke¡¯s money was taken, and the free labor was exploited thoroughly, but now he was in a tough spot.

    The reason was simple¡ªan issue involving money!

    Actually, Liu Hun now had over ninety thousand yuan, which he planned to lend to the villagers for rebuilding their homes, but this created a problem.

    First, ninety thousand yuan wouldn¡¯t stretch far enough to rebuild half the village¡¯s homes without likely having to throw all the money in without satisfying everyone¡¯s needs.

    Second, with insufficient funds for even half the village, decisions had to be made about who to lend to¡ªan endeavor sure to offend some.

    Lastly, if all the money was spent, there would be no funds to improve the village school or any personal living space, let alone other projects he had in mind.

    ¡°In my opinion, Hun, just leave it be.

    The land¡¯s already been cleared, right?

    Everyone has a pair of hands, so let them dig their own food!

    Everyone saw Sun Ke come and they switched sides, now seeing you with money, they all come licking their faces, wanting a share?

    No way!¡± Qin Yue spoke without reserve, saying whatever came to mind.

    Bai Lian nodded, adding, ¡°I even heard my aunt say that some people are whispering that since Hun¡¯s money was easily earned, it should be distributed to everyone!

    Look at what they¡¯re saying, some were questioning Hun before, and now they¡¯re all chasing after him like dogs sniffing an odor.¡±

    ¡°Ah, giving it away for free definitely won¡¯t work, but who to lend to and who not to?

    Everyone in our village knows who can pay back and who can¡¯t, but we can¡¯t just outright say it.

    Plus, since the mushroom planting was a success, we should stick to the previous agreement, treat it as a loan for those without money, we all have to contribute,¡± Fen Ran proposed to Liu Hun, being by Ye Canghai¡¯s side for so long, she had a clear grasp of the village¡¯s situation.

    Du Yueling, meanwhile, remained silent, peeling a pomelo before placing a segment in her mouth and then pushing some over to Liu Hun with her pinky finger.

    Liu Hun scratched his head, feeling that mushroom farming might end up like vegetable gardening¡ªholding a pig¡¯s head without finding the temple door, eventually harvesting plenty without knowing who to sell to.

    Suddenly!

    An idea crossed Liu Hun¡¯s mind, just as he was about to speak, Gazi¡¯s shout came from the door.

    ¡°Hun brother!

    Hun brother!

    The town officials are here, now they¡¯re stuck at the entrance of the village!

    You better go take a look!¡± Gazi said, gasping for breath as he ran in, then without a second word took a pomelo from the table and stuffed it into his mouth, smacking his lips before looking at Du Yueling and asking, ¡°Teacher Du, what¡¯s with you?

    You look like you can¡¯t smile but also seem like you want to cry, yet you still look so pretty, heh heh!¡±

    Du Yueling gave an embarrassed smile, holding her forehead and struggling to speak for a long while.

    Soon, several people left the temple and headed toward the village entrance, hearing the commotion before even reaching there.

    ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense!

    Let me just ask, are you the government officials?

    Do you still care about us?

    The flash flood destroyed half of our village.

    We¡¯re crammed in the temple every day, the food isn¡¯t good, we can¡¯t sleep soundly, and it¡¯s even interfering with the kids¡¯ schooling.

    What do you plan to do about it?¡±

    ¡°What are you, a woman, doing here?

    Does your word even matter?

    Get Mayor Xie here!

    If we don¡¯t see the mayor today, we¡¯re not letting anyone go!

    We must have an explanation!¡±

    ¡°Right!

    We from Qingshui Gully need a solution too!

    Coming back and forth without any explanation or money, what kind of situation is this?

    Is everyone here just for a gathering?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Hearing the villagers clamoring, Liu Hun turned to Fen Ran and asked, ¡°Why are the people from Qingshui Gully here as well?¡±

    Fen Ran recalled what Ye Canghai had said and explained to Liu Hun, ¡°If our village hadn¡¯t recklessly cut down trees, there wouldn¡¯t have been any problems.

    It¡¯s a man-made disaster.

    But Qingshui Gully, that¡¯s a natural disaster.

    It¡¯s next to Qingshui River, and after three days and nights of heavy rain, they aren¡¯t faring much better than our village.¡±

    Liu Hun finally understood, but the most important thing now was to calm the villagers and make sure nothing went awry.

    So, he shouted at the top of his lungs, ¡°Stop making noise!¡±

    Hearing the shout, the villagers turned around to see Liu Hun and promptly shut their mouths.

    The people from the neighboring Qingshui Gully, who were no less familiar with the name Liu Hun, also quieted down.

    ¡°What are you all doing here?

    Make way!¡± With this shout from Liu Hun, the crowd parted to clear a path.

    ¡°Director Ren!¡± Fen Ran immediately recognized Ren Peiling, the rural affairs director, surrounded by villagers.

    Ren Peiling was panting heavily, fixing her clothes and hair, showing signs of having been manhandled, with one of her high heels missing a heel.

    While appearing slightly disheveled, her makeup was intact, and she still carried an air of authority with a hint of charm.

    In Ye Canghai¡¯s words, she was like a lotus in a dam¡ªonly to be admired from a distance, but you wouldn¡¯t dare touch.

    At that moment, the two staff members who had been by her side appeared out of nowhere.

    ¡°All of you...

    How could you act like this!

    I¡¯m a town official; I¡¯m here to help you solve problems.

    Can¡¯t we discuss this properly?¡± Ren Peiling angrily adjusted her clothes.

    It was the first time she had been treated this way in Wanbao Village, never experiencing such treatment in the township government.

    Liu Hun approached Ren Peiling and said, ¡°Director Ren, I¡¯m really sorry, our villagers are just a bit anxious.

    I hope you won¡¯t take it to heart.¡±

    ¡°Are you Liu Hun?¡± Ren Peiling blurted out unexpectedly¡ªshe had encountered this man before and had heard Xie Heguo mention him a few times since then, leaving her with a strong impression.

    Liu Hun was taken aback by Ren Peiling¡¯s question and hadn¡¯t even had a chance to nod or respond when the villagers behind him started making a racket again.

    ¡°We can talk, but tell me, what about my house?

    What about my fields?¡± A voice emerged from the crowd.

    Ren Peiling¡¯s expression hardened, radiating an aura that rippled like waves stirred by stones.

    She addressed the surrounding villagers, ¡°I¡¯m the rural affairs director, in charge of rural matters.

    The town sent me here to register the disaster cases so that we can make informed decisions.¡±

    ¡°Register cases?

    Isn¡¯t this just like curing the cow pox last minute?

    What have you been doing all along?

    Hasn¡¯t our village been suffering for just a day or two?

    Last time you came, made a brief inspection, and then left.

    What was that all about?¡±

    Listening to this voice, Ren Peiling was about to respond when another question came up, ¡°Just tell us, did the town allocate any funds?

    Do they plan to help us?¡±

    Ren Peiling composed herself, looked around at the villagers, and said, ¡°Once we clearly understand the situation, the township government can make the appropriate arrangements.

    However...

    the township¡¯s finances are limited, and without intervention from the county, there¡¯s not much we can do.¡±

    ¡°Hey!

    Everyone heard it clear and true!

    They¡¯re saying they¡¯re helpless!

    Helpless means broke!

    They¡¯re just paying lip service here!¡±

    ¡°So what else is there to talk about?

    Let¡¯s take action!

    Either give us money or don¡¯t think about leaving!¡±

    Someone in the crowd incited a commotion, and the villagers stirred up again, swarming towards Ren Peiling.

    Seeing the chaos, Liu Hun was about to push through the crowd and shout when suddenly there was a cry from behind.

    He turned to see Ren Peiling, whose high heel had broken.

    She was pushed and almost lost her balance, about to fall to the ground.

    Liu Hun quickly reached out, caught her, and pulled her close into his arms.

 Chapter 51 - 51 51 Saving People

    ?51: Chapter 51 Saving People 51: Chapter 51 Saving People ¡°Director Ren, don¡¯t worry.

    I¡¯m here!

    Our villagers in Wanbao Village won¡¯t harm you in any way.¡± As soon as Liu Hun pulled Ren Peiling into his arms, the scent of jasmine overwhelmed him.

    He then felt something soft against him, and without thinking, he said to Ren Peiling, ¡°Director Ren, why are you carrying steamed buns with you?¡±

    Ren Peiling knew exactly what had happened.

    Earlier, when the villagers had pushed and pulled, the things she was protecting on her upper body had slipped down to her waist.

    It wasn¡¯t convenient to adjust them in front of so many people.

    Unexpectedly, Liu Hun embraced her directly, causing her to rub against him through their clothes.

    As the villagers pushed her, she moved upwards, and as Liu Hun cleared them away, she slid back down.

    Ren Peiling¡¯s breathing grew heavier, as if she¡¯d run ten miles.

    Her cheeks were flushed with a rosy hue.

    The pushing, rubbing, and grinding from the villagers and Liu Hun pressed her harder.

    Just when it seemed things might escalate, she felt something pricking her waist.

    Looking down, she screamed in surprise when she saw an indecent finger touching her waist, and then her legs went weak; whatever was going to happen, happened.

    Hearing Ren Peiling¡¯s scream, Liu Hun thought it had turned into a big mess.

    He shouted at the top of his lungs, ¡°Mao¡¯er!

    Throw me the gong!¡±

    ¡°Coming!¡± Mao¡¯er hollered and tossed the gong over to Liu Hun.

    With one arm holding the unexpectedly limp Ren Peiling, Liu Hun caught the gong with the other and started banging it on the people around him.

    ¡°Bang!

    Bang!

    Bang!¡± The sound was like thunder, each hit echoing loudly.

    Surprisingly, it worked well.

    People in the front who got hit knew how powerful Liu Hun could be and didn¡¯t dare push forward.

    Hearing the thunderous gong, those at the back also stopped, not knowing what was going on inside and fearing they might get into trouble if they pushed in.

    ¡°Back up!

    Back up!

    I¡¯m laying down the law here!

    If anyone dares to push forward, I¡¯ll break his leg!

    If you don¡¯t believe me, come try!¡± Liu Hun said and, with a loud ¡°clang,¡± threw the now dented gong to the ground.

    The reverberating crash made everyone too afraid to act out.

    Du Yueling, Qin Yue, and others finally managed to squeeze through to Liu Hun when the villagers calmed down, feeling relieved to see he was fine.

    When the crowd started surging earlier, they couldn¡¯t find a way to wedge themselves in, no matter how hard they tried.

    ¡°What¡¯s up with Director Ren?¡± Fen Ran rushed over to ask.

    After all, as Ye Canghai¡¯s wife, she understood whom not to offend.

    If anything happened to Director Ren, Wanbao Village wouldn¡¯t just lose out on poverty alleviation; even wanting to develop on their own would be hindered.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.

    Maybe she¡¯s hungry or frightened.

    Sister Yue, you hold her for a moment while I settle some scores!¡± Liu Hun thought about the two soft things pressed against him earlier¡ªprobably the steamed buns she was carrying¡ªand handed the limp-as-a-rag-doll Ren Peiling over to Fen Ran.

    Fen Ran, who had mastered the eighteen skills at night, knew a thing or two, even though Ye Canghai was more bark than bite.

    From the way Director Ren looked when Liu Hun handed her over, it seemed she¡¯d just crossed over the mountain peak but hadn¡¯t caught her breath yet.

    What exactly did Liu Hun do, and what method was so powerful that the formidable Director Ren, once fierce as Mu Guiying, turned into Pan Jinlian in just a moment?

    Supporting Ren Peiling, Fen Ran pondered over it, thinking so much that her legs started to tremble.

    Looking past Du Yueling, Qin Yue, and Bai Lian, they knew immediately what had happened with Ren Peiling.

    The only mystery was how the upright and properly-dressed Liu Hun managed it.

    With nothing but some appetizers on the table, what would happen when the real deal came around...

    It was intriguing just to imagine.

    Unaware of these women¡¯s thoughts, Liu Hun yanked a timid-looking man out of the crowd and said, ¡°Speak up!

    Were you the one inciting the crowd just now?

    Were you the one who poked Director Ren¡¯s waist?¡±

    ¡°Why...

    why me?

    Are you...

    blind?

    What makes you say it was me?¡± The man stammered defensively, looking suspiciously like he was lying.

    ¡°Afraid to admit it after doing it?

    Are you even a man?

    If you dared to reach out, you should have known the consequences!¡± Liu Hun said, and with Qi Force surging through his fingers, he grabbed the man¡¯s arm and twisted it downward.

    ¡°It hurts!

    Mama...

    murder!

    Help!¡± The man¡¯s hand dislocated under Liu Hun¡¯s grip.

    The surrounding onlookers felt a cold sweat break out, cautious against inciting further trouble.

    Gripping the man¡¯s face, Liu Hun said, ¡°Are you going to admit it now?¡±

    ¡°I admit it!

    I admit it!

    It was...

    it was me...

    All my doing.¡± The man finally confessed to his shameful behavior, nodding zealously in fear of more pain.

    With a cold snort, Liu Hun twisted the man¡¯s hand back up, resetting his dislocated wrist with another scream.

    The lesson was taught.

    Liu Hun pushed the man aside and addressed the villagers, ¡°I, Liu Hun, am here to make things clear.

    If you think what I say makes sense, then listen to me.

    If you think I¡¯m wrong, then feel free to make more trouble!¡±

    Some villagers, although internally resentful, recognized Liu Hun¡¯s strength.

    Without a leader to rally them, they had no choice but to listen respectfully.

    Liu Hun paused and continued, ¡°First, let¡¯s set everything else aside.

    What¡¯s it worth for all of you to gang up on Director Ren, a lone woman?

    Is this all the skill you have?

    No matter how you look at it, you should never boss a woman around or lay hands on her!

    Second, Director Ren explained that the town¡¯s funds depend on allocations from the county.

    How can they report upwards without completed investigations?

    Are there one or a hundred disaster-stricken households?

    Who can say clearly?!

    Finally, whether aid will come from the town and how much aid they can provide is the town¡¯s business.

    What we can do is rely on ourselves.

    Who here is missing limbs?

    Haven¡¯t our ancestors dug for a livelihood from the soil for generations?

    Didn¡¯t they survive?

    When have they ever held out their hands for help?

    Why should we beg now?

    Really, how many families are truly without food?¡±

    These words from Liu Hun were like a bell, awakening many.

    Some felt that although his speech was plain, the logic was indisputable.

    ¡°If everyone feels I¡¯m right, then let¡¯s disperse and go home.

    Wanbao Village has plenty of ways.

    There are capable people in Clear Water Ditch too.

    I believe we can get through this hardship with our own hands!¡± Liu Hun concluded generously¡ªafter all, he didn¡¯t want to antagonize too many, particularly the villagers.

    Reflecting on Liu Hun¡¯s reasonable words and recognizing they had no grounds for dispute or entitlements, the villagers began to disperse and return home.

    Afterward, as the villagers left, Ren Peiling, recovering her composure, dared not meet Liu Hun¡¯s eyes, muttering a simple ¡°thank you¡± before quickly leading her two colleagues out of Wanbao Village.

    Watching Ren Peiling leave, Liu Hun felt a bit uneasy and asked the women, ¡°What happened to Director Ren?

    Could it be she¡¯s holding a grudge against our Wanbao Village?¡±

    ¡°I think not; she probably has a lingering fondness for our Wanbao Village.

    Earlier, looking like that she probably felt...¡± Wang Chunme blurted out thoughtlessly before being stopped by Fen Ran.

    Fen Ran smiled and said, ¡°I believe Director Ren is sensible; she won¡¯t cause trouble for our Wanbao Village.¡±

    Standing aside, Du Yueling listened to these remarks and recalled Ren Peiling¡¯s strange expression earlier, feeling that there was something to it, though she couldn¡¯t quite grasp it.

    ¡°Forget it, let¡¯s not worry about her now.

    Our Wanbao Village¡¯s issues still need to be resolved by us,¡± Liu Hun said, swiftly assigning tasks to the women.

    Du Yueling was to write notices and draft agreements for villager loans; Fen Ran would visit the cooperative in town to find out about buying wild goods and see how the town¡¯s market was doing; Bai Lian and Qin Yue would muster the villagers who had agreed to join them to find deadwood on the mountains and create a place to store the wood and cultivate mushrooms.

    This time, Liu Hun had learned his lesson¡ªto secure buyers first before starting the work.

    The situation in Wanbao Village wasn¡¯t completely desperate; accommodation could be found with relatives or friends, as most were kin.

    Staying in the temple was also an option, and having Qi Force in hand meant that while they couldn¡¯t sell vegetables due to a lack of market, feeding everyone wouldn¡¯t be a problem.

    Since relying on town subsidies wasn¡¯t feasible, Liu Hun didn¡¯t have a choice but to find his own way, though finding such avenues wasn¡¯t particularly easy.

    ¡°Our villagers are quite enthusiastic; most are willing to join us.

    However...¡± Bai Lian said, glancing at everyone present with a hint of hesitation, ¡°Using their own money and effort to make a living is certainly less comfortable than getting free food from above.

    So some people have other ideas.¡±

    ¡°Why care about them?

    Once the way is paved, Hunzi will provide the money, and not much effort is required¡ªit¡¯s easier than farming.

    If they¡¯re still not happy, preferring handouts...

    why not just beg?

    I think some folks in our village just want to freeload,¡± Qin Yue retorted.

    She was fed up with the pervasive laziness in Wanbao Village, feeling that poverty and laziness went hand in hand.

    After venting, Qin Yue suddenly remembered Liu Hun¡¯s assignment and said, ¡°Look at me, getting so worked up I almost forgot our task.

    The place is set¡ªit¡¯s in the vegetable patch behind my house, close to the temple, making it convenient for Hunzi to manage.

    As for the deadwood, give us a few more days to arrange it.¡±

    Focused on their discussion, none noticed what was around them until they heard the gong sound behind them.

    Turning, they saw Mao¡¯er entering with Du Yueling.

 Chapter 52 - 52 52 Female Boss

    ?52: Chapter 52 Female Boss 52: Chapter 52 Female Boss ¡°You brat, you scared me to death!

    Is the task done?

    Look at how you¡¯ve exhausted Teacher Du to the point of sweating, have you been out fooling around and left everything to Teacher Du?¡± Qin Yue turned and said to Mao¡¯er, reaching out to pinch him.

    ¡°Hehe!¡± Mao¡¯er, slippery like an eel, dodged Qin Yue¡¯s grasp and said with a cheeky grin, ¡°Aunt Qin Yue, why are you so hot-tempered?

    Where¡¯s the fire coming from?

    I¡¯ll get a bucket of water to pour on it for you.¡±

    ¡°Get out of here!

    You little brat, talking nonsense...

    What do you know about putting out a fire, you haven¡¯t even grown your skin yet.

    This fire of mine is deep, it needs a good pounding to be extinguished.¡± Qin Yue finished the first part of her sentence, muttering the latter part to herself.

    She couldn¡¯t help but glance at Liu Hun, and that mischievous fire flared up again.

    Her intertwined legs rubbed together out of habit.

    ¡°What?

    Pounding what?

    Aunt Qin Yue, are you looking to borrow a piling machine or something?¡± Mao¡¯er didn¡¯t catch the latter part of Qin Yue¡¯s muttering and couldn¡¯t help but ask.

    Bai Lian understood perfectly and couldn¡¯t help but laugh.

    She pushed Mao¡¯er aside and said, ¡°Your Aunt Qin Yue wants a piling machine that can pound meat.

    You don¡¯t have one and can¡¯t borrow one.

    It¡¯s none of your business, go play!¡±

    ¡°How come you understand everything?

    Do you want to get pounded yourself too?¡± Qin Yue and Bai Lian whispered to each other, laughing and joking.

    Mao¡¯er scratched his head and walked away, completely clueless about what the women were talking about and what was so funny.

    Mao¡¯er didn¡¯t understand, and Du Yueling understood even less, but it didn¡¯t matter to her.

    Wiping the sweat from her forehead, she said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, I¡¯m not tired.

    I like the people here and this land; it makes me feel full of life force.¡± Speaking, she couldn¡¯t help but stick out her tongue a little shyly, her originally flushed face appeared even rosier, much like a bashful June lotus, exuding a charming allure.

    ¡°This is the letter of intent signed by the villagers who agreed to collaborate with us, after Mao¡¯er and I went house to house asking...¡± Du Yueling began explaining each term, worried that the listeners wouldn¡¯t understand some of the words.

    Du Yueling¡¯s explanation only further confused everyone, but they understood one thing: the matter was settled, and most villagers agreed to participate in mushroom cultivation through borrowing money and labor.

    Just as Du Yueling finished speaking, Fen Ran entered the temple, right on cue.

    ¡°I¡¯m so thirsty I could die.¡± Fen Ran came in, grabbed a cup, and took a gulp of water before wiping the sweat from her face and smiling.

    ¡°There¡¯s news, the Cooperative agreed to buy the mushrooms.¡±

    ¡°Really?

    What did they say?

    What¡¯s the price?¡± Liu Hun perked up immediately.

    Fen Ran didn¡¯t even have time to sit down before saying, ¡°The Cooperative agreed to buy them as mountain goods, but...

    they are only willing to buy dried mushrooms, so we have to dry them after picking.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not much of a problem, we have plenty of manpower, this isn¡¯t a worry.

    But the mushrooms will lose a lot of weight after drying, how is the price calculated?

    How much are they willing to buy?¡± Liu Hun asked Fen Ran.

    He wasn¡¯t worried about the manpower, as there were plenty of idle people in the village who could be organized to manage and dry the mushrooms, but the key issue was still the money.

    ¡°The Cooperative said they are willing to pay ten dollars per pound of dried mushrooms, and they can buy about 10,000 pounds per year, as these things even dried are hard to store, so they¡¯re only willing to take that much.¡± Fen Ran replied to Liu Hun immediately.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t ten dollars a pound a bit low?

    Last time I went to the market in town, dried mushrooms were over twenty dollars, right?¡± Qin Yue interjected and glanced at Fen Ran, noticing something.

    She quickly reached out and pulled Fen Ran aside.

    With Qin Yue pulling her down to sit, Fen Ran asked in a low voice, ¡°What¡¯s up?

    Is there something wrong?¡±

    Qin Yue looked at Liu Hun, who was still frowning in thought, and whispered to Fen Ran, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you wearing anything underneath?

    Everything is showing when you sweat, what were you thinking?¡±

    Fen Ran quickly looked down, and sure enough, the sweat had made her clothes semi-transparent.

    The front wasn¡¯t too bad, but from Qin Yue¡¯s angle, everything was perfectly visible.

    ¡°What!

    It¡¯s too hot, so I took it off at home.

    How was I supposed to know it would be this hot out?¡± Fen Ran blushed and explained sheepishly to Qin Yue.

    ¡°Weren¡¯t you just messing with your man?¡± Qin Yue couldn¡¯t help but tease, seeing the telltale signs that Fen Ran had just had some fun, her eyes moist, cheeks flushed, and her breath carried a whiff of that distinctive scent.

    Fen Ran sneered, like she was looking at a pile of dung, and said, ¡°Don¡¯t mention him, once he gets excited, there¡¯s no stopping him.

    This little matter I have to handle myself.¡±

    Qin Yue couldn¡¯t help but laugh, realizing what was going on.

    She now understood why Fen Ran had hurried over with just a single layer on.

    Ye Canghai was ineffective, and Fen Ran took matters into her own hands, then rushed over.

    It seemed like she wasn¡¯t much different from me in this regard, Qin Yue thought to herself, feeling unintentionally comforted by this realization.

    ¡°Bang!¡± Liu Hun slammed the table heavily, finally making a decision, and as he turned to the others, he said, ¡°Let¡¯s go ahead with this, 10,000 pounds is better than nothing.

    I¡¯ll go to town tomorrow to check things out.¡±

    Liu Hun, determined like he had swallowed a weight, was set on mushroom cultivation.

    Given the current situation in Wanbao Village, even if it was a one-time deal, it could make enough money to revive the village.

    Taiping Town wasn¡¯t far from Wanbao Village, and among the various villages under its jurisdiction, Wanbao Village was the closest.

    Although the town wasn¡¯t prosperous, let alone developed, it was certainly lively on market days.

    Today, Liu Hun arrived just in time for the market, with the town in full swing¡ªa stage show and bustling crowds, with many nearby villagers bringing their produce to sell.

    Fen Ran had run to the Cooperative, and Liu Hun wasn¡¯t relying on finding anything new from that avenue.

    Besides the Cooperative, what other paths were there...

    Liu Hun pondered as he strolled along, spotting a restaurant named ¡°Ke Yunlai.¡± A thought rose like a fish blowing bubbles, and just as he was ready to enter the restaurant, someone stumbled out, crashing into him.

    Liu Hun, quick-witted, caught the person and asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?

    Are you okay?¡± His hand landed on something soft, instantly recognizing it was a woman and he quickly let go.

    The woman steadied herself, brushed her hair back, and seemed to Liu Hun about in her late twenties or early thirties.

    She had long hair, large eyes, slender eyebrows, and a high nose bridge, with plump, red lips, similar to the Cui Yingying he once saw in a performance, especially with a look in her eyes that seemed to spell ¡°stubborn.¡±

    ¡°Thanks!

    I¡¯m fine!

    Just ran into some shameless folks,¡± the woman said irritably, glaring toward the restaurant¡¯s entrance.

    As soon as she finished speaking, three men came out of the restaurant, wiping their mouths and burping.

    The man in the middle grinned at the woman and said, ¡°Look at that mouth of yours!

    Tsk, it¡¯s lethal.

    Why call yourself Shi Bingyu, Stone Mouth would be more apt.¡± With that, the two men beside him joined in mocking laughter.

    Shi Bingyu snorted coldly, ¡°I can call myself whatever I want.

    Mind your own business, I might just call myself ¡®Stone Your Uncle¡¯ if I feel like it, you wanna try it?¡±

    The restaurant was situated on the busiest street, and their ruckus caught the attention of the market-goers, who began to gather and chatter.

    ¡°Look at this girl, she¡¯s quite pretty, but her mouth shows no mercy.

    What¡¯s going on here?

    Could these three be causing trouble?

    They sure don¡¯t look like troublemakers.¡±

    ¡°What do you know, she¡¯s Shi Bingyu, the owner of this restaurant!

    It was left to her by her father as a dowry when he passed.

    But instead of getting married, her business thrived.

    As for those three...

    let¡¯s just keep quiet.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s there to be scared of saying!

    That round-headed, turtle-like guy is just Lin Degui, the director of the Urban Development Office.

    As for Huang Qing and Huang Qiang, they¡¯re nothing worth mentioning, just sycophants.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Though the crowd grew larger, Shi Bingyu remained haughty, ready to clash head-on.

    She directly confronted the three, ¡°Lin Degui!

    You¡¯re not leaving until you settle the bill today!¡±

    ¡°Hey!

    This insolent woman, do you need a reminder?

    We dine here as a favor to you.

    Don¡¯t give us that attitude, step aside!¡± Huang Qiang said, rolling up his sleeves as if ready to fight.

    ¡°What now?

    Want to get physical?

    Let everyone judge for themselves!

    You¡¯ve been dining on credit for months with no payment and you dare to bully me!

    So what if you¡¯re with the Township Government?

    My words stand: no money, no leave today!¡± Shi Bingyu firmly stood her ground, unfazed by Huang Qiang¡¯s threat.

    ¡°Hey!

    You¡¯re asking for it today, aren¡¯t you?¡± Huang Qiang, emboldened by his alcohol, ran at Shi Bingyu with a raised fist aiming for her head.

    As Huang Qiang lunged, the onlookers were frozen in shock.

    Shi Bingyu hadn¡¯t expected him to strike ¡ªthe liquor had clearly clouded his mind¡ª and she stared at the approaching punch, feeling helpless.

    I¡¯m done for, not married yet, what will I do...

    was the fleeting thought in Shi Bingyu¡¯s mind as she instinctively closed her eyes.

    Suddenly, she felt a tightness around her waist, like something flew past her.

    She quickly looked and saw Huang Qiang lying on the ground, while she was unharmed, her face pressed against someone¡¯s chest, the beating of his heart making her feel unexpectedly flustered.

 Chapter 53 - 53 53 To Heal

    ?53: Chapter 53: To Heal 53: Chapter 53: To Heal ¡°What the hell!

    Eating without paying and still have the face to hit a woman?¡± Liu Hun looked at Huang Qiang, sprawled on the ground like a mess, as if he were looking at a dog eating shit.

    If he hadn¡¯t intervened in time, Shi Bingyu would have really been in danger.

    Shi Bingyu touched her face with the back of her hand, feeling the heat, never before in her life had she been embraced publicly, and listening to his heartbeat, it seemed as if her own heart was also beating in sync.

    ¡°Look at that!

    Did you guys see that punch just now?

    Was it not just like...

    like Huo Yuanjia, one hand hugging the girl and the other sending down a punch...

    how amazing!¡± A villager standing opposite, watching Liu Hun¡¯s fluid movements, was so excited that he almost shook the lice off his back, standing still while gesturing and praising loudly.

    At this moment, the onlookers also came to their senses, those who could speak babbled on like flipping coins with their lips, and those who couldn¡¯t, just gave Liu Hun a thumbs up.

    ¡°Rogues!

    Rogues!

    How dare you hit someone!

    Which hole did you crawl out of?

    Who gave you the guts?¡± Lin Degui pointed at Liu Hun and yelled, his heart trembling as he had seen Liu Hun¡¯s skill very clearly.

    Huang Qing quickly stepped forward to help up his brother; Huang Qiang¡¯s face was a muddled mess of blood and dirt, and the booze was slowly leaving him, waking him up.

    Once he was up, he asked Huang Qing, ¡°Brother, was there a thunderclap just now?

    How did I end up on the ground?¡±

    ¡°You fool!

    With so many people watching, you still want to throw punches?

    Aren¡¯t you just causing trouble for Director Lin?¡± Huang Qing scolded his brother in a hushed voice, then gestured with his eyes and said to Huang Qiang, ¡°That guy, he¡¯s no ordinary man.

    The move he used on you earlier almost dazzled me.¡±

    After Liu Hun let go of Shi Bingyu, he stepped forward and said to Lin Degui, ¡°I don¡¯t care who you think you are, even the Mayor has to pay for his meals!

    You don¡¯t pay for your meal and even condone your subordinates to beat people, how can this be justified anywhere?!

    In front of all these villagers, I¡¯m laying it down here!

    If you don¡¯t settle this bill, you won¡¯t be able to leave this place!¡±

    ¡°Yes!

    The bill must be settled!

    Why eat without paying?

    And then hitting people!

    And still can¡¯t fight back, isn¡¯t it shameful?¡± An onlooking villager couldn¡¯t hold back and shouted in support.

    Now that they had a leader, the onlooking villagers began blaming Lin Degui enthusiastically, and the crowd around them grew larger and larger, the commotion escalating like fireworks during a festival.

    Lin Fugui instantly panicked and hastily signaled to Huang Qing to find a solution.

    Huang Qing, a typical no-good player, sneaked back into the restaurant unnoticed and soon returned with a plate of food.

    ¡°Fellow villagers, listen to me!

    It¡¯s not that Director Lin ate and refused to pay.

    Do you think our Director Lin lacks the money?

    We¡¯re not short of money, so why refuse to pay?

    It¡¯s because the restaurant¡¯s food is unclean!

    Eating it will give you an upset stomach!

    With such food, not asking Shi Bingyu for compensation is generous enough, why should she highly demand money from us!¡± While Huang Qing held a plate and squinted his eyes with a menacing look, he subtly kicked Huang Qiang, who immediately changed his facial expression and began clutching his stomach and wailing.

    ¡°What kind of nonsense is this?

    You¡¯ve been eating my food for months without any issues, but when it comes time to pay, it suddenly causes problems?

    Just now Huang Qiang even tried to hit me, and now he¡¯s clutching his stomach crying in pain?

    Are you trying to fool ghosts?¡± Shi Bingyu planted her hands on her hips and pointed at Lin Degui, truly furious.

    Huang Qing, grinning widely, held out the dish to Shi Bingyu and said, ¡°You said this dish is fine, right?

    Dare to try it then?

    If you eat it and don¡¯t get diarrhea in three minutes, we¡¯ll pay immediately.¡±

    Hey, this trick is effective!

    Lin Fugui was overjoyed, not expecting Huang Qing to come up with such a good idea; not only could they avoid paying the previous bills, but also possibly fine Shi Bingyu, perhaps eventually forcing her to come begging in his bed.

    This was as clear as day turning to heavy snow¡ªanyone could see what was really happening.

    Although the surrounding villagers knew there must be some trickery at play, it was like being adhered to by adhesive plaster¡ªwhether tearing it off or keeping it on, both options felt uncomfortable.

    They helplessly watched Lin Degui¡¯s group messing around, and no one dared to express a single word of ¡°Eat¡±, while Shi Bingyu trembled with rage.

    Huang Qing carried the plate around, then stopped in front of Liu Hun and taunted him, grinning to show his yellow teeth, ¡°Aren¡¯t you capable?

    Dare to try it?

    Scared, are you?

    If you¡¯re scared, then we might just leave.¡±

    Just as Huang Qing was about to drop the plate, a sudden piercing pain shot through his wrist, turning to see it was Liu Hun grabbing hold of him.

    ¡°You...

    what do you think you¡¯re doing?

    You¡¯re being unreasonable and still trying to be violent?¡± Huang Qing, sweating cold from pain, couldn¡¯t speak properly.

    Liu Hun took the plate from Huang Qing¡¯s hand and addressed the surrounding villagers, ¡°Everyone listen!

    If we can prove that this plate of food is alright after eating, then these three must settle their bill today!¡±

    The onlookers shuddered, wondering if Liu Hun would really eat the food, and Shi Bingyu, thinking the same, quickly grabbed Liu Hun and said, ¡°Don¡¯t you dare eat it!

    Huang Qing is full of cunning tricks, what if something happens to you?¡±

    ¡°Rest assured, if anything goes wrong, it will be his fault!¡± After Liu Hun said this to Shi Bingyu, he suddenly grabbed Huang Qing by the chin while holding a plate in his other hand and poured the leftovers directly into Huang Qing¡¯s mouth.

    ¡°Cough, cough, cough...bleh...¡± Huang Qing choked as if he had fallen into a pit of dung¡ªit was a real feast.

    ¡°Brother!¡± Huang Qiang was no fool; he understood that his brother hadn¡¯t been up to anything good with the plate and was about to step forward when Lin Degui held him back and whispered, ¡°Hold your belly and keep howling.

    Don¡¯t panic like our father has died.

    This idiot has helped us out; Huang Qing will only have diarrhea for a few days, and our debt will be settled.¡±

    After retching a few more times, Huang Qing immediately came to his senses and stopped vomiting.

    He stood up straight and addressed Liu Hun, Shi Bingyu, and the surrounding villagers, ¡°Everyone saw it!

    This guy force-fed me the food; it was intentional harm!

    The food is poisoned!¡±

    ¡°What poison, huh?

    Explain clearly!

    Look at your brother howling like a slaughtered pig; does he look genuine?¡± Shi Bingyu was incredibly angry and really wanted to smash the plate in Huang Qing¡¯s face.

    ¡°Gurgle,¡± Huang Qing¡¯s stomach suddenly cramped, making him realize that the drug had taken effect.

    Clenching his teeth in pain, he sneered at Shi Bingyu, ¡°Empty words prove nothing; let¡¯s go to the clinic and see!

    If I¡¯m poisoned today, I¡¯ll have you bankrupt!¡±

    ¡°If there¡¯s nothing wrong with you today, I¡¯ll show you who¡¯s tough!

    Let¡¯s go!

    We¡¯re heading to the clinic right now!¡± Liu Hun said, grabbing Huang Qing and dragging him to a clinic not far from the restaurant.

    A large group of idle villagers, including Lin Degui and Shi Bingyu, followed them.

    As soon as Huang Qing entered the clinic and sat down, he urgently told the doctor, ¡°Doctor Chen!

    Hurry up!

    I can¡¯t hold it much longer!

    I¡¯ve been poisoned!¡±

    The woman doctor, dressed in a white coat with efficient hairdo and a mask obscuring her face, pointed at a stool and said, ¡°Sit down quietly.¡± Although her face was hidden, her eyes appeared light and clear like a bamboo forest after spring rain, and her name tag clearly read ¡°Chen Qiuya.¡±

    ¡°Shut your mouth!¡± Liu Hun poked Huang Qing hard from behind, infusing Qi Force into his body.

    Chen Qiuya, holding a stethoscope, told Huang Qing, ¡°Lift your shirt; let me listen.¡± Huang Qing hurried to comply, eagerly awaiting the doctor to declare ¡°poisoned¡± so he could lie in bed counting money.

    Chen Qiuya listened for a while, and just as she took off the stethoscope, Huang Qing grabbed her hand anxiously, ¡°Doctor!

    Am I poisoned?

    Just say I¡¯m poisoned!¡±

    ¡°Yeah!

    Look at my brother¡¯s condition!

    Isn¡¯t that poisoning?

    This woman has to pay¡ªa compensation of thirty thousand will settle it!¡± Huang Qiang excitedly chimed in, completely forgetting that he was supposed to be poisoned too.

    The surrounding villagers and Shi Bingyu held their breath, fearing Chen Qiuya would utter the words ¡°poisoned.¡±

    Among the expectant crowd, Chen Qiuya finally spoke, ¡°You should first go check your head at the county hospital.

    Don¡¯t come here to amuse yourself for nothing; next time, I¡¯ll call the police!¡±

    ¡°What?!

    What are you saying?!

    Look clearly, I obviously ate that dish; how could I be fine?¡± Huang Qing suddenly jumped up; after all, he had poisoned the food himself.

    ¡°What kind of doctor are you?

    Do you still want to run this clinic?

    It was my brother who took the drugs he brought himself; how could he possibly be fine?¡± Huang Qiang, baffled and panicked, blurted out the truth.

    ¡°It seems many people here need their heads examined.

    I assure you, you¡¯re fine.

    Either you didn¡¯t eat anything bad, or like your brother said, you consumed your own drugs¡ªexcept those drugs were probably fake,¡± Chen Qiuya said icily, then waved her hand dismissively, ¡°Stop bothering me; I have other patients to see!¡±

    ¡°Talk shit and I swear I¡¯ll smash you...ow!¡± As Huang Qiang was about to act violently in the clinic, Liu Hun delivered a swift blow to his knee and grabbed Huang Qiang by one side and Huang Qing by the other, carrying them away from the clinic like two little chicks.

    ¡°Phew...that was terrifying...Who is that guy, he seems pretty capable,¡± Chen Qiuya muttered, removing her mask and sighing in relief as she watched the crowd leave.

    After leaving the clinic, Liu Hun dropped the two men on the ground, then turned to Lin Degui and said, ¡°Lin Degui, all has been proven.

    Your lackeys messed up the act, spilling both necessary and unnecessary words; now tell me, what should be done?¡±

 Chapter 54 - 54 54 Pathways

    ?54: Chapter 54: Pathways 54: Chapter 54: Pathways Lin Degui felt a deep sense of regret and hatred, wanting nothing more than to get rid of these two foolish individuals.

    He was reluctant to pay the money, but there was no escaping it now.

    ¡°Look at him, Lin Degui, he clearly doesn¡¯t want to pay up.

    We¡¯re already at this point, and he¡¯s still clinging to his money as if from beyond the grave!¡±

    ¡°Shameless and reckless, all for money!

    If he doesn¡¯t pay us, let¡¯s go to the Township Government and report him to the Mayor, make sure he can¡¯t hold his small-time official position anymore!¡±

    ¡°Hey!

    I say we go all out.

    Deal with him like we did with his two lackeys, give him a good beating!¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Lin Degui was utterly terrified.

    He couldn¡¯t win an argument, nor could he win a fight.

    Seeing the crowd growing more enraged, he had no choice but to nod and agree to pay the money immediately.

    After a lot of trouble, Lin Degui and the other two finally repaid the ten thousand yuan they had accumulated over months of dining at the restaurant without paying, back to Shi Bingyu.

    ¡°Here!

    Try this, see how it tastes!

    Eat to your heart¡¯s content, there¡¯s more!¡± Shi Bingyu happily placed the food on the table, not expecting that Liu Hun, the man in front of her, would be both loyal and capable, finally resolving the issue.

    ¡°Anyone would stand up in this situation, and even if this hadn¡¯t happened, I planned to come find you anyway.¡± Liu Hun put down his chopsticks, intending to discuss serious matters with Shi Bingyu.

    ¡°Oh?!¡± Shi Bingyu smiled like an orchid, asking Liu Hun, ¡°What¡¯s up?

    Have you heard of me before, coming here specifically to find me?¡±

    When Shi Bingyu smiled, a tear mole near her eye seemed to smile along with her.

    At that moment, the woman shed her earlier stubbornness and exuded charm.

    ¡°I¡¯m from Wanbao Village.

    Recently, our village has started growing mushrooms, but the Cooperative only accepts ten thousand pounds.

    I estimate our production will exceed that, so I¡¯m here to seek out additional sales channels.¡± Liu Hun smiled as he spoke to Shi Bingyu, not stating it explicitly but making the matter clear.

    ¡°Wanbao Village grows mushrooms?

    This is the first time I¡¯ve heard of it.

    Before this, I¡¯d only heard that Wanbao Village¡¯s vegetables were especially good, never thought it could produce mushrooms too.

    Mushrooms are great, our restaurant¡¯s signature dish is chicken stewed with mushrooms, and it sells remarkably well.

    Unfortunately, mushrooms aren¡¯t always available, especially the good ones.

    Didn¡¯t expect you to bring them right to my doorstep.¡± Shi Bingyu laughed heartily, almost like a man.

    ¡°But how many does your restaurant need?

    Fresh mushrooms or dried ones?¡± Liu Hun asked somewhat puzzled, as he didn¡¯t know much about the restaurant business.

    ¡°You¡¯re underestimating me!

    Let me tell you, my restaurant¡¯s been in Taiping Town for years, it¡¯s well-known!

    Everyone from the Mayor and Party Secretary down to the villagers comes to enjoy a bite here.

    When it¡¯s market day, it¡¯s up to me whether I want to serve them or not!¡± Shi Bingyu said, her smile fading as she continued, ¡°Business is booming three seasons a year, but in winter, there¡¯s nothing to eat.

    If you can get me mushrooms, that¡¯d be excellent.

    I¡¯d change the menu for winter and offer various mushroom dishes, and business would be even better!¡±

    Liu Hun was overjoyed, realizing he had found the sales channel he was looking for.

    With Shi Bingyu¡¯s help, mushroom farming wouldn¡¯t just be a one-time deal but could be a long-term plan.

    Although it might not make much money, it was like a small stream slowly feeding into the barren soil of Wanbao Village.

    What delighted Liu Hun even more was that Shi Bingyu, this extraordinary woman, also had a restaurant in the neighboring town.

    With a market now found, Liu Hun led the villagers enthusiastically to work.

    Starting with planting on a pile of dead wood, Liu Hun used his superpower to make mushrooms grow rapidly, sprouting like bamboo shoots after a rain.

    The villagers of Wanbao Village were overjoyed, smiling in their sleep.

    As Wang Dajiao put it, ¡°So happy that you can unlock it with a belly button key!¡±

    The mushrooms were harvested batch after batch, and each household dried them accordingly.

    Soon, the Cooperative¡¯s quota was fulfilled, and the steady flow to Shi Bingyu¡¯s restaurant wasn¡¯t on the same scale, so Liu Hun greatly reduced the mushroom planting scale.

    After a whirlwind of busy activity, the Wanbao Village villagers found themselves with more leisure time.

    The hardest times in Wanbao Village were over, buried fields were cleared, and with the money from Liu Hun, houses started being built one by one.

    Although they weren¡¯t as big as the homes their ancestors had built, they finally had a place to take shelter.

    According to Du Yueling¡¯s accounting, the recent busy period brought in over 120,000 yuan in revenue.

    After deducting various costs, 110,000 remained.

    After dividing up the profits among the villagers, Liu Hun had over 60,000 left in his pocket, bringing his total savings to exactly 150,000.

    In Wanbao Village, being a millionaire for whom this was the first time, it was quite the groundbreaking achievement.

    Even the former village tyrant Rascal Chen had only about 70,000 or 80,000 at most.

    So, outsiders believed Liu Hun could now enjoy a prosperous life, but Liu Hun didn¡¯t think this way.

    His goal was to make Wanbao Village the number one village in Huaxia.

    This 150,000 was just the start.

    After selling vegetables and mushrooms, Liu Hun realized something: around Wanbao Village, there was a limit to what could be sold.

    Surplus wouldn¡¯t sell.

    If there were a road to a big city, with convenient transport, things would be different.

    But for now, that was just a dream.

    Since there was a limit to selling a single product, why not diversify?

    Ten thousand yuan from vegetables, ten thousand from mushrooms... What other options were there?

    Fruit!

    As Liu Hun mused, a flash of inspiration came to him, and when he looked up, he found himself at Ye Canghai¡¯s Orange Garden.

    It was as if someone had offered him a pillow just when he wanted to nap.

    Liu Hun¡¯s heart stirred, and he immediately walked into the Orange Garden.

    After a few steps, he heard someone talking and saw it was Fen Ran.

    ¡°Who¡¯s that man?¡± Liu Hun mumbled, walking closer to the two.

    ¡°We were meant to be together!

    If it weren¡¯t for your parents insisting you marry Ye Canghai, we¡¯d be together now!¡± the man said, reaching to pull Fen Ran into his arms.

    Fen Ran pushed him away and pointed, ¡°Ding Yajun!

    We¡¯re impossible now!

    Give it up!¡±

    ¡°Fen Ran!

    I got money now!

    I¡¯m not the old Ding Yajun!

    I¡¯ve been thinking of you, causing sleepless nights,¡± Ding Yajun professed with a grin.

    Fen Ran scoffed, looking at him like a toad drooling, ¡°I know you¡¯re rich now.

    I also heard about your affairs in town with many women, staying up late fooling around.

    Of course, you can¡¯t sleep!¡±

    Ding Yajun, embarrassed, quickly tried to defend himself, ¡°Fen Ran, you¡¯re who I care about!

    Please understand my feelings!¡±

    ¡°Enough!

    You can leave now, don¡¯t pull and tug at me, we have no relationship!¡± Fen Ran said and turned to leave, only to be grabbed by Ding Yajun.

    ¡°Fen Ran, I know Ye Canghai can¡¯t satisfy you.

    Let me do it.

    I¡¯ll make you feel heavenly,¡± Ding Yajun said, becoming handsy.

    Fen Ran pushed him away, exclaiming, ¡°What nonsense!

    Let go, or I¡¯ll call for help.¡±

    ¡°What nonsense?

    I often play cards with Ye Canghai.

    He even asked me for some secret tips.

    You think I don¡¯t know how you feel?

    You¡¯ve left your fertile land fallow, let me plow it well,¡± Ding Yajun said, trying to force himself on her.

    ¡°Smack!¡± Fen Ran slapped Ding Yajun across the face and tidied her clothes before saying, ¡°You¡¯re an animal!

    I must have been blind to like you!

    Let me tell you, Ding Yajun, even if I need a man, it won¡¯t be you!¡±

    ¡°Damn woman!

    Today I¡¯ll do you right here, make a scene if you dare!

    Let everyone see what happens.

    We¡¯ll see who¡¯s shamed!¡± Ding Yajun said with a sneer, lunging at Fen Ran.

    ¡°Thud!¡± A dull grunt, and Ding Yajun¡¯s face felt dislocated, a sudden metallic taste in his mouth.

    Pain flashed to his mind.

    ¡°Ouch... Damn!

    You blind thing, how dare you hit me!¡± Ding Yajun clutched his numbed face, eyeing Liu Hun, who had somehow appeared.

    ¡°Hit you I did!¡± Liu Hun retorted, swinging another punch to the other side of Ding Yajun¡¯s face.

    Ding Yajun didn¡¯t expect Liu Hun to strike, leaving him dizzy with stars in his vision, his head heavy like it had gained more weight, and he fell to the ground.

    ¡°Hun!

    Stop beating this beast, lest you dirty your hands.

    Let him crawl home!¡± Fen Ran stepped forward and held Liu Hun back, grateful for his timely appearance.

    Without him, her fate might have been dire.

    However, she worried if Ding Yajun were seriously injured, it might trouble Liu Hun, which she couldn¡¯t accept.

    ¡°Alright, Sister Yue, as you say.

    I¡¯ll stop hitting, but he needs to learn a lesson!¡± Liu Hun said, dragging the limp Ding Yajun to the roadside, stripping him of his clothes and tying his hands with his belt to a tree stump.

    Then he said to Fen Ran, ¡°He thinks he¡¯s something, let the villagers of Wanbao see what a weakling he is!¡±

    Fen Ran, looking at Ding Yajun¡¯s pathetic state, stole a glance at Liu Hun, her face flushed like she¡¯d drunk a couple of shots, muttering, ¡°No comparison to you.¡±

    Liu Hun didn¡¯t hear what Fen Ran said, focused on serious matters, and told Fen Ran, ¡°Sister Yue, let this scoundrel cool off here.

    I¡¯ve got serious business to discuss with you.¡±

 Chapter 55 - 55 55 Rent

    ?55: Chapter 55 Rent 55: Chapter 55 Rent Fen Ran had just taken a step when she realized something was off.

    Looking down, she found her heel had actually fallen off.

    Turning to Liu Hun, she said, ¡°Hunzi, support me as we head back.¡±

    Fen Ran leaned on Liu Hun as soon as she finished speaking, feeling his muscular arms, and thought to herself, ¡°This is the kind of man who really knows how to work the land; he could even draw water from the driest soil!¡±

    Liu Hun had no idea what was going through Fen Ran¡¯s mind.

    After helping her back inside, he asked a few questions about Ding Yajun, but seeing her reluctance to elaborate, he steered the conversation back to the main topic.

    ¡°Sister Yue, the mushroom farming needs to be a slow and steady process, which I¡¯m sure you understand, right?¡±

    ¡°Mhm!

    Of course, I know.¡± Fen Ran gave Liu Hun a slight smile, her thoughts still drifting like clouds on the horizon.

    Liu Hun continued, ¡°Right now, our village is going through the toughest times, but it¡¯s these mushrooms that have helped us pull through.

    I believe we need not only to get back to our former level but to go even further and at least shed this label of poverty!¡±

    Fen Ran liked this kind of strong, ambitious man.

    The more she looked at Liu Hun, the more she took a liking to him.

    Puckering her lips, she smiled and said, ¡°So, what do you want to do?

    No matter what, I¡¯ll support you, anything you want to do, just let you.¡±

    After she spoke, Fen Ran¡¯s heart fluttered, her body tingling from her toes to her hair.

    She hoped Liu Hun would understand the meaning behind her words while also fearing that he would.

    It was like having a mouthful of piping hot soup¨C¨Ctoo hot to swallow but too delicious to spit out.

    Liu Hun was delighted when he heard what Fen Ran said, and he immediately responded, ¡°Sister Yue, let¡¯s let the mushrooms grow slowly and steadily.

    I¡¯m planning to plant fruit trees next.

    I¡¯ve noticed that your family¡¯s Orange Garden is quite large, and it seems to be neglected now.

    What do you think about renting it to me to work on?¡±

    Liu Hun truly felt that Ye Canghai¡¯s ready-made Orange Garden was a great opportunity.

    With a little Qi Force, he could achieve a good harvest.

    If he started his own orchard, he would have to wait for the seedlings to grow into fruit trees, which would take several years¨Csomething he couldn¡¯t afford to wait for.

    Moreover, if he used his Qi to make the seedlings grow rapidly, he would be treated as a freak, so the garden was indeed the perfect treasure.

    ¡°You want to take care of this garden?¡± Fen Ran asked Liu Hun, and without waiting for his response, she began to speak for herself, ¡°Hunzi, this garden isn¡¯t easy to manage, not like veggies or mushrooms.

    You see how large it is, but in reality, Canghai and I can only manage a portion of it, and the harvest isn¡¯t even good.

    Most importantly, think about it: before, whatever you did, there were always people willing to help out, but it wouldn¡¯t be the same with this garden.

    If they don¡¯t see any benefit, who would be willing to help then?

    Everyone¡¯s as stingy as can be, and you would end up exhausted.¡± Fen Ran finished speaking, her Liu Mei eyebrows seductively raised, her head lowered resembling a young wife protecting her man.

    ¡°Clap!¡± Liu Hun clapped his hands and exclaimed, ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I want!

    Sister Yue, to tell you the truth, I¡¯ve also felt that the villagers are too lazy.

    Even with opportunities right in front of them, we have to go door to door to get them involved.

    If it continues like this, our village surely won¡¯t get rich.

    So, I need to manage this garden well and can¡¯t let them interfere.

    I¡¯ve got to provoke them, make them anxious, and let them understand that if they want a share of any good fortune in the future, they have to devote themselves wholly; every person has to give it their all for our village to prosper!¡±

    Fen Ran looked at Liu Hun as if he were a general commanding thousands of soldiers on the opera stage ¨C the more she watched, the warmer her heart felt.

    Unable to resist, she reached out and pinched Liu Hun¡¯s arm, ¡°The old and young, men and women of our village don¡¯t have the same strength as you.

    Just look at these muscles, tsk tsk!¡±

    ¡°Sister Yue, you¡¯ve got the wrong idea.

    I don¡¯t need them to be capable; what I¡¯m looking for is for them to have the right spirit and mindset.

    This way of scratching a living from the soil day by day has to fundamentally change,¡± Liu Hun explained, a principle he had come to understand after beginning his work in the village.

    ¡°Then tell me, brother, if not by farming their lands, what should they do?

    Especially for men, shouldn¡¯t they take good care of their own land?

    If the land isn¡¯t cultivated, leaving it barren would be agonizing, don¡¯t you think...It wouldn¡¯t be a problem to have someone else work it, right?¡± Fen Ran moved closer to Liu Hun, and the more she spoke, the more she felt her body heat up like a steamed bun in a bamboo steamer.

    Liu Hun, unaware of the thick, honey-like meaning behind Fen Ran¡¯s words, further explained, ¡°Sister Yue, don¡¯t laugh at me for thinking too big, but I¡¯m here to guide all of us out of Wanbao Village¡¯s current state toward a better tomorrow!

    After everything we¡¯ve been through, I feel the first step is to mobilize everyone¡¯s enthusiasm, and then we can make the next move.

    As for letting our own land lie fallow, that, of course, won¡¯t do, and I agree that the able-bodied should work it.

    We just need to figure out the best way.¡±

    ¡°Hunzi...

    I think you are the best farmer in our village.

    Tell me, what do you think about this plot of land...

    would you be willing to lend your strength to help your sister out with this,¡± Fen Ran said, lowering her head, her voice husky as if parched for three days, her heart pounding as if it were at the County Government Office, sounding the drum of grievance.

    Liu Hun chuckled and said, ¡°Sister Yue, listen to what you¡¯re saying.

    Didn¡¯t I come here today specifically to discuss working on this piece of land?¡±

    ¡°Working on what land?

    What are you two talking about here?¡± Ye Canghai walked in, his face aglow, joining the conversation.

    At the sight of Ye Canghai, the fire that was about to burst forth from Fen Ran¡¯s heart suddenly died down.

    Nervously, she squeezed her legs together and asked him, ¡°What brought you back?¡±

    ¡°Just in time!

    Village Chief, you¡¯ve come at the right moment; Sister Yue and I were just discussing it.

    You really need to think about it,¡± Liu Hun said, quickly inviting Ye Canghai to take a seat with enthusiasm.

    If it were someone else doing this, Ye Canghai would be quite pleased, but Liu Hun had already been labeled in his mind as a troublemaker.

    Anywhere Liu Hun went, trouble wasn¡¯t far behind.

    So with some trepidation, Ye Canghai asked Liu Hun, ¡°Cheng...

    you rascal, what¡¯s going on?

    You seem so eager.

    It¡¯s not that you want me to get into a fight and cause a ruckus at the Township Government, is it?¡±

    ¡°Look at you, all high and mighty.

    When have you ever done anything right?

    Why would someone like him bother seeking you out?¡± Fen Ran cast a sidelong glance at Ye Canghai and said, every time there was a big issue or a small matter, the first one to run away was definitely Ye Canghai.

    Ye Canghai immediately took offense and turned to Fen Ran, ¡°What kind of talk is that?

    If he¡¯s seeking me out, it means I¡¯m capable.

    Why is your face so red?

    What are you twisting your two legs together for?

    You got fleas?

    Move over a bit!¡±

    Fen Ran shakily moved a little to the side.

    This was almost a critical moment, and Ye Canghai¡¯s interruption meant more dawdling was inevitable.

    ¡°Hooligan, if you¡¯ve got something to say, spit it out!¡± Ye Canghai sat down carelessly and lit a cigarette.

    After what his wife just said, he felt more at ease¡ªfighting and making trouble were Liu Hun¡¯s strong suits; it was unlikely he¡¯d be looking for help from him.

    Liu Hun then explained the matter of wanting to plant the Orange Garden in detail to Ye Canghai and finally asked, ¡°Village chief, what do you think?

    Does it work for you?¡±

    This was like a pie falling from the sky; all one had to do was bend over to pick it up.

    Ye Canghai was more than willing inside, but he had to discuss how the pie would fall, ¡°Rascal, I don¡¯t doubt your abilities, and I¡¯m all for supporting you in doing big things.

    But...

    just look at my situation...

    you know, I still have to provide for a wife...¡±

    ¡°Ah!¡± As Ye Canghai was speaking, Fen Ran suddenly made a humming noise and then her whole body started to shake.

    ¡°This woman, never happy...

    What¡¯s the matter?¡± Ye Canghai sensed something was off about Fen Ran and immediately bent down to ask.

    Liu Hun also looked at Fen Ran with concern, seeing that her eyes were almost dripping with water, and her cheeks were flushed with red.

    But he wasn¡¯t really worried about her having an accident relying on his Qi.

    Only Fen Ran herself knew what was really going on.

    After struggling to recover some energy, she said to them both, ¡°Nothing...

    nothing.

    Just had a cramp in my stomach, I¡¯m fine now.

    Continue with your talk.¡±

    ¡°Women always make a big fuss over nothing,¡± Ye Canghai took a puff of his cigarette and continued to address Liu Hun, ¡°Rascal, you...

    you understand what I¡¯m getting at, right?¡±

    Liu Hun nodded and said with a smile, ¡°Village chief, I completely understand.

    Let me manage the Orange Garden this year.

    After the harvest, we¡¯ll split the earnings fifty-fifty.

    How does that sound?¡±

    That was precisely the sentence Ye Canghai had been waiting for.

    He smacked his thigh and said, ¡°Done!

    Just like that!

    We¡¯ve reached an agreement, then.

    The Orange Garden is yours from today onwards, rascal.

    But when it comes to the harvest, we¡¯d better...

    put it in writing.¡± He was about to say ¡°do not forget our agreement,¡± but then thought better of it and decided to be cautious.

    Liu Hun had caused some big income turnovers in the village before, counting in tens of thousands, and that money could not be missed out on.

    After negotiating, Liu Hun went off to make preparations, and Ye Canghai shamelessly said to Fen Ran, ¡°Wife!

    Look at me, how did I do in the negotiation?

    That¡¯s what they call ¡®negotiation¡¯ in big cities!

    It¡¯s all about blending strength and skill!¡±

    ¡°Pshaw!

    Give it a rest!

    You just took advantage of an opportunity that fell into your lap, and you dare talk about strength and skill.

    You¡¯ve got nothing!¡± Fen Ran rolled her eyes at Ye Canghai and said.

    Now that she had let out her frustration, she felt much better.

    ¡°Hey!

    Wife, thanks to this rascal, so many people in our village have made a fortune.

    Now it should finally be our turn.

    With him around, we can take it easy from now on.

    Tending to the orchard all day long, my body¡¯s been getting worse and worse.¡± Having said that, Ye Canghai finished off the last drag of his cigarette.

    Fen Ran could deeply relate to Ye Canghai¡¯s last comment.

    She pursed her lips at Ye Canghai and said, ¡°With the state you¡¯re in, when have you ever taken care of our land?

    It¡¯s always been me looking after it.

    You act like you¡¯ve put in so much effort; the orchard¡¯s yield gets worse every year.

    You still have the face to talk?¡±

    Ye Canghai just chuckled and scooted over to Fen Ran¡¯s side awkwardly, and not so innocuously placed his hand on Fen Ran¡¯s thigh, saying, ¡°That¡¯s why I say, let¡¯s just hand over the entire orchard to the rascal.

    If we can¡¯t manage the land outside, at least I can take good care of the land at home.¡±

 Chapter 56 - 56 56 Heavy Rain

    ?56: Chapter 56 Heavy Rain 56: Chapter 56 Heavy Rain ¡°Off with you, stop pawing at me,¡± Fen Ran swatted Ye Canghai¡¯s hands away.

    Having just finished their business, she had absolutely no interest and said, ¡°Fair¡¯s fair, we¡¯ve got to split it fifty-fifty.

    We can¡¯t just sit at home doing nothing.

    We¡¯ve got to support Liu Hun and work together.¡±

    ¡°Wifey, how come you look even prettier today, my heart...

    why¡¯s it so watery?¡± Ye Canghai was buttering Fen Ran up when suddenly his hand pressed onto the sofa and felt some water.

    Fen Ran¡¯s face instantly turned red.

    Just as she was worrying about how to respond, there was a knock at the door.

    Knock, knock, knock...

    Knock, knock, knock...

    Village chief!

    Ye Village Chief!¡±

    Ye Canghai knew it was a call for mahjong as soon as he heard it.

    He could only give a sheepish smile to Fen Ran and say, ¡°Wifey, there¡¯s something in the town, I won¡¯t be coming back tonight.¡± With that, he rubbed his hands and left.

    Fen Ran spat toward Ye Canghai¡¯s retreating back, ¡°Useless, all you know is gambling!

    One of these days, I¡¯ll definitely run off with someone else!¡± Then, she hastily got up to check and saw a large patch of water stain on the sofa, her face turning red and her heart racing as she murmured, ¡°Oh dear, you¡¯ll be the death of me, you rascal, never knowing where my itch lies.¡±

    With just over a month until the oranges were ripe, the fruits in the Orange Garden looked droopy, like wilted chrysanthemums.

    But Liu Hun wasn¡¯t worried at all; not only was he not anxious, but he also had Du Yueling and Qin Yue spread the news of his orange orchard, stirring up the villagers who weren¡¯t involved in his new venture.

    ¡°Why¡¯s Liu Hun doing this?

    Why didn¡¯t he include us?

    Logically speaking, we didn¡¯t lose money planting mushrooms last time; we all put in some effort.¡±

    ¡°What effort?

    Just keeping watch over that patch of land to keep the pheasants and wild dogs at bay.

    So many of our village folks just went there to laze around; we might as well tie a guard dog there!

    Can¡¯t blame Liu Hun for not calling us; just look how many of us are willing to truly put in the work.

    Aren¡¯t they all just hopping on for a free ride?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m saying, it¡¯s true.

    Liu Hun is doing his own thing, he gets all the money for himself, how comfy is that.

    I reckon we should rely on ourselves and not be like lazy donkeys to the grindstone, nothing done despite being busy all day.

    Let¡¯s just wait and see, that Liu Hun is bound for a bumper harvest!¡±

    ¡°Hey!

    Look at you people, Liu Hun¡¯s not taking you along, and you¡¯re still there groveling and licking his boots!

    Liu Hun up on the lookout tower, dreaming of gold¡ªgreedy!

    The harvest is about to begin, just look at the fruits in Ye Canghai¡¯s garden!

    I bet Liu Hun¡¯s gonna fall flat on his face this time!¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Liu Hun¡¯s move really had a significant effect.

    Having set the precedent with vegetable and mushroom farming, giving villagers a taste of success, now that he was running the orchard without them involved, complaints and grumbles were natural, as were those who began to reflect on their participation.

    According to Du Yueling, Liu Hun¡¯s move was like alternating carrots with sticks.

    In just a month, Liu Hun had not only reclaimed the part of the fruit garden left to waste by Ye Canghai, but also nurtured the fruits as if they were golden treasures.

    Standing in the Orange Garden, Du Yueling smiled, her dimples looking as though they could hold spring itself.

    With her slender fingers, she peeled an orange slice and fed one to herself and another to Liu Hun.

    Watching his goofy grin, she felt the air was filled with love.

    But Nature wasn¡¯t kind today, and what shouldn¡¯t happen, happened just then¡ªa flash of lightning streaked across the night sky, followed by a downpour that didn¡¯t let up for a day and a night.

    Liu Hun was really at a loss as the rain poured down, just when his mother was getting married.

    What he worried about the most was the soon-to-be-harvested Orange Garden.

    Liu Hun asked Du Yueling to wait in the temple, while he himself, wearing a rain hat, went to the Orange Garden.

    The sight of the water level rising dangerously close to submerging the orange trees panicked him, fearing that if the water rose further, it would wash away the oranges and ruin everything.

    Liu Hun immediately went to Ye Canghai¡¯s house to discuss countermeasures, only to find the village accountant Mo Wen inside.

    He ignored Mo Wen and simply relayed the situation of the Orange Garden to Ye Canghai.

    After listening to Liu Hun, Ye Canghai scratched his head and turned to Mo Wen, ¡°Detian, do you have any ideas?¡±

    Mo Wen glanced at Liu Hun with malice since after being dealt with by Liu Hun last time, he¡¯d been hiding in town, only returning occasionally when Ye Canghai had some work.

    Hearing Ye Canghai¡¯s question, his ill-intent surged like a spring dug out with a hoe, cleared his throat, and said to Ye Canghai, ¡°Village chief, I think there¡¯s something fishy about this matter.¡±

    ¡°Fishy?

    What¡¯s fishy?¡± Ye Canghai asked, puzzled.

    Mo Wen glanced at Liu Hun and said with a sneer, ¡°Tell me, how long have you been taking care of this orange orchard?

    When have you seen anything like this happen?¡±

    Liu Hun immediately caught the insinuation in Mo Wen¡¯s tone and said coldly, ¡°Accountant Mo, what do you mean by that?¡±

    ¡°What do I mean?¡± Upon hearing Liu Hun¡¯s question, Mo Wen got all fired up, jumping around as though stung by a bee, ¡°You don¡¯t understand what I mean?

    Don¡¯t try to pull the wool over my eyes with that ignorant act!

    Why is it that ever since you took over the Orange Garden, such a thing happened this year?¡±

    ¡°Thanks for the high praise, Mo Wen, if I had the ability to make it rain, I¡¯d definitely make you shut up first,¡± Liu Hun retorted without showing any weakness.

    If it weren¡¯t for Ye Canghai¡¯s presence, he would have already made Mo Wen shut up.

    ¡°What the hell are you talking about!

    What do you know, huh?

    How many days have you been to school?

    Illiterate plus hooligan!¡± Mo Wen cursed Liu Hun furiously, harboring resentment since being previously outdone by Liu Hun, and today he finally found an outlet to vent his anger.

    Liu Hun was concerned about the Orange Garden and didn¡¯t want to bother with Mo Wen, who seemed to have rabies.

    He turned to Ye Canghai and said, ¡°Village chief, we need to think of a way to protect the oranges, that¡¯s the most important thing right now.¡±

    ¡°Exactly!

    So tell me, how can we protect the oranges?¡± Ye Canghai¡¯s head bobbed like an onion, all in one go without a single turn, kicking the ball straight back to Liu Hun.

    Liu Hun didn¡¯t expect Ye Canghai to turn to him directly without a thought, he was just taken aback when Mo Wen saw his chance and said, ¡°Village chief, I think there¡¯s something fishy going on here!¡±

    ¡°What kind of fishy?¡± Ye Canghai asked Mo Wen.

    Dragging out his words, Mo Wen said to Ye Canghai, ¡°Village chief, think about it.

    Every time Liu Hun led our villagers, they made money, ate meat, and drank wine.

    Why did he only come to you this time and not others?

    Why did things go south just this time?

    We need to ponder over this!¡±

    Ye Canghai¡¯s bias grew like flames fanned by Mo Wen until he felt like there might indeed be something to it.

    After looking at Liu Hun, he asked Mo Wen, ¡°Quit talking nonsense.

    What should we do about it now?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a way!¡± Mo Wen immediately went along with the topic and said, ¡°It¡¯s very simple!¡±

    ¡°Spit it out!

    Hurry up!¡± Ye Canghai got immediately energized.

    Mo Wen smirked and said, ¡°Village chief, do you remember the agreement you signed with Liu Hun before?¡±

    As soon as he heard this, Liu Hun became wary, unsure what mischief Mo Wen was up to.

    ¡°Of course, I remember!

    How could I not?

    What does that contract have to do with this rain?¡± Ye Canghai asked in confusion.

    ¡°Don¡¯t rush, village chief.

    Let me explain it to you slowly,¡± Mo Wen said to Ye Canghai and then slowly remarked, ¡°Didn¡¯t the contract say that Liu Hun is managing the Orange Garden this year and should give you half of the money from the orchard?¡±

    ¡°Yes!

    What¡¯s the problem with that?¡± Ye Canghai didn¡¯t see anything wrong.

    Mo Wen immediately jumped in, ¡°That¡¯s exactly it!

    By my estimate, the Orange Garden should yield a hundred thousand this year.

    Let Liu Hun cough up fifty thousand!

    Liu Hun has made a lot of money before, so this sum is nothing to him!¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Liu Hun now knew exactly what Mo Wen was selling in his gourd, demanding money from him while the oranges were still on the trees, starting at fifty thousand no less.

    ¡°What?

    Don¡¯t understand?

    Surprised?¡± Mo Wen asked with a mocking face and then told Liu Hun, ¡°The terms are written clear as day on the agreement.

    Can you read?

    You owe half of the orchard¡¯s harvest in money.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s going on here, Detian?

    The oranges haven¡¯t been sold yet.

    How come...

    now you¡¯re asking Liu Hun for money?¡± Ye Canghai wasn¡¯t as mean-spirited and really couldn¡¯t think of Mo Wen¡¯s angle.

    Mo Wen¡¯s grin twisted like a warped cucumber as he announced, ¡°It¡¯s black on white, clear as day.

    Liu Hun owes half of the money.

    Who ever said it was after the oranges are sold and then split the proceeds?

    Where is that written?

    Show me!

    If it¡¯s not written, then that settles it!¡±

    Ye Canghai finally got the gist of it, realizing Mo Wen was exploiting a loophole in the contract.

    But on second thought, it seemed like Mo Wen¡¯s method wasn¡¯t entirely unfeasible, plus Liu Hun was the one with money now, not him.

    With that, Ye Canghai¡¯s mind began to bubble with activity like fermenting dough.

    ¡°Mo Wen, you¡¯ve got a heart blackened by eating coal, you bastard.

    Trying to play these little tricks with me?!

    I¡¯m telling you, if I didn¡¯t have to consider the village chief¡¯s face, I would cripple you today!

    Remember what happened before and learn your lesson, don¡¯t forget the beatings along with the meals.

    This is not a threat,¡± Liu Hun glared at Mo Wen with a cold look in his eyes.

    Mo Wen shivered and took a step back, daring not meet Liu Hun¡¯s gaze any longer, he had to say to Ye Canghai, ¡°Village chief, I¡¯m doing all this for your benefit, this is a no-lose deal.¡±

    ¡°What no-lose deal?!

    Mo Wen, I¡¯m warning you, you better not be stirring things up with Canghai.

    Your idea is a non-starter!¡± Fen Ran stepped down from the upstairs holding a hat and spade, worrying about the orchard¡¯s fruit, ready to check it out, but didn¡¯t expect to run into Liu Hun visiting.

    After coming downstairs, Fen Ran said to Ye Canghai, ¡°Canghai, you¡¯re the village chief.

    How can you go back on your word?

    Mo Wen¡¯s approach is, frankly, nothing but hooliganism.

    Do you not know what kind of person he is?

    If this gets out, people will laugh us to death.

    Who will respect your authority as village chief then?

    Right now, we should be finding a way to solve this problem, not scheming for Liu Hun¡¯s money!¡±

 Chapter 57 - 57 57 Where Water Flows a Canal is Formed

    ?57: Chapter 57: Where Water Flows, a Canal is Formed 57: Chapter 57: Where Water Flows, a Canal is Formed Although his wife embarrassed him a bit, Ye Canghai thought about it carefully and realized she had a point.

    If Liu Hun really didn¡¯t plan to give the money and caused a scene, wouldn¡¯t that mean both reputation and money would be lost?

    But when he thought about it again, he still focused on the money and said to Fen Ran, ¡°Wife, what should we do with the current situation?¡±

    ¡°Our own orchard, of course we have to figure it out ourselves!

    A big man like you, what are you afraid of?

    I won¡¯t lower myself to do such shameless things!¡± Fen Ran said to Ye Canghai.

    What she was most dissatisfied with was Ye Canghai backing down when encountering problems, always looking for the easy way out, in the field and in bed.

    Mo Wen knew Ye Canghai was famously henpecked, and seeing him about to be persuaded again by Fen Ran left him feeling frustrated, especially after Fen Ran sarcastically mocked him.

    In an irritated tone, he said, ¡°Village chief, I have some matters to attend to at home, so I¡¯m heading back first.

    I¡¯ve said what I needed to say, played the bad guy, whether you act on it is your business.¡± With that, Mo Wen took a few steps toward the door, suddenly stopped, and said, ¡°By the way!

    Sister-in-law, if you get swindled or need to borrow money in the future, just come to me, don¡¯t feel embarrassed.¡±

    As soon as Fen Ran heard this, she understood Mo Wen was mocking her, and she immediately retorted, ¡°Wow, the heavens must be feeling odd today, continuous rain is one thing, but even a miser like you is willing to spend.¡±

    Mo Wen didn¡¯t get the upper hand verbally, huffed coldly, and left the Zheng family with a toss of his head.

    Seeing Ye Canghai pondering something, Liu Hun excused himself and headed towards the Orange Garden.

    Once Liu Hun and the others left, Ye Canghai, afraid of his wife, wore a bitter expression and said to Fen Ran, ¡°Wife, what kind of idea was that?

    Talking without saying anything is like not speaking at all!

    It¡¯s not as good as Mo Wen¡¯s suggestion.¡±

    Fen Ran immediately became unhappy, her face darkened as she said, ¡°So it¡¯s my fault now?¡±

    Ye Canghai did not dare acknowledge that and quickly explained, ¡°I didn¡¯t say it was your fault, I just meant we need to come up with a better plan.¡±

    ¡°Then go to the Orange Garden and think!

    Why are you still sitting here?

    Do you think a solution will just come to you here?¡± Fen Ran was furious, knowing that Ye Canghai was getting wrong ideas.

    ¡°But Liu Hun already went, and having him there is enough.

    Besides, if it¡¯s going to rain, what can we do about it?¡± Ye Canghai stood up, looked outside, and murmured, ¡°With this heavy rain, it¡¯s better to go rest.¡±

    When Ye Canghai reached the stairs, he felt it necessary to clarify, so he added to Fen Ran, ¡°Wife, if we really end up with nothing this year, we might have to consider Mo Wen¡¯s plan.¡± He quickly scurried upstairs after saying that.

    ¡°Spineless, useless thing!

    No wonder you can¡¯t even guard your own wife properly!¡± Fen Ran cursed at the empty stairway angrily, thinking about how Liu Hun was still trying to find a solution in the Orange Garden.

    She felt as if one was in the sky and the other on the ground, making her heartache even more.

    Braving the heavy rain, Liu Hun arrived at the Orange Garden, stood on a high point, and saw the scene.

    His eyebrows immediately knitted like bitter melon skin, he grumbled to himself, ¡°If this water doesn¡¯t get drained soon, the rising water will sweep the fruits away.¡±

    ¡°Hun!

    Hun!¡±

    As Liu Hun was observing the orchard, he suddenly heard shouting from behind.

    Turning around, after peering through the curtain of rain for a long time, he finally recognized Qin Yue and Bai Lian approaching.

    ¡°Sister Qin Yue, Sister Bai Lian, why are you guys here?

    Where¡¯s Teacher Du?¡± Liu Hun quickly asked the two, worried that Du Yueling might have come along.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Teacher Du, and Mao¡¯er, they¡¯ve gathered the villagers in the temple, now figuring things out there because we¡¯re worried about more floods coming down the mountain,¡± Qin Yue said to Liu Hun.

    She thought Du Yueling was as thorough and meticulous as Liu Hun, considering every possible detail.

    Liu Hun felt relieved hearing this, realizing Du Yueling covered the pieces he hadn¡¯t considered, and said to the two women, ¡°Why did you come over?

    This path is all slippery and difficult to traverse.¡±

    ¡°For what?

    We came to help you, of course, don¡¯t underestimate us!¡± Bai Lian said, waving her big hand, with her chest confidently trembling twice as she spoke.

    While the three of them were talking, Fen Ran came over carrying tools.

    Seeing Fen Ran¡¯s shovel, an idea immediately popped into Liu Hun¡¯s head, and he quickly said to the three women, ¡°This orchard is low-lying and prone to waterlogging, what we need to do now is drain the water out of the garden.¡±

    Before the others could speak, Fen Ran suddenly interjected, ¡°I remembered, this orchard used to have a dug drainage ditch, just in case of this kind of thing, but it hasn¡¯t been used for many years.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s great!

    That makes things much easier.

    We just need to open up the drainage ditch and the problem is solved.

    How about this, Sister Bai Lian and I will dig from the top, and you two start digging from the bottom.

    Once we connect it, the water will surely drain out!¡± Liu Hun wiped the water from his face, confidently speaking to the three women.

    ¡°Okay!¡± the three women responded, as Fen Ran and Qin Yue, holding shovels, made their way down the hill, supporting themselves with the fruit trees.

    Liu Hun stood on site looking for a while and finally found the buried drainage ditch.

    He pointed not far off, and said, ¡°Sister Bai Lian, let¡¯s start digging from there!¡±

    The two of them braved the downpour in the orchard, swinging their iron shovels, water streaming down their faces indistinguishably whether it was rain or sweat.

    Eventually, they took off their straw hats, letting loose, digging with all their might.

    ¡°Sister Bai Lian, why don¡¯t you take a break?¡± Liu Hun said to her upon hearing Bai Lian starting to pant.

    ¡°Ah!¡± Bai Lian gasped, standing with the shovel, breathless, ¡°Hun, you¡¯re really something, working this long without even breaking a sweat.¡±

    ¡°I might have nothing else, but I sure have plenty of strength!¡± Liu Hun wiped the rain off his face, then casually patted the muscles on his shoulder.

    As Liu Hun smacked his own shoulder, Bai Lian felt as if it was a tender tap on her heart, her leg soreness making her body lean against a citrus tree.

    ¡°Ouch!¡±

    Hearing Bai Lian exclaim while furiously digging, Liu Hun turned around and asked quickly, ¡°What happened, Sister Bai Lian?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s...

    the thorns on this orange tree...¡± Bai Lian said bitterly to Liu Hun.

    ¡°Don¡¯t move, let me take a look.¡± Liu Hun quickly moved closer and asked, ¡°Where¡¯s the thorn?¡±

    Bai Lian was about to say she could handle it herself, but the thought crossed her mind, and in a slightly coquettish tone, she said, ¡°Well...

    it seems to be stuck in my back, not sure where, could you take a look for me?¡±

    When Liu Hun got behind Bai Lian, he saw her inner trousers and outer pants, drenched by the rain, tightly pressed against her plump rear, and the thorn-embedded spots were easily visible with a couple of red marks.

    ¡°Sister Bai Lian, don¡¯t move, there might be small thorns; if they get embedded in the flesh, it¡¯ll be troublesome to remove,¡± Liu Hun said to Bai Lian, but seeing the location of the thorn, he didn¡¯t know how to move.

    ¡°Ah...

    Hun, whatever you need to do, just do it.

    Sister will feel comfortable with you doing it,¡± Bai Lian panted and said, unable to see what Liu Hun was about to do behind her, but the anticipation of the unknown made her heart flutter.

    If it hadn¡¯t been for the downpour, she surely would have felt a bit more dampness elsewhere.

    As inspiration struck Liu Hun, he tapped Bai Lian¡¯s back, letting Qi Force quickly surge into her body.

    Soon, Bai Lian let out a ¡°hum,¡± and Liu Hun could visibly see three different-sized black thorns being washed away by the rain.

    ¡°All done, Sister Bai Lian,¡± Liu Hun said to Bai Lian as he picked the shovel back up, ready to continue working.

    ¡°Is it...

    really over?¡± Bai Lian felt like she had drunk a bowl of broth without any meat, a bit dissatisfied.

    If it had been Qin Yue, she¡¯d continue to enjoy it; Fen Ran would think of ways to savor it completely, but as Bai Lian, she had to endure the lingering sensation of the Qi that made her butt feel tingly.

    Holding herself back, she joined Liu Hun in digging.

    A few hours later, the four of them finally met in the middle, exhausted, except for Liu Hun, who didn¡¯t seem tired at all due to the Qi in his body.

    The three women were soaked, revealing everything, but working on farms made their bodies something to be envied by anyone who laid eyes on them.

    Once the drainage ditch was dug out, the water in the garden quickly drained.

    The rain began to ease, and waterlogging no longer plagued the garden¡ªLiu Hun finally breathed a sigh of relief.

    A few days later, the rain completely stopped, and these favorable events made Liu Hun overjoyed, but Ye Canghai called him over to his house again.

    ¡°Sit down,¡± Ye Canghai greeted him, not hiding his unpleasant expression.

    Besides the orchard issue, a few days ago, he saw his wife¡¯s charming demeanor upon returning from the orchard, hoped to express himself, but ended up getting scolded instead.

    ¡°Village Chief!

    Why did you call me today?¡± Liu Hun asked Ye Canghai, immediately noticing Mo Wen standing to the side; he figured there was likely no good news.

    ¡°It¡¯s the orchard again!¡± Ye Canghai wore the same sour expression, as if someone owed him thousands.

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t the orchard problem already solved?

    The drainage ditch has been dug, so everything should be fine now,¡± Liu Hun replied.

    Ye Canghai looked at Liu Hun a few times, then placed a few rotten oranges on the table and said, ¡°See for yourself!¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t this...well, fallen oranges being soaked by rain is normal, isn¡¯t it?

    With such a large orchard, how could there be no fallen fruit?¡± Liu Hun said to Ye Canghai, completely indifferent to the issue as it was something he could easily resolve.

    ¡°Tsk tsk tsk...¡± Mo Wen seized the opportunity to speak, ¡°Hun!

    How can you call this fallen fruit?

    Are you blind?

    Go have a look at the orchard yourself, those orange trees have been underwater.

    Sooner or later, all the fruit will fall!

    Still dreaming of making money?

    Keep dreaming!¡±

    Liu Hun was startled; he hadn¡¯t realized this issue when digging the drainage ditch, and being inexperienced in cultivation, didn¡¯t think a massive drop in fruit was a possibility.

 Chapter 58 - 58 58 The Villain

    ?58: Chapter 58 The Villain 58: Chapter 58 The Villain Seeing that Liu Hun had fallen silent, Mo Wen exploded like a firecracker thrown into a latrine, ¡°Do you think this is a trivial matter?

    This is a serious issue!

    A really big deal!

    Let me tell you, punk!

    These fallen fruits are nothing, but if these orange trees start dying off on a large scale, that would be a catastrophe!¡±

    Mo Wen, feigning concern like a cat crying over a mouse, said, ¡°So many orange trees!

    Think about how many years our village chief has taken care of them, only to have them killed off by a curse!

    It¡¯s truly sinful!

    So sinful!¡±

    Liu Hun couldn¡¯t stand Mo Wen¡¯s pretentious act and thought to himself that he¡¯d have to deal with him sooner or later, so he turned the conversation around and said, ¡°Mo Wen, since you¡¯re so concerned about the village chief¡¯s business, how about you come up with a suggestion.¡±

    Ye Canghai, listening to this conversation, also turned to Mo Wen and said, ¡°Detian, think of something, will you?¡±

    Instantly, Mo Wen started acting like he had climbed up to a shrine, and with sarcasm said, ¡°To be honest, village chief, this really isn¡¯t something I should care about.

    But some people who should, end up being incompetent instead.

    If you can¡¯t hack it, why pretend?¡±

    After mocking Liu Hun, Mo Wen continued, ¡°Village chief, last time I made a suggestion, but it was vetoed by your wife.

    Not only was it vetoed, but I, Mo Wen, was also mocked by her openly and covertly.

    If you expect me to speak up, I dare not.¡±

    Seeing that Fen Ran wasn¡¯t there, Ye Canghai immediately took charge and said, ¡°Speak up!

    Say whatever you want!

    I¡¯d like to see who dares to object today!¡±

    With Ye Canghai¡¯s encouragement, Mo Wen started speaking with a swagger, ¡°Village chief, I know a boss in the town with the surname Xu, who specializes in the agri-business trade.¡±

    ¡°Boss Xu?

    Which Boss Xu?¡± Liu Hun immediately interrupted to ask.

    Mo Wen gave Liu Hun a disdainful look and said, ¡°Which Boss Xu do you think?

    How many Boss Xus are there in Taiping Town?¡±

    Liu Hun ignored Mo Wen¡¯s sarcasm and hurriedly said to Ye Canghai, ¡°Village chief!

    You definitely shouldn¡¯t deal with people like that.

    My uncle¡¯s family has been cheated by him!

    That Boss Xu is no good!

    The seeds he sells are fake; what good can come from dealing with him?¡±

    ¡°Tsk tsk tsk!

    Look at you, punk, isn¡¯t that enough?

    Is Qu Jia Shan¡¯s small issue big enough to blame on someone else like Boss Xu?¡± Of course, Mo Wen knew about the Qu family¡¯s purchase of substandard seeds.

    Liu Hun had already been thinking about how to deal with Mo Wen, but for the moment, he needed to convince Ye Canghai, so he spoke up, ¡°How can it not be his fault?

    He promised my uncle the same germination rate as the Cooperative¡¯s, that¡¯s why my uncle dared to buy from him!

    He said it himself.

    Is he trying to weasel out of it?!¡± It was this very issue that led Qu Jia Shan¡¯s family into financial difficulties this year, which then caused a fair amount of trouble.

    Mo Wen sneered and said, ¡°Said it himself?

    Is there a contract?

    Any written evidence?

    Does the contract specify the germination rate?

    Punk, that was just Qu Jia Shan trying to cut corners for a cheap deal, which led to buying bad seeds.

    Can you blame others for that?

    Blaming the squat toilet when you can¡¯t poop, I think you¡¯re the same kind of person!¡±

    ¡°Alright!

    Enough about the seeds, what¡¯s done is done.

    It¡¯s a case of Zhou Yu hitting Huang Gai¡ªwilling to give and to take a beating!

    Accountant Mo, tell us what¡¯s up with Boss Xu?

    Continue.¡±

    Mo Wen, pretending to be full of plans and ideas, said with his head raised, ¡°Village chief, right now, as we see it, these fruits aren¡¯t going to be saved.

    The only way to secure an income is to harvest immediately.¡±

    ¡°Harvest immediately?

    How would that work?

    They aren¡¯t even ripe yet.

    Would they sell?

    Would anyone buy them to eat?

    Besides, the Cooperative won¡¯t accept them,¡± Ye Canghai shared his concerns with Mo Wen.

    Mo Wen dismissed it entirely and said, ¡°Village chief, don¡¯t worry, let me explain!

    Why should we sell to the Cooperative?

    Let¡¯s sell directly to Boss Xu!¡±

    ¡°But these unripe fruits, what would he want them for?

    And would he even be willing to buy them?¡± Ye Canghai thought it sounded unreliable no matter how he considered it.

    Mo Wen said proudly, ¡°As long as I step in, this deal is as good as done!

    You don¡¯t have to worry about what he does with them.

    As long as you sell them, isn¡¯t that all that matters?

    Of course, the price won¡¯t be as high as for ripe oranges, but compared to earning nothing at all, it¡¯s a thousand times better.¡±

    Hearing this, Ye Canghai was tempted.

    The idea of getting rid of the unripe fruits and earning something rather than nothing was appealing.

    As long as he didn¡¯t lose money, that was fine; and this wouldn¡¯t fall back on Liu Hun, his wife wouldn¡¯t nitpick, and Liu Hun wouldn¡¯t have grounds to complain.

    But as it turned out, Ye Canghai was wrong.

    Liu Hun immediately stood up in opposition and said, ¡°Village chief, I absolutely disagree with Accountant Mo¡¯s proposition!

    We simply cannot deal with people like him.

    Even if we sold our oranges, we can¡¯t guarantee he won¡¯t use these half-ripe fruits to cheat others.

    Our village has suffered at his hands, we can¡¯t assist him in harming others...¡±

    ¡°Heh!

    I genuinely hadn¡¯t realized you¡¯re such a living Bodhisattva!¡± Mo Wen immediately sneered, ¡°Punk, great living Bodhisattva, if you don¡¯t want to sell to Boss Xu, what do you propose?

    Expect the village chief to handle it all on his own?

    Why don¡¯t you show the village chief some kindness?¡±

    Ye Canghai, upon hearing Mo Wen¡¯s words, felt there was much sense in them and smacked his lips before saying to Liu Hun, ¡°Hun, I think the accountant Mo¡¯s suggestion is feasible, why can you be so sure that Boss Xu will definitely cheat with these half-ripe oranges?

    You¡¯re too arbitrary!

    Since there¡¯s such a win-win opportunity, we should agree to it!¡±

    Liu Hun still wanted to argue, but Ye Canghai directly overruled him, ¡°I know you don¡¯t want to carry the blame, so fine!

    I¡¯ll handle this!

    I, Ye Canghai, will play the villain!

    You two don¡¯t need to worry about this, just come help with the harvest when it¡¯s time!¡±

    Liu Hun knew that Ye Canghai was now fixated on the glistening silver and that whatever he would say would be in vain.

    Although he could absolutely use Qi Force to sell the oranges for the best price, he was actually planning to use this opportunity to thoroughly deal with Mo Wen and also teach Ye Canghai a lesson, so he left the Zheng Family¡¯s place.

    In the past few days, Liu Hun was truly nonchalant, as if the sky falling down were no more than a blanket, completely calm and unruffled.

    He just waited to see what tricks Mo Wen would pull.

    Initially, it wasn¡¯t a good choice to deal with Mo Wen in front of Ye Canghai, as it would not only humiliate him, whom he was in cooperation with, but also disrespect the village, which would complicate his actions in the community in the future.

    As Liu Hun pondered, he walked into the orchard.

    As long as he guarded the Orange Garden, he could stay unshaken by any changes, no matter how much Mo Wen stirred the pot.

    ¡°Ouch, be gentle, you¡¯ve already sweated so much, just look...¡±

    ¡°Hurry, hurry, this is a critical moment, we can¡¯t stop, the faster the better...¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s too much, too deep, faster, faster...¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Liu Hun suddenly froze, listening carefully to the Orange Garden where several women¡¯s heavy breathing could be heard, and it seemed to be Qin Yue and the others.

    The more he listened, the more inappropriate it sounded¡ªlike the cicada¡¯s cry in the summer heat, it made one¡¯s body feel restless.

    He had to take a look!

    Liu Hun thought to himself and approached the source of the voices step by step.

    Upon arrival, several women were indeed drenched in sweat with flushed faces and heaving breaths.

    He immediately asked, ¡°What are you all doing?¡±

    The women, startled like frightened sparrows, shivered and turned around to see it was Liu Hun.

    Qin Yue, patting her heaving chest, scolded and teased, ¡°Hun, where did you pop out from?

    You almost scared our souls away!¡±

    Seeing the bamboo baskets by the women¡¯s side filled with fallen fruit, Liu Hun instantly understood what they were doing and quickly walked over to Du Yueling, who was about to pick up more fruit from a deep pit, ¡°Those aren¡¯t a big deal.

    Come over and rest a bit, you look exhausted.¡±

    ¡°Hehe,¡± Du Yueling smiled and said, ¡°Picking up more means we can recover some of the loss.

    And you...

    get to work a little less.¡±

    Liu Hun¡¯s heart instantly softened.

    Many things came to his mouth but couldn¡¯t be expressed, like a reservoir with closed floodgates¡ªfull of surging water that just wouldn¡¯t pour out.

    Qin Yue, oblivious as a log, didn¡¯t notice the atmosphere between the two and blurted out, ¡°Hun, look how much we¡¯ve picked.

    We really owe it to Teacher Du¡¯s idea.

    Otherwise, we would still be in a panic.¡±

    So the idea had been Du Yueling¡¯s, which moved Liu Hun again.

    Looking at the three baskets of oranges on the ground, he said to Fen Ran, ¡°Yue, let¡¯s leave these three baskets of oranges here for now.

    At the latest by tomorrow, I¡¯ll find a way to deal with them.

    You go back to your house to take a break and change your clothes.¡±

    The women glanced at each other, all tired like draught oxen.

    They laughed sheepishly and, seeing they had picked up all the oranges on the ground, went back to their homes.

    After seeing Bai Lian and Qin Yue help Du Yueling away, Liu Hun was reassured.

    He squatted down to inspect the oranges in the baskets; many were rotten and leaking juice, while others weren¡¯t thoroughly ripe.

    Ordinary people would probably end up either giving them away for nothing or feeding them to pigs.

    Heh, if I let these three baskets of oranges be fed to pigs, could I still call myself Liu Hun?

    Liu Hun thought to himself, and casually grabbed a split orange, Qi Force surging into it immediately.

    Just like a magic trick, the bruised spot quickly rounded out and plumped up, becoming shiny, full, and tempting to anyone who would surely praise it with a ¡°good¡±!

    ¡°Hun, what are you still looking at?¡± Fen Ran, who had quickly changed her clothes, immediately returned to the orchard.

    ¡°Yue, you changed so fast?

    Just in time to try this.¡± Liu Hun got up and handed the orange in his hand to Fen Ran.

    ¡°Eh!

    Let me try.¡± Fen Ran peeled the orange and put it in her mouth, only feeling its juicy richness and tender flesh without a hint of tartness, and couldn¡¯t help but burst into a smile, ¡°Hun, are these oranges from our orchard?

    How come they¡¯re so delicious?

    I haven¡¯t tasted such delicious fruit in years.

    If people knew, they¡¯d fight over them.¡± She continued, tossing the rest into her mouth eagerly.

 Chapter 59 - 59 59 Bad Person

    ?59: Chapter 59 Bad Person 59: Chapter 59 Bad Person These oranges were just delicious; after eating one, you were left wanting more.

    Fen Ran casually picked a ripe-looking orange from the tree beside her, peeled it in no time, and shoved it into her mouth.

    ¡°Oh, my gosh, what is this?

    Why is it so sour?¡±

    Liu Hun laughed and explained immediately, ¡°Sister Yue, these oranges need to be treated to taste good.

    Didn¡¯t Sister Bai Lian tell you before?

    My temple has special agricultural chemicals for processing crops, and I guarantee after treatment, they¡¯ll all taste great.¡±

    Fen Ran let out a yelp, the sourness making her shiver all over; the two things in front of her shook like ripe papayas for a while, seemingly about to drop if she wasn¡¯t careful.

    Fen Ran rushed home to change clothes, not even minding the lack of underwear, but the orange¡¯s interruption had made her forget what she was planning to do.

    The jiggling of those burdens reminded her, so she tossed the remaining oranges to the ground, puffed up her already ample chest, and massaged her own heart while saying to Liu Hun, ¡°Hun, it seems this orange made me feel a bit uncomfortable.

    Can you take a look at it for me?¡±

    After saying this, her heart was pounding like a grasshopper, contemplating that if Liu Hun came closer and saw through her thin top, he wouldn¡¯t be able to resist.

    By then, it would be like a pile driver hitting a springside in the sandy soil, and a poke would make Shui¡¯er spray out.

    ¡°Hun, what are you gawking at?

    Are you just comfortable looking at me?

    Want to see something else too?¡± Fen Ran¡¯s voice was so sultry that it made your legs go numb.

    She looked at Liu Hun with a half-smile, one hand slowly unbuttoning the lowest button on her shirt.

    Suddenly!

    Liu Hun took a step toward Fen Ran, and she felt her heart blossom like a peach.

    As her wrist was grabbed by Liu Hun, she couldn¡¯t help but let out a contented hum from her throat, thinking the moment had come.

    ¡°Hun, I¡¯ve been neglected for too long...

    you have to cherish it.¡± Fen Ran watched as Liu Hun dragged her towards the thatched hut in the garden, and instantly a blend of tingling and maddening sensations surged within her.

    ¡°Shh...

    lower your voice, someone¡¯s coming!¡± Liu Hun didn¡¯t wait for Fen Ran to continue blabbering and dragged her to hide beside the thatched hut.

    Earlier, while watching Fen Ran eat the orange, Liu Hun had heard someone approaching from that direction, so he zoned out to listen for a while.

    Once sure someone was indeed coming, he quickly took Fen Ran to hide.

    Fen Ran now understood why Liu Hun had been staring at her earlier; he was actually focusing on listening and wasn¡¯t attracted at all.

    She felt as though she had been kicked off a ladder atop a roof, stuck neither here nor there, alive but not living, feeling utterly miserable.

    ¡°Sister Yue, look who that is.¡± Liu Hun extended his jaw to signal Fen Ran to look in that direction.

    Fen Ran suppressed the discomfort crawling over her body like insects, casting a long-suffering glance at Liu Hun before looking over.

    She saw Mo Wen and another man she didn¡¯t recognize, walking and talking, ¡°Who has Mo Wen come with?

    Could it be that boss, Xu Gaowang?¡±

    ¡°Seeing them shoulder to shoulder like that, it¡¯s most likely that black-hearted Boss Xu,¡± Liu Hun judged, eyeing the two.

    As they chatted, the two men edged closer to the hut, on the path that inevitably led to Ye Canghai¡¯s home.

    ¡°Brother Xu!

    What do you think of my proposal?¡± Mo Wen asked Xu Gaowang, lowering his head and looking around furtively.

    Slightly chubby Xu Gaowang, whose eyes were nearly rolled up to the top of his head, looked even more detestable than Mo Wen.

    He lifted his head, picked an orange to sniff, and, disliking it, tossed it on the ground, saying, ¡°Bah!

    These oranges are really no good.

    But, you know...¡±

    Xu Gaowang grinned roguishly at Mo Wen, saying, ¡°We¡¯re close, aren¡¯t we?

    Since you¡¯ve brought it up, everything¡¯s negotiable.¡±

    ¡°Thanks a lot, Brother Xu!

    But... how do you plan to handle these oranges?¡± Mo Wen asked curiously.

    ¡°Sell them!

    Turn them into money!¡± Xu Gaowang said, as if it were the most obvious thing.

    ¡°Sell them?

    These...

    will sell?¡± Mo Wen asked in confusion.

    Xu Gaowang chuckled, ¡°This, young lad, you don¡¯t get!

    I have connections at the Cooperative.

    Sell them with the oranges from your Orange Garden, and they definitely won¡¯t sell.

    But think about it, if I mix these half-ripe ones with good oranges?

    With nine pounds of good oranges, I add a pound of your oranges.

    Wouldn¡¯t they all sell at the price of good oranges?¡±

    ¡°But...

    what if someone finds out?¡± Mo Wen continued questioning.

    Xu Gaowang pointed at Mo Wen¡¯s nose and said, ¡°Hah!

    I know what you¡¯re thinking.

    Don¡¯t worry; it won¡¯t implicate you!

    We cooked the books together before, and no one found out; this is barely an issue!

    Once these oranges are in my hands, they¡¯ll go to the Cooperative and become money.

    Whoever the unlucky sap is that buys them, well, sucks to be them.

    Besides, don¡¯t those ten pounds still have nine pounds of good fruit?

    We¡¯re quite considerate.

    In business, the mind has to be nimble.

    Look at you folks from Wanbao Village, a bunch of stubborn mules¡ªwho would be poor if not you?¡±

    ¡°Brother Xu, you¡¯re truly brilliant!

    I deeply admire you!

    We¡¯ll have to collaborate well in the future!¡± Mo Wen flattered Xu Gaowang, almost ready to grovel at his feet.

    ¡°By the way!

    Mo Wen, your village¡¯s poverty relief funds are coming soon.

    I heard your village suffered a flood last time, destroying many houses.

    Do you know about this?¡± Xu Gaowang inquired, probing rather than genuinely asking.

    Mo Wen slicked back his greasy hair with a know-it-all air, replying, ¡°What don¡¯t I know?

    Those unruly villagers in our village, they deserved it if they died.

    When the Mayor came to inspect, they dared to block him and demand money, making a scene?

    Aren¡¯t they just courting death?

    Oh yes!

    Later, a female director from the town came once, too.

    She was also surrounded and caused a lot of trouble; I heard when she left, her legs were still shaking.

    Aren¡¯t these villagers shining a light in the restroom, asking for trouble?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not right!

    Why do I remember when Director Ren returned to the town, she seemed flush with health, looking a lot more replenished?

    I thought she had a good time in your village.

    What happened with the siege?¡± Xu Gaowang asked Mo Wen in confusion.

    He often maneuvered through the Township Government and knew quite a few things, but why Ren Peiling¡¯s legs shook while her face was all radiant was beyond his maneuvering to find out.

    Mo Wen¡¯s sly mouse eyes twinkled as he chuckled to Xu Gaowang, ¡°Brother Xu, aren¡¯t you thinking about dipping your toe into some flavor?

    I see that female director has a face and a body, plus a whole official demeanor, something not just anybody can handle.¡±

    ¡°Go, go, go, stop spouting nonsense.

    You, once you pick up a gun, you¡¯re thinking about shooting cats.

    Let me tell you, this Director Ren isn¡¯t someone small-time.¡± Xu Gaowang waved at Mo Wen, then continued seriously, ¡°After Director Ren went back, she reported your village¡¯s situation upstairs.

    This time, your village will get at least forty percent more poverty alleviation funds.

    You know what to do, right?¡± He finished by rubbing his fingers at Mo Wen.

    Mo Wen naturally understood Xu Gaowang¡¯s meaning, patting his chest and saying, ¡°Rest assured, this money we will skim oil not leaving a single drop, and you won¡¯t be short-changed.

    I¡¯m the accountant of Wanbao Village; all accounts go through my hands, and it¡¯ll be seamless, nothing even a god could detect.

    Brother Xu, I have another little dream...¡±

    ¡°What dream?¡± Xu Gaowang asked Mo Wen.

    Mo Wen chuckled slyly, ¡°You know I¡¯ve got a couple of women in town.

    Can you share a bit more of the money?¡±

    ¡°Look at you!

    Such small ambitions!

    Don¡¯t worry, you won¡¯t miss out.¡± Xu Gaowang laughed heartily.

    After a few more steps, Mo Wen dragged Xu Gaowang again, saying, ¡°Brother Xu, this time it¡¯s Ye Canghai coming to you for help; keep pressing the price down, press it hard.

    The more we press, the more we earn selling at normal orange prices.¡±

    Xu Gaowang gave Mo Wen a contemptuous look, saying, ¡°You¡¯ve got nothing but wickedness in that belly of yours!

    Alright, I¡¯ll go along with your idea, let¡¯s go!¡±

    Arm in arm, they headed to Ye Canghai¡¯s house, while Liu Hun and Fen Ran, inside the thatched hut, fumed with indignation.

    They hadn¡¯t expected Mo Wen to be so bold to the point of being a village turncoat.

    ¡°That Mo Wen!

    He¡¯s colluding with Xu Gaowang to scheme against our village¡¯s poverty funds and trying to press down our orange prices.

    It¡¯s infuriating.

    No way!

    We must tell Canghai about this!¡± Fen Ran suddenly stood up, speaking angrily as she prepared to leave, all her unrighteous anger turned into outright fury.

    Just as Fen Ran stood, Liu Hun stopped her, advising, ¡°Sister Yue, we can¡¯t be so rash.¡±

    ¡°Then what do you suggest?¡± Fen Ran asked Liu Hun, suddenly realizing that even at home, she was the one in charge, unexpected now to seek the advice of this man before her.

    Liu Hun had already been planning to deal with Mo Wen.

    Now he had brought himself to the knife¡¯s point, ¡°I have a plan.

    Just keep quiet, okay?

    Let¡¯s go!¡±

    When the two returned home, Ye Canghai was inside, entertaining Xu Gaowang and Mo Wen with tea.

    ¡°Everyone¡¯s here!

    Perfect!

    Let me introduce you.¡± Ye Canghai stood enthusiastically to introduce Liu Hun and his own wife to Xu Gaowang.

    Xu Gaowang¡¯s lascivious eyes lingered on Fen Ran for quite a while, while Fen Ran gave him a disdainful look, quickly crossed her arms in front of her to shield the crucial empty part inside.

    Once everyone was acquainted, Ye Canghai asked Xu Gaowang, ¡°I heard from Accountant Mo that Boss Xu is willing to take in the oranges from our garden.

    What are your thoughts, Boss Xu?¡±

    Xu Gaowang chuckled, his sly eyes occasionally sliding towards Fen Ran as he spoke to Ye Canghai, ¡°I¡¯m old buddies with Detian; we¡¯re close, needless to say.

    I¡¯m definitely willing to help with his affairs.¡±

 Chapter 60 - 60 60 Exposing

    ?60: Chapter 60: Exposing 60: Chapter 60: Exposing Upon hearing Xu Gaowang¡¯s statements, Ye Canghai was momentarily delighted, but then he heard Xu Gaowang transition with, ¡°However...¡±

    Ye Canghai¡¯s heart skipped a beat, not knowing what else business owner Xu wanted.

    He asked with a forced smile, ¡°What demands do you have, Mr.

    Xu?

    Just say it.¡±

    Pretending to be in a difficult position, Xu Gaowang said to Ye Canghai, ¡°Village Chief Ye, you have been planting fruit for many years, and many things are clearer to you than to me.

    I also took a look around the fruit farm just now, and if these fruits are not harvested soon, they will all rot.¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes, yes,¡± Ye Canghai said with a smile, mulling over in his mind, not expecting that Xu Gaowang was indeed a cunning fox, and had directly visited the fruit farm to grasp the situation.

    ¡°If you harvest them now, these fruits are half-ripe and I guess, besides feeding livestock, they wouldn¡¯t have any other use,¡± Xu Gaowang slowly analyzed to Ye Canghai, coaxing him into his trap like luring sparrows with grains.

    That¡¯s when Mo Wen stepped forward, pleading pretentiously, ¡°Mr.

    Xu, considering our deep relationship and that I was supported by Village Chief Ye all along, using your great influence, could you just give a price and take these oranges?¡±

    Upon hearing Mo Wen help him out, Ye Canghai felt incredibly grateful.

    Glancing at Liu Hun resembling a dumb gourd, not emitting a word, he felt slightly uncomfortable.

    With furrowed brows and looking at the ceiling as if reading the stars for a long while, Xu Gaowang finally opened his mouth and offered Ye Canghai a price, ¡°How about this?

    For the sake of Detian, three jiao per catty for your oranges?¡±

    ¡°Three jiao?!¡± Ye Canghai couldn¡¯t believe his ears.

    Only three jiao per catty for oranges?

    The disparity was too huge, like a pitfall from the sky; he absolutely could not accept it.

    Seeing Ye Canghai seemingly reluctant, Xu Gaowang, sitting there with his legs crossed and arrogantly said, ¡°Village Chief Ye, besides me, Xu Gaowang, who else would want your oranges?

    Either you sell them to me and recoup some costs, or let them rot in the field and get nothing at all.

    Consider carefully for yourself.¡±

    Now, Ye Canghai was swallowing his pride, having originally thought that if the oranges ripened and were sold to the Cooperative, they would not fetch less than seventy to eighty jiao per catty, and reaching one yuan if they were in good condition wasn¡¯t impossible.

    But now, only being offered three jiao made it difficult to accept.

    ¡°Ahem, ahem, ahem...¡± Mo Wen then stepped up, changing his tone and pressured Ye Canghai, ¡°Chief!

    It was you who asked me to bring Mr.

    Xu here.

    Mr.

    Xu¡¯s time is extremely valuable.

    He comes, and now you won¡¯t show a hint of sincerity, how can this be justified?

    And...

    Mr.

    Xu¡¯s words are honest ones, don¡¯t you think that¡¯s the right reasoning?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d say it¡¯s not!¡±

    Ye Canghai, realizing he himself hadn¡¯t invested money or effort and it was all to be a win either way, was about to grit his teeth and agree when suddenly, he heard Liu Hun, who was sitting next to him, speaking.

    He froze for a couple of seconds then whispered to Liu Hun, ¡°What are you messing around for?

    Why didn¡¯t you say something earlier?

    Are you determined to spoil this deal?¡±

    ¡°Chief!

    Rest assured!

    I¡¯ll handle this, you won¡¯t lose a penny,¡± Liu Hun promised loudly to Ye Canghai, intentionally for everyone present to hear.

    Upon hearing this, Ye Canghai¡¯s face turned green; just when the deal was about to be settled, a spanner was thrown into the works by him!

    These were precisely the words he was about to spit out when his wife Fen Ran grabbed him.

    Fen Ran glared at him fiercely, a look he had understood for many years and it clearly meant¡ªshut your mouth.

    ¡°Oh!

    Bad luck strikes again!

    Seems you are at every event,¡± Mo Wen sneered at Liu Hun then tauntingly added, ¡°Rascal!

    Careful with those big words lest the wind blows your tongue away, show us what you¡¯re capable of.¡±

    With a sneer, Xu Gaowang chimed in, ¡°Village Chief Ye!

    Your servant is really arrogant, who let him run his mouth here?¡±

    Fen Ran was furious; if not for Liu Hun advising her to keep quiet earlier, she would have stood up and slapped both Mo Wen and Xu Gaowang by now.

    Everyone¡¯s eyes turned to Liu Hun, curious to see how he would respond.

    Unexpectedly, he took a paper and a pen, wrote a word, passed it to Ye Canghai, and said, ¡°Chief, I¡¯ll offer ten thousand, I¡¯ll take on all of this year¡¯s harvest from Orange Garden no matter the condition.

    You sign and stamp it, and leave the rest to me.

    What do you think?¡±

    ¡°Hey!

    So today I truly witnessed what a fool looks like.

    If you have the guts, really take out thirty thousand and buy all these rotten oranges to feed pigs, you absolute clown!¡± Xu Gaowang coldly taunted Liu Hun, preparing to watch him make a fool of himself.

    Listening to Xu Gaowang¡¯s words and recalculating in his mind, Ye Canghai reckoned this business was a sure win, not caring whether Liu Hun could sell them or not, as long as he made money, and immediately signed and stamped his approval.

    ¡°Detian, oh, it wasn¡¯t a wasted trip after all, got to see what a fool looks like.

    None of our business here, let¡¯s go!¡± After Xu Gaowang said this to Mo Wen, he cast a covetous glance at Fen Ran and stood up to leave.

    ¡°Pretending to be human but still a dog?!

    Not so easy!¡± Liu Hun said and in a swift step, darted behind Xu Gaowang, pressing down on his shoulder.

    ¡°What...

    what are you trying to do?¡± Xu Gaowang, feeling a piercing pain on his shoulder, asked Liu Hun in horror.

    ¡°What?!

    Beating a dog!¡± Liu Hun replied and directly kicked Xu Gaowang on the ankle.

    Hearing Xu Gaowang yelp, he immediately knelt down.

    Mo Wen, who had previously tasted Liu Hun¡¯s methods and had been mocking him only because Ye Canghai was present, now seeing Liu Hun taking action against Xu Gaowang, immediately turned to Ye Canghai pleading, ¡°Chief!

    The rascal is hitting someone, why aren¡¯t you managing this?¡±

    ¡°Village chief, these two are no longer a threat to your money.

    Besides, I was hitting a dog, not a human!¡± Liu Hun coldly threw the words at Ye Canghai, took three steps that covered the distance of two, and reached Mo Wen, asking him, ¡°Mo Wen, calling you a dog is actually a compliment.

    Even a dog remembers better!

    Didn¡¯t you get enough last time?¡±

    ¡°What...

    what are you trying to do?¡± Mo Wen trembled, already feeling his legs weakening; the shadow of the last beating by Liu Hun popped into his head.

    ¡°You¡¯re not worthy to stand and talk to me.

    Are you kneeling?

    Or are you kneeling?

    Or are you kneeling?¡± Liu Hun asked Mo Wen sternly, a look on his face that made anyone understand what fear meant.

    With a thud, the shadow in Mo Wen¡¯s mind combined with Liu Hun¡¯s pressure triggered his soft-bone syndrome, and he immediately knelt down.

    ¡°I say, Hun...,¡± Ye Canghai always felt that Liu Hun¡¯s methods were a bit ruthless.

    He tried to speak but was abruptly interrupted by Fen Ran.

    ¡°Shut your mouth!

    These two are utterly corrupt, they even embezzled our village¡¯s poverty alleviation funds!

    They¡¯re even worse than beasts!¡± Fen Ran¡¯s relief was palpable when he saw Liu Hun taking action.

    Ye Canghai was stunned upon hearing this and didn¡¯t know what to say for a long while.

    ¡°Liu Hun!

    What are you doing?

    You damned beast!

    How dare you hit someone!

    Do you know who I am?¡± Xu Gaowang was in pain and anger, struggling to stand up and swinging a punch at Liu Hun¡¯s face.

    Liu Hun sneered, caught Xu Gaowang¡¯s fist, and then struck his other leg¡¯s ankle.

    Xu Gaowang¡¯s legs went weak again, and he knelt down once more.

    Liu Hun figured, Xu Gaowang, drained by wine and women, was about as good as a dead fish, hardly worth using Qi Force on.

    ¡°Mo Wen, come kneel here.¡± Liu Hun beckoned Mo Wen, who obediently knelt beside him.

    Liu Hun pointed at Xu Gaowang and said to Mo Wen, ¡°Mo Wen, today¡¯s lesson is about understanding oneself.

    Soon, it¡¯ll be your turn.¡± Having said that, Liu Hun backhandedly smacked Xu Gaowang¡¯s face loudly and then asked him, ¡°Tell me, who are you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m your grandfath¡ª¡±

    ¡°Slap!¡± Another slap followed by Liu Hun asking again, ¡°Tell me, who are you?¡±

    ¡°You damn son of a¡ª¡±

    ¡°Slap slap!¡± A double backhand slap, Liu Hun gripping Xu Gaowang, demanded, ¡°Tell me, who are you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll...

    I¡¯ll kill you...¡± Xu Gaowang stubbornly retorted.

    Liu Hun shook his hand and said to Mo Wen, ¡°Mo Wen, it¡¯s your turn now.¡±

    ¡°No!

    No no no, Hun...

    Grandpa Fei, Grandpa Ling, please don¡¯t hit me, I realize my mistake, I can¡¯t take this!¡±

    Liu Hun pointed at Xu Gaowang and told Mo Wen, ¡°You have a clear understanding of yourself, but he does not, so you need to teach him, make him like you.¡±

    ¡°How...

    how do I teach?¡± Mo Wen felt a chill in his heart.

    ¡°Just do what I just did, and you can stop once he¡¯s found his true self again.

    Start now!¡± Liu Hun spoke and leisurely sat aside.

    Knowing that if he didn¡¯t take action now, he would likely leave horizontally through the door, Mo Wen, looking at Xu Gaowang, who was already confused from being hit, stood up, rolled up his sleeves, and landed a slap on Xu Gaowang¡¯s face.

    The crisp slap, coupled with the burning heat of his hand, felt as exhilarating as diving into a woman¡¯s bed in the middle of winter¡ªit sent thrills from his hair down to his toes.

    With some newfound spine, Mo Wen kept slapping without wanting to stop, completely pushing aside Liu Hun¡¯s instruction to help Xu Gaowang rediscover himself.

    After all, a mule is not as good as a horse; Mo Wen¡¯s strength was nowhere near Liu Hun¡¯s.

    Just as he was about to deliver a third slap, Xu Gaowang snapped awake and grabbed Mo Wen¡¯s hand, cursing, ¡°Good one, Mo Wen!

    You scum, daring to hit me!¡±

    Xu Gaowang, blinded by rage, gritted his teeth through the pain, stood up, and began fighting with Mo Wen.

    Fen Ran, watching with glee, couldn¡¯t help but say to Liu Hun, ¡°Hun, what a brilliant move!

    This is a real dog-eat-dog scenario.

    Today, I¡¯ve really seen something!¡±

 Chapter 61 - 61 61 The Pest

    ?61: Chapter 61 The Pest 61: Chapter 61 The Pest ¡°Wait a minute!

    What...

    what¡¯s going on?

    What kind of poverty alleviation fund just now?¡± Ye Canghai suddenly snapped out of his dreamlike state and grabbed Fen Ran to ask, oblivious to Xu Gaowang and Mo Wen fighting; money!

    Money was the most important thing.

    Before Fen Ran could speak, Liu Hun pointed at the two dogs still biting each other on the ground and said, ¡°Mo Wen and Xu Gaowang intend to lower the price of orange procurement, then mix these unripe oranges with ripe ones and sell them to the Cooperative at the price of ripe oranges!

    Harmful scoundrels!

    Whoever buys these oranges will suffer a loss; they, on the other hand, will earn dirty money!

    It was also Mo Wen who suggested Xu Gaowang lower the orange prices!¡±

    Liu Hun informed Ye Canghai merely out of obligation, as all the oranges had already been bought by him, and indeed, Ye Canghai didn¡¯t care about it.

    He was only focused on the poverty alleviation fund and asked Liu Hun, ¡°And what¡¯s up with the poverty alleviation fund?¡±

    ¡°Village chief, our village is a poor village; for years, all the poverty alleviation funds allocated from above went through Mo Wen, and he colluded with Xu Gaowang to falsify accounts and embezzle an unknown amount of the funds.¡± Liu Hun said, looking at the two dogs on the ground torn and bloody, his eyes filled with hatred, and continued, ¡°This time, our village suffered a flood, thanks to Director Ren reporting the situation to the higher-ups; initially, 40% was to be added to the poverty alleviation fund as disaster relief.

    These two scoundrels had their eyes on that money!¡±

    The more Liu Hun thought about it, the angrier he got.

    The village suffered a flood, and he was racking his brains for ways to earn money to help the villagers through the hard times, while these two were trying to embezzle the village¡¯s life-saving money.

    ¡°What?!

    You...

    you¡¯re saying Accountant Mo is falsifying accounts to cheat the village¡¯s money?¡± Ye Canghai¡¯s eyes almost popped out; he never imagined Mo Wen would do such a thing.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you believe it?

    Just now, I went to the orchard to pick oranges, and I happened to hear everything.

    Everything Hunzi said is true!

    That scoundrel Mo Wen has always been embezzling our village¡¯s poverty alleviation funds!

    And you call yourself the village chief!

    How come you know nothing?

    Blocking the mayor and Director Ren before, then forcing Hunzi to find ways, causing so many problems.

    If there was some money in the village, would these troubles have arisen?

    How many people in our village are crowded into the temple, delaying the children¡¯s schooling, eating from communal pots like decades ago, and these two scoundrels are still thinking of embezzling this money!¡± Fen Ran stood up angrily, finally blurting out all the thoughts in her mind.

    ¡°You scoundrel!

    I¡¯ve been blind!

    And he is actually the only high school student from our village, did you study until you¡¯re as dumb as a cow¡¯s rear end!¡± Ye Canghai shouted in anger, like an enraged bull, kicking Mo Wen fiercely in the butt.

    Mo Wen, who was originally straddling Xu Gaowang, was kicked by Ye Canghai and fell face-first into the ground, immediately toppling off Xu Gaowang.

    As the two separated, they stopped fighting, and when everyone took a close look, their faces were red and swollen, looking like dye vats.

    ¡°You wretched scoundrel!

    You not only betray your people but dare to commit such a heinous act of embezzling public funds!¡± Ye Canghai couldn¡¯t suppress his anger, not expecting Mo Wen to deceive him right under his nose.

    Mo Wen, catching his breath, finally understood that everything had been exposed by Liu Hun, and his face-off with Xu Gaowang was too.

    He realized he was like a locust at the first frost, unable to jump anymore.

    When the police car from the precinct stopped at the entrance of Wanbao Village, the villagers had long gathered at the entrance, witnessing the once pride of the entire village, the only high school student, Mo Wen, with a bruised face, being taken into the police car.

    ¡°That Detian really is like a monkey playing tricks, put himself in handcuffs, see his bruised bear-like appearance!

    Showing off all day in town, really thinking of himself as something special!¡±

    ¡°Serves him right!

    Truly deserved!

    Look at what he did?

    Last time he almost tarnished Qin Yue, now he¡¯s embezzled the village¡¯s money!

    Such people should have been eating prison food long ago!¡±

    ¡°Look at that policewoman, tsk tsk tsk!

    A woman doing this job really has an unspeakable charm, and her face is beautiful, her figure even more so.

    I wonder which man is lucky enough to get her.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Swish!¡± With a valiant demeanor, her brows erect, eyes large, sporting a neat short haircut, and a face full of heroism like a man, the policewoman Zhao Mingjie saluted Liu Hun and said, ¡°Thank you for reporting, with one less parasite.¡±

    ¡°He is a scourge of our Wanbao Village, destined to be removed sooner or later, it¡¯s what I should do.¡± Liu Hun smiled at Zhao Mingjie, noticing in an eye¡¯s glance the vermilion mole on her brow, which suddenly reminded him of Ren Peiling.

    But Ren Peiling had a tear mole at the corner of her eye, two different moles like the final touches of a dragon, highlighting the distinctive charms of the two women in their own ways.

    Zhao Mingjie, turning to get in the car, suddenly turned back and smiled slightly at Liu Hun, ¡°Your name is Liu Hun?¡±

    Liu Hun suddenly froze, and blurted out, ¡°How do you know?¡±

    ¡°Someone told me about the last time at the town clinic, I¡¯ll remember you!¡± Zhao Mingjie threw down a sentence to Liu Hun, turned around, and got into the police car, leaving with the sound of wailing sirens.

    ¡°Clinic...

    could it be that masked female doctor?

    What is her relation to Zhao Mingjie?¡± Liu Hun was utterly confused, having no idea what was going on.

    Mo Wen, the troublemaker, would be completely removed from Wanbao Village, but with the investigation on Mo Wen, the poverty alleviation funds and disaster relief funds from above were also temporarily withheld.

    In this way, villagers who were all set to get their money suddenly found their hopes dashed.

    Nonetheless, this was a great thing for Liu Hun because he wanted the villagers to have no money while he made money right in front of them; only then could he achieve the effect he wanted.

    But, as the saying goes, blessings never come alone, but misfortunes never come singly.

    The misfortune that was doomed to come really came all at once.

    First of all, the issue troubling Liu Hun was the sales channel, those ten acres of Orange Garden under his Qi Force unexpectedly produced thirty thousand pounds of big and sweet oranges.

    The Cooperative helped greatly this time and bought eight thousand pounds, given the size and juiciness of the oranges, at one dollar and fifty cents per pound.

    But the remaining oranges became a pressing issue before him.

    Secondly, the annual festival-like ancestral worship opera of Wanbao Village was about to take place, which might be as lively as the Chinese New Year.

    This tradition of Wanbao Village was famous far and wide in the surrounding ten towns, also the pride and major entertainment activity of Wanbao Village, and villagers even talk based on what¡¯s performed on the stage.

    The problem is, until now, the money was always paid by Rascal Chen¡¯s family; coincidentally this year Rascal Chen was driven out of Wanbao Village by Liu Hun, so the funds were suddenly nowhere to be found, and Ye Canghai approached Liu Hun implying he should pay for it.

    Producing an opera costing twenty thousand was something he could afford, but this money couldn¡¯t be thrown out in vain.

    How to make this money most valuable, Liu Hun thought left and right without a good idea and could only temporarily put this matter aside.

    The immediate concern was to sell the remaining oranges.

    The next day, Liu Hun brought along the women, carrying several baskets of oranges, to the town; coincidentally, it was market day, and with the villagers for miles and miles nearby getting better off, more people came to the town to buy things.

    Though not comparable to the bustling county city, gathering such a crowd was a kind of unspeakable festivity.

    The group set out before daylight, arriving early to the town.

    They picked a good spot and set up a basket of oranges; the women, frequent sellers of goods and vegetables between the village and town, were quite adept.

    Once everything was ready, they started calling out loudly.

    ¡°Come!

    Come!

    The best mandarins!

    Big and sweet oranges!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t miss it if you pass by!

    Selling big oranges cheap!¡±

    ¡°Top-quality oranges!

    Sweet and juicy!

    Even if you don¡¯t buy, come have a look!¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    After the shouting began, coupled with the women¡¯s various charms, it immediately attracted a crowd.

    But Liu Hun observed for a while and noted there were more lookers than buyers, realizing that at this pace, it wouldn¡¯t work.

    ¡°Hunzi, what are you standing around for?

    Join us in calling out!¡± Qin Yue, after calling out twice, turned and saw Liu Hun still standing by, unsure of what was on his mind.

    ¡°Try some!

    They¡¯re sweet, why are you looking at me like that?

    Are you buying or not?¡± Bai Lian glared at the man in front of the stall, knowing he probably didn¡¯t intend to buy anything after all.

    Fen Ran had been trying to sell for a while and only managed to sell a pound of oranges, her enthusiasm instantly cooled as if she had entered an ice cellar.

    Du Yueling also came along today.

    Although the scene looked lively, she thought these people were indeed holding tightly to their wallets, and even first-class oranges weren¡¯t enticing them to spend money.

    Moreover, a few rascals were pointing and whispering about her, which made her uncomfortable.

    ¡°Liu Hun, what should we do now?

    This way doesn¡¯t seem to work well.¡± Du Yueling slightly tilted her head and asked Liu Hun.

    Liu Hun, having observed for quite a while, had a plan in mind and gathered the women together saying, ¡°Today, just shouting like this isn¡¯t the right way.¡±

    ¡°Not right?

    Then what¡¯s your way?¡± Qin Yue immediately asked.

    Liu Hun smiled slightly, with the demeanor of a man who sings impromptu folk songs but has a plan, he said to the women, ¡°First of all, our oranges are of the best quality, some are still on the trees and won¡¯t spoil immediately, so there¡¯s no need to be anxious.

    Secondly, even if our oranges are the best and provide great value, why are people still reluctant to buy?¡±

    ¡°Why?

    Hurry up and tell us; you¡¯re killing me with suspense!¡± Qin Yue was so anxious she almost wanted to pinch Liu Hun.

    ¡°Because they don¡¯t feel like they¡¯re getting a deal!

    We need to make these people feel that buying our oranges provides them with a bargain and a big bargain at that; then they¡¯ll take out their money.¡± Liu Hun explained to the women.

    This was a principle he had discovered from handling so many issues in the village: once these villagers felt like they were getting a deal, each one would scramble and fight to get it.

 Chapter 62 - 62 62 Methods

    ?62: Chapter 62 Methods 62: Chapter 62 Methods ¡°Takin¡¯ advantage?

    Our good oranges are already sellin¡¯ for just a buck fifty, that¡¯s already hella cheap.

    What more do you want?

    Hand ¡¯em out for free?¡± Bai Lian couldn¡¯t make heads or tails of Liu Hun¡¯s words.

    Liu Hun stopped beating around the bush and pointed to the several baskets of oranges on the ground, then said to the three women, ¡°Listen up, everyone.

    Now we¡¯re gonna split into four teams.

    Sister Yue, Sister Bai Lian, and Sister Qin Yue each lead a team to the market to find a spot to sell, while I¡¯ll stay here with Teacher Du and sell.

    You all take fewer oranges with you.

    Sister Yue sells for three yuan per pound, Sister Bai Lian for two fifty, Sister Qin Yue for two, and Teacher Du and I will sell at the original price.¡±

    ¡°Will this really work?¡± Qin Yue, straightforward in both personality and thinking, didn¡¯t quite catch on.

    But Du Yueling, upon hearing Liu Hun¡¯s plan, was silently cheering him on in her heart.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry!

    It¡¯ll work for sure!

    Just do as I say!¡± After Liu Hun had given instructions to the women, he arranged everything according to his own plan.

    Fen Ran and the others took some oranges and left.

    After nearly half an hour, there still wasn¡¯t a sign of brisk sales at Liu Hun¡¯s stall.

    Just as Du Yueling was about to say something, suddenly someone started making a fuss.

    ¡°Oh!

    So you¡¯re sellin¡¯ oranges here too?

    How much per pound?¡± A big aunty with a basket squeezed over to Liu Hun¡¯s stall, her basket clearly holding three oranges.

    ¡°A buck fifty!

    Selling cheap!

    Today and no more tomorrow, you leave this village and you won¡¯t find this shop!

    What do ya say?

    Three pounds?¡± Liu Hun bellowed.

    ¡°Good heavens!

    I¡¯ve been had!

    I bought these oranges for two a pound, thinkin¡¯ I got a good deal!¡± The aunty with the basket slapped her own thigh, regretting her purchase.

    ¡°What?

    My oranges are fifty cents cheaper?¡± Liu Hun joined in the act, feigning surprise.

    ¡°Ain¡¯t it the truth!

    I¡¯m lookin¡¯ at your oranges and they even seem better than the ones over there!¡± The more the big aunty looked, the more she felt she had been cheated, and the more she felt cheated, the better Liu Hun¡¯s oranges seemed to her.

    ¡°That won¡¯t do!

    My oranges are this good!

    These are Wanbao Village¡¯s top-notch honey oranges!

    I can¡¯t be at a loss here, time for a price hike!

    A price hike!

    Gotta sell for at least two, am I right or not?¡± Liu Hun waved his hand grandly to the crowd around him, his performance growing more and more animated.

    ¡°Right, what right!

    I¡¯m just about to buy here, and you talk about raising prices all of a sudden?

    What happened to honesty in business?

    I¡¯ve got my money ready right here, give me five pounds before you raise prices!

    Otherwise, I won¡¯t stand for it!¡± A big momma who had been hesitating until now quickly pulled a plastic bag out of her pocket as she saw the impending price hike.

    ¡°Hey!

    Fifty cents cheaper per pound!

    That¡¯s a big bargain!

    If we don¡¯t grab it, it¡¯s a loss!¡± A young man next to the big momma pulled someone over and shouted, turning his head to yell at Liu Hun, ¡°I¡¯ll take ten pounds!

    A buck fifty, right?

    I¡¯ve been waitin¡¯ this whole time, the price hike doesn¡¯t apply to me!¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s that about raising prices?

    See my old arms and legs, I¡¯ve been wantin¡¯ to buy and just couldn¡¯t squeeze in.

    I want ten pounds too, and it¡¯s gotta be a buck fifty!¡± An old woman grasping a cloth bag wobbled from right to left as she forced her way through the crowd, seemingly unaware of her claimed frailty.

    ¡°...¡±

    When people heard about Liu Hun wanting to raise prices, they immediately got upset.

    Those who had been hesitating hurried forward to buy.

    Liu Hun couldn¡¯t have been happier.

    Just as they had sold off a whole basket, he suddenly heard someone say that some stands were selling oranges for two fifty or even higher.

    That struck like a spark to a fuse, igniting the crowd¡¯s desire for a bargain.

    Everyone who wanted to buy, who hadn¡¯t wanted to buy, or who didn¡¯t even like oranges all crowded in.

    They pulled out all sorts of bags and containers in a desperate flurry to snag that deal!

    After Liu Hun and Du Yueling had busied themselves for half an hour, they finally managed to sell off the four large baskets of oranges they had brought, except for a few that were crushed beyond presentability.

    ¡°Finally all sold out.

    Time to taste the joy of a bountiful harvest,¡± Du Yueling said with a smile, the corners of her eyes curved like crescent moons, clear and bright.

    Her delicate fingers picked up a slice of orange and held it to Liu Hun¡¯s mouth.

    With a goofy smile, Liu Hun was about to take a bite when suddenly his eyes widened, he reached out to wrap his arm around Du Yueling¡¯s waist, pulling her to his side, and kicked backwards.

    ¡°What happened?¡± Du Yueling brushed her hair from her face and leaned into Liu Hun¡¯s embrace, turning her head to see a fierce-looking mongrel kicked aside by Liu Hun.

    ¡°Whose dog is this?¡± Liu Hun glared fiercely around the crowd, but no one dared to respond.

    The crowd, which had been enjoying the orange buying spectacle, all shivered, sensing that the man in front of them was not the same jovial vendor who had been selling oranges just moments before.

    As Du Yueling was still in shock, suddenly a whistle sounded from within the crowd, and the mongrel Liu Hun had kicked, showing its teeth and growling, lunged at him again.

    ¡°Beast!

    You¡¯re askin¡¯ for it!¡± Liu Hun shielded Du Yueling and suddenly raised his leg, energy coursing through to his legs, and the sturdy sole of his shoe met the mongrel¡¯s face with a thump.

    ¡°Crack!¡± A sharp sound, as if someone¡¯s rotten bamboo had fallen, echoed, leaving the surrounding crowd as stunned as if they¡¯d seen a ghost in broad daylight, rubbing their eyes over and over again, almost to the point of popping them out.

    ¡°What...

    what happened here, how did it just get squashed?

    That¡¯s...

    that¡¯s a dog, isn¡¯t it?

    Ain¡¯t there somethin¡¯ wrong with my eyes?¡±

    ¡°Is that dog dead or what?

    Looks dead to me, the blood¡¯s spillin¡¯ out, how did it just die like that?

    How come it didn¡¯t bite someone?¡±

    ¡°Are my eyes deceiving me or what?

    Just now...

    did you see it?

    That whoosh, like a scene from a play, just...

    just like that!

    And it got squashed dead!¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    The onlookers stared dumbfounded, none of them had anticipated that Liu Hun could kill such a large earth dog by stomping on it with one foot, especially when it lunged at him, crushing its head into a pulpy mess.

    Ten seconds earlier, everyone had thought Liu Hun was surely going to end up at the health clinic, his earnings from selling oranges doomed to be surrendered there.

    Ten seconds later, everyone¡¯s mind went blank, unable to think of anything.

    ¡°Ah!¡± Du Yueling turned her head to see the earth dog Liu Hun had crushed and screamed in fright, quickly turning back to ask, ¡°You...

    you¡¯re not hurt, are you?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just a dog, no big deal.

    Let¡¯s pack up and head back to the village,¡± Liu Hun said to Du Yueling in his arms with a smile.

    ¡°Head back to the village?

    Go back to what village?

    Where are you going?

    You think you can just walk away after killing my dog?¡± A voice cried out from the crowd, and the surrounding people turned to look, only to see two men with cigarettes dangling from their mouths, looking every bit the ruffians, approaching Liu Hun.

    ¡°Oh no!

    Why did it have to be these two troublemakers!

    We need to stay as far away as possible, these ancestors are not to be messed with.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just Lin Degui¡¯s two leg breakers, what¡¯s so terrible about that?

    What can they do?

    I reckon this fruit seller is going to make mincemeat out of the pair of them.¡±

    ¡°Hey!

    Today we got both oranges to eat and a good show to watch.

    This trip to the market was worth it!

    Just look, neither side here is an easy opponent.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    The two swaggering figures approaching were none other than the Huang Qing and Huang Qiang brothers, who had been thrown into the police station by Liu Hun last time.

    Liu Hun hadn¡¯t expected them to be released so soon and figured they must be here for revenge.

    Sure enough, Huang Qing feigned surprise when he saw Liu Hun and exclaimed, ¡°Yo!

    I was wondering who had the guts to kill my dog, turns out it¡¯s you, kid!¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?

    Not satisfied last time, so now you¡¯re coming right back for more?¡± Liu Hun coldly eyed the brothers, thinking that this time he¡¯d thoroughly take care of both of them.

    ¡°Ha!

    You guessed right, I¡¯m here to settle both the new and old scores!¡± Huang Qing said, pointing to the earth dog crushed by Liu Hun, ¡°My rare and valuable dog was killed by you.

    Tell me, what are you going to do about it?¡±

    ¡°What do you want to do?¡± Liu Hun asked Huang Qing.

    Huang Qing placed his hands behind his back and lorded over the area like a county magistrate surveying his domain, then looked over at Liu Hun¡¯s empty bamboo baskets and said, ¡°You made quite a bit of money today.

    Here¡¯s what we¡¯ll do: leave your earnings from selling oranges with me, and I¡¯ll let you off cheap for killing my prized dog.

    We¡¯ll call it even.¡±

    ¡°What prized dog, it¡¯s just an earth dog; eating crap is more like it.¡±

    Someone from the crowd couldn¡¯t help blurting out that comment, which made Huang Qing immediately point at the crowd and shout, ¡°Who?!

    Who the hell just said that?

    Stand up if you have the guts!¡±

    ¡°Smack!¡± With a fierce stomp, Huang Qiang crushed a rotten orange into mush, then turned to the spectating villagers, ¡°Whichever fool keeps yapping will end up like this orange.¡±

    The villagers were angry but dared not speak out, looking between the crushed orange under Huang Qiang¡¯s foot and the dog¡¯s head under Liu Hun¡¯s, their eyes filled with disdain for the Huang brothers.

    ¡°Listen up, you two, I¡¯m only going to say this once: get the hell out of here right now.

    Otherwise, you¡¯ll regret ever being born,¡± Liu Hun said, while positioning Du Yueling protectively behind him.

    ¡°Qiangzi!

    What¡¯d he say?

    What¡¯d he say?

    He gets lucky and kills a dog by mistake and now he¡¯s showing off in front of me?

    Today you¡¯re the mouse that licked the cat, looking for trouble!¡± Huang Qing said, gesturing behind him, and seven or eight burly men roughly pushed through the crowd to stand in front of Liu Hun.

    ¡°Forget the nonsense!

    Attack!

    Beat him dead like a dog!¡± Huang Qiang, rolling up his sleeves, charged at Liu Hun.

    At Huang Qing¡¯s shout, the seven or eight strong men also charged towards Liu Hun.

    In that instant, there was chaos, with chickens flying, dogs jumping, ghosts wailing, and wolves howling.

    The villagers, both worried about getting blood on themselves and eager to watch the drama unfold, scurried backwards while craning their necks forward, looking as bewildered as geese eying food.

    ¡°Hit ¡¯em!

    Yes!

    From behind!

    Pound those two scrawny runts!

    Good!

    That¡¯s how you do it!

    It¡¯s thrilling!¡±

    ¡°What kind of moves are these?

    I¡¯ve never seen anything like it, not even the Lin Family theater troupe has many actors this fierce!

    Oh!

    That punch looked solid, it even hurts me to watch!¡±

    ¡°Great!

    Impressive!

    This guy protects a girl and still fights off ten men, he must be trained!

    Look at him go!

    He¡¯s getting fiercer!

    They¡¯re cowering!

    Cowards!

    The Huang Family¡¯s dimwits are cowering!

    The orange stomper can¡¯t beat the dog killer, what a loss of face, just showing up to be humiliated!¡±

    ¡°...¡±

 Chapter 63 - 63 63 Dead Dog

    ?63: Chapter 63: Dead Dog 63: Chapter 63: Dead Dog Watching Liu Hun beat down ten people, the surrounding villagers grew bold, crowding around to settle scores¡ªthose with grievances shared them, and those without simply snuck in a few cheap shots.

    ¡°Get up!¡± Liu Hun kicked Huang Qing¡¯s rear and yelled.

    Slippery as an eel, Huang Qing had only taken three hits before, but those had been enough to knock the wind out of him.

    He struggled to his feet, only to have someone spit a thick glob of phlegm on his face.

    ¡°Huang Qing, do you think your mutt was worth any money?¡± Liu Hun asked, staring down at him.

    Shivering, Huang Qing wiped his face and stammered, ¡°No...

    it¡¯s worthless.¡±

    ¡°How could that be?

    A dog of rare breed can¡¯t be worthless!

    I killed your dog, shouldn¡¯t I compensate you for that?¡± Liu Hun continued, his tone deadly serious.

    The more Huang Qing heard, the colder he felt, as if Liu Hun in front of him was a temple demon.

    Once unable to handle ten men, now it was they who had been dealt with by him.

    No longer daring to ask for money, he just wanted to take his life home safely.

    ¡°Big brother!

    My Lord!

    Ancestor!

    Please, I beg you, it was all my fault.

    I was blind, calculating against you.

    I will never dare again.¡±

    Liu Hun bought a long hemp rope from a villager and threw it in front of Huang Qing, saying, ¡°We need to make compensation!

    Listen to me, you¡¯ll earn your money back!

    Take this and tie up your brothers and the dogs you brought, leaving one section out.¡±

    By now, Huang Qing understood the status, honestly doing as Liu Hun instructed, tying up all his cohorts at the column where Liu Hun had sold oranges, and then handing the remaining rope to Liu Hun.

    Liu Hun took the rope and twisted Huang Qing¡¯s arm behind his back, immediately binding his hands.

    Huang Qing yelped in pain, his cries causing the others to also struggle and pull on the rope, creating a tug-of-war, much to the amusement of the onlookers.

    Then, Liu Hun kicked the dead dog in front of Huang Qing and said, ¡°Your rare dog is worth only a small knife.

    You and your brother yell out here and sell it, anyone who wants to buy it and gives you a knife can save you.

    What do you think of my idea?¡±

    Dare Huang Qing say ¡°no¡±?

    He quickly nodded and bowed in gratitude, acting as if Liu Hun had saved his ancestors.

    ¡°Brilliant!

    Brilliant!

    Today I¡¯ve seen something new; these two fools finally got what they deserved!

    I¡¯ll stay right here and watch to see who wants to buy!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t joke!

    I¡¯d actually give him a chopstick!

    Let him poke around with it and see how long he lasts!¡±

    ¡°That man selling oranges really is something!

    Don¡¯t know which village or shop he¡¯s from?

    Today, he really helped us vent our anger!¡±

    ¡°Liu Hun from Wanbao Village!

    Did you know that?

    If you didn¡¯t know before, now you do!

    And in the future, he will do even bigger things!

    Keep your eyes peeled!¡±

    Qin Yue, carrying an empty bamboo basket, chatted and laughed as she followed Liu Hun away.

    ¡°Wanbao Village?

    Isn¡¯t there a local opera being performed soon?

    Hey!

    We should check it out, it¡¯s the highlight of the year and a chance to learn more about this talented man!¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    After Liu Hun and the others left, Huang Qing and his people caused another spectacle, fighting over the rope like dogs, until Lin Degui sent someone to rescue them.

    Since then, the two local thugs gained a new nickname¡ª¡±Dead Dog Huang.¡±

    Back in Wanbao Village, several women thought Liu Hun¡¯s method of selling oranges was absolutely brilliant and planned to continue using it.

    However, Liu Hun disagreed.

    ¡°What?

    You disagree?

    Why not, wasn¡¯t it selling well?¡± Qin Yue was quite puzzled by his thoughts, thinking it was a great method.

    Liu Hun smiled at the women and said, ¡°That method can be used only once.

    Think about it, if people find out we¡¯re together, won¡¯t the illusion be shattered?

    Although many people come to the market, after dealing with the Huang brothers like that, everyone knows about us, everyone knows about our oranges from Wanbao Village.

    That method won¡¯t work anymore.¡±

    The women thought it over and realized he was right, but they definitely wouldn¡¯t be able to sell all the oranges this one time, which now posed a dilemma.

    Liu Hun continued, ¡°There are two things right?

    First, these tangerines must be sold, sold out completely, and make sure the villagers see!¡± Indeed, that was exactly what Liu Hun meant, and he paused before adding, ¡°Second is this village play.¡±

    Fen Ran asked Liu Hun, ¡°Are you planning on taking this on yourself?¡± She really felt that what Ye Canghai did was inconsiderate, simply dumping everything onto Liu Hun.

    ¡°Yes!

    I really do plan to take it on!

    But, I want to solve both issues at once,¡± Liu Hun addressed the women around him, then began explaining his thoughts, ¡°The ancestral play in Wanbao Village isn¡¯t just loved by the people of Wanbao Village; folks from the surrounding villages also want to join the excitement.¡±

    ¡°People want to take advantage of this free event,¡± Qin Yue continued Liu Hun¡¯s thought, her words revealing the pride of a Wanbao Village native, ¡°But according to our village¡¯s tradition, the stage area is so limited that once we fit our own villagers, there¡¯s hardly any space left, and many can¡¯t even catch a glimpse.¡±

    ¡°This means money arrives when people arrive.

    This year let¡¯s change the old ways,¡± Liu Hun said as he began to explain, ¡°We¡¯ll move the stage from the entrance of the village to the temple gate court.

    That way, more people can come to watch.¡±

    ¡°My head¡¯s all muddled as if it¡¯s filled with paste, I totally didn¡¯t get what you mean, Hunzi,¡± Bai Lian confessed, utterly confused about Liu Hun¡¯s intentions.

    ¡°You¡¯ll understand when the time comes.

    For now, we need to work together on this,¡± Liu Hun¡¯s face held a mysterious smile, as if he knew where treasure was hidden.

    ¡°Just tell us what to do!¡± Fen Ran quickly said.

    ¡°First, this matter must be kept a secret, known only among us here.

    Next, Sister Yue, go tell the village chief I¡¯ll take care of the village play, and I¡¯ll cover the expenses.

    We still have some time before the play starts, so we need to keep selling tangerines in town.

    This time, let¡¯s sell them for one and a half each, as many as we can.

    The most important part is not the selling, but the promotion!¡± Liu Hun told the surrounding women, his words becoming murkier as he spoke.

    ¡°Promotion?

    Promote what?¡± Qin Yue asked with a furrowed brow, unsure of what he was up to.

    ¡°While you¡¯re in town selling tangerines, you need to spread the word about our village¡¯s stage this year.

    Although people always know about it from previous years, due to limited space not everyone who wants to come is able to.

    So, when you go to town this time, just say that this year our Wanbao Village¡¯s stage will be big enough to accommodate everyone who comes.

    Just say this sentence, and nothing else,¡± Liu Hun instructed the women, feeling that if they followed his directions step by step, he could resolve this big worry.

    The women might not have fully understood what Liu Hun wanted to do, but they still had to listen to him; however, Fen Ran now had another question, ¡°Hunzi, when we initially invited the Lin Family troupe to perform, they chose this spot.

    They have many traditions, where to set up the stage, when to burn incense; all are dictated by them.

    If we arbitrarily change the location, what if the Lin Family troupe disagrees?

    What do we do then?¡±

    Had Fen Ran not reminded him, Liu Hun would¡¯ve indeed forgotten this issue.

    The troupe had many rules, and sometimes money alone couldn¡¯t smooth things over.

    After thinking, Liu Hun decided, ¡°Just do as I said, and I¡¯ll personally pay a visit to the Lin Family troupe!¡±

    The next day, early morning, Liu Hun rode a tractor provided by Shi Bingyu to the nearby East Town.

    The town had a quaint charm, reportedly with a long history and home to some notable people.

    However, now it was most famous for the town¡¯s troupe¡ªthe Lin Family troupe.

    Liu Hun asked around and found the Lin Family troupe, which was located in a grand mansion, a landlord¡¯s residence from many years ago.

    ¡°Bend lower!

    Lower!

    What, do you have donkey ears?

    Can¡¯t you understand what I¡¯m saying?¡± A square-faced young man sternly pressed down on a teenager.

    ¡°What are you doing?

    Let go!

    You¡¯re going to hurt him, he only just arrived a few days ago.

    Is this necessary?¡± A young woman with braided hair snatched the teenager from the man¡¯s hands, comforting him softly in her arms until his sobs ceased.

    ¡°Look, little junior sister, a crooked tree needs straightening.

    I¡¯m just looking out for him!¡± the man said proudly to the woman, his words followed by a chorus of agreement from the surrounding disciples.

    ¡°Everything needs a process, you have to take it slowly.

    What if you actually hurt the boy?¡± The woman was visibly dissatisfied, already weary of her senior brother¡¯s attitude.

    ¡°Oh!

    Are you trying to teach me a lesson now?

    Little junior sister, it¡¯s not your place to lecture me.

    We in the troupe value strength.

    Either show your strength and beat me, then I¡¯ll listen to whatever you say, or else... you really shouldn¡¯t meddle,¡± the man said arrogantly, his head tilted up like a turtle just emerging from water, his eyes gazing at the sky.

    ¡°What do you want to compete in?¡± The woman was instantly angered.

    ¡°Hey!

    Feeling riled up?

    If we are to compete, let¡¯s test our strength!

    Strength is essential on the stage for handling weapons; arm wrestling is the best test of arm strength.

    Are you game?¡± The man challenged the woman.

    ¡°You...¡± The woman¡¯s face turned bright red, clearly aware she was no match for the man in that area.

 Chapter 64 - 64 64 The Opera Troupe

    ?64: Chapter 64 The Opera Troupe 64: Chapter 64 The Opera Troupe ¡°Hey, look at our senior sister, has she chickened out or what?

    If she was going to back down, she shouldn¡¯t have stepped up in the first place.

    Now her reputation is really in the mud.¡±

    ¡°What do you know?

    This is the senior brother¡¯s doing on purpose.

    I heard the master had planned to match our senior sister with him, but she flatly refused, so that deal fell through.

    Imagine our senior sister with her figure and looks, holding a spear like Mu Guiying, waving water sleeves like Cui Yingying, who wouldn¡¯t be smitten!¡±

    ¡°No wonder our senior brother¡¯s been acting like he ate two ounces of gunpowder lately, glaring at everyone.

    Turns out it¡¯s pent-up anger.

    I think he¡¯s planning to give his future wife a show of strength before she¡¯s even in the door.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Knock, knock, knock!

    Ahem!

    Excuse me...

    is Master Lin in?¡± Just as the tension in the troupe was rising, Liu Hun knocked on the open door and walked in.

    The man was just about to assert his authority, but when Liu Hun popped in and ruined his plan, he glared at Liu Hun with discomfort and said, ¡°Not here!

    Scram!¡±

    ¡°Whoa!

    Is this the Lin Troupe, or did you switch to a kennel?

    Why do I hear barking right when I walk in?¡± Liu Hun replied with a smile.

    He wasn¡¯t inclined to be polite to someone so rude.

    ¡°I¡¯m Lin Mengmei, daughter of Lin Shanhu and the leading lady of the troupe.

    What do you need?¡± Lin Mengmei approached Liu Hun quite politely and said.

    When Liu Hun heard that the person in front of him was indeed the famed Lin Mengmei, praised far and wide, it turned out she truly was as beautiful, charming, and spirited as people said.

    Clearly, Lin Mengmei was irreplaceable in all the leading roles on stage.

    ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Liu Hun from Wanbao Village.

    I¡¯ve come today to discuss the arrangements for this year¡¯s community opera with Master Lin,¡± Liu Hun said to Lin Mengmei, reciprocating the politeness he was shown.

    ¡°You little bastard, what did you just say?

    What kennel?

    What do you mean?¡± The man angrily pointed at Liu Hun, stepping forward.

    ¡°Who¡¯s barking here?¡± Liu Hun ignored the man and spoke to Lin Mengmei instead.

    Lin Mengmei glanced at the man and said, ¡°He¡¯s our troupe¡¯s senior brother, Wang Tiankun.¡±

    ¡°Oh, so that¡¯s his name, no wonder he barks enthusiastically.

    Want to start something?

    Bring it on!¡± Liu Hun calmly said to the approaching Wang Tiankun.

    ¡°I¡¯ll cripple you, you bastard!¡± Wang Tiankun said and charged with several steps, swinging a fist directly at Liu Hun.

    At the height of his anger, Wang Tiankun didn¡¯t care about holding back.

    All he wanted was to vent and flaunt his power.

    Standing beside Liu Hun, Lin Mengmei knew Wang Tiankun¡¯s capabilities and quickly stepped forward to shield Liu Hun.

    As Lin Mengmei stepped out, she suddenly felt a tightness around her waist and realized Liu Hun was holding her.

    The woman¡¯s waist was definitely something not to be touched, especially Lin Mengmei¡¯s.

    Once someone held her waist, she went completely weak.

    Is he that kind of person?

    Lin Mengmei thought, as a tingling sensation spread from her waist like electricity through her entire body, and she collapsed into Liu Hun¡¯s arms.

    Liu Hun hadn¡¯t expected Lin Mengmei¡¯s waist to be so slender and supple, like a willow swaying in the wind.

    Nor had he expected her to suddenly go limp in his arms.

    While these thoughts ran through his mind, Wang Tiankun, seeing the scene, now wanted not just to cripple Liu Hun but to kill him, swinging his tight-fisted punch forward with all his might.

    ¡°Thud!¡± A dull sound echoed as Wang Tiankun stood over a meter away from Liu Hun, completely still, his face twitching with pain as sweat poured down like soybeans from his forehead¡ªhis whole body numb to the core.

    Lin Mengmei, soft in Liu Hun¡¯s arms, had initially thought she would fly off with Liu Hun from Wang Tiankun¡¯s punch.

    But at the last moment, as she was about to close her eyes, she saw Liu Hun¡ªin a move that seemed reckless¡ªsticking out a fist to meet the blow.

    When she opened her eyes again, she saw the two men standing there like statues, fists touching, unsure what exactly had happened.

    ¡°If you can still talk, you¡¯d better apologize now.

    But I reckon you can probably only groan.¡± As soon as Liu Hun finished speaking, Wang Tiankun began to groan through gritted teeth, the intense pain shooting straight to his head, while his right hand from the punch with Liu Hun felt cast in plaster¡ªdangling stiffly between his legs as he hopped like a grasshopper.

    ¡°What happened?

    Why did senior brother end up like this?

    Just now he seemed ready to beat this Liu Hun to death?¡±

    ¡°Where did this Liu Hun come from?

    He took out senior brother with one punch.

    Weren¡¯t we supposed to cripple him?

    Should we help or not?¡±

    ¡°Who dares to go?

    One hand holding our leading lady, the other crippling senior brother¡ªif you want to, then go.

    I¡¯m definitely not going.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°You...

    let go of me!¡± Lin Mengmei said to Liu Hun, her whole body limp and just being red-faced.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.

    I was worried you¡¯d get hurt standing in front of me,¡± Liu Hun said, quickly releasing Lin Mengmei, who was blushing as red as a bleeding-heart blossom.

    Lin Mengmei shot Liu Hun a semi-angry glance, then quickly called some of her fellow disciples to help Wang Tiankun into the inner room.

    Just as they entered, Lin Shanhu returned from outside.

    Lin Shanhu invited Liu Hun into the main hall and, after listening to Lin Mengmei recount the incident, he had a rough idea of what had happened.

    Liu Hun looked at Lin Shanhu, with his robust build and imposing demeanor, truly living up to the moniker ¡°Tiger.¡±

    After Liu Hun explained his purpose, Lin Shanhu slowly raised a cup of tea and said, ¡°Ah, Xiao Ling, I understand what you mean.

    But although my disciple was rash, I saw that his hand is likely crippled, so you have to give some sort of explanation, don¡¯t you?¡±

    After hearing Lin Shanhu¡¯s words, Liu Hun understood that he was protecting his disciple.

    Though he felt a bit uncomfortable, Liu Hun didn¡¯t want to sour relations with the Lin Troupe, otherwise, the performance would fall through.

    So Liu Hun stood up and said to Lin Shanhu, ¡°Master Lin, it was your disciple who struck first.

    I was only defending myself.

    His hand may have been hurt badly, but I know some medicine and can guarantee I¡¯ll fix it.¡±

    ¡°Oh?!¡± Lin Shanhu¡¯s eyes lit up.

    Having examined Wang Tiankun¡¯s hand earlier, he guessed that the bones were likely shattered.

    Training a disciple was no easy task, so he was rather displeased with Liu Hun.

    However, upon hearing this, he felt hope for a turnabout, so he responded, ¡°If you can truly fix my disciple¡¯s hand, I¡¯ll have him serve you tea and apologize!¡±

    Liu Hun nodded and walked straight to Wang Tiankun, feeling that Lin Shanhu understood the importance of his disciple¡¯s hand over pride.

    Wang Tiankun was still in pain and seeing Liu Hun approach, he was terrified.

    He wanted to dodge but was surprised when Liu Hun suddenly grabbed his injured hand, channeling something into his arm.

    In a mere moment, the pain vanished completely.

    ¡°Hey!

    It¡¯s...

    it¡¯s really...

    really healed!¡± Wang Tiankun marveled, flinging his arm in disbelief, only to realize it felt good as new.

    Lin Shanhu squinted his eyes at Liu Hun, contemplating that this lad might have some real ability, and then said to Wang Tiankun, ¡°For bullying your fellow disciples, insulting guests, and injuring someone today, take this as a lesson.

    Now, serve tea and apologize to our guest, then go inside to reflect!¡±

    Though Wang Tiankun was filled with hatred for Liu Hun, his master¡¯s words were like Sun Wukong¡¯s binding spell, and he had no choice but to obediently serve tea and apologize to Liu Hun before slipping inside dejectedly.

    ¡°Master Lin, do you have any thoughts on the matter I mentioned?¡± Liu Hun asked Lin Shanhu, as this was his primary concern.

    ¡°Xiao Ling, our troupe follows its own rules and traditions.

    We can¡¯t just change on a whim,¡± Lin Shanhu said as he set down his teacup and slowly refilled it, considering his next move.

    Liu Hun smiled slightly, saying, ¡°Master Lin, rules are dead, but people are alive.

    If you¡¯re willing to be flexible, anything is negotiable.¡±

    Lin Shanhu raised his teacup, though instead of sipping, he nodded to Liu Hun, saying, ¡°Xiao Ling, take this cup, and the matter is settled!¡±

    Liu Hun was puzzled, uncertain if Lin Shanhu was genuinely sincere or merely toying with him.

    After pondering, he decided to give it a try, thinking he couldn¡¯t face the villagers empty-handed.

    Liu Hun approached Lin Shanhu, saying, ¡°Master Lin, thank you kindly!¡± With that, he reached for the teacup in Lin Shanhu¡¯s hand, but it wouldn¡¯t budge.

    Upon looking up at Lin Shanhu¡¯s expression, Liu Hun immediately realized he was being tested.

    Though he didn¡¯t know Lin Shanhu¡¯s full intent, he needed to drink the tea today.

    With a thought, he channeled Qi Force into his hand!

    Lin Shanhu, who was seated calmly like he was catfishing, suddenly appeared shocked, his eyes wide, as he watched Liu Hun pluck the teacup from his grasp.

    Liu Hun drank the tea in one gulp, then set the cup back on the table, saying to Lin Shanhu, ¡°Master Lin, thank you kindly!¡±

    ¡°Great!¡± Lin Shanhu exclaimed, slamming the table as he stood up, happily patting Liu Hun on the shoulder, ¡°Consider this matter settled then!¡±

    Liu Hun paid Lin Shanhu a deposit, and the two of them drafted an agreement, securing the arrangements.

    In a few short days, the tasks instructed for the women were completed.

    After Du Yueling posted the notices with Mao¡¯er and others, the villagers learned that Liu Hun was responsible for organizing the community opera.

    Still, they remained unaware of other details.

    ¡°Did that rascal really take on this responsibility?

    What a guy!

    Holding his own with his fists and not shirking from the task!¡±

    ¡°If I made that much money, I¡¯d take on the responsibility too!

    Remember, Rascal Chen booted him out of the village, so who else but him should shoulder the responsibility?

    How much did he earn growing vegetables, and how much from mushrooms?

    Check out Ye Canghai¡¯s orchard¡ªafter years of looking like dead wood, this year it¡¯s covered in fruit!

    Who knows how much that¡¯s going to bring in?¡±

    ¡°That rascal relied solely on his own skills.

    We should be grateful he included us in his plans.

    If it¡¯s not this time, let¡¯s reflect on our reasons.

    Look at all the lazy rascals still waiting for the township¡¯s money.

    What if that money doesn¡¯t come?

    We need to work hard ourselves!¡±

    ¡°...¡±

 Chapter 65 - 65 65 All Are Drama

    ?65: Chapter 65 All Are Drama 65: Chapter 65 All Are Drama Several women sold quite a few oranges in town, but more importantly, they solidly promoted them as Liu Hun instructed.

    On the day of the ancestral festival drama in Wanbao Village, everyone within a ten-mile radius who could grab a bit of free time rushed to the village entrance early, hoping to get a good spot.

    They were even more worried about being far away and only being able to see the tops of heads and hear voices, just like in previous years.

    The sun gradually rose higher, wilting the enthusiasm of the villagers who had arrived early.

    One by one, they stretched their necks like geese, but there was no sign of a stage being set up.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on here?

    We¡¯ve been waiting so long, and no one is setting up the stage.

    Are they pulling our leg or what?¡±

    ¡°That can¡¯t be!

    The festival drama in Wanbao Village has always been on time every year.

    How could it be canceled?

    But this sun is too scorching.

    At this rate, we¡¯ll be shriveled like eggplants.¡±

    ¡°Why isn¡¯t anyone saying anything?

    Look at all of us waiting here, what¡¯s the point?

    Wanbao Village isn¡¯t close to the water, people might die of thirst.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    The crowd, which was originally chirping and chattering like magpies, thinking they had caught a good deal, had turned into crows, one voice of complaint following another.

    ¡°Clang!¡± Suddenly, a gigantic sound of a brass gong rang from the old crooked-neck locust tree.

    The villagers waiting under the sun to watch the play were so startled that their hair stood on end, and many began to curse under their breath.

    ¡°Whose dead kid is this, scaring people like that?

    Almost made me pee my pants.¡± An aunt leaning on a millstone, drowsy, cursed as she stood up.

    Upon looking closely, she saw it was Mao¡¯er.

    Just as she was about to say something, Mao¡¯er started to speak.

    ¡°Everyone, listen to me!

    I just came from the west side of the village and saw they seem to be setting up the stage over there.

    Hurry and go, or you won¡¯t see anything!

    Clang!¡± Mao¡¯er finished speaking with another loud bang of the gong.

    The villagers, eager for free entertainment and worried about a lack of space, immediately perked up as if watered with new life and headed toward the west side of the village with their chairs and stools.

    In just a few minutes, the vast crowd disappeared entirely.

    Mao¡¯er chuckled from on top of the crooked-neck locust tree, climbed down, and handed the gong to Mao¡¯er¡¯er, saying, ¡°Mao¡¯er¡¯er!

    It¡¯s your turn now!

    Don¡¯t delay big brother Hun¡¯s plan!

    Go!¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± Mao¡¯er¡¯er wiped his nose and ran westward with the gong.

    ¡°What are you still looking at?

    Hurry to the temple to hide!

    When they come back mad, you¡¯ll be in trouble if they catch you!¡± Qin Yue said, hands on her hips, to Mao¡¯er.

    ¡°Aunt Qin Yue, what¡¯s Liu Hun up to?

    Wasn¡¯t the stage supposed to be set up in the plaza outside the temple?

    Why did he make me say it¡¯s in the west of the village?¡± Mao¡¯er was a bit confused about the task Liu Hun gave him.

    Qin Yue laughed and flicked Mao¡¯er on the head, saying, ¡°You¡¯ll see why your big brother Hun is so capable soon!

    Just head back to the temple and hide, and you¡¯ll find out shortly.¡±

    ¡°Alright!¡± Mao¡¯er rubbed his head and returned to the temple, while Qin Yue idled at the village entrance, waiting for the crowd to return.

    Sure enough, within an hour, Mao¡¯er¡¯er returned to the village entrance, out of breath, with a gong.

    Pointing to the crowd behind him, he said, ¡°Spring...

    Aunt Qin Yue, they listened to me and came back, and a few old ladies are yelling that they want to beat me!¡±

    ¡°What ¡®old ladies¡¯!

    Don¡¯t use such foul language!

    Go to the temple and hide.

    Your big brother Mao¡¯er is also there.

    Hurry up, I¡¯ll handle it here!¡± Qin Yue said then patted Mao¡¯er¡¯er on the head, sending him off.

    ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this?

    Are they treating us like donkeys?

    Easy to fool, right?

    Look at the sun, Wanbao Village owes us an explanation today!¡±

    ¡°Yeah!

    We¡¯ve run back and forth for so many miles.

    Where is your village chief Ye?

    Ask him to come out and explain!

    We came to watch a play, not to be made fools of!¡±

    ¡°And those two kids with the gong earlier!

    They must be dealt with!

    They tricked us well, all that running under the blazing sun, who can bear that?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    When the large crowd returned to the village entrance, each was as dry as withered cowpeas, with hardly any moisture left.

    Their muttering and grumbling were far less than before.

    Qin Yue adjusted her wide hips, stood on a large rock at the village entrance, and shouted, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?

    Watching a free play and you see the fault in our Wanbao Village?¡±

    ¡°Even if it¡¯s free, it doesn¡¯t mean we can be made fools, right?¡± A middle-aged man grumbled discontentedly, looking at Qin Yue¡¯s fair face and full figure, feeling more parched with each glance in this weather.

    ¡°Right!

    Clanging and drumming, saying the stage is in the west of the village one moment, and at the village entrance the next.

    Isn¡¯t that making fools of us?¡± An elderly woman, panting from running back and forth, said.

    ¡°Clanging and drumming?

    Those two kids who ran off just now!

    All of you are grown-ups, don¡¯t you know whom to listen to and whom not to?

    Those kids were just messing around!¡± Qin Yue said, hands on her hips, pointing at the crowd, narrowly holding back laughter several times.

    After Qin Yue finished speaking, many people were unhappy and began to curse loudly.

    Had they not been wearied by all the back-and-forth earlier, they might have surrounded her to make trouble.

    Seeing the situation getting out of hand, Qin Yue switched her tone, saying, ¡°Everyone, listen!

    Our Wanbao Village¡¯s festival play this year will definitely go on!

    Not only will it go on, but it will be excellent!

    The stage isn¡¯t at the village entrance or west of the village; it¡¯s in the plaza at the temple gate.

    Follow me!¡±

    Despite all the trouble, people still wanted to watch a free play.

    So, enduring the sun, they followed Qin Yue to the temple gate.

    ¡°Wow!

    Oh my mother!

    It really is here!

    This trip wasn¡¯t in vain!

    Look, such a spacious plaza, I¡¯d say it can accommodate seven or eight hundred people!¡±

    ¡°I said not to follow those two kids¡¯ words, but you insisted on running around!

    Now we finally found the right place.

    When will the play start?

    My legs are numb, where can I find something to drink?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no water anywhere in Wanbao Village, being mountainous!

    We¡¯re lucky just to have this play to watch; everyone, hold on...

    What¡¯s that?

    So many oranges!¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Clang!¡± With a great crash of the gong, Liu Hun appeared on the well-constructed stage, followed by several women placing baskets of freshly picked oranges on it.

    ¡°Dear elders and villagers from afar, welcome to Wanbao Village to watch the play!

    Today, Wanbao Village has not only prepared an exciting play for everyone but also juicy, sweet oranges!

    These will surely sweeten your heart as they¡¯re sweet to your mouth!

    Just imagine, watching the play while enjoying these oranges!

    Isn¡¯t that wonderful?¡± Liu Hun said as he nonchalantly peeled an orange and continued, ¡°Look at these oranges!

    A mere buck fifty per pound!

    That¡¯s it!

    Once they¡¯re gone, they¡¯re gone.

    And with the sun like this, grabbing a couple of pounds of oranges will just be refreshing!¡± With those words, he tossed an orange into his mouth, enjoying it with satisfaction.

    The villagers, misled by Mao¡¯er and Mao¡¯er¡¯er into running under the sun, couldn¡¯t resist.

    If they hadn¡¯t gone through that run, maybe they could have held back, but with the back-and-forth and the blazing sun, Liu Hun was sure to make that money.

    They climbed the stage from the left to buy the oranges, then found seats on the right to watch the play.

    The money on the table was shown to the Wanbao Villagers step by step as part of Liu Hun¡¯s meticulously planned strategy.

    The oranges sold out, the play began!

    Wanbao Village¡¯s annual grand play commenced with the bang of a gong!

    This time, although Liu Hun bore the cost of the troupe, by gaining fame from it, selling out the oranges, and showing the villagers how to make big money, he reached his goal.

    The money was well spent!

    After selling all the oranges and sending off the troupe, Liu Hun went to Ye Canghai¡¯s house to discuss expanding economic crop cultivation in the village.

    Currently, the biggest issue was the market.

    The temporary solution was to widen the variety of crops, and many things required coordination and communication by the village chief, Ye Canghai.

    ¡°Huh!

    Why is the door open?¡± Liu Hun, arriving at the Zheng family¡¯s entrance, noticed the door was wide open.

    He wondered if something bad happened, so he tiptoed inside without making a sound.

    ¡°Ding Yajun, what do you want?

    I warn you, don¡¯t get any ideas!¡± Fen Ran looked at Ding Yajun, who was approaching step by step, fearfully.

    She had retreated to the corner of the wall with no way out.

    Ding Yajun chuckled maliciously, pulling out a copy of an IOU, and said, ¡°See what this is?

    Your wastrel of a husband owes me fifty thousand!

    Now he plans to use your body to repay the debt!¡±

    ¡°Spout such nonsense!

    I don¡¯t believe you!¡± Fen Ran spat at Ding Yajun, refusing to believe it could be true.

    Ding Yajun wiped the spit off his face, smirking evilly, ¡°Impossible?

    Then tell me why I have your house key?

    Don¡¯t you know the kind of person Ye Canghai is?

    In the past, he was broke, but this time is different.

    His orchard earned him ten thousand!

    He gambled it all away and owes me forty thousand more!

    The black and white writing is crystal clear!¡±

    ¡°That profligate!¡± Fen Ran cursed venomously, almost grinding her teeth to dust.

    ¡°Ye Canghai has already sold you to me, and I can do whatever I want with you.

    Cooperate nicely and we both have a good time.

    Come on, I¡¯ve missed you!¡± Ding Yajun said, then pressed Fen Ran.

    ¡°Get away, you shameless creep!

    What you¡¯re doing is illegal!¡± Fen Ran desperately tried to push away Ding Yajun, but she was no match for his strength.

 Chapter 66 - 66 66 Gambling Debts

    ?66: Chapter 66 Gambling Debts 66: Chapter 66 Gambling Debts ¡°Ptui!

    Pan Jinlian playing the chaste and virtuous woman with me!

    Ye Canghai already told me, even after he¡¯s done with you, you still gotta use your hand!

    If he can¡¯t satisfy you, let me do it!¡± Ding Yajun said as he completely restrained Fen Ran, pinning her legs apart against the wall with his own.

    ¡°Hey!¡± Ding Yajun flashed an evil smile, waving two fingers in front of Fen Ran and said, ¡°You say no, right?

    I bet, just one move with these fingers and I¡¯ll hit the spot.

    You up for it?¡±

    ¡°Scoundrel!

    No!¡± Fen Ran spat at Ding Yajun.

    She knew she had been out of the loop for too long, and the slightest provocation would cause trouble.

    ¡°Actions do speak louder than words, why don¡¯t we find out!¡± Ding Yajun said as his fingers slowly moved towards the space between Fen Ran¡¯s legs.

    Fen Ran watched his fingers getting closer and closer...

    suddenly, they stopped!

    Her heart racing, she abruptly looked up to see someone standing behind Ding Yajun, holding his elbow firm, making him immobile.

    ¡°Scum!¡±

    Standing behind Ding Yajun, Liu Huyi gripped his elbow and said coldly, ¡°Let¡¯s start with dislocating an elbow, then we can play some more!¡± After this, he flung Ding Yajun¡¯s arm, sending him flying away like a kite and crashing into a chair, shattering it.

    Ding Yajun got up staggering, holding his disjointed elbow, his face in so much pain it looked as though it was painted, and tremblingly looked at Liu Huyi, ¡°You...

    you again!¡±

    ¡°Scum, thank goodness you arrived, or this beast would have dishonored me!¡± Fen Ran threw her arms around Liu Huyi from behind and burst into tears.

    Liu Huyi patted Fen Ran¡¯s hands to comfort her.

    ¡°Sister Yue, don¡¯t worry.

    I¡¯m here; nobody will mess with you.¡± After calming her, he turned to Ding Yajun with a furious face and said, ¡°Ding Yajun, have you forgotten your lessons or has a dog eaten your memory?

    Daring to show up again?¡±

    ¡°I...

    I came for the money!

    Legitimately!

    Ye Canghai personally told me he¡¯d use his own wife to settle the debt!¡± Ding Yajun grimaced in pain, not expecting to bump into Liu Huyi again.

    ¡°Have Ye Canghai come here and say that to my face; otherwise, you won¡¯t get a penny of that gambling debt off this land,¡± Liu Huyi threw down those words, not expecting Ye Canghai to do such a despicable thing.

    ¡°Fine...

    fine!

    I¡¯ll go and bring Ye Canghai right now to tell you in person!

    Just wait here!

    Wait!¡± Ding Yajun said as he headed to the door, then he heard a shout from behind.

    ¡°Hold it!

    What do you think?

    You can come and go as you please?¡± Liu Huyi finished, helped Fen Ran sit down on a chair, then walked over to Ding Yajun and said, ¡°I told you, we¡¯d start with dislocating, and now let¡¯s play the rest slowly.

    How does that sound?¡±

    ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± Ding Yajun said, his legs wobbling as if he hadn¡¯t worn pants through the coldest days of winter.

    Liu Huyi approached Ding Yajun and said, ¡°If you had come here honestly and abided by the rules to ask for money, I would have let you go, no words said.

    But you pulled this vile stunt, today you¡¯ll not walk out that door.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t mess around!

    I...

    I can sue you!¡± Ding Yajun stammered, his legs shaking uncontrollably.

    ¡°With what will you sue me?¡± Liu Huyi seriously asked Ding Yajun.

    ¡°I...

    my hand is broken!

    This is the evidence!

    I can sue you!¡± Ding Yajun shouted through clenched teeth at Liu Huyi.

    Liu Huyi slightly smiled, grabbed Ding Yajun¡¯s shoulder, and yanked it up and down sharply.

    A loud ¡°crack¡± sound followed and Ding Yajun screamed so miserably that the neighbor¡¯s dog started barking, it took him a good while to shut up.

    ¡°Now, with what will you sue me?¡± Liu Huyi poked Ding Yajun¡¯s shoulder and asked.

    ¡°My hand...

    how did you put it back?¡± Ding Yajun shook his hand, it actually felt better, but popping and reattaching the bone truly felt deadly.

    Liu Huyi feigned deep thought and said, ¡°Look at that, isn¡¯t it back in place?

    But you know, I think you still should sue me because otherwise, you¡¯d feel pretty blocked up!

    So, we¡¯d better start with dislocating it again!¡±

    Ding Yajun knew he was in trouble when he heard Liu Huyi, and before he could even speak, a severe pain shot up to his forehead, causing any words to turn into screams.

    ¡°After giving it some thought, I think you need someone to confirm it was me who did this.

    Otherwise, who would believe you, right?

    So, we need to put it back again!¡± Liu Huyi finished and with another movement, his hand effortlessly popped back into place.

    In agony, Ding Yajun collapsed on the floor, sweat beads the size of beans streaming down his face, regretting this visit terribly.

    ¡°Scum, let¡¯s leave it at that.

    Ye Canghai is probably still in their hands; we need to get him back here to clear this up.¡± Fen Ran pulled on Liu Huyi from behind, truly wanting to clarify whether Ye Canghai had indeed used her to settle his debts.

    Liu Hun nodded his head, then said to Ding Yajun, who was lying limply on the ground in pain, ¡°Ding Yajun, if I hadn¡¯t come today, you would have ruined a woman.

    So, I think I need to make sure you remember this, don¡¯t you think?¡± This indeed was also Liu Hun¡¯s purpose; he wanted to give Ding Yajun a pain so excruciating that he would never dare to harass Fen Ran again.

    ¡°Yes, yes, yes!

    I will remember!

    I won¡¯t dare to come again, I definitely won¡¯t come again.¡± Ding Yajun kneeled on the ground, continuously kowtowing as he agreed, feeling like he couldn¡¯t endure the pain any longer.

    ¡°I told you that you can¡¯t leave through this door.

    Also, the way you left Wanbao Village last time, you¡¯ll leave the same way this time.

    However, this time I¡¯ll leave you some face!¡±Liu Hun said coldly to Ding Yajun.

    Ding Yajun¡¯s face turned green, but he had no choice but to grit his teeth and nod in agreement.

    The villagers coming in and out of Wanbao Village witnessed a scene even more thrilling than something on a theater stage¡ªseveral kids, armed with rocks and mud, were chasing a man who seemed to have appeared out of nowhere¡ªhis body stark naked with only a pair of underpants over his head.

    A few days had passed since Ding Yajun with his head covered by underpants had left Wanbao Village, and there was still no word from Ye Canghai.

    On the other hand, ever since Mo Wen had been arrested by the police last time, the villagers came to know about the poverty alleviation funds and disaster relief funds, coupled with their jealousy of Liu Hun making a fortune selling oranges.

    Hence, some people started knocking on doors inquiring about the money.

    Liu Hun felt that this couldn¡¯t go on, so he decided to go to the township police station to report the case, trying to get police help to locate Ye Canghai, as well as to inquire about the money situation at the township government.

    Liu Hun carried some dried mushrooms and first went to Ying Nanhong¡¯s restaurant.

    The moment Ying Nanhong saw Liu Hun, her face brightened with a smile.

    Taking the mushrooms with one hand, she led him to a private room saying, ¡°Now that you¡¯re here today, you must have a good meal!

    Wait for me!

    I¡¯ll go and cook for you!¡±

    To be honest, Liu Hun really felt that Ying Nanhong¡¯s cooking skills were extraordinarily good, tasting them was indeed a treat.

    Ying Nanhong soon prepared four dishes and a soup for Liu Hun, chuckling as she said, ¡°Try my cooking and see how it is!¡±

    While eating, Liu Hun noticed that Ying Nanhong was indeed getting more prosperous day by day, looking fresh and tender like newly made tofu, as if touching her slightly would break her.

    While Liu Hun was eating, someone called for Ying Nanhong, leaving him alone as she went off to attend to her tasks.

    As the room quieted down with her departure, Liu Hun thought he heard a voice coming from the next cubicle, which sounded vaguely familiar to him.

    Liu Hun¡¯s mind raced, immediately channelizing the Qi Force to his ears, and suddenly the voice became as clear as if someone was speaking right next to him.

    ¡°No problem!

    Rest assured!

    Just say the word!¡±

    Ye Canghai!

    Liu Hun was overly familiar with this voice, there was no mistaking it was Ye Canghai.

    Now that he knew it was Ye Canghai, he started listening attentively again.

    ¡°A big businessman has come from the coast, he is really rich, even the Mayor has to fuss over him back and forth.

    I heard he is into some kind of processing.¡±

    After hearing this voice, Liu Hun hadn¡¯t recognized who it was, so he continued listening.

    ¡°Director Niu, you don¡¯t have to hold back.

    You¡¯re really capable.

    Without you, would our township Cooperative have been doing so well?¡±

    ¡°Heh!

    Isn¡¯t it all thanks to that what¡¯s-his-name Liu Hun from your village?

    The kid has some abilities.

    This time, we still have to ride on his coattails!¡±

    ¡°Go on!¡±

    ¡°This big businessman is called Yang Yide.

    I don¡¯t know where he heard from, but he heard that the mushrooms, cabbages, and oranges sold by our Cooperative are particularly good.

    He came following the scent!¡±

    ¡°He wants these products?¡±

    ¡°Calm down!

    Let me finish talking.

    He thinks that since your Wanbao Village can grow such good fruits and mushrooms, he wants to plant something called... I think it¡¯s called blueberries in your village!

    I checked, and not many people have heard of it, only that it¡¯s definitely a premium product, sells well, but is hard to take care of.¡±

    ¡°Director Niu, if we are to plant it, let¡¯s just plant it.

    It¡¯s not a big deal!

    What¡¯s in it for us?¡±

    ¡°Look who¡¯s getting winded when called fat!

    Would I come to you if there was nothing profitable?

    I¡¯ve already inquired; as long as we take on the project, Yang Yide promised an upfront payment of one hundred thousand.

    Once we get the money¡ªwell, you know what I mean?¡±

    ¡°Director Niu, I understand about the money.

    But Yang Yide is a big businessman from the coast, he¡¯s no fool.

    Just based on my word, agreeing to pay in advance?

    He¡¯s specialized in this field, you even said it¡¯s hard to take care of¡ªwhat if someone comes to our village and sees we can¡¯t grow it?

    Would we still get the money?¡±

    ¡°How many years have you been scraping a living from the soil, and you can¡¯t think this through?

    I think those seedlings look just like withered flowers.

    When the time comes, we just need some seeds, then we can pull a switcheroo on him.

    The fruitless plants¡ªwhatever you call them, they are!

    Plus, do you think your village¡¯s soil can grow good mushrooms?

    Or oranges?

    Haven¡¯t they all been grown?

    If Liu Hun can help and all those have come out, why can¡¯t blueberries!¡±

    ¡°...¡±

 Chapter 67 - 67 67 Big Business

    ?67: Chapter 67: Big Business 67: Chapter 67: Big Business Liu Hun, listening to Ye Canghai agreeing to that matter, felt his heart turn cold.

    He hadn¡¯t expected Ye Canghai to be capable of anything underhanded, surmising that the matter involving Fen Ran settling debts was almost a certainty.

    He thought that cultivating blueberries was truly a beneficial thing; they sold at a high price and had a smooth sales channel, with Yang Yide buying whatever was produced.

    However, if he exposed Ye Canghai and Niu Chunsheng right now, Yang Yide would definitely not choose Wanbao Village.

    Even if he used Qi Force to revive the blueberries, the situation would not be salvaged.

    Thus, after much consideration, Liu Hun still believed that for the long-term development of Wanbao Village, he should let Ye Canghai handle the situation first and then step in later to clean things up.

    He was determined to secure the blueberry cultivation in Wanbao Village!

    Right after Ye Canghai left the restaurant, Liu Hun called out to him, and after chatting idly for a few phrases, they both headed back to the village.

    Since Ye Canghai had appeared, he, as the village chief, would handle the poverty alleviation funds and relief funds, and Fen Ran¡¯s matter was their family affair.

    Liu Hun felt it was not his place to interfere.

    When Liu Hun returned to the temple, just as he and Du Yueling were sending the children away, Fen Ran arrived with her eyes red and swollen, carrying several bundles.

    Seeing this, Liu Hun understood that Ye Canghai using Fen Ran to settle debts was indeed happening.

    With nowhere else to go, Fen Ran stayed with Du Yueling in the temple, which had plenty of space and was not a problem.

    The next morning, right early, Ye Canghai gathered all the villagers of Wanbao Village in front of the temple square with great fanfare.

    He was deeply focused on the money now, and as for where Fen Ran went, it did not concern him.

    ¡°Cough, cough, cough...

    Today, I¡¯ve gathered everyone here for a big matter!

    A matter that involves making a fortune!¡± Ye Canghai shouted to the villagers.

    ¡°What big money-making matter?

    I¡¯m asking you, Qiangzi, when will the town distribute the money?

    There¡¯s no trace of it yet?¡± a villager immediately asked.

    Ye Canghai immediately responded, with displeasure, ¡°Don¡¯t bring up irrelevant issues!

    When the town will distribute the money is the town¡¯s matter; if you want it, go ask the town for it.

    If this thing I¡¯m proposing works out, it will be worth a hundred times more than what the town might offer!¡±

    ¡°Just save it!¡± another villager interjected.

    ¡°We only believe Liu Hun if he tells us this, but you?

    Where are you going to find such a money-making opportunity and still ask us to join?¡±

    ¡°You may not believe me in this!

    But how can you not trust our Deputy Director of the Cooperative, Niu Chunsheng!

    Now, please allow me to invite Director Niu to introduce this fortune-making opportunity.

    Everyone, listen carefully and stop your nonsensical chatter!¡± Ye Canghai then invited Niu Chunsheng to the center of the square.

    Niu Chunsheng, with his official demeanor and tone, spoke about cultivating blueberries so convincingly that, combined with how the mayor was optimistic and other villages looked on with envy, the villagers were all persuaded.

    ¡°Hunzi, what do you think of this?

    Sound reliable?¡± Qin Yue asked Liu Hun, standing beside him.

    If it weren¡¯t for Niu Chunsheng speaking up, she would not have paid any attention to Ye Canghai¡¯s words.

    ¡°With Director Niu backing it, I think this will mostly likely succeed!¡± Liu Hun simply replied to Qin Yue.

    At this moment, he really found himself siding with Ye Canghai, needing to make sure that blueberries would be cultivated in Wanbao Village.

    With one person playing off of another on stage, and Liu Hun providing support from below, the plan was thus settled in Wanbao Village, followed directly by Yang Yide coming for an onsite evaluation.

    As the village roads were in poor condition, merely allowing tractors to park, Yang Yide¡¯s Mercedes had to be parked some distance away from the village.

    He made his way into Wanbao Village under the escort of Ye Canghai and Xie Heguo.

    Yang Yide was tall with a round belly, and though chubby, his gaze was sharper than that of the official Xie Heguo.

    Upon entering the village, he looked around and nodded with a slight smile, ¡°Mayor Xie, Wanbao Village truly lives up to its name.

    What a marvelous place!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, our village is...¡± Ye Canghai was about to chime in but sensed it wasn¡¯t the right moment and stopped himself.

    Xie Heguo, grinning, said, ¡°Mr.

    Yang, our Wanbao Village is indeed a place with extraordinary people and spiritual grounds.

    Look at these mountains; they have everything you want!

    Placing your investment project in our village is definitely the right choice.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s indeed a good mountain.

    But whether it¡¯s suitable for growing blueberries still requires an actual inspection,¡± Yang Yide said, then turned to a woman beside him, ¡°Miss Cai Yan, what do you think about this place?¡±

    The woman, wearing a tailored woman¡¯s suit and bold red lipstick, her face exceptionally pale but striking, adjusted her black-framed glasses, bent down to pick up and rub a piece of soil in her hands, and then sniffed it before tossing it to the ground and addressing Yang Yide, ¡°Mr.

    Yang, it¡¯s a waste of time here.

    Not to mention blueberries, I don¡¯t even think this soil can produce any decent fruits.¡±

    ¡°No, no, no!

    Miss...

    you can¡¯t say that.

    Our Wanbao Village has indeed produced good things ¨C mushrooms!

    Cabbages!

    Oranges!

    Go and ask around, everyone acknowledges that!¡± Ye Canghai became anxious, as a denial from Yang Yide would mean his efforts were in vain.

    ¡°That statement is insulting to my professional integrity and my education,¡± Cai Yan crossed her arms, and an imposing and intense aura enveloped her.

    Ye Canghai had only ever felt this kind of aura from Liu Hun, like dark clouds pressing down on the mountaintop.

    Even Ren Peiling, who held office, was merely dignified and had not reached the caliber of this woman.

    For a moment, he didn¡¯t know what to say.

    ¡°Since Miss Cai has spoken, I regret to say, Mayor Xie, it seems that we...¡±

    Yang Yide was about to bid Xie Heguo goodbye when suddenly a voice came from behind.

    ¡°Mr.

    Yang, Wanbao Village can grow blueberries!

    The best blueberries in the world!¡±

    People turned around and saw Liu Hun walking over with a confident, relaxed smile.

    ¡°Who is this?¡± Yang Yide asked Xie Heguo beside him.

    How could Xie Heguo forget Liu Hun, who had resolved a previous encirclement for him?

    He told Yang Yide, ¡°Mr.

    Yang, this is a notable person from Wanbao Village, named Liu Hun.¡±

    ¡°Hmph!

    A notable person?

    May I ask where you were educated?

    How dare you speak with such arrogance and audacity?¡± Cai Yan looked at Liu Hun with a cold and sidelong glance, thinking the so-called notable person from this village was just a charlatan.

    ¡°Right here!

    Wanbao Village!

    The heavens, the mountains, and the people here are my teachers!

    I understand this place, I know what it can do and produce!

    I have the capability, that¡¯s why I dare to speak these words!¡± Liu Hun stared directly into Cai Yan¡¯s eyes, eager to suppress the spirit of such a forceful woman.

    ¡°Good!

    Well said, Liu!

    I don¡¯t think anyone understands our Wanbao Village better than you!

    Why should a woman crush a piece of clay and then say it¡¯s impossible?¡± Qin Yue couldn¡¯t help blurting out her thoughts, unconcerned about who the other party was, just eager to cheer for Liu Hun.

    ¡°Exactly!

    I think the same!

    Remember the mushrooms?

    Weren¡¯t they also cultivated by Liu?

    I trust when Liu says something is possible, it surely is.

    Right, everyone?¡± Bai Lian couldn¡¯t help but shout out too.

    The villagers of Wanbao Village immediately began cheering like a pot boiling over.

    ¡°Quiet, quiet, quiet!

    Didn¡¯t you see the Mayor is still here?

    Qin Yue, watch your mouth!

    Don¡¯t just blabber mindlessly!¡± Ye Canghai, seeing the villagers supporting Liu Hun, immediately intervened, truly worried that the incident with Xie Heguo might happen again.

    ¡°A bunch of unreasonable troublemakers!¡± Cai Yan muttered under her breath, no longer daring to confront Liu Hun¡¯s gaze.

    Even in Oxford, abundant with talent, she hadn¡¯t encountered such assertive and confident eyes, as though wherever his gaze fell was within his reach, no matter what lay ahead.

    ¡°Mr.

    Yang, do you trust my professional education from Oxford, or do you believe what this villager says?¡± Cai Yan asked Yang Yide beside her.

    Before Yang Yide could even respond, Liu Hun continued, ¡°Mr.

    Yang, how about this¡ªif you leave a few blueberry seeds and they sprout in the soil of our Wanbao Village, then we can collaborate.

    If they don¡¯t sprout, I, Liu Hun, am willing to apologize to you and this lady.¡±

    ¡°Yes, what¡¯s that saying again...¡± Ye Canghai hurriedly chimed in, afraid the opportunity might slip away, ¡°Practice is the...

    criterion, we need to try it out first to see if it works or not.¡±

    Xie Heguo glanced at Ye Canghai disdainfully, as if looking at a fool, then turned to Yang Yide and said, ¡°Mr.

    Yang, the village chief is right; practice is the sole criterion for testing truth.

    We too should try it out before making any decisions, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°Hmph!

    I didn¡¯t expect someone to eagerly present their face for a slap.

    So be it.

    Let these ignorant troublemakers also gain some knowledge...

    people who have never left the village and don¡¯t understand the vastness of the world.¡± After saying this, Cai Yan arrogantly turned her head and walked away.

    ¡°Good!

    Xiao Li, give the village chief a pack of seeds.

    Then it¡¯s settled, I¡¯ll come back after a month to see!¡± Yang Yide instructed his secretary to give Ye Canghai a pack of blueberry seeds, genuinely hoping that Wanbao Village could grow blueberries, thus cutting the cost of breaking the contract by more than half.

    He then left Wanbao Village, escorted by a crowd.

    After receiving the blueberry seeds, Ye Canghai and others immediately planted them in a vegetable garden outside his house.

    He didn¡¯t really care whether the blueberries would grow; he was only interested in money, hoping to recoup his losses and even earn more.

    Thus, after Liu Hun left, Ye Canghai went around the village looking for Bai Cuihua.

    He figured that within a month he could cultivate Bai Cuihua seedlings.

    Throughout that month, Ye Canghai focused solely on his Bai Cuihua seedlings, never visiting the temple once nor caring about Fen Ran¡¯s well-being.

    From the moment he decided to use Fen Ran to settle his debts, his mind had been occupied solely by money and not this woman.

 Chapter 68 - 68 68 Magical Farming

    ?68: Chapter 68: Magical Farming 68: Chapter 68: Magical Farming Fen Ran, under the guidance and comfort of Du Yueling, slowly got better day by day and gradually returned to her former state, while Liu Hun was out early and returning late with nobody knowing what he was up to.

    A month passed by as quickly as flipping through the calendar on New Year¡¯s Eve, and Ye Canghai had taken the trouble to arrange some flower pots at the entrance of Wanbao Village, just waiting for Yang Yide to bring people over for inspection.

    As Yang Yide arrived, being fussed over as if surrounded by a host of stars, Ye Canghai felt as uneasy as a scale without its counterweight.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you?

    Got body lice or something?¡± Qin Yue glanced at Ye Canghai and said.

    Ye Canghai replied without hesitation, ¡°This is a big event for our Wanbao Village.

    How can I not be anxious?¡±

    ¡°Oh!

    It¡¯s the first time this big girl is getting into a sedan!

    You¡¯ve even mortgaged your wife to pay off debts, and you still care about the village?

    Who would believe that!¡± Qin Yue didn¡¯t hide her disdain for Ye Canghai at all, and said outright.

    Having spent time with Fen Ran, she even knew the cowardly things Ye Canghai did in bed, which only made her despise him more.

    Ye Canghai, seeing Yang Yide approaching with people, had no time to argue with Qin Yue and welcomed them with an overly bright smile plastered across his face.

    ¡°Village Chief Ye, the businessman Yang has indeed given us an opportunity, you better seize it!¡± Xie Heguo reminded Ye Canghai, really worried that after all this time nothing had come of it.

    ¡°Some things aren¡¯t just about talking the talk, I really want to see what you all have managed to grow!¡± Cai Yan said mockingly to Ye Canghai with a cold smile on her face.

    Ye Canghai felt extremely irritated by Cai Yan, always thinking she stood tall and snobbish, looking down at everything.

    ¡°Mayor Xie, Businessman Yang, come and have a look.

    This is the blueberry seedling I¡¯ve grown.

    Take a look, how is it?¡± Ye Canghai said and quickly bent over to pick up a small flowerpot with a lush green seedling growing inside.

    ¡°Oh!

    You actually did it!

    Nicely done, Village Chief Ye!¡± Xie Heguo beamed, thinking that if they could keep this big businessman in Wanbao Village, it could bring incredible economic growth to Ping¡¯an Town.

    ¡°That¡¯s right!

    Mayor Xie, I¡¯m like a triple-faced file, useful in every way!¡± Ye Canghai said to Xie Heguo ingratiatingly, with a smile.

    Cai Yan¡¯s face turned even colder, as if she was in the depths of winter, and the smile on her lips was as sharp as an ice blade, as she crossed her arms and walked over, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t get too happy too early, you two.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean by that?

    We¡¯ve got the seedling here, what more do you want?

    Doesn¡¯t this prove that our Wanbao Village is suitable for growing this...

    Look at you, ice-cold face but with a yearning heart.¡± Qin Yue jumped in, not pleased with Cai Yan¡¯s outfit for the day, those ten-centimeter high heels like stilts, her legs wrapped in black stockings that somehow still itch one¡¯s heart.

    All in all, she just couldn¡¯t stand Cai Yan.

    ¡°Ignorant village woman!¡± Cai Yan cast a sideways glance at Qin Yue and then said to Ye Canghai, ¡°You¡¯re the village chief, right?¡±

    ¡°So what if I am?

    This blueberry seedling was planted by my own hands.¡± Ye Canghai said, his face stiff with a smile, his heart pounding with fear that his deception would be uncovered.

    ¡°Hmph!

    Blueberry seedling?¡± Cai Yan said and walked straight up to Ye Canghai, reaching out and snapping off the tender young seedling and crushing it into the ground with the tip of her high heels.

    ¡°Cai... Miss Cai, what are you doing?¡± Xie Heguo was somewhat baffled, his face unable to hide his discomfort.

    Disaster struck!

    Ye Canghai¡¯s heart momentarily seized up, afraid to say another word, only wondering how to wrap up the situation later.

    ¡°Hmph!

    A bad land produces naughty people!

    A filthy-mouthed fool, a deceptive village chief!

    And where¡¯s the person who was bragging before?

    Look at you all, what kind of people are you?

    Gone mad with poverty, to dare to substitute rose seedlings for blueberries, you might fool yourself but you can¡¯t fool me?¡± Cai Yan¡¯s disdain grew as she spoke, and she immediately wanted to leave this place, feeling as if she herself was sullied by the mere presence.

    ¡°Mayor Xie!

    What is happening here?

    I came here sincerely seeking cooperation; how can you do this?

    This sort of thing isn¡¯t right!¡± Yang Yide too was inflamed, not expecting this group of people to deceive him with rose seedlings.

    Without Cai Yan present, wouldn¡¯t his investment of hundreds of thousands have been wasted?

    ¡°Ye Canghai!

    Explain yourself right now?!

    What¡¯s with all this trickery?

    Do you still want to be a village chief, or not?

    Do you realize what you¡¯ve done?!¡± Xie Heguo¡¯s face was utterly unable to save face, exposed on the spot by Cai Yan like that.

    Forget about cooperation, the reputation spread from this would tarnish Ping¡¯an Town¡¯s ¡°investment attraction¡± efforts, completely ruined as if a stick stirring into feces.

    Ye Canghai was sweating bullets, unable to utter a word as if his mouth clamped on a red-hot iron, his legs trembling as if about to give way beneath him.

    ¡°Let me explain!¡±

    As Liu Hun walked out from among the crowd after his words fell, he swiftly dragged Ye Canghai to the back.

    He really worried that Ye Canghai would crumble and spill everything.

    ¡°You even have the face to show up?

    I¡¯ve never seen anyone as shamelessly thick-skinned as you.

    If I were you, I¡¯d have found a hole to crawl into,¡± Cai Yan said with a cold look, eying Liu Hun.

    She didn¡¯t expect to meet that unflappable and confident gaze again.

    She felt a flicker of doubt inside but still believed in her professional capabilities, so she turned to Liu Hun and said, ¡°Go ahead, explain!

    I¡¯d love to hear what sort of excuse you can come up with to cover up your fraudulent act of passing off rose seedlings as blueberry seedlings!¡±

    ¡°Mayor Xie, I¡¯ve been handling this matter from start to finish, so I know what¡¯s going on.

    May I speak?¡± Liu Hun disregarded Cai Yan completely and turned to ask Xie Heguo.

    Liu Hun¡¯s attitude pleased Xie Heguo greatly.

    Consulting him first on matters was the proper way to show respect to his position.

    His fondness for Liu Hun grew a bit more, and he nodded, stating, ¡°Ling, you have to make this clear.

    You understand, this is no minor issue!¡±

    Liu Hun acknowledged, then bent down to pick up the seedling that Cai Yan had trampled and held it up for everyone to see.

    The villagers around were silent as if watching the drop of the executioner¡¯s blade, all waiting for Liu Hun to retract his head like a turtle.

    ¡°Ha!

    What does picking it up mean?

    Those worthless rose seedlings can be found anywhere in your village.

    Do you still claim it¡¯s not?¡± Cai Yan pressured Liu Hun aggressively, not understanding why encountering such a peasant would provoke in her such a strong competitive spirit¡ªperhaps it was his gaze.

    ¡°What are you babbling about?

    A woman daubed with red lipstick and black at the legs like a ghost¡ªyour boss hasn¡¯t even uttered a word, and here you are, a half-full bottle clanking away.

    Ye Canghai isn¡¯t worth a damn, but Liu Hun is a different breed!

    Hun, tell her what you¡¯re holding in your hand!¡± Wang Dajiao couldn¡¯t stand Cai Yan¡¯s behavior, feeling utterly uncomfortable just looking at her and itching to slap her twice.

    Cai Yan, seeing Wang Dajiao as an older woman, felt she couldn¡¯t retaliate with words or fists and stamped her feet in frustration.

    Just as she was about to turn around and persuade Yang Yide to leave, Liu Hun spoke.

    ¡°Auntie Qi, everyone, look closely.

    This is indeed not a blueberry seedling, it¡¯s a white ban flower seedling, which is what Miss Cai referred to as the rose seedling,¡± Liu Hun said while he held up the seedling for all the surrounding people to see.

    ¡°Oh dear, Hun, what are you doing to me?

    Where do I put my face now?

    I just praised you, you¡¯re slapping me right in the face!

    Where did that spirit of yours go?

    It¡¯s all over now...¡±

    ¡°What...

    what¡¯s going on here?

    Didn¡¯t Mr.

    Yang give a pack of those berry seeds?

    How did it turn into white ban flowers?

    It¡¯s just white ban flowers, right?

    How did it come to fraud again?¡±

    ¡°Hun wouldn¡¯t do such a thing, I reckon it must be some trick Ye Canghai pulled.

    When he couldn¡¯t grow blueberries, he tried to use white ban flowers to deceive us.

    Look at what¡¯s become of our village¡¯s reputation now; Mayor Xie might have some uncertain thoughts about our village when he goes back!¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Upon hearing Liu Hun¡¯s words, Ye Canghai¡¯s legs gave out, and he slumped onto a millstone, while Xie Heguo heaved a deep sigh of disappointment regarding Liu Hun.

    Cai Yan was momentarily stunned, not expecting Liu Hun to admit to substituting inferior products for quality ones.

    She couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to have a bit of backbone, to admit it proactively.

    However, this does not compensate for the fact that you committed fraud.¡±

    ¡°Miss Cai, please wait until I have finished my words.

    I, Liu Hun, am always the one to slap others in the face, never my own.

    You¡¯re sticking your neck out too far, and it¡¯s going to hurt later on,¡± Liu Hun replied, giving Cai Yan a slight smile.

    This really infuriated Cai Yan, nearly snapping off her high heel in anger.

    ¡°Mayor Xie, Boss Yang, ladies and gentlemen of the village!

    I, Liu Hun, have always said to you all¡ªour Wanbao Village can manage and grow anything.

    When I, Liu Hun, give my word, it¡¯s as good as gold; it makes a sound when it hits the ground!¡± Liu Hun addressed the surrounding villagers, aiming to lift his own credibility another notch.

    ¡°What spirit in this young man!¡± Yang Yide couldn¡¯t help but express his admiration, surprised to find such a charismatic man in this small village, but business is business, and the issue with the blueberry seedlings still had to be clarified, ¡°However, young man.

    You need to explain about these rose seedlings.¡±

    Liu Hun had already thought out exactly what to say while blending into the crowd and was just waiting for this moment when Yang Yide would ask, so he promptly answered, ¡°Boss Yang, after receiving the blueberry seeds, the village chief and I planted them in the garden behind his house.

    Our mountain village is surrounded by a multitude of trees, and the garden¡¯s hedge is made from white ban vines.

    So, I think it¡¯s quite normal if one or two white ban flowers got mixed into this patch of blueberry seeds.¡±

    Yang Yide found this explanation quite plausible, Xie Heguo instantly felt a relief, and Cai Yan immediately challenged, ¡°According to what you¡¯ve said, should we expect at least ninety percent of the over one hundred pots out there to contain blueberry seedlings?

    Is that what you¡¯re implying?¡±

    ¡°Correct!

    All the remaining pots contain blueberry seedlings!¡± Liu Hun faced Cai Yan¡¯s gaze squarely, the very picture of confidence.

 Chapter 69 - 69 69 Miracle

    ?69: Chapter 69 Miracle 69: Chapter 69 Miracle ¡°Would you dare to bring a pot here for me to see?¡± Cai Yan lifted her chin and asked Liu Hun, looking like she was daring him to get slapped.

    ¡°Brother Hun!

    Here you go!¡± Mao¡¯er hurriedly picked up a seedling pot from the ground and handed it to Liu Hun.

    Liu Hun took the pot and then held it in front of Cai Yan, saying, ¡°Look closely!

    This is the first miracle of Wanbao Village!

    My first miracle!

    My name is Liu Hun!¡±

    ¡°Liu Hun!

    Wait until I slap your face!¡± Cai Yan said, snatching the pot from Liu Hun¡¯s hand, scrutinizing it intently for a long while without saying anything.

    ¡°Miss Cai, is it really a blueberry seedling?¡± Yang Yide was getting a bit anxious, as this woman was exceptionally capable and captivating, but her temper was notoriously awful, and he didn¡¯t dare to offend her too much.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?

    Is she under some spell or what?

    Just standing there frozen like that, what¡¯s the deal?¡±

    ¡°Could it be that this woman is thinking about how to deal with Hunzi?

    She looks like a demon who doesn¡¯t spare people with her words.¡±

    ¡°Why is the wait getting more unnerving?

    Shouldn¡¯t she give a sign already?

    Holding it like that, what¡¯s the point?

    It¡¯s not some rare thing.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Just as everyone was waiting like ants on a hot pan, Cai Yan suddenly looked up and stared at Liu Hun with a gaze as complicated as a pot of eight-treasure porridge, impossible to decipher.

    ¡°Take it!

    I don¡¯t believe it!¡± Cai Yan finally uttered, shoving the pot back into Liu Hun¡¯s hands, then rushed over to the place where the pots were arranged, examining them one by one.

    The people around looked at Cai Yan in a daze, feeling like she was possessed.

    ¡°Bang!¡±

    Suddenly, Cai Yan stood up and kicked a pot to pieces, then rushed back to Liu Hun, saying, ¡°How can this be?

    How is it possible?

    Grown in a garden?

    The soil in the pot isn¡¯t acidic at all, what did you use to adjust the pH?

    With such intense sunlight, what did you use to prevent the seedlings from wilting?

    What humidity conditions required by blueberries did you use to create?

    How did you achieve this?¡±

    ¡°Wow!¡± Watching Cai Yan¡¯s expression, Liu Hun felt wonderful, taking a deep breath in satisfaction, then leaped onto the millstone and raised his hands high, shouting loudly to the villagers of Wanbao Village, ¡°This is the divine power of Nature!

    This is a miracle from the land!

    This piece of earth and water!

    These people!

    And I, Liu Hun!

    Together we can create miracles!¡±

    After Liu Hun finished speaking, he laughed heartily, loudly asking the villagers, ¡°Tell them who I am!¡±

    The villagers responded thunderously, ¡°Liu Hun!¡±

    ¡°Tell them what we created?¡±

    ¡°A miracle!¡±

    ¡°Liu Hun!

    A miracle!

    Liu Hun!

    A miracle...¡±

    Amidst the villagers¡¯ deafening shouts, Liu Hun was tossed high into the air over and over.

    Du Yueling wiped the tears from the corner of her eyes, once again feeling the tremor and surprise that this man and this land brought to her.

    ¡°This is a land of passion!

    I haven¡¯t felt such a shock in years!

    This little mountain village hides a great hero!

    This young man will be a remarkable figure in the future!

    Mayor Xie, I¡¯m signing this contract!¡± After Yang Yide finished speaking, he immediately instructed his secretary to bring the contract, and he signed it with Xie Heguo and Ye Canghai on the spot.

    Xie Heguo signed while grinning, his mouth looking like a knife had cut a slit, unable to close.

    Cai Yan watched Liu Hun being tossed up and down with mixed emotions, clinging to her education, but this man in front of heaven and earth seemed to already make her question.

    Could it be that this land and this man truly held miracles?

    After the contract was signed, Yang Yide immediately handed over the initial investment and blueberry seeds to Ye Canghai.

    The villagers of Wanbao Village craned their necks, waiting for Ye Canghai to arrange how to plant and distribute the shares, but waited left for one day and right for another with no sign, making some people anxious.

    ¡°What do you think Ye Canghai has been fiddling with these days?

    Obviously, Mayor Xie has already signed with Boss Yang, so why is there no movement in the blueberry planting?¡± Qin Yue muttered, hoping to earn some money from this to rebuild her house.

    Last time she helped Liu Hun and Fen Ran with the tangerines and earned some labor money, but it wasn¡¯t enough.

    ¡°Perhaps Village Chief Ye is still consulting on policy issues.

    I heard that Wanbao Village has a lot of land that has to be used for grain cultivation, and if these lands are to be converted to grow something else, there should be documentation from the township,¡± Du Yueling poured tea for each of them, feeling joyful every day teaching in the temple with the children, and these days, accompanied by Fen Ran.

    ¡°Dillying and dallying, just like squeezing toothpaste, can¡¯t Ye Canghai man up for once?

    Every village has fields like this, those are rules from how many years ago, who cares about that now?

    As long as you can make money, what can¡¯t you grow?¡± Bai Lian complained along, feeling that many things were not an issue at all.

    Fen Ran remained silent, not wanting to say anything, as if this man had nothing to do with her anymore.

    ¡°Hunzi!

    Hunzi!

    What are you all doing here!¡±

    As they were chatting in the temple, Wang Dajiao rushed in, her old legs moving faster than oars.

    ¡°Aunt Qi, why are you in such a hurry?¡± Qin Yue grabbed Wang Dajiao, as if she fell in the temple, it would really be trouble.

    ¡°In a hurry?

    Ye Canghai that dog ball ran away with the money!¡± Wang Dajiao hadn¡¯t even caught her breath when she blurted it out.

    ¡°What?!

    Ran away?!¡± The women all shot up like springs, but Liu Hun remained calm.

    ¡°Oh dear, you are all sitting here like you are the Buddhas, oblivious to the world.

    His door is wide open, all the valuable things are gone!

    Even the limping dog inside is pooping!¡± Wang Dajiao gritted her teeth, wishing she could exert the same energy as when denouncing landlords at the Liberation.

    ¡°Aunt Qi, rest here!¡± Qin Yue said, propping Wang Dajiao on a stool, and hurriedly left the temple with Liu Hun and the others.

    When they arrived at the Zheng Family¡¯s, the lame yellow dog at the village entrance had just finished pulling something yellow from inside; seeing this, Fen Ran rushed into the house, followed by a wail from inside, ¡°That despicable Ye Canghai!

    How could he be so heartless!

    I must be blind all my life...¡±

    Liu Hun walked in to find that, indeed, only the worthless tables and stools remained, everything else was gone.

    Qin Yue held Fen Ran, cursing Ye Canghai non-stop.

    Bai Lian searched inside and outside the house and found the contract left by Ye Canghai.

    ¡°Hunzi, take a look at this.

    Is this the contract?¡± Bai Lian handed the contract to Liu Hun.

    Of course, Liu Hun recognized the document.

    He told Bai Lian, ¡°Yes, this is the contract we signed with Boss Yang!

    Luckily, Ye Canghai didn¡¯t take it with him.¡±

    As Liu Hun conversed with Bai Lian, the villagers who had caught wind of the situation swarmed into the Zheng Family¡¯s house.

    ¡°Damn that Ye Canghai!

    Did he really flee?

    What are we going to do now?

    We¡¯ve been waiting for the seeds and money!

    How could this dog ball be so heartless and run away with the money?¡±

    ¡°We barely saw a penny of the poverty alleviation funds and disaster relief money!

    And now the money¡¯s gone too!

    I hope the heavens take this crook away!¡±

    ¡°I say, Fen Ran, do you know where Ye Canghai is?

    If you do, you have to tell us, you can¡¯t side with that despicable Ye Canghai.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Hunzi, what do we do about this?

    Are we just going to let that beast Ye Canghai get away with the money?¡± Bai Lian anxiously asked Liu Hun.

    At this moment, Du Yueling found the copy of the contract signed between Xie Heguo and Yang Yide and handed it to Liu Hun.

    Liu Hun confirmed that the ten thousand yuan was indeed the advance payment Yang Yide had given so the villagers would dare to grow more, as well as the compensation in case of total crop failure due to natural disasters.

    ¡°Everyone listen to me!¡± Liu Hun shouted to the surrounding villagers, and the murmuring around stopped immediately.

    ¡°Let¡¯s not shout or make a fuss about this, and we mustn¡¯t get Fen Ran involved; what Ye Canghai did is his mistake and has nothing to do with Fen Ran!¡± Liu Hun first cleared Fen Ran of responsibility, then continued, ¡°This contract here holds legal weight, so our blueberry planting hasn¡¯t been canceled!

    It can continue!¡±

    Hearing this, the villagers immediately calmed down, and someone suddenly called out, ¡°But what about the money that Ye Canghai took?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, folks, your money won¡¯t be lost.

    Leave it to me, and I promise to give you all a satisfactory answer!

    For now, listen to my arrangements, should we proceed with the blueberry planting or not?¡± Liu Hun asked the villagers.

    He had anticipated Ye Canghai¡¯s ploys, so he was fully prepared; finding Ye Canghai would be as effortless as catching a snail with three fingers.

    Now, they just had to move forward with the blueberry planting arrangements.

    ¡°Yes!

    If Hunzi says so, then we¡¯ll do it!

    Listening to Hunzi can¡¯t be wrong!¡± Zhang Ju was the first to express this opinion.

    With words spoken to this extent, the villagers had no objections.

    Liu Hun immediately asked Du Yueling to bring paper and pens, organized the villagers into a line, and the empty space at the Zheng Family¡¯s was perfect for them to register the amount they intended to plant, sign, and leave a fingerprint before leaving.

    They waited to receive the seedlings from Yang Yide¡¯s hands for distribution.

    After taking care of that, Liu Hun told the women, ¡°I¡¯m heading to the township to find Ye Canghai.

    Help oversee the blueberry planting, and don¡¯t let anything go wrong.¡±

    When Liu Hun arrived in town, he went straight to Ying Nanhong¡¯s restaurant.

    Just at the restaurant entrance, he bumped into Mao¡¯er and pulled him aside, asking, ¡°Mao¡¯er, where did Ye Canghai go?¡±

    ¡°Brother Hun, I followed him into the Township Government¡¯s family quarters.

    I tried to go in, but the guard stopped me.

    So, I¡¯m doing as you said and waiting for you at this restaurant.¡± Mao¡¯er scratched his head and explained to Liu Hun.

    It turned out that Liu Hun, foreseeing Ye Canghai¡¯s impending mischiefs, had instructed Mao¡¯er to keep an eye on him after the contract was signed, leading to the present scene.

    ¡°Haha, Brother Hun, you¡¯re really like that Zhuge Liang, predicting everything.¡± Mao¡¯er chuckled as he spoke to Liu Hun.

 Chapter 70 - 70 70 Want Money

    ?70: Chapter 70: Want Money 70: Chapter 70: Want Money ¡°Cat, go back to the village, leave this matter to me!¡± Liu Hun said to Mao¡¯er.

    Since he had already found out where Ye Canghai was, he had to find a way to locate him and retrieve the money.

    After Mao¡¯er left, just as Liu Hun was planning to head to the Township Government¡¯s residential compound, he was stopped by Ying Nanhong from behind, ¡°What¡¯s this about?

    Passing by without entering?

    Rushing to solve the water crisis?¡±

    Liu Hun turned around and saw it was Ying Nanhong, so he briefly explained the situation to her.

    Ying Nanhong, sharp as ever, quickly realized what was happening and said to him, ¡°Wait!¡± She then went into a restaurant and came out shortly with a pack of cigarettes, handing them over to Liu Hun and saying, ¡°Here, take this!

    If the guard doesn¡¯t let you in, use it!

    It¡¯s guaranteed to work!¡±

    Liu Hun didn¡¯t expect Ying Nanhong to foresee this issue, and taking the cigarettes with a smile, he said, ¡°Boss Ying, thank you very much.

    I didn¡¯t know you were so business savvy and insightful about these things.¡±

    ¡°Oh!

    Took it and now you¡¯re calling me Boss Ying?¡± Ying Nanhong pretended to scold him, charmingly exaggerating her annoyance until her expression almost turned into a playful floral bloom.

    Seeing Liu Hun a bit startled, she couldn¡¯t help but chuckle and said, ¡°Look at you!

    How could I blame you?

    From now on, just call me Nanhong, okay?

    Go ahead, try it.¡±

    ¡°Alright then!

    Nanhong!¡± Liu Hun laughed heartily and called her by her name.

    ¡°Go quickly, don¡¯t delay!

    If you come back hungry, be sure to come and eat!¡± Ying Nanhong chuckled shyly, resembling a blossoming flower, exuding a unique feminine allure all over.

    Liu Hun reached the Township Government¡¯s residential compound, and just as he was about to enter, he was stopped by the guard, ¡°Hey, hey, hey!

    What are you doing?

    Do the people inside just come and go as they please?¡±

    Liu Hun promptly walked over with a grin and said, ¡°I¡¯m here to find someone inside.¡±

    ¡°Who are you looking for?¡± The guard sized Liu Hun up and down as if choosing watermelons, finding him quite pleasing to the eye.

    Liu Hun thought for a moment that he shouldn¡¯t say he was looking for Ye Canghai because Ye Canghai didn¡¯t actually live there.

    Just as he was struggling to come up with a story, he suddenly remembered the person who was with Ye Canghai at the restaurant that day and immediately said, ¡°I¡¯m looking for the Deputy Director of the Cooperative, Niu Chunsheng.¡± After saying this, he handed over the cigarettes given by Ying Nanhong.

    Seeing the cigarettes, the guard¡¯s eyes lit up, his face transforming from fierce to friendly, and he said with a joyful tone, ¡°Director Niu lives...

    well, speak of the devil, there¡¯s Director Niu!¡±

    Liu Hun quickly turned around and saw Niu Chunsheng and Ye Canghai walking out of the compound, both carrying briefcases.

    ¡°Ye Canghai!

    Where are you going?¡± Liu Hun shouted and immediately dashed towards Ye Canghai.

    Ye Canghai turned his head to look, and upon seeing Liu Hun, it was as surprising as seeing a ghost on a sunny day.

    He took off running but was caught by Liu Hun before taking more than two steps.

    ¡°Ye Canghai!

    Where are you going?

    What about the money?¡± Liu Hun grabbed Ye Canghai and questioned him harshly.

    Ye Canghai felt both frustrated and shocked, never expecting Liu Hun to suddenly appear.

    With a forced smile, he said, ¡°Hun, the money...

    the money...

    I don¡¯t know either.¡±

    Seeing Ye Canghai protecting the briefcase, Liu Hun immediately got the hint and reached out to grab it, then turned to Ye Canghai and said, ¡°A whole village is waiting for this money, and you actually planned to run away with it!¡±

    ¡°What are you doing?!

    Where do you come from?

    Do you know where this is?

    Robbing someone right at the gate of the Township Government¡¯s residential compound in broad daylight!¡± Niu Chunsheng said as he walked over, pointing and scolding Liu Hun, oblivious to the consequences as if dealing with a mere hooligan.

    ¡°Robbery?!

    Humph!

    Director Niu, you and Ye Canghai conniving to do this is what¡¯s called robbery!

    Did you really think you could do your deeds without leaving a trace like a seasoned opera star?

    I¡¯ve put my words here today: every cent of Wanbao Village¡¯s money must be returned to me.

    If you swallow even a cent, I¡¯ll make sure you cough it up from your intestines!¡± Liu Hun said, pushing Ye Canghai to the ground and pointing directly at Niu Chunsheng, demanding his briefcase.

    ¡°Director Niu!

    What¡¯s going on here?¡± As Liu Hun and Niu Chunsheng were talking, a man in a police uniform came over.

    ¡°Xu Liang, you¡¯re just in time!

    This guy robbed something from me, and I need to head to a county meeting.

    You¡¯ve got to get my stuff back and take this man to the station for questioning!

    Who knows, he might be some fugitive hooligan.¡± Seeing the police arrive, Niu Chunsheng maintained his composure, not an ounce of panic, even turning the tables on Liu Hun.

    Xu Liang, hearing Niu Chunsheng¡¯s accusations and seeing Liu Hun holding a briefcase with a person lying on the ground, believed it about seventy to eighty percent.

    With increased vigilance, he warned Liu Hun, ¡°Hand over the stuff and come with me to the police station!¡±

    ¡°I can hand over the things, and I can go to the police station!

    But...¡± Liu Hun gestured towards Niu Chunsheng and Ye Canghai, saying, ¡°These two need to come along as well!¡±

    ¡°Ahem!

    I¡¯ve got an urgent meeting at the county.

    Xu Liang, handle this!¡± Niu Chunsheng said, walking over to Xu Liang, and whispered, ¡°Your department head is about to retire.

    I have high hopes for you!¡±

    Hearing this, Xu Liang intended to pursue the matter despite any obstacles, turning with a stern expression exuding the authority of the law and told Liu Hun, ¡°Don¡¯t waste words with me here!

    Come with me to the police station right now!¡±

    Now the situation turned troublesome, with Liu Hun pondering.

    If he went with Xu Liang to the station to explain everything and they conducted an investigation, and it turned out to be true, it would be disastrous.

    However, if he didn¡¯t go with Xu Liang, it would likely lead to a conflict or even a confrontation, making it far more complicated than dealing with some petty hooligan.

    As Liu Hun wrestled with whether to let go or hold on to the hot potato, a woman appeared at the scene.

    ¡°Liu Hun!

    What are you doing here?¡± Zhao Mingjie, finishing work almost in tandem with Xu Liang, planned to head home.

    Upon reaching the compound gate, she recognized the man with the briefcase as Liu Hun, who had previously assisted in apprehending Mo Wen.

    Turning and seeing Zhao Mingjie, Liu Hun was instantly filled with hope and urgently explained, ¡°Officer Zhao, this man is our village chief, you should know him.

    He embezzled our village¡¯s blueberry planting funds, ten thousand yuan in total, and planned to split it with Niu Chunsheng and run away with the money.

    If I hadn¡¯t arrived in time, the money would have been lost!¡±

    ¡°Hey!

    You¡¯re spewing nonsense!

    Who am I?!

    I¡¯m the director of the Cooperative!

    Do you think I¡¯d covet your ten thousand yuan?¡± Niu Chunsheng said, stealthily kicking Ye Canghai, prompting him to speak quickly.

    Ye Canghai wasn¡¯t clueless; seeing the situation, he immediately played along, ¡°Hun, stop talking nonsense here!

    When did I embezzle the village¡¯s money?

    Why would I even bother?¡±

    ¡°Ha!¡± Liu Hun unzipped the briefcase, showing it to Xu Liang and Zhao Mingjie.

    They both saw stacks of cash inside, roughly estimating to be around fifty thousand yuan.

    ¡°Ye Canghai!

    What do you say now?!

    Do you have anything else to say?¡± Liu Hun challenged, pointing to the bag that Niu Chunsheng held, continuing, ¡°That bag holds the other fifty thousand yuan!

    Niu Chunsheng, dare to open it up for everyone to see!¡±

    ¡°See if I care, I¡¯ve got nothing to hide!¡± Niu Chunsheng said, opening his briefcase to reveal the fifty thousand yuan, ¡°This is public funds from the Cooperative, meant for submission at the county today with Chief Ye¡¯s help!

    Where did you pop out of, spreading ridiculous claims?!

    Xu Liang, take him to the police station!

    If my time gets wasted here, it could mess everything up!¡±

    ¡°Hold on!

    Niu Chunsheng, let¡¯s not rush.

    If you claim these are public funds, why are you taking Ye Canghai with you to the county?

    Why not bring the cashier or someone else from the Cooperative instead?

    And if it¡¯s public money, why did you hand half of it to Ye Canghai?

    Don¡¯t you know that public funds can¡¯t be casually given to others?¡± Holding the briefcase, Liu Hun sternly questioned Niu Chunsheng, determined to bring both Niu Chunsheng and Ye Canghai down today.

    ¡°Don¡¯t waste words with me.

    How I manage my affairs is my business!

    Xu Liang, arrest him!

    Get the briefcase back!

    I need to attend my meeting!¡± Niu Chunsheng instructed Xu Liang, using his authority to pressure him without bothering to explain Liu Hun¡¯s valid questions.

    Faced with a difficult position, Xu Liang pondered for a moment and decided that offending Niu Chunsheng was not an option.

    He reached for Liu Hun and said, ¡°Hand me the briefcase and come with me to the police station!¡±

    ¡°Officer Xu, Officer Zhao.

    I¡¯ve stated everything clearly; consider for yourselves how I know about the public funds, how I know how much money is in their briefcases today, and why Niu Chunsheng can¡¯t explain it all.¡± Liu Hun addressed both officers.

    ¡°Enough of this nonsense!

    I¡¯ll ask you just once, are you going to hand it over or not?¡± Xu Liang demanded, sticking to his ambition to become the head of the department.

    ¡°Wait a moment!¡± Zhao Mingjie stepped in at this point.

    She had been contemplating Liu Hun¡¯s words and observing everyone¡¯s expressions, growing increasingly convinced that there was something to this matter.

    Pulling Xu Liang aside, Zhao Mingjie said, ¡°Xu Liang, I think Liu Hun makes a lot of sense.

    Look at Niu Chunsheng; he clearly seems suspicious.¡±

    Xu Liang glanced at Zhao Mingjie, viewing her as his biggest competition for the department head position, especially since she seemed a more promising candidate, making him increasingly uncomfortable.

    Coldly, he replied, ¡°I don¡¯t think Director Niu has any issues.

    Whatever¡¯s amiss, just interrogate that kid back at the station!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be so hasty!¡± Zhao Mingjie was unsure of what offended Xu Liang, only sensing that ever since the department head was retiring, Xu Liang carried himself with the burdened demeanor of a bitter person.

    ¡°Hasty?!

    How many years have I been a cop?!

    How long have you been one?

    When I was policing, you were still playing in the mud!

    That¡¯s settled!

    Arrest him and take him to the station!¡± Xu Liang erupted, insistent on demonstrating authority.

 Chapter 71 - 71 71 Cant Escape

    ?71: Chapter 71: Can¡¯t Escape 71: Chapter 71: Can¡¯t Escape ¡°Fine!

    If we¡¯re going to arrest someone, let¡¯s do it together!

    You hold Liu Hun!

    I¡¯ll take Niu Chunsheng and Ye Canghai, and we must go back to the station for interrogation, and we need to call the chief over!¡± Zhao Mingjie suddenly lost her temper, and the beauty mark between her eyebrows now looked devoid of any charm, replaced entirely by a manly spirit.

    ¡°Hey!

    Are you trying to show off to me?¡± Xu Liang immediately bristled, and seeing Zhao Mingjie, he squared up and rolled up his sleeves, reaching out to push her.

    ¡°Can¡¯t you speak properly?

    Hitting a woman, does that suit the uniform you¡¯re wearing?¡± Liu Hun stepped forward and blocked Zhao Mingjie, grabbing Xu Liang¡¯s hand and instead pushed him back, making him stagger.

    ¡°You...

    you dare to hit a cop?

    I really don¡¯t believe this crap today!

    If I don¡¯t teach you a lesson, you¡¯ll really get too cocky!¡± Xu Liang said as he tried to punch Liu Hun, unable to tolerate being pushed away by him.

    ¡°Xu Liang!

    Stop!¡±

    While Xu Liang was showing off, a steady voice called out to him, and he turned his head to see it was the police chief Kang Jianxiang.

    Now that his old superior had arrived, he reluctantly waved his hand and threw a remark at Liu Hun, ¡°You¡¯re lucky today, kid!¡±

    This time it wasn¡¯t a coincidence that Kang Jianxiang was there because Nanhong saw Liu Hun leave and worriedly followed, only to find Liu Hun confronted by the police.

    Without delay, she went to find Kang Jianxiang, her regular diner.

    Liu Hun gave Nanhong a grateful look and turned to Xu Liang with a cold expression, ¡°If you had come any closer, you would now know what the mud here tastes like!

    And I¡¯m not making threats.¡±

    ¡°You son of a bitch!¡± Xu Liang cursed and was about to advance when Kang Jianxiang immediately stopped him.

    ¡°Have you eaten gunpowder or what?

    Let¡¯s go back to the station, the bunch of us!¡± Kang Jianxiang told Xu Liang and Zhao Mingjie sternly, then turned to Niu Chunsheng with a calmer demeanor, ¡°Director Niu, please cooperate with our work.

    If this causes you any inconvenience, I¡¯ll apologize to the county leaders later.¡±

    Knowing Kang Jianxiang¡¯s stubborn nature, similar to a buffalo, Niu Chunsheng followed them since Kang had put it that way.

    He only blamed his misfortune for encountering a calamity like Liu Hun and quietly said to Ye Canghai, ¡°When it¡¯s time for you to speak, speak; when it¡¯s not, keep quiet.¡±

    The group arrived at the police station.

    Due to Niu Chunsheng¡¯s status, Kang Jianxiang invited the three men into his office and took out a notebook to start taking notes personally.

    After asking the necessary questions, Kang Jianxiang then turned to Niu Chunsheng, ¡°Director Niu, isn¡¯t your behavior somewhat against the rules?¡±

    This time, Niu Chunsheng was determined to be evasive, coldly responding since he knew that without concrete evidence, Kang Jianxiang wouldn¡¯t dare to do much, ¡°Chief Kang, the police station has its rules, and the Cooperative has its rules.

    Don¡¯t measure us with your ruler.

    Also, you¡¯ve just retired, and sticking your nose in this isn¡¯t exactly according to the rules either.¡±

    ¡°Director Niu, our chief...¡± Zhao Mingjie, disliking Niu Chunsheng¡¯s attitude, began to speak but was cut off by Kang Jianxiang.

    Kang Jianxiang, smiling, proposed to Niu Chunsheng, ¡°Director Niu, how about this?

    You rest here for a bit, and I¡¯ll send someone to the Township Government and Wanbao Village to check things out.

    Isn¡¯t that a solution?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t play those tricks on me!¡± Niu Chunsheng waved a hand dismissively, making his stance clear today, ¡°Chief Kang, if you¡¯re making me stay, that¡¯s detention.

    I¡¯m okay with detention, but you need to show some evidence!

    Hmph, otherwise, don¡¯t blame me for not giving you face!¡±

    Kang Jianxiang found himself in a tough spot, like a duck trying to climb a tree, seeing that he would have no choice but to release Niu Chunsheng, when suddenly a ¡°hiss¡± sound was heard.

    Not only did Kang Jianxiang hear it, but so did everyone else in the office, who all turned to look at Liu Hun as he opened his briefcase, revealing stacks of money inside.

    ¡°What are you doing, punk?

    This...

    this is public money!¡± Ye Canghai¡¯s mouth trembled as he shouted at Liu Hun, his forehead inexplicably breaking into copious amounts of sweat.

    Liu Hun asked Ye Canghai, ¡°Ye Canghai, you¡¯ve been staring at this briefcase continuously, there must be something else in here besides money, right?¡± Saying so, he reached his hand inside.

    ¡°What...

    there¡¯s nothing!

    How dare you!¡± Ye Canghai watched as Liu Hun reached into the briefcase and immediately panicked, lunging at Liu Hun.

    ¡°Get out of here!¡± Liu Hun said, suddenly grabbing Ye Canghai¡¯s face and pushing him away.

    Ye Canghai, like a winter melon, rolled on the ground before he finally stabilized.

    ¡°Niu Chunsheng!

    You dare to hurt someone in front of so many people?

    Director Kang, you have to do something about this!¡± Niu Chunsheng said to Kang Jianxiang, he was just looking for a reason to detain Liu Hun, and now Liu Hun had just given him one.

    ¡°Humph!

    Something should indeed be managed!

    But between the two of us, I think you¡¯re the one who should be managed!¡± Liu Hun argued, pulling a piece of paper from Ye Canghai¡¯s briefcase.

    A glance at it explained why Ye Canghai had been so fixated on the briefcase just now.

    ¡°A payment of 100,000 yuan before signing the contract with Yang Yide; 50,000 yuan of which is claimed by Niu Chunsheng, and the remaining 50,000 yuan goes to Ye Canghai.

    Look!

    There are even signatures and fingerprints of these two here!

    May I ask, Director Niu, since when did the advance payment for our contract with Mr.

    Yang through Wanbao Village become public funds of the Cooperative?¡± Liu Hun said, waving the paper in front of Niu Chunsheng.

    ¡°Slap!¡± Niu Chunsheng slapped Ye Canghai across the face and roared, ¡°You idiot!

    Why the hell are you still holding onto this?

    Were you planning to use it as toilet paper?¡±

    Ye Canghai was already dazed from being pushed by Liu Hun, and now with a slap on his face, he was even more disoriented.

    It wasn¡¯t until he saw Niu Chunsheng¡¯s face, which looked like it had been fished out from a cesspit, that he realized he was in deep trouble.

    ¡°Xu Liang, Zhao Mingjie, take them all to the interrogation room!¡± Kang Jianxiang snapped the case file shut, suddenly stood up with a humorless expression, replacing it with a grave demeanor.

    The investigation over the past few days astonished Liu Hun; Niu Chunsheng truly had no need to risk so much over 50,000 yuan¡ªthe sum was just a drop in the bucket compared to more than a million yuan of public funds embezzled at the Cooperative.

    Niu Chunsheng, always one to pull the leg off a fly, ultimately met his demise due to greed.

    With Niu Chunsheng and Ye Canghai arrested, although the money was recovered, trouble followed suit.

    Firstly, Ye Canghai was the village chief of Wanbao Village, responsible for managing appropriations from the town.

    Secondly, and most importantly, was the debt Ye Canghai owed to Ding Yajun, which now fell upon Fen Ran¡¯s shoulders.

    Even if Ding Yajun dared not show up, worrying every few days was enough to bother anyone.

    Therefore, whether for the greater good of Wanbao Village or for Fen Ran personally, Liu Hun still had to figure out a way to get the Zheng Family involved.

    Pondering back and forth, Liu Hun knew he was just a simple farmer, barely knowing anyone halfway official¡ªhis words carried no weight.

    Therefore, he had to seek help from someone influential.

    ¡°Mr.

    Yang, the situation is just as I¡¯ve explained.

    So, I hope you can help smooth things over with the mayor.

    Village Chief Ye might have been blinded by greed for a moment, but he managed to recover every penny.

    He was the one who signed the contract with you on behalf of our Wanbao Village, and it was all to ensure good cooperation in the future, wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡± Liu Hun said to Yang Yide, smiling, feeling that the only person who could potentially be persuaded and who also had influential say was Yang Yide, although he did not mention anything about Fen Ran.

    Listening to Liu Hun, Yang Yide thought it normal for a rural person not to have seen big money before and found Liu Hun¡¯s point reasonable.

    Since it didn¡¯t affect the cooperation and he incurred no losses, it was a favor worth granting.

    As he was about to speak, Cai Yan entered from the door.

    ¡°President Yang!

    The acts of Village Chief Ye were criminal, and the losses were suffered by us.

    Now, we¡¯re supposed to plead on his behalf?

    Where on earth does such a thing happen!¡± Cai Yan said, gracefully sitting down on the sofa, her long legs crossed, the high heels on her feet slightly swaying, her challenging eyes fixed on Liu Hun.

    Liu Hun glanced at Cai Yan, noting her silver high heels and shiny stockings, attracting the eye, and her orange lipstick that gave her a less domineering aura today.

    ¡°President Yang, it¡¯s true that Village Chief Ye was wrong!

    I admit that.

    But think about it, you really haven¡¯t suffered any actual losses.

    He was the one who signed the contract with you.

    If he goes to jail, we¡¯ll have to go through the hassle of re-electing a village chief.

    By the time we finish all that, it¡¯ll be too late for planting blueberries,¡± Liu Hun knew Cai Yan was looking for a reason to trouble him, so he ignored her completely and just spoke to Yang Yide.

    As he spoke, Liu Hun worried that Yang Yide might still have reservations, so he added, ¡°President Yang, I guarantee that if the blueberry cultivation smoothly settles in our Wanbao Village, we¡¯ll definitely produce the best fruits!

    Anything that can grow in our fields, I guarantee you the best!¡±

    ¡°Oh!¡± Yang Yide was slightly startled and, touching his chin as if he had suddenly thought of something, turned to Cai Yan and said, ¡°Miss Cai, haven¡¯t you been searching for a place where the Dreamless Orchid grass can grow?

    Why not try in Wanbao Village?¡±

    Cai Yan was stunned, not expecting Yang Yide to suddenly bring up this matter.

    She had joined Yang Yide¡¯s company initially to travel around the country, searching for a location where a delicate and precious orchid could thrive.

    The environment where the orchid was initially found had already been destroyed by human activity.

    It could only survive in the strictly controlled conditions of a laboratory; touching the ground elsewhere, it would die.

    Thus, Cai Yan had named it Dreamless Orchid, hoping it could one day return to nature.

 Chapter 72 - 72 72 Fun

    ?72: Chapter 72 Fun 72: Chapter 72 Fun Yang Yide felt like the plan could really work, so he continued, ¡°Miss Cai, isn¡¯t this what you¡¯ve always wanted?

    How about this¡ªI¡¯ll talk to Mayor Xie, and Village Chief Ye¡¯s issue could be smoothed over.

    You can communicate with Mr.

    Guan, how does that sound?¡±

    Cai Yan looked at Liu Hun from every angle and felt uncomfortable no matter how she looked at him, simply because this little peasant had slapped her face in public.

    However, she had some respect for the man who had bested her, a respect she was reluctant to admit even unto death.

    After hesitating for quite a while, Cai Yan finally hummed an ¡°Mmm!¡± through her nose with her head held high.

    With that, the matter was settled.

    Cai Yan went to the company headquarters to retrieve the seedlings, while Liu Hun arrived at the police station the next day, ready to take Ye Canghai back to the village.

    The police station in Ping¡¯an Town was small, and aside from a janitor auntie and the retired Kang Jianxiang, there were only four working police officers.

    As soon as Liu Hun entered the police station, he saw in the large dam two new police recruits shouting as they practiced against each other, while Xu Liang and Zhao Mingjie were each responsible for instructing one on the sideline.

    ¡°Ow!

    Why so harsh?

    Didn¡¯t we agree this was just practice?¡± Shi Jinjun, who Zhao Mingjie was instructing, was harshly kicked to the ground by Ding Qian, whom Xu Liang was instructing.

    Zhao Mingjie hurriedly helped Shi Jinjun up, frowning with furrowed brows and said to Ding Qian, ¡°Ding Qian, why did you go so hard?¡±

    Ding Qian, rubbing his head, somewhat embarrassedly said, ¡°This...

    Bro Xu told me to do this.¡±

    ¡°Well done!

    Our police force needs to train with real swords and real guns on regular days.

    Otherwise, facing fierce criminals, what should we do if we chicken out!¡± Xu Liang tugged at his brows, seemingly trying to lift his eyes a bit higher, his gaze lingering on the swelling of Zhao Mingjie¡¯s collar that he had been thinking about earlier, but now his eyes just caught a glimpse of her neck as she bent down.

    ¡°Xu Liang!

    Treating enemies one way is one thing, treating our own people is another!

    I strongly disagree with your view!¡± said Zhao Mingjie as she helped Shi Jinjun stand.

    ¡°Ha!

    You woman, you don¡¯t have the balls, what could you agree with?

    A person without balls instructing someone who has balls will end up a soft egg anyway!

    Don¡¯t look at me, I¡¯m just saying it, why don¡¯t we practice together and see whose method is right!¡± Xu Liang said, rolling up his sleeves as he stepped forward and gestured to Zhao Mingjie with a beckon.

    Since Chief Kang retired, Zhao Mingjie found that Xu Liang was always picking on her, even his speech revealed vulgarity and ridicule, and now she couldn¡¯t tolerate it any longer.

    ¡°Even a cornered rabbit will bite.

    If Xu Liang wants to practice, let¡¯s practice!¡± Zhao Mingjie frowned, her beauty mark appearing even more charming as she rolled up her sleeves and faced off with Xu Liang.

    Xu Liang knew that Zhao Mingjie had some skills, so today he had to put her in her place, and do it impressively; if he lost face, he wouldn¡¯t be able to stay in the police station any longer.

    Just as the two were getting close, and were about to physically clash¡ªsuddenly!

    A shout came from behind Zhao Mingjie.

    ¡°Mingjie!¡±

    Instinctively, Zhao Mingjie turned her head, and shameless Xu Liang took advantage of the opening!

    With a loud ¡°crack,¡± Zhao Mingjie felt a severe pain in her thigh and fell to the ground dizzily, clenching her teeth but not letting out a single moan.

    She really hadn¡¯t expected Xu Liang to be such a person.

    Liu Hun had also turned with Zhao Mingjie, and in just those few seconds, he hadn¡¯t expected Zhao Mingjie to be taken down.

    His eyes narrowed fiercely as he moved in front of Xu Liang and grabbed his collar, lifting him off the ground entirely.

    ¡°What...

    What are you doing?!

    Let me go at once!¡± Xu Liang, flailing his legs in the air like a little chicken, hadn¡¯t expected Liu Hun to actually be able to lift him.

    ¡°You worthless trash!¡± After saying this, Liu Hun held onto Xu Liang¡¯s collar and threw him to the ground like a sack with a shoulder throw.

    ¡°Thump!¡± With a dull sound, Xu Liang felt like all his bones were cracking, howling with pain, his agony contrasted with Zhao Mingjie¡¯s silence, truly just an egg that would crack with a single kick.

    Chen Qiuya couldn¡¯t have imagined that her shout would cause such a big scene, nor did she expect Xu Liang to be the kind of person even ghosts fear.

    She immediately ran over and helped the fallen Zhao Mingjie up.

    ¡°Qiuya, why are you here?¡± Zhao Mingjie asked, enduring the pain and standing on one leg, her tone surprisingly free of blame.

    ¡°It¡¯s all my fault!

    Quick, get inside, let me see if there¡¯s anything seriously wrong!¡± Chen Qiuya, supporting Zhao Mingjie, glared fiercely at Xu Liang and limped into the office.

    Seeing that Zhao Mingjie had support, Ding Qian and Shi Jinjun quickly helped the grimacing Xu Liang up.

    Xu Liang, rubbing his back and twitching at the corner of his mouth, pointed at Liu Hun and said, ¡°You scoundrel!

    What skill is there in a sneak attack?!¡±

    ¡°Heh!

    Xu Liang, how does the saying go, ¡®If a person has no shame, even ghosts are scared,¡¯ and that¡¯s exactly who you are!

    Look at the two people beside you, they¡¯re both embarrassed, how do you still have the nerve to talk to me like this?¡± Liu Hun stared at Xu Liang, his gaze no different from looking at cow dung by the roadside.

    ¡°Your mother!

    You two, scram and let me show you what a real punch is!

    Without me, who would dare to come and save this dog¡¯s life, I¡¯ll make him suffer!¡± Xu Liang shook his neck, twisted his waist, and pointing at Liu Hun, said, ¡°Guan Xian, today I¡¯ll let you know how many eyes lord tiger has!

    I¡¯m going to beat the shit out of you!¡±

    ¡°Have you two ever seen how tops are spun?¡± Liu Hun didn¡¯t bother with Xu Liang¡¯s barking and asked the two policemen standing beside.

    The policemen glanced at each other and then turned back to nod at Liu Hun.

    ¡°You¡¯ve seen wooden ones, never seen a human one before!

    Today I will show you...

    You really can¡¯t stop being a shit eater!¡± Liu Hun was speaking when Xu Liang clenched his fist and swung it towards Liu Hun¡¯s face.

    Liu Hun calmly caught Xu Liang¡¯s fist with his left hand, like catching a sandbag, and then with a burst of Qi in his right hand, he slapped Xu Liang across the face.

    The slap was so hard that it made both flesh and bone resonate; unexpectedly, Xu Liang was spun around on the spot by Liu Hun¡¯s force, which left the two intrigued policemen thinking about how much strength that must have taken.

    ¡°I guess you¡¯re wondering, spinning this top doesn¡¯t need much strength, it¡¯s all about skill!

    The dumber the top, the more skillful you need to be!

    He can¡¯t stop, needs to keep spinning to be fun!

    Let¡¯s go!¡± Liu Hun said.

    He grabbed Xu Liang¡¯s shirt with his left hand, not allowing him to fall, and with his right hand slapped him squarely on the face again.

    ¡°Slap!¡±

    Just as Xu Liang was wobbling about to stop spinning, Liu Hun said to the policemen, ¡°You can¡¯t keep slapping a human top in one place, to use the fashionable words, it¡¯s about...

    comprehensive development!

    Move to the right!¡±

    The policemen, listening to Liu Hun explaining this new way to play with tops, watched as Xu Liang spun first three rounds to the left, then three rounds to the right, and they eventually couldn¡¯t help but burst out laughing.

    ¡°What are you doing!¡± Chen Qiuya came out from the office, saw Liu Hun whipping Xu Liang around, and the two policemen laughing non-stop, it all seemed just like watching a peep show.

    Liu Hun dared to beat Xu Liang partly because he was emboldened by having the Mayor¡¯s authorization to bring people along and the connection through Yang Yide, and partly because he couldn¡¯t stand Xu Liang¡¯s harsh treatment of Zhao Mingjie anymore, if he could put up with that, he¡¯d truly be a coward.

    ¡°Final step, reel it in!

    You really don¡¯t deserve this uniform!¡± Liu Hun finished speaking, slapped Xu Liang hard with a backhand slap from his left, grabbed the hem of Xu Liang¡¯s shirt with his right, spun him around like a top, and stripped him of his uniform in the process.

    ¡°Bang!¡± Xu Liang, stars flashing before his eyes, fell to the ground.

    ¡°What are you laughing at?

    Hurry up and take him back!

    It¡¯s too embarrassing!¡± Chen Qiuya couldn¡¯t help but laugh briefly, then quickly straightened her face and told the two policemen.

    The two policemen finally stopped laughing and hastily helped Xu Liang leave the police station.

    ¡°Are you Liu Hun?¡± Chen Qiuya approached Liu Hun and asked.

    Liu Hun looked at the woman before him, with a sharp nose, curved brows, small mouth, and skin as white as Bai Mian mantou, what¡¯s more peculiar was her eyes were like phoenix eyes, her pout made her look indecipherable between annoyance and coquettishness.

    ¡°I am Liu Hun, and you are...¡± Liu Hun thought carefully; he truly couldn¡¯t remember seeing such a character before.

    ¡°I am the clinic doctor Chen Qiuya.

    I won¡¯t talk much; Mingjie has dislocated her thigh.

    I can¡¯t send her to the county hospital by myself.

    Look after her for me while I fetch a vehicle,¡± Chen Qiuya said, and was about to leave, but Liu Hun called out to stop her.

    ¡°Doctor Chen, I have a way!

    I¡¯ve treated dislocated bones before,¡± Liu Hun told Chen Qiuya.

    He wasn¡¯t just talking nonsense; he had not only treated such injuries before but had done so repeatedly, all thanks to Ding Yajun.

    ¡°That...¡± Chen Qiuya looked at Liu Hun, seemingly hesitant to speak.

    ¡°Just say whatever it is!

    No beating around the bush, I guarantee I can cure her!

    The back and forth travel for Officer Zhao to the city is too troublesome,¡± Liu Hun told Chen Qiuya, who seemed unsure about something.

    ¡°Then wait here!

    I¡¯ll call you in!¡± Chen Qiuya dropped these words and hurried back to the office.

    A minute later, she called for Liu Hun.

    Liu Hun, muttering to himself, walked into the office, and immediately upon entering, his eyes nearly popped out, on the desk were a pair of gleaming legs, their curves smooth, bending exactly where they should bend, straight where they should be straight, the fleshy toes tightly curled up, showing tension.

    Liu Hun now understood why Chen Qiuya had been so hesitant just now.

    There lay Zhao Mingjie, pants off, lying sideways on the desk just like an Imperial Concubine emerging from a bath lying on a couch waiting for the Emperor¡¯s discipline, her buttocks slightly quivering with Zhao Mingjie¡¯s breaths under the cover of trousers, it was utterly tantalizing.

    ¡°Come take a look!¡± Chen Qiuya called to Liu Hun.

    As soon as Chen Qiuya said this, Zhao Mingjie, lying sideways on the work desk, immediately tensed up, her body shrank, and the trousers previously covering her buttocks twitched down.

    Now, the entire room instantly turned into the warm breezes of early spring, everywhere a sight of allure.

 Chapter 73 - 73 73 Treating Illness

    ?73: Chapter 73 Treating Illness 73: Chapter 73 Treating Illness Liu Hun had just approached Zhao Mingjie, never expecting that such a scene would unfold.

    Two pale white buttocks were jutting out like small hills, but right in the middle, a deep crevice was squeezed by a string.

    The string was connected to a waistband, clearly a strap of underwear, but he was seeing it used this way for the first time.

    ¡°Oh my god!

    Please don¡¯t move!¡± Chen Qiuya quickly reached out to pull up the pants to cover Zhao Mingjie.

    Then, feeling a bit embarrassed, she said to Liu Hun, ¡°Mingjie has some injuries on her leg.

    We just applied some medicine, so it¡¯s hard for her to wear pants.

    You...

    you should focus on the dislocated joint.¡±

    Liu Hun was more curious than having inappropriate thoughts.

    Since Chen Qiuya had explained, he didn¡¯t think further and took a glance at the swollen part of Zhao Mingjie¡¯s hip, realizing that must be the problem.

    ¡°Officer Zhao, bear with me, it shouldn¡¯t hurt much,¡± Liu Hun said, holding Zhao Mingjie¡¯s ankle with one hand and placing the other on her hip.

    Even though he only needed to use Qi Force, with a professional doctor like Chen Qiuya present, he still had to put on a bit of a show.

    Liu Hun pulled Zhao Mingjie¡¯s leg straight, and the Qi Force surged into her leg.

    But to his surprise, when Mingjie¡¯s leg was straightened, he got a glimpse of the front area.

    This explained his confusion¡ªthose weren¡¯t just strings.

    There was a small patch of cloth in the front, but this small patch of black fabric seemed to have holes all over, making it too challenging to see clearly.

    ¡°Mm~¡± Zhao Mingjie whimpered, feeling a warmth spreading through her thigh, and the pain immediately disappeared.

    ¡°Hey!

    The swelling¡¯s gone!

    You¡¯ve got some skill!

    Who would¡¯ve thought?

    Not bad at all!¡± Chen Qiuya exclaimed, looking at Liu Hun¡¯s technique that seemed like an Immortal Pill.

    The bone returned to its place, and the swelling subsided.

    Unconsciously, she scrutinized Liu Hun and found him quite attractive.

    ¡°You wait outside for now,¡± Chen Qiuya said as she noticed Zhao Mingjie¡¯s face reddening as if she¡¯d taken three shots of strong liquor, knowing she was horribly embarrassed.

    As soon as Liu Hun left the office and gently closed the door, he heard the voices of the two women inside.

    ¡°I¡¯m so embarrassed to death!

    Look at what you recommended...

    he saw everything!¡±

    ¡°It was an accident!

    Besides, what if he saw it?

    Even us police officers have a glamorous side, right...

    Ow!

    Don¡¯t pinch me!

    You know, foreign women love wearing this.

    It¡¯s not only breezy but also doesn¡¯t show panty lines under light summer pants.

    Gosh, look at those legs, even my eyes are jealous!

    Oh, what¡¯s this?

    Is it water?¡±

    ¡°You shameless hussy, see if I don¡¯t beat you today for making me wear such embarrassing things!¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    The warm atmosphere inside contrasted with the sunny day outside.

    Liu Hun took a deep breath, ready to leave the police station, when he suddenly remembered about another person¡ªYe Canghai!

    Ye Canghai followed Liu Hun back to Wanbao Village, looking like a dog that had lost its home.

    Upon returning to his house, he saw Fen Ran sitting in the middle of the living room.

    He sheepishly plastered on a smile and said, ¡°Hehe, wife I...¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t call me wife!

    You have the nerve to come back!

    If Hun hadn¡¯t helped you clean up the mess, you¡¯d be waiting for a beating with the hoe handle!

    See if the people of Wanbao Village won¡¯t get rid of you, this menace!¡± Fen Ran, visibly furious, slammed the table and slapped a piece of paper down, saying, ¡°This is a divorce agreement I had drawn up.

    Sign it!¡±

    Ye Canghai knew he was now stripped of everything.

    Having embezzled village funds, he likely couldn¡¯t continue as the village chief, and probably couldn¡¯t stay in Wanbao Village either.

    All that was left was this wife, who he needed to hold onto tightly!

    ¡°I absolutely won¡¯t sign this!

    Wife, people often say, ¡®One day as husband and wife, a hundred days of grace.¡¯ It¡¯s better to dismantle ten temples than break one marriage.

    Why are you so heartless!¡± Ye Canghai acted like a piece of stubborn, sticky plaster that wouldn¡¯t come off no matter how hard you pulled.

    ¡°Me, heartless?

    Why don¡¯t you mention that you used me to pay your debts?

    How dare you show your face?!

    Ugh!

    Scoundrel!

    Even a dog is better than you!¡± Fen Ran spat fiercely in Ye Canghai¡¯s face.

    Ye Canghai hadn¡¯t thought about it much until it was brought up, and was suddenly taken aback.

    The five-thousand-yuan gambling debt hadn¡¯t been paid yet, and he was eying Fen Ran with calculating eyes and said with a sly grin, ¡°Wife, I¡¯ll sign, but...¡± He scuffed his foot on the ground, stealing a glance at Liu Hun.

    Seeing Liu Hun didn¡¯t react much, he dared to continue, ¡°Show some mercy and pay this debt for me; I¡¯ll sign without hesitation.¡±

    ¡°Ye Canghai!¡± As soon as Liu Hun opened his mouth, Ye Canghai jumped a meter away, like a startled locust.

    Fen Ran immediately grabbed Liu Hun and said, ¡°Hun, let¡¯s end this amicably.

    Consider it my ransom.

    He¡¯s caught the gambling bug like an addict, and if I don¡¯t pay now, who knows what trouble he¡¯ll cause me¡ªor even Wanbao Village¡ªin the future.¡±

    ¡°Hun, lend me five thousand.

    I¡¯ll repay you once the blueberries come in.

    If that¡¯s not enough, I¡¯ll find other ways.

    I promise you won¡¯t lose that money.

    I just want this marriage to end.

    What do you say?¡± Fen Ran addressed Liu Hun with determination, making it clear she didn¡¯t want any further ties with Ye Canghai.

    Liu Hun pondered it over and agreed that Fen Ran had a point.

    Though he had a hundred ways to peel off Ye Canghai like a stubborn plaster, it would only hurt Fen Ran.

    ¡°Ye Canghai!

    I¡¯ll get the money for you, but you sign when you see it.

    Also...¡± Liu Hun pointed at Ye Canghai, saying, ¡°Tomorrow, we¡¯ll hold a village collective meeting to reelect the village chief!¡± This was a major burden in his mind¡ªafter all, the village chief was the official representative of Wanbao Village for outside interactions and policy implementation.

    Ye Canghai, like a rat in a grease pot, was single-mindedly obsessed with gambling.

    As long as there was money, he didn¡¯t care about anything else.

    Liu Hun swiftly handed over the money to Ye Canghai, and Ye Canghai promptly signed the divorce papers.

    He and Fen Ran completed the divorce process that very day, trading in their marriage certificate for a divorce certificate.

    Meanwhile, Liu Hun had Mao¡¯er rouse the village with fanfare about the upcoming village collective meeting.

    Ye Canghai had become a village cancer that needed to be purged, and Liu Hun was determined to lead Wanbao Village into a new era!

    However, in line with the saying, ¡°Zhuge Liang couldn¡¯t foresee the rain on Qi Mountain,¡± Liu Hun had not anticipated that with money in hand, Ye Canghai wouldn¡¯t last a whole night.

    By early the next morning, when Liu Hun went to check on him, Ye Canghai had vanished.

    ¡°That two-legged dog!

    We should¡¯ve put a chain on him!¡± Fen Ran stomped her foot angrily.

    ¡°What?!

    That rascal Ye Canghai slipped off again?!

    Goddamn wild donkey!

    He deserves a good thrashing!¡±

    ¡°How did he disappear again?

    Wasn¡¯t today the collective meeting?

    The initial funds are recovered, but the relief and disaster funds still aren¡¯t settled!

    I think we need to catch Ye Canghai.

    Either get him to communicate with the town about the funds, or have him come back and explain everything!

    I reckon that¡¯s the only way for us to hold that collective meeting!¡±

    ¡°Exactly!

    Lots of things are still up in the air, and now the man¡¯s gone.

    I agree, catch him first!¡±

    Liu Hun hadn¡¯t expected Ye Canghai to escape just like that.

    He had assumed Ye Canghai would cooperate once he had the money to resolve the problems.

    It seemed he underestimated Ye Canghai¡¯s addiction.

    ¡°Listen, everyone.

    Let¡¯s hold off on the village collective meeting for now.

    I, Liu Hun, promise to find Ye Canghai and make him answer to everyone!¡± Liu Hun announced solemnly to the surrounding villagers.

    Hearing the villagers¡¯ concerns, he realized he needed Ye Canghai there for a proper collective meeting, so the villagers would be satisfied¡ªand he himself could rest easy.

    Though Ye Canghai was simply a figurehead, he was necessary as a memorial stone on a grave.

    Ye Canghai¡¯s sudden disappearance had indeed caught Liu Hun off guard.

    Once he stabilized the village¡¯s affairs, he hurried to town.

    However, Ping¡¯an Town wasn¡¯t too big or too small, making it quite the task to find someone.

    With a sudden insight, Liu Hun remembered the previous incident with Ying Nanhong and Kang Jianxiang.

    Guessing that Ying Nanhong¡¯s restaurant, with its grapevine information, might know of some hidden nooks in town where Ye Canghai could be hiding, he set off toward her restaurant.

    Ying Nanhong¡¯s restaurant, now fueled by Liu Hun¡¯s supply of mushrooms and vegetables, was thriving.

    He struggled to find Ying Nanhong amidst the bustling restaurant.

    ¡°Ying...

    Nanhong, it seems I¡¯m troubling you again,¡± Liu Hun remarked while seated in Ying Nanhong¡¯s room as the restaurant had no available seats.

    A waiter had escorted him there, as Ying Nanhong was resting in her room.

    With hands on hips and a teasing gaze, Ying Nanhong playfully remarked with a blush, ¡°Talk like that again, and see if I ever speak to you!¡±

    Liu Hun laughed heartily and asked, ¡°Business seems to be booming for you now.

    Can you handle all this hustle?¡±

    ¡°Oh!

    What, thinking of becoming my co-owner?

    I only love handsome ones though!

    Hahaha...¡± Ying Nanhong joked, glancing provocatively at Liu Hun while wiggling in her seat like she had an itch.

    ¡°Look at you getting all flustered, just kidding around!¡± Ying Nanhong continued, ¡°I have folks handling the ins and outs; I just oversee things.¡±

    Then, she curiously asked Liu Hun with increasing speed and a deepening blush, ¡°How about the poultry in your village?

    Are they liking the mushrooms and vegetables?¡±

    Ying Nanhong¡¯s question hit the mark for Liu Hun, who replied, ¡°I¡¯ve been meaning to arrange that, but I need to hear what the villagers think; it¡¯s not just up to me.¡± With that, he shared his ideas with Ying Nanhong.

 Chapter 74 - 74 74 Addiction

    ?74: Chapter 74: Addiction 74: Chapter 74: Addiction Engaging in animal husbandry is not the same as farming; it involves buying piglets, building pens, and a host of other matters.

    Although Liu Hun had long considered this idea, at the moment, firstly, he wasn¡¯t the village chief, which gave him some influence but it was still without official standing.

    Secondly, it required quite a bit of investment, and he needed to accumulate some funds to proceed.

    Ying Nanhong looked at Liu Hun with sparkling eyes, like he was a plate of juicy, succulent braised pork.

    Nobody knew why, but her almond-shaped eyes became even more lustrous, almost drooling.

    She liked men with brains and ambition, even more so if they were better than she was in every way¡ªmen who could genuinely conquer her.

    Listening to Liu Hun, Ying Nanhong felt as if she could already see lively piglets lining up to enter her kitchen.

    Her big bottom kept wriggling uncomfortably in anticipation.

    ¡°Yes!

    I just want...

    Ouch!¡± Ying Nanhong slapped the table in preparation to continue her sentence, but the chair beneath her became fed up with being rubbed and collapsed with a loud crash.

    Liu Hun never expected Ying Nanhong to break the chair, and he quickly bent down to help her up.

    As he lifted Ying Nanhong, he felt something was odd; her legs seemed tangled together like a pretzel, so he asked, ¡°Nanhong, what¡¯s wrong?

    Did you hurt your leg?¡± As he spoke, he bent down to look at her leg.

    Suddenly, Ying Nanhong gripped Liu Hun¡¯s arm tightly and blushed, panting as she squeezed out a few words, ¡°Don¡¯t...

    don¡¯t look!¡±

    ¡°Nanhong, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Liu Hun¡¯s curiosity was piqued immediately.

    As soon as he asked, he looked down, seeing something fall from between Ying Nanhong¡¯s legs.

    Liu Hun then understood why Ying Nanhong had been behaving strangely since he walked in, speaking in an awkward manner and constantly rubbing her bottom against the chair.

    It turned out he had arrived at just the wrong moment.

    Ying Nanhong finally calmed down after a long while.

    Her face looked like it had been dipped in crimson ink.

    She released Liu Hun¡¯s arm and, lowering her head, shot him a couple of glances, muttering, ¡°This is so embarrassing.¡±

    ¡°Knock, knock, knock!

    Knock, knock, knock!

    Sister Shi!

    Sister Shi!¡±

    Hearing the shouts from outside the door, Ying Nanhong¡¯s heart, which was tangled like a ball of yarn, finally eased, though she still felt a slight sense of disappointment as if she were secretly hoping for some incident to occur.

    ¡°Coming!¡± Ying Nanhong quickly turned her face away and walked over to open the door.

    ¡°Sister Shi!

    We¡¯ve found Xiao Liu!¡± A tanned fellow at the door exclaimed excitedly to Ying Nanhong, remarking that she seemed more attractive than usual.

    ¡°He hasn¡¯t shown up for days!

    Where did you find him?¡± Ying Nanhong asked while touching her own burning hot face with the back of her hand.

    ¡°At that beautiful clothing store; I saw him coming out from there and didn¡¯t know what he was doing!¡± The man expressed his confusion to Ying Nanhong.

    Ying Nanhong pouted immediately, saying, ¡°You may not know, but I do: that clothing shop is just a front¡ªa den of iniquity selling mutton in place of daggers, gambling away with indecent people till the world goes dark.

    I bet they¡¯ll all end up with broken families, arrested and fed from prison!¡±

    ¡°What?

    That place is a gambling den?¡± Liu Hun, standing behind, stepped forward immediately to ask Ying Nanhong upon hearing this.

    ¡°Well...

    I just heard it from people dining here.

    All you need to do is hand a hundred dollar bill to the person selling clothes, and they¡¯ll lead you in to gamble.¡± When Ying Nanhong saw Liu Hun coming over, her voice lowered, and she dropped her head.

    The dim-skinned fellow noticed that the situation wasn¡¯t quite right here; why did a freezing cold day suddenly turn into the warmth of early spring sunshine?

    With a cheeky grin, he said, ¡°Heh heh, looks like we¡¯ll be changing owners for this shop!¡±

    Ying Nanhong, being keen-witted, immediately understood the underlying meaning in his words.

    Her heart was a mixed pot of sweetness and worries, and she sternly said to the fellow, ¡°Go, go, go!

    Stop talking nonsense here!

    Get to work!¡±

    After the fellow left, Liu Hun immediately said to Ying Nanhong, ¡°Nanhong, I still have some business to tend to; I can¡¯t stay here much longer.

    But when our village gets a breeding farm, I¡¯ll definitely come to you first!¡± With those words, he hurriedly left the restaurant.

    Watching Liu Hun¡¯s departing figure, Ying Nanhong felt like her heart had walked into a spice shop, experiencing a mix of emotions before finally sighing, ¡°Ah!

    I¡¯ll have to handle it myself!¡± She turned around, entered the house, and closed the door.

    Ping¡¯an Town wasn¡¯t large, and finding a certain shop or store wasn¡¯t difficult.

    Liu Hun soon located the beautiful clothing store and stepped inside.

    ¡°Buying clothes?

    Feel free to look around!¡± The woman, who was eating sunflower seeds, glanced Liu Hun up and down and casually remarked without any real intention of greeting him.

    Liu Hun didn¡¯t want to waste time here, so he pulled out a hundred-yuan bill and handed it to the woman, saying, ¡°I¡¯m here to play.¡±

    ¡°Oh!

    So you¡¯re in the know.

    I figured you didn¡¯t look like someone buying clothes.

    Follow me!¡± The woman took the money from his hand, tossed aside the sunflower seeds, lifted the curtain, and led him into the inner room.

    The inner room wasn¡¯t large, but the key was an hidden door.

    After opening the hidden door, the woman said to Liu Hun, ¡°Go on in, there¡¯s plenty of cash waiting for you inside!¡±

    Crossing the threshold, Liu Hun found that the shop had both a front and a backyard.

    The yard was filled with dense trees and shrubs, scarcely providing a view of its scope and the extent of shenanigans within.

    ¡°Oh!

    You look unfamiliar.

    Is this your first time here?

    What do you want to play?

    Poker?

    Mahjong?

    Or dice?¡± A man in a sleeveless vest and a shaved head approached Liu Hun to welcome him.

    Liu Hun mulled over the idea that he definitely couldn¡¯t admit he was there to find someone, so he had to indulge a bit to get the lay of the land.

    He said to the bald man, ¡°I¡¯ll play whatever¡¯s most popular.¡±

    The bald man sized up Liu Hun, then unexpectedly asked, ¡°Mind if I ask, who told you about our place, or who introduced you?¡±

    ¡°Oh!

    I¡¯m Liu Hun from Wanbao Village.

    I¡¯m pretty close with our village chief, so...

    that¡¯s why I¡¯m here!¡± Liu Hun answered with a smile, realizing that the bald man¡¯s question inadvertently helped him test the waters.

    Sure enough, hearing Ye Canghai¡¯s name, the alertness disappeared from the bald man¡¯s face instantly.

    He chuckled and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.

    We¡¯re just cautious here.

    ¡®An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.¡¯ Since you were directed here by Chief Ye, please enjoy yourself; our dice game is sure to keep you entertained!¡±

    Then, the bald man led Liu Hun through a twisting path to a clearing surrounded by osmanthus trees.

    In the center, four large tables were laid out, with a group of people exuberantly cheering.

    ¡°It¡¯s a hundred to start here.

    Shell out the money and play till you¡¯re pleased, whenever you want to leave is up to you!

    Just look around yourself¡ªI have other matters to attend to!¡± After speaking, the bald man left.

    Liu Hun reckoned that the bald man must be going to verify his identity, but didn¡¯t mind.

    He took a careful walk around the four large tables but didn¡¯t see any sign of Ye Canghai.

    He muttered to himself that maybe Ye Canghai was busy with something else.

    As expected, the bald man found Ding Yajun, who was sipping tea along a small path.

    He hurriedly said to Ding Yajun, ¡°Brother Ding, a new guy¡¯s here today, looks like he has some presence.

    Says he was introduced by Ye Canghai; he¡¯s from Wanbao Village and calls himself...

    Liu Hun!

    Yes!

    That¡¯s the name!¡±

    ¡°Pfft!¡± Ding Yajun spat out his tea like a water gun on the bald man¡¯s face, asking in shock, ¡°Erzi, what did you say?

    Liu Hun?!¡±

    Erzi wiped the tea from his face and nodded quickly, saying, ¡°That¡¯s what he told me.

    Brother Ding, is there something wrong with this guy?

    Is he not introduced by Ye Canghai?¡±

    Ding Yajun stood still for a moment like a buried person, then suddenly asked Erzi, ¡°Erzi, what¡¯s Ye Canghai¡¯s situation now?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d seen him lose over ten thousand before; now it¡¯s probably even more.

    Brother Ding, Ye Canghai is a hopeless money pit.

    We can¡¯t loan him any more money.¡± Erzi solemnly told Ding Yajun, finding Ye Canghai¡¯s face inauspicious.

    Ding Yajun pondered over it for a while, then suddenly flashed a crafty smile and said to Erzi, ¡°Erzi, gather everyone who can be called, and have them all ready and waiting.¡±

    ¡°Ha!

    Brother Ding, is this to deal with that surnamed Guan kid?

    Why bother with others; leave it to me, I¡¯ll handle him in no time, make him call you grandpa.¡± Erzi boasted but didn¡¯t even maintain this haughty look for two seconds before Ding Yajun slapped him on the head like a hollow watermelon.

    ¡°What do you know?

    That kid fights like a living King Yan, and with a demeanor like yours, in three minutes your mom will have to come and pick up your arms and legs!¡± Ding Yajun still felt a chill in his heart at the thought of being bullied painfully by Liu Hun in Fen Ran¡¯s house.

    That was only dislocation.

    If he combined everything else, it was either crematorium or psychiatric hospital.

    ¡°Brother Ding!

    Is this kid really as ruthless as you say?

    This...

    this is the first time I¡¯ve heard there¡¯s someone like that in Wanbao Village!

    So, what should we do now?¡± Erzi asked Ding Yajun, feeling somewhat unconvinced.

    Ding Yajun had already thought through the strategy and said to Erzi, ¡°First, we need to figure out why the kid came here!

    If he came to make trouble, follow my orders.

    When the time comes, all of you surround him.

    I just can¡¯t believe it; so many people can¡¯t handle him.

    But if he¡¯s here to find Ye Canghai or just to play, hmph...¡± As he spoke, Ding Yajun mimicked slicing meat in the air and then clenched his fist, saying, ¡°Ye Canghai told me that the kid surnamed Guan had gathered a lot of money in Wanbao Village.

    We¡¯ll peel layer after layer off his money and then peel off his skin!

    Like a cat playing with a mouse, we¡¯ll play with him first before finishing him!¡±

    ¡°Brother Ding, brilliant!

    I¡¯ll go make preparations!¡± Erzi brushed his bald head and immediately turned to rally people.

    Soon, Ding Yajun arrived at the dice game area and approached Liu Hun with a smile, saying, ¡°Hey!

    Liu Hun, what a coincidence!

    Running into you here!¡±

    ¡°Ding Yajun...¡± Liu Hun hadn¡¯t expected Ding Yajun to suddenly appear in front of him.

    Remembering the money Ye Canghai owed, he connected the dots and asked Ding Yajun, ¡°Is this your place?¡±

 Chapter 75 - 75 75 Taste

    ?75: Chapter 75 Taste 75: Chapter 75 Taste ¡°I¡¯m just here for some fun, what about you?¡± Ding Yajun said, slightly on guard against Liu Hun.

    He was ready to call for help the moment anything seemed off.

    ¡°I¡¯m looking for Ye Canghai.

    Do you know if he¡¯s here?¡± Liu Hun asked directly.

    Hearing this, Ding Yajun felt reassured and replied, ¡°Liu Hun, everyone here comes for fun.

    Imagine if you find Ye Canghai and drag him away forcefully.

    That wouldn¡¯t be fun for him, right?

    And if he¡¯s not happy, how can we have fun here?¡±

    Liu Hun instinctively looked around.

    The place was maze-like with many doors.

    If things turned sour with Ding Yajun, finding Ye Canghai could be really tough.

    So, he asked, ¡°Ding Yajun, since this place is for gambling, I¡¯d like to play with Ye Canghai.

    What do you think about that?¡±

    ¡°Sharp!

    I can tell you¡¯re a smart one!

    But we don¡¯t do one-on-one games here, and you need to bring at least fifty thousand.

    How about this?

    You bring fifty thousand tomorrow, and I¡¯ll arrange a perfect spot.

    We¡¯ll find a couple more to join in the fun,¡± Ding Yajun suggested, eyeing Liu Hun as though watching a sparrow hobble into a trap.

    ¡°Done!

    We have a deal then!

    I¡¯ll come back tomorrow,¡± Liu Hun agreed.

    Ding Yajun stopped him and said, ¡°Liu Hun, remember this...

    different strokes for different folks.

    I see you¡¯re a man of your word.

    Since we¡¯ve agreed on this, I hope you¡¯ll follow the rules.

    Otherwise, I can¡¯t guarantee you¡¯ll get to meet Ye Canghai.¡±

    Liu Hun knew Ding Yajun was worried he might bring the police, so he reassured him, which seemed to ease Ding Yajun¡¯s mind as Liu Hun left through another door with Erzi.

    Once out of the gambling den, Liu Hun figured out that Ding Yajun had intentionally had Erzi lead him out through that door to hint that there were many others.

    To be safe, Liu Hun circled around the market to make sure he wasn¡¯t followed before heading to the police station.

    As soon as he entered the police station, Liu Hun saw a man in a uniform with a mask and bandaged face, trying to avoid him.

    Liu Hun didn¡¯t think much of it and headed straight for the office.

    ¡°Officer Zhao, I need to tell you something!¡± Liu Hun burst into the office and directly addressed Zhao Mingjie.

    Seeing it was Liu Hun, Zhao Mingjie¡¯s face flushed, and she stammered, ¡°What...

    what is it?¡±

    Liu Hun, focused on his mission, didn¡¯t ponder what Zhao Mingjie was thinking and immediately reported Ding Yajun¡¯s secret gambling.

    ¡°What?

    The Beautiful Clothing Store?

    We¡¯ve had reports about that place before.

    Xu Liang has been there many times, and he said there¡¯s nothing there; it¡¯s just a teahouse,¡± Zhao Mingjie recalled the past events, her face losing its flush as she spoke about the business.

    ¡°How could that be?

    Have...

    have you seen it?¡± Liu Hun asked, feeling something was off.

    Zhao Mingjie shook her head, ¡°No, I just transferred here not long ago, and I mostly stay in the station.

    Xu Liang handles the fieldwork.¡±

    Now, Liu Hun felt even more suspicious and furrowed his brows, ¡°Is Xu Liang in the station?

    I need to ask him some questions.¡±

    Mentioning Xu Liang, Zhao Mingjie couldn¡¯t help but laugh, ¡°Last time you really gave him a hard time.

    He¡¯s probably as scared of you as a mouse is of a cat; he surely wants to hide.

    I think...

    he just left.¡±

    ¡°You mean the guy with bandages on his face?¡± Liu Hun suddenly remembered and asked Zhao Mingjie.

    Zhao Mingjie pursed her lips and chuckled, ¡°Who else could it be?

    After the mess you made last time, he tried to complain, but Qiuya beat him to it, claiming he struck first.

    So, not only did he get beaten up, but he also got a slap in the face figuratively.¡±

    Liu Hun had considered this beforehand.

    Xu Liang had made the first move, and since he was now collaborating with Yang Yide, nothing bad was likely to happen to him.

    ¡°I think there¡¯s something fishy here.

    Who knows what Xu Liang has been up to.

    Officer Zhao, what do you think if we check it out together tomorrow?

    Once you see it with your own eyes, you¡¯ll know what¡¯s going on, and then we can come back and discuss how to take down this den, to keep our Ping¡¯an Town safe,¡± Liu Hun suggested to Zhao Mingjie.

    Zhao Mingjie pondered for a moment, there were only four people in the police station now, and since Liu Huyi suspected Xu Liang had issues, he couldn¡¯t let Xu Liang know about this.

    Even Shi Jinjun and Ding Qian couldn¡¯t be fully trusted.

    The best way was as Liu Huyi said: figure out the true situation first, then take Shi Jinjun and Ding Qian to bust the gambling den all at once.

    ¡°Deal!

    We can¡¯t let others from our station know about this.

    I¡¯ll wait for you at the clinic tomorrow, then we will go together,¡± Zhao Mingjie finalized the plan with Liu Huyi.

    When Liu Huyi arrived at the town clinic the next day, he was immediately stunned.

    The woman before him was unrecognizable at first glance.

    She wore a fitted women¡¯s suit with a deep V neckline, wavy long hair, a short skirt that tightly hugged her behind, black stockings that he had only seen on Cai Yan¡¯s legs, and a pair of red high heels.

    After a closer look, Liu Huyi noticed her pouty, bright lips, eyelids colored purple like eggplants, eyes that looked larger, and even more bizarre was the two rows of thick, upright eyelashes and a dot of vermilion on her forehead...¡±Zhao...

    Officer Zhao?!¡±

    ¡°What are you yelling for?!

    Afraid people won¡¯t hear you or what?¡± Chen Qiuya emerged from behind Zhao Mingjie, then said somewhat proudly to Liu Huyi, ¡°See?

    This is my masterpiece.

    Today you are on a mission to delve deep into the gambling den.

    You¡¯ve got to look like a worldly woman, who has been through ups and downs.¡±

    ¡°Qiuya!

    What are you saying!¡± Zhao Mingjie blushed, embarrassed.

    Although she never dressed up as a police officer, she still had the heart of a woman.

    Unexpectedly, this little thought was caught by Chen Qiuya and she transformed Zhao Mingjie inside and out, completely into the stereotypical corrupt bourgeois.

    ¡°I¡¯m doing this for you.

    Think about it, you are the only police ¡®flower¡¯ in our town.

    Even though you¡¯ve kept a low profile like those old-timey rich ladies, who¡¯s to say no one will recognize you there?

    If you¡¯re recognized, all would be spoiled.

    Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s foolproof, just like in those Hong Kong movies.¡± After cheering Zhao Mingjie up, Chen Qiuya instructed Liu Huyi, ¡°Liu Huyi, our town¡¯s flower is now in your hands, if anything happens to her, you won¡¯t escape my needle!¡±

    Seeing the syringe on Chen Qiuya¡¯s table, Liu Huyi dared not go against her.

    As the two left the town clinic on their way to the clothing store, Liu Huyi was all googly-eyed, drooling along the way.

    Upon reaching the clothing store, Zhao Mingjie took Liu Huyi¡¯s arm and turned her face away to whisper, ¡°This makes us look even more convincing.¡±

    ¡°Wow, stepping from the old society to the new age today!

    Go in and have fun!¡± The woman eating sunflower seeds caught sight of Zhao Mingjie and couldn¡¯t help but express her envy.

    Zhao Mingjie, arm in arm with Liu Huyi, followed the thief-like Erzi while constantly observing and memorizing the paths they took.

    She thoroughly understood from this reconnaissance that this place was truly a gambling den and Xu Liang had undoubtedly been bribed.

    ¡°Wow...

    Incredible!

    A real fairy here!

    Please, please, this way!¡± As soon as Ding Yajun saw Zhao Mingjie, his eyes nearly stuck to her, rushing to seat them by a round table.

    Liu Huyi sat down and then asked Ding Yajun, ¡°Ding Yajun, where¡¯s Ye Canghai?

    Didn¡¯t we agree to have fun together?¡±

    ¡°Erzi!

    Erzi!

    Enough with your staring!

    Go fetch Ye Canghai quickly!¡± Ding Yajun kicked Erzi, who was still staring at Zhao Mingjie, and Erzi rushed to find Ye Canghai.

    Soon, Ye Canghai arrived with Erzi.

    Ye Canghai had been instructed by Ding Yajun the previous night that today he was to play along in a ruse to trap Liu Huyi.

    So, seeing Liu Huyi didn¡¯t evoke much reaction from him, but seeing Zhao Mingjie did, and all of a sudden, every part of him, even those that usually didn¡¯t work so well, perked up.

    Surrounded by men who had only seen such dressed-up women in Hong Kong movies at the cinema, they behaved like soldiers in trenches waiting for the charge signal, ready to spring into action at any moment.

    ¡°Canghai, where did you...

    pick up this gem?¡± Ye Canghai looked at Zhao Mingjie and asked Liu Huyi, his mouth dry and salivating at the excitement building inside him.

    ¡°This lady is...¡± Liu Huyi was about to fabricate a lie but choked on his words as he hadn¡¯t quite thought of how to introduce Zhao Mingjie.

    Zhao Mingjie, who had studied at the police academy and trained properly, quickly pursed her lips and smiled, ¡°He¡¯s my man, brought me out today to have fun.¡± As she said this, something inside her suddenly clicked.

    ¡°Let¡¯s skip the chitchat, I¡¯ve brought the money.

    Shall we start now?¡± Liu Huyi looked at Ding Yajun.

    As for Ding Yajun, he wasn¡¯t in much better shape than Ye Canghai, burning with malicious fire.

    Internally he schemed to strip Liu Huyi of his money, and if possible, strip his woman of her clothes too!

    *Ahem* *cough*, why don¡¯t we three play dice?¡± Ding Yajun, his throat dry, suggested to them both.

    ¡°Sure!

    I...

    lack nothing but have plenty of money!

    Whatever we play, I¡¯m in!¡± Ye Canghai, in front of Zhao Mingjie, now put on a show, boasting like a nouveau riche.

    Ding Yajun asked Erzi to bring over the dice cup, then told the two, ¡°There are three dice in this cup.

    We each take a turn rolling.

    Whoever rolls the highest, wins.

    How does that sound?¡±

 Chapter 76 - 76 76 Dice Game

    ?76: Chapter 76 Dice Game 76: Chapter 76 Dice Game After Ye Canghai and Liu Hun nodded their agreement, Ding Yajun said, ¡°For the first round, let¡¯s take it easy, one thousand bucks!

    I¡¯ll go first!¡± With that, he threw a thousand yuan on the table and began to roll the dice with a rattle.

    ¡°Got it!¡± Ding Yajun shouted as he placed the cup back on the table, giving Zhao Mingjie a sidelong glance before addressing the group, ¡°No problem, brothers, I¡¯ll open it now!¡±

    ¡°Open!

    One-one-two, four points!

    Hey!

    Look at my bad hand!

    It¡¯s like throwing money into water.

    Who¡¯s next?¡± Ding Yajun lamented, then handed the dice cup to Ye Canghai.

    ¡°Spit, spit, spit!¡± Ye Canghai spat a few times into his palm, rubbing them to warm it up before picking up the cup, ¡°Time to make money!¡± He said as he shook the cup vigorously.

    ¡°Open!

    Four-five-five, fourteen points!

    The money won¡¯t slip out of my hands this time!¡± Ye Canghai chuckled, finding this way of making money much faster than farming, like a gust of wind blowing it in.

    Liu Hun was the last to lift the dice cup, and as soon as his hands touched it, Qi Force surged onto the dice inside.

    ¡°Shake!

    Shake!

    Shake!¡± Liu Hun shook it thrice and placed the cup back on the table, his Qi Force already hitting the dice, producing the points he wanted.

    ¡°Oh!

    Hun!

    You¡¯re too green to play this game!

    Look at your triple ones, you might as well just hand me the money!

    Got it!

    I¡¯ll accept your gift!¡± Ye Canghai laughed as he swept the three thousand yuan into his side.

    ¡°Are you nervous?

    You seem to be sweating.

    Let me wipe that for you.¡± Zhao Mingjie said seductively to Liu Hun, pulling out a tissue to dab his forehead, and whispered as she leaned closer, ¡°I need to check out the place and the layout here.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, I¡¯ll handle it myself.¡± Liu Hun took the tissue from Zhao Mingjie¡¯s hand, speaking to her with a double meaning.

    Zhao Mingjie gracefully stood up and asked Ding Yajun, ¡°Could you please tell me where the restroom is?¡±

    ¡°Right behind that big osmanthus tree over there.¡± Ding Yajun said enthusiastically, pointing to a large osmanthus tree not far away.

    ¡°You all continue playing, I¡¯ll accompany the lady.¡± Erzi said with a sly smile, feeling a sudden itch, just as he was about to leave, Liu Hun called out to him.

    ¡°Erzi, my luck isn¡¯t great today, why don¡¯t you take this round for me!¡± Liu Hun said, pulling Erzi back, having already seen through Erzi¡¯s little schemes, while Zhao Mingjie had already walked several meters away.

    ¡°Erzi, since Liu Hun wants you to roll for him, just do it!¡± Ding Yajun also said to Erzi, genuinely worried about his subordinate.

    If any twisted thought suddenly sprang to mind, it would ruin everything.

    He wanted to be the first to ¡®enjoy¡¯ the woman before Erzi got a chance¡ªif she fell into Erzi¡¯s hands first, it just wouldn¡¯t taste the same.

    After the second round, Ye Canghai once again had the highest points.

    Seeing Ye Canghai claim all the money on the table, Liu Hun said to Ding Yajun, ¡°Ding Yajun, I feel like this isn¡¯t working out!

    How about we go big?¡±

    ¡°Hey!

    Hun, you really are trying to climb to the heavens from Mount Tai, so greedy!

    However big you want to play, I¡¯m in!¡± Ye Canghai said challengingly to Liu Hun, feeling like luck was on his side today, even if it wasn¡¯t, he planned on making it so.

    ¡°It¡¯s getting late, let¡¯s make this last round with a hundred thousand per cup.

    How about it?¡± Liu Hun asked Ding Yajun and Ye Canghai.

    ¡°Liu Hun, I¡¯m up for any stakes.

    But do you have the money?¡± Ding Yajun asked Liu Hun, surprised he would suggest such a thing; it was like stepping onto King Yan¡¯s table to offer himself up for sacrifice.

    If Liu Hun was willing to give it up, Ding Yajun was more than willing to accept.

    ¡°Just because I didn¡¯t bring it today doesn¡¯t mean I don¡¯t have it.

    Ding Yajun, didn¡¯t you lend money to Ye Canghai?

    Consider lending me fifty thousand as well.

    I will sign and leave my fingerprint.

    How does that sound?¡± Liu Hun asked Ding Yajun.

    ¡°Alright, but let me be blunt, I lend fifty thousand, you pay back sixty thousand.

    Consider that carefully.¡± Ding Yajun reminded Liu Hun, seizing the opportunity for profit.

    He planned to strip Liu Hun bare step by step, though the IOU wouldn¡¯t directly mention gambling debt.

    Any pretense would do as long as signatures and fingerprints secured the repayment.

    ¡°I...

    I¡¯ll borrow fifty thousand too!¡± Ye Canghai said hastily, seeing Ding Yajun agree to lend money to Liu Hun.

    He willingly put his head into Ding Yajun¡¯s noose.

    ¡°Ye Canghai, you haven¡¯t even repaid what you borrowed from me last time.

    I let you enjoy yourself here first, hoping you¡¯d use winnings to pay me back.

    But now new debts are rolling in even before clearing the old ones, what¡¯s the deal?¡± Ding Yajun questioned Ye Canghai.

    He allowed the debt to rack up because he knew it would ultimately loop back to him, perhaps compelling Ye Canghai to borrow from others, or even using deceit to lure Fen Ran for his pleasure.

    But watching Ye Canghai climb up the bamboo pole now, wanting to borrow fresh debt, made Ding Yajun somewhat displeased.

    ¡°I have a house!

    I have land!

    There¡¯s also that large orchard!

    They¡¯re all assets!¡± Ye Canghai hurriedly explained to Ding Yajun, seeing Ding Yajun¡¯s weary look and realizing he was getting nowhere.

    With a quick turn of his mind, he proposed to Liu Hun, ¡°Hun, aren¡¯t you interested in farming?

    How about if I pledge everything I have in Wanbao Village to you, and you borrow fifty thousand on my behalf for this round?¡±

    Ye Canghai¡¯s crafty suggestion struck a chord with Liu Hun.

    After mulling it over, he realized that acquiring these assets would finally rid Wanbao Village of Ye Canghai¡¯s clinging presence.

    Having a two-story building to live in, and most importantly, a sprawling orchard, sweetened the deal.

    All these were still under Ye Canghai¡¯s name, as Fen Ran, eager to break free, had not demanded anything.

    ¡°Deal!¡± Liu Hun agreed straightforwardly, then turned to Ding Yajun and asked, ¡°Ding Yajun, do you agree?¡±

    ¡°Of course, I do!

    It¡¯s settled then, I¡¯ll fetch the money and some pen and paper.¡± Ding Yajun said, leaving and returning within three minutes with a bag of money and writing supplies.

    Once the IOU was written and fingerprinted, the stakes were set¡ªa hefty sum of three hundred thousand on the table.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go first this time!¡± Ye Canghai, eager and itching, either had to roll immediately or chop off his hands.

    ¡°Shake!

    Shake!

    Shake...¡± Ye Canghai gripped the cup furiously, determined to win it all back as if it were an all-you-can-eat buffet.

    ¡°Bang!¡±

    Ye Canghai¡¯s hands trembled, dripping with sweat, as he finally placed the cup down on the table.

    His eyes darted between Ding Yajun and Liu Hun as he said, ¡°No one make a sound!

    I¡¯ll open it slowly, very slowly!

    Anyone who speaks up will have to deal with me!¡±

    Once he said this, he wiped his sweaty palms on his pants twice, slowly lifted the cup just a crack, peeked inside, and covered it again, repeating this motion several times.

    After quite a while, he suddenly, as if springing to life, shouted, and abruptly lifted the lid.

    ¡°Open!

    Four-four-five, thirteen points!

    I should have shaken it a bit longer!¡± Ye Canghai panted heavily, drenched in sweat, feeling as if he had exhausted half his life, more so than a whole night¡¯s exertion.

    ¡°Liu Hun, will you go next, or should I?¡± Ding Yajun asked Liu Hun.

    ¡°You first!¡± Liu Hun replied to Ding Yajun, knowing that rolling last meant better control over the situation.

    ¡°Then today, let me show you why bread is made of flour and the pot is made of iron!¡± Ding Yajun said, as he took the cup from Ye Canghai, wiped off the sweat, and began to shake it calmly.

    Liu Hun watched as Ding Yajun rolled with a steady composure, clearly experienced, unlike Ye Canghai¡¯s reckless antics, showcasing a prowess several levels higher.

    ¡°Open!

    Six-six-five, seventeen points!

    Just off by a whisker, not a big deal!¡± Ding Yajun revealed with a shout, though he wasn¡¯t too concerned, it posed a significant problem for Ye Canghai.

    ¡°How...

    how did it roll seventeen points?

    What...

    what...

    what...¡± Ye Canghai¡¯s eyes were wooden, and his mouth, as if filled with cement, struggled for a long time to utter only the word ¡°What.¡±

    Liu Hun watched Ye Canghai¡¯s foolish demeanor without a shred of sympathy.

    He thought it would be good to parade Ye Canghai through town later with Zhao Mingjie, showing the townsfolk what happens to gamblers in the end.

    ¡°Shake!

    Shake!

    Shake!¡± Still only three shakes, Liu Hun didn¡¯t linger on the dice, pressing the cup onto the table, then asked Ding Yajun, ¡°Ding Yajun, today I¡¯m taking everything here with me.

    Believe it or not?¡±

    Ding Yajun chuckled defiantly, saying to Liu Hun, ¡°The only thing you¡¯re leaving with today is yourself.

    Believe it or not?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s wait and see!¡± Liu Hun enunciated each word, then lifted the cup lid with a flick of his hand.

    ¡°Six-six-six, eighteen points... how... how was it rolled?¡± Erzi looked at Liu Hun with disbelief.

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe it!

    Liu Hun!

    You¡¯re not taking anything today, and your woman stays too!¡± Ding Yajun, as if his ire had been ignited like gunpowder, leaped up, pointing at Liu Hun.

    ¡°The saying goes, ¡®Practice is the sole criterion for testing the truth,¡¯ you can try and see if my reasoning is sound!¡± Liu Hun told Ding Yajun with an air of calm, viewing Ding Yajun like a jumping flea¡ªeasy enough to squash with a flick of a finger.

    Ding Yajun sneered, ¡°Liu Hun, don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know the woman you came with is Zhao Mingjie from the police station!¡±

 Chapter 77 - 77 77 Eating

    ?77: Chapter 77 Eating 77: Chapter 77 Eating Liu Hun suddenly stood up, his eyes fixed on Ding Yajun, his brain spinning as he couldn¡¯t understand why Ding had seen through him.

    And according to Ding Yajun, at this time, Zhao Mingjie should have been... Thinking this far, he turned sharply around and sure enough, saw Zhao Mingjie with her hands bound behind her and a cloth stuffed in her mouth, while the one pushing her along was none other than Xu Liang, who still had bandages on his face!

    ¡°Liu Hun!

    Daring to spin me around like a top, I¡¯m going to skin you alive today!¡± Xu Liang brandished the gleaming knife in his hand threateningly at Liu Hun, pulling Zhao Mingjie to stand some distance from Liu Hun.

    Even though he was surrounded by three of Ding Yajun¡¯s henchmen, he was still somewhat nervous inside.

    ¡°What did I just say?

    What can you take away from here?

    Liu Hun, now you have to answer me properly, do you believe it or not?¡± Ding Yajun had a sly smile on his face, from head to toe, inside and out, he was the epitome of delight.

    ¡°Xu Liang!

    How did you find out about this?

    What did you do to Officer Zhao?¡± Liu Hun ignored Ding Yajun and pointed at Xu Liang to ask.

    Xu Liang stretched his neck, laughing he-he like a turtle, ¡°That day when I saw you come to the station, I knew you would stir up some trouble.

    You thought I left?

    Right after I stepped out of the police station¡¯s door, I came back in and hid under the windowsill, I heard everything!¡± While speaking, he looked Zhao Mingjie up and down, swallowed his saliva, and said, ¡°You humiliated me!

    I have to humiliate you too!

    I didn¡¯t expect Zhao Mingjie to be so horny; just wait and you can watch me play with this horny woman, and you can also get your fix right here.¡±

    After listening to Xu Liang¡¯s words, Liu Hun glanced again at Zhao Mingjie¡¯s eyes and dress, his heart finally settled, then he turned and picked up a die from the bowl and said to Ding Yajun, ¡°Ding Yajun, I now answer your earlier question, I really don¡¯t believe it!¡±

    After Liu Hun finished speaking, Qi surged up his arm, and he spun around, pinching the die and flinging it towards the hand Xu Liang was holding the knife with.

    With a ¡°crack¡± sound, crisp like a bite into a pickled radish, the knife in Xu Liang¡¯s hand fell to the ground.

    He had only hopped around twice, holding his hand, before he had a chance to cry out, he heard Ding Yajun shout a warning, and when he looked up, Liu Hun was already charging towards him.

    Ding Yajun hadn¡¯t seen someone chop bamboo in many years, but today he was reliving this rare childhood memory.

    Including Xu Liang, a total of four people, each one only took one move, a palm chop to the back of the neck, and with a tingling spine, they either passed out or were paralyzed on the ground.

    Liu Hun finished them off in one breath, like a swallow skimming water, he scooped up Zhao Mingjie into his arms and quickly bent down to ask, ¡°Officer Zhao, are you alright?¡±

    ¡°Wuu wuu wuu!

    Wuu wuu wuu!¡± Zhao Mingjie¡¯s fake eyelashes fluttered frantically as her eyes shifted towards Ding Yajun¡¯s direction.

    Liu Hun looked up, and Erzi led seven or eight people rushing towards him.

    Faced with this bunch of ruffians and hooligans, others might really have been intimidated, but in his eyes, they were nothing more than a pile of rotten sweet potatoes and smelly bird eggs, at most sticking to the body and causing a bit of a stink, but otherwise, they were useless.

    Now Ding Yajun was completely dumbfounded.

    He felt that he wasn¡¯t being superstitious, it was like he had been bewitched like Ye Canghai!

    How could these more than ten people not be able to handle the situation?

    How could a village bumpkin hold a woman and beat people like playing with monkeys?

    No!

    This must be a dream!

    Right, I must be dreaming!

    I need to think of a way to wake up!

    As Ding Yajun pondered this in his heart, he suddenly slapped himself across the face.

    ¡°Ow!

    Damn!

    Why does it hurt so much!

    This isn¡¯t a dream!¡± Ding Yajun covered his face, which he had just slapped until it was stinging, and watched as Liu Hun stepped closer and closer to him until his legs softened, and he knelt down obediently.

    ¡°Officer Zhao, go find more people, today we¡¯re not only going to take down this betting den, we also need to educate those who came here to gamble,¡± Liu Hun said as he untied the ropes on Zhao Mingjie¡¯s hands.

    Since Ding Yajun confessed honestly, including his henchmen and gamblers, dozens of people were all caught.

    Zhao Mingjie, following Liu Hun¡¯s orders, not only called for Shi Jinjun and Ding Qian but also found the chefs from Ying Nanhong¡¯s restaurant.

    Dozens of people stood neatly in the place that had once been the gambling area, which was now devoid of gambling tables, replaced instead by a large pot and a few tables set with plates.

    ¡°Gambling has a certain taste; everyone here today has only tasted the sweetness, which is why you continue to gamble here.

    But I have to tell you guys, even if gambling starts off with a bit of sweetness, it will still end up hurting you in the end!¡± Liu Hun said to the crowd of gamblers, looking at many people who still didn¡¯t take it seriously, he felt education really needed to be stern, and Ding Yajun and his group needed a harsh lesson.

    ¡°Ding Yajun, come over here!

    Bring your pack of dogs too,¡± Liu Hun waved to Ding Yajun, prompting him and Ye Canghai, Xu Liang, and the rest to come to the tables.

    ¡°Ding Yajun, we¡¯re not playing the dislocation game today.

    You like gambling, right?

    Let¡¯s play something you¡¯re good at!

    Look closely at the table,¡± Liu Hun pointed at the dishes on the table and said to Ding Yajun, ¡°This dish here is all one suit, a straight of bamboo.

    Don¡¯t you wish for this on the mahjong table?

    Now I¡¯ve brought it right to your mouth; have a taste!

    Master Zhang specially fried these with extra vegetable oil, just to match the green of these bamboos!¡±

    Ding Yajun felt that if he could call Liu Hun ¡®Dad¡¯ and get rid of this situation, he would be willing to call Liu Hun ¡®Dad¡¯ for the rest of his life¡ªit really was a dish full of bamboos from the mahjong set!

    ¡°Feeling like one suit is not enough?

    How about a Pong of tiles!

    Look at you, you¡¯re the type who loves to play big hands!

    Skilled player!

    This one will definitely make you comfortable!¡± Liu Hun said, pulling the stunned Ding Yajun over to the second dish and asked, ¡°See this?

    What is this?¡±

    ¡°Big Three Dragons?¡± Ding Yajun immediately recognized the mahjong tiles in the dish.

    ¡°Ah, innovation at its best!

    There¡¯s really someone like that, and it¡¯s you, isn¡¯t it?

    See the red dragon here?

    It¡¯s spicy flavored¡ªlots of chili!

    If you don¡¯t like it, you can eat the green dragon!

    Green dragon is sour tasting, and if you don¡¯t like that, you can switch!

    Change to the blank tile, just add a little salt, preserving the original flavor of mahjong.

    If that doesn¡¯t do it for you, try sniffing the tiles; you might still smell the stench of someone who didn¡¯t wash their hands after peeing.

    How invigorating!¡± Liu Hun introduced the Big Three Dragons to Ding Yajun.

    Ding Yajun¡¯s face turned green; he would rather not recognize these mahjong tiles for the rest of his life.

    ¡°Still not to your liking?

    Great!

    I think you¡¯re a reliable guy!

    You must have foreseen that today would come, so besides mahjong, you¡¯ve got other gambling paraphernalia!

    Look at you, you¡¯ve got everything, a complete variety.

    Here are the dice, the very ones we were playing with just now.¡± Liu Hun, pointing out the dice to Ding Yajun, could tell by the look on Ding Yajun¡¯s face akin to a lost soul returning on the Ghost Festival that his tactic was effective.

    ¡°Look at this deck of cards!

    A pair of jokers with four twos!

    Guaranteed to win money, no doubt about it!

    Line up; don¡¯t rush, don¡¯t hide, there¡¯s enough for everyone!

    More than enough!¡± Liu Hun said, and then he laid out the dishes one by one, filled with fried, stir-fried, and steamed gambling tools, in front of Ding Yajun and the others.

    ¡°Gambling on the tip of your tongue!

    You should really get your fill this time!¡± Liu Hun handed out chopsticks to Ding Yajun and the others one by one, saying, ¡°It won¡¯t taste good if it gets cold, and if you don¡¯t eat it yourselves, I will have to feed you one by one.

    What do you think about that?¡±

    What else to think?

    Just eat!

    In their hearts, Ding Yajun and the others bitterly complained.

    They were all too familiar with Liu Hun¡¯s tactics and had no choice but to steel themselves and eat the gambling tools they used to adore.

    ¡°They¡¯ll be fine doing this, right?

    Could they get sick from it?¡± Although Zhao Mingjie felt a sense of relief, she was still worried that this could cause trouble for Liu Hun.

    ¡°No worries!

    I¡¯m here!

    Guaranteed every one of them will walk into the police station with all limbs intact.

    These people need to be disciplined!

    They must be disciplined harshly enough that in the future, just the sight of these gambling tools will make them shiver, to ensure they won¡¯t continue harming others when they get out,¡± Liu Hun told Zhao Mingjie confidently, not worried they would suffer any real harm with his Qi at hand.

    The tragedy of Fen Ran¡¯s family being destroyed and her divorce made him determined to crack down on these gamblers.

    ¡°Everyone take notice, from now on, stop coming to this place.

    If you want to try any flavor, you¡¯re all welcome to Ke Yun Lai Restaurant!

    If you still miss this place, I reckon the next time someone shows up, they¡¯ll have to take my place here and eat!¡± Liu Hun loudly declared to all the gamblers as a warning.

    In the end, Ding Yajun, Ye Canghai, Xu Liang, and the rest of the group ate the gambling tools and then had to relieve themselves, leaving with sore buttocks and weak limbs, detained one by one into the police station.

    After taking down this gambling den in Taiping Town and confiscating 870,000 yuan from Ding Yajun¡¯s home to turn over to the authorities, Liu Hun pocketed the entire 300,000 yuan he won playing dice with Ye Canghai and Ding Yajun, excluding the 50,000 yuan that belonged to him, making a clean profit of 250,000 yuan.

    This money was not only sanctioned by Zhao Mingjie to take, but he also wanted it for future development projects in Wanbao Village.

    Agriculture was just the first step; he had bigger plans, and all those needed funding.

    Ding Yajun, Xu Liang, Ye Canghai, and the others were locked up and fed by the government, so Liu Hun didn¡¯t need to worry about them anymore.

    Meanwhile, for her contributions in taking down the gambling den, Zhao Mingjie was promoted to the head of the Taiping Town police station.

    Liu Hun himself was commended by Mayor Xie Heguo, who also advanced the resolute and decisive Qin Yue to the forefront, electing her as the new village chief of Wanbao Village.

    Whether or not to be the village chief was something Liu Hun was truly pondering.

    He needed to engage in agriculture, do business, and make frequent trips to the town.

    If he wasn¡¯t often in the village, he could give ammunition to critics, so it might be better to let Qin Yue take on that role.

    After all this commotion, Liu Hun now had 315,000 yuan in hand.

    He spent 15,000 yuan to slightly refurbish the two-story building and temple, purchased new desks and chairs, and books for the children, and at Du Yueling¡¯s request, he accepted many children from neighboring villages because her time for supportive education was soon up, and she wanted to do more.

    The temple had now become the Wanbao Village primary school, and Liu Hun, Du Yueling, and Fen Ran moved into the renovated two-story building, finally having a proper home.

    The initial phase of Wanbao Village¡¯s fifty-acre blueberry cultivation trial had been completed, and the orchid flowers promised to Cai Yan had also been successfully planted.

    Cai Yan took the successfully planted orchid flowers back to the laboratory.

    Before leaving, she only gave Liu Hun a deep look, leaving behind the words, ¡°I¡¯ll come back for you.¡±

 Chapter 78 - 78 78 Difficulties

    ?78: Chapter 78 Difficulties 78: Chapter 78 Difficulties Pushing Qin Yue to the forefront as the village chief was Liu Hun¡¯s own calculus.

    Although Qin Yue wore the title of ¡°village chief,¡± she was working on Liu Hun¡¯s behalf, while Liu Hun didn¡¯t need to stay in the village all day and had more time to handle affairs in the town.

    After some time, Liu Hun calculated that apart from the more than two hundred thousand he got from Ding Yajun, there really wasn¡¯t any proper income.

    The blueberries that were planted still needed time, which he considered a well-done job.

    He was not in a hurry, but the villagers of Wanbao Village were growing anxious.

    The houses that had been rebuilt after the last flash flood were shabby, with windows patched up with paper, and the food situation was dire.

    The blueberries would also take some more time.

    As a result, everyone started thinking again about the poverty aid and disaster relief funds from the town.

    Liu Hun thought this situation was like an old cold leg, occasionally flaring up to bother him.

    It was a matter that had to be resolved eventually.

    Now, with urgent need for money, Liu Hun started handling this matter.

    The delayed funding required him to shamelessly approach the town for it, because if he waited in the village, who knew how long it would be?

    This time at the Township Government, Liu Hun learned his lesson and straightforwardly gave the guard two packs of cigarettes.

    As the old saying goes, money can make the ghosts turn the millstones, and it proved true.

    The guard directly told Liu Hun to first go to the office of Mayor Xie.

    Although Liu Hun had met Xie Heguo a few times and had been commended by him, he really didn¡¯t feel he had any special connection with Xie Heguo.

    This was truly different from Yang Yide; at least there was a collaboration there, where both parties had interests intertwined, and one¡¯s loss could affect the other.

    Thus, Liu Hun felt that matters had to proceed in the proper order.

    Upon reaching the door of the mayor¡¯s office, Liu Hun discovered that the door was tightly shut without a hint of air passing through.

    After knocking several times with no response and just as he was about to leave, the door opened on its own.

    ¡°What are you knocking for?

    Who are you...

    What do you want?

    You look familiar, what do you need?¡± A woman in a woman¡¯s suit and heavy makeup asked Liu Hun.

    Liu Hun looked at the woman; although she was dressed similarly to Cai Yan, he always felt if Cai Yan was a real flower, this woman before him was a fake one, resembling the real deal but exuding a plastic scent all over.

    ¡°I am Liu Hun from Wanbao Village.

    I came to consult with Mayor Xie about our village¡¯s poverty aid and disaster relief funds,¡± Liu Hun told the woman.

    The woman suddenly nodded, as if she had just woken up, and said, ¡°You are Liu Hun, come in and sit.

    The mayor is in a meeting; I don¡¯t know when it will end.

    You can wait here!¡± The woman was polite enough to let Liu Hun into the office, and after speaking, she left.

    Liu Hun sat in the office alone, watching the hands on the clock go from 2 almost to 5, and it was almost time to close the office.

    He suddenly grew restless; even a memorial service wouldn¡¯t last this long.

    Having sat until he was about to develop heat rash, he could no longer bear it.

    Just as he stood up, he saw the same woman coming in and quickly stepped forward to ask, ¡°Excuse me...

    when will Mayor Xie finish the meeting?¡±

    The woman, frightened like she had seen a ghost, shuddered and looked at Liu Hun for quite a while before snapping back irritably, ¡°Scared the life out of me!

    Why didn¡¯t you make any noise?

    Why are you still waiting here?

    The mayor already finished the meeting and left!¡±

    ¡°What?

    The mayor finished the meeting and left already?

    Wasn¡¯t it you who asked me to wait here?

    Why didn¡¯t anyone tell me?¡± Liu Hun got a bit heated, having sat there for five hours, having manipulated through the ¡®People¡¯s Daily¡¯ main headlines about the policies of the Central Committee thirty-six times, only to be told that he had left!

    ¡°What are you making a fuss about?

    Who do you think you are, the county head?

    County Party Secretary?

    To have someone specifically looking after you?

    You really think highly of yourself!¡± The woman grumbled at Liu Hun for a while, then ignored him and started tidying her desk to leave.

    Suppressing the urge to slap her, Liu Hun took a deep breath and figured he would have to come back again tomorrow.

    ¡°Hold on!¡± As the woman was cleaning up her desk, she suddenly found a slip of paper in the pile of documents, then hurriedly called Liu Hun back.

    ¡°What is it now?¡± Liu Hun replied curtly.

    The woman pulled out the slip and looked at it for quite some time, then mumbled, ¡°I don¡¯t remember when the mayor signed this...¡± She then asked Liu Hun, ¡°Are you from Wanbao Village?

    What¡¯s your name?¡±

    ¡°Liu Hun!¡± Liu Hun repeated his name again, his mind racing that this woman certainly hadn¡¯t listened carefully to him earlier and hadn¡¯t taken him seriously.

    ¡°Why do I remember that last time Mayor Xie mentioned that Ye Canghai was the village chief of Wanbao Village, handling this matter.

    Now, how come it¡¯s you here?

    Last time we notified your village¡¯s Ye Canghai to come, but there was no response, so the matter was left pending.¡± The woman told Liu Hun, showing him the document in her hand.

    Liu Hun had mulled over the possibility of this happening before, that¡¯s why he was hell-bent on finding Ye Canghai to deal with this matter properly; it turned out he was right.

    Liu Hun explained everything to the woman, and it was only after she recalled the previous commendation and reward event that she really believed Liu Hun.

    Then she handed the document in her hand to him and said, ¡°Take it, I¡¯m overwhelmed as it is.

    Just look at all these documents on the table.

    I¡¯m the only one handling all these issues.

    Plus, who knows about your village¡¯s trivial matter of changing the village chief?

    I need to figure it out, right?¡±

    Liu Hun didn¡¯t want to waste time with this woman.

    Seeing that it was almost time to leave work, he took the document and went where the woman had directed him to handle his business.

    The door of the service center was wide open.

    A plump woman and a tall, thin man were sitting opposite each other at the desk, the tall man reading a newspaper while the plump woman was incessantly cracking sunflower seeds.

    ¡°This comrade, I am from Wanbao Village.

    Here are our village¡¯s applications for poverty alleviation and disaster relief funds,¡± Liu Hun said as he handed over the documents to the plump woman.

    ¡°Puh puh puh!¡± The plump woman spat out the shells of the seeds, her face squeezed tight making her eyes as small as mung beans as she glanced sideways at Liu Hun and muttered, ¡°Don¡¯t you see it¡¯s almost time to leave?

    Troublemakers sure know how to pick the time!

    Who would enjoy doing so much daily for this little money?

    It¡¯s like serving ancestors!¡± After mumbling, she snatched the document from Liu Hun¡¯s hand, glanced over it briefly, then threw it back at Liu Hun and said, ¡°Go!

    The office across the door ¨C get a stamp!

    After you get it stamped, bring it back to me!¡±

    ¡°Across the door?¡± Frustrated, Liu Hun looked outside the office; there wasn¡¯t any ¡°across the door,¡± just a dam, and then one would be out of the government building.

    With no other choice and needing help with paperwork that involved money, Liu Hun suppressed his anger.

    Besides dealing violently with a woman wouldn¡¯t be proper, so he continued to ask the plump woman, ¡°Comrade, could you please tell me specifically where I can get the stamp?¡±

    ¡°Across the door!¡± The plump woman picked up the newspaper, still blurting out the same three words.

    Liu Hun felt his anger almost erupting as he asked again, ¡°But... there¡¯s nothing across from this office!¡±

    The plump woman squinted at Liu Hun impatiently and said, ¡°Go find it yourself!

    Do I need to show you the way?!¡± After finishing her sentence, she continued to murmur under her breath, ¡°Just wants money, probably forgot to take his meds before leaving the house.¡±

    Before, Liu Hun had been able to restrain himself, but this last remark from the plump woman was the final nail in his coffin¡ªhe was determined to sort out this woman today.

    First, however, he needed the stamp; otherwise, not getting the money would be a loss.

    As Liu Hun was pondering, he suddenly changed his thoughts and left the service center to find the gatekeeper grandpa and asked, ¡°Grandpa, let me ask you something, where exactly should I get the stamp for these documents?¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡± The gatekeeper grandpa chuckled; his yellow teeth all showing as he told Liu Hun, ¡°Is it that plump woman who oozes oil from her corpulence told you to get a stamp from across the door?¡±

    ¡°Yes!

    I looked for a long while and there¡¯s no ¡®across the door¡¯?¡± Liu Hun was as confused as a monk who couldn¡¯t find his head.

    ¡°You seem smart, how come you can¡¯t figure this little thing out?

    That fat lady Huang Meili is notoriously haughty and looks down on others.

    Her ¡®across the door¡¯ refers to that sly old fox sitting opposite her, Zhang Gui¡¯er.

    If you don¡¯t ask, Zhang Gui¡¯er won¡¯t speak.

    These two have delayed countless matters; hurry and get your document stamped, or you¡¯ll have to come back again tomorrow.¡± The gatekeeper grandpa instructed Liu Hun.

    Now, Liu Hun had really measured how deep the waters of this government office were, so to avoid any delays, he hurriedly took the documents and went back to the service center.

    Just as he returned to the service center, Liu Hun saw Huang Meili, the plump woman, squeezing towards the door, clearly getting ready to leave work.

    He quickly walked up to her in large strides and said, ¡°Comrade, could you please help me get this stamp?¡± His tone was already quite bad.

    ¡°Why is it you again?

    Are you haunting me?

    Work¡¯s over!

    Come back tomorrow!¡± The fat woman was very impatient and was about to leave, but Liu Hun blocked her, ¡°This is the mayor¡¯s approved document, and it¡¯s not yet time to leave work!¡±

    Huang Meili glanced down at her watch; indeed, there were still eight minutes before work ended, noticing Liu Hun¡¯s assertive demeanor.

    Reluctantly looking as if she was glancing at mud, she pursed her lips and extended her round pudgy hand towards Liu Hun, ¡°Give it here, let me take another look!¡±

    Liu Hun passed the document to Huang Meili to check.

    Gazing at it seemed to infuriate her as if she were looking at her own weight, ¡°Who are you trying to fool?

    The mayor hasn¡¯t signed this!

    Who knows who approved this document!

    Take it and leave!

    If you bother me again, I might start cursing!¡±

    ¡°Comrade!

    Look, isn¡¯t there a name signed here?¡± Liu Hun pointed at a name below on the paper and said to Huang Meili, determined to sort this out today.

    ¡°Fu Li¡¯er?

    She¡¯s just a secretary!

    She has no authority to sign documents!

    Plus, how can we tell if this is real or fake without an official seal?

    You can either bring her here, and I¡¯ll open the door for you, or bring the mayor¡¯s signature.

    Can¡¯t get it, can you?

    If you can¡¯t get it, then leave!

    A good dog doesn¡¯t block the path!¡± Huang Meili tossed the document back to Liu Hun, turned around, and prepared to leave.

 Chapter 79 - 79 79 Tidying Up

    ?79: Chapter 79: Tidying Up 79: Chapter 79: Tidying Up ¡°Huang Meili, wait!¡± Suddenly, a sweet and sticky voice rose from behind.

    Liu Hun felt it was familiar and turned around to see it was Ren Peiling.

    Huang Meili spun around a few times before turning to see it was Ren Peiling pouting and saying, ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Director Ren, what¡¯s up?¡±

    ¡°Help him stamp the document before you leave work,¡± Ren Peiling directly said to Huang Meili, knowing all too well the nature of these people who got their jobs through god knows how many backdoors.

    ¡°I¡¯ve already clocked out.

    This is work-related, and work shouldn¡¯t encroach on my personal time, right?¡± Huang Meili didn¡¯t regard Ren Peiling at all, feeling her connections were as solid as iron, and apart from powerful figures like the Mayor, she wouldn¡¯t give face to anyone else.

    ¡°Just now in the meeting, the Mayor explicitly stated that Wanbao Village¡¯s issues should be given priority.

    He might inspect Wanbao Village at any time, and if there are pending issues or questions about why they weren¡¯t resolved, it might be because the village chief of Wanbao Village didn¡¯t receive the materials,¡± said Ren Peiling, her words carrying a threat.

    This type of people could only be suppressed by bringing up the Mayor.

    Upon hearing Ren Peiling mention the Mayor, Huang Meili was unwilling a hundred times over but really feared the Mayor¡¯s wrath.

    Thus, she unwillingly turned, opened the door, stamped the document, and threw the materials that Xie Heguo had ordered to be given to Wanbao Village to Liu Hun.

    ¡°Is this it?¡± Ren Peiling asked, holding the materials.

    She knew that Xie Heguo had long asked his subordinates to handle Wanbao Village¡¯s finances, a task she initially fought hard for.

    She didn¡¯t expect Huang Meili and others to keep stalling up until now.

    ¡°Can¡¯t your own eyes see?

    I¡¯ve taken what needs to be taken and stamped.

    I¡¯m off work now.

    Whoever wants to keep working, let them.

    I¡¯m done!

    Power tripping,¡± Huang Meili muttered as she prepared to leave.

    Liu Hun couldn¡¯t fathom these government slackers immune to sun and rain; what was there to be so resentful about?

    Today, he was indeed not going to let Huang Meili just leave.

    Spotting a banana peel in the trash beside him from the pile of garbage left by Huang Meili, he decided to use his Qi to accurately kick it in front of Huang Meili while the two women weren¡¯t looking.

    Muttering as if her father had died, Huang Meili, constantly complaining and blaming the three minutes wasted, had not noticed when a banana peel appeared in front of her.

    Her 180-pound body stepped on the banana peel, and in an instant, she fell like a lame donkey hauling stones across a river.

    Down she went in a cascade of tumbles; it was all flesh!

    With a cushion of her own flesh as she hit the ground, there wasn¡¯t a single sound, and a wail came out as she struggled back up, resembling an overturned turtle.

    What a scene!

    It was just like eating zongzi during the Dragon Boat Festival, coinciding perfectly with the end of the workday.

    The entire office had emptied, and the sight of Huang Meili lying on the floor and unable to get up induced many to gather around.

    Each one bore the attitude of enjoying the show, showing no inclination to help her.

    ¡°Psst, look, isn¡¯t that the oily Huang from the office?

    Why is she still screaming on the ground!

    Is she practicing some turtle kung fu or what?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t laugh, but she really does look like a turtle that can¡¯t flip over!

    Look at those short legs still kicking ¨C truly dying laughing here!¡±

    ¡°Who told her to always stuff her stomach so full?

    You all don¡¯t know, but in the cafeteria, she eats a portion meant for three all by herself.

    And she really eats like it¡¯s free!¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Lying on the ground, Huang Meili felt her body like a mudslide, slumping down anytime she tried to get up, unable to flip over no matter how much she struggled.

    Listening to her colleagues¡¯ cool remarks made her furious, and she quickly turned her wails into curses, ¡°What are you staring at?

    Haven¡¯t you seen someone fall before?

    All blabbing away as if it¡¯s not your business!

    Aren¡¯t you afraid karma will strike and thunder will smite you!

    Which animal lacks such civic sense!

    Eating and littering!

    Throwing banana peels on the ground...

    Ouch... My back hurts!

    Damn it, littering, oh!¡±

    Liu Hun looked at Huang Meili¡¯s so-called colleagues, some enjoying the show, others not even glancing her way before heading home.

    He thought only such a deeply entrenched bureaucratic system could breed these weirdos.

    What made him feel more foolish was Huang Meili, unable to get up from the ground but still cursing.

    Today¡¯s lesson was indeed necessary, but another was needed to remind Huang Meili to remember not to trouble others coming to get things done in the future.

    With this thought, Liu Hun walked to Huang Meili¡¯s side and asked, ¡°Comrade Huang, no one¡¯s helping you, want me to pull you up?¡±

    ¡°Stop wasting your words here!

    Hurry up and pull me up!

    If it weren¡¯t for my approval, would you even have that money?

    So slow!¡± Huang Meili complained to Liu Hun, acting as if everyone should naturally help her.

    ¡°Alright!

    I¡¯ll pull you up!¡± Liu Hun said as he reached out to pull Huang Meili.

    Huang Meili, who had found a lifeline, grabbed it immediately.

    Just as her upper body was about to be pulled up, her hand mysteriously slipped, and with a tilt of her head, she fell back to the ground.

    ¡°Ouch!

    It hurts... I¡¯m dying here!

    Did you leave home without your brain or what?

    Such a stupid pig!

    Even pigs are smarter than you!

    Can¡¯t even pull someone up properly!

    Did your food go right through your rear end?¡± Huang Meili fell in pain, looking for an outlet to vent her frustration.

    She couldn¡¯t provoke her colleagues who were making snide comments nearby, but Liu Hun, this insignificant person, was a completely different story¡ªimmediately becoming her target to lash out at.

    Liu Hun feigned embarrassment and said loudly, ¡°Comrade Huang, your hand is too slippery; did you get all the grease on you squeezed out by the fall?!¡±

    Liu Hun¡¯s words were much harsher than Huang Meili¡¯s curses.

    This immediately provoked laughter from the onlookers, and Huang Meili, lying on the ground, experienced a flush of red and blue on her face.

    She opened her mouth and threatened Liu Hun, ¡°Liu, if you don¡¯t help me get up today, I¡¯ll make sure you can¡¯t accomplish anything in the future!¡± She knew she had become a joke and could only threaten Liu Hun to help her up.

    If Liu Hun walked away, she really didn¡¯t know how long she would lie there.

    If Huang Meili hadn¡¯t let out that ridiculous pride, Liu Hun would have really walked away, but now that he was challenged, he couldn¡¯t just leave.

    Pretending to ponder, Liu Hun said to Huang Meili, ¡°Look, how about this?

    Your belly is too big, full of oil, and it¡¯s impossible to pull you up directly.

    How about we try pulling you up by tilting your body to the side?¡±

    Huang Meili, filled with nothing but food on her mind, listened to Liu Hun and felt he made some sense.

    She said to Liu Hun, ¡°Don¡¯t you try any tricks on me; just do whatever it takes!

    Just get me up!¡±

    ¡°Alrighty!¡± Liu Hun immediately responded, nudged Huang Meili with his foot flipping her over, making her curl up on the ground, and then reached out to pull her, ¡°One!

    Two!

    Up!¡±

    ¡°Ouch!

    It hurts!

    It¡¯s killing me!

    You little bastard!

    What are you up to?!

    My face just hit the ground!

    How will I face people now?¡± Huang Meili yelled and cursed at Liu Hun.

    She was just about to be pulled up, but didn¡¯t watch her footing and slipped again, this time her face bore the brunt of the fall.

    ¡°Like this!

    There¡¯s less fat on your back!

    Let¡¯s try pulling you up from behind!

    That should work!¡± Liu Hun finished speaking and before Huang Meili could reply, he flipped her over while she was lying on her side, causing her to feel a whole-body ache.

    Just as Huang Meili was about to scold Liu Hun, she suddenly thought, ¡°Why not push herself up since she was already face down?¡± She didn¡¯t need Liu Hun anymore.

    As soon as Huang Meili figured this out, Liu Hun had already grabbed her hands from behind, and in an instant, with a tilt of her head and a stiffening of her neck, both her upper and lower orifices miraculously opened up simultaneously.

    With a bent and tuned ¡°pfft,¡± Huang Meili¡¯s pants suddenly turned yellow, soft and warm like a lump of mud scraped from the stove.

    And above her, there was a sound of ¡°vomit¡±¡ªshe had returned all the perks she got from the public.

    Liu Hun covered his nose and immediately let go of Huang Meili¡¯s hands.

    With a ¡°smack,¡± her pancake face completely landed on the public meal, and her cursing mouth now truly stank up the place.

    Seeing Huang Meili like this, the onlookers, laughing and clutching their bellies, gradually left to go home.

    Ren Peiling quickly called the gatekeeper and the cleaning staff to help get Huang Meili up.

    After settling the matters in town, the funds from above were quickly disbursed.

    Liu Hun gave every penny to the villagers without skimming any.

    The villagers of Wanbao Village, now hopeful about rebuilding their homes, were not only hopeful but deeply grateful to Liu Hun.

    Each one felt they had made the right choice, eagerly anticipating better days ahead.

    Cai Yan, after receiving the Orchid grass, went off to conduct her own research, and Yang Yide, having settled matters for Wanbao Village, didn¡¯t continue to stay in Taiping Town and went off to handle his big business deals.

    Therefore, Yang Yide sent a bespectacled salesman specifically to handle the blueberry matters in Wanbao Village.

    Liu Hun received three-year-old blueberry seedlings from Yang Yide, but the blueberries wouldn¡¯t reach their peak fruiting period until the fourth year.

    Transplanting them might affect the fruiting rate and, if not managed properly, could even result in no fruit at all.

    Under the influence of Liu Hun¡¯s Qi Force, the blueberry plants matured early and yielded a large harvest.

    At this critical juncture, he couldn¡¯t afford the slightest negligence.

    Du Yueling meticulously recorded which household claimed how many, the actual number of plants, and the expected output.

    All Liu Hun had to do was to check on things every day and ensure that nothing went wrong.

 Chapter 80 - 80 80 Heavens Will

    ?80: Chapter 80 Heaven¡¯s Will 80: Chapter 80 Heaven¡¯s Will ¡°I feel like if we keep going this way, there might be a problem,¡± Liu Hun said to the women in the house after making his rounds through the village.

    Although they now lived in a two-story building, Bai Lian and Qin Yue still found reasons to visit often, and Liu Hun actually felt these women were quite helpful and considerate towards everything concerning the village.

    ¡°Hunzi, stop fretting, will you?

    Just look at our lives now, can you even compare it to the past?

    The Mayor has disbursed the funds he promised, and the necessary houses have been built.

    Our cooperation with the big boss has also started, and doesn¡¯t it seem like things are getting better day by day?

    What¡¯s there to worry about?¡± Qin Yue, always quick to speak, picked up on Liu Hun¡¯s concerns but thought he was worrying too much.

    After sitting down, Liu Hun began to share his thoughts, ¡°I feel like even though our village is visibly improving, each household is too scattered and there¡¯s no organization.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean by ¡®too scattered¡¯?¡± Bai Lian didn¡¯t quite grasp what Liu Hun was getting at.

    Liu Hun elaborated further, ¡°Let¡¯s talk about the blueberry farming, for instance.

    Everyone has received their share and is taking care of it according to the instructions.

    But in my daily rounds, I¡¯ve come across some issues.

    First of all, everyone is too dispersed; just visiting each patch takes a lot of time.

    Everyone cares for their plants differently; some water more, some use more fertilizer, while others don¡¯t use fertilizer or pesticide at all.

    Some plant in their vegetable patches, others in the front yard, and some even use the plants as hedges.

    This is bound to cause problems sooner or later!¡±

    Although Liu Hun might not have received much formal education or management experience, such repeated experiences had nonetheless honed his understanding of certain principles.

    Du Yueling smiled sweetly, genuinely happy to see Liu Hun¡¯s growth step by step.

    She chose not to talk about her experiences and knowledge from the big city; she found it incredibly fulfilling to see the land and the man before her flourishing together.

    ¡°So, what do you think can solve the unease and the hidden dangers in your heart?¡± Du Yueling asked Liu Hun, her dimples deepening with her intoxicating smile.

    After pondering for a moment, Liu Hun began, ¡°I think...

    our village should be re-planned entirely!

    A thorough plan is needed.

    The biggest hurdle to our village¡¯s development is the market.

    We can produce good products, but Ping¡¯an Town is only so big, the Cooperative only needs so much, and even with the few surrounding towns, it barely adds up to a few hundred thousand a year.

    That¡¯s why I¡¯ve been working so hard to think of more things that we can grow and sell.¡±

    He looked around at the circle of women listening attentively to him, like schoolchildren in class, and continued, ¡°The experience and lessons come from our past with vegetables and mushrooms.

    I just wonder when we can completely solve this problem; this cooperation with Boss Yang seems like an opportunity.

    We¡¯re not good at finding marketing channels; we don¡¯t know any big figures or have been to big cities.

    But we can grow different things and rotate our crops!

    If we want to grow a variety of crops in rotation, then we must re-plan our village!¡±

    ¡°Hunzi, I don¡¯t really see how that¡¯s relevant.

    Think about it, the blueberries are being planted by each household.

    Once they grow, you just go and harvest them.

    Sure, there are differences in how each family plants them, but it shouldn¡¯t really affect much,¡± Qin Yue didn¡¯t think this was a big deal.

    Liu Hun immediately counteracted, ¡°Sister Qin Yue, you can¡¯t see much difference with just blueberries.

    But what about when there are more varieties?

    Take your yard, for example, you have peaches, pears, apricots all mixed together; that¡¯s bound to cause problems!

    Also, some families have large backyards and vegetable patches, making it convenient to plant and manage.

    But some families, like Wang Dajiao¡¯s, live against the mountain and in several terraces, now that¡¯s tricky.¡±

    ¡°Hunzi, I¡¯m not trying to dampen your spirits.

    First, everyone in our village is concerned with their own little plot of land; if you want to re-plan the village, some people definitely won¡¯t agree.

    If you can¡¯t pour the water evenly in everyone¡¯s bowl, people will feel they¡¯re getting the short end of the stick, and others are getting an advantage.

    You have some clout in our village now, but once it¡¯s about their interests, they¡¯ll still make things difficult for you.

    Secondly, even if you flatten our village, what about the town?

    Are we still planting grains?

    Re-planning also requires the town¡¯s policy support.

    So, I think this is going to be difficult!¡± Fen Ran analyzed methodically, and having been familiar with the workings of the village under Ye Canghai, who was the village chief in name only, she knew quite a bit about these matters.

    ¡°Sis Yue has a point; there are too many difficulties, and it¡¯s unlikely we¡¯ll manage it.

    Let¡¯s not make trouble for ourselves,¡± Bai Lian agreed with Fen Ran¡¯s analysis, as someone who also deeply understood the villagers of Wanbao Village.

    Liu Hun chuckled heartily.

    The conversation with Fen Ran and Bai Lian did not discourage him but rather fueled his ambition.

    He stood up and declared, ¡°I think the blueberry project needs to be an opportunity!

    We¡¯ve got to handle this step by step!

    There is a saying, ¡®A lean tiger is strong at heart, the poor do not diminish in ambition.¡¯ We too must have great aspirations!

    Besides, we are not poor, we have the capability!

    No matter how tough the bone, I, Liu Hun, will gnaw through it!¡±

    Liu Hun¡¯s words were exceptionally loud, but so was the rain from up above, which fell swiftly and relentlessly.

    These days, you just couldn¡¯t predict rain¡ªit was unusually abundant, pouring down without a care.

    Fortunately, this time the downpour didn¡¯t last for days and nights on end.

    Heaven had timely stopped the waterworks after just one day and night.

    As a result, there was no catastrophic flood or landslide, but the blueberries had suffered severely.

    Liu Hun only had one pair of hands and one pair of feet.

    During that day and night, he was running around like a headless chicken, pushing down here and lifting there, as if everyone in every place wanted to drag him over.

    When the rain finally stopped, half of Wanbao Village looked on as the ripe blueberries, ready to be picked, were all washed away, leaving the bushes good for nothing more than hedges to look forward to next year.

    Liu Hun was exhausted like an overworked ox, having managed to save half of the village¡¯s blueberry crop.

    Those who were spared were naturally overjoyed, while those who weren¡¯t came knocking on his door one after another.

    ¡°Hunzi!

    What are we supposed to do now?

    The blind Lord in the Heavens!

    Just when we were about to see better days, we get hit by this rain sharp as a knife.

    Last time, it almost buried my old man in the mud, and now it¡¯s washed away our fruit!¡±

    ¡°In the past, our village would get rain several times a year, but why is our luck so rotten this year!

    Hunzi, you need to say something!

    You¡¯ve got to show us a clear path, or else how are we supposed to live?

    Look at us with our old arms and legs, aren¡¯t we relying on just this bit to survive?¡±

    ¡°I watched the fruits falling nonstop, managed to salvage only this little!

    It¡¯s going to be the death of me!

    If it were cabbages, at least I could salvage a few leaves to mix with noodles or something, but if these can¡¯t be sold for money, then what do we do?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    In Liu Hun¡¯s living room, the villagers who had suffered losses were crying, shrieking, and cursing so fiercely that it seemed Fen Ran¡¯s prediction was spot on¡ªthe real headache was indeed theirs to bear.

    ¡°Hunzi, what do you think we should do?

    Are we just going to let them wail here?¡± Fen Ran asked Liu Hun.

    Once these old women started to talk about their miserable lives, they could go on for three days and nights without stopping, their energy only growing and their voices never weakening.

    ¡°I already have a plan for this, don¡¯t worry!¡± Liu Hun whispered to Fen Ran, then raised his voice over the wailing, ¡°Everybody calm down!

    Listen to me!

    I know you¡¯ve all suffered greatly, and I¡¯ve done my best.

    I haven¡¯t slept a wink during this day and night.

    For now, everyone head back home, and I assure you I¡¯ll handle this matter properly.

    I just need a bit of rest, then I¡¯ll head to town and talk with Boss Yang¡¯s clerk to figure out what to do.

    Is that alright with you all?¡±

    Liu Hun had spoken, and there was no use crying and making a fuss there any longer.

    The villagers thought it over and, still trusting Liu Hun, gradually left.

    Afterward, Liu Hun went to town and with some difficulty found the clerk, Xie Dapeng, at the guesthouse, only to be told, ¡°Proceed according to the contract.

    Blueberries need to be delivered to town with guaranteed quality and quantity; nothing else is our concern.¡±

    These words choked Liu Hun.

    He hadn¡¯t expected Yang Yide to hire such a person, but after a moment¡¯s thought, he saw it as a good thing¡ªit was better than having someone swagger into the village to point fingers and issue orders.

    Without even stopping to rest, Liu Hun rushed back to the village.

    Once home, he immediately dug out the contract and the information Cai Yan had given him and carefully reviewed it.

    The contract stated that in case of crop failure or reduction due to natural disasters, the company would not pursue responsibility, but they would carefully consider the next year¡¯s planting scale or even the partnership.

    Liu Hun pondered for a moment; confidence was key.

    Yang Yide was now the only reliable outlet for the village, so it was imperative not to lose his trust.

    The contract required that a minimum of 20,000 kilograms of blueberries from the fifty-acre trial field be delivered this year, with prices ranging between 60 to 80 yuan per kilogram based on quality, with the possibility of a higher price for premium quality.

    After reviewing the provisions in the contract, Liu Hun looked over the information Cai Yan had provided, and he suddenly felt confident.

    According to the data, blueberry bushes entered their prime fruiting period after four years, yielding four to eight kilograms per bush, with 270 bushes per acre at a one-meter plant distance and 1.2-meter row distance.

    The age of the bush determines yield, and the care techniques determine quality.

    If all conditions are favorable, a single acre can produce around 1,500 kilograms during the prime fruiting period.

    Liu Hun did some quick mental calculations; with half of the village¡¯s blueberries saved, even if it was twenty acres worth, these blueberries had been nurtured with his Qi Force, so the yield should be able to meet the contract¡¯s requirement of 20,000 kilograms.

    Moreover, the quality was sure to be of premium grade.