The night deepened.
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Dagang’s Grandpa’s gaze moved among the slightly bruised faces of the three people and finally settled on Zheng Sanqiao’s face...
Feeling guilty, Zheng Sanqiao shrank her neck and muttered softly, "It was Luo iying who started the fight. If I had let her be without fighting back, wouldn’t I be a fool?"
"Your daughter and son are both older than her. How could you go so far as to beat her like that? And to gang up on her with your daughter, do you have no sha?" Dagang’s Grandpa’s eyebrows were slightly furrowed, though his tone remained steady.
Guiltily glancing at him, Zheng Sanqiao didn’t dare to talk back.
Having been married into Dalin Village for many years, she knew Dagang’s Grandpa’s temperant too well. If he had been yelling and lecturing in fury, it would have been a good sign—it ant he was only angry about the incident at hand, and it would be over once he had finished lecturing.
However, if he talked to you calmly, without anger or fury, it ant you were essentially sentenced to death in his eyes!
Without Dagang’s Grandpa’s support, her husband could hardly hope to replace Luo Gangshun. She had initially thought to rely on her niece, but judging by the current situation, relying on her niece was less reliable than depending on Dagang’s Grandpa.
What Dagang’s Grandpa hated most was soone being stubborn without reason. From his earlier question, it was evident he believed she was in the wrong. Since he had already determined the mistake was hers, any explanation from her was futile.
To salvage her image in his eyes, admitting her mistakes and softening her stance was the only way. Otherwise, she would only be walking into a dead end today, and along with her, the future of her entire family in Dalin Village and the Red Flag Commune would be ruined.
Understanding Dagang’s Grandpa’s temper didn’t an Liu iqing understood it. Seeing her mother-in-law ashad and not making a sound, she thought her mother-in-law was intimidated by Dagang’s Grandpa and imdiately defended herself loudly, "Of course, my mother-in-law and I wouldn’t bully an ignorant child, but if this child insists on shitting on our necks, we can’t just squat there and let her do it!"
"Why would this child co to pick a quarrel with you?" Even though he was addressing Liu iqing, Dagang’s Grandpa’s gaze fell on Lin Baojiang, and everyone turned to look at him. Lin Baojiang’s face, already flushed, turned purplish red.
"Go inside," Lin Baojiang scolded his wife and daughter-in-law, "I’ve told you countless tis, if you’re bored, making and selling more pairs of insoles is better than gossiping. Don’t you know what’s happening to our family now?"
After scolding his wife and daughter-in-law, Lin Baojiang hastily moved beside Dagang’s Grandpa, "Uncle Dagang, it’s all my fault for not managing them well. Won, they just love to gossip unnecessarily.
But they’ve never understood that their ddling used to be ignored before. Now, if they ddle, a lot of people will take it seriously.
So are just waiting for us to fall out with Gangshun so that Baohe can take either side, turning what were once three tight-knit families into resentful neighbors. Human emotions... sigh!"
The underlying ssage of his words was that he had nothing to do with this affair, and that his wife and daughter-in-law were innocent, being exploited by others—they were actually the most pitiable...
Chen Fenggang stared at him flatly and asked, "So, you’re saying you have absolutely nothing to do with these rumors?"
"Nothing!" Lin Baojiang emphatically shook his head, "Uncle Dagang, you practically saw grow up. Though I might be a bit proud and care about my reputation, I would never engage in such despicable acts."
"What about you, anything to say?"
"Nothing," Luo Gangshun shook his head, "Let the facts speak for themselves."
"Fine," Chen Fenggang turned his gaze to the spectators, "Now everyone knows what today’s fuss is about. If it was just a minor conflict between two families, I would have diated privately.
But now, it has affected the reputation of Dalin Village. Therefore, this matter must be resolved clearly. If the rumors are true that Gangshun and Widow Li are involved inappropriately, I will report and have Gangshun removed from his secretary post.
If the rumors are fabricated by Baojiang to replace Gangshun, then I will also report to have Baojiang’s team leader position revoked, and he will not be allowed in the village leadership anymore.
The truth is not up to or anyone here to decide. Let the evidence speak. And in the future, I hope no such incident occurs again in Dalin Village. It’s not just about one person’s face; it’s about the face of our entire village!"
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