Lin Chuan knew the difficulties faced by the mother and daughter. If ng Qi didn't marry the village chief's son, she would surely offend the village chief. Offending the village chief was equivalent to offending the whole village. If the entire village was offended, how could the Huang family, with only Huang ngqi, her mother, and her brother, continue to live in this village?
Moreover, they were still in debt to everyone in the village, and just this fact alone made Huang ngqi and her mother feel suffocated. They had just managed to gather enough money for Huang Tianyi's college expenses. If at this ti the whole village, incited by the village chief, ca to demand money, the mother and daughter really wouldn't be able to survive.
Huang Liyong was out in the world trying to make a living alone, but it seed he hadn't earned much, otherwise, they wouldn't be in such dire straits.
The dumplings were filled with pumpkin and pork, though there was very little pork, Lin Chuan, who hadn't had dumplings for a long ti, still ate with relish.
Just as they hadn't finished their lunch yet, loud noises erupted from the street outside, followed by a series of thuds.
A group of people was shouting loudly outside while banging heavily on the iron gate of Huang ngqi's house. The old and poorly repaired iron gate couldn't withstand the violent pounding and swayed back and forth, seeming like it was about to collapse.
"Damn it, they don't want to live anymore." Huang Tianyi, hearing the commotion outside, stood up angrily, grabbed a stick, and intended to rush out and fight them.
"Tianyi, co back here and study quietly." It wasn't Huang's mother who said this, but Huang ngqi.
Seeing his sister with a serious face, Huang Tianyi reluctantly suppressed his anger. If it was his mother saying this, he might not listen, but he usually listened to his sister because he knew he could attend college thanks to her. He didn't want to make her sad.
"Let go have a look!" Lin Chuan stood up at that mont and walked outside without waiting for Huang ngqi's agreent.
Huang ngqi didn't stop Lin Chuan and rely said, "I'll go with you."
Even before opening the door, chaotic noises could be heard outside, and so people were actually cursing loudly.
Listening carefully, Lin Chuan heard that besides the two old won he had chased away earlier, there were many n and won in the crowd, and the one swearing was precisely Shi Rongguang, whom he had pushed into the river at noon.
"It seems sothing's wrong. Could it be that Shi Houcai has really gathered everyone in the village to demand money from ng Qi's family?" Lin Chuan had a vague bad feeling.
The mont the door opened, the noisy crowd imdiately fell silent. The first thing they saw was a young man who opened the iron door and looked at the crowd with a smile.
After a brief silence, foul language followed.
"You bastard, you pushed into the creek and got all stinky, you'd better not think about leaving Stone Village in one piece," said Shi Rongguang. His tone was threatening, but he didn't actually intend to make a move.
There were so many people there, if he started sothing and it blew out of proportion, he would have to bear the responsibility if soone looked into it later.
"The old man from the Huang family just died, and now they're harboring a playboy at ho. That playboy even bullied people from Stone Village. Are we from Stone Village that easy to bully? What infuriates more is that the Huang family helped the playboy bully our villagers. We've been neighbors for decades, yet, they side with an outsider. Moreover, the old Huang family still owes us villagers money!"
This was said by Er Gou's wife. Now bolstered by the crowd, she dared to speak out, while Liu the la's wife was just stirring emotions without saying anything vulgar.
Since Shi Rongguang was in the crowd, Er Gou's wife didn't dare say Huang ngqi was keeping a playboy. She just said the Huang family was keeping a playboy, but the aning was clear enough.
The crowd started to loudly clamor as well, and so even seed eager to rush in and smash things up in Huang ngqi's house.
Lin Chuan looked at these people; not young n, but mostly middle-aged won, and only a few middle-aged n among them. It seed Shi Houcai intentionally brought these troublemakers and impulsive young people to block the door.
It's said that out of desolation and adversity arises ferocity; now Lin Chuan believed it. Facing these aggressive people, he quietly contemplated a strategy for the mont.
Huang ngqi furrowed her brows tightly and stood silently beside Lin Chuan and asked softly, "What should we do now?"
"Let's see what develops." Lin Chuan still smiled faintly, then made a gesture for silence and shouted loudly, "Everyone, quiet! Please quiet down."
The crowd soon quieted under Lin Chuan's control, and all eyes focused sharply on him.
"My na is Lin Chuan, and I'm Huang ngqi's boyfriend. I don't know why you all ca here. If it's our fault, we will surely correct it and apologies," Lin Chuan said loudly to the crowd with a smile, stepping down from the steps at the door.
"What use is just an apology? If that's all, let push you into the manure pit, then I'll forgive you," Shi Rongguang said through gritted teeth.
"Yes, and you broke my nose today, an apology isn't enough for that. You're bullying us because you think Stone Village is devoid of people. Am I right, everyone?" Liu the la's wife beca active now, joining the commotion.
Although Shi Rongguang and Liu the la's wife were the ones taking the lead in the shouting, not many people echoed with them. Besides Shi Rongguang's few followers and Er Gou's wife, essentially no one paid attention to them.
Lin Chuan felt a smile inside; it looked like they weren't all here for the sa purpose. If that's the case, it would be easier to handle.
"They owe us money and won't pay it back, yet they're at ho eating dumplings. They have the money for dumplings but not to repay us. We earned our money penny by penny, it hasn't been easy for us either..." Er Gou's wife began to complain.
Shi Rongguang, being the village chief's son, was accustod to disregarding others. People usually detested him. They'd love nothing more than for soone to take care of him, so why would they side with him now? As for Liu the la's wife, she hadn't made few enemies herself over ti, and people disliked this shrew. However, when it ca to money matters, people started clamoring along.
Lin Chuan observed this and understood sowhat; these people ca along mainly because they were worried the Huang family wouldn't pay their debts, not for any solidarity with those two troublemakers.
"What are you doing? Go ho now. Where's your sense of law and order?"
Just then, Huang Guiguo, who had been at ho and heard the noise, rushed out, quickly taking stock of the situation and scolding loudly.
"Heh, favoritism for one's own, owing debts and not repaying with justice on their side is it? We ca here openly and rightfully. How dare you chase us off! Don't forget you are no longer the village chief," Liu the la's wife retorted sharply.
Huang Guiguo ignored the old woman and instead turned to others, shouting loudly, "Fellow villagers, I know everyone's got their difficulties, but ng Qi's father just passed. Isn't what you're doing too much? ng Qi's dad helped you all so much in his lifeti. For the sake of my old face, please disperse."
"Hmph, what's your old face worth if it could be sold to pay debts, wouldn't that be nice?" Er Gou's wife sneered loudly at this mont.
Aside from Liu the la's wife and the few people Shi Rongguang brought, very few laughed along, because everyone knew Huang Guiguo's character and respected him for having been a clean village chief for nearly a decade. Hence, he commanded respect.
"I reckon no one would want it even if it were given away, what use is that old face?" Liu the la's wife echoed with a laugh.
Disregarding them, Huang Guiguo addressed everyone, "Do you really have the heart to bully a widow and two children? Though we live deep in the mountains, we are still a civilized community. I trust that as soon as ng Qi has money, she will pay back all her debts."
No one said more, and so even hesitated. They originally ca due to manipulation by Er Gou's wife and Liu the la's wife. Now with the old village chief speaking up, so who weren't desperate for money began to feel inclined to leave for the sake of saving face.
Witnessing this situation, Shi Rongguang imdiately gestured at Er Gou's wife and Liu the la's wife, urging them to make more noise.
However, despite their vigorous shouting, several people heeded Huang Guiguo's words and quietly dispersed from the crowd, heading toward their hos.
Lin Chuan finally let out a sigh of relief. As long as the others left, it would be easier to deal with just Shi Rongguang and those two old won.
"Fourth Uncle, thank goodness you ca." Huang ngqi approached Huang Guiguo, her face full of gratitude.
"Silly child, this is what family does; who else should co forward at a ti like this?" Huang Guiguo said with a smile, glancing at Lin Chuan.
Just as most people were leaving, a larger group was approaching rapidly from the east.
There were at least forty or fifty of them, and they were advancing in a mighty stream in this direction.
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