Wang Fugui, a seasoned veteran, reacted with remarkable speed. He swept his carrying pole across the ground, directly striking the long-haired man's calf.
"Ouch!" The long-haired man cried out in pain, falling face-first. He spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva, several of his teeth loosened.
Wang Fugui snorted, "Trying to play tricks in front of me, are you good enough?"
He looked at Tian Mengyao, "Little Tian, sorry for causing trouble for your village."
"Uncle Wang, forget it. We're neighbors, it's no big deal," Tian Mengyao advised.
"No!" Wang Fugui shook his head abruptly. "If you make a mistake, admit it. Stand at attention when you're disciplined. Don't worry, I won't let these two little brats off."
He hoisted his carrying pole, the iron hook clinking.
"Why are you still lying on the ground? Haven't you embarrassed yourself enough?"
Wang Quezi and the long-haired man, reeking of filth like two recently released livestock, were driven by Wang Fugui with his carrying pole towards Wangjia Village.
Watching the three figures recede into the distance, Tian Mengyao sighed, "How can people be so disgusting?"
"You're surprised by something so common," Lin Fan said, shrugging helplessly. "There are even more disgusting things. Toads don't bite, but they are repulsive."
"Let's see how Uncle Wang deals with them. I don't think Wang Fu will have a good outcome."
Tian Mengyao pursed her lips, as if the name "Wang Fu" itself disgusted her.
Lin Fan grinned, gloating, "Uncle Wang is a proud man. He definitely won't let them off easily."
Tian Mengyao waved her hand, "I have to go now. I need to discuss the matter of horse teeth with the villagers today. Don't forget what you promised me: to find a sales channel for the horse teeth."
"I won't forget. If it weren't for those two scoundrels, I would have gone first thing this morning." With that, Lin Fan waved goodbye and turned to leave.
The main road of Luofeng Village was marked by a string of black footprints left by Wang Quezi and the long-haired man, emitting a foul smell of pig manure.
Lin Fan walked along the roadside and soon returned to the medical clinic.
"Oh, sister-in-law is here."
The clinic door was open, and Lin Fan didn't suspect a break-in.
In Luofeng Village, anyone who dared to steal from his clinic would be foolishly courting death.
"Have a drink of water. Little Fan should be out treating a patient and will be back soon," a voice said.
"Thank you, Sister Xue'er. You haven't changed at all since I used to come play with Little Fan years ago."
"You jest. You've all grown up, and I've gotten old."
A conversation drifted from inside the house.
Lin Fan walked in and his eyes lit up, "Jinpeng!"
Seeing his old classmate, a smile of joy spread across his face.
"Little Fan, were you out treating patients?" Jinpeng asked with a smile, putting down his cup.
Lin Fan suddenly remembered that he had promised to help Jinpeng find a job but had never fulfilled it.
"Look at my brain!"
He scratched the back of his head, his face full of apology.
Jinpeng smiled sheepishly.
He had been happily waiting at home for Lin Fan to find him a respectable job, but there had been no news.
His parents nagged him daily, complaining that he, a grown man, was unambitious and just lazed around at home.
Unable to bear the pressure any longer, Jinpeng had shamelessly come to find Lin Fan.
"Little Fan, why did you leave your door unlocked so early this morning?" Xia Xue asked.
"Just some urgent business. I figured I'd be back soon anyway, and there's nothing valuable in the clinic," Lin Fan replied.
"What do you mean nothing valuable? What if something gets lost?" Xia Xue reprimanded with a stern face.
Lin Fan grinned.
He had left, but the golden silkworm gu was still there.
If some thief were capable enough to steal something right under the golden silkworm's nose, then he would have to accept his loss.
"Your classmate seems to have something to discuss with you. You two chat. I'll go do the laundry," Xia Xue said, carrying a large basin filled with dirty clothes and smelly socks.
"Little Fan, your sister-in-law is really good to you," Jinpeng said with envy.
"She's my sister-in-law, of course she's good to me," Lin Fan replied proudly.
Then he got to the point, "Regarding your job, I'm truly sorry. I've been so busy I forgot. I haven't sorted it out yet."
Jinpeng's expression turned disappointed. "It's alright. You're busy now, having to make house calls so early in the morning, it's not easy."
"I'll sort it out for you right now. It's convenient, as it's on my way today," Lin Fan thought. It just so happened that Zheng Yue was looking to expand her team; talk about a timely opportunity!
"Really?" Jinpeng's eyes lit up instantly, and he looked himself up and down.
His clothes were ordinary, and he hadn't bothered to fix his hair before leaving.
"Is it not good for me to go out like this?"
"You're not a young lady going to get married, needing to dress up?"
Lin Fan patted his shoulder, "Let's go, don't dawdle."
"Alright," Jinpeng could only nod.
Lin Fan informed his sister-in-law and then left the clinic with Jinpeng.
"Can you drive?" Lin Fan asked.
"Yes, but I haven't driven since I got my license," Jinpeng replied, already feeling a bit nervous, thinking Lin Fan was going to find him a driver's job.
"Having a license is enough. It's better than me,"
Lin Fan tossed him the car keys. "You drive."
"This car?" Jinpeng looked at the old minivan parked by the entrance.
At first, he thought it belonged to a patient who had parked it there. After all, Lin Fan was doing so well, and had a rather impressive girlfriend. He couldn't be so poor as to drive a minivan, could he?
"Yes, I bought it with my own money," Lin Fan said earnestly.
Jinpeng's heart sank upon hearing this.
He suspected Lin Fan had fallen on hard times and that their past connection might not be as strong as he thought.
No wonder the job search had dragged on for so long!
"What are you waiting for? Get in the car. I can handle it a bit, but I don't have a license, and driving into the city is risky. Let's not tempt fate," Lin Fan urged.
"Uh, okay," Jinpeng hesitantly slid into the driver's seat, his heart already feeling half-dead.
"Little Fan, how are things progressing between you and Director Wang?"
Jinpeng's driving was not as bad as he claimed; at least it was better than Lin Fan's. It was slow, but steady.
"Just like that," Lin Fan replied perfunctorily.
Marriage with Wang Ying was impossible. Maintaining their relationship as lovers was best for both of them.
"Sigh!" Jinpeng let out a heavy sigh.
"Why are you sighing?" Lin Fan asked, puzzled. "I haven't even sighed yet, why are you in such a hurry?"
"I just think it's a shame. Director Wang is such a good person," Jinpeng said sincerely.
"Stop sighing pointlessly. Drive properly," Lin Fan had no intention of explaining further.
Jinpeng glanced back at the plastic bag on the back seat, "Little Fan, where are we going? What's in the bag behind us?"
"Horse teeth. I'm taking them to a friend to look at, and she'll help me find a sales channel, and by the way, arrange a job for you," Lin Fan said casually.
"Oh," Jinpeng nodded lightly, but his mind was racing.
In the past, when he met Lin Fan, there were always luxury cars and beautiful women around him, which he envied greatly.
But now, Lin Fan was actually going door-to-door to find someone to sell wild vegetables for him. The social standing had dropped so much.
Who could a seller of wild vegetables be?
Jinpeng's heart had completely turned cold. He wouldn't be assigned to work as a loader at a supermarket, would he? That would be worse than finding any job himself.