Zhao Xuefei hated Xie Sui the most, even more than Ma Ruhua who had smashed her stall.
Xie Sui felt wrongly accused. You stole my business, threatened me, and played me like a spare tire, yet you still hate me?
It made no sense!
Even with an IQ of 250, Xie Sui couldn't comprehend a woman's thought process.
However, Lin Wanwan saw it clearly and said, "Zhao Xuefei has taken a liking to hating us. Be wary of the Zhao family." Su Dan Novel Network.
"Why? She hates us too, but I don't hate her!"
"Because at their most embarrassing moments, people least like being seen by those they know. We witnessed the spectacle, which is our original sin."
Xie Sui praised, "Wife, you're so wise!"
"Stop your nonsense, let's go home."
A flicker of sadness flashed in Lin Wanwan's eyes. She had experienced similar situations countless times. Whenever she was in a predicament, she just wanted to hide away and lick her wounds, healing herself.
Being seen by familiar faces, that kind of shame and embarrassment was worse than death.
Having endured it time and again, she understood that feeling perfectly. Zhao Xuefei was just experiencing it for the first time, and her greatest hatred would naturally be directed at the two of them.
Xie Sui seemed to understand a little, and pulling her hand affectionately, he was brushed away by Lin Wanwan. She took a child by each hand and ignored him.
"Cousin, why didn't you look for me to have a drink when you came to town? Did you just discard me after using me?"
It was Huang Gong'an, Huang Tianliang, the cheap cousin who had helped catch the human traffickers.
Because he had been awarded a personal second-class merit for single-handedly apprehending human traffickers, along with a bonus of fifty yuan, he treated Xie Sui better than his own brother.
"Hello, Cousin. I was just with my wife and kids shopping. I didn't want to disturb you. Besides, who would willingly go to a place like yours?"
The police station, people couldn't wait to avoid it, how could they visit it intentionally?
Huang Tianliang laughed heartily, clapping Xie Sui on the shoulder, almost knocking him to the ground. He was truly strong!
"Cousin, I suspect you're deliberately hitting me, though I have no proof."
Xie Sui wore a pained expression. His small frame couldn't take such force!
"If you walk the straight path, where can't you go? But you are also asking for it. I called home and they said there's no cousin like you. Explain yourself, where did this cousin of yours pop out from?"
Huang Tianliang's smile turned a little sinister. He might be carefree, but he wasn't stupid. If a capable cousin suddenly appeared, a background check would uncover Xie Sui's ancestors for eighteen generations.
"Hehe, we're relatives, we just got closer as we walked. It's not too late to claim kinship now, is it? How about we become sworn brothers? I'll kowtow and call you Big Brother immediately!"
Xie Sui, shamelessly, was capable of doing just that. Huang Tianliang was speechless. "Forget it, Brother, can I even bicker with you? I was looking for you. Go to the station and bring the banner home. There's also a bonus of two hundred yuan. Damn it, it's more than my own bonus, I only got fifty yuan."
"Really? That's great."
As reluctant as Xie Sui had been to hand over the stolen goods back then, he was now overjoyed. Indeed, Father State still loved him.
Two hundred yuan was a lot of money. It was also understandable that the station would give him a generous amount for turning in so much stolen money. Xie Sui felt very comfortable accepting this money.
"Brother Huang, I won't go to the station. Can you just handle it like this..."
Xie Sui whispered something in his ear. Huang Tianliang looked strangely at him, then finally relented, "Alright, as you wish. Who told me I owe you a favor? I'll get it done for you first thing tomorrow."
"Great! I'll treat Brother to drinks. I'll be waiting for you."
Lin Wanwan waited to the side while they finished talking. Seeing Xie Sui beaming with joy, like a large yellow dog in the village that had found a bone.
"Good news?"
"Absolutely. You'll know tomorrow. Watch your husband make you proud."
"Heh!"
Lin Wanwan thought to herself, if he didn't embarrass her or cause trouble, she would be grateful to heaven. Making her proud? She dared not even think about it.
Upon returning home, the villagers were all discussing Zhao Xuefei's incident. Not only did she fail to sell her canned goods, but she was also cursed at and her stall was smashed. She had brought shame upon herself, so much so that it reached her maternal grandmother's house.
If Zhao Tiegang wasn't the village head, and Zhao Tielin's residual influence wasn't still there, the women's spittle would have drowned her.
Zhao Xuefei ran into her room and cried. Zhao Tielin and his wife were frantic. They berated Zhao Youfang, "How did you protect your sister? She was bullied, and you still have the nerve to come back? What good are you?"
Zhao Youfang said aggrievedly, "That was their territory. If I dared to argue with them, wouldn't I just be asking for a beating?"
"Why didn't you report them to the police? They damaged our property; they should pay compensation. Slandering and defaming personal reputation is grounds for arrest and imprisonment."
Zhao Tielin, having been a team leader before, had more experience than his son. Unfortunately, it was too late for hindsight. The matter was already over. Reporting it now would only lead to endless disputes.
Zhao Youfang hung his head. "Let's talk about the canned goods first. We still have several hundred pounds piled up at home. In this hot weather, what if they all spoil?"
Mother Zhao, Ding Xiulan, said, "Yes, over a hundred yuan. We can't earn that much even after a year of farming. What should we do?"
"They said the canned goods were not tasty, that they were bitter. Is that true?"
"Yes, I tasted it too. It's indeed not as delicious as that brat Xie Sui's, and the color isn't good either."
"We've all been tricked by that kid."
Zhao Tielin's face darkened. No wonder he had handed over the secret recipe so readily. It turned out the recipe was fake.
Zhao Xuefei walked out of the room. She had also realized it. "I'm going to settle accounts with Xie Sui. This matter is not over."
"How will you settle accounts? We spent no money and have no evidence. Why should we settle accounts with him? Do you want your reputation to be even worse? Don't go out for a while. Let your two brothers handle household matters!"
"I'm not convinced!"
Why could men do business, but girls couldn't? How was she inferior to her brothers?
"Oh, my ancestral goddess! A girl's reputation is so important. If you continue to act like this, do you still want to get married?"
Ding Xiulan quickly coaxed her, afraid that her wilfulness would lead to her clashing with her husband and being reprimanded, which she wouldn't be able to protect her from.
"If I don't get married, I don't get married. I will compete with Xie Sui to the end. There will be a day when he begs me."
"Now it's us who have to beg him."
Zhao Youliang walked in, his face as black as a pot. When he returned, he saw the children holding dried peach slices, which they had bought from Doudou. They cost only two cents each.
That grandson Xie Sui knew the drawbacks of canned goods long ago and had found an outlet for them before easily giving up the canned goods business.
"Now, if only Xie Sui can take our stock of peaches. I bought several hundred pounds today, totaling over a thousand pounds. That's over two hundred yuan. Our family can't afford to lose that much!"
The entire family was worried, and no one spoke. Going to beg Xie Sui would be harder than killing them!
Who would go? How to ask? These were all difficult problems!