When I stepped out of the hospital, Wu Da Sang Men and Zhang Da Biao were already a blur in the distance. Before I even reached the downhill slope, I heard Wu Da Sang Men’s voice, roaring like an enraged lion.
“Wu Cheng Fu, you little turtle egg, get out here for me.”
This was followed by the sound of the door being smashed.
*Clang—*
Turning the corner, I saw Wu Da Sang Men furiously smashing the door. Zhang Da Biao tried to stop him several times, but couldn’t. Instead, Wu Da Sang Men shrugged him off, nearly making him fall.
I knew that an angry person had explosive strength, but it would take two Wu Da Sang Mens to push Zhang Da Biao back. Seeing the mischievous grin on Zhang Da Biao’s lips, I knew he had fully grasped my plan. But was it too much to just watch someone’s uncle smash his nephew’s door?
After about three or four smashes, Wu Cheng Fu’s voice came from inside the courtyard, “Wu Da Sang Men, are you crazy?”
“I’m crazy? I think you’re the one who’s crazy.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Wu Da Sang Men swung his carrying pole towards Wu Cheng Fu. Fortunately, Wu Cheng Fu was young and quick to react, retracting himself back inside as soon as he poked half his body out.
Wu Cheng Fu’s anger was completely ignited by Wu Da Sang Men’s attack, “Wu Da Sang Men, I’ll fight you to the death today. Smash me if you dare.”
Following Wu Cheng Fu’s angry curses, he also rushed out, wielding a pickaxe handle. If Zhang Da Biao hadn’t suddenly stepped between the two of them, a bloody battle between relatives would have likely begun.
“You little brat, you’ve gotten bold enough to call me by my nickname. With this alone, if I don’t break both your legs, I’ll take your surname.”
Listening to Wu Da Sang Men’s scolding, I almost burst out laughing. You both have the surname Wu, so who takes whose surname doesn’t matter.
But now was not the time to watch the show. I quickened my steps and stood between them. I couldn’t just watch them fight.
“Village Chief Wu, don’t do anything. I have something to say.”
At this moment, Zhang Da Biao also swayed and stood behind Wu Da Sang Men, placing his hands on his shoulders to immobilize him.
“Brother Wu, don’t be rash. If he really took the item, we can just get it back. Fighting will only strain your kinship.”
Wu Da Sang Men struggled a couple more times, but finding himself unable to break free from Zhang Da Biao’s grip on his shoulders, he relented, though his voice remained heated.
“What’s there to say? You’ve brought people to my door. If this gets out, the Wu family will lose all its face.”
“But we need to clarify things. Even if you don’t acknowledge him, he’s still your nephew. He’s still your blood, no matter how you cut it.”
Wu Da Sang Men snorted, “I don’t have a nephew like him. It’s better if he’s beaten to death, so he stops doing such wicked and despicable things.”
“Third Uncle, I’ve always shown you respect. If you keep cursing me, don’t blame me for calling the police for trespassing. If you end up in the station, you won’t be able to be the village chief anymore.”
“You little brat, you’re threatening me now? Watch me…”
“Village Chief Wu, you’re the elder, that’s enough,” I quickly stopped Wu Da Sang Men, who was about to continue his tirade, and then said to Wu Cheng Fu, “You’re arguing with your own uncle. Is it necessary to resort to weapons when he’s just scolding you?”
Wu Cheng Fu shot me a sidelong glance, “Who do you think you are? Do you need to manage our family’s affairs? Don’t be a busybody here, like a dog chasing a rat.”
Oh my god! Is that how someone talks? Is it wrong for someone to try and mediate?
No wonder Wu Da Sang Men wanted to beat him to death. With that kind of tone, even I felt the urge to hit him.
I put away my smile and said calmly, “Who I am is not important. What’s important is that you took something you shouldn’t have, and now they’ve come looking for it.”
“What does it have to do with me if they come looking? I didn’t take anyone’s things. Let them come looking if they dare.” Although Wu Cheng Fu’s expression didn’t change, his voice sounded unnatural, a little like he was bluffing.
Wu Da Sang Men, standing beside him, naturally noticed his nephew’s unusual expression, and his already dark complexion darkened further.
“You little brat, if you took someone’s things, just hand them over and return them. If you hand them over now, I might be able to beg for mercy, and they might let you off. Otherwise, once they find evidence, you’ll be in big trouble.”
“Third Uncle, have you gone senile? You believe whatever they say. I think you’ve ruined your brain trying to develop tourism. If I had really taken their things, wouldn’t they have called the police instead of coming to negotiate with a bumpkin like you? For this, you’re smashing my door. If you don’t explain this to me, I don’t know how you’ll face my parents when you’re gone.”
“This…” Wu Da Sang Men was silenced. He looked at me with some regret and a hint of guilt.
I was speechless. I told you it might be at your nephew’s house, and you just had to be so impulsive. If I had confirmed it was there, would I have needed to negotiate with you? I could have just asked Fang Huixin to come and take him away.
“Brother Wu, can we discuss this? The thing I mentioned is quite strange. It might not be you who took it, maybe it came here on its own. How about you let us take a look inside?”
“On what grounds?” Wu Cheng Fu raised his eyebrows, his voice laced with dissatisfaction. “You’ve used a few words to make my Third Uncle, who already had issues with me, turn against me, and now you want to enter my courtyard? Do you think I haven’t read books?” Saying this, he held his carrying pole horizontally in front of his chest, adopting a posture of an impregnable fortress, truly embodying the saying that a common man’s rage can spill blood.
Just then, an discordant voice cut through the air.
“Oh, there’s such a wealthy family in this village?”
Li Jian, with his hands behind his back or stuffed into his pockets, walked over unhurriedly like a county magistrate, followed by a large group of bodyguards. It seemed Fang Huixin couldn’t wait any longer.
Seeing this group suddenly arrive, Wu Da Sang Men’s face changed drastically. He quickly said to Wu Cheng Fu, “If you took it, just admit it. At most, you’ll have to pay some money. Otherwise, these people won’t let it go.”
Wu Cheng Fu’s face was also not good, but he still held the carrying pole horizontally in front of his chest, twisting his neck and saying, “I said I didn’t take anyone’s things, and there’s nothing of anyone else’s in my house.”
The arrival of Li Jian and Li Rui, father and son, completely disrupted my plan. I had originally intended to confirm Fang Yuan’s location before calling Fang Huixin. This way, I could resolve the existing conflict with Fang Huixin and also use this opportunity to propose a not-too-unreasonable condition.
But now, it seemed I had been looking in the wrong direction. Their arrival clearly indicated that they had already confirmed Fang Yuan was not here.
My face darkened. “It’s not time yet, why are you here?”
“Afraid you’d run away! Afraid you’d be beaten to death by these uncivilized villagers, so I came to help! It looks like you’ve found Fang Yuan’s location. Then I’ll call Aunt Fang and let her know, so she doesn’t have to wait anxiously.” Saying this, Li Rui picked up his phone and made a call, speaking briefly before hanging up.
“Aunt Fang will be here soon. She hopes to see the person directly when she arrives.” Then Li Rui stood aside, no longer speaking, with a faint smile on his face, looking as if he was waiting to see me make a fool of myself.
Looking at Li Rui’s fair face, I suddenly remembered a saying from the north that curses someone: “A fair-skinned pretty boy has no good intentions.” Today, I truly understood the meaning of that saying.