Zhang Liunian blocked Su Jie and spoke words that made her shiver.
"Liunian, I really didn't. Qingqing must have misheard. How could I possibly say something like that?" Su Jie still wanted to quibble, but Zhang Liunian didn't believe a word she said.
"Are you coming with us, or do I have to do it myself?" Zhang Liunian was too lazy to waste time with such people and directly stated he would send Su Jie to the police station.
Su Jie naturally wouldn't comply. She took a step back and said, "I really didn't do anything. Even if you send me in, it won't be of any use."
"You almost got me killed, and you call that not doing anything? Do you think someone has to actually die at your hands for it to be considered 'doing something'?" Jiang Qingqing, seeing Zhang Liunian about to take action, extended her small hand, pushed forward, and stood before Su Jie, questioning her loudly.
"Qingqing, I am your only friend. How could I possibly hurt you? You must be hallucinating because you're close to giving birth. I couldn't be that kind of person."
"Slap!"
As soon as Su Jie finished speaking, Jiang Qingqing slapped her across the face.
"I've never seen anyone as shameless as you. You dare to do something but not admit it. You're truly a piece of trash." Jiang Qingqing retracted her hand, pointed at Su Jie, and cursed loudly. After speaking, she stepped forward, grabbed Su Jie, and was about to drag her to the police station.
The bald man, who had been watching the show, finally arrived late and blocked Jiang Qingqing's path. "Let's talk things through. Don't be impulsive, don't be impulsive."
"Guangzi, believe me, I really didn't do anything." Seeing the bald man step out to help her, Su Jie immediately wriggled out of Jiang Qingqing's grasp and hid behind the bald man.
The bald man's mouth twitched. If she hadn't done anything, would people be coming after her?
"Jiang Qingqing, you're not the only one with a man to protect me. I have one too. Guangzi is my man. He's rich and owns a house, a real man. He won't stand by and watch you bully me. I advise you to think twice before acting impulsively, especially since this is Jiangcheng, not Nancheng."
Seeing that the bald man remained silent, Su Jie started blabbering again, especially with the last sentence, which was a blatant reminder and threat.
Zhang Liunian sneered upon hearing this and looked at the bald man, who felt his scalp tingle under his gaze.
"My former landlord, are you really sure you want to go against me for a woman?" Zhang Liunian didn't know the bald man's name, so he could only refer to him as his former landlord.
The bald man's smile gradually became awkward. Go against him? That would be seeking death. Jiang Quan, the eldest son of the Jiang family whom everyone in Jiangcheng wanted to curry favor with, was his disciple. Who else in Jiangcheng dared to oppose him? Anyone who was foolish enough would be blind and clueless. In any case, he wouldn't be that kind of person, nor would he oppose someone for a woman.
"I am Guangzi's wife. If you touch me, you're touching Guangzi. Hitting me is equivalent to slapping Guangzi's face. Guangzi will absolutely not let you bully me." Su Jie, seeing that Zhang Liunian was determined to send her to the police station, immediately tied herself to the bald man.
The bald man was amused by her words. They were about to break up just moments ago over the issue of the betrothal gifts, and now she was clinging to him.
Don't think he was uneducated; he could tell she wanted him to step up.
If Su Jie hadn't offended Zhang Liunian, he would have been happy to intervene. Unfortunately, there was no 'if'. This person was Zhang Liunian, someone he couldn't afford to offend.
"You're my wife?" the bald man asked Su Jie, turning around in surprise.
Su Jie replied with an air of inevitability, "Of course. Our engagement is settled. Who else would I be your wife to?"
"Alright, hurry up and get rid of these two annoying insects, then we can go shopping."
"Buy your mother a—" "Slap!"
The bald man laughed in anger, raised his hand, and slapped Su Jie. The blow sent Su Jie spinning and finally collapsing onto the ground, completely bewildered.
"Guangzi, you hit me? Why did you hit me?" Su Jie clutched her face, her expression contorted.
"Why? Of course, it's because you f***ing offended someone you shouldn't have."
"Offended someone I shouldn't have? When did I offend such a person? I don't know anything about it." Su Jie was even more confused. Someone she shouldn't have offended? Who?
"You f***ing blind idiot, I'm officially informing you that there's no need for our relationship to continue. From now on, we are not engaged, nor will we be in the future. Your affairs have nothing to do with me. Don't try to associate yourself with me."
The bald man sternly informed Su Jie that they were over. Then he turned to Zhang Liunian with a beaming smile. "Comrade Zhang, long time no see. This lady must be your wife, right? She's truly beautiful, even more so than Jiang Meili, the most beautiful woman in Jiangcheng. You are truly a blessed man."
Boom!
Su Jie's world turned upside down when she saw the bald man flattering Zhang Liunian. Why? Why was the bald man trying to appease Zhang Liunian?
Although Zhang Liunian had some reputation in Nancheng, it shouldn't be so much that people in Jiangcheng would submit to him just by seeing him!
What was going on? Why was Guangzi being so respectful to Zhang Liunian?
"Guangzi, are you breaking up with me because of Zhang Liunian? What's there to be afraid of about him? Why are you so scared? Are you even a man?" Su Jie trembled as she got up from the ground, pointing at Zhang Liunian with her hand, her face full of disbelief.
"Get out of my way. We have no relationship now. Whether I'm a man or not is none of your damn business." The bald man, hearing her still questioning him, really wanted to hit her, but he remembered they were on the street, and doing so wouldn't look good, and might affect his chances of finding a wife later.
"You..."
"What 'you'? Shut up. Comrade Zhang is politely asking you to go to the police station, which is already giving you face. If you don't listen, I'll help him." The bald man then actually grabbed Su Jie.
Su Jie was furious. Her fiancé had become Zhang Liunian's helper in the blink of an eye. Nothing could have angered her more than this.
"Comrade Zhang, this woman is too annoying. How about I help you send her over?" The bald man looked at Zhang Liunian and volunteered.
Zhang Liunian raised an eyebrow, seemingly pleased. "Alright, come with us!"
"Sure!" The bald man responded, grabbing Su Jie and heading towards the police station.
During the journey, Su Jie's loud protests made the entire affair widely known. Even Jiang Xiaoqing, who was out looking for them, witnessed this scene.
"Auntie, do you know what they're doing?" Jiang Xiaoqing, seeing only the tail end of the commotion, grabbed a busy woman who was spreading the news and asked.
The auntie, engrossed in her storytelling, noticed a young girl asking and repeated her explanation.
"Young lady, you've asked the right person. Let me tell you, this is quite a show. See that golden couple? They are a couple from Nancheng who run the Zhang Family Pickles business at New Street No. 1. Their business is so popular it's an understatement to call it booming. Making hundreds of thousands a day is definitely possible. As for the other two..."
After hearing the auntie's retelling, Jiang Xiaoqing went to New Street No. 1 to inquire, finding the auntie's account to be entirely accurate.
Zhang Liunian was indeed selling pickles there, and his business was incredibly good. It was said that he sold several truckloads a day. With such a large business, earning hundreds of thousands a day was mere pocket change.