Qian Fei clutched his injured forehead, his face betraying no emotion, but his heart was screaming internally.
"I never expected them to be so soft, easily subdued by Zhang Liunian in just a few moves." If I didn't still need you, I wouldn't be playing the subservient role here. You dared to hit me, and I will never let you off the hook.
Qian Fei was a petty man, and his conflict with Zhang Liunian stemmed solely from the fact that Zhang had a beautiful wife that he didn't. This alone was enough for him to stir up trouble, not to mention he had been beaten by Brother Tang this time.
It wouldn't be Qian Fei if he didn't hold a grudge. However, due to the difference in their status and a common enemy, Qian Fei could only suppress his resentment for now, waiting for the other party to finish off Zhang Liunian, and then he would deal with Brother Tang.
"They are all against me. That fellow surnamed Ma is ignorant of the heavens and the earth; I will make him roll down from his position." Qian Fei knew exactly who Brother Tang was referring to – Ma Quancai.
His family had their eyes on this position, waiting for the Tang family to clear the obstacles for them.
"He truly deserves to die. Why not reassign him to a remote mountainous area for social reform?" Qian Fei thought of his family's plan and couldn't help but whisper suggestions.
Brother Tang's eyes lit up upon hearing this, and he nodded in agreement. "That's a good idea."
As soon as he finished speaking, Tang Shikui's voice echoed from behind the two, "Ahem."
Qian Fei's expression flickered slightly upon hearing this, but it was fleeting.
When Brother Tang heard that his second uncle had arrived, he happily shared his current idea with him. "Second Uncle, please tell Third Uncle to send that Ma Quancai to the mountains for reform, the kind where he can never climb back up."
Tang Shikui glanced at Qian Fei with an unreadable expression, thinking to himself that this Qian family boy was a shrewd one, adept at using others to achieve his goals. This Qian Fei was truly an eyesore.
"Let your friend leave. Second Uncle has something to discuss with you." Tang Shikui had not expressed his opinion until now, and his first words were to dismiss Qian Fei.
Qian Fei felt deeply humiliated and made another mental note. Before Brother Tang could speak, he preemptively said, "Then I'll take my leave."
After Qian Fei left, Tang Shikui said, "Be careful of Qian Fei from now on. That kid is more cunning than an ant; you can't outsmart him."
"Second Uncle, he only wants to deal with Zhang Liunian. We have a common enemy, so he can't play any tricks."
Brother Tang didn't realize Qian Fei was playing tricks, but Tang Shikui understood clearly. "If not, why would he suggest sending Ma Quancai to the remote mountains?"
"Who told Ma Quancai to side with Zhang Liunian? If we don't get Daming Lake back, we certainly have to teach him a lesson."
"You're being used as a pawn without even knowing it. Don't listen to Qian Fei's nonsense in the future. None of us can decide Ma Quancai's fate. Don't use this matter to approach your Third Uncle. He is the pillar of our Tang family; if he falls, our Tang family will be ruined as well."
"It's not that serious, it's just a small matter. Second Uncle, you're being too cautious."
"This matter is non-negotiable. Anything involving your Third Uncle, you must not cause him any trouble. In any case, with Big Brother and me here, that Zhang Liunian won't escape our grasp."
"Alright!" Anyway, all Brother Tang wanted was for Zhang Liunian to suffer the consequences and regret provoking him. It didn't matter who accomplished it.
Meanwhile, back at the lobster shop, Zhang Liunian learned that Zhang Liusha had apprehended the individuals impersonating law enforcement and sent them to the county police station.
The culprits quickly confessed, implicating Li Qi as the instigator.
"Bang!" Zhang Liunian kicked open the gate of the Li family. Li Kuai shou was startled and ran out to see that the courtyard gate had fallen down.
"What's going on?" Li Kuai shou looked at Zhang Liunian, bewildered, not knowing why he was rushing over with such murderous intent.
"Your son sent people to impersonate the industrial and commercial enforcement team to seal my shop. They came twice and sent my people to the police station. I've come this time to demand compensation from you and to teach him a lesson in how to be a human," Zhang Liunian said, entering the Li residence with a face as dark as water.
Li Kuai shou listened for a moment, then grabbed a broom by the door and rushed into the house to drag Li Qi out.
Qian Xueli also emerged with Li Qi. Upon seeing Zhang Liunian again, Qian Xueli had shed any lingering affection she had for him.
This was because she was now engaged to Li Qi and was about to marry him.
Moreover, her body had already been claimed by Li Qi. If she dared to act intimately with Zhang Liunian in front of him, it would damage her reputation.
Zhang Liunian paid no attention to Qian Xueli's expression. Instead, he occasionally assisted Li Kuai shou, helping him successfully pin Li Qi to the ground and beat him.
"How could I have given birth to such a wicked son who only harms his father?" Li Kuai shou was truly angry. He never imagined his son would actually harm Zhang Liunian. Now, he would have to pay dearly. Not only would he lose a year's rent, but he'd also have to let Zhang Liunian finish out the year.
This was truly a case of losing the wife and also the soldiers.
"Comrade Zhang Liunian, you see, I've disciplined him for you. How about we just..."
"Comrade Li, surely you don't want the people of Datang County to say you're untrustworthy!"
Before Li Kuai shou could finish, Zhang Liunian interrupted him directly.
He hadn't come to watch Li Kuai shou put on a show. He wanted revenge on Li Qi and also to extort some money from them.
Considering that Li Kuai shou had put in a decent effort when beating his son, Zhang Liunian decided not to lay a hand on him, but the eight hundred yuan would not be discounted.
Li Kuai shou ultimately paid the money with a heavy heart.
Having received the money, Zhang Liunian and his group departed grandly. Li Qi, seeing this, suddenly shouted, "Zhang Liunian, you bastard! What business is it of yours that I sealed my own shop?"
"Shut up!" Li Kuai shou, seeing his son's continued foolishness, went up and started beating him again.
Zhang Liunian heard this but continued on his way without stopping.
At the same time, inside the Du family's brick factory, Du Zhan looked at the accounts with a distressed expression.
"Alas, relying solely on Zhang Liunian, the factory is still not doing well!"
Du Zhan walked around the kiln with his hands behind his back. The factory was not large, covering an area of only about an acre. The number of workers had been reduced repeatedly, and now only three remained.
Oh, and himself, the factory director.
The goods supplied to Zhang Liunian were actually the factory's inventory, not freshly fired. Even so, Zhang Liunian had not cleared their inventory; several large trucks were still in the warehouse.
"Dad, it's time to eat. We have braised pig's head today, prepared by Brother Liunian himself," Du Ziteng called out to his father from a distance, carrying good food and wine.
Hearing the sound, Du Zhan responded and walked over to sit at the small desk in the office. He picked up a piece of meat and put it in his mouth, then suddenly said, "Ziteng, Dad is thinking of selling the factory and working with Comrade Zhang Liunian. Do you think he'll find Dad too old?"
He realized that working with Zhang Liunian was more profitable than running this kiln factory.
"Sell it? You spent two hundred yuan to acquire it back then. You finally managed to make the factory look like a kiln factory, and you're just going to give it up and quit?"