He had a good relationship with Zhang Wenxue, Zhang Liunian's father, but not with Zhang Liunian himself.
Zhang Wenjun had always looked down on his nephew, Zhang Liunian, treating him like a stranger and not even nodding to him when they met.
Zhang Liunian was long accustomed to this, as no one in the Zhang family, except for his elder brother and younger sister, had ever respected him.
He didn't care.
Now, his uncle had come to their door, clamoring for settlements.
"Qingqing, you stay here. Leave this to me."
Zhang Liunian stood up and instructed his wife, intending to handle the trouble alone.
"Liunian, be careful and don't get hurt," Jiang Qingqing called out worriedly as her husband walked out.
Zhang Liunian turned back with a smile and opened the door at the entrance.
Standing there were his uncle and aunt, along with their other son, Zhang Liuxiang.
They were all holding farming tools—a rake, a hoe, and a shovel—their expressions eager, as if impatient to beat Zhang Liunian to death.
Zhang Liunian remained calm and composed, looking at them without any fear, waiting for them to speak.
"Liunian, did you break Liu Huo's leg?" Zhang Wenjun, who despised his nephew the most, found him useless at everything except eating.
However, he never expected him to dare to hit his son, Liu Huo. Although he didn't particularly like his son, the fact that someone like Zhang Liunian dared to strike his son had infuriated him.
"He severely injured my younger sister and almost caused Qingqing to lose her life and the baby. Didn't you tell them?"
Coming straight to accuse him, it was indeed his uncle's family style.
"Impossible, how could Liu Huo do such a thing? You're slandering him." Aunt Wu Shuicao interjected, denying that her son would do such a thing.
"Aunt, don't you remember who he married? It's Tu Meili, whom you called a troublemaker. She instigated Liu Huo to harm people."
"..."
This was quite possible, as Tu Meili was known throughout the village as a troublemaker. Wherever she was, trouble followed.
Moreover, the reason they were here was that Tu Meili had run to them, claiming Zhang Liunian had beaten their eldest son and broken his leg, telling them to come for revenge.
Now, it seemed that their eldest son's predicament was entirely caused by that troublemaker, Tu Meili.
However, their eldest son's broken leg still needed money, and Zhang Liunian had to pay.
"We don't care how the incident happened. Liu Huo's leg is broken, and he needs a hundred yuan for treatment. You must pay." Zhang Wenjun's unreasonable nature was just like Zhang Liuhuo's.
Zhang Liunian chuckled, "Heh, Qingqing almost lost her life and the baby, why aren't you compensating us?"
"Isn't she fine now?"
"That's because I arrived in time."
"But she's fine now, and my son has a broken leg."
"..."
Zhang Liunian didn't want to waste more words with them. He still had lobsters to stir-fry. "I have no money."
"How can you have no money? Didn't you repay the villagers' debts the day before yesterday?" Zhang Wenjun didn't believe Zhang Liunian had no money.
He had heard that Zhang Liunian had become a self-employed businessman, a profession disdained by those in the surrounding villages, and had earned money, so he couldn't be without it.
"Even if I had it, I wouldn't give it to you. He deserved it. He harmed Qingqing and wanted to hit my Huabao. Breaking one of his legs is a light punishment."
"Zhang Liunian, don't push it too far. Qingqing is perfectly fine, but my Liu Huo has a broken leg. You must pay this money."
"Yes, you must give the money," Wu Shuicao chimed in, looking at Zhang Liunian strangely, thinking, why did this nephew seem to have changed? He had never cared so much about his wife before. Had he taken the wrong medicine today?
"Do you want me to demonstrate how your son attacked a pregnant woman?" Zhang Liunian's eyes turned dark as he looked at his uncle and aunt.
"I only care about the outcome. The outcome is that Jiang Qingqing is unharmed, and my Liu Huo's leg is broken. Also, Zhang Liunian, I am your uncle. Speak to me respectfully."
"If you want me to speak respectfully, bring your brains with you. I'll say it here today: no money, only my life," Zhang Liunian said, moving to close the door.
Zhang Wenjun felt Zhang Liunian was showing him too much disrespect. He had personally come to demand compensation, and Zhang Liunian dared to refuse. It seemed a good beating was in order. Without a word, he raised the shovel and swung it towards Zhang Liunian's head.
Zhang Liunian's large hand shot out, firmly catching the shovel. With a forceful push, he sent Zhang Wenjun staggering back about a meter.
Seeing his father fall, Zhang Liuxiang shouted "Ah!" and charged at Zhang Liunian with a hoe.
Zhang Liunian kicked him directly, sending him flying back two meters.
Wu Shuicao stared at Zhang Liunian with her mouth agape, disbelief evident.
Since when was her husband's nephew so skilled in fighting? Wasn't he always bullied by everyone at home?
How had he suddenly become so formidable? Not only his fighting prowess but also his demeanor had changed.
He used to exude a timid aura, but now he seemed like a resolute, iron-willed man.
Everything had changed.
"Zhang Liunian, you dare to hit me! I'll report you to my elder brother when I get back, and he'll deal with you." Zhang Wenjun, a pragmatist, realizing his entire family might not be able to defeat Zhang Liunian, decided to seek outside help.
"That's right, we'll tell older brother and sister-in-law that you are disrespectful to elders and that you're disgracing the family by being a self-employed businessman." Hearing Zhang Wenjun mention his elder brother, Wu Shuicao seemed to have found her guiding star.
"Farewell." "Bang." Zhang Liunian casually waved and closed the door.
Seeing this, Zhang Wenjun's family of three gritted their teeth in hatred and immediately set off for Nan Cheng to find Zhang Wenxue, intending to have him personally deal with his youngest son.
Inside the educated youth dormitory, Jiang Qingqing, having heard the entire exchange, walked forward with concern, holding Zhang Liunian's arm and asking, "Liunian, if Mom and Dad find out about this, will they blame you?"
Jiang Qingqing was unfamiliar with her in-laws.
After all, when she married Zhang Liunian, the Zhang family had already split.
Later, her in-laws were either at their eldest son's or second son's home and never lived with them. Therefore, in the years since she married Zhang Liunian, Jiang Qingqing had not been very clear about her in-laws' character.
However, from their infrequent visits to check on her husband over the years, they couldn't be considered very good, at least not good parents to her husband.
"Let them think what they want. We just need to live our own good lives." He knew his parents favored his second brother, who had left the countryside to attend university, but after one lifetime, he no longer cared so much.
Now, all he wanted was for his wife and daughter to live a happy life.
"It's okay, you are the best, the most powerful, and the most outstanding man in my heart," Jiang Qingqing said, hooking her finger around her husband's.
Zhang Liunian clasped her hand, gazing at her pretty face.