Chapter 165: Let’s Get to Know Each Other First

Chapter 165: Chapter 165: Let’s Get to Know Each Other First

Zhang Wei Qiang’s expression turned resolute. "I want to give it a try. Dad, after the autumn harvest, we can ask the clan if anyone is willing to farm our fields for a year. We’ll just collect a token amount of grain. As for the kids’ education, the school in town is definitely better than the one in the village. I’ll find a way to get them into Nuannuan’s school next semester. We can set up our bun shop near the school, and that way, the children can walk there and back on their own. They could even come home for lunch."

Zhang Dazhuang said, "But..."

"Let’s give it our all for one year and see how it goes," Zhang Wei Qiang stressed. "If you’re not happy with the profits by this time next year, the fields will still be ours. We can always take them back and farm them ourselves."

"Alright, fine—"

Zhang Dazhuang looked from his eldest son to his daughter and granddaughter. Seeing them all nodding in agreement, he finally made up his mind. "Since you all agree and think it’ll work, then I’m on board. We’ll tell your mother and your wife tonight when we get back."

"Grandpa, you’re brilliant!" Gu Nuan Nuan cheered. "We won’t lose money! You have to have faith in our meat buns, right? Heh heh. And we can all keep living together. Next semester I’ll finally have some company, and I won’t have to eat lunch out of a box at school anymore."

"Are you really that happy about all of us living together?" Zhang Dazhuang couldn’t resist teasing her. "Aren’t you afraid that if this chain of shops you’re talking about doesn’t work out, your uncle won’t be able to afford his own house and will just stay with you forever?"

"I think it’s more likely you’ll all end up building houses here too, and we’ll live together for a long, long time. That way, Mom and I will have company, and we won’t have to worry about some psycho drooling while he stares at us."

Gu Nuan Nuan shuddered as she spoke. "Grandpa, Uncle, listen. On our way here, Mom and I ran into this really disgusting man. I think he’s a psycho. It was absolutely terrifying."

"What psycho? Tell us exactly what happened." Upon hearing this, the expressions on Zhang Dazhuang and Zhang Wei Qiang’s faces turned grim. They had already asked around about Lihua Village when they first arrived. Its population was only slightly smaller than their own Zhang Family Village. Besides the two or three lazy, good-for-nothing scoundrels you’d find in any village, they’d never heard of anyone with a mental illness living here.

Seeing their concern, Gu Nuan Nuan didn’t hold back, readily embellishing the story as she recounted the encounter with Han Bingquan in vivid detail. Her description was so terrifying that even Zhang Minzhen, who had been there, began to wonder if that was really what had happened. ’I never realized my daughter was such a good storyteller,’ she thought.

"That’s no psycho... Hmph. A toad dreaming of eating a swan’s flesh. This needs to be handled immediately. But just to be safe, Nuannuan, you need to stick with your mom for the next few days. Don’t let her go anywhere alone, you understand?" A vicious look crossed Zhang Wei Qiang’s face. For the sake of his little sister’s reputation, he couldn’t make a big deal out of it. He’d have to discreetly find out who the man was and then give him a private warning.

"I know. You can tell that guy’s bad news just by looking at him. If he doesn’t come looking for trouble, then fine. But if he dares to try anything, I’ll beat him until he’s looking for his teeth on the ground and send him home crying." Gu Nuan Nuan clenched her fists and huffed, and her serious expression made the other three burst out laughing.

"I think you should walk back with them and find out which house he belongs to. With something like this, it’s best to strike first. Otherwise, if someone with a grudge starts spreading rumors and makes it public knowledge, your sister will be the one to suffer the most, whether anything actually happened or not."

Having lived for over half a century, Zhang Dazhuang knew just how malicious some people could be, so he immediately found himself in complete agreement with his eldest son.

"Mm, I know how to handle this," Zhang Wei Qiang said, cracking his knuckles.

Once everyone had eaten their fill, Zhang Wei Qiang took the handcart and started walking back with Zhang Minzhen and Gu Nuan Nuan. It was a hot afternoon, so the path was mostly deserted, and every family’s gate was shut tight. But as they approached Han Bingquan’s home, they saw a man standing at his gate, peering intently in their direction. His gaze soon locked onto Zhang Minzhen, unmoving.

Zhang Wei Qiang’s anger instantly flared. He saw Han Bingquan standing there shirtless, wearing a pair of patterned shorts that looked like they hadn’t been washed in ages. The man was brazenly staring at his little sister, even with him standing right there. Zhang Wei Qiang was overcome with a powerful urge to beat him to a pulp. He stopped the cart and motioned for Zhang Minzhen to take over. Loosening his limbs, he started walking toward Han Bingquan. "You two head straight home," he said. "I’m going to have a little ’chat’ with him. I’ll head back to help after I’m done, so I won’t come find you."

"Okay." Zhang Minzhen took the cart, refusing to even glance in the direction of the strange, disgusting slob. She picked up her pace and walked straight ahead with Gu Nuan Nuan.

"Hey, hey... Miss, why are you leaving so soon? My name is Han Bingquan, let’s get acquainted..." Han Bingquan, having waited by his gate for so long, wasn’t about to give up when he saw Zhang Minzhen walking away. He immediately tried to dart forward and block her path. But with Zhang Wei Qiang present, he didn’t stand a chance. The moment he moved, an immense force clamped down on his arm. His expression changed in an instant. As if only just noticing Zhang Wei Qiang, he turned and snarled, "What the hell do you think you’re doing, grabbing me?"

"Your name is Han Bingquan? I think we should get acquainted first," Zhang Wei Qiang said with a grin.

"Who the hell are you? Who cares about knowing you? If you know what’s good for you, get out of my way. Scram!" Han Bingquan watched Zhang Minzhen walk further and further away, enraged that he was being blocked by this clueless oaf who had appeared out of nowhere and was clearly not from the village. "Let go of me, now! Do you have any idea who you’re dealing with? I’m Mr. Han!"

"I don’t. Why don’t you enlighten me, Mr. Han?" Zhang Wei Qiang continued to smile, his eyes narrowed.

"Hmph, the truth would scare you to death. I’ve got more than a dozen guys under me who would lay down their lives for me at a moment’s notice. Around Lihua Village, there aren’t many people who dare to cross me. Who are you? What village are you from? Don’t you know the saying? Even a mighty dragon can’t crush a local snake. Do you have any manners?"

Han Bingquan realized he couldn’t break free from the man’s grip no matter how hard he struggled. A flicker of fear ignited within him. But the man just stood there with a meek, smiling expression, and he didn’t look like a gangster. Thinking he might be able to scare him off, Han Bingquan decided to press his luck and started boasting even more wildly.