Chapter 290 - 171: A Retired Old TCM Doctor Really is Endlessly Happy

Chapter 290: Chapter 171: A Retired Old TCM Doctor Really is Endlessly Happy

The man scoffed, "What do you know? When Liwei borrowed money from me, it was written in black and white: five percent monthly interest. For five hundred yuan, the interest for one year is three hundred. That old donkey sold for three hundred, which just covers last year’s interest. The chicken, the goose, and all this other stuff can count as this year’s interest. So, that just leaves the original five hundred, doesn’t it?"

"The debt... You can’t calculate the debt like that..." Mrs. Sun sobbed.

"Your math doesn’t seem right," He Zhiyuan’s voice rang out. "The donkey should go toward the principal. How can you wait until the end of the year and apply it to the interest?"

"Who the hell are you? You got any right to talk? This is our family business. This is Shangshui Village, and you’re an outsider, so get the hell out of here. Keep flapping your gums and I’ll call my people! You won’t be able to run then," the man barked.

"You’re... you’re completely unreasonable!" He Zhiyuan’s voice trembled with anger.

The four people at the doorway felt their blood boil as they listened.

"Motherfucker! You think Li Hua has no family to back her up? You think you can just show up and bully her, is that it!" Zhang Zhengping snatched a bamboo pole leaning against the door and was the first to charge in.

"You son of a bitch! Bullying a widow and her child! Li Hua, don’t be afraid, your family is here!" Mrs. Zhang picked up a brick from the ground and charged in after him.

Zhou Miao leaned his bicycle against the wall and followed them inside.

Zhou Yan watched, stunned for a moment, before hurrying to follow.

The yard was filled with bamboo poles hung with drying bean curd sticks.

A short, fat middle-aged man was holding two large burlap sacks, while a cross-eyed middle-aged woman next to him clutched a chicken and a goose.

Mrs. Sun was sitting on the ground, her face streaked with tears.

Lai Fu stood protectively in front of her, his eyes red as he stared at the couple.

Zhang Zhengping stormed in, gripping the bamboo pole, followed by Mrs. Zhang with a brick in her hand. Their ferocious entrance startled Gu Changgui and his wife.

Sun Lihua raised her head at the commotion, squinting toward the doorway. Her voice trembled. "Fenfen? Is that... Cousin Zhengping?"

"Yes, Li Hua. Don’t be afraid. Your family is here to back you up," said Zhang Shufen.

"That’s right. They’re not taking a single thing today," Zhang Zhengping said, barring their path with the bamboo pole.

’Mrs. Sun’s family?’

Gu Changgui sized up the old man and woman and sneered. "What family? A couple of old relics with one foot in the grave. What are you going to do? Paying your debts is just how things are. Now hurry up and get out of the way! Don’t blame me if you fall down and get hurt!"

"I’d like to see who dares touch my mother." Zhou Miao stepped inside, lifting his shirt to reveal the Bone Knife at his waist. His icy gaze locked onto Gu Changgui.

The smile on Gu Changgui’s face froze. A chill shot up from his tailbone to the crown of his head, as if he were being stared down by a wild beast.

’Zhou the Fourth!’

A flicker of dread appeared in Gu Changgui’s eyes.

The Cow Slaughterer of Zhou Village was quite famous in Suji, and the best of the best was the fourth son of the Zhou Family, Zhou Miao.

Last year, their village had hired Zhou the Fourth to butcher the collectively owned cow, and as the accountant, Gu Changgui had naturally been present.

The Bone Knife tucked at his waist had left a deep impression on Gu Changgui. The blade was fast, and Zhou the Fourth’s hands were both quick and steady; it took him almost no time to strip the meat from a cow’s bones.

An old village veteran, after watching him work, had commented that a man like that would never need a second strike to kill.

Precise and ruthless.

So, when Zhou the Fourth revealed the Bone Knife at his waist, the two burlap sacks of soybeans Gu Changgui was holding dropped to the ground with a THUD. He instinctively took half a step back.

Zhou Yan followed him in just in time to see this, and he couldn’t help but be amazed by Comrade Zhou’s sheer power of intimidation.

Standing to one side, He Zhiyuan and Li looked indignant, but they had no real standing to interfere in the matter and shot a helpless glance at Zhou Yan.

Gu Changgui chickened out. He didn’t dare make any more threats, and his voice became much softer. "Look, I’m not going to argue with you. Liwei was my kinsman. I lent him the money because I trusted him. Now that he’s gone, the debt still has to be paid, right? I’m just here for the interest. What are you going to do? Even if you’re Mrs. Sun’s family, you still have to be reasonable!"

"You son of a bitch! Your hide is thicker than the corner of the city wall—a cannon couldn’t blast through it!" Zhang Zhengping pointed at him and let loose a torrent of curses. "Liwei died and left behind his ailing old mother and a deaf-mute son. You, his supposed kinsman, didn’t lift a finger to help. Instead, you robbed them blind, taking their grinding donkey to sell and stealing their chickens and geese! You’re acting just like those wartime devils!"

"You... Don’t spout nonsense! I’ve been taking care of them," Gu Changgui stammered, his face flushing.

"You’re lying through your teeth! Believe it or not, I’ll give you a smackdown, then slap you so hard you’ll stick to the wall and nobody will be able to scrape you off!" Zhang Zhengping roared.

"Watch your mouth, old man!" Gu Changgui said, clenching his fists in anger.

"I’ll say it just like that. So what? You gonna hit me?" Zhang Zhengping took a step forward, taunting Gu Changgui. "Go on, try and touch me. You lay a hand on me, and I’ll be on the ground before you can blink. I’ve been a doctor of Chinese medicine for fifty years. I know exactly how to describe an ailment to rack up the biggest bill and land you the heaviest sentence. I know it all like the back of my hand. You wanna test me?"

Gu Changgui’s fists clenched and unclenched. He was so furious he looked like he had smoke coming out of his ears, but he still didn’t dare to make a move.

’A thug isn’t scary, but an educated thug is terrifying!’

"You clown," Zhang Shufen continued, "dipping a Luminous Pearl in soy sauce—making something precious utterly tasteless. Liwei passed away in June. He hadn’t borrowed your money for more than three months. That donkey was worth at least three hundred yuan, and the chickens and geese are another ten or twenty. The remaining principal is only around one hundred and eighty yuan.

"And you had the nerve to charge a kinsman five percent interest a month? Let me make things perfectly clear. We’re not acknowledging this high-interest loan. We’ll pay back your principal, and then we’ll be square."