Du Feiyang found the rabbit meat in his mouth tasteless, feeling as if he had caused trouble!
If this were Hong Kong, anyone who dared treat him like this would be thrown into the sea to feed the fish. But this was the mainland. Du Feiyang had to learn to be a proper businessman, not just a spoiled rich second-generation heir.
He suppressed his temper and asked, "Brother Xie, how are you going to handle this?"
Xie Sui replied, "I'll pay Zhao Sanwang a visit."
Father Xie said, "Don't bother. I've already given him the money. This matter is settled. From now on, we'll have nothing to do with the Zhao family. The entire lot are no good."
Xie Sui said, "Isn't that just escalating the conflict? Let me handle it."
Xie Sui headed to Zhao Sanwang's house, pondering much of the way. He didn't care about the Zhao family, and he even had ways to make their lives miserable.
But doing so would earn him the enmity of half the village. His family still had to live in the village, and the elders' roots were here. Having so many enemies to guard against would be exhausting.
For the sake of his elders' happiness, he was willing to humble himself and give the Zhao family a chance.
Upon arriving at Zhao Sanwang's house, he saw they were still using an oil lamp, too reluctant to use electricity, indicating their meager living conditions.
"Zhao Sanwang, are you asleep yet? It's Xie Sui!"
Zhao Sanwang emerged, clad in a robe, his eyes dark. "Xie Sui, what do you want?"
"Let's talk inside. I'm cold if you're not."
Xie Sui entered on his own accord. The earthen-walled room had a large communal sleeping platform. Four or five children were lying there, all looking up at him. The girls shyly burrowed into their blankets. The children shared only two blankets, and the family had just one bed, divided by a curtain in the middle.
Zhao Sanwang's face darkened. Sanwang's wife didn't offer him water, regarding Xie Sui like an enemy.
"Uncle Sanwang, I'm not here to settle scores today. I just want to ask you, what are you thinking? Do you really want to oppose me to the very end?"
"If you nod, I'll leave immediately. From this moment on, we'll have no connection."
Zhao Sanwang said, "It's not that I'm opposing you, but your Xie family has bullied us too much. You even took more land from us for farming, and we pay more in village levies than the Xie family. Isn't that bullying?"
"Does that have anything to do with me? I haven't bullied you. What about your wife pinching my child's cheek?"
Zhao Sanwang's wife's expression turned ugly. She argued, "I wasn't paying attention at the time, and it wasn't intentional."
"Is that so? Then I won't pay attention to your children either. If they get bumped or hurt, it won't be intentional. As parents, you shouldn't say that."
The couple's faces instantly changed. "What do you want?"
Xie Sui said, "I don't want anything. I'm just warning you not to pull any of that nonsense on me. My politeness towards you isn't because I fear you, but because I believe it's better to resolve animosities than to create them. If this is your attitude, then I'll leave as if I never came."
He stood up to leave. Zhao Sanwang quickly stopped him. "Wait, it's my fault. You cheap woman, is it that hard to apologize? Why did you pinch their child? I want to beat you to death myself!"
Sanwang's wife lowered her head and said, "I'm sorry, it was my fault. I was also uncomfortable. I was just angry at the moment, and I regret it."
She regretted being caught and losing face, not for pinching the child. Xie Sui saw through her thoughts. "You took your anger out on the child. If you hadn't been caught, would you have dared to be even harsher next time?"
"No, I promise I won't."
Xie Sui ignored her and looked at Zhao Sanwang. "My father voluntarily came to pay for the rabbit, yet you extorted a hundred yuan from me. What were you thinking? Did you think you were getting a good deal, and now you'll hold a grudge against Xie Sui over a hundred yuan?"
"It's not like that. I was wrong. I'll return the hundred yuan to you."
Xie Sui took out ten yuan. "I won't take advantage of you either. I'll give you what's rightfully yours. Tomorrow, discuss a plan with your Zhao family. If you want to reconcile with the Xie family, show some sincerity. I'll act as a mediator and speak on your behalf.
In the future, if there are any jobs in the county, I'll think of your family too, not just the Xie family. There are many profitable jobs. As long as you're willing to work hard, life will get better.
But if you resort to crooked means, bullying, and always trying to be the best, then I'm afraid Xie Sui will show you what regret looks like."
Xie Sui finished speaking and turned to leave, leaving the couple looking at each other in dismay.
"Husband, what do we do now?"
"I'll go visit Uncle Tiegang. You useless woman, you caused all this trouble."
"Didn't you also extort money from him? How can it all be my fault!"
Zhao Sanwang had no time to argue with her. This matter had to be discussed by the Zhao family. Tomorrow was Xie Sui's child's full moon celebration, and it would be difficult to see him again after that. This was their last chance.
The night passed uneventfully. The lights at Zhao Tiegang's house stayed on until late. The next day, many members of the Zhao family came to Xie Sui's house to help, bringing monetary gifts of one or two yuan as a token of their regard.
Xie Sui had prepared the most lavish feast, with eighteen dishes: eight cold dishes and ten hot dishes, all of them meat. Finally, there was egg drop soup, and the staple was large white steamed buns. The aroma wafted throughout the entire village.
The Zhao and Xie families remained distinct, with only a few people from other surnames mixed in. However, they all stood with the Xie family, like Zhang Wenfeng's family, who would naturally side with the Xie family. Invisibly, the Xie family's support grew. Su Dan Novel Network.
Village head Xie Chengping watched Zhao Tiegang with a sinister gaze, still harboring hopes of a comeback.
Xie Sui invited the elders from both families into the house. These were all respected old men in the village. He got straight to the point: "I don't understand why people in our village have become like this. Today, at my house's full moon banquet, I hope both families can bury the hatchet and live in unity and harmony from now on. We're all villagers; splitting into factions is a laughing matter."
Zhao Tiegang said, "On behalf of the Zhao family, I apologize to the Xie family for any previous offenses. We apologize."
Xie Chengping, however, said, "Can a simple apology resolve everything? Don't forget what Zhao Tie Lin did. His family embezzled so much, and it was the hard-earned money of our Xie family."
Xie Sui said, "Village head, let's not bring up old debts. Zhao Tie Lin has been punished, and all the stolen goods have been confiscated by the state, not falling into his hands.
As the village head, you should be impartial. The Zhao family is also a member of this village. Uniting all the members is what a village head should do."
"Xiao Sui is right. You, as the village head, are not fair. You always favor the Xie family, which is why the Zhao family is unhappy."
Xie Chengping became angry. "If you're not satisfied, I don't want to be the village head anymore. Whoever wants it can have it. Xiao Sui, you're turning your back on your own. Don't forget who took care of your parents and elders. Wasn't your land tilled with everyone's help?"
Xie Sui wouldn't tolerate him. This old man was the root of all the conflict, and now he wanted to use moral blackmail?