When Ban Qin heard the voice, a flicker of surprise flashed in her eyes, but she quickly recovered, her gaze filled with mockery again. "Oh, so the country bumpkin has heard of the Wen Group?"
"Heard of it, what's the problem?" Xin Xuanlai's tone was calm, making it impossible to discern his thoughts.
"Since you've heard of it, you should know that Yu Zhi marrying our Da Niu is a very good match." Ban Qin's eyes were full of pride and self-satisfaction. "You know, Da Niu and Er Niu have a very good relationship. If Yu Zhi marries Da Niu, Er Niu will definitely find Yu Zhi an easy and high-paying job at the Wen Group. Isn't that better than now?"
Yu Zhi frowned. "My current job is good, and I am very grateful that your family sent my father to the hospital back then and provided the money in time so that my father's treatment was not delayed. But matters of the heart cannot be forced, and besides, I don't want to be in a relationship right now. Don't push it too far."
Ban Qin's expression completely changed. "Are you saying you took the money and are not taking responsibility? There's absolutely no such disgusting thing in this world."
As she spoke, Ban Qin directly raised her voice and shouted, accusing Yu Zhi's family of being snobbish and saying that Yu Zhi was doing something shameful outside.
"Auntie, are you trying to force our family to death before you're satisfied?" Father Yu clutched his chest, staring intently at Ban Qin. "We have already paid back the money, and Xiao Zhi is capable and earns money cleanly outside. She is the only college student in our village. How can you talk like this?"
Ban Qin wanted to say something more, but her pupils contracted, and she stared intently at the person behind Yu Zhi. "You, what do you want? This is a society governed by law. I advise you to put down whatever you're holding, or I'll call the police."
"Call the police?" Xin Xuanlai toyed with the toy dagger in his hand. "Are you talking about Da Niu stealing valuable items and being apprehended, or about Er Niu, who appears to be a high-ranking executive at the Wen Group, but is actually just a struggling employee who can't make ends meet?"
"You, you're slandering."
"Am I?"
Xin Xuanlai stepped forward and helped Father Yu to Yu Zhi's side, his voice gentle. "Leave this to me. I was investigating things just now, so I let her run her mouth."
"Our Xiao Zhi'er is not that kind of person."
A breeze blew past Father Yu's mottled white hair. He stubbornly held Xin Xuanlai's arm, his eyes red, but he still said firmly, "Xiao Zhi'er, she's really good, very outstanding."
No, don't listen to those people talking nonsense.
"I know, Uncle. Don't worry, I know what a good person Xiao Zhi'er is, and I certainly won't let anyone tarnish her reputation."
"Xiao Zhi'er, take care of your father. Leave this to me."
"Thank you."
Yu Zhi felt that beyond these two words, she didn't know what else to say.
"There, there, leave this to me."
Xin Xuanlai turned to face Ban Qin, the gentleness on his body sweeping away, replaced by a chilling aura somewhat similar to Wen Zhiyan's.
"You, don't come any closer." Ban Qin took a step back in fear. "I'm telling you, this is a society governed by law. Acting physically is illegal."
"Acting physically?" Xin Xuanlai chuckled lightly. "Do you think you're worthy?"
After speaking, Xin Xuanlai looked around at the villagers who were watching the show, the smile on his lips deepening. "Tell me, do the people in your village know about the illegal activities you've been up to?"
Ban Qin's face turned pale.
"For example, embezzling public funds that you collected for bridge construction." A mischievous smile appeared in Xin Xuanlai's eyes. "Oh, I remember, the bridge in your village collapsed in a flood not long after it was built, right? How many children died then?"
"Is what you're saying true?" An old man leaning on a cane rushed out from the crowd and strode towards Xin Xuanlai.
"Village head, it's not like that. Don't listen to this outsider talking nonsense. The authorities said that flood was a once-in-a-century event, and it's normal for our bridge to collapse, isn't it?" Hearing this, Ban Qin's heart instantly panicked.
This was over ten years ago. How did this man find out?
Impossible, absolutely impossible. Everyone who knew about this back then had left this place. There couldn't be any evidence.
Yes, he's just a young punk. Even if he could find out, it's probably just a superficial understanding. As long as there's no sufficient evidence, if I stubbornly deny it, what can they do to me?
"Is that so?" Xin Xuanlai glanced at the surrounding villagers, then finally fixed his gaze on the village head. "Grandpa Village Head, don't you all want to know?"
"We do," the village head tightened his grip on his cane and stared intently at Xin Xuanlai. "As long as you provide evidence, I can get justice for my precious grandson."
For more than ten years, he hadn't been able to sleep soundly. Every time he closed his eyes, he dreamt of his precious grandson calling him grandpa sweetly. How many times, how many times had he wanted to leave with his grandson like this.
But he knew he couldn't. His old wife was still in bed. If he left, his old wife would have no one to take care of her.
"Village head, don't listen to this young punk's nonsense. He's not even from our village, how could he know these things? He's probably just trying to sow discord among us. Our old Huang family has done a lot for the village. You can't just turn around and accuse us of taking kickbacks from the village."
"Whether it's true or not, won't we know when he presents the evidence?" a villager said impatiently. "Aunt Ban, the way you are acting now makes you look guilty. Do you know that?"
"Exactly. The incident fifteen years ago is a pain for our village. We also have the right to know the truth, don't we?"
"Yes, do you remember the family that originally lived at the entrance of the village? After their child drowned in the flood on the bridge, both parents committed suicide by jumping into the river. Really, it's heartbreaking to think about it now."
"Aunt Ban, the people in our village trust you very much. But now you're repeatedly obstructing us from finding evidence. What do you mean by that?"
"Perhaps there's something fishy going on. Don't you remember that within a year after the flood, their family built a house with blue bricks and grey tiles? Everyone was poor back then. Where did their family get the money?"
"That was money my husband earned from working outside," Aunt Ban said, hands on her hips, glaring ferociously at the surroundings. "My husband is capable and knows how to earn money for us. You people benefited from our family in the past few years, and now, after my husband's death, you're targeting our family, aren't you?"
"Benefited from your family? Are you talking about squandering village hard-earned money on your son's lavish lifestyle, or using substandard materials to build houses for the village?"