CHAPTER 53: CHAPTER 052: LETTING THE WOMEN DECIDE?

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"No money? No money! Damn it, just smash it!" Lin Aiguo, enraged to the point where the veins in his neck bulged and his eyes turned red as if crazier, lifted the hoe slightly off-target, directly smashing it onto the window sill beside him, causing the wooden bars of the window curtain to shatter instantly.

Even though Lin Aiguo acted impulsively, he knew the difference between injuring someone and just scaring them. Essentially, Lin Aiguo was the type of villain who lacked courage; he could not be a completely ruthless bad guy, nor was he any purely virtuous and good person.

"Stop!"

As Lin Aiguo was about to lead his group to smash into the Zhang Family’s house again, a loud shout erupted in haste from outside the courtyard.

It turned out that Zhang Zhiming, who had run all the way here, instinctively shouted to stop when he heard the sound of objects being smashed.

He didn’t want anyone to end up dead.

Thus, without having fully grasped the situation, he instinctively shouted.

Luckily, Zhang Zhiming had quite a reputation in Shanglin Village, and upon hearing his voice, Lin Aiguo finally restrained his aggressive behavior, and saw the villagers consciously make way, and half a minute later, he saw the breathless village chief of Shanglin Village, Zhang Zhiming.

The scene was momentarily stunned.

As Zhang Zhiming ran, he tried to calm the anxiety pounding in his throat, relieved to see no traces of anyone being physically harmed, and seeing the leading party, his dissatisfaction towards his cousin’s family’s actions grew even more.

"Perfect timing, you all are from the Zhang Family, you can’t just forcefully snatch someone’s daughter registry and consider her taken as a wife, can you? Captain Zhang, after all, you are the village chief of Shanglin, you wouldn’t let your cousin bully men and dominate women, right?"

In the Qingshan Team, aside from the team leader, each village head served as the captain of their village, so it was also correct for Lin Aiguo to call him that. After all, he was not from Shanglin Village, so he didn’t need to address him as the village chief, but rather generically as ’Captain’.

Seeing that someone in charge had finally arrived, Lin Aiguo thought to himself, this is perfect timing, he feared that the Zhang Family wouldn’t have anyone to stand up! Damn it, this is the first time he’s suffered such a big loss, how could he just concede so easily!

Although Lin Aiguo’s physique was indeed disabled and unsightly, he was no fool; his mind wasn’t faulty, otherwise, he wouldn’t have been able to survive through the 50s and 60s, taking care of his old mother and sister while being just over ten years old!

"Mr. Lin, please watch your words!" Zhang Zhiguo, hearing the direct accusation of the Zhang Family ’bullying men and dominating women’, immediately coldly called out. This accusation couldn’t be admitted, for once admitted, right or wrong, it would be wrong.

Upon hearing from Dazhu that Lin Aiguo had come making trouble, the trip originally planned to Qingfeng Village for a wedding was directly interrupted, and hearing villagers say that the Lin Family came armed with hoes and sticks, he couldn’t care less about the family members behind him, and ran ahead.

"Bullshit, watch your words. I am just a blunt man, Captain Zhang, don’t beat around the bush with me. We’re all men, let’s talk business, I am still waiting to take the bride price back to get married!"

"Alright, straightforward, men like to speak directly. Mr. Lin, just speak up, what’s the issue here that caused you to gather a crowd and create a disturbance?"

High hats, who can’t throw one, hmph!

Zhang Zhiming coldly retorted, calmly took a cigarette and handed it to the most prestigious middle-aged man brought by Lin Aiguo, while seemingly nodding in agreement, yet his words carried a hidden threat. He glanced disdainfully at the cousin barely supported by two granddaughters, feeling extremely irritated inside.

Useless, completely like mud that can’t be propped up!

"No no no, Brother Zhiming, we are not here to cause a disturbance, please don’t accuse us falsely!" The middle-aged man’s hands stiffened as he received the cigarette, hurriedly pushed it back, not daring to accept the cigarette, and quietly explained, "We are here just to witness for Comrade Lin Aiguo, brother, please show mercy!"

"Oh~~" Zhang Zhiming noncommittally responded and finally set his eyes on the anxious Lin Aiguo.

"Captain Zhang, we definitely weren’t causing a public disturbance! This matter is quite simple, it’s all because your Zhang Family’s Dongliang handled things unethically. He tricked my sister and directly registered for a marriage certificate without even providing a betrothal gift. Isn’t this a slap in the face of our Lin Family?"

The middle-aged man nodded in agreement and advised, "Brother Zhiming, we are getting relatives, not enemies. Let’s discuss things whenever they come up. After all, the kids have already got their marriage certificate, and ultimately, it’s the Lin Family who loses out. Look, Aiguo’s situation is just so-so, if you don’t give him an explanation, this kid’s future will be..."

The middle-aged man pushed a cigarette towards Zhang Zhiming but offered one to himself instead. He didn’t make any definitive statements. After all, if he really let his own nephew end up lonely and old, that would reflect poorly on him as an uncle.

Now, he could only stand at the high ground of public opinion and let the people cause a commotion.

Given the unscrupulous actions of the Zhang Family, many people indeed looked down upon both the Zhang and Lin families. However, on this matter, the villagers still felt the Zhang Family was more unreasonable.

After all, regardless of the situation, matters involving reputation typically affect women more adversely.

Moreover, whether it was Lin Aimei who instigated Zhang Dongliang to steal the family’s money or if Zhang Dongliang tricked Lin Aimei into leaving their hometown, with neither party present, it was truly difficult to clarify.

In any case, it is an inevitable fact that Zhang Dongliang will be denounced by the villagers as a thief in the future. Even though Lin Zhaodi has always emphasized that her precious son ’took’ and did not steal. But realistically, what is this ’taking’ without asking? Fact speaks louder than words.

And Lin Aimei, whether she willingly left with a man, was abducted, or worst of all, instigated the only son of the Zhang family to steal money and elope, her reputation is utterly ruined.

"Bullshit! My Dongliang has always been a good boy; it is definitely your wonderful sister who enticed Dongliang to take the money! Now our family has no money, if you dare to threat life, just take it all! I really want to see if your wonderful sister is planning not ever to come back! Furthermore, such a daughter-in-law, my Zhang Family can’t afford to recognize—can’t afford!"

When Lin Zhaodi saw her cousin-in-law appear with the village officials, she who was previously cowering behind her husband, now, hearing Lin Aiguo’s words, immediately strides forward and shouts without thinking.

"Old woman, get lost, you have no right to speak here! Zhang Gou’er, you aren’t so cowardly as to hide behind an old woman, are you?"

A young man behind Lin Aiguo looked disdainfully at Lin Zhaodi, then lecherously kept his gaze fixed on the Zhang sisters at the back, speaking very rudely.

"Where did this wannabe come from? Keep staring and I’ll blind your lustful eyes!" Lin Zhaodi, seeing the man’s lanky build, did not flinch as she pointed at him and yelled.

A roar that could rival the Lioness from Hedong.

However, Lin Zhaodi’s words did not frighten the Lin Family men opposite her; rather, it made Zhang Zhiguo, who usually couldn’t stand up to her, slightly shrink back in fear, causing those who noticed his reaction to burst out laughing.

"..." Zhang Zhiming glared at his cousin with frustration, unable to imagine how his heroic grand-uncle managed to have such a worthless son! It truly tarnished the reputation of his revolutionary, manly grandfather!

"Captain Zhang, does your Zhang Family really let a woman call the shots?" Lin Aiguo stared eerily as he sized up Lin Zhaodi.

And truth be told, having given birth to the three exceptional daughters, Lin Zhaodi’s features were not ugly; otherwise, she wouldn’t have married Zhang Zhiguo, who was considered one of the best catches back then.

But the good times did not last long. Zhang Zhiguo himself could not make a stand, and Lin Zhaodi, becoming increasingly disappointed and aggressive over time, completely dominated Zhang Zhiguo. After the death of Zhang Honghan, her father-in-law, she disregarded even the old lady, and since then, Zhang Zhiguo has always been the oppressed one.

The couple had three daughters and one son, none of whom feared him, only Zhang Shanni was the most compliant. Yet Zhang Zhiguo, who only thought about having a son, failed utterly to appreciate her good behavior, and ended up selling off his obedient daughter.

Zhang Zhiguo, feeling humiliated by Lin Aiguo’s belittling, his face red with anger, but seeing his fierce wife ready for a fight, didn’t dare reply, instead warily watched Lin Zhaodi from the side, trying to be cautious.

The Zhang sisters, already disgusted by the young man’s gaze, dared not speak out at this moment, fearing it would attract further offensive scrutiny from those ruffians, risking their own reputation and facing their husbands’ wrath back home!

For a moment, the air seemed to have frozen, as the villagers watched the Zhang Family looking at each other in confusion, all appearing utterly helpless.