Yang Guang was speechless as he glared at Meng Li. "Enough of your dirty thoughts. I have no dishonorable intentions. I was just being kind!"
"Really? You don't strike me as some good-hearted benefactor. How kind could you be?" Meng Li asked with a smirk.
"Of course I am!"
Yang Guang nodded as he pointed to the house. "Let me ask you this—even if that place is habitable, do you really think that Secretary Xu, a girl, should be living there?"
"That's..."
Meng Li couldn't find the words to rebuke him and only replied after a moment of being caught off guard. "Even so, how is it safer for her to stay at your place?"
"Of course it is. Under my protection, who would dare hurt Secretary Xu?" Yang Guang proclaimed confidently as he patted his chest.
"I'd be even more worried!"
Meng Li couldn't help but laugh as he turned to look at Xu Ling. "Look at the bunch of them in this village. If you live here, won't you be afraid of being taken..."
"Shut it!"
Xu Ling was red in the face as she glared at him fiercely. Then she turned to Yang Guang. "Are there any spare rooms in your house?"
"Of course!" Yang Guang nodded rapidly. "It's just my sister-in-law and me. You can have your own room, or you can bunk with her!"
Xu Ling felt quite relieved when she heard this. "That's great. Let's have a look at your house!"
"Great!" Yang Guang was overjoyed and nodded enthusiastically.
This made Meng Li anxious. He reached his hand out to try and stop them. However, at this moment, a thin, dark man in his fifties ran into the yard. His eyes lit up when he saw Xu Ling. He hurried over and asked, "Are you Secretary Xu? "
"That's me. Are you Village Chief Sun?" Xu Ling asked.
"Yes! I am!"
Sun Guoying wiped his hands on his pants and stretched out one of them, grinning widely, wanting to shake her hand.
Xu Ling hesitated for a moment but she eventually extended her hand as well.
Holding her soft and delicate hand, Sun Guoying was overcome with emotion. He said with a smile, "Secretary Xu, I didn't expect you to arrive so soon. I was going to find someone to clean up the house in a couple of days. Since you got here early, why don't you stay at my place? I have a separate, vacant room, which is very clean!"
"Oh... it's all right. There's no need for that!"
Xu Ling pulled her hand back and shook her head. "I have decided to stay at his house!"
"What?"
Sun Guoying was stunned for a second before he turned to look at Yang Guang who was grinning gleefully. He hurriedly walked over and said in a low voice, "What do you think you are doing? Go home!"
"Uncle Guoying, did you plan this? No wonder Secretary Xu didn't know about the true state of the village headquarters. You didn't tell her the truth, did you?" Yang Guang asked him with a cold laugh.
"You! What nonsense are you talking about?" Sun Guoying glared at him. "Go on back home and don't create trouble! Otherwise, just wait and see how I'll deal with you!"
In the past, Yang Guang wouldn't have dared to provoke the village chief, but now it was quite different.
He scoffed, "I'm determined to create trouble!"
He could see that Sun Guoying already knew that the new secretary would be a woman, so he made the false promise that there was a place for her to stay. However, he never had any intention to clean up the headquarters.
It was all just a ruse so he could invite Xu Ling to stay at his place!
As to what evil intentions Sun Guoying might have, that was something only he himself would know.
Yang Guang knew that he was not so bold as to do anything severely out of line to the secretary, but this man was lustful. It was not unimaginable that he would take some advantage of her while she was staying with him!
Xu Ling was an attractive woman, and Yang Guang was now bursting with a sense of justice. He vowed to never allow her to be taken advantage of by anyone!
So he turned to Xu Ling and suggested, "Secretary Xu, it's getting late. Let's go back to my place. My sister-in-law shall cook up something delicious to welcome you!"
"Sounds good!" Xu Ling nodded. She had just graduated from college and didn't have much experience with the wider society. However, between Yang Guang and Sun Guoying, she was more willing to put her trust in this inexperienced youth—simply of because of the honesty in his eyes.
As such, Xu Ling picked up her suitcase and prepared to leave with Yang Guang.
Right at this moment, Meng Li suddenly spoke, "Xu Ling, are you serious about staying with this kid? Aren't you afraid that something might happen?"
Xu Ling nodded. "I trust him!"
Meng Li's body trembled with anger. "Then don't you regret it! Once you settle down, you may not be able to leave this place, ever, and end up raising a bunch of kids!"
"What are you talking about?"
Xu Ling frowned as her eyes reddened.
What he said was plainly an unabashed insult!
Just as her temper flared, Xu Ling saw a flash in front of her as a figure flew by. This was immediately followed by Meng Li's scream.
When she turned, she saw that he had fallen to the ground.
Xu Ling was stunned. Meng Li was the vice president of the martial arts club at school; how could he be knocked down with just one kick?
At this moment, Meng Li was also a little dazed. He clutched his chest and looked at Yang Guang. "What are you doing?!"
"I am really sick of you and your poor attitude. I don't know what your relationship with Secretary Xu is, but you deserve a beating if you keep talking trash!"
Yang Guang squinted his eyes and gestured for Meng Li to come at him. "If you have more to say, then get up. Let me teach you a lesson on manners!"
"You're so dead!"
Having been brought to the ground with a single kick, Meng Li felt that he had suffered a tremendous insult. He got up from the ground and rushed at his opponent.
He had been caught off guard and was ambushed in that first attack. If given time to ready himself and exercise his martial arts skills, he would undoubtedly be able to teach this insolent boy a lesson!
As soon as he got closer and before he even had the chance to show off his moves, there was a flash before him. Lo and behold, he had already received a loud slap across the face!
The slap was so hard that Meng Li was thrown into a daze. He saw nothing but stars circling him and almost lost his balance.
"That's enough! Stop fighting!"
Xu Ling quickly grabbed Yang Guang. "He'll get seriously hurt if you continue!"
Right now, Meng Li just wanted to bury himself into the ground.
He had been beaten twice in a row by a teenage boy from some village. He had completely lost all dignity!
He covered his cheek with one hand and pointed at Yang Guang with the other. "Just you wait and see! I'm not done with you!"
"Don't you worry. I will be waiting for you right here. Now, get out of Qingshan Village unless you want me to beat the crap out of you!" Yang Guang roared.
Knowing that he gotten on their bad side, Meng Li gave Xu Ling another look. Seeing that she didn't even spare him a glance, he had no choice but to get in the car and leave.
As the car was driven away, Yang Guang looked at Sun Guoying who was next to him. "Uncle Guoying, would you still like to take Secretary Xu to your house?"
"No, no, there's no need to!"
Sun Guoying had been stunned speechless. When did this kid become such a capable fighter?
Wasn't he a weakling who couldn't even go up against the women in the village?
When he witnessed Yang Guang's display of prowess, Sun Guoying decided it was better for him to back down and didn't say another word.
And Yang Guang, as the winner, walked with his head high. With the suitcase in hand, he left the village headquarters with Xu Ling.
The villagers watched the two as they walked through. Xu Ling asked him, "And your name is?"
"I'm Yang Guang. I'm nineteen. How about you, Secretary Xu?" Yang Guang asked in return.
"I'm twenty-two, three years older than you," Xu Ling replied.
Yang Guang smiled. "I see, so you're older..."