Her smile was alluring, yet it seemed to hide some troubles, and the curve of her lips wasn't quite natural.
Luo Yang had no choice but to open his mouth, bite the food, chew for a while, then spit out the fish bones and hurriedly took a few sips of beer to moisten his mouth.
"Is it good?" Qin Piao asked softly.
"Not bad," Luo Yang replied casually while eyeing her fair skin on her chest, then added, "I'll make a call to my sworn sister to ask if she's still hiring."
"What does your sworn sister do?"
"She's the owner of Laixi Bar."
As they spoke, he had already dialed Zhu Li's number, talked for a bit, and learned that the bar was indeed hiring. Luo Yang said he would bring a friend for an interview.
Zhu Li readily agreed, saying she'd wait for them at the bar, and added anxiously at the end,
"Come as soon as you can," she said.
"Okay."
Having hung up, there was no need for Luo Yang to elaborate further; Qin Piao could tell the matter of her job was sorted, the smile on her pretty face brighter yet still tinged with a touch of sadness, evidently troubled.
"Niu Zai, let's toast," Qin Piao raised her beer.
"Sister Piao, how about I take you for the interview now?" Luo Yang suggested.
"Sure. Let's finish the beer first. It's still early, the interview won't take long," she said while fetching another slice of roasted goose and bringing it to his lips.
"Sister Piao, you eat too. I can manage," Luo Yang said as he opened his mouth and bit off the roasted goose she had offered.
"Niu Zai, you would help me with any trouble I have, right?" Qin Piao suddenly asked.
Luo Yang nodded.
Then, she shared the trouble she was facing. By the end, she sighed, "They are clearly bullying me, Niu Zai. You have to stand up for me. I won't let them take this house easily."
Since Zhang Huadong had passed away, his relatives had been trying to force Qin Piao out of her house. Qin Piao wasn't merely hanging onto the house for the money it could bring; she simply had nowhere else to go for the time being and naturally refused to move out. She'd leave when she found someone dear to her; they wouldn't have to force her.
Apparently, Zhang Huadong's cousin Zhang Xiangqian had demanded money from Qin Piao, claiming Zhang Huadong owed him 50,000 yuan from card games played before his death, and now wanted his wife to repay this debt. If the money wasn't paid within three days, he threatened to force her out of the house.
Strangely, there was no debt note, just Zhang Xiangqian's claim. How could Qin Piao believe that?
After listening, Luo Yang pondered, "Brother Dong never liked playing cards; saying that he owed him so much money must be false."
Qin Piao said, "Zhang Xiangqian wants my response this afternoon, whether to pay back the money or compensate with the house. Niu Zai, you must help me. If you don't, I really don't know what to do."
Being alone at Hongyun Brigade without any relatives nearby, Qin Piao felt totally helpless if Luo Yang wouldn't assist.
Luo Yang promptly said, "Sister Piao, don't worry. I'll do my best to help you. They can't reason us out of our rights. Let's talk to them logically first."
Having found someone willing to support her, Qin Piao's anxiety eased, and she said excitedly, "Niu Zai, here, you are my support. Whatever you ask in return, I'll agree."
She gazed at Luo Yang deeply, her voice tender and sincere, filled with heartfelt emotion.
"Sister Piao, don't mention it," Luo Yang replied, avoiding her gaze only because her intensely clinging look was too beguiling, making his heart race with overwhelming allure.
"Here, have another piece of goose," she fetched another slice of roasted goose and brought it to his lips.
"I can do it myself. Sister Piao, you eat too," Luo Yang said, biting into the roasted goose once again while chewing and adding, "Shall I call someone over so we can discuss this together?"
"Who?"
"Village official Fang Lin," he said, "talk to her and see if she has a better solution."
Qin Piao nodded, and Luo Yang called Fang Lin, who happened to be in the dormitory, so he asked her to come over. Fang Lin said she would come.
True to her word, a cigarette's time later, there was a knock at the door.
Luo Yang went to open the door and invited Fang Lin in. Qin Piao enthusiastically invited her to join them for a drink.
Seeing that it was originally just Luo Yang and Qin Piao in the room, and the door was closed, Fang Lin thought, "He and she are here drinking and enjoying themselves, why call me here?"
With that thought, she smiled and said, "Qin Piao, is it your birthday today?"
Qin Piao laughed and said, "No, I've run into some trouble and wanted to ask for your help."
Immediately, Luo Yang told Fang Lin about Qin Piao's trouble.
After listening, Fang Lin analyzed, "If he doesn't have a written debt acknowledgment, just his word, you shouldn't bother about him."
Qin Piao worriedly said, "If I don't deal with him, he'll bother me. He's always shouting about fighting and killing, which is quite frightening. And I can't beat him."
Everyone in Hongyun Brigade knew that Zhang Xiangqian was a thug, and he also hung out with the biggest village rogue, Lang Yifeng. If Zhang Xiangqian were reasonable, things would be easy. But dealing with a bully is like a scholar encountering soldiers; reason gets you nowhere.
Fang Lin knew this matter was tricky and said, "If he dares to mess around, you should call the police."
Qin Piao bitterly said, "If the police arrest him once and he comes back, then what do I do? He might seek revenge even more."
At that moment, Luo Yang said, "Let's first try to sit down and talk with him."
Everyone was from Hongyun Brigade, seeing each other whether they bowed their heads or raised their heads, and they often encountered each other. Luo Yang wouldn't dare to interfere if he weren't very close to Qin Piao.
As the saying goes, even an honest official finds it hard to settle a family dispute.
Although the grievances between Qin Piao and Zhang Xiangqian weren't exactly family affairs, they were matters of the Zhang clan. Luo Yang, being an outsider, would find involving himself troublesome.
Seeing her so lonely and earnestly seeking help, Luo Yang truly couldn't bear to refuse.
"What if he insists I pay him back?" Qin Piao worriedly said.
"We'll see about that." Luo Yang took a big sip of beer.
He was really going all out; if not for the True Qi inside him, he wouldn't have the courage to help Qin Piao.
Fang Lin also agreed with Luo Yang's approach, saying, "Resolving the issue peacefully through communication is the best way. If he really acts aggressively, we'll think of another way to deal with it."
While the three of them were talking, Qin Piao's phone rang, a sad love song playing. She answered, "I'm at home. You want me to pay you back, can you show me the debt acknowledgment? Come to my doorway now, and we'll talk this over properly."
After hanging up, Qin Piao said, "Zhang Xiangqian is coming."
Luo Yang comforted her, "Sister Fang and I are here; we'll help you."
After a while, they heard Zhang Xiangqian calling Qin Piao outside the door.
Going to the entrance, she realized that Zhang Xiangqian hadn't come alone, Tang Jie was with him!
Both Tang and Zhang were surprised to see Luo Yang there.
"Zhang Xiangqian, I've brought someone to reason this out. If you want me to pay you back, do you have the IOU?" Qin Piao confronted him right from the start.
"What IOU? I have a witness who can prove your husband owed me money. If you don't believe me, ask Tang Jie." Zhang Xiangqian waved his arm and yelled.
Having anyone else as a witness might have been fine, but Tang Jie had a well-known desire for Qin Piao's beauty and could never gain her favor. Dead or alive, Qin Piao would never believe his testimony.