Tang Guihua believed that Luo Yang was capable of protecting her, but she still worried about her brother being beaten by Lin Guofa.
She could often stay in the village and not go out, then Lin Guofa wouldn't be able to do anything to her.
It was different for Tang Dexing, who couldn't hide in the Hongyun Brigade for decades. Being a man, he had to venture out to strive. Having enmity with Lin Guofa, he never knew when the enemy might kill him.
"Are you planning to negotiate with Lin Guofa, or what?" Tang Guihua asked curiously.
"I'll fight until he's scared," Luo Yang replied.
"What if he doesn't dare to settle scores with you, but goes after my brother instead?" Tang Guihua said with a delicate voice.
Her concern was reasonable.
Luo Yang's skills were not something ordinary people could deal with, so it was possible that Lin Guofa would take revenge on Luo Yang's relatives and friends because he couldn't vent his anger on him.
Let alone Tang Dexing, even Luo Yang's family members might be subjected to Lin Guofa's reprisal.
"Sister Guihua, don't be scared, I'm here. If I can't even protect my brother-in-law, then I'm not a competent brother-in-law," Luo Yang said as he gently patted Tang Guihua's buttocks to comfort her.
Previously, Tang Guihua had been eager to find out how Luo Yang would resolve his grudge with Lin Guofa, not paying attention to other matters.
Gradually, she felt a bit shy and said, "Niu Zai, you've grown more mature."
Saying this, she tried to get off his lap.
"Sister Guihua, it's okay. We're both clothed," Luo Yang said, holding her tightly by the waist.
Just then, footsteps were heard outside. Luo Yang recognized that it was An Yuying arriving. He quickly placed Tang Guihua on the bed, gave her a peck on the lips, and then went to the bathroom.
Just as he entered the bathroom, An Yuying's voice rang out, "Niu Zai, Guihua, may I come in?"
Tang Guihua responded, "Sure."
Immediately, the sound of the door opening was followed by footsteps, which indicated that An Yuying had entered the room. Then her curious voice was heard, "Eh, where is Niu Zai?"
Tang Guihua said, "In the bathroom."
Two minutes later, Luo Yang came out of the bathroom. He first massaged Tang Guihua and then they all went to the Xiaoshulin Market together to buy barbecue ingredients and to treat Cheng Xin's father.
Luo Yang, An Yuying, Hong Jiaxin, and Fang Lin rode in Tang Guihua's car, while Qin Piao prepared the dining utensils at home. Xiao Daniu followed them on his motorcycle.
Soon, they arrived at the Xiaoshulin Market, where Luo Yang took Hong Jiaxin to a hotel, and the others went to the food market to buy vegetables, charcoal, and barbecue forks.
The hotel was a three-story building. The first floor sold tobacco and alcohol, and the rooms were on the second and third floors.
Cheng Xin and her father were already waiting in a hotel room. She hurried down to greet Luo Yang and brought him up after receiving his call. She was a bit nervous, as she hadn't told her father which village Luo Yang was from.
In a room at the very end of the second floor, Luo Yang met Cheng Nan, Cheng Xin's father, a man in his fifties, slightly overweight, with a mustache on his upper lip, and he looked somewhat imposing.
No one from the Hongyun Brigade, like Luo Yang, had been seen getting along so well with the village head of the Xingang Brigade, talking and laughing like old friends.
After some pleasantries, just as they were about to start the treatment, Cheng Nan abruptly asked Luo Yang which town he was from.
Luo Yang thought that lying would only lead to awkward encounters later, so he truthfully said he was a villager from the Hongyun Brigade. No sooner had he finished speaking than he saw Cheng Nan's expression change.
Cheng Xin didn't dare to persuade him and just stood there, her face filled with unease.
"We people from the Xingang Brigade don't need medical care from you folks from the Hongyun Brigade!" Cheng Nan said coldly.
He was quite agitated, his hands slightly shaking, and anger flashed in his eyes as he looked at his daughter. From the slight twitching of the muscles on his face, it was clear he wanted to scold her right then, as she had deceived him.
Then, with a heavy snort, he strode towards the door. But after only a few steps, he clutched his chest, unable to walk any further.
"Dad!"
Cheng Xin went up to support Cheng Nan and knew he was overly excited and had a heart attack.
"Please save my dad!" Cheng Xin pleaded.
"Help him to the bed." Luo Yang went up to assist Cheng Nan.
At this moment, Cheng Nan was nearly meeting his Maker and could only let others handle him as he was placed on the bed.
Luo Yang immediately took out his silver needles, fortunately sterilized at home already, so no further disinfection was needed, and performed acupuncture on Cheng Nan. He had treated this type of illness before and carried out the procedure with ease, without any unfamiliarity.
After the acupuncture, Cheng Nan's breathing stabilized.
Seeing her father was all right and knowing Luo Yang was genuinely skilled, Cheng Xin was very relieved. At the moment her father fell ill, she had considered taking him to a hospital but during her hesitation, she took a chance on Luo Yang.
Luo Yang took out paper and pen from his backpack and wrote: 10 grams each of Astragalus membranaceus and Codonopsis Root, 12 grams of Polygonatum, 6 grams of licorice root, 9 grams of Red Sage, 6 grams each of Red Peony Root, and safflower. If chest pain is significant, add cinnamon twig and aconite, change Codonopsis Root to ginseng; if the tongue is red with little fluid, add Polygonatum sibiricum, raw Rehmannia, and Ophiopogon japonicus. Boil in water and drink, 1 dose per day, in 2 servings.
After writing, he handed the prescription to Cheng Nan.
Cheng Nan took it, looked at the prescription, and finally asked, "How much is it?"
Luo Yang said, "No charge. I treated you to help resolve the historical grievances between our two villages. As the village head, you should have this capability."
After pondering for a moment, Cheng Nan said, "My agreement is not enough. Not to mention other issues, just with your Hongyun Brigade alone, would there be an agreement to reconcile?"
Luo Yang confidently said, "There won't be any problems on the Hongyun Brigade's side. It depends on you now."
He had saved Village Chief Xie Runfa and was confident in facilitating this matter.
"In our Xingang Brigade, it takes two people's agreement to have hope. One is me, and the other is a clansman with the surname Yu, Yu Baiqiang. He is much more stubborn than I am. It won't be easy to convince him," Cheng Nan stated.
"Everyone should make an effort, maybe it can be done," Luo Yang said.
"You are young and have such generosity; it's only logical for me to try my best, but I can't be sure about persuading Yu Baiqiang," Cheng Nan said.
After chatting leisurely for a while longer, everyone dispersed.
Just as he was about to meet up with An Yuying and the others, he received a call from Zhu Li.
Once connected, he heard Zhu Li say, "Niu Zai, I heard from people on the street that the Lin Family wants to have you killed. You need to be cautious about your safety."
Luo Yang heard it, thinking that the Lin Family was really overbearing, and it appeared there was no possibility of coexistence.
"Got it. We are having a barbecue at noon, do you and Sister Chen want to come?" Luo Yang asked.
"Sure," Zhu Li answered promptly.
As Luo Yang hung up the phone, seeing his expression grow slightly solemn, Hong Jiaxin asked with concern what trouble he had encountered. They had spent considerable time together, and her fondness for him had greatly increased. By now, she was as dependent on him as he was on her; his problems were her problems too.
Luo Yang didn't want to frighten her and said it was nothing.
"Am I a three-year-old child? What's with all the secrecy?" Hong Jiaxin scoffed.
"It's just a small matter," Luo Yang brushed it off.
However, as she insisted on uncovering the whole story, he ended up telling her about the Lin Family's intention to send him to meet Buddha.
Hong Jiaxin was genuinely shocked by the news, and while she couldn't help much, she could only worry.
"Don't tell anyone else," Luo Yang instructed.
She nodded, her eyes full of care but also helplessness.