"I'm afraid I won't live to start it."
Jiang Xiaobai weighed the car keys in his hand, sighed, and tossed them back to Shen Bingqian.
"What do you mean?" Shen Bingqian frowned, turned her head to look at Liu Changhe, who still clutched a kitchen knife, and said to Wan Honglei, "Mayor Wan, what is the deal with this person? Is he a butcher? Why is he always carrying a knife!"
"Liu Changhe! What are you doing!"
Wan Honglei stomped his foot and bellowed. Liu Changhe hurriedly threw away the kitchen knife, then ran over with his hands rubbed together, nodding and bowing to Shen Bingqian and Fang Shide.
"Liu Changhe, whose Spiritual Tablet and portrait are you holding?" Wan Honglei asked.
Before Liu Changhe could answer, Jiang Xiaobai said, "Mayor, you've got to stand up for me! Liu Changhe wants to kill me; he took my grandfather's Spiritual Tablet and portrait, threatening me that if I don't comply, he will shatter my grandfather's Spiritual Tablet and soak his portrait in a chamber pot."
Jiang Xiaobai was crying his eyes out; seizing the opportunity, he not only wanted to make Liu Changhe suffer but also wanted to scare him.
"Mayor Wan, I..." Liu Changhe was at a loss for words because everything Jiang Xiaobai said was true.
"Liu Changhe, I have really misjudged you. You are too shameless, you don't even spare the dead. You really have some nerve!"
Wan Honglei shook his head and sighed. Lai Changqing, standing aside, was thrilled. Now that Liu Changhe had played with fire and was burning himself, it looked like he was going to lose his backer in Wan Honglei.
"Old Liu, really, how could you stoop so low? Come on, give me the portrait and Spiritual Tablet." Lai Changqing took the portrait and Spiritual Tablet from Liu Changhe and returned them to their rightful place.
Shen Bingqian gave Fang Shide a suggestive glance, and he nodded slightly to show he understood.
"Mayor Wan, I hope you handle this matter properly. Comrade Jiang Xiaobai is a good comrade; he has been kind to Miss Shen, and I hope you thoroughly investigate this matter and restore justice to Comrade Jiang Xiaobai."
Fang Shide spoke in an official tint, but it was exactly this kind of tone that was most effective on people like Wan Honglei. Wan Honglei quickly nodded and pounded his chest in assurance, "Miss Shen and Secretary Fang, rest assured, I will handle this matter well and restore justice to Comrade Jiang Xiaobai!"
Liu Changhe felt as if his heart had fallen into an ice pit; it was completely frozen. Wan Honglei's words had settled the nature of today's events; not only was he unable to avenge his son, but he would also be punished for it.
Liu Changhe was recalcitrant but powerless. After all, a high-ranking official crushed the one below. Although he could throw his weight around in Nanwan Village like he was somebody, in front of Wan Honglei, he was afraid he wasn't even qualified to act the part of a sycophantic grandchild.
Wan Honglei was also helpless. Liu Changhe was his man, and he didn't want to discipline him, but with Fang Shide bringing Shen Bingqian along, this was even scarier than Shen Rongfu himself showing up. If he didn't handle this matter beautifully to Shen Bingqian's satisfaction, Shen Rongfu would deal with him.
"Lai Changqing, do you know what's going on here?"
Wan Honglei didn't ask Liu Changhe or Jiang Xiaobai; instead, he turned to Lai Changqing. Being from Nanwan Village, Wan Honglei knew he must be aware of the situation.
Lai Changqing was the kind of person who would kick someone while they were down. Seizing the opportunity, he didn't hesitate to further sabotage Liu Changhe, embellishing the story. He revealed even irrelevant things to the incident, like how Puffy Tiger had always been a local bully who harassed men and women. In Lai's storytelling, Puffy Tiger turned into a major tyrant oppressing both men and women in Nanwan Village.
"Liu Changhe, what a son you have raised!" Wan Honglei feigned a look of heartfelt pain, pointing at Liu Changhe's nose and berating him.
"This is the result of your poor parenting. Such behavior from your son at such a young age. Consider this a lesson for him; otherwise, who knows what trouble he'll cause in society later on. Liu Changhe, you should feel fortunate, you should thank Comrade Jiang Xiaobai. A little hardship now won't do your son any harm."
Wan Honglei lectured at length while Liu Changhe hung his head the entire time, like a leaf withered by the scorching sun at the tip of a tree.
"Alright, I won't say much more. Liu Changhe, it's your turn, hurry up and apologize to Comrade Jiang Xiaobai, and make clear your attitude!"
Liu Changhe took a deep breath, swallowing all his resentment.
"Miss Shen, Secretary Fang, Mayor Wan, this incident is my fault. I have spoiled my child too much, leading him to be lawless. I will definitely discipline him properly from now on, helping him to realize his mistakes and to start anew."
Shen Bingqian sneered coldly, expressing her dissatisfaction.
Wan Honglei hurriedly said, "Liu Changhe, why are you apologizing to us? I think you, well, just can't change your ways. It looks like the village head's..."
Before Wan Honglei could finish, Liu Changhe quickly interrupted him, fearful that if Wan Honglei continued, his position as village head would be yanked away.
"Jiang Xiaobai, today I acted rashly. When I get back, I will surely punish that unfilial son! You are a man of great tolerance, please forgive me."
Liu Changhe, afraid that Wan Honglei would publicly strip him of his village head position, dropped to his knees with a "thump," unexpectedly kneeling before Jiang Xiaobai.
Jiang Xiaobai said in a mocking tone, "Village head, why are you kneeling?"
Publicly humiliated by Jiang Xiaobai, with his face completely lost, Liu Changhe wished he could find a hole to crawl into. He despised Jiang Xiaobai to death, his mind flashing with countless ways to torture him. Just give him the chance, and he would make Jiang Xiaobai's life a living hell.
"Jiang Xiaobai, you're so disgusting!"
Upon hearing Jiang Xiaobai's coarse language, Shen Bingqian felt so disgusted that she got goosebumps.
"Ahem, Comrade Xiaobai, I think Liu Changhe's apology seems sincere, and his attitude is quite good. What do you think?" Wan Honglei started to speak in support of Liu Changhe.
Jiang Xiaobai nodded and said, "It's okay, I've forgiven him."
Liu Changhe stood up, and Wan Honglei pointed at his nose, saying, "Liu Changhe, remember this: don't bear a grudge, don't seek revenge later. If I find out you haven't repented, hmph, I have plenty of ways to deal with you."
"No, no..." Liu Changhe nodded his head again and again.
"Miss Shen, Secretary Fang, do you think this settles the matter appropriately?" Wan Honglei smiled broadly at the two.
"You guys go out first; I have some words to discuss privately with Jiang Xiaobai."
After sending Fang Shide and the others away, Shen Bingqian circled Jiang Xiaobai a few times, finally unable to hold back her chuckles, covering her cherry lips as she laughed out loud.
"What are you laughing at?" Jiang Xiaobai glanced at her sidelong.
Shen Bingqian said, "Jiang Xiaobai, if I had arrived just a moment later, do you think you would have become a eunuch by now?"
"Hmph, even if I had become a eunuch, I would still screw the heavens and the earth!" Jiang Xiaobai's mouth was never forgiving.
"Oh please, is it that hard for you to say 'thank you'?" Shen Bingqian sighed, "You really are... just like a stubborn duck!"