Chapter 1419 - 1413: The Proposal
One shouldn't be too ostentatious, especially since you're currently in someone else's territory. Although Shi Rongguang right in front of Lin Chuan was quite disgusting to him, Lin Chuan didn't want to get rid of him since Huang Mengqi's family was here. So, Lin Chuan lightly coughed once, considered for a moment, and calmly said, "You're Shi Guangrong, right!"
"Heh, so you know my name. It seems Meng Qi has told you quite a bit about me. In that case, things will be much easier. Let me tell you, back in the day, my brothers and I were figures who made waves here, and everyone who saw us would stay far away. Back then..."
Shi Rongguang thought Lin Chuan was begging him for mercy, and once he started talking, he couldn't stop, eager to let Lin Chuan know about his trivial past.
Lin Chuan quickly waved his hand, inwardly laughing: In front of me, you're daring to talk about the past! Back in the day, I could just lift a finger and make you useless.
"I heard your name from others, and I'm not interested in your trivial past. I'm just here to tell you my name is Lin Chuan, and I'm Huang Mengqi's boyfriend. Just remember that, and that's all you need to know." Lin Chuan truly didn't want to mingle with these people any further, so he quickly said, wanting to leave as soon as he was done speaking.
"What? You brat, you're really bold enough to say you're Huang Mengqi's boyfriend in front of Brother Guang? Are you looking for death?" yelled the sharp-faced guy beside them loudly.
Yet Shi Rongguang was panting with anger, constantly blowing the long hair in front of his eyes, looking at Lin Chuan with sharp eyes.
"Humph." Lin Chuan snorted lightly, genuinely uninterested in dealing with these people, then turned to look at the canal, where a bunch of kids suddenly shouted loudly, seeming to become quite excited. Perhaps they caught a small fish.
"Kid, don't get too cocky too soon. Early this morning, my parents went to the county to buy wedding gifts, and soon enough, those gifts will likely be sent to Huang Mengqi's house. By then, even if she doesn't agree, she'll have no choice. Once that moment arrives, it'll be better to talk big then."
Shi Rongguang continued, looking sinister: "Right now, I actually hope you don't leave Stone Village. It'd be best if you could come and have a drink at me and Meng Qi's wedding banquet in a few days. Hehe, however, after the banquet, my brothers will give you a proper welcome. If you are wise, leave now, otherwise, my patience is limited."
In the village, there's a matchmaker, the wife of Wang Ergou, who wants to curry favor with the village head. She proactively took charge and promised to handle the marriage affairs. Last night, Wang Ergou's wife exaggerated a lot in front of Shi Rongguang's father, almost as if she had seen Lin Chuan and Huang Mengqi together in bed.
Shi Houcai was annoyed but didn't immediately go to the Huang family to accuse them. Instead, he instructed his second son not to cause any trouble, waited for daylight, went to buy wedding gifts in the city, and sent people over. With this approach, it's estimated that the Huang family mother and daughter would not dare refuse them.
By then, if Lin Chuan is still in Stone Village, Shi Rongguang can bring people to drive him away, and as for how to drive him away, Shi Houcai would turn a blind eye.
If what Shi Rongguang said is true, and his family really sends someone with wedding gifts to Huang Mengqi's house, Lin Chuan can hardly imagine how the mother and daughter would face it. Apparently, he can only choose to be the villain now; if he doesn't stand up at this moment, and leaves it to Huang Mengqi and her mother, how can they live in Stone Village in the future?
"Let's do this, let me discuss something with you, and see what you think?" Lin Chuan suddenly softened his tone and said very amicably.
Shi Rongguang disdainfully glanced at Lin Chuan, arrogantly said: "What? Scared? If you have something to say, say it, stop wasting time. Our Stone Village doesn't welcome you."
Lin Chuan held back his temper, still smiling: "Come over here, once you've heard what I have to say, I'll leave."
Shi Rongguang looked around, confirmed that besides Lin Chuan and the group of little brats below, the rest were his people, then proceeded over with confidence.
"You guys, yes, all of you come over here, listen and see if my proposal is any good." Lin Chuan spoke to Shi Rongguang's little group of followers.
After hearing this, those few people hesitated for a moment, but obediently went over. After all, with more of them, even if he wanted to pull something tricky, he couldn't overpower their group.
Once they all gathered near Lin Chuan, they were standing right at the riverbank, below was the river water the kids had stirred up.
"Speak up, what exactly do you want? If you want us to forgive you, well that's easy, treat us to a big meal in the county, and each of us will take turns calling us grandpa before rolling out of Stone Village, and I won't hold anything against you for what you just said." Shi Rongguang continued speaking arrogantly.
Lin Chuan chuckled lightly, put his arm around Shi Rongguang's shoulder, and said softly, "You know, all men care about face. What I just said was for the sake of face, don't take it to heart."
"Sure, sure, let's do as Brother Guang said, admit that Huang Mengqi is our sister-in-law, not your girlfriend, and we'll forgive you." A little brother chimed in from the side.
"No problem, I'll go back to the village right now and tell everyone that I'm Huang Mengqi's boyfriend and you're just a toad wanting to eat swan meat. Is that enough?" Lin Chuan quickly finished speaking, stepped back a few paces, and then kicked Shi Rongguang in the back.
Shi Rongguang and his brothers sensed something was off in the words, and just as they were about to turn around, someone kicked them in the waist, sending them rolling down toward the ditch. After kicking Shi Rongguang, Lin Chuan conveniently kicked the red-haired guy down as well.
"Kid, you son of a bitch, don't run. If I don't cut you into pieces when I get up there, my name isn't Shi." Shi Rongguang, covered in mud and water after rolling into the stream, shouted loudly as soon as his head emerged from the murky water, his eyes not yet open.
"Maybe your name really isn't Shi. Kid, you and your buddies enjoy your lovers' bath. I'm leaving first. Remember, my patience has a limit. Don't let me run into you again!" Lin Chuan finished speaking and motioned for Huang Tianyi to turn and leave.
"Aunt Huang, open the door quickly, I know you're at home. Meng Qi and Tianyi are home too, right? Old Wang's wife and I just want to have a chat with you, nothing else."
Outside Huang Mengqi's house, a plump woman was shouting loudly inside, banging her fat hands on the rusty iron door. Standing next to her was Wang Ergou's wife, who had come yesterday.
Next to Ergou's wife were piles of large and small gifts. They were here on behalf of the village chief, Shi Houcai, carrying betrothal gifts to propose to Huang Mengqi.
"Alright, Sister-in-law Liu, it's useless. I've already said, yesterday a young man came to her house. Although he looked decent, he didn't seem rich. But Mengqi looks at that young man differently. I think we're here for nothing. We should let the village chief find someone else to be the matchmaker. I can't afford to offend people."
Ergou's wife pulled a handful of sunflower seeds from her pocket. This was from the village chief's house, where he entertained her and Liu's lame wife. As she was leaving, Ergou's wife grabbed a big handful and put it in her pocket.
Liu's lame wife, also tired from shouting, came over and sat down in front of Huang Mengqi's iron door, saying weakly, "I'm done shouting, I'm exhausted. In all my years of matchmaking, I've never experienced anything like this!"
Glancing at the piles of gifts they brought, Liu's lame wife said enviously, "What a great match! The village chief is wealthy, and the Huang girl is beautiful. You tell me, how is the village chief's second son not worthy of the Huang girl? Just looking at these gifts makes me envious. If I had such a beautiful daughter, I'd definitely let her marry the village chief's son."
Looking back at the iron door locked from the inside, she rolled her eyes disdainfully and said, "But look at them, they treasure a pretty daughter like a jewel. Is the Huang girl that high and mighty? If she's that high and mighty, she shouldn't live in Stone Village. She should have the guts to go to the city and never come back."
Ergou's wife knew Liu's lame wife was deliberately stirring things up, speaking loudly so the Huang family inside could hear. If it angered them enough to come out and argue, everything would be easier.
If the Huang family opened the door, they had already planned that if the Huang family didn't accept the betrothal gifts, they would just leave them and run. After all, the gifts had been delivered to their home, and they'd challenge them to return them to the village chief's family if they dared.
When Lin Chuan arrived back, he saw two old women squatting at Huang Mengqi's door. A plump old woman was loudly making sarcastic remarks while wiping her sweat with a towel around her neck. A few villagers passing by stopped a distance away, squatting and smoking as they watched the two old women with amusement.
"Damn, they actually came. Looks like Shi Rongguang wasn't lying to me, but why did two old women show up...?"
Seeing the two old women gave Lin Chuan a headache. He knew the one who wasn't shouting much; she was Ergou's wife, who had come to speak on behalf of Huang Mengqi.
Lin Chuan, although not familiar with Ergou's wife, had overheard her and Huang's mother having a conversation yesterday, and he could tell she was a smooth talker.
Now, with the addition of another woman, Lin Chuan, as a man, truly didn't know how to deal with them. Should he reason with them and present the facts? Only a fool would believe what Lin Chuan had to say!
If it was a few men, Lin Chuan could handle it, but now he was a bit troubled. With no other choice, he had to brace himself and confront them, debating with the women if necessary. After all, he didn't know anyone in this village and wasn't afraid of losing face.