The Supreme Beauty Fell in Love with Me

Lin Chuan knew the difficulties faced by the mother and daughter. If Meng Qi didn't marry the village chief's son, she would surely offend the village chief. Offending the village chief was equivalent to offending the whole village. If the entire village was offended, how could the Huang family, with only Huang Mengqi, her mother, and her brother, continue to live in this village?

Moreover, they were still in debt to everyone in the village, and just this fact alone made Huang Mengqi and her mother feel suffocated. They had just managed to gather enough money for Huang Tianyi's college expenses. If at this time the whole village, incited by the village chief, came to demand money, the mother and daughter really wouldn't be able to survive.

Huang Liyong was out in the world trying to make a living alone, but it seemed he hadn't earned much, otherwise, they wouldn't be in such dire straits.

The dumplings were filled with pumpkin and pork, though there was very little pork, Lin Chuan, who hadn't had dumplings for a long time, still ate with relish.

Just as they hadn't finished their lunch yet, loud noises erupted from the street outside, followed by a series of thuds.

A group of people was shouting loudly outside while banging heavily on the iron gate of Huang Mengqi's house. The old and poorly repaired iron gate couldn't withstand the violent pounding and swayed back and forth, seeming like it was about to collapse.

"Damn it, they don't want to live anymore." Huang Tianyi, hearing the commotion outside, stood up angrily, grabbed a stick, and intended to rush out and fight them.

"Tianyi, come back here and study quietly." It wasn't Huang's mother who said this, but Huang Mengqi.

Seeing his sister with a serious face, Huang Tianyi reluctantly suppressed his anger. If it was his mother saying this, he might not listen, but he usually listened to his sister because he knew he could attend college thanks to her. He didn't want to make her sad.

"Let me go have a look!" Lin Chuan stood up at that moment and walked outside without waiting for Huang Mengqi's agreement.

Huang Mengqi didn't stop Lin Chuan and merely said, "I'll go with you."

Even before opening the door, chaotic noises could be heard outside, and some people were actually cursing loudly.

Listening carefully, Lin Chuan heard that besides the two old women he had chased away earlier, there were many men and women in the crowd, and the one swearing was precisely Shi Rongguang, whom he had pushed into the river at noon.

"It seems something's wrong. Could it be that Shi Houcai has really gathered everyone in the village to demand money from Meng Qi's family?" Lin Chuan had a vague bad feeling.

The moment the door opened, the noisy crowd immediately fell silent. The first thing they saw was a young man who opened the iron door and looked at the crowd with a smile.

After a brief silence, foul language followed.

"You bastard, you pushed me into the creek and got me all stinky, you'd better not think about leaving Stone Village in one piece," said Shi Rongguang. His tone was threatening, but he didn't actually intend to make a move.

There were so many people there, if he started something and it blew out of proportion, he would have to bear the responsibility if someone looked into it later.

"The old man from the Huang family just died, and now they're harboring a playboy at home. That playboy even bullied people from Stone Village. Are we from Stone Village that easy to bully? What infuriates me more is that the Huang family helped the playboy bully our villagers. We've been neighbors for decades, yet, they side with an outsider. Moreover, the old Huang family still owes us villagers money!"

This was said by Er Gou's wife. Now bolstered by the crowd, she dared to speak out, while Liu the lame's wife was just stirring emotions without saying anything vulgar.

Since Shi Rongguang was in the crowd, Er Gou's wife didn't dare say Huang Mengqi was keeping a playboy. She just said the Huang family was keeping a playboy, but the meaning was clear enough.

The crowd started to loudly clamor as well, and some even seemed eager to rush in and smash things up in Huang Mengqi's house.

Lin Chuan looked at these people; not young men, but mostly middle-aged women, and only a few middle-aged men among them. It seemed Shi Houcai intentionally brought these troublemakers and impulsive young people to block the door.

It's said that out of desolation and adversity arises ferocity; now Lin Chuan believed it. Facing these aggressive people, he quietly contemplated a strategy for the moment.

Huang Mengqi furrowed her brows tightly and stood silently beside Lin Chuan and asked softly, "What should we do now?"

"Let's see what develops." Lin Chuan still smiled faintly, then made a gesture for silence and shouted loudly, "Everyone, quiet! Please quiet down."

The crowd soon quieted under Lin Chuan's control, and all eyes focused sharply on him.

"My name is Lin Chuan, and I'm Huang Mengqi's boyfriend. I don't know why you all came here. If it's our fault, we will surely correct it and apologies," Lin Chuan said loudly to the crowd with a smile, stepping down from the steps at the door.

"What use is just an apology? If that's all, let me push you into the manure pit, then I'll forgive you," Shi Rongguang said through gritted teeth.

"Yes, and you broke my nose today, an apology isn't enough for that. You're bullying us because you think Stone Village is devoid of people. Am I right, everyone?" Liu the lame's wife became active now, joining the commotion.

Although Shi Rongguang and Liu the lame's wife were the ones taking the lead in the shouting, not many people echoed with them. Besides Shi Rongguang's few followers and Er Gou's wife, essentially no one paid attention to them.

Lin Chuan felt a smile inside; it looked like they weren't all here for the same purpose. If that's the case, it would be easier to handle.

"They owe us money and won't pay it back, yet they're at home eating dumplings. They have the money for dumplings but not to repay us. We earned our money penny by penny, it hasn't been easy for us either..." Er Gou's wife began to complain.

Shi Rongguang, being the village chief's son, was accustomed to disregarding others. People usually detested him. They'd love nothing more than for someone to take care of him, so why would they side with him now? As for Liu the lame's wife, she hadn't made few enemies herself over time, and people disliked this shrew. However, when it came to money matters, people started clamoring along.

Lin Chuan observed this and understood somewhat; these people came along mainly because they were worried the Huang family wouldn't pay their debts, not for any solidarity with those two troublemakers.

"What are you doing? Go home now. Where's your sense of law and order?"

Just then, Huang Guiguo, who had been at home and heard the noise, rushed out, quickly taking stock of the situation and scolding loudly.

"Heh, favoritism for one's own, owing debts and not repaying with justice on their side is it? We came here openly and rightfully. How dare you chase us off! Don't forget you are no longer the village chief," Liu the lame's wife retorted sharply.

Huang Guiguo ignored the old woman and instead turned to others, shouting loudly, "Fellow villagers, I know everyone's got their difficulties, but Meng Qi's father just passed. Isn't what you're doing too much? Meng Qi's dad helped you all so much in his lifetime. For the sake of my old face, please disperse."

"Hmph, what's your old face worth if it could be sold to pay debts, wouldn't that be nice?" Er Gou's wife sneered loudly at this moment.

Aside from Liu the lame's wife and the few people Shi Rongguang brought, very few laughed along, because everyone knew Huang Guiguo's character and respected him for having been a clean village chief for nearly a decade. Hence, he commanded respect.

"I reckon no one would want it even if it were given away, what use is that old face?" Liu the lame's wife echoed with a laugh.

Disregarding them, Huang Guiguo addressed everyone, "Do you really have the heart to bully a widow and two children? Though we live deep in the mountains, we are still a civilized community. I trust that as soon as Meng Qi has money, she will pay back all her debts."

No one said more, and some even hesitated. They originally came due to manipulation by Er Gou's wife and Liu the lame's wife. Now with the old village chief speaking up, some who weren't desperate for money began to feel inclined to leave for the sake of saving face.

Witnessing this situation, Shi Rongguang immediately gestured at Er Gou's wife and Liu the lame's wife, urging them to make more noise.

However, despite their vigorous shouting, several people heeded Huang Guiguo's words and quietly dispersed from the crowd, heading toward their homes.

Lin Chuan finally let out a sigh of relief. As long as the others left, it would be easier to deal with just Shi Rongguang and those two old women.

"Fourth Uncle, thank goodness you came." Huang Mengqi approached Huang Guiguo, her face full of gratitude.

"Silly child, this is what family does; who else should come forward at a time like this?" Huang Guiguo said with a smile, glancing at Lin Chuan.

Just as most people were leaving, a larger group was approaching rapidly from the east.

There were at least forty or fifty of them, and they were advancing in a mighty stream in this direction.