Zhang Liunian heard this and smiled, his bright eyes shooting sharply at Zhang Guotou, and he sneered, "You're talking about yourself! I wouldn't be so shameless.
Oh, right, the mute and I signed a labor contract. It's clearly stated in black and white that he'll work for me for three yuan, and he has to work for five years, otherwise, he'll have to compensate me five hundred yuan."
"What? You're only paying him three yuan to work for you, and he has to work for five years, or he'll have to pay five hundred yuan?
Are you out of your mind for money, deliberately trying to trick the mute!"
"The contract is already signed. If you don't agree to him working for me, you can have the mute help you in the fields, but you have to give me five hundred yuan."
"You're out of your mind for money, asking me to give you five hundred yuan? You're dreaming. I'd rather die than give you a single cent."
"Then please don't block my way."
With that said, Zhang Liunian strode into Zhang Guotou's house. He didn't go to Zhang Guotou's room but headed directly to the storage room where garbage was kept.
As soon as the wooden door was pushed open, Zhang Liunian saw the mute curled up on a broken wooden board, covered in wounds and sweating profusely.
Zhang Liunian realized something was wrong. He stepped forward and touched him, finding that he had a fever.
Without a moment's delay, Zhang Liunian picked him up and was about to leave. Zhang Guotou blocked the doorway, preventing Zhang Liunian from leaving. "You don't need to meddle in my family's affairs."
If the mute were to leave like this, the entire village would know that he had beaten him yesterday.
This wouldn't do. In the seventeen years since, he had never exposed his actions.
"Get lost!" Zhang Liunian really didn't want to talk to scum like Zhang Guotou. He could understand if an elder sister-in-law bullied a younger brother-in-law.
But it was unacceptable for a biological elder brother to bully his own kin. He was truly despicable.
"Put him down! Zhang Liunian, if you don't put the mute down, I won't be polite to you." Zhang Guotou met Zhang Liunian's terrifying gaze, flinched, and tightened his grip on the hoe, threatening him.
"Heh heh! It seems you want to pay this five hundred yuan breach of contract fee for him."
"You're talking nonsense! I would never help him pay. He has to pay for his own mistakes."
For a selfish and wicked elder brother, it was absolutely impossible for him to pay money for the mute.
"If you have no money, shut up." Zhang Liunian felt the mute's temperature rising and didn't bother arguing with Zhang Guotou any further.
He strode past Zhang Guotou and headed straight for the courtyard gate.
However, Zhang Guotou wouldn't let Zhang Liunian take the mute away like this. He grabbed the hoe and swung it at Zhang Liunian. "Go to hell! Meddling bastard."
Zhang Liunian felt the powerful wind from behind him and instinctively sidestepped, dodging the attack.
Missing his mark, Zhang Guotou swung the hoe again. This time, Zhang Liunian didn't dodge but met the attack head-on. He kicked out with his long leg, sending Zhang Guotou crashing to the ground.
After dealing with Zhang Guotou, Zhang Liunian carried the mute to the brigade's health clinic.
The doctor immediately checked the mute's temperature, finding it to be 40 degrees. He administered a fever-reducing injection and started an IV drip.
After the mute's condition stabilized, the doctor examined his injuries and found not a single healthy patch of skin on his body.
"I really didn't expect that the mute had been living such a life."
The mute's attending doctor sighed.
Zhang Liunian remained silent. After paying the medical fees for the mute, he asked the nurse to look after him and then returned home.
"How is he?" Jiang Qingqing asked as she saw her husband return.
"He was beaten by Zhang Guotou and developed a fever. I sent him to the clinic. He's stable now. Remember to bring him food at noon."
His employees couldn't go hungry. Zhang Liunian had already categorized the mute as one of his own.
Jiang Qingqing sighed and nodded. If Zhang Liunian hadn't said anything, she wouldn't have realized that the mute was living such a difficult life.
"I'll go stir-fry some crayfish." It was getting late, and he still had to reach the county town by eleven.
With that, Zhang Liunian briskly got to work.
Meanwhile, Yan Guoguo, who had just finished his investigation, was so enraged upon seeing the report that he swept everything off the table.
"You bitch! You scoundrel! You two have deceived me so badly." Yan Guoguo clenched his fists, wanting to lash out.
Zhao Zhijie, standing beside him, hesitated, unsure of what to say to comfort his friend.
He truly hadn't expected Zhang Liunian to be right.
His wife was actually involved with Qian Xuehai. He himself could barely accept this truth, let alone the person involved.
"I won't let these two bitches off!" Yan Guoguo was furious.
His wife, the person closest to him, had been colluding with his subordinate for a long time, maintaining contact over the years.
Thinking about this, Yan Guoguo couldn't help but doubt if his two children were truly his.
If he had not only been cuckolded but also raised children who had cuckolded him, he would go insane.
No, no, he had to find that young man, Zhang Liunian, and ask him if he knew whether his children were his biological offspring.
"Let's go, I need to see Zhang Liunian again. I need to know the whole truth." Yan Guoguo slammed his fist on the desk and then strode out.
"Wait for me." Zhao Zhijie saw this, not wanting to stop him, and was also curious about what more explosive things Zhang Liunian had mentioned last time.
And why did Zhang Liunian know all this?
With a belly full of questions, the two rushed to the construction site entrance. Coincidentally, they had arrived a bit early; Zhang Liunian hadn't arrived yet.
The old man selling noodles, seeing the director of the machinery factory coming to look for Zhang Liunian again, couldn't help but feel admiration for him.
How did he manage to make the director of the machinery factory come back again and again?
Just then, Zhang Liunian appeared. Yan Guoguo rushed anxiously to Zhang Liunian, saying excitedly, "I need to talk to you. I need to know the whole truth."
Zhang Liunian stopped his steps. Seeing Yan Guoguo's state, he knew he must have investigated the matter between Qian Xuehai and his wife.
He nodded calmly and walked to his stall. "You'll have to wait until I've sold out."
"No, I'm in a hurry. I'm going crazy right now." Yan Guoguo had lost his composure from last time; instead, he was extremely agitated.
But seeing him like this, Zhang Liunian was even more hesitant to tell him now, because the truth that was about to be revealed would make him even more distraught.
"If you want to know, you'll have to wait," Zhang Liunian said calmly, ignoring Yan Guoguo's anger and continuing to sell his crayfish.
Yan Guoguo was furious. He found a tree and punched it twice.
The old man selling noodles, seeing Yan Guoguo like this, was too scared to make a sound. But when he turned to look at Zhang Liunian, he saw that he was completely calm and indifferent to Yan Guoguo's emotions.
Admirable, the old man selling noodles was once again incredibly impressed with Zhang Liunian, almost to the point of giving him a thumbs-up.
"Old Yan, calm down. There are only ten minutes until quitting time. You'll know everything soon," Zhao Zhijie said, stepping forward to placate his friend seeing his state.