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Upon arriving at Village East, Qi Chong saw Qi Ping An standing at the entrance with a hoe, while Shi Song held a shoulder pole, both men facing off against each other.
"This is my home. If you dare to step in, I’ll knock you out with this pole!" Qi Ping An shouted, his voice hoarse and filled with anger, the smell of alcohol wafting from him.
His wife had given birth to a child with another man, yet she had treated that child like a treasure for twelve years. Everywhere he went, he felt as if people were stabbing him in the back. Now, while he was still struggling to find his footing, Zhang Guihua had taken a new husband and was living in such a nice house.
Unable to let go of his grievances, he often came to cause trouble for Zhang Guihua. Recently, she and her son had been too afraid to even step outside.
Qi Chong stepped forward and snatched the hoe from Qi Ping An's hands, standing in front of him. "What’s the point of this? You both have your own lives now. If you meet her on the road, there’s no need to say anything. Why hold on to this grudge?"
Qi Ping An swayed slightly, pointing at Qi Chong with a cold laugh. "Are you speaking up for her? Ha! She was the one who bullied your mother the most, the one who urged your father to split the family. You don’t hate her but instead defend her? Do you think you’re some kind of saint?"
Qi Chong chuckled lightly. "I hate her, but no matter how much I hate her, it won’t change anything. She has already paid the price for her actions. I have my own life to live; there’s no need to make myself unhappy over this. You should feel the same."
The calmer Qi Chong spoke, the more frustrated Qi Ping An became.
He pushed Qi Chong away and grabbed him by the collar, glaring fiercely. "She did wrong; why should I pay the price for it?"
Qi Chong made no attempt to resist. The face before him resembled his own kin, yet the eyes were different—filled with resentment rather than familial warmth.
Taking a deep breath to suppress his longing for family, Qi Chong said, "It’s not just her wrongdoing; it’s both of you together. She has no blood relation to our parents; it’s because of your indulgence and complicity that she has succeeded. And you are my father’s own brother."
"You are more despicable than she is; therefore, your price is greater."
Qi Ping An released his grip and staggered back a few steps as tears streamed down his face.
He murmured weakly, "Brother... dear brother." The cries grew louder until the man who had been filled with rage just moments ago was now crouched on the ground, fingers digging into his palms as his shoulders shook.
Qi Yunzhen had always loved this brother of his—carrying him as a child, protecting him throughout their lives. But why did marrying a woman and listening to her whispers lead him astray? Why did he let their bond deteriorate over a mere extra room or a few coins?
Regret consumed him; if only he could have preserved their brotherly love—what would their lives look like now?
The more he thought about it, the more remorseful he became. He packed up his belongings and left for distant lands, never to return.
Shi Song tossed aside the shoulder pole and approached with a cheerful smile. "Come on! I brewed some medicinal wine; come in and have a drink with me."
Seeing that it was still early and everyone was out, Qi Chong decided to take care of some business instead. "I still have things to do; let’s do it another day."
Shi Song pulled him into the house and picked up a jar of wine from the counter, saying meaningfully, "This is something special. You should give it a try; you'll definitely come back to thank me."
Qi Chong, not good at refusing others, thanked him and left.
Passing by Lin Qiujiu's house, he called out, "Aunt, could you please sound the gong? The Villagers' Meeting will start at noon."
The village gong was now kept at Lin Qiujiu's place, and she was more than happy to help. "Don't worry, I'll make sure to spread the word to every household," she assured him.
Although Qi Chong had a decent tolerance for alcohol, he wasn't much of a drinker. He placed the jar of wine in the cupboard and forgot about it.
The next day at noon, Qi Chong brought Pei Qingxuan to the Villagers' Meeting.
"Village Chief, you're here!"
"It's been a while since we last saw you."
The villagers greeted him warmly, and he nodded and smiled at each one.
Standing before the villagers, Qi Chong raised his voice, "Next to me is a representative from Huizhou Prefecture who specializes in tobacco cultivation. He has resigned from his official position to come here and teach everyone how to grow tobacco."
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