Before Xiao Yuzhen could finish her words, Zhang Lu flashed a row of teeth. His face was covered with pock marks and he looked even uglier with that smile.
"Mr. Fang, here you are at last!" To her intense surprise, Zhang Lu bowed and scraped to Fang Shen and even reached out his hand to help him carry his bags.
Fang Shen blocked his hand and asked in astonishment, "Do I know you?"
Zhang Lu gave a flattering smile and explained, "Mr. Fang, I'm the mayor of Jianghai Town. I know it means nothing to you. I'm Zhang Hao's father. Did he ever mention me before?"
Fang Shen recalled that he happened to meet Wang Ling and told her that he was going back to his home.
Wang Ling must have told Zhang Hao the news, and Zhang Hao must have told his father.
That's why Zhang Lu was here.
Zhang Lu must have known that Wan Shiping had a close relationship with Fang Shen.
"Mr. Fang, let me help you carry your bags," suggested Zhang Lu.
"That's not necessary." Fang Shen answered indifferently. He found a taxi and proceeded to his village.
Despite being rejected, Zhang Lu was not enraged at all.
But one of his followers with a gold necklace and tattoos walked up to him and suggested, "Boss, he is so arrogant. Let me teach him a lesson!"
Zhang Lu slapped him right in the face and scolded, "Fuck off! You know nothing. If you continue to be so reckless, you would lose your life sooner or later. Let's go!"
Dozens of people left.
Xiao Yuzhen's jaw went slack.
Fang Shen returned to his house, but there were only broken walls left, looking rather desolate.
He remembered those years when he lived in this house.
He remembered his parents and those days when he and Fang Ran depended on each other for survival after his parents disappeared.
His eyes were moist with tears.
He sighed, lost in various thoughts.
"Fang Shen, you are back!" The window of the next house was pushed open, and a woman's face popped up. She was Liu Huihe.
"Huihe, long time no see." He greeted as he raised his head.
"Come and have lunch!"
"Sure!" They were neighbors and had a close relationship. He often took Fang Ran to have meals in her home.
She also lived an unhappy life. Her parents died; she married to Jianghai Village and took his younger brother here. Her husband also died just within a few years.
Several years ago, her brother joined the army. She had to fend for herself.
Fang Shen always helped her to drive away the hoodies hovering outside her house.
"Huihe, I saw few people in the village. Where are they?" He asked while eating.
She was glad that he liked her cooking. "The chief said a rich boss was going to build a factory on the mountain behind our village. The villagers are building the road."
"Build a factory on the mountain? What is wrong with the chief? The graves of their ancestors are located on the mountain." He asked with a frown.
"Exactly! But no one dared to set himself against the chief."
He realized that there must be something wrong.
He recalled what Xiao Yuzhen and her boyfriend had said on the bus.
Her boyfriend looked exhausted. Fang Shen was sure that he was deeply indulged in booze and women.
Fang Shen didn't think he was so kind to build a factory here and offer the villagers many jobs.
There must be something fishy behind this!