Not far away, Mr. Wang, who was slumped on the ground gasping for breath, heard Su Shuochi call him Uncle Wang.

After a long moment of stunned silence, he burst into tears. "Chi, you kid, you’ve made it big now. You have to help us..."

"Uncle Wang, get up first. Let’s talk things through slowly. I’ll definitely help you," Su Shuochi said softly, suppressing the rage boiling inside him.

’Based on his sharp assessment, this mess was probably started by the wife of his sister Ermei’s third brother-in-law, and Ermei was left to take the fall.’

’He was going to see this through, no matter what!’

’After all, the main reason he’d returned to Shuanghe Village was for Ermei. How could he possibly stay out of it?’

Hearing that Su Shuochi would help them, Wang Dazhu finally recognized him and was overjoyed.

’So this big official was his childhood friend, Su Shuochi! No wonder he kept stopping those three flat-capped officers from dragging him and his father to jail.’

’Though his childhood friend was still the same person from his memories—as cold as ancient ice, keeping everyone at arm’s length.’ 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

The way Su Shuochi had just defended them convinced Wang Dazhu that he wouldn’t let him and his father go to jail.

Overcome with emotion, he ran to Su Shuochi, dropped to his knees, and hugged his leg.

A grown man of thirty, his voice choked with tears, "Ci... Ci, Mr. Ci, you have to help us! It’s been so many years, I didn’t even recognize you."

"Get up, Brother Dazhu. What do you think you’re doing? You’re putting me on the spot," Su Shuochi said, using both hands to lift Wang Dazhu.

’This childhood friend, four years his senior, was someone he used to beat up regularly as a kid. He’s still just as simple-minded.’

Mrs. Wang had actually woken up a while ago, but when she saw the police officers about to arrest her husband and son, she fainted again out of fright.

Now, seeing that Su Shuochi from their village had returned, she was reminded of what they’d known for many years: Chi had made it big and become a high-ranking official.

Now, her old man and sons probably wouldn’t be taken away. So she signaled for her daughters-in-law to help her up.

She tottered over to Su Shuochi and said tearfully, "Chi... Great Official, our old man injured your brother-in-law. Whatever the hospital fees are, we’ll pay them. Please, just don’t take him to jail."

"You damn Old Mrs. Wang! Your husband and two sons wounded my eldest son! How can they not go to jail?"

"Old Mrs. Hu, the police are still here! Keep spouting nonsense and they’ll lock you up instead."

"You favor your second and third sons and you’re always tormenting Su Ermei! Don’t think that just because we don’t say anything, her big brother doesn’t know!"

Wang Pozi yelled with her hands on her hips. With the white gauze bandage wrapped around her head, she certainly looked like the one who was in the right.

"You..." Old Mrs. Hu started to argue, but Han Jinghong’s glare made her shrink back, too frightened to say another word.

"Say one more word and I’ll arrest you first," Han Jinghong warned, stepping forward authoritatively. He was acting on a subtle glance from Su Shuochi.

’He still hadn’t figured out Su Shuochi’s identity, but his intuition told him it was better to just listen to him.’

The Hu Family’s eldest son was being bandaged by a barefoot doctor. The injury wasn’t actually that serious, since the sickle hadn’t been very sharp.

In reality, it was just a superficial wound. It looked terrifying because of all the blood, but at most, he’d need a tetanus shot or two and that would be the end of it.

One look at Old Mrs. Wang, still yelling at the top of her lungs with her head bandaged, told you everything you needed to know.

Wang Dazhu’s two younger brothers, who hadn’t taken part in the attack, helped their father to his feet.

Meanwhile, the Wang Family’s second son was still lying motionless on the ground, having apparently fainted from shock.

His wife ran over and held him, shouting anxiously, "Erzhu, are you okay? Erzhu, wake up!"

Mr. Wang, having rested for a while, had finally regained some of his strength. "Chi, what do you think we should do about this?"

Han Jinghong’s two colleagues stared, dumbfounded, at the villagers. Everyone was looking at Su Shuochi with expressions of worshipful admiration, waiting for him to dispense justice.

’None of the villagers were even giving them a second glance. This wasn’t how things were supposed to go!’

’Usually, whenever they went to a village, they were the ones everyone looked up to.’

The two of them looked at their captain, utterly confused, and silently exchanged a look that said, ’So I guess we’re just the supporting cast.’

Han Jinghong’s eyes replied, ’Didn’t you see the layers of darkness that filled that man’s icy gaze when he looked at Old Mrs. Hu?’

’But when he looks at the villagers, he’s incredibly gentle. From that, you can deduce that he is a high-ranking official who came from this very village.’

His two subordinates understood in an instant. They said no more, simply watching Su Shuochi quietly to see how he would handle things.

Su Shuochi had seen it clearly years ago—this was true for Old Mrs. Hu and all the other villagers.

Their greatest desire was money. As long as personal gain was on the line, they would endure anything, no matter how angry they were.

He took a long, hard look at everyone, then made a straightforward promise. "It’s lunchtime now. After we eat..."

"...Xiao Song will take the injured to the hospital in town or the county seat for a check-up. We’ll treat whatever sickness or injury is found, and I will cover all the medical expenses."

"You’re all from the same village, so arguments are bound to happen. This time, since I’m here, we’ll let it slide."

"But in the future, if you fight again, you will be arrested and thrown in jail. Does anyone have any objections?"

"No objections. I’ll do as you say," Mr. Wang was the first to declare.

"And you?" Song Zijie asked Old Mrs. Hu smugly, voluntarily taking on the role of enforcer.

"I... I have no objections either. Her uncle won’t let us get the short end of the stick." Old Mrs. Hu couldn’t resist showing off her connection to Su Shuochi.

"Su won’t just keep you from losing out; he won’t let anyone in Shuanghe Village lose out."

"We knew it! Su has been loyal and righteous since he was a boy. He’s a good person. Today’s incident was all the fault of Hu Laosan’s wife."

"Hu Laosan’s family are the ones who should be in jail! They knew Su Ermei has a brother who’s a big official, so they pulled a ’thief crying stop thief’ and framed her."

"That Old Mrs. Hu is a real piece of work. She bullies Su Ermei every day, and she was even spreading nonsense to us, saying that you, Su, were disabled," a rival of the Hu family said, eager to stir the pot.

"What? Who’s spreading rumors that Su is disabled? Who’s the one spreading rumors? If you’ve got the guts, then step forward and face me!"

Song Zijie demanded furiously. ’These villagers didn’t bully his sister just because they thought Su was disabled, did they?!’

He walked through the crowd, occasionally pointing his finger at people and asking, "Was it you spreading the rumors?"

"It wasn’t me! It was Old Mrs. Hu who said it! I never believed it for a second," the woman said, so scared she was on the verge of tears.

Su Shuochi saw Song Zijie’s smug, triumphant expression but didn’t stop him.

He turned his head and saw Ermei still sitting on the ground, clinging to their parents’ legs and sobbing her heart out.

Before, she had only dared to whimper quietly, too frightened to even cry out loud.

’Even though this sister of his was very selfish, Su Shuochi still felt a pang of self-reproach. Perhaps it was because he had been wallowing in despair for the past two years.’

’That was what had given the Hu family the chance to control and bully her. At this thought, as Su Shuochi looked toward the Hu family, his icy gaze once again filled with layers of darkness.’