Xu Zhengyang grinned mischievously, "You don't happen to have a problem in that area, do you?"
"Bullshit!"
"Then why don't you want a wife?"
"What's the use of thinking about it? When the time is right, it will happen naturally," Chen Chaojiang said matter-of-factly.
Xu Zhengyang sighed and said, "I'm worried about whether or not to marry Li Bingjie."
Do you like her?
"I can't say whether I like her or not." Xu Zhengyang scratched his head and said shamelessly, "Chaojiang, actually, I had a crush on her when we were in school."
“Me too,” Chen Chaojiang said directly.
"Damn..." Xu Zhengyang asked with a hint of jealousy, "Don't you think you two are a good match?"
Chen Chaojiang shook his head and said, "I don't like her now."
"Because of me?"
"No." Chen Chaojiang picked up the cigarette in front of him, tossed it to Xu Zhengyang without turning his head, and said, "Have a smoke, think it over carefully, I won't give you any advice."
Xu Zhengyang lit a cigarette, squinted, and pondered whether he could marry Li Bingjie. Whether her family agreed or not wasn't the main issue; the real dilemma was whether he should marry her. The reason for this hesitation was that Xu Zhengyang no longer felt any inferiority complex regarding his social status. What a joke! The chief judge under the Fuhe City God, currently seemingly the only deity in the Three Realms, would he feel inferior to mortals?
The main reason for his hesitation in deciding whether or not to marry Li Bingjie was her illness.
So after some consideration, Xu Zhengyang finally made a decision: "The old man said he'd give me a year, but I can't wait a year..."
Curing Bingjie's illness is the only solution to all problems.
Hmm, that's a bit of a tongue twister.
Volume Three, Judge, Chapter 148: The City God of Fuhe City
The Lantern Festival is on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month.
As dusk settled, the lanterns that had been extinguished for several days were lit again in every household in the village, their red glow standing out beautifully in the night. The sound of firecrackers rose and fell throughout the village, followed by dazzling fireworks that roared into the night sky, bursting into beautiful blooms…
Beside the west road of Shuanghe Village, the land temple was brightly lit inside and out, with incense burning brightly. Some villagers stood outside the temple, setting off firecrackers and fireworks.
Among them was Xu Zhengyang's family of four.
Xu Zhengyang originally didn't want to come. He wondered what it would be like to offer incense to himself. Besides, he was really worried that his mother and father would kneel down to the clay statue in the local temple, so he tried his best to persuade them not to go. Unfortunately, he couldn't say anything else. His mother insisted that he had to go. The family had already bought fireworks, and today they would make the local god happy and have some fun in front of the temple.
Many other villagers shared similar thoughts, and naturally, they would come to the temple to burn incense and make offerings during festivals.
Watching the villagers enter the temple one after another, devoutly offering incense and kowtowing... Xu Zhengyang felt quite uneasy, especially when his mother and father knelt down. He even pulled his sister to stand outside the temple to watch the fireworks, out of sight, out of mind. After all, he couldn't stop his parents from kneeling. What would the villagers think if he did?
After his parents came out of the temple, Xu Zhengyang went to the temple alone, knelt down devoutly, and remained there for a long time, silently thinking in his heart that he would repay his parents 500% for this act of kneeling and kowtowing.
The villagers believed that Xu Zhengyang was genuinely grateful to the local earth god for his help over the past six months.
It's truly enviable and makes people jealous. Why does the Earth God favor Xu Zhengyang so much?
Because of the events that have occurred in the village over the past six months, most villagers now believe in the existence of a local earth god. As a result, they live with a sense of awe and caution in their daily lives, avoiding excessive words and malicious thoughts. Even neighbors who had minor disagreements in the past have gradually restored their relationships, greeting each other warmly and helping each other out in times of trouble.
Coincidentally, on the sixth day of the Lunar New Year, Zhou Qingguo, the village party secretary, announced over the loudspeaker that a factory in a certain city in the south was coming to recruit workers in their area. They were recruiting men and women over the age of 18, with a monthly salary of 1,000 to 1,500 yuan, an eight-hour workday, and overtime pay and bonuses. They also offered weekends off, room and board, and the county labor bureau guaranteed the job, so no one would be scammed.
This was undoubtedly great news for the villagers of Shuanghe Village. Who wouldn't want to go out and earn more money? How much money could they save after a year of hard work at home? And with the county's labor bureau providing a guarantee, what was there to hesitate about? So almost all the young people in the village signed up, and some young people who had started families and had children also signed up, discussing with their parents about leaving their children at home while both of them went out to work and earn money.
Village Party Secretary Zhou Qingguo was quite frank, saying that everyone has to pay the intermediary 100 yuan to go to work, but as the village Party Secretary, he would never earn the intermediary fee for the sake of the village.
While the villagers were happy about this, many others attributed the origin of this good thing to the local earth god.
Think about it, since last year when the Earth God began to show his power, the weather was favorable and the crops were plentiful, and the village became more and more peaceful. After the New Year, such good things happened to our village again. Shouldn't we be very grateful to the Earth God?
Standing under a poplar tree outside the temple gate, Xu Zhengyang watched the villagers happily setting off fireworks and firecrackers, and a great sense of satisfaction and accomplishment suddenly welled up inside him. As the saying goes, harmony in the family brings prosperity in all things. The nation and the individual family are vastly different, and a village is no different from a family. Isn't it a great thing that the village is now so harmonious, with few rumors and disputes?
As he was thinking about these things, the mental record reminded him that Su Peng had something to report to the judge.
Xu Zhengyang took his sister's hand and walked home, communicating with Su Peng in his mind. Su Peng wouldn't report to him for decisions unless it was something important.
For the past two weeks, Su Peng has diligently and conscientiously fulfilled his duties as a ghost messenger, wandering the territory of Fuhe City day and night, investigating injustices and hidden evils. For example, one night, a thief was about to climb over a wall when he saw a person dressed in black, whose face he couldn't see, sitting on the wall, staring intently at him. The thief was immediately terrified and fled in panic, only to be caught by the person in black, who showed him the ghost messenger's order, warning him never to steal again. Another example is a daughter-in-law who, after a few days of acting erratically, suddenly became filial to her parents-in-law like a daughter, making the two elderly people extremely happy and thankful. A hit-and-run driver, after two days when the traffic police couldn't find him, turned himself in to the police, paid for the medical expenses of the injured, and personally apologized to the victims…
Of course, the ghost messengers would always warn the person involved: never divulge this secret, lest you reveal heavenly secrets.
Although there weren't many things to do, it was a last resort. After all, Fuhe City was so big, and Su Peng, a mere ghost messenger, could only deal with whatever came up.
Normally, he wouldn't need to report ordinary matters to the judge, and he knew that the judge was sharp-eyed and knew everything he had done. But this time, Su Peng needed to report to the judge because it was a matter of life and death. He was furious, but he also needed the judge's permission to make a decision.
In truth, this matter isn't a big deal; it's just that someone said something excessive.
People often say that it's okay to eat too much, but you can't say too much. Especially when there are gods watching from above, if they hear your words, you might be in for a bad time.
Well, usually, when we say something excessive or even outrageous, we call it making an oath.
People usually swear oaths either because they have been wronged and cannot explain themselves, thus expressing their innocence, or because they have committed a wrong and refuse to admit it, using oaths to cover up and justify their guilty conscience.
This time, Su Peng encountered a rogue named Wang Yonggan, a 39-year-old from Guanjuntun Town, Bu County.
Wang Yonggan was a shrewd man, but also extremely selfish. He was cunning and shrewd, using his connections in the county to secure one small construction project after another. He would then return to the town and recruit small construction teams from various villages to do the work. Once the work was completed and he received the payment, he would use various excuses to deduct the wages of the smaller construction teams, or even simply refuse to pay them altogether.
Moreover, Wang Yonggan is ruthless and disowns his own family. He even deceived his own father-in-law to the point that he can no longer hold his head up in the village. Furthermore, before the Lunar New Year, he even paid out of his own pocket the wages of the villagers who had gone out to work with him.
On the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, when Wang Yonggan's father-in-law came to his door again to ask for money back, he told Wang Yonggan that he had already paid the money in advance. As he said this, several people from various villages who had come to collect debts had already gathered in Wang Yonggan's yard.
Upon hearing that his father-in-law had already paid the money, Wang Yonggan immediately said, "Didn't I give you the money before the New Year?"
He lied through his teeth, which angered his father-in-law so much that he almost fainted, and Wang Yonggan's wife even started to fight and verbally abuse him.
Hearing that Wang Yonggan had even cheated his own father-in-law, the debt collectors were so angry that they wanted to beat him up.
A scoundrel is someone who won't listen to reason or force. Seeing the crowd getting agitated, he simply glares at them, lies down on the ground, and shamelessly says, "I've given you all the money, don't ask me for it again. What are you trying to bully? If you don't beat me to death today, I won't let you get away with this... Anyone who asks me for money again will be struck by lightning!"
When faced with such a scoundrel, what can most people do besides feel angry and annoyed? Should they actually throw him into the well?
But he was clearly refusing to pay, and the crowd, in their anger, beat him up. They figured they had no choice but to accept their bad luck. Complain? Where could they complain? In the countryside, construction teams mostly just give verbal agreements or a simple written receipt; they can't be used as evidence. They're used to being honest and straightforward.
Unexpectedly, after being beaten, Wang Yonggan turned around and reported the incident to the police, demanding compensation for his medical expenses.
Those who had been cheated by him were furious and cursed him to a terrible death.
In front of everyone, Wang Yonggan, his face swollen and bruised, shamelessly declared, "I'll die a horrible death? I'm perfectly fine! Let me tell you, I have money, I bought a new car, I bought a house in the county... You beat me, didn't you? You forced me, didn't you? Say whatever you want. I've given you all my money, what can you do to me? Keep cursing me, if you can curse me enough to make God open his eyes and I drive my car into a ditch and die, then you'll have the guts!"
"Wang Yonggan, Wang Yonggan, do you dare to make a solemn oath?" His father-in-law was trembling with anger as he pointed at him and asked.
"Swear? Fine, didn't I just say that if you're so capable, then let God open his eyes and let me drive my car into a ditch and die!"
Having said all that, what can anyone do to him?
...
After listening to Su Peng's words and checking briefly to confirm that it was true, Xu Zhengyang sneered and instructed Su Peng in his mind: "Then let him drive into the ditch and die. Oh, by the way, after he dies, tell his wife to remember who to pay back the money to."
Su Peng respectfully accepted the order.
On the sixteenth day of the first lunar month, at the 21-kilometer mark of National Highway 302 between Bu County and Fuhe City, a brand-new black Volkswagen Bora sedan suddenly lost control, crashed through the guardrail, and plunged into a five-meter-deep ditch beside the road. The driver, Wang Yonggan, died at the scene. Preliminary investigations determined that Wang Yonggan was driving while fatigued and at excessive speed.
The incident occurred less than two kilometers from Wang Yonggan's home in Guanjuntun Town. Wang Yonggan had just driven out of the town and onto the national highway.
The news caused a sensation throughout Guanjuntun Town, and everyone was astonished.
Everyone knows that yesterday, on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, Wang Yonggan went against his conscience and reneged on his debt. He even made a vicious oath, saying that if anyone cursed him and had the ability to make God open his eyes, he would make him drive out and crash into a ditch to his death.
Has God opened his eyes?
People sighed inwardly. On the afternoon of the day Wang Yonggan's incident occurred, his wife took all the savings from the family's savings book, went to various villages to find the foremen of the construction teams, and paid back every penny of the workers' owed wages.
The villagers in Guanjuntun Town were increasingly surprised and grateful, thinking that God had truly blessed them.
On the evening of the sixteenth day of the first lunar month, in Shuanghe Village.
Xu Zhengyang sat in his parents' bedroom, chatting with his parents and sister.
Xu Rouyue is going back to school tomorrow. Her mother, Yuan Suqin, is packing some things to take with her, while patiently reminding her what to pay attention to after arriving in Beijing and to be careful on the way tomorrow.
"Mom, there's no need to pack so much stuff. It'll be tiring. Just have Rouyue buy anything we need there," Xu Zhengyang said cheerfully.
“What’s so tiring? It’s not like we’re taking the train. We’ll drive ourselves. Why are you carrying everything and running?” Yuan Suqin grumbled, “A mother worries about her child even when they’re far away. Sigh… Once spring comes and it gets warmer, and the new house is finished, your father and I definitely have to go to Beijing to visit our daughter at school…”
The family has decided that Xu Zhengyang and Chen Chaojiang will drive Xu Rouyue to Beijing. Firstly, it's for convenience, saving Xu Rouyue from the crowded train journey, which is currently peak travel season; secondly, Xu Zhengyang does indeed have some business to attend to in Beijing.
Two days ago, Zhan Xiaohui called to say that Jinghui Logistics Company in Beijing had obtained its business license and would officially begin operations on the eighth day of the Lunar New Year, handling full truckload and less-than-truckload freight transportation from Beijing to the provincial capital of Hedong Province and Fuhe City. However, just after opening, while still operating at a loss to gain publicity, they encountered some troubles.
The saying goes, "rivals in the same trade are enemies," and this applies to every industry. There will always be people who use unfair competitive methods to undermine their competitors.
Jinghui Logistics, a newly opened dedicated logistics company in Beijing, opened on the eighth day of the Lunar New Year. On the tenth day, someone came to the door saying that a batch of medicines worth more than 60,000 yuan that they had entrusted to the provincial capital of Hedong Province had arrived with damaged packaging and the medicines wet, and demanded compensation from Jinghui Logistics. Soon after, someone else came to the door saying that more than 20 boxes of cosmetics that they had sent to Fuhe City had also been switched, and that they were full of garbage.
The branch offices in the provincial capital and Fuhe City also confirmed that after the goods arrived, there were indeed problems with the goods, which were inconsistent with the goods on the contract or were damaged.
Zhan Xiaohui and the people at the branch office understood that they were inexperienced and hadn't inspected the goods before receiving them, which led to them being cheated. However, they could only swallow their losses, pay the money, and consider it a lesson learned; they would be more careful in the future.
But that wasn't the end of it. In the following days, people came to cause trouble every day. Drivers and salesmen who went out to deliver goods were beaten by unknown people or extorted by them. In short, everything went wrong and trouble kept coming.
Left with no other option, Zhan Xiaohui called Xu Zhengyang, hoping that the judge could help him.
Upon hearing this, Xu Zhengyang hesitated for a moment before nodding in agreement, promising to go to the capital after the fifteenth of the lunar month. Regardless of his position, he felt it necessary to get involved. He couldn't simply be a hands-off manager, ignoring everything and just collecting a monthly salary; his conscience wouldn't allow it! Therefore, he planned to seek out Yu Xuan and Huang Chen in the capital; those two were influential figures there and should be able to offer assistance.
"Zhengyang, has something happened to your logistics company?" Yuan Suqin asked with some concern when she saw that Xu Zhengyang was no longer speaking and seemed to be thinking about something.
"Oh, it's nothing. It's a newly opened store, and as a hands-off manager, I have to go and check it out," Xu Zhengyang said with a smile.
Xu Neng then said, "You should go, you should go, and learn more things. Otherwise, it won't do if you, as the boss, don't know anything."
“That’s right, that’s right. When you get there, you have to get to know your company’s people well. Don’t let anyone embezzle company money behind your backs as bosses…” Yuan Suqin began to worry, and then thought about whether she should go and stay at her son’s company in Beijing to supervise the employees.
“Brother, if you live in Beijing from now on, I can see you every day. Oh, right, why don’t we bring Mom and Dad over to live with you at your company too…” Xu Rouyue suggested excitedly.
Yuan Suqin and Xu Neng nodded in agreement, saying that when they had time in the future, they would move to Beijing to live, since it was their son's company and it would be convenient.
“Great! We’ll buy you a house outside your school, and our parents can live there,” Xu Zhengyang said cheerfully.
"Go away, that won't do. Wouldn't that spoil this brat?" Yuan Suqin said, but her face was full of hopeful smiles.
Xu Rouyue then chatted and laughed with her parents in a coquettish manner.
As Xu Neng, his wife, and their daughter were happily talking about their future life in Beijing, Xu Zhengyang, who was sitting next to them, suddenly paused for a moment, then smiled and stood up, saying, "I'm going out to make a phone call and then go to Chao Jiang's house. You two keep chatting." With that, he got up and left.
After leaving the courtyard, Xu Zhengyang did not make a phone call or go to Chen Chaojiang's house. Instead, he walked north in the cold wind towards the river embankment.
He wanted to take a walk, to have some fun and excitement by himself.
In life—no, in the divine realm—joy always comes so suddenly, and upon reflection, it's inevitable; after all, doing good deeds, petitioning for the people, and having their wishes fulfilled always adds to one's merit and faith! Especially the matter of Wang Yonggan this time, which truly astonished the people of Guanjuntun Town in Bu County—what a coincidence! Amidst their astonishment, people naturally felt a subtle, yet profound, gratitude towards Heaven…
The night sky was high and dark, and the stars appeared small and indistinct; the cold wind on the riverbank was biting and howling.
Xu Zhengyang walked along the riverbank, listening to the murmuring waters of the Mangniu River below, and pondered how he should celebrate.