From beginning to end, Zhang Yuanlin remained a quiet spectator at the back of the crowd, never uttering a word.
Because Zhang Yuanlin usually kept a low profile and appeared quite ordinary, even when people noticed him, no one felt inclined to initiate a greeting.
Little did they know that after today, the seemingly unremarkable Zhang Yuanlin would become a legendary figure in the compound.
Though he stayed silent, Zhang Yuanlin heard every word of the surrounding discussions.
When he noticed the Qin family’s reputation declining, with many labeling Qin Huairu as greedy, demanding, and difficult to deal with, Zhang Yuanlin nearly blurted out in protest.
Do you even know what the perfect wife looks like?
Oh, right, of course you don’t. Nineteen-year-old Qin Huairu isn’t just beautiful with a great figure—she excels in every aspect. With just a little guidance, no woman in the world could make a better wife than her.
Zhang Yuanlin held back, refusing to argue with these ignorant people. Whether Qin Huairu was suited for marriage would be proven once he brought her home and they lived together.
At the same time, he mused inwardly, “Stay composed, young man. Thinking of defending Qin Huairu before you’re even married? This woman’s charm is truly something else!”
Just then, Zhang Yuanlin saw the Qin family take action, likely unable to tolerate Jia Zhangshi’s false accusations.
“Alright, time for the son-in-law to make an entrance!”
He immediately clapped his hands, straightened up, and prepared for a dashing appearance.
But the next moment, Jia Dongxu’s wailing interrupted Zhang Yuanlin’s thoughts.
Looking up, he saw Jia Dongxu, face streaked with snot and tears, lunging toward Qin Huairu.
“Good grief, this mother-son duo isn’t just shameless—they’ve abandoned all humanity! The old one ruins reputations, the young one tarnishes innocence. Absolutely despicable!”
Witnessing this, Zhang Yuanlin couldn’t stay calm. He strode forward, using his sturdy build to force a path through the crowd, and with a few long steps, reached the center of the scene. He acted before Qin’s father could intervene.
After all, this was the compound, not their village. If Qin’s father resorted to violence, things would become far more complicated.
“Qin Huairu, I’ll marry no one but you! You must marry me today. I’ll agree to any condition as long as you become my wife!”
Sobbing and shouting, Jia Dongxu rushed at Qin Huairu, attempting to win her over through sheer shamelessness.
But the next instant, a palm slicing through the air with fierce momentum descended, connecting perfectly with Jia Dongxu’s face after a swift trajectory.
Smack!
The big slap was sharp and resonant, sending Jia Dongxu spinning 180 degrees in the air before he crashed heavily to the ground.
After a brief silence, a pig-slaughter-like scream erupted. Jia Dongxu lay face down, clutching his face, one hand unable to cover the swollen half.
The slap was lightning-fast. Before anyone could react, Jia Dongxu was already sprawled on the ground.
Hiss~!
Even the compound’s veteran fighter He Daqing and his fierce son Shazhu couldn’t help but suck in a sharp breath.
Good heavens, since when did Zhang Yuanlin possess such formidable combat skills?
That slap’s impact—not even Shazhu could replicate it, let alone the experienced brawler He Daqing.
Zhang Yuanlin wasn’t the least bit surprised by his own strength. After all, he feasted on lavish meals daily—abalone and sea cucumber were his staple foods, and when he grew tired of them, he’d switch to Australian lobster and beef noodles for a change of pace.
Thus, Zhang Yuanlin was far from lacking in nutrition; in fact, one could say he was overnourished.
Fortunately, the Still World provided twenty-four hours each day for studying and training, which included not only academic knowledge but also combat skills and various traditional martial arts.
Despite Zhang Yuanlin’s penchant for indulgence, he never slacked off when it came to learning and exercise.
The more he used the Still World, the more effortlessly he could control it. Initially, he had to search for items manually, but now they materialized with a mere thought—a testament to his growing mastery.
With even greater proficiency later on, he would be able to perform complex surgeries, conduct technological research, and even construct massive buildings and objects through sheer mental focus.
No manual labor required—everything operated via thought control. This was the ultimate authority granted to the master of the Still World!
Of course, that was all in the future. After two years of frequent use, Zhang Yuanlin could only manage simple tasks like searching, materializing, and storing objects with his mind.
There was still a long road ahead, but Zhang Yuanlin had ample time. With over two decades until the new era arrived, he had plenty of room to develop gradually.
During this period, he could leisurely start a family first and then build his career—after all, one should settle down before aiming high!
In any case, after two years of training, given Zhang Yuanlin’s current physique and combat skills, he could easily take on ten robust young men like Shazhu.
“B-brother Zhang?”
Qin Huairu recognized the person standing before her and couldn’t contain her delight.
Qin’s father and mother, standing nearby, also breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing Zhang Yuanlin.
“Xiao Zhang, you’re here!”
Zhang Yuanlin nodded to the three with a smile and said, “I live here too. Leave the rest to me. If the matchmaking didn’t work out, so be it, but insulting and resorting to violence is their fault.”
After speaking, he turned his attention back to Jia Dongxu, who was dazed from the slap, and Jia Zhangshi, who was frozen in fear.
At that moment, not only were the Jia mother and son stunned, but everyone else in the compound was also rendered speechless by the swift, powerful slap.
It took a while for Jia Dongxu to feel his swelling face and finally snap out of it, pointing at Zhang Yuanlin and shouting, “Zhang… Zhang Yuanlin, how dare you hit me!”
Zhang Yuanlin merely chuckled and replied, “Come on, buddy, I’m helping you out. Think about it—she’s an unmarried girl, pure and innocent. If you had really pounced on her, and she went to the police station to report it, where do you think you’d be having dinner tonight?”
Jia Dongxu was taken aback, left speechless.
But Jia Zhangshi wouldn’t have it. She didn’t care whether Zhang Yuanlin’s reasoning made sense—in this compound, she was the law!
“Zhang Yuanlin, no matter what you say, the fact is you hit my son. Hurry up and pay up! I’m not one to nitpick, but Dongxu is in such a state he definitely can’t work tomorrow. He might even need ten days to half a month to recover. That’s at least ten yuan in lost wages, so compensate our family ten yuan, and we’ll call it even!”
Zhang Yuanlin didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he first glanced at the Three Great Uncles in the compound.
Seeing that they made no move, he then said with a laugh,
“Well now, this is the first time I’ve heard that a bench worker can’t do their job because their face is swollen. What, does your Dongxu use his face to work?”
The onlookers, never ones to miss a chance to stir up trouble, burst into laughter.
Then Zhang Yuanlin turned to the three members of the Qin family and instructed:
“Uncle, aunt, and Sister Qin, this matter should be handled by the police station. Nearly having one’s purity violated is no small matter. Besides, I acted bravely to stop it, and now they’re trying to extort me—I won’t stand for it!”
Hearing Zhang Yuanlin’s words, Qin’s father and Qin’s mother didn’t hesitate for a moment and immediately turned to head for the police station.
No one else’s words carried any weight in this courtyard, but if Zhang Yuanlin spoke, the Qin family wouldn’t voice a single objection—they’d simply trust him and follow through!
Yi Zhonghai saw that things were getting out of hand. A failed matchmaking was a matter of fate, but molesting a girl was a moral issue. If Jia Dongxu were really taken to the police station, he, as the master, would also lose face. So he had no choice but to step forward reluctantly.
“Wait, come back! Is this really such a big deal that you have to run to the police station? The comrades at the station are busy enough as it is. If there’s someone in the courtyard who can resolve it, let them handle it first. Don’t always think about troubling the station’s comrades.”
After stopping Qin’s father and mother, Yi Zhonghai walked over to Jia Zhangshi with his hands behind his back and earnestly advised:
“Old sister-in-law, you’ve said enough. If this really escalates to the police station, Dongxu will definitely be humiliated, and it’s hard to say whether he’ll even keep his job at the factory!”
Upon hearing that her son might lose his job, Jia Zhangshi had no choice but to reluctantly give up. But she couldn’t accept it—losing a potential daughter-in-law and face, and now her son being beaten up? She couldn’t just let it go; she had to take her anger out on someone!
At that moment, Jia Zhangshi remembered how Zhang Yuanlin had just addressed Qin Huairu and immediately frowned and shouted:
“Zhang Yuanlin! What did you just call Qin Huairu? Sister Qin?”
Zhang Yuanlin nodded and said unhurriedly:
“Yes, what about it? I know their family, we’re friends. Qin Huairu is younger than me, so can’t I call her Sister Qin?”
“Let me tell you all, no one is going to bully Qin Huairu today. She’s like a sister to me, and I won’t stand by and watch her suffer here!”
Originally, Zhang Yuanlin had intended to build up more goodwill. Feelings can be layered infinitely—laying a solid foundation early would make it easier to transition into a harmonious married life later.
As the saying goes, youth never returns, and a moment of spring night is worth a fortune in gold!
But as soon as Zhang Yuanlin finished speaking, Jia Zhangshi shrieked.
“Fine! Everyone, come and see! This is a pair of adulterers! They’re already together, yet they came to matchmake with our family. This is marriage fraud, dowry fraud! The Qin family is insatiably greedy, and Zhang Yuanlin is no good either!”
Zhang Yuanlin was stunned and instinctively delivered an even more powerful big slap right across Jia Zhangshi’s mouth.
Damn it, it’s like a pile of shit grew a mouth—spewing filth in front of everyone! What the hell!