Huo Zheng had already noticed Su Qi’an earlier and quickly stepped aside to avoid being seen. Su Qi’an had always disliked him like this in the past. Even though she no longer remembered anything now, he still didn’t want her to see him that way.
Today, he and Zhao Yingjun hadn’t gone to work in the fields. Something unexpected had happened in town, and he had been called over to deal with it.
A man whose beauty was almost more striking than a woman’s let out a mocking laugh when he saw Huo Zheng hiding like that. His dazzling peach-blossom eyes gleamed sharply.
“Pathetic.”
Huo Zheng only stepped out after the man had walked away. He glanced at him coldly, full of disgust.
“Get lost. You filthy hooligan. Stay away from me.”
Don’t let that hooligan aura rub off on him—he was a man with a family now.
Zhao Yingjun couldn’t help but burst out laughing.
“Hahaha! Song Huaisheng, serves you right!”
He looked at Song Huaisheng with a mischievous grin.
Huo Zheng wasn’t wrong. Song Huaisheng really was a troublemaker.
With his face, he had dated many young women. He would start relationships quickly and break up just as fast, moving on to the next one without any guilt. He had caused countless heartbreaks, yet never thought he was in the wrong.
If it weren’t for his powerful background, he would have been locked up long ago. There was no way he would still be roaming freely.
In this town, half of the bad rumors were about Huo Zheng, and the other half were about Song Huaisheng. Huo Zheng was known for his brutal fighting, while Song Huaisheng was infamous for his womanizing.
In earlier years, the three of them often hung around together. Many rumors involved all three of them, but in reality, it was always Song Huaisheng causing trouble. They were dragged into it unfairly.
People said they often went out with different women, got into messy affairs, and even engaged in immoral business—rumors even claimed they were male courtesans. All nonsense that ruined their reputations.
Because of these rumors, Su Qi’an had once strongly disliked them.
Song Huaisheng’s face darkened. He kicked Zhao Yingjun.
“Say that again and see if I don’t beat you!”
Zhao Yingjun staggered from the kick and immediately retaliated.
“Song Huaisheng, you’re dead!”
“Come on then! You think I’m scared of you, pretty boy?”
Zhao Yingjun had soft, refined features and looked harmless. He smiled all the time, making him look like a good person at first glance.
And he hated being called “pretty boy” the most.
“Damn hooligan! Let’s fight!”
He rolled up his sleeves right there in the street.
Just then, two police officers happened to pass by. Seeing them ready to fight, they immediately pulled out batons.
“What are you two doing again? Want to go to jail?”
From their tone, it was clear the officers knew them well.
Zhao Yingjun and Song Huaisheng quickly stopped and smiled apologetically.
“Officer, it’s a misunderstanding. We were just comparing whose muscles are bigger,” Zhao Yingjun said, nudging Song Huaisheng. “Right?”
They instantly switched back to acting like close brothers.
“Yeah, that’s right,” Song Huaisheng agreed.
The officers were half-suspicious, but knowing Song Huaisheng’s background, they decided not to escalate it and left after a few warnings.
Huo Zheng had been watching the entire time in silence, as if observing two roosters fighting. It was actually quite amusing.
When the show was over, he lost interest and turned to leave.
The other two immediately followed.
On the way back, Su Qi’an noticed that the atmosphere in town was no longer like it had been when she first returned a few days ago. She realized those village women’s words must have had an effect.
Ma Youlan was very talkative, chatting the whole way—about Huo Zheng’s childhood and various village gossip.
Su Qi’an was slightly stunned when she heard that Huo Zheng had lost his parents at a very young age. She already knew he was an orphan, but she hadn’t known it happened so early.
Thinking of him growing up alone, she felt complicated emotions.
“Huo Zheng was a bit wild in the past, but now he’s changed for the better…” Ma Youlan continued chatting, but Su Qi’an wasn’t really listening.
Not long after she got home, Huo Zheng also returned, followed by two men carrying many things.
She recognized one of them—Zhao Yingjun—but the other man was unfamiliar, so she looked at him a few more times.
Huo Zheng saw her eyes lingering on Song Huaisheng and immediately darkened. Without hesitation, he pushed Song Huaisheng out and slammed the door shut.
“???” Song Huaisheng froze.
“Huo Zheng! What do you mean?” he kicked the door angrily.
Su Qi’an frowned slightly. “Is it okay to just kick him out like that?”
The people he brought home must be close friends.
Zhao Yingjun grinned smugly.
“Sis-in-law, it’s fine. Let him shout.”
They were there to freeload a meal at the Huo house today. Originally, only Zhao Yingjun was invited, but Song Huaisheng insisted on coming after hearing he had eaten Huo Zheng’s cooking.
He even bragged about being Huo Zheng’s childhood friend.
Childhood friend—someone who grew up together from young.
Not some random latecomer like Song Huaisheng.
Zhao Yingjun felt a little proud.
Outside, Song Huaisheng was fuming. He had even carried so many things over, only to be kicked out at the door. What kind of hospitality was that?
The more he thought about it, the more annoyed he became. Seeing the not-so-high wall, he gritted his teeth and climbed over.
Thud—
A chicken coop in the corner was crushed under him.
Huo Zheng looked at him coldly.
“Ten yuan each.”
Song Huaisheng stood up, brushing off the dust.
“You’re robbing me! Ten yuan for a broken chicken coop?”
“I made it myself,” Huo Zheng said calmly.
“Fine, fine. Your hands are precious, so your chicken coop is precious too.”
Grumbling, Song Huaisheng pulled out a ten-yuan note and slapped it on the table.
Seeing this, Su Qi’an wanted to say it wasn’t necessary—the coop was old and not worth anything—but before she could, the money was already on the table.
Huo Zheng picked it up and handed it to her.
“Keep it.”
Then he turned and went into the kitchen.
Song Huaisheng was furious.
Damn it. He used my money to please his wife!
Su Qi’an looked at the money in her hand, then at the kitchen where Huo Zheng had gone. It felt hot in her palm, so she eventually went to the kitchen to ask him.
Huo Zheng was cutting meat and replied calmly, “Just keep it. He doesn’t care about that ten yuan.”
Among their group, Song Huaisheng had the best family background. Ten yuan meant less than a meal to him.
Hearing this, Su Qi’an finally put the money away.