Chapter 152: Chapter 152: Dark History
Liu Baishun gritted his teeth in response, "Since when did you become the spokesperson for the village? This is the Liu Family’s own business, and you have no right to interfere!"
Liu Baishun and his relatives huddled together, expressing dissatisfaction and discontent with Liu Zheng.
One by one they stood up, their voices growing louder, and the atmosphere became tense and oppressive.
"Liu Zheng, you, as a villager, have no right to be so presumptuous! Are you even registered as a resident in this village?"
"Yeah, who are you anyway? Whether you’re really a member of the Liu Family is still up for debate," another relative shouted, prompting nods of agreement from the others.
Liu Zheng’s parents had died early, leaving him alone and without support.
His father had married a woman, but sadly they were unable to have children of their own.
Unfortunately, the woman passed away due to illness, leaving Liu Zheng’s father deeply grieved.
His father did not give up on finding happiness; he took another woman as his wife.
However, something unbelievable happened this time. The woman ran away with a businessman from the village behind Liu Zheng’s father’s back.
To make matters worse, that man brazenly claimed that Liu Zheng’s father was infertile.
For Liu Zheng’s father, who had always wished for his own children, it was an insult added to injury.
However, fate finally smiled upon Liu Zheng’s father as he met his third wife, Liu Zheng’s mother, who finally came into his life.
Liu Zheng’s mother was extraordinarily beautiful and alluring. Yet, despite this, the couple was still unable to have children as they had wished.
It was at this time that Liu Zheng’s father studied traditional Chinese medicine and acquired a secret remedy for infertility.
Despite his best efforts, after years of trying, they still could not have the child they yearned for.
However, in the fourth year of their marriage, good news finally arrived.
Liu Zheng’s mother, Ren Qingmei, became pregnant. Nevertheless, the villagers were skeptical, often gossiping that Liu Zheng’s mother, Ren Huimin, was seen chatting with people around the village and spreading rumors that Liu Zheng was the child of another man.
Despite the villagers’ constant gossip, only Liu Zheng’s father, Liu Shengli, knew that Liu Zheng was indeed his and Ren Huimin’s child. Unable to tolerate such unjust accusations, they decided to go out to work and leave the village full of idle gossip.
Their departure was not solely to escape the village’s slander; it was also to provide Liu Zheng with a better environment to grow up in.
But Liu Yutong glared at Liu Baishun, almost wanting to slap him across the face, for under his leadership, the village had become a mess. Liu Baishun ascended to his position with no regard for the dignity of others, standing where his family could gain any advantage.
Of course, some members of their family were also displeased, including Liu Baishun’s grandson, Liu Jingdong, who said, "Liu Baishun, since you took office, you’ve been making foolish decisions without considering our interests!"
Another relative joined the chorus of complaints.
Facing the accusations from everyone, Liu Baishun instantly became flustered.
After all, he was aware of the disgraceful things he had done.
Although Liu Zheng was not staying in the village, he knew about a rule previously passed by the village: if more than half of the villagers agreed, the village head could be dismissed.
This regulation was made to protect the villagers’ rights and represents the collective will of the entire village.
A glimmer of hope shined in Liu Zheng’s heart as he saw an opportunity.
He calmly said, "Fellow relatives, I know you are dissatisfied with Liu Baishun. However, I remind everyone that we have another rule in our village that allows for the removal of the village head if more than half of the population agrees. This is a more binding regulation because it reflects the collective will of our villagers. If you truly think he is unsuitable to be the village head, I am willing to join everyone in seeking a vote!"
Liu Baishun and his relatives suddenly grew quiet, exchanging glances and considering the implications of this regulation.
Everyone realized that if they acted stubbornly against the wishes of the majority of the villagers, their actions might be deemed disrespectful to the villagers’ rights.
A tense atmosphere filled the air, as both sides understood that the decisions made at this moment would determine the future of the village.
Liu Zheng’s cleverness and wit came into play at this critical moment, and he managed to persuade Liu Baishun to resign in a calm and rational manner.
Although the tense atmosphere had not completely dissipated, at least at this moment, Liu Baishun was helpless.
Under pressure from Liu Yutong, Liu Baishun eventually relented with no other choice.
After all, his position as village head was in jeopardy, and to keep it, he had no choice but to give in.
However, Liu Baishun’s desire for revenge against Liu Zheng only grew hotter in his heart.
But for Zhang Cuihua, it was akin to a rebirth.
Once Liu Baishun accepted Liu Zheng’s terms, Zhang Cuihua also smoothly got the chance to go seek medical treatment.
She was well aware that the "treatment" Liu Zheng spoke of was not an actual medical act, but rather an excuse for a secret rendezvous between them.
Liu Zheng won not only his self-preservation but also freed Zhang Cuihua.
At this time, the other villagers also gathered around.
Some villagers with the surname Zhang said, "Look, this is our village head, Zhang Baishun! He always acts like an upright gentleman, but privately, he has done so many bad things!"
"Yes, he even sold our village land to that foreign company without our consent! The land left to us by our ancestors is almost sold out by him!"
The villager with the surname Zhang said, "And that time, he came with a group of bodyguards to bully the ordinary people, simply because we demanded transparency in the village’s finances, he resorted to violence!"
"Not only that, but there are also rumors that he’s in cahoots with those developers, deliberately damaging our agricultural irrigation system, causing our crops to wither and die!"
Zhang Baishun felt he had lost the moral high ground; he hadn’t expected these villagers, usually silent, to have such serious complaints against him.
It’s best to retreat as the best plan.
So Zhang Baishun quickly ordered his cousin beside him to hurry back home.
But Zhang Cuihua had begun her own plotting, getting home first, preparing her defensive weapon, the biggest of which was a pair of scissors.
As she picked up the scissors, the cold touch made her shiver involuntarily. These scissors were not ordinary scissors; they were a pair she had kept from her childhood until now. They looked commonplace but possessed a mystical power. Zhang Cuihua knew that only with these scissors could she resist the impending danger.
She cautiously hid the scissors under her pillow, concealing them from sight. In this way, even if Liu Baishun searched her room, he would have difficulty finding this hidden spot, the most dangerous and yet the safest place.
