Chapter 15 Show Sincerity
Lu Jianping felt his back instantly soaked with cold sweat.
How could he have forgotten about those two great Buddha statues?!
He immediately forced a fawning smile that looked more like a grimace: "Comrades, this is a huge misunderstanding! Every single herb and tree in these mountains belongs to the brigade. I just wanted to scare them and teach them a lesson! I had absolutely no intention of embezzling them!"
Xu Zhigang let out an undisguised sneer, his eyes filled with contempt: "Oh? But I heard it clearly just now, your precious son said that the confiscated things would end up in his mouth."
"Misunderstanding! It's definitely a misunderstanding! He must have thought Xia was going to give him the medicine, that's why he's talking nonsense!"
Seeing that he was as slippery as an eel and Xu Zhigang couldn't find any real leverage against him, he snorted impatiently, "You're all talk and no action!"
Just as Lu Jianping was about to breathe a sigh of relief, thinking that the matter was over, a cold voice pierced through him like a sharp sword.
Shen Yi spoke indifferently: "It is a fact that he openly threatened Comrade Liu by abusing his position. Everyone present saw it clearly. Captain Lu, you must apologize to Comrade Liu."
Lu Jianping's face turned as black as the bottom of a pot in an instant.
Why should a dignified captain apologize to a young girl?
This is an utter disgrace!
Xu Zhigang immediately fanned the flames, seemingly eager to stir up trouble: "That's right! Talk is cheap; we need to show some sincerity!"
Seeing that these two troublemakers were determined to humiliate him, Lu Jianping had no choice but to swallow his pride and bear it. Filled with humiliation, he slowly moved to Liu Zhixia's side and squeezed out a few words through gritted teeth: "Xia... I'm sorry for what I did to you today!"
However, Liu Zhixia didn't even lift her eyelids.
Think you can just let it go like this? Dream on.
A faint smile played on her lips as she spoke calmly, "Captain Lu, didn't you hear what Comrade Xu said?"
Lu Jianping was taken aback, but suppressed his anger and said, "He asked me to apologize, didn't I already apologize?"
"Heh," Liu Zhixia chuckled lightly, but the smile didn't reach her eyes. "He added another half-sentence, 'You need to show some sincerity.' Where is your sincerity?"
Lu Jianping's back stiffened instantly, and his eyes flashed with barely suppressed rage.
That brat, she actually dared to climb up the ladder! She's really giving him a hard time!
Liu Zhixia seemed oblivious to his murderous glare, even letting out a lazy yawn: "Sigh, it seems Captain Lu isn't truly repentant. He's just afraid of losing his job. Alright, alright, comrades, let's not force him. Otherwise, the moment you leave, our Liu family will be retaliated against. How can we live like that?"
Shen Yi's expression grew even colder, his voice as deep and icy: "It's alright. If this matter isn't handled properly today, then it really should be someone else in the position of brigade leader. At that point, what right will he have to make things difficult for you?"
"That's right!" Xu Zhigang patted his chest, his voice booming, "Captain Lu, this guy of mine is a battalion commander! Don't treat us like greenhorns with no say!"
Looking at Lu Jianping's face, a mixture of paleness and ecstasy, Liu Zhixia felt a surge of exhilaration.
Looks like I've finally managed to latch onto a powerful figure today.
Lu Jianping's last shred of backbone was completely crushed. He gritted his teeth and said, "Fine! I'll show my sincerity! I'll have my wife go back and get a basket of eggs as an apology! A small handful of broken herbs for a basket of eggs, is that enough sincerity?!"
The last sentence was almost shouted.
Seeing Shen Yi nod expressionlessly, Lu Jianping angrily yelled at his wife, "What are you standing there for, you old hag! Go back and get it!"
Li Xuemei glared at Shen Yi with resentment, her face full of unwillingness, but she could only run away with a long face.
That small handful of Polygonatum sibiricum wouldn't be worth much money. I should have known better than to cause this mess.
Liu Zhixia accepted the eggs with satisfaction, shook the basket with a bright smile, and extended an invitation to Shen Yi and the others: "Thank you both for speaking up for us! Come to our house for dinner today, it's on me!"
Zhang Xiuying quickly chimed in, "Yes, yes, yes! This pork was hunted by you, so please don't be shy with us!"
Shen Yi hesitated for a moment: "This...it's not good to bother you every few days."
"Hey! What do you mean by 'bothering'?" Xu Zhigang was getting impatient, his mouth watering. "This is called the close bond between the military and the people! Besides, Comrade Liu's cooking is so good, and he sincerely invited us. What kind of behavior is this, acting all coy? We're not eating for free!"
As he spoke, Xu Zhigang generously stuffed the piece of meat he had just been allocated to Liu Zhixia.
"Comrade Liu, would it be enough to trade this for a meal for the two of us?"
He turned to Shen Yi and winked, "Send that piece of meat of yours to Brother Kai's house! Tonight, it's my treat!"
Liu Zhixia accepted it without hesitation, her eyes crinkling with laughter: "Of course it's enough! You'd better come on time tonight, I promise to cook you a sumptuous feast!"
Shen Yi was rendered speechless by Xu Zhigang's actions. Helpless yet with a hint of indulgence that he himself was unaware of, he nodded and said, "Then, I won't be polite."
After saying that, Liu Zhixia took her mother's arm and left with a proud air amidst envious or jealous gazes.
Not far away, Lu Huaiyuan's face was so black it could drip ink, his venomous gaze fixed on the backs of Liu Zhixia and Shen Yi.
What a shameless couple! They're actually going to the Liu family's place tonight to fool around again!
What exactly is their relationship? Why are they constantly running to the Liu family's house? Do they think everyone else is blind?
Shen Yi, a promising military officer, could he really have fallen for Liu Zhixia, that uncouth village girl?
Lu Huaiyuan looked around in disbelief. When his gaze returned to Liu Zhixia, he suddenly realized that, without him noticing, the woman he had once discarded had grown into such a beautiful young woman.
Among the drab women in the village, she was like a shining pearl, especially with her vibrant and lively spirit, something that could never be found in a delicate young lady like Gu Mansheng.
At that moment, he absurdly thought that if Gu Mansheng's stiff and pretentious demeanor had been half as lively and vivid as Liu Zhixia's, that would have been wonderful.
Not far behind him, Gu Mansheng's venomous gaze almost burned two holes in Lu Huaiyuan's back.
From the moment that basket of eggs was handed to Liu Zhixia, Lu Huaiyuan's eyes never left that bitch!
She rubbed her aching knees, and the thought of Lu Huaiyuan pushing her out as a shield without hesitation made her furious.
Now, instead of offering any apology or comfort, the man is staring at Liu Zhixia as if he's been bewitched!
Could it be... that he regrets it?
How could a city girl like me be outdone by a country bumpkin?!
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