Mediation
Shen Baichuan glanced at Chen Jin who was swaying with her legs crossed. She had just muttered, "It would be nice to have a recliner." It was so lively inside, but she was so lazy and indifferent, like a big orange.
I got up and went to the store diagonally opposite to take a look at the ice cream and popsicles in the freezer, then walked back empty-handed.
Chen Jin frowned, "Nothing to sell? They're going to clear out the supermarket so soon? Are they crazy? They're closing the store now, and they won't accept compensation later..."
"...No, what flavor do you want to eat?" Shen Baichuan listed several flavors and brands he saw, "There is also soda in the popsicle."
Oh yeah, almost forgot about the soda. "I want a bottle of orange soda. Thank you, Mr. Shen, for helping me get the one under the freezer. The one at the bottom tastes better."
Her family used to run a small shop, so she knew that if the drinks were sold quickly, the sodas on the top would not be cold for long, so she had to turn them over to the bottom, where the sodas at the bottom would be ice-cold.
Although the weather is still chilly around the Qingming Festival, the atmosphere today is just right for drinking refreshing iced orange soda. It's very similar to the summer vacation two years ago, when I wore floral shirts and beach pants, running around the village with soda in my hands. It was bright and lively.
Chen Jin looked up at the gloomy sky and sighed to himself, "Two years have passed already?!"
After getting a confirmed reply, Shen Baichuan turned around and went back to the canteen, not hearing her sudden sigh behind her. I originally only ordered two bottles of soda, but after thinking about it, I took two more bottles and searched under the freezer.
The owner of the convenience store watched him take out the top bottle of soda in the freezer, turn out four bottles of orange soda at the bottom of the freezer, and then put the vacated soda back one by one, arranging them neatly... He rolled his eyes silently: looking at a young man who looks like a decent person, but is talking so much, what's the difference between the soda on the top and the one at the bottom?
He glanced at Chen Jin who was standing under the tree in front of Liu Laogen's house across the street, and couldn't help but raise his chin towards Chen Jin, asking curiously, "Who are you dating, Re or that guy?"
I was so used to calling him "Raoshijin" in private that when I suddenly changed my words, I couldn't even remember his last name for a moment.
"Chen Jin? You don't have a date right now." Shen Baichuan took out his wallet from his pocket and pulled out ten dollars, "Boss, give me a bag."
The boss rolled his eyes at him again, "Why do you need a plastic bag for such a short distance? I'll help you get there, it's just a two-step walk." While giving him change, he said, "Young man, let me tell you, even though Chen Jin is rich and has a house now, and she's not bad looking, don't you know that she has notarized her property? She's very careful to prevent outsiders from seeing her. Even if you marry her, her money will still be her money, and your money will still be yours, it's hard to say."
"Do you know why her grandfather's family is in turmoil now? Liu Laogen learned this from Chen Jin. He did the property notarization without telling his family. Now the whole family is in turmoil."
"Do you know the consequences of notarizing your property? If you have time, go to the lawyer consultation center in the village ancestral hall and ask. Anyway, if you date and marry Chen Jin, you won't get any advantage. She's a cunning person..."
The shop owner's voice faded away and he stopped talking. He helped get two bottles of soda and a straw, followed Shen Baichuan, put the soda on the small table in front of the courtyard gate and was about to leave when he was stopped by Chen Jin again.
"Bald Three, did you just say bad things about me to my friend?" Chen Jin looked at him sideways. She could tell at a glance that he was muttering to himself.
"You're not holding a grudge against me for blowing up the toilet and blowing you up, are you slandering me in front of my friend?"
She had some impression of this person because he cried the most heartbreakingly at that time. But... he is not bald, and looks like a normal young man. According to the connections in the village, he might even be a cousin of my great-grandfather.
"Bald Three" was so angry that he was about to die. It was a mess that happened eight hundred years ago. Could the troublemaker just forget about it now? !
"Don't spit blood! Who said anything bad about you? I didn't say anything anyway!"
"Oh." Chen Jin said calmly: "If you didn't say it, then you didn't say it. Why are you so anxious? You look like a guilty thief."
Shen Baichuan pulled the corner of his mouth and suddenly said: "He is also praising you, saying that you are rich, have a house, look good, and are very smart."
Chen Jin raised his eyebrows and said in surprise: "Thank you, Baldhead Three."
"Bald Three" was furious, gritting his teeth and saying word by word: "My name is Liu Yang! Bald Three is my dad!"
"......Thank you for the compliment, Liu Yang." Chen Jin glanced at the conspicuous big red sign diagonally opposite, "Bald Three's Shop"...There was only one person in the shop, so it was normal for her to think that Liu Yang was "Bald Three"?
Chen Jin asked again: "Your store has a very famous name. I remember there was no sign before. Do all businesses in the village have to advertise now?"
Not to mention, this name isn’t very nice to hear, but it’s really loud and bright, and it’s a living signboard in the village.
Liu Yang glared at her angrily, "It's your cousin who made a big sign."
The workers who went to the construction site in the east all went to the supermarket opened by Meng Chong to buy things. Some of them came in from the village entrance and directly ignored his family’s store, so his father hung up a big sign. The business has indeed been saved a lot, but it really doesn’t sound good.
If he continued talking, he would still be angry at himself. Just then, someone went to the store to buy cigarettes, so Liu Yang hurried home.
Chen Jin took a bottle of soda from Shen Baichuan, inserted a straw and drank one-third of it in one breath, then let out a long sigh: “It’s the feeling of this iced soda sliding down your throat, it’s so comfortable.
Glancing at Shen Baichuan who was standing next to him, “Just laugh if you want to.”
Shen Baichuan rolled his throat, then changed the subject and said with a smile, “If I had known this place was so interesting, I should have come out with you to watch the fun.”
He pointed to the courtyard and said, "It seems to be quiet inside. Do you want to go in and take a look now? I also bought drinks for the two police officers. It's not easy for them either."
He followed Chen Jin from the end of the village to the beginning to watch the excitement, and the two public security comrades also chased him from the end of the village to the beginning.
To be honest, he had the illusion that the two police officers were coming for them.
Chen Jin leaned half of her body out into the yard and saw that it was indeed quiet inside. Looking through the gap between the gate and the crowd of onlookers, she saw that her grandfather was talking to a middle-aged man, who should be the father of the girl who came to make trouble.
She arrived a little late and didn't see the whole story. She didn't understand the relationship between the people who came to cause trouble and the girl. She came at a bad time. As soon as she arrived, the three aunts inside were pulling their hair and scratching their faces. Many villagers gathered at the door of the house to make a fuss. It was a mess. She didn't have time to avoid them, and she definitely couldn't stay in there. If she was not careful, she would get hurt.
Her big orange dog was lying by the door, wagging its tail, watching the fun with such interest that he forgot about her at all. She should run away now so that it won't find anyone and will learn its lesson. It dares to run around without her following it, and it will know it's wrong if it is caught!
Chen Jin and Shen Baichuan each took a bottle of orange soda and squeezed through the crowd to get in. There was a clear divide inside, with two factions, with Chen Wenhao and another public security officer standing in the middle.
This policeman is also a familiar face. He often followed Uncle Wenhao to Qiaodong Village in the past.
The appearance of Chen Jin and Shen Baichuan temporarily broke the deadlock. After giving the soda to Uncle Wenhao and another policeman, Chen Jin looked left and right, and finally pulled out four plastic stools stacked together next to him and gave them to Uncle Wenhao and another policeman. Then he arranged his and Shen Baichuan's position behind Uncle Wenhao and the others, just close to the main door. It was a good place to watch the excitement but retreat at any time.
The person standing at the door even muttered, "Why don't you bring out a stool for us?"
Chen Jin glanced at him coldly, "It's good enough that we let you come to watch the fun, go back to your house and get a bench. You really have no sense at all." Do I need her to remind you to bring your own bench to watch the fun?
“That’s right.” Shen Baichuan helped to echo, and his eyes turned even colder as he glanced over.
It’s this guy again! The villagers who came to watch the fun had no idea how many times they had seen him today and had gotten used to it. Chen Jin even brought helpers with him to watch the fun, really...
And the people from Old Liu’s family finally paid attention to Shen Baichuan at this moment.
When Chen Jin came over this morning, Old Liu saw a black Santana following her and guessed that the people behind were Chen Jin's friends. If someone hadn't suddenly come to his house, he would have gone out to look for Chen Jin. He had to see what kind of friends Chen Jin brought with him, and they could actually drive a Santana...
And when Chen Jin came over not long ago, there was a commotion at home, and everyone saw Shen Baichuan, but they didn’t take it to heart, after all, there were more important things to deal with at the moment.
Now, as the two of them sat down next to each other, the people in Old Liu's family couldn't help but think more: Did Chen Jin come to watch the fun and bring his partner along to watch the fun as well? Or, which cousin of Chen Jin's uncle is this?
At this moment, the people in Old Liu's family focused their attention on the group of people opposite, but they couldn't help but look at Chen Jin and the man next to her from time to time, and they were always guessing about their relationship.
If he is really Chen Jin's boyfriend... I feel complicated. The guy looks pretty good. He drove here in a car this morning. His conditions should be similar to Chen Jin's. How could Chen Jin have to encounter such a thing... It's not fair!
Seeing more and more people looking at him, Chen Jin reminded them, "I'm not here to cause trouble today. Why are you looking at me? The conflict is so obvious. Looking at me, do you think there is a solution on my face?"
The people of Old Liu’s family: “…”
Old man Liu glared at her and said, "It's none of your business. Take your friends outside and sit." She came so quickly when faced with the bad luck that had happened in his family. It would have been fine if she had come alone to watch the fun before, but now she brought outsiders with her? !
Just as he was about to say something more, an orange cat appeared out of nowhere at the door, jumped a few times, and landed in Chen Jin's arms...
Bringing people and cats along, what a wicked thing!
Chen Jin sat still and said, "We are relatives after all. I can help mediate when things go wrong. I won't leave. My friend won't leave either. He has come here with great difficulty. He is studying the impact of the village's social relations on the village's development recently. He has to stay and see."
"Okay, I won't say anything, you guys continue negotiating."
If something really happens, do you still expect her to help mediate? I'm afraid she would pour another bucket of oil on the fire to make it burn even more fiercely? !
Chen Jin beside him was so comfortable and relaxed that he felt like he was watching a live drama performance, and Shen Baichuan also relaxed. As for the looks from those people, they were nothing to him. Whether in Hong Kong before or returning to his old home in China, he has always been stared at.
He had been to the old house several times recently and was always angry, which made him feel suffocated and stuffy in his heart, and he came out with Chen Jincai... Shen Baichuan glanced at his watch, and he was in a very good mood less than three hours after he came out.
Glancing sideways, Chen Jin and Daju's profiles were inexplicably similar. Shen Baichuan lowered his head to hide his smile.
He felt that he just needed Chen Jin's mouth, which was both irritating and yet not enough to make him lose his temper. She had grasped it perfectly. You could say she did it on purpose. Her tone and expression were very sincere. She didn't seem like she was trying to make people angry, and she seemed to be right. But if you say she didn't do it on purpose...no one would believe it.
Enough for him to study for many years.
Chen Wenhao had been yelling all the way here, and his throat was dry. He drank half a bottle in one breath and burped. He didn't feel embarrassed at all. He turned around and looked at Chen Jin and Shen Baichuan who were sitting quietly.
The family causing trouble is a headache, and the two silent people behind them are also worrying: There are actually people who come here just to watch the fun? !
Chen Wenhao cleared his throat, became serious, pointed at the troublemakers, and then pointed at Old Liu's side, "I won't say any more nonsense. Both sides are wrong. Tell me, what is the bottom line you can accept?"
He stopped the troublemaker with his palm and said, "Think before you speak. There are some things I'm too lazy to say. If you ask for too much, you're just cheating. I really don't want to talk. Come back to the police station with me and we can talk properly later."
Chen Jin took a sip of soda and took in the situation on both sides.
In terms of numbers, the two sides are almost evenly matched. The number of people who come to make trouble is not as many as that of Old Liu's family, but they are all very strong and do not look like brothers from the same family. I guess they called all the strong men in their village to help.
Judging from the injuries on both sides, the group that came to cause trouble was obviously at a disadvantage. It was probably because there were only two aunts and they were no match for the combined forces of her three aunts and three uncles.
She was also quite surprised. Her three aunts and three cousins always disliked each other, but at this critical moment they could still unite and face the outside world together.
When she first came to watch, they worked together very well, as if they had rehearsed it in advance.
People on both sides are trying to figure out each other's bottom line.
Old man Liu remained calm, as if this matter had nothing to do with him.
As for the two parties involved, her bastard cousin was standing at the far side with his shoulders hunched and his head lowered like a quail, and on the other side, the girl who was said to be pregnant was sobbing from time to time and then wiping away tears.
The most anxious ones were my third aunt and uncle, after all, it was their own son who caused the trouble.
The other side had been silent the whole time, but the third aunt was the first to lose her seat. She threw the fruit on the table at her bastard son and cursed, "You are responsible for the things you have done! If she is willing, marry her. If she is not willing, have someone abort the fetus. I will introduce you to someone else another day. How many times have I told you not to associate with those messy people out there? Look at you now. You only attract some vixen back. What kind of noble lady is this? She asks for half a million right away. Do you think you are a fairy from heaven and deserve this price? It doesn't even cost half a million to marry a college graduate!"
On the other hand, the third aunt threw things around and cursed, "It took people ten years of corruption to get 500,000 yuan. Let me see which wealthy family's daughter you are hooking up with. If it's the daughter of the richest man in the city, I would accept it if she asked for 500,000 yuan. But you want 500,000 yuan to hook up with the shoe-shining girl of the richest man's daughter? I tell you, if you can get married, then get married. If you can't, then just listen to your grandfather and become a live-in son-in-law. People are still angry, so you should go to jail. When you get out, your family will be able to support you."
At this time, the second aunt helped out and said, "That is to say, where can our family get 500,000 yuan? We are not officials or businessmen, so how can we rob a bank?"
Chen Jin nodded in agreement. Indeed, the number of 500,000 is too outrageous! This is not the way to target Qiaoxi Village for demolition and ask for an exorbitant price.
But the opponent is still too weak. Why doesn’t he say anything? One by one, they kept repeating the same two sentences: "You farted!", "It's all your fault!"
What are you making a fuss about? You can't win by fighting, and you can't win by arguing, so just put on a show to look powerful?
The girl, who was originally sobbing, started crying again. Her voice sounded as if it was caught by a door, shrill and her tongue couldn't move straight. Although people in some places in their southern province speak with a more coquettish accent, she can tell the difference between real and fake coquettishness. Now she wanted to rush over and get a pair of tongs to help her straighten her tongue so that she could speak.
The longer the girl spoke, the longer her brows were furrowed.
After listening for a while, Chen Jin pouted and rolled his eyes and whispered like the girl, "I, I'm not that kind of person. How could you misunderstand me like this... I, I and... yue yue yue... "
Shen Baichuan was close, and he could hear everything she said while hiding behind the police officer, and coupled with her expression... Shen Baichuan's shoulders shook with laughter.
The big orange pupil stared at Chen Jin in shock for a long time. After Chen Jin noticed it, she glared at it, "What are you doing?" She was a little annoyed now and wanted to cover the mouth of anyone who was crying while talking.
The big orange dog slapped her arm heavily with its paw, as if to wake her up. Chen Jin tutted, not wanting to indulge it at all, and slapped it back, then grabbed its two paws and said, "Let's watch the fun!"
Chen Wenhao couldn't listen any longer, so he interrupted the girl and looked at her deeply. If she continued crying like this, when would the problem be solved?
He said to the middle-aged man sitting in the middle: "Your family should send a representative to come up with a solution. Otherwise, how can we mediate?"
Someone questioned, "You are from the same village as them. You said you were mediating, so you must be speaking in their favor. My sister is only seventeen, not even old enough to get a marriage certificate. Liu Yiwu did such a beastly thing, and we are being kind by not breaking his legs!"
Chen Wenhao pouted impatiently, "I'm not from this village! If you have something to say, just keep it to yourself, don't talk about anything else. If you really don't believe it, go to the police station now. Which district are you from?"
"......" The opponent's momentum weakened again. Obviously there are only two or three people who make the decision, and everyone is waiting for them to speak.
The middle-aged man in the middle looked at the police, then looked at the people from the Liu family opposite, and finally said, "It's not that this matter cannot be discussed, but..."
The onlookers were anxious, but they were all anxious for no reason. Only Chen Jin said directly: "Don't say buts, just tell me how much money you want, and be quick. My grandfather's family has plenty of money, so stop wasting time!"
The people in Old Liu’s family widened their eyes: “…” Is this what you mean by helping to mediate?
The family that came to cause trouble also widened their eyes and began to hesitate: If they can't get 500,000 yuan for the bride price, can they still talk about it? Take more?
Chen Wenhao in front agreed with what Chen Jin said about "doing it quickly", but! After adding the words "there's plenty of money", he was sure that Chen Jin was here to add fuel to the fire.
Seeing Uncle Wenhao turned around and looked over, he said, "I just spoke too quickly. I won't say anything more."
Then he tactfully made a gesture of sewing his mouth shut.
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