Cheng Wan'er's words made Cheng Shanshan chuckle: "If we don't care, we don't care. Actually, thinking about it, that old man Chu won't live for many more years. I have so much silver in my hands now, I can live a life of luxury from now on." As she spoke, she immediately picked up the silver and was about to leave.
Seeing this, Lin Sheng was not about to let him leave easily. He hurriedly turned around and angrily rebuked Cheng Wan'er beside him: "Wan'er, how can you talk to your cousin like that? Let me tell you, no matter whether Shan Shan has me in her heart or not, my feelings have never changed. I would never let her get into trouble."
These words made Cheng Wan'er glare with her eyes full of grievance and resentment: "Brother Lin is so affectionate, then I want to know what I am?"
She had already sensed that Lin Sheng's attitude had changed recently, and hearing this made her extremely heartbroken.
Before Lin Sheng could answer, Cheng Shanshan couldn't help but tease him, "According to your brother Lin, you are of course his good cousin."
"Am I your cousin?"
Cheng Wan'er felt even more wronged.
She glanced at Lin Sheng and then at Cheng Shanshan, then ran away crying.
Lin Sheng looked outside, clearly very worried: "Won't Wan'er get into trouble like this?"
"Then why don't you go after them?"
Cheng Shanshan retorted, then raised an eyebrow and said flippantly, "Speaking of which, she was trying to help you out of kindness, and you hurt her feelings like this. You're such a jerk."
"...Ahem, Shanshan, don't talk nonsense." Lin Sheng straightened his posture and pretended to be serious after Cheng Shanshan's sarcastic remarks, saying, "Wan'er and I really have nothing going on. I'm only nice to her because she's your cousin."
Cheng Shanshan glared at him coldly: "Lin Sheng, you really are heartless and shameless."
"you……"
Lin Sheng frowned, about to retort.
But Cheng Shanshan changed the subject: "I can give you the money, but I hope you will give me a token in exchange."
Lin Sheng asked, "What do you want?"
“It’s very simple. I remember your father left you a jade pendant, saying it was for your future daughter-in-law in the Lin family.” Cheng Shanshan paused before adding, “If the magistrate asks, I hope you can say that it was given to me by you before.”
Lin Sheng immediately understood: "You want to use money, but if that doesn't work, you'll go and say you already have a marriage agreement with me?"
"yes."
Cheng Shanshan nodded.
Lin Sheng was initially delighted, but then he realized something was amiss.
After all, judging from Cheng Shanshan's recent attitude towards him, she had truly lost all affection for him: "Why don't you just let Huo Mingchen help you directly?"
“Although you’re not a great person, you’re still a scholar, and the county magistrate will give you some face. That’s better than Brother Huo.” Cheng Shanshan saw the doubt in Lin Sheng’s heart and explained, “Brother Huo also told me to tell you that if he has no choice but to do something in the end, don’t have any improper thoughts about me. After all, he can crush you as easily as crushing an ant.”
"So it was Huo Mingchen's idea. He's really treating you well, putting in both money and effort!" Lin Sheng's tone was tinged with disdain and sourness. After speaking, he went back into the house without hesitation and gave the jade pendant to Cheng Shanshan.
It's more accurate to call it a stone than a jade pendant.
This thing was entirely dark in color. If it weren't for the lotus flower pattern carved on it, no one would have picked it up if it were lying on the ground. In her previous life, Lin Sheng used such a broken thing to trick her into digging out her heart and lungs, and even once claimed to be a member of the Lin family.
Looking back now, what kind of couple were they if they didn't have a matchmaker or a wedding ceremony?
Thinking of this, in order to avoid slapping Lin Sheng to death on the spot, she decisively turned around and left quickly. Lin Sheng followed closely behind and soon found Cheng Wan'er hiding to the side crying.
Lin Sheng immediately apologized: "Wan'er, don't cry, it's all my fault."
"What did Brother Lin do wrong? It's me who's wrong. I'm the one who affected your relationship with my cousin. Don't worry, I promise I won't bother you anymore." Cheng Wan'er was already petite, and now with her eyes red from crying, she looked even more pitiful.
Without saying a word, Lin Sheng pulled her into his arms: "What do you mean 'we'? My heart only belongs to my good Wan'er. I was just trying to get that bitch to hand over the money."
Cheng Wan'er looked up at him: "Is what Brother Lin said true?"
"Of course."
Lin Shenggang quickly recounted his conversation with Cheng Shanshan.
After hearing this, Cheng Wan'er's eyes reddened again: "Brother Lin, how could you give the jade pendant to my cousin? Do you really want to marry her?"
"How is that possible?!" Lin Sheng didn't hesitate for a moment: "She thinks she can threaten me with the jade pendant, but that thing is just an inanimate object. If I don't acknowledge her, she'll still marry that old man surnamed Chu. Then we'll make a clean profit of five hundred taels of silver. We can have as many jade pendants as we want!"
Cheng Wan'er stopped crying and asked softly, "But after my cousin came back to life, she was clearly a different person. I'm afraid it won't be so easy to resolve, will it?"
"Wan'er, don't worry." Lin Sheng wiped away her tears before continuing, "This time I will definitely make that bitch pay the price."
...
The next day.
The village was in an uproar.
Granny Wang was spitting as she spoke, her expression extremely excited: "I'm telling you, something big is about to happen in our village!" As she spoke, she patted her chest, as if trying to calm herself down.
"What big event could make you so excited?" The person next to Wang Pozi looked at her with a puzzled expression. "You old woman, did you have some kind of nightmare and then get scared by your own dream?"
"It's not a dream!"
Granny Wang glared at the other woman: "Just now, I was going to town to buy some things, but I ran into the county magistrate with a bunch of constables. They were all carrying knives, and they're probably already at the village entrance!"
These words astonished everyone.
After all, if the county magistrate and his officials could come together, then something of great importance must have happened.
While Granny Wang was still trying to describe it vividly, the others had already abandoned her and run to the village entrance to watch.
When Bai saw the person who came, she turned pale with fright. In comparison, Cheng Shanshan was much calmer. She even sized up the county magistrate, who was an old acquaintance of hers.
If she remembered correctly, the county magistrate's name was Bai Jingquan.
He wasn't much older than her, and while his appearance wasn't particularly handsome or ugly—the kind that would easily stand out in a crowd—the official robes added an air of quiet authority.
The old man Chu next to him, Quan Ran, looked like a fox borrowing the tiger's power, his eyes full of provocation as he looked at Cheng Shanshan...
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