?61: Chapter 61 The Pest 61: Chapter 61 The Pest “Wait a minute!

    What...

    what’s going on?

    What kind of poverty alleviation fund just now?” Ye Canghai suddenly snapped out of his dreamlike state and grabbed Fen Ran to ask, oblivious to Xu Gaowang and Mo Wen fighting; money!

    Money was the most important thing.

    Before Fen Ran could speak, Liu Hun pointed at the two dogs still biting each other on the ground and said, “Mo Wen and Xu Gaowang intend to lower the price of orange procurement, then mix these unripe oranges with ripe ones and sell them to the Cooperative at the price of ripe oranges!

    Harmful scoundrels!

    Whoever buys these oranges will suffer a loss; they, on the other hand, will earn dirty money!

    It was also Mo Wen who suggested Xu Gaowang lower the orange prices!”

    Liu Hun informed Ye Canghai merely out of obligation, as all the oranges had already been bought by him, and indeed, Ye Canghai didn’t care about it.

    He was only focused on the poverty alleviation fund and asked Liu Hun, “And what’s up with the poverty alleviation fund?”

    “Village chief, our village is a poor village; for years, all the poverty alleviation funds allocated from above went through Mo Wen, and he colluded with Xu Gaowang to falsify accounts and embezzle an unknown amount of the funds.” Liu Hun said, looking at the two dogs on the ground torn and bloody, his eyes filled with hatred, and continued, “This time, our village suffered a flood, thanks to Director Ren reporting the situation to the higher-ups; initially, 40% was to be added to the poverty alleviation fund as disaster relief.

    These two scoundrels had their eyes on that money!”

    The more Liu Hun thought about it, the angrier he got.

    The village suffered a flood, and he was racking his brains for ways to earn money to help the villagers through the hard times, while these two were trying to embezzle the village’s life-saving money.

    “What?!

    You...

    you’re saying Accountant Mo is falsifying accounts to cheat the village’s money?” Ye Canghai’s eyes almost popped out; he never imagined Mo Wen would do such a thing.

    “Why don’t you believe it?

    Just now, I went to the orchard to pick oranges, and I happened to hear everything.

    Everything Hunzi said is true!

    That scoundrel Mo Wen has always been embezzling our village’s poverty alleviation funds!

    And you call yourself the village chief!

    How come you know nothing?

    Blocking the mayor and Director Ren before, then forcing Hunzi to find ways, causing so many problems.

    If there was some money in the village, would these troubles have arisen?

    How many people in our village are crowded into the temple, delaying the children’s schooling, eating from communal pots like decades ago, and these two scoundrels are still thinking of embezzling this money!” Fen Ran stood up angrily, finally blurting out all the thoughts in her mind.

    “You scoundrel!

    I’ve been blind!

    And he is actually the only high school student from our village, did you study until you’re as dumb as a cow’s rear end!” Ye Canghai shouted in anger, like an enraged bull, kicking Mo Wen fiercely in the butt.

    Mo Wen, who was originally straddling Xu Gaowang, was kicked by Ye Canghai and fell face-first into the ground, immediately toppling off Xu Gaowang.

    As the two separated, they stopped fighting, and when everyone took a close look, their faces were red and swollen, looking like dye vats.

    “You wretched scoundrel!

    You not only betray your people but dare to commit such a heinous act of embezzling public funds!” Ye Canghai couldn’t suppress his anger, not expecting Mo Wen to deceive him right under his nose.

    Mo Wen, catching his breath, finally understood that everything had been exposed by Liu Hun, and his face-off with Xu Gaowang was too.

    He realized he was like a locust at the first frost, unable to jump anymore.

    When the police car from the precinct stopped at the entrance of Wanbao Village, the villagers had long gathered at the entrance, witnessing the once pride of the entire village, the only high school student, Mo Wen, with a bruised face, being taken into the police car.

    “That Detian really is like a monkey playing tricks, put himself in handcuffs, see his bruised bear-like appearance!

    Showing off all day in town, really thinking of himself as something special!”

    “Serves him right!

    Truly deserved!

    Look at what he did?

    Last time he almost tarnished Qin Yue, now he’s embezzled the village’s money!

    Such people should have been eating prison food long ago!”

    “Look at that policewoman, tsk tsk tsk!

    A woman doing this job really has an unspeakable charm, and her face is beautiful, her figure even more so.

    I wonder which man is lucky enough to get her.”

    “...”

    “Swish!” With a valiant demeanor, her brows erect, eyes large, sporting a neat short haircut, and a face full of heroism like a man, the policewoman Zhao Mingjie saluted Liu Hun and said, “Thank you for reporting, with one less parasite.”

    “He is a scourge of our Wanbao Village, destined to be removed sooner or later, it’s what I should do.” Liu Hun smiled at Zhao Mingjie, noticing in an eye’s glance the vermilion mole on her brow, which suddenly reminded him of Ren Peiling.

    But Ren Peiling had a tear mole at the corner of her eye, two different moles like the final touches of a dragon, highlighting the distinctive charms of the two women in their own ways.

    Zhao Mingjie, turning to get in the car, suddenly turned back and smiled slightly at Liu Hun, “Your name is Liu Hun?”

    Liu Hun suddenly froze, and blurted out, “How do you know?”

    “Someone told me about the last time at the town clinic, I’ll remember you!” Zhao Mingjie threw down a sentence to Liu Hun, turned around, and got into the police car, leaving with the sound of wailing sirens.

    “Clinic...

    could it be that masked female doctor?

    What is her relation to Zhao Mingjie?” Liu Hun was utterly confused, having no idea what was going on.

    Mo Wen, the troublemaker, would be completely removed from Wanbao Village, but with the investigation on Mo Wen, the poverty alleviation funds and disaster relief funds from above were also temporarily withheld.

    In this way, villagers who were all set to get their money suddenly found their hopes dashed.

    Nonetheless, this was a great thing for Liu Hun because he wanted the villagers to have no money while he made money right in front of them; only then could he achieve the effect he wanted.

    But, as the saying goes, blessings never come alone, but misfortunes never come singly.

    The misfortune that was doomed to come really came all at once.

    First of all, the issue troubling Liu Hun was the sales channel, those ten acres of Orange Garden under his Qi Force unexpectedly produced thirty thousand pounds of big and sweet oranges.

    The Cooperative helped greatly this time and bought eight thousand pounds, given the size and juiciness of the oranges, at one dollar and fifty cents per pound.

    But the remaining oranges became a pressing issue before him.

    Secondly, the annual festival-like ancestral worship opera of Wanbao Village was about to take place, which might be as lively as the Chinese New Year.

    This tradition of Wanbao Village was famous far and wide in the surrounding ten towns, also the pride and major entertainment activity of Wanbao Village, and villagers even talk based on what’s performed on the stage.

    The problem is, until now, the money was always paid by Rascal Chen’s family; coincidentally this year Rascal Chen was driven out of Wanbao Village by Liu Hun, so the funds were suddenly nowhere to be found, and Ye Canghai approached Liu Hun implying he should pay for it.

    Producing an opera costing twenty thousand was something he could afford, but this money couldn’t be thrown out in vain.

    How to make this money most valuable, Liu Hun thought left and right without a good idea and could only temporarily put this matter aside.

    The immediate concern was to sell the remaining oranges.

    The next day, Liu Hun brought along the women, carrying several baskets of oranges, to the town; coincidentally, it was market day, and with the villagers for miles and miles nearby getting better off, more people came to the town to buy things.

    Though not comparable to the bustling county city, gathering such a crowd was a kind of unspeakable festivity.

    The group set out before daylight, arriving early to the town.

    They picked a good spot and set up a basket of oranges; the women, frequent sellers of goods and vegetables between the village and town, were quite adept.

    Once everything was ready, they started calling out loudly.

    “Come!

    Come!

    The best mandarins!

    Big and sweet oranges!”

    “Don’t miss it if you pass by!

    Selling big oranges cheap!”

    “Top-quality oranges!

    Sweet and juicy!

    Even if you don’t buy, come have a look!”

    “...”

    After the shouting began, coupled with the women’s various charms, it immediately attracted a crowd.

    But Liu Hun observed for a while and noted there were more lookers than buyers, realizing that at this pace, it wouldn’t work.

    “Hunzi, what are you standing around for?

    Join us in calling out!” Qin Yue, after calling out twice, turned and saw Liu Hun still standing by, unsure of what was on his mind.

    “Try some!

    They’re sweet, why are you looking at me like that?

    Are you buying or not?” Bai Lian glared at the man in front of the stall, knowing he probably didn’t intend to buy anything after all.

    Fen Ran had been trying to sell for a while and only managed to sell a pound of oranges, her enthusiasm instantly cooled as if she had entered an ice cellar.

    Du Yueling also came along today.

    Although the scene looked lively, she thought these people were indeed holding tightly to their wallets, and even first-class oranges weren’t enticing them to spend money.

    Moreover, a few rascals were pointing and whispering about her, which made her uncomfortable.

    “Liu Hun, what should we do now?

    This way doesn’t seem to work well.” Du Yueling slightly tilted her head and asked Liu Hun.

    Liu Hun, having observed for quite a while, had a plan in mind and gathered the women together saying, “Today, just shouting like this isn’t the right way.”

    “Not right?

    Then what’s your way?” Qin Yue immediately asked.

    Liu Hun smiled slightly, with the demeanor of a man who sings impromptu folk songs but has a plan, he said to the women, “First of all, our oranges are of the best quality, some are still on the trees and won’t spoil immediately, so there’s no need to be anxious.

    Secondly, even if our oranges are the best and provide great value, why are people still reluctant to buy?”

    “Why?

    Hurry up and tell us; you’re killing me with suspense!” Qin Yue was so anxious she almost wanted to pinch Liu Hun.

    “Because they don’t feel like they’re getting a deal!

    We need to make these people feel that buying our oranges provides them with a bargain and a big bargain at that; then they’ll take out their money.” Liu Hun explained to the women.

    This was a principle he had discovered from handling so many issues in the village: once these villagers felt like they were getting a deal, each one would scramble and fight to get it.