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After returning from the construction site, Huang Renfa felt uneasy.

Su Ning's words were like a thorn stuck in his heart.

He wasn't stupid; he understood the meaning behind Su Ning's words...

Huang Xiaohu is problematic, and it's very likely he's taken money from others to cause trouble for Suning.

If that's the case, then things are serious.

Huang Xiaohu is his nephew, who is in charge of village security. He was promoted by Huang Xiaohu himself.

If Huang Xiaohu really betrays his own people, it won't just be Huang Xiaohu who loses face, but also Huang Renfa.

I used to just think this nephew was unclean and always turned a blind eye.

More importantly, Suning is investing in Lanyuan Village and is the village's benefactor.

Moreover, it's clear that Suning is serious and not like before, trying to deceive people about policies and loans.

If Huang Xiaohu's antics anger Suning and they leave, or if Suning thinks that the environment of Lanyuan Village is bad and they won't invest there again, then the losses would be huge.

This would ruin Lanyuan Village's reputation, and how could he possibly gain the respect of the people afterward?

Huang Renfa grew angrier the more he thought about it, and he directly called over his eldest son, Huang Da.

Huang Da was in his early thirties, a big, burly man with a typical Cantonese appearance, and had been in charge of the Huang family business.

"Dad, what's up?" Huang Da rushed back from the company.

"Sit down." Huang Renfa's face was serious. "I'm asking you, what has Xiaohu been up to lately?"

"Xiao Hu?" Huang Da was taken aback. "Isn't he just in charge of village security? What's wrong?"

"Who is he in contact with? Has he been having any dealings with outsiders?"

Huang Da thought for a moment, "Now that you mention it... I remember that a few days ago someone saw Xiao Hu eating with a stranger at a restaurant at the village entrance. Apparently, that person drove a car and dressed quite well, unlike people from our village."

"What does it look like?"

"I'm not quite sure about that! Should I call and ask now? Ah Chang just mentioned it to me."

"Hurry up and attack."

"Oh!" Then Huang Da picked up the landline next to him and called Achang. After hanging up, he explained to Huang Renfa, "Dad, Achang said that the man was in his forties, a bit fat, and spoke with a slight Cantonese accent, but not a pure one. The two chatted in the private room for more than an hour. When they came out, Xiaohu had a bulging black plastic bag in his hand."

Huang Renfa slammed his fist on the table. "I knew it! You bastard!"

"Dad, what's wrong?" Huang Da was startled.

"That bastard!" Huang Renfa's face turned pale with anger. "He took money from outsiders to target the investors in our village! He's trying to cut off our village's source of income!"

"What? Who is Xiaohu messing with?"

"Suning".

Huang Da also realized what was happening, "What? You mean... Xiao Hu took money from that other person and came to cause trouble for Su Ning?"

"Otherwise what?" Huang Renfa said, "Today, Xiaohu even asked Suning for some kind of 'bribe' in front of me, saying he would help Suning smooth things over. When Suning refused, he threatened them, saying that the equipment would malfunction. Isn't this clearly someone who took money to cause trouble?"

Huang Da's face also darkened. "Xiao Hu is so foolish! Suning's investment is a good thing for our village. If he does this and Suning doesn't invest, our village will suffer huge losses!"

"Exactly!" Huang Renfa said. "And think about it, why would anyone pay Xiaohu to cause trouble? It must be because he has a grudge against Su Ning, or against Su Ning's father. If our village gets involved in this kind of feud, how can we ever have peace in the future?"

Huang Da nodded. "Dad, you're right. So what do we do now? Should we ask Xiao Hu for clarification?"

"What's there to ask?" Huang Renfa waved his hand. "The evidence is conclusive, what else is there to ask? Go directly and remove him from his position as the head of the security team. Send him home and tell him that if he dares to cause trouble again, I won't hesitate to throw him into the sea to feed the sharks."

"This..." Huang Da hesitated, "Dad, Xiao Hu is family after all. Isn't this too harsh? How about I talk to him first, make him return the money, and then sincerely apologize to Suning and promise not to do it again?"

"What's there to talk about?" Huang Renfa glared. "Huang Da, let me tell you, this matter can't be taken lightly. If Xiao Hu dares to take money and cause trouble today, he might sell out our village tomorrow! Do you know who bribed him? What if he's from the underworld or has some kind of background? Can our village afford to mess with him?"

He paused, his tone becoming more serious, "And have you thought about this? Xiao Hu is the village security captain; he has some power. Everyone in the village is watching. If he really betrays us, and we don't deal with it, others will follow suit. What prestige will our Huang family have left in Lanyuan Village? What foundation will we have left?"

Huang Da fell silent.

They agree with what Huang Renfa said.

In village affairs, there are rules to follow.

If officials don't follow the rules, those below will become chaotic.

The Huang family was able to have absolute authority in Lanyuan Village because of their strict rules and fair dealings.

If they don't even deal with their own nephew's mistakes, who will respect them in the future?

The reason why the Huang family can live comfortably in Shenzhen is because of Huang Renfa's position as village chief.

In fact, there are many people eyeing this position, and even if it's just acting, it has to be done fairly and justly.

“Dad, I understand,” Huang Da said. “I’ll go find Xiao Hu right now and get him dismissed from his post.”

"Wait a minute." Huang Renfa stopped him. "Dismissal is certain, but dismissal alone is not enough. Find out who bribed him, how much money they paid, and what exactly they made Xiao Hu do. Once you have the answers, come and tell me."

"it is good."

Huang Da turned to leave, but Huang Renfa added, "Be firm, don't be soft-hearted. This kind of traitor doesn't deserve sympathy."

"I see."

……

Huang Xiaohu's house is located at the east end of the village. It's a two-story building, quite impressively decorated, and considered one of the best in the village.

When Huang Da arrived, Huang Xiaohu was lying in the yard sunbathing, humming a little tune, and seemed to be in a very good mood.

"Tiger." Huang Da walked into the courtyard.

"Brother, what brings you here?" Huang Xiaohu sat up. "Sit down and have some tea."

"I'm not drinking anymore." Huang Da's face was serious. "I'm asking you, did you take money from outsiders to cause trouble for Suning?"

Huang Xiaohu's expression changed, but he quickly regained his composure. "Big brother, what are you talking about? How could I do such a thing?"

"Stop pretending," Huang Da said. "Someone saw you eating at a restaurant with outsiders, and when you came out, you had a black plastic bag in your hand. Today, you even asked Su Ning for a 'bribe' and threatened him. Do you think we don't know?"

Huang Xiaohu stammered, "Well... I was just helping Suning smooth things over and getting a little extra money for it. What's wrong with that? Isn't that how it is now?"

"Smooth things over?" Huang Da sneered. "Smooth over what kind of connections? Fire safety? Environmental protection? My dad can solve these village issues with a single word. Do we need you to smooth things over? Besides, if you really wanted to help Suning, would you need to threaten them? And say the equipment would malfunction? Are you helping or causing trouble?"

Huang Xiaohu was speechless when asked the question.

“Tell me! Who is this person who bribed you? How much money did they give you? What did they make you do?” Huang Da stared at him. “Tell the truth, and I can put in a good word for you with Dad. But if you lie again, don’t blame me for being ruthless.”

Huang Xiaohu knew he couldn't hide it any longer, so he had no choice but to confess, "It was...it was Huang Tianba. He's a building materials business owner. He gave me 20,000 yuan to cause some trouble for Suning and slow down his factory construction." "20,000 yuan?" Huang Da frowned, "You sold out the village's interests for such a small amount of money?"

“Brother, 20,000 is a lot,” Huang Xiaohu said. “My monthly salary is only 300, 20,000 is enough for me to work for five or six years. Besides, I didn’t really intend to drive Su Ning away, I just wanted him to know that when it comes to getting things done in our village, you have to grease palms. Who knew he wouldn’t know what’s good for him and wouldn’t give me the money…”

"Shut up!" Huang Da couldn't take it anymore. "Huang Xiaohu, is your brain filled with shit? Suning is investing in our village, two million in the first phase, and another three million in the second. How much benefit will this five million bring to the village? Taxes, jobs, development... aren't all of these worth more than your twenty thousand? You're turning down such a huge investment for twenty thousand? Isn't that just stupid?"

Huang Xiaohu was so scolded that he didn't dare to look up.

"And another thing," Huang Da continued, "if Huang Tianba has a grudge against Suning, why are you getting involved? Is it something we should meddle in the feuds between those big bosses? If something goes wrong, can you take responsibility?"

"I...I didn't think that much..." Huang Xiaohu said softly.

"You're just not thinking things through!" Huang Da said, exasperated. "Alright, I'm not going to waste my breath on you anymore. From today onwards, you're done with your job as the security captain. Go home and stay home. Return that 20,000 yuan to Huang Tianba. Don't keep a single penny."

"What?" Huang Xiaohu exclaimed anxiously, "Brother, you're dismissing me? On what grounds? It was wrong of me to take the money, but I didn't actually do anything wrong. Besides, I've already spent half of that 20,000 yuan, how can I get it back?"

"Spent half?" Huang Da was even angrier. "You've only been here a few days and you've already spent ten thousand? What have you been doing?"

"I...I bought a motorcycle, and..." Huang Xiaohu's voice trailed off.

Huang Da was too lazy to ask any more questions. "I don't care how you spent it, the money has to be refunded. If you can't get it back, you'll have to figure it out yourself. Also, starting tomorrow, you don't need to go to the security team anymore. Hand over your keys, armband, and work permit."

"Brother, you can't do this!" Huang Xiaohu exclaimed anxiously. "I'm your own cousin! How can you treat me like this?"

"So what if he's my cousin?" Huang Da said coldly. "Just because he's my cousin doesn't mean he can betray the village. It means he can harm the village's interests. Huang Xiaohu, let me tell you, if it weren't for the fact that you're my cousin, it wouldn't be as simple as just being dismissed. According to the village rules, betraying the village means being kicked out!"

Huang Xiaohu shuddered in fright. If he were driven out of the village, he would truly have no way to survive.

"Brother, I know I was wrong, please give me another chance..." he pleaded.

"It's too late." Huang Da shook his head. "This matter has already alarmed my dad. You know his temper; he hates betrayal the most. You'd better watch yourself! Don't really force him to throw you into the sea to feed the sharks."

After saying that, Huang Da turned and left, leaving Huang Xiaohu alone in the yard, lost in thought.

……

Huang Da returned to his father and told him everything.

After hearing this, Huang Renfa's face turned ashen. "That bastard! He sold himself for 20,000 yuan! He even sold the future of the village!"

“Dad, I’ve already dismissed him from his post,” Huang Da said. “He said he’s spent half of that 20,000 yuan and can’t get it back.”

"Even if we can't get it back, we have to!" Huang Renfa said. "Go find him, make him sell the motorcycle, raise the money, and return it to Huang Tianba. Not a penny less."

"Okay." Huang Da nodded. "But Dad, what about Huang Tianba... should we do something? He didn't succeed this time, will he try again?"

Huang Renfa thought for a moment, "Go and return the money first, and while you're at it, give Huang Tianba a message—Lanyuan Village doesn't welcome him, and tell him not to come and cause trouble again. If he dares to mess with the investors in Lanyuan Village again, don't blame me, Huang Renfa, for eating raw meat."

"Understood," Huang Da said. "What about Suning..."

“I’ll go talk to him,” Huang Renfa said. “Our village has wronged him in this matter, and we have to give him an explanation.”

"Isn't that unnecessary? He's just a young guy."

"Huang Da, you must remember! Shenzhen is a treasure trove these days, a melting pot of all sorts of people. If others try to bully us, we can't forget that we also eat raw meat; if they play by the rules, we must play by the rules too, understand?"

"understood."

……

The next day, Huang Renfa personally went to the factory to find Suning.

Su Ning was inspecting equipment debugging in the workshop when he saw Huang Renfa arrive. He quickly got up to greet him, "Village Chief Huang, what brings you here? Is something the matter?"

"President Su, I'm here to apologize." Huang Renfa's attitude was sincere. "I know about Huang Xiaohu's matter. It's my fault for not disciplining him properly and causing you trouble."

"Village Chief Huang, you're too kind," Su Ning said. "It's a small matter; let's just let it go."

“It doesn’t count,” Huang Renfa said. “I’ve already dismissed Huang Xiaohu and made him return the money to Huang Tianba. I guarantee this won’t happen again.”

Su Ning nodded. "Village Chief Huang is fair in his dealings. I trust you."

"President Su, there's something I'm not sure if I should say." Huang Renfa hesitated for a moment.

"Village Chief Huang, please speak."

“I’ve heard of Huang Tianba too,” Huang Renfa said. “He’s in the building materials business and has some influence in Shenzhen. Although I don’t know why he’s targeting you this time, I know he won’t let it go. You should be more careful in the future; this man is not simple.”

"Thank you for the reminder, Village Chief Huang," Su Ning said. "But I'm not afraid. Competition is normal in business. As long as everyone follows the rules and competes fairly, I welcome it. But if someone breaks the rules and resorts to underhanded tactics, then I'm not someone to be trifled with."

Huang Renfa looked at Su Ning and secretly admired her.

This young man, only in his early twenties, speaks and acts with such composure and maturity.

Faced with the provocation of Huang Tianba, a seasoned veteran, he remained calm and composed, displaying a composed demeanor.

This guy seems quite extraordinary!

"President Su, don't worry," Huang Renfa assured him. "In this small area of ​​Lanyuan Village, I guarantee no one will dare to play tricks on you. Just focus on building the factory, and if you need anything, just let me know."

"Okay, thank you, Village Chief Huang."

After seeing Huang Renfa off, Suning returned to the workshop.

Afu walked over and asked, "Master, has Huang Xiaohu's matter been resolved?"

"Hmm." Su Ning nodded. "Huang Renfa is reasonable enough and knows what to do."

"What about Huang Tianba..."

“Ignore him,” Su Ning said. “If he’s smart, he’ll know when to stop. If he’s still not smart, then don’t blame me for being impolite.”

He glanced at the equipment being tested and asked, "How's the equipment testing going?"

“It’s going very smoothly,” Afu said. “Even better than expected. These machines are highly accurate and efficient, and the samples they produce are of very high quality. We expect to start small-batch production next week.”

"Good," Suning said with satisfaction. "Let's hurry. We need to get the product to market as soon as possible."

"Yes."

As Su Ning left the workshop, he remembered what Huang Renfa had said.

It seems that doing business in Shenzhen not only means facing market challenges, but also dealing with the grudges of the older generation.

But that's good; having rivals makes things interesting.

Moreover, Suning wants to see what other tricks Huang Tianba can pull.

Or, besides Huang Tianba, will anyone else step forward?

...(End of chapter)