Returning to the small mountain village of '86, intelligence updated daily.

Chapter 128 My Childhood Friend Liu Shouxin (5000 words, please support!)

Wang Er and Chen Li divorced, and he got custody of the child because Chen Li voluntarily gave it up.

He's here alone to help out because he sent his child to his parents' care.

The villagers already disliked him intensely, but he was shameless and wanted to continue to get acquainted with them, while also having other motives, such as what he was doing now.

When Zhou Rui saw this repulsive person arrive, he cursed him countless times in his heart, but his face remained expressionless.

In the past, Zhou Rui might not have deliberately targeted him, since the two didn't have much interaction. But now, it seems that everything is about to change.

"What's wrong? Are you and your aunt doing well? I passed by a few days ago and heard some unpleasant things. You still have time to come here today? Aren't you afraid your aunt will run away?"

Zhou Rui replied in a tone that revealed neither joy nor anger, and Wang Er's smile, which had been as hard as a rotten persimmon, instantly froze. He hadn't actually been deliberately hiding the fact that he was divorcing Chen Li; Zhou Rui had just said it on purpose.

He felt offended by this junior, and he hadn't even expected that Zhou Rui would dare to talk back. He immediately reprimanded him.

"You brat, mind your own business. Didn't your father teach you that?"

"My father only taught me to respect those who are worthy of respect."

"Oh ho, you're getting cocky, aren't you?"

Wang Er pretended to teach Zhou Rui a lesson, but then he changed his mind and said with feigned seriousness and regret, "Ah, little Rui, it's not that I'm criticizing you, but can't you watch your mouth? I heard you even drove your own ancestor away a few days ago. That's really..."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Rui stared intently at him.

Wang Er felt uneasy under Zhou Rui's gaze, so he stopped provoking her and shook his head, pretending to lecture her, "Xiao Rui, you must pay attention to respecting elders, you know? No matter how much money you make, you must be a person who knows how to respect your elders in the future. You can't be like you were a few days ago."

After saying this, Wang Er seemed to be thinking about what to say to vent his anger. After a pause, he continued, "You can't be like you were a few days ago, so ill-mannered!"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Rui, who was 1.75 meters tall, took two steps forward and looked down at Wang Er with a somewhat cold gaze.

"Uncle Wang, you don't need to worry about that. Your family's values ​​are even more disgusting than my disrespect for elders."

Wang Er wanted to say something more, but in the end he just clenched his fists, showing that he was still quite angry.

Recent events have driven him to the brink of insanity; he feels like biting anyone he sees.

As Zhou Rui walked away, a cold smile appeared on Wang Er's lips, and he muttered to himself.

Zhou Rui, is it? You wait and see. If I don't ruin your Zhou family's reputation, I, Wang Er, will change my surname to yours.

After muttering a few harsh words to himself, Wang Er's expression returned to a smiling one as he greeted Liu Benshan.

Liu Benshan clearly disliked this person, but since it was a joyous occasion for his family, he didn't make any deliberate attempts to distance himself.

In many villages, especially in poor areas, there are always a few extremely annoying people who can't stand seeing others do well and who are two-faced.

Wang Er has gradually become this kind of person.

He was very diligent, running around helping everyone, but every now and then he would say a few words of "regret" for Zhou Rui: What a good kid, if only he could admit his mistakes and correct them.

He looked every bit the elder caring for the younger generation.

However, only a small number of people believed his act; most people knew him well and wouldn't easily believe it.

As noon approached, more and more people arrived. Grandma Meng Dan brought Zhou Yun, who had just woken up, to join in the fun, while Grandpa Zhou Yong'an arrived late, around 11 a.m.

Zhou Rui also roughly figured out what the villagers thought of him.

In reality, most people just act indifferent and don't deliberately target him; only a very small number of people will directly "educate" him.

These people were usually from families with good relationships with the Yang family and Wang Er.

After Zhou Rui figured all this out, just before dinner, another person arrived—Zhang Shihao.

He had just returned from helping Zhang Chengyun pick tea, while his wife and daughter had already arrived.

He saw Zhou Rui greeting the guests and walked straight up to him without the slightest hesitation.

"Ruiwa, where's your dad? I'd like to have a drink with him today. Oh, by the way, I've heard some nonsense these days. I don't know which bastard spread it. Don't take it to heart. I trust you."

Zhang Shih-hao was straightforward, and this time he didn't hide from the Zhou family.

Zhou Rui was a little surprised to hear this. He didn't expect Zhang Shihao to say such a thing. He thought that Zhang Shihao would avoid his family like before.

Just then, the host, Liu Benshan, stepped forward and chimed in, "Old Zhang is right. I don't know where this nonsense came from, saying that our Zhou Rui is disrespectful and unfilial. Isn't that ridiculous? Just look at the way Old Master Zhou looks at his grandson; his approval is undeniable."

In addition, some villagers started talking at once: "Yes, when the Zhou family was rich, they helped us a lot. I've watched Zhou Rui grow up, and he could never be someone who disrespects his elders. There must be some misunderstanding here."

"Yes, yes, wrong. Speaking of which, why hasn't Old Yang arrived yet? We'll find out when we ask. The two sides are at odds, and they can't afford to be questioned."

"I knew something was fishy going on. Neither Old Yang nor his precious grandson came. It's obvious..."

'

The man didn't finish speaking because Yang Mu was indeed of a high seniority in the village, and he still didn't dare to openly speak ill of the other party.

Wang Er had been listening the whole time, and this was somewhat different from what he had expected.

He originally wanted to watch the show and see how everyone condemned Zhou Rui, but judging from the current situation, apart from his closest friends, it seemed that no one else was on his side.

Why? Wasn't the news already released?

When Wang Er thought of this, he first looked at the two people next to him, who were his "friends".

Both men shrugged innocently upon seeing this, one of them with a mysterious expression, as if he were hiding something, but Wang Er did not notice.

Wang Er let out a deep breath, glanced at everyone, and said nothing more.

This situation was also unexpected by Zhou Rui; he hadn't anticipated it to be like this, but it made sense in retrospect.

Most of the villagers didn't have any intention of harming others; it was just that some of them believed everything they heard.

Zhou Rui also knew that his presence here today was actually an opportunity to take a look, because secrets cannot be kept in the village, and he was certain that he would be the other focus of attention today.

If there's any disturbance, and the village isn't big, the news will always spread quickly.

Zhou Rui walked to his father's side and said, "Dad, I've heard that it seems like it's that Wang Er who's messing with us."

Zhou Shiwei had been busy the whole time. He had only briefly met his son this morning and hadn't chatted with him much. It wasn't until now that Zhou Rui told his father everything he had learned.

Zhou Da also had some free time at this time. He wasn't the one cooking; he was going to be the one serving dishes, which required a lot of physical strength and stability, and he was perfect for that.

Upon hearing what his son said, Zhou Shiwei's eyes instantly locked onto Wang Er in the corner behind the crowd.

He didn't doubt the truthfulness of what his son said, nor did he ask about the source of the information; this was trust.

Moreover, he had actually had a slight suspicion, but now it has been confirmed.

"I knew this guy wouldn't be honest. The old man was right the other day. This kind of person is like a mad dog that will bite people indiscriminately."

"Don't worry, Dad will stand up for you. Anyone who dares to bully our family will not get away with it."

Zhou Shiwei has actually been working hard these past few days, spending his free time chatting with villagers who he had a good relationship with.

In addition, Zhou Shiping also exerted his influence behind the scenes, so the public opinion impact today has actually been well controlled, after all, Zhou Rui witnessed it with his own eyes.

Few people continue to criticize him; instead, they begin to dig out the unreasonable aspects of his arguments.

Zhou Rui looked at his father with great gratitude, but the father's attention was not on him; instead, his eyes were narrowed as he stared at Wang Er.

While the two were talking, Zhou Yong'an was also nearby. He didn't join the other elderly people in their conversations; his attention was always on his own family. Meanwhile, his grandmother, Meng Dan, was mingling with a group of old women.

"I always felt that Wang Er wasn't a good person. He would sidle with whichever family was rich and powerful, and then run away as fast as he could when they had nothing left to gain. He also liked to gossip and spread rumors to curry favor with others."

Zhou Yong'an has a keen eye for people. Although he is old, his mind is not confused, and judging from his appearance, it is becoming clearer and clearer.

Just as the three generations of the Zhou family were talking, suddenly, the roar of a motorcycle rang out.

The previously noisy crowd immediately quieted down, but this silence didn't last long, only a few seconds.

A young man with an average appearance, a well-proportioned face, and an ordinary build rode up to the group on a motorcycle. On the back seat sat a woman whose appearance was not outstanding, but whose temperament was excellent.

In this day and age, even a 28-inch bicycle is a luxury item, and motorcycles are even rarer. So when someone arrives on a motorcycle, it naturally attracts everyone's attention.

The crowd initially thought it was Zhao Jianjun or Li Dehua, but when they saw who it was, a commotion instantly broke out among them.

"So this is the groom, Liu Shouxin. I never expected him to be so successful, even picking up his bride on a motorcycle. He's really bringing honor to the Liu family!"

"Congratulations, Lao Liu, you have a good son."

"The bride is so dignified and elegant. Just by looking at her face, you can tell she's a blessed person. Liu Shouxin is very fortunate."

"Look, who's that on the bicycle behind us? It looks like Chen Xiang from town!"

What caused a stir among the crowd was not only Liu Shouxin's arrival on a motorcycle, but also the presence of a slightly overweight middle-aged man behind him. Many people exclaimed in surprise upon recognizing him; it was Chen Xiang, a wealthy man from the town who had earned over ten thousand yuan.

To everyone's surprise, Chen Xiang, who should have had absolutely no connection to the Liu family's happy occasion, was huffing and puffing as he rode his old bicycle along.

Yes, Chen Xiang, who is on the heavier side, rode a bicycle. Because of his weight, it was a little strenuous, and on top of that, he was sweating profusely in the hot weather.

Liu Shouxin stopped his motorcycle, helped the bride out of the car, and then jogged to the back to call Chen Xiang.

"Uncle Chen, please slow down, this is my home."

When everyone saw that Chen Xiang had actually come to attend the Liu family's wedding, they were all very envious, because everyone knew that Chen Xiang was a well-known good person who had helped his fellow villagers a lot.

Zhou Rui naturally saw this scene as well. Although he had known about it for several hours, he was genuinely happy for Liu Shouxin.

Liu Benshan was already grinning from ear to ear. His eldest son was a daughter, and his second son was Liu Shouxin, so he was both the second son and the first son in the family.

Now that his second son has brought him honor, how could he not be happy?

Equally happy was Liu's mother, an ordinary woman who, like most rural women, wore cloth shoes and a floral shirt.

"Dad, Mom, I'm back. I was a little delayed on the way. Xiaoqin's parents came by bus and lagged behind us."

Liu Shouxin stepped forward and spoke to his parents. The woman next to him politely addressed them as "Uncle" and "Auntie," unlike other children his age who would call them "Uncle" and "Auntie."

At this moment, some villagers nearby started to jeer: "Girl, why are you still calling him 'Uncle'? You should start calling him 'Old Liu's Dad'!"

"Yes, yes, the Liu family is very lucky."

The bride, whom Liu Shouxin called Xiaoqin, was actually named Lu Qin. She was the daughter of an ordinary family in the county town.

When Lu Qin heard the crowd cheering, she didn't show any shyness, but responded generously: "Of course we should call out, but according to etiquette, we still need to perform the wedding ceremony and drink the nuptial cup to make it count. Thank you all for coming to support us."

Lu Qin's words were impeccable, and everyone nodded in agreement.

"Alright, everyone, please come inside."

Liu Shouxin invited the crowd who had come out to watch the commotion to come inside and sit down to wait for dinner, and the crowd dispersed in a rush.

Because Liu Benshan of the Liu family was a carpenter, there was a fairly large storeroom where a coffin was usually kept, but it had been moved to another place in the past few days.

After all, that thing isn't very auspicious.

After the coffin was removed, many of the carpenters' tools were neatly arranged to the side, clearing the space in the middle to serve as the venue for the banquet.

Liu Shouxin also saw the Zhou family grandfather, grandfather, and grandson not far away. After settling his fiancée and Chen Xiang, the important guest, he came over.

"Grandpa Zhou, Uncle Zhou, hello! Thank you so much for going to so much trouble for me."

Liu Shouxin was a year older than Zhou Rui. He first respectfully took out cigarettes and handed them to the two elders, and then sincerely expressed his gratitude.

Zhou Yong'an was very satisfied and kept saying "good" while Zhou Shiwei accepted the cigarettes and praised Liu Shouxin for being sensible.

Then, realizing that Zhou Rui and his fellow young men must have something to say, the two turned and left to do their own thing.

Finally getting the chance, Liu Shouxin put one arm around Zhou Rui's shoulder.

"Hey, Zhou Rui, I'm getting married soon, why haven't you made a move yet? Don't let the village start gossiping. Even I envy your looks, you shouldn't have trouble finding someone, right?"

"So, have you taken a fancy to any girl in the village? Tell me, hehe—I promise I won't cause trouble, I promise I won't tell anyone you have a crush on her..."

""

Without any elders around, Liu Shouxin let loose, constantly teasing Zhou Rui, and even almost blurted out that he had a crush on Zhao Qingya, but luckily Zhou Rui covered his mouth in time.

Although Zhou Rui is mentally old enough to be Liu Shouxin's father, he still doesn't act maturely when interacting with others.

Firstly, because it's often unnecessary; what he really wanted was to go back to that age and make up for all the regrets from his previous life.

Secondly, who wants to be an adult? When we were little, everyone said they wanted to grow up quickly.

But once they grow up, most people want to go back to their childhood.

There's a saying that goes like this:

I long to buy osmanthus blossoms and share wine, but it will never be the same carefree days of my youth.

Some people pursue things their whole lives, but they already had them when they were young. They just didn't know how to cherish them, and only realized their value after they lost them.

Just like the spirit of youth, just like the present moment.

So, Zhou Rui, like a child, put his arm around Liu Shouxin's shoulder and chuckled mischievously, "If you keep talking nonsense, I'll go around telling everyone about how you were scared to tears by earthworms. Let's not talk about each other's shortcomings, okay?"

"Zhou Rui! You even remember this?!"

"Not only that, I also remember..."

""

"Alright, alright, shut up now. It's my wedding day, don't talk nonsense."

"As long as you don't talk nonsense, I'll definitely keep my mouth shut too, hehe. Lao Liu, tell me quickly, where did you get this wife? She's not bad."

"What do you mean by 'got it'? This is my personal charm, okay?"

"Come on, you mean charisma? You've only been in the county town for a few days and you've learned some foreign languages, huh? Now you're calling that charisma."

"What, are you envious? Let me tell you, this is something you can't envy. But speaking of which, you're also lucky..."

""

"Forget about that, there are a lot of rumors about you in the village."

Liu Shouxin put away his teasing expression and said solemnly, how could he not pay attention to his childhood friend's affairs, especially since it had already caused such a stir.

That's why he deliberately asked Zhou Rui to be his best man, because he was afraid Zhou Rui would feel that no one believed him.

By doing this, he was clearly telling Zhou Rui:

No matter what others say about you, to me, you'll always be my best buddy.

Zhou Rui knew this, of course.

When asked, Zhou Rui didn't hide anything and told him everything.

After hearing Zhou Rui's last sentence, Liu Shouxin spat on the ground and said, "Pah! You're shameless!"

Unlike his father, Liu Shouxin was not honest; he spoke his mind and was extremely righteous and hated evil.

Expressing his disgust and dissatisfaction, Liu Shouxin stated bluntly:

If you ever need anything in the future, just tell me, and my family will definitely do everything we can to help you.

Zhou Rui released his hand from the other person's back and nodded: "Don't worry, I definitely won't be polite, but you don't need to worry too much. This matter is already showing signs of progress, and the villagers are all reasonable people. There are far fewer people criticizing me now, hahaha."

"You can still laugh? Well, that's fine too..."

"7

"Do you know who leaked the information? Tell me, I won't tell anyone else, I just want to know."

"It's Wang Er."