Chapter Eleven: The Isuzu Light Truck

Zhang Xiu’e hurried to catch up from behind. Once the two of them left the restaurant and walked up the street, seeing that Tang Long didn’t seem inclined to say anything to her, she couldn’t help but ask, “Do you really think this scheme will work?”

Liu Meijia hadn’t been wrong—the money from Qiangyuan Company was not so easily gotten. What they had done was essentially swindle Qiangyuan out of ten million yuan!

Tang Long smiled. “Why wouldn’t it work? Everything’s written in black and white—the compensation and damages, she agreed to them herself. We didn’t threaten her.”

True, there had been no threat, but if Liu Meijia realized that her ten million wouldn’t actually buy their forgiveness, and that Yutou Village still intended to drive Qiangyuan out of ‘Liangouwazi,’ would she have agreed?

“Why worry so much now? We’ve already taken their money. The debtor is always in charge!” Tang Long laughed.

Zhang Xiu’e rolled her eyes at him and muttered, “No, keeping this money with us isn’t safe. We need to spend it quickly!”

Tang Long looked at her. “You’re afraid Qiangyuan will try to snatch it back?”

“Not Qiangyuan!” Zhang Xiu’e shook her head, frowning. “But with more than ten million, it’s bound to attract envy. If someone from the town or county comes to take the money, what will we do?”

“We won’t give it to them!”

Tang Long didn’t even hesitate. Compensation for Yutou Village, and for being forced out of ‘Liangouwazi’ after four and a half years—no one was going to take that money from them easily.

Zhang Xiu’e pursed her lips. “Easy for you to say. What if the town or county leaders find some pretext to claim the money?”

“Then we’ll do what you say!” Tang Long smiled at her. “You’re the college graduate—you know more than me.”

Zhang Xiu’e blushed and shot him a sideways glance. “Don’t give me that! You always talk a good game.”

“I mean it!” Tang Long grinned mischievously.

“Why don’t we buy a vehicle for the village first?”

“Let’s do it!”

The moment Zhang Xiu’e suggested it, Tang Long agreed without a second thought. They’d come by car at Qiangyuan’s arrangement, but now they’d have to walk back.

Though Donghe Town was remote, it wasn’t cut off from the world. There were no luxury car dealerships, but there was a company selling agricultural vehicles.

“Boss, do you sell cars here?” Zhang Xiu’e went in to inquire.

Donghe Town was tiny, with just two main streets crossing each other—you could walk the whole place in under twenty minutes.

“Cars? You mean double cabs, or light trucks?” The agricultural vehicle dealer grinned, showing a mouthful of yellowed teeth from years of smoking.

“Double cab!” Tang Long chimed in from behind.

The dealer looked at him and laughed. “We’ve got those, parked in the back yard. If you have a specific model in mind, just let me know. Old brother here can order anything for you, and it won’t cost more than picking it up from the county or city.”

With that, the dealer led Tang Long and Zhang Xiu’e to the back yard. The yard was huge, at least two or three hundred meters deep and over a hundred meters wide, with more than a dozen farm vehicles parked, four or five Wuling single-cab mini-trucks, and two light trucks.

“Qingling Isuzu 100P, 130 horsepower, 4.25 meters single-cab with railings—powerful and reliable, can handle mountain roads no problem.” The dealer brought them straight to the light trucks, beginning his pitch.

He wasn’t trying to con them; everyone who came here to buy a vehicle was from the surrounding villages. If his prices were higher than the county’s, he’d never sell anything.

“This goes for over 130,000 yuan elsewhere, but here at your doorstep, it’s only 128,000. Guaranteed quality, lowest price. If you don’t believe me, go check at the county, then come back.” He patted the side of the truck as he said this.

“This one?” Tang Long looked to Zhang Xiu’e.

She smiled. “You decide when it comes to buying a vehicle.”

Tang Long nodded at the dealer. “Alright, we’ll take it. Can we drive it away today?”

His decisiveness took the dealer by surprise; this was the first time he’d seen someone so straightforward about buying a vehicle from him.

The dealer grinned ear to ear. “Of course! But you’ll need to go to the county’s vehicle office to get the plates.”

“Secretary Xiu’e, pay the man!” Tang Long laughed, turning to Zhang Xiu’e.

With millions sitting in their account, what was a mere hundred thousand?

There wasn’t a single decent vehicle in all of Yutou Village, and with the roads in and out being so broken, it really wasn’t convenient without transportation.

If they’d had a vehicle, Zhang Xiu’e wouldn’t have ended up stuck in a mountain hollow, forcing Tang Long to see her bare backside.

“Boss, we’ll take this one. Please write us a receipt!” Zhang Xiu’e beamed. Truth be told, she was more eager than Tang Long to buy a vehicle.

In a city, she’d never give a second look to a cheap light truck—Benz, BMW, Land Rover, none of those fancy cars would impress her. But here in Donghe Town, as the village secretary of Yutou Village, things were different.

“Do you know how to drive?” Zhang Xiu’e asked Tang Long after they’d finished the paperwork and paid.

Tang Long looked at her. “You don’t know how to drive?”

“I do!” Zhang Xiu’e replied proudly, lifting her chin. “I got my license at eighteen.”

“Impressive!” Tang Long complimented her with a laugh.

Zhang Xiu’e smiled back. “Don’t tell me you can’t drive.”

“Not just cars—tanks, planes, anything a person can operate, I can handle!” Tang Long shrugged with a cheeky grin.

Zhang Xiu’e pursed her lips, convinced he was just boasting.

“You’d die if you stopped bragging, wouldn’t you?”

Tang Long watched her walk away, the corners of his mouth quirking up. But he wasn’t exaggerating—in fact, he really had driven planes and tanks before.

...

“President Liu, Zhang Xiu’e and Tang Long are unbelievably ungrateful!” Wang Weicheng cursed in frustration.

Liu Meijia nodded coldly. “Yes, they’re quite ungrateful.”

Ten million, real cash—her intention had been to settle things, to write off all grudges with Yutou Village.

Years ago, Qiangyuan Company had acted without scruples because they hadn’t considered going legitimate. But now, things were different. Qiangyuan Group was a listed company—they couldn’t behave as recklessly as before.

“Should I send some men out to Yutou Village and have them—”

Liu Meijia looked up and snapped coldly, “Are you an idiot? The new county leaders are watching us closely, plus those reporters from the finance channel. If violence could solve the problem, would I have bothered coming here in person?”

Wang Chengwei lowered his head. “So, we’re just going to stand by and watch them take the money?”

“Qiangyuan’s money won’t be taken so easily!” Liu Meijia frowned in thought, then said coldly, “Call the company lawyers. See if we can get the money back through legal means.”

After a pause, she added, “And report the incident where Yutou Village injured our employees. Stir up the waters first.”

“I’ll take care of it right away!” Wang Chengwei hurried out.

Leaning back in her chair, Liu Meijia reflected that today, Tang Long and Zhang Xiu’e had truly surprised her.

Even ten million wasn’t enough to satisfy their appetite—their ambition was extraordinary.

“Tang Long, you’re interesting,” Liu Meijia muttered to herself, her eyes gleaming. She wasn’t called the ‘Scorpion Lady’ for nothing.