Chapter 590: They're Really Going at It

The branch secretary didn't spare Peng Ailan any face at all.

The horn of the autumn harvest had already sounded, with more work each day than could be handled; for someone like her who was always holding them back, a pleasant expression would be the real surprise.

Peng Ailan hadn't expected that even though she was nearly crossing the line, the branch secretary still wanted to help suppress the matter — how could that be allowed: "Branch Secretary, your heart is far too biased."

The branch secretary couldn't be bothered to argue with a woman like her: "Then tell your man to go kill a wolf too. When the time comes, the wolf meat counts as the village's, and I'll definitely find someone to tan the wolfhide for you and hang it in your house."

Peng Ailan's face flushed red and her neck bulged with rage: "Branch Secretary, you're not making things difficult for people — you clearly know my Quanwen doesn't have that ability, yet you still say it like that. Are you trying to get him killed?"

The branch secretary's face instantly darkened: "Since you've already said killing a wolf is sending someone to their death, yet you still come to someone else's house to make trouble — where's your shame?"

Having said that, he looked toward Liu Quanwen, who was in the middle of turning his body behind the crowd: "Quanwen, your wife making such a fuss — is that your idea, or hers?"

One sentence pulled everyone's attention onto Liu Quanwen, who had been preparing to slip away.

For a moment, it left him in a fix where neither leaving nor staying was right.

But since the branch secretary had called him out by name, he could only brace himself and turn around: "Don't listen to that woman spouting nonsense — wasn't I just about to find something handy to deal with her."

The moment his words fell, the branch secretary's little grandson Liu Zhili, quick-eyed and quick-handed, passed over the stick in his hand: "Uncle Quanwen, take my stick — it works really well."

In front of everyone, Liu Quanwen had no choice but to take the stick, heft it in his hand, and say sheepishly: "It does feel just right."

But before he could even make a move, Peng Ailan exploded: "Liu Quanwen, you good-for-nothing — what are you trying to do?"

Liu Quanwen was now being held over the fire; if he didn't put on some show, wouldn't everyone think he was insincere and contradicting himself?

A flash of guilt crossed his face, but when he looked up at Peng Ailan it had already been replaced by a look of pure fury — it would truly be a waste of talent if he didn't become an actor: "You damned woman, all you know is causing trouble. Even if it's for the village, you still can't go against the cadres. Just watch me beat you to death."

Saying that, he raised the stick and struck toward Peng Ailan.

He figured the branch secretary was standing right opposite, and there were still people behind Peng Ailan — surely someone would step out to stop it.

So this stick really came down with quite a bit of force, meant to let everyone know he wasn't just talking.

What he hadn't expected was that the branch secretary had been pulled aside by his own little grandson to talk, and hadn't managed to stop it in time.

As for the people standing behind Peng Ailan, they were afraid of being dragged into it and all scattered in every direction.

And Peng Ailan had never once imagined Liu Quanwen would really strike, so she stood there without moving, only glaring furiously at him with an expression that said: just try laying a finger on me.

But the stick came down solidly, and she let out an "Ah!": "Liu Quanwen, I'll curse your ancestors."

Enduring the pain on her body, she lunged at her own husband.

Liu Quanwen hadn't expected things to not go the way he'd imagined. Before he could even react, his wife had already pounced over; the stick was snatched from his hand by her reverse grip, and she turned it on him, raining down blows.

No matter what, he was still a grown man. Feeling he'd lost face in front of the villagers, he raised his hand, caught the stick coming down, and with one tug had it back in his own hand — so things reversed once again, and blow after blow landed on Peng Ailan: "You damned woman, you've turned the world upside down — just watch me beat you to death."

At this point, not only was the branch secretary dumbfounded, even the villagers gathered around were a bit stunned: They're really going at it?