Chapter 461: Return the Slap

Of course, Ye Cheng couldn't be bothered to care where you put your face.

He glanced at Xiao Hu,

"Xiao Hu, come over and restrain him."

"Here." Xiao Hu, experienced at this sort of thing, stepped forward, twisted Chen Houda's arm behind his back, grabbed him with one hand, and he couldn't move.

Ye Cheng looked at the grimacing Chen Houda and said,

"Uncle, I'm a reasonable person; if I were to hit you for hitting someone, that would be meddling. But letting others hit you back—isn't that just natural?"

"What nonsense! You dare let a woman hit me—I'll fight you to the death."

Chen Houda strained to break free, trying to rush out of Xiao Hu's grip, but Xiao Hu's strength was nothing he could escape.

Ye Cheng turned his head, looked at the already stunned Han Xiaotao, and said,

"Go ahead."

Han Xiaotao shook her head in fear like a rattle drum,

"Brother Cheng, I don't dare, I really don't dare."

Ye Cheng's face darkened, and he said sternly,

"If someone hits you, hitting back is natural and right; if you keep being so timid, later they'll dare to ride on your neck."

"Hit back! Let them see you're not someone to be messed with."

"I... I..." Han Xiaotao's eyes were full of struggle.

She really didn't dare, but she didn't want to be bullied again.

Over the years, since becoming a widow, being whispered about behind her back was bad enough, and there were plenty of open mockery; moreover, the Chen family never brought her any good fortune, simply bullying this orphaned widow and her child.

"Think about your child—do you want him to suffer the same bullying as you?" Ye Cheng said calmly from the side,

"Also, look at Aunt Zhang—she's also a widow; who would dare bully her like that?"

"Women, when they become mothers, grow strong; if you don't want to be bullied, you must straighten your spine!"

Ye Cheng raised his voice for the final words, each one smashing into Han Xiaotao's heart.

Child!

Bullying the child!

They're bullying me like this now; they'll surely bully my child too.

Right, I can't, I can't let them bully my child.

Han Xiaotao licked her lips, her gaze gradually firming, and she stepped forward.

Ye Cheng's eyes showed relief, while Chen Houda could hardly believe it—this woman actually dared to hit him.

"Pa!"

A crisp sound!

The entire venue's air instantly froze.

Han Xiaotao's eyes were full of bewilderment.

Chen Houda widened his eyes, unable to believe that the little widow they'd always bullied dared to hit him.

Just now, she really slapped him.

It wasn't strong, but it was a real slap.

Should he be angry or what should he do?

Chen Houda himself didn't know.

While Chen Houda was still dazed, Ye Cheng gave Xiao Hu a look, and Xiao Hu released him from behind.

"All right, it's fine—he slapped you, you slapped him back, you're even, let's go." Ye Cheng patted Han Xiaotao and then led the way out.

Han Xiaotao hadn't yet reacted to what just happened; her tender palm still felt a faint sting.

She couldn't remember how she had swung that blow.

But seeing Chen Houda's fearful look, she suddenly realized he could be afraid too.

After walking out, Ye Cheng glanced around and then said softly,

"Hurry up and leave; if the Chen family surrounds us, it'll be trouble."

"Going to someone's door to fight—although Ye Cheng didn't hit anyone, if we really got surrounded, damn, we'd inevitably have another fierce battle."

Having said that, the three jogged all the way back to Ye Cheng's house, Han Xiaotao running panting.

She patted her heaving chest, glanced at Ye Cheng and Xiao Hu, then let out a puffed laugh.

"Brother Cheng, Brother Xiao Hu, I thought you weren't afraid, but I didn't expect you to run faster than rabbits."

Xiao Hu grinned,

"We're not idiots; with just the two of us, how could we not be afraid?"

Ye Cheng opened the fridge, took out three bottles of cola, gave them to the two, took a sip himself, then said to Han Xiaotao,

"Being afraid is fine, but you need to show spirit. Next time they try to bully you, they'll at least hesitate—got it? Before, anyone who came would bully you a few times."

Han Xiaotao nodded firmly after hearing that, then said,

"Mm, Brother Cheng, I will definitely not let them bully me again."

"Once you've figured it out, take these longline fishing gear back and deal with them; remember to bring them to me tomorrow morning, and if they come looking for trouble at night, come straight to me."

After Han Xiaotao acknowledged, she rode her tricycle and pulled the things back.

After Han Xiaotao left, Xiao Hu finally spoke up,

"Brother, are we really going out to sea tomorrow? Planning to go head‑to‑head with them?"

"Don't always go for brute force; I have other plans—come, let me tell you."

Ye Cheng quietly explained his plan to Xiao Hu in full.

Xiao Hu kept nodding as he listened, and still didn't forget to utter a compliment.

"Damn, bro, you're getting more and more cunning."

"Next time, let's use wisdom, okay? Cunning doesn't suit me."

"Bro, other people's wisdom is face-to-face; yours is just cunning."

"Bullshit, this is wisdom; use your brain."

After finishing speaking with Xiao Hu, Ye Cheng had Xiao Hu go tell Duan Chunsheng about going out to sea together tomorrow, and also prepare the things needed for tomorrow.

As for Chen Houda's side, having been beaten, he couldn't swallow this anger, but he didn't dare go find Ye Cheng himself, so he could only go find Chen Jinhai.

"What? You were hit by Han Xiaotao?" Chen Jinhai was greatly surprised.

Seeing Chen Jinhai's surprised look, Chen Houda himself also felt a bit embarrassed.

"It wasn't just Han Xiaotao alone; it was Ye Cheng bringing Wang Xiaohu, the two of them holding me down, otherwise how could Han Xiaotao possibly have hit me."

After saying that, Chen Houda looked at Chen Jinhai, full of resentment, and said,

"Jinhai, you are both Village Chief and Clan Chief; this matter must have an explanation, I can't just be beaten for nothing."

Chen Jinhai remained silent, inwardly thinking, "You all keep calling me Village Chief now; when something happens, you want me to take the blame—this damn Village Chief, whoever wants it can have it."

He still remembered that earlier Chen Houda had brought people to his door demanding to sell the boat, no matter how they argued it didn't make sense, and they forced him to sell the boat.

Now it's fine, he's lost that much money for nothing.

When there's business, they call for the Village Chief; when there's none, it's Chen Jinhai, right?

I'll take care of it?

Dream on.

Chen Jinhai pondered for a moment, then said,

"Uncle, speaking of which, it was you who first went to their door and hit them; they came back and hit you in return—this could also be considered reasonable, right?"

"What reasonable? She's a woman, not observing proper womanly conduct, and she brought people to beat me—this is called reasonable?" Chen Houda could hardly believe it, that Chen Jinhai actually said such a thing.

"That's not what I mean; her husband is already dead, so what womanly conduct is there to talk about? This isn't the old society, no need to play that drowning-in-a-pig-cage routine."