Chapter 136: The swindler arrives to set a trap, the villagers' anger blazes in their hearts

Just as dawn was breaking, Lu Qingshan was startled awake by a sudden knocking.

"Qing Shan brother! Qing Shan brother!" Liu Fugui's voice trembled, "Someone's come again!"

Lu Qingshan sat up in bed, thinking to himself: "They came fast!"

He hastily dressed and went out, only to see a brand-new minivan parked in front of the village committee office, its side bearing the words "Northeast Machinery Equipment Co., Ltd."

A middle-aged man wearing glasses was talking to Zhao Yongnian, holding a stack of documents in his hand.

"Factory Director Lu!" the man exclaimed upon seeing Lu Qingshan, striding over enthusiastically, "I'm Liu Manager of Northeast Machinery Equipment Company. I heard you broke off talks with Shenyang Heavy Industry yesterday?"

Lu Qingshan snorted coldly inside; the news had spread faster than the wind.

"We didn't break off talks, just put them on hold," Lu Qingshan said calmly.

"Oh, Factory Director Lu, don't be polite," Liu Manager said with a feigned concern, "I know that Shenyang Heavy Industry company—its quality problems are many, even the Provincial Industry Bureau has spoken out; do you still dare to use their equipment?"

The villagers gathered around, chattering. Everyone knew what had happened the night before, and now another equipment dealer had appeared, making people suspicious.

"Manager Liu, where is your company located?" Qian Jin stepped out of the crowd, his eyes sharp.

"In Shenyang!" Liu Manager answered without hesitation, "We specialize in food processing equipment, supplying many big factories!"

Qian Jin nodded: "What's the exact address?"

Liu Manager hesitated, then said: "In… in the Industrial Avenue of Shenyang's Tiexi District."

"What number on Industrial Avenue?" Qian Jin pressed on.

"I… I can't recall the exact door number, but it's somewhere around there," Liu Manager said, a bit flustered.

Lu Qingshan and Qian Jin exchanged a glance; they already had the answer in mind.

"Manager Liu, may I see your business license?" Lu Qingshan asked politely.

"Of course!" Liu Manager pulled out a document from his bag, "Look, all the paperwork is complete!"

Qian Jin took the document and examined it carefully, his frown deepening.

"Lu Qingshan, this business license is problematic," Qian Jin said in a low voice, "the seal's color is wrong, and the paper isn't the kind used officially."

Lu Qingshan nodded, then said to Liu Manager: "Manager Liu, may I see your equipment quotation sheet?"

Liu Manager immediately produced a polished quotation sheet: "Factory Director Lu, look—our prices are thirty percent lower than Shenyang Heavy Industry's, and the quality is even better!"

Lu Qingshan took the quotation sheet and instantly spotted the flaw. Though the sheet was beautifully made, the equipment model and parameters were clearly wrong.

"Master Yao, come over and look at this," Lu Qingshan called to Yao Bai'nian.

Yao Bai'nian walked over, glanced at the quotation sheet, and shook his head: "The parameters for this traditional medicine processing equipment are completely fabricated; such a model doesn't even exist."

Liu Manager's face began to pale: "This… this might be a printing error…"

Just then, a phone rang. Liu Manager pulled out a brick‑phone and answered.

"Hello? What? The company's been shut down?" Liu Manager's voice rose, "How is that possible? I was still at the company yesterday!"

The scene fell silent instantly, everyone's eyes fixed on Liu Manager.

Liu Manager hung up, his face ashen: "Lu… Factory Director Lu, sorry, something's come up at the company; I have to go back and deal with it…"

He started to run toward the car, but Zhao Tiezhu grabbed him: "Trying to run? Not so easy!"

"What… what do you want? In broad daylight, is there still law?" Liu Manager's voice trembled.

Lu Qingshan stepped forward, eyes like knives: "Manager Liu, we're straight‑talking people. Who sent you?"

"I… I don't know what you're talking about…" Liu Manager still tried to bluff.

Qian Jin spoke up then: "Manager Liu, I just called the Shenyang Tiexi District Industrial Administration Committee; they said there's no Northeast Machinery Equipment Company on Industrial Avenue at all."

Liu Manager's face turned completely white.

Just then, Chen Zhiguo's jeep pulled up. He got out and walked straight to Liu Manager: "Comrade, please cooperate with our investigation."

"Police… police comrade, I haven't broken the law!" Liu Manager panicked.

"You're suspected of commercial fraud; please cooperate." Chen Zhiguo showed his credentials, "Besides, your ID is fake too."

As it turned out, Chen Zhiguo had already arranged for people to investigate the matter the previous night; this Liu Manager was nothing but a swindler.

Seeing this, the villagers were filled with righteous anger.

"These people are too hateful!"

"They specialize in screwing over us farmers!"

"Qing Shan brother, we can't let them get away!"

Zhao Tiezhu rolled up his sleeves: "Qing Shan brother, just say the word and we'll raid those bastards' lair!"

Zhao Er Zhuang also eagerly chimed in: "Exactly! Let them know Shanwan Village isn't to be messed with!"

Lu Qingshan looked at the angry villagers, his own ruthless resolve fully ignited. His past life's memories told him that sometimes the law isn't enough; you also need to make the other side feel pain.

But he couldn't act impulsively now; he had to take responsibility for the whole village.

"Villagers, I understand your feelings," Lu Qingshan surveyed the crowd, "but we are law‑abiding people; we can't resort to crooked methods like them."

Zhao Tiezhu felt unwilling: "Just let it go then?"

"Of course not!" Lu Qingshan's eyes flashed with a cold light, "but we'll make them pay through lawful means. Brother Chen, please handle this."

Chen Zhiguo nodded: "Don't worry, we'll show no leniency in such matters."

Watching Liu Manager being led away, the villagers' anger eased a little, but everyone still held back a breath.

Just then, Li Ming's convoy arrived.

Three large trucks slowly entered the village, their beds loaded with various equipment.

"Factory Director Lu, to prove our sincerity, I've brought some key equipment ahead of time!" Li Ming jumped down from the truck, face full of excitement.

Seeing one brand‑new machine after another, the villagers' mood instantly improved.

"Is this our equipment?" Liu Fugui's eyes widened.

"It's really beautiful!" Zhao Er Zhuang stroked the machine's casing, unable to put it down.

Qian Jin walked to the equipment side and carefully inspected: "Not bad, all genuine, quality is very good."

Yao Bai'nian also nodded: "This medicinal herb processing equipment is indeed advanced, better than any I've seen before."

Lu Qingshan walked up to Li Ming: "Li representative, you've taken quite a risk."

Li Ming smiled: "Factory chief Lu, to be honest, after returning last night I thought about it all night. Customers with your determination are rare; our factory chief also said we must close this deal!"

Just as everyone was excited about the new equipment, Lin Yue'e walked over.

"Qing Shan, I've been thinking—should we let those troublemakers know that Shanwan Village isn't to be messed with?"

Lu Qingshan looked at his wife's eyes sparkling with light, a warm feeling surged in his heart.

The reborn Lin Yue'e seemed to have returned to that daring girl who loved and hated fiercely.

"Yue E, what do you think?"

Lin Yue'e scanned the crowd, her voice clear and firm: "Since they want to put on a show, let's give them a good one!"