Xie Changyi, like a mother hen protecting her chicks, pointed at Xie Changjun’s nose and let loose a torrent of abuse.

Enraged by the tirade, Xie Changjun moved to attack.

Xie Changning stepped forward, blocking Xie Changyi and tilting her chin up slightly. "You’d better think this through. You’re already unwelcome in this village. If you start a fight with us now, I’m sure I don’t need to tell you what’s waiting for you!"

In these sensitive times, people already detested capitalists.

And now, he was going to start a fight.

’Is he not digging his own grave fast enough?’

Xie Changjun didn’t care, but his parents had to. Their younger son wasn’t even with them; their older son was now their everything.

The Xie family’s adoptive mother quickly pulled Xie Changjun back.

Xie Changjun tried to struggle, but when he turned his head, he saw several farmers working nearby, watching them from a distance.

Seeing the nearby villagers, Xie Changjun’s fiery temper died down a little.

"Xie Changning, let me tell you something! You were raised by my parents, so you have to repay us. Hurry up and pull some strings to get us out of here, or else—

you’ll have hell to pay!"

He shouldn’t have brought that up. The moment he did, Xie Changyi turned to the Xie family’s adoptive father. "Uncle, I’d like to ask you something. Why did you take the tens of thousands of yuan my parents left for my sister and use it to start a business?"

"Using it to start a business would have been fine if we considered it a loan from my sister. But what did you do?"

After speaking, Xie Changyi pointed at Xie Changjun’s nose and roared, "You keep running your mouth, and see if I don’t slap you! Let me tell you, our family owes you nothing. If anyone owes anyone, it’s you who owe us!"

Originally, the main branch of the family had no issue with him using the money for business.

As long as they took good care of the child.

But what did they do?

They were insatiably greedy!

The more he thought about it, the angrier he got. Xie Changyi walked up to Xie Changjun and slapped him across the face. Xie Changjun tried to retaliate, but Xie Changning kicked him to the ground.

Xie Changning pulled Xie Changyi back.

"He’s a man, and he does farm work every day now. Don’t let yourself get hurt."

Being protected by his younger sister, Xie Changyi was deeply moved.

Because a fight had broken out, the brigade leader had to step in. "Are you here to cause trouble?" He disliked the ’sent-down’ Xie Family, so he naturally had a poor impression of their relatives, Xie Changning and Xie Changyi.

So he didn’t bother being polite.

Seeing the brigade leader arrive to back them up, the members of the Xie Family straightened their backs a little.

Xie Changyi was about to say something more, but Xie Changning pulled him back. She smiled and addressed the brigade leader, "Hello. I’m the director of the Chuncheng Anong County Machinery Factory. Our factory is currently looking for three security guards to handle patrols. Do you have any suitable young and able-bodied men in your village?"

Xie Changning’s voice wasn’t quiet, and everyone nearby heard her.

Almost instantly, the way everyone looked at Xie Changning gained a measure of respect. Even the brigade leader’s expression brightened.

His gaze toward Xie Changning became much more enthusiastic.

Xie Changyi hadn’t expected Xie Changning to handle it this way.

"As for our factory’s benefits, the security guards get twenty yuan a month, plus room and board. Holiday bonuses are the same as for the factory workers, and they even get two extra days of vacation!"

How much did a farmer earn in a day?

That’s just how people are. Once their interests were involved, everyone suddenly became incredibly lenient toward Xie Changning.

"I had no idea you were a director! It’s a pleasure to meet you, a real pleasure!" The brigade leader quickly extended a hand to shake Xie Changning’s.

Xie Changning made the introduction. "This is the director of the Chuncheng Foreign Trade Bureau. You can call him Director Xie."

"Aiyo! Director Xie!" They never imagined they’d one day meet such a high-ranking official!

Suddenly, no one had the heart to work anymore. They all wanted to ask what Xie Changning’s recruitment requirements were.

Some of the women had already hurried home to get their husbands and tell them to rush over to the brigade leader and show what they were made of.

"You two, please come with me. We can talk at the brigade headquarters." With that, the brigade leader turned to the villagers. "Keep an eye on them. If they dare to slack off, they don’t get dinner tonight!"

Xie Changjun, who had been about to start shouting again, immediately deflated when he heard the brigade leader’s words.

After the Xie siblings left, Xie Changjun went to his adoptive parents. "Mom, Dad, did you see her!" When had he ever been upstaged by Xie Changning in front of his parents?

So, he immediately started complaining to his parents.

Unfortunately, his parents were no longer the wealthy tycoons from Shanghai they once were. They were now ’sent-down’ capitalists, reviled by all.

"What’s all the racket? Get over here and work!" The leader of the group, a burly, thick-waisted man, came forward, grabbed Xie Changjun by the collar, and dragged him back, not caring if he stumbled and fell.

When the adoptive parents saw their son being treated like this, they were about to step in and help.

But the other men behind him instantly moved forward, forcing the two of them back.

The adoptive mother, clutching her hoe, was crying her eyes out. "This is all your fault! I told you to treat Xie Changning better back then, but you wouldn’t listen! Now we’re getting what we deserve, aren’t we?!"

"You have the fucking nerve to blame me? You were the one who withheld the most from her! Didn’t I tell you to give her fifty yuan a month for pocket money? And what did you do!?"

Thinking of this, the adoptive father grew furious and slapped his wife across the face.

"You bitch! If you dare to blame me again, I’ll beat you to death."

The adoptive mother was too scared to fight back after being hit and could only sob quietly.

Two women pulled her away. "Hurry up! No slacking!"

「Village Brigade Headquarters」

As Xie Changning and Xie Changyi stepped into the brigade headquarters, the brigade leader immediately had someone serve them tea. He stood before them and said, "So, Director Xie, what are your recruitment requirements? If you tell me first, I can arrange for people to come for interviews."

Xie Changyi turned to look at Xie Changning.

"I was wondering, do you have any military veterans in your village? Preferably ones who know how to fight."

Hearing this, the brigade leader’s face lit up. "Aiyo, you’ve certainly come to the right place! We have quite a few veterans in our village!" Many of them had been discharged due to injuries.

’I wonder if Xie Changning will want them!’

’Still, I’ll call them over first and see. If she doesn’t want them, we can look for others.’

The brigade leader happily sent for the men. Before long, a dozen or so veterans stood before Xie Changning. All of them were sturdily built, with various scars on their arms and hands.

Xie Changning was very satisfied.

"Those who know how to fight, step forward."

All dozen or so men instantly took a step forward.

Xie Changning looked them over, then had them pair up and spar. In the end, she selected the three men with the best overall qualities.

"Uncle, thank you so much. If I hadn’t come here, I really wouldn’t have known where to find such suitable security guards!" Xie Changning said. Then she turned to the three selected veterans. "Go home and get your things in order, then find me in the county town. You’ll come back with me."

"Yes, Director!"

The three men went home, overjoyed, to pack their belongings, ready to embark on their journey to Anong County.