The people here naturally didn't know what Jiang Hai did in the United States, but his connection with the Qi family and his ties to higher-ups—these things could be found out with a little investigation. And even that surface-level information was more than enough to make people think twice about crossing him.
So, when Officer Zheng spoke, Zhang Hao immediately quieted down.
He realized that taking out the knife had been a pointless act of bravado. In fact, he was lucky that he hadn't gone further.
If he had actually done anything, not only would he have ended up in jail along with his family, but even if he got out, he would've had to live in constant fear. Over the years, he'd made many enemies. Whether he'd even survive was anyone's guess.
For a moment, the ambulance was completely silent.
After everyone was dropped off at the town hospital and registered for treatment, it was clear that luck hadn't been on their side.
Having done his part, Officer Zheng left to report the incident to his superiors.
Not long after, a man with a sharp face and monkey-like features walked in with a basket of fruit.
"Brother Hao, are you okay..." he asked softly as he stepped inside, eyeing Zhang Hao, who was wrapped tightly in layers of clothes after the incident.
But the moment Zhang Hao heard his voice, his eyes flew open. Without even looking, he grabbed the leftover bottle of water Officer Zheng had been drinking and hurled it at the door.
Caught off guard, the sharp-faced man took the full brunt of the bottle to the head, and a large bump formed almost instantly.
"Ow! Ow! Brother Hao, what are you doing?" he yelped, clutching his head, confused and alarmed. Just moments ago everything seemed fine—why the sudden outburst?
"Why? I should be asking you that!" Zhang Hao roared. "What did you tell me? That the Ai family were just some ordinary carpenters? Damn it! Do you even know who that girl's man is? And you still had the nerve to send me after him!"
Zhang Hao's fury left the man speechless, his expression full of confusion.
The truth was, today's incident had been a setup. The sharp-faced man was none other than Liu Laosan—real name Liu Zheng—the village chief's son. But there was nothing decent about him. Crooked in both looks and morals, he was a troublemaker through and through.
His father had made money by enclosing village land, but he was still careful in how he did things, treating fellow villagers with a level of respect and caution. After all, this place wasn't far from Wei City. If he stirred up serious trouble, no one could protect him.
So when Ai Xiaoxi's father refused to marry her off to Liu Zheng, the village chief didn't press the matter.
But Liu Zheng wasn't like his father. He wasn't a good man. When he first saw Ai Xiaoxi, her beauty stunned him. That's why he went to her uncle and aunt to discuss marriage.
Then, just two days ago, when he found out Ai Xiaoxi had brought her boyfriend home, he was furious.
He wanted to cause trouble for Jiang Hai, but when he heard that Jiang Hai was tall—over 1.9 meters—and strong, he backed off. Plus, the Ai family still had some standing in the village, so rallying locals against Jiang Hai wasn't realistic.
While still stewing over the situation, he happened to see Ai Xiaoxi's family heading to town. That's when he came up with a plan.
He approached Zhang Hao—no stranger to shady dealings—and offered him 5,000 yuan to "handle" Jiang Hai and his family. It didn't have to be serious—just rough up Ai Xiaoxi's father first, lure Jiang Hai out, then beat him up too.
Then Liu Zheng would swoop in like a hero, saving the day and impressing Ai Xiaoxi.
But things didn't go as planned. Jiang Hai had far more influence—and skill—than Liu Zheng had anticipated. From his hiding spot behind the crowd, Liu Zheng had watched it all unfold. It was like watching a live drama.
Now, trying to smooth things over, he brought fruit to visit Zhang Hao. He had assumed Zhang Hao had backed off because of some town official, but now it was clear: Jiang Hai wasn't someone to mess with.
As Zhang Hao shouted, Liu Zheng could only force an awkward smile.
"I'm telling you, this whole mess is your fault," Zhang Hao growled. "Send me that 5,000 yuan right now, and don't forget the medical expenses for our guys. If you dare short me even one cent, I'll make sure you regret it."
Intimidated and nursing a bump on his head, Liu Zheng nodded quickly. "Of course, of course."
Even though the plan had failed, he still had to pay up. He had no choice.
Ai Xiaoxi, watching from the side, felt her anger cooling. Men like Liu Zheng weren't like Yu Hongzhi, who had once truly cared for her. Liu Zheng had only wanted her because of her looks. Now that he knew she was out of reach, he had no problem backing off.
For him, self-preservation came first. There was no way he'd risk his future—or his family's—for a girl.
Meanwhile, Jiang Hai and the others were already on their way home. Jiang Hai couldn't help feeling something was off. The whole situation felt like the start of a major arc—three to five chapters at least—but it had fizzled out too quickly.
It left him a little frustrated, like getting interrupted during an intimate moment with a beautiful woman—just when things were heating up, she pulls away with an excuse: period, hemorrhoids, mouth sores, just got waxed, faking it, or can't even clench properly...
It was deeply unsatisfying. Not even worth pretending to be cool about it. Where was the so-called true love?
As Jiang Hai brooded, Ai Xiaoxi's father chuckled to himself. He remembered specifically telling Jiang Hai not to buy a car for Ai Xiaohui. And what happened? The moment he turned his back, Jiang Hai bought a brand-new one. And not a cheap model either.
Ai Xiaoxi's father, a man who prided himself on not owing anyone, couldn't help but sigh. Their family owed Jiang Hai too much. Even if Jiang Hai and Ai Xiaoxi were in a relationship, he didn't want his daughter to enter a marriage where she had no voice.
In the north, male chauvinism was still common. Though he feared his wife a little, he made the big decisions at home: which university Ai Xiaoxi should attend, family finances, and more. He assumed Jiang Hai, coming from Bingcheng, likely had the same mindset.
If Ai Xiaoxi wanted a say in her future, she'd need to rely either on her own strength or on a powerful family background.
Since the latter was no longer an option, she'd have to rely on herself.
If Jiang Hai knew what her father was thinking, he'd be embarrassed. Truthfully, he wasn't exactly a "good man" himself.
The two cars returned to the village and stopped in front of the Ai family home, attracting the attention of curious neighbors.
When they saw Ai Xiaohui getting out of the car, the gossip intensified.
Because of the delay in town, they missed the seafood market that day, so Jiang Hai and the others spent a quiet afternoon at home. The next morning, unable to resist his excitement over the new car, Ai Xiaohui, along with Jiang Hai and Ai Xiaoxi, drove to Wei City.
They returned the rental Jiang Hai had used earlier, then cruised around Wei City in the new car before heading home in the evening.
By the time they got back, the entire village was abuzz.
Word spread fast: the Ai family had struck it rich. Ai Xiaoxi had brought home a wealthy, handsome, kind-hearted boyfriend. Not only was he tall and strong, but he could also fight—and protect others.
Most shocking of all, the local police seemed to fear him.
Everything added up to one conclusion—Jiang Hai was the perfect son-in-law.
While few in the village had any chance of landing someone like Jiang Hai, Ai Xiaohui suddenly became a hot commodity. Previously, no one paid him much attention. After undergoing major surgery, his health was uncertain, and he had no skills or prospects. Marrying into his situation was a bad deal.
But now things had changed.
Ai Xiaoxi had found Jiang Hai, who was now Ai Xiaohui's brother-in-law. If Ai Xiaohui encountered any problems in the future, surely Jiang Hai would help. On top of that, with a car, Ai Xiaohui could start a rickshaw service—a guaranteed income.
Interest surged. Visitors lined up at the Ai family door.
Some even waited to see if Ai Xiaohui's newfound luck would continue.
For the Ai family, the change was more than welcome. Their home was lively again, and these might have been the happiest days they'd had in the past two years—all thanks to Jiang Hai.
But time never stops, and in the blink of an eye, only one day remained in September.
Tomorrow, Jiang Hai and his group would be leaving.