Free Web NovelChapter 191: Chapter 191: The Mischief of a Mean Person
Wang Hao listened and suddenly froze. What did they mean by this?
Wang Hao had never dealt with these drivers before. How could they be so adamant about not doing business with him? It was clear they were bullying him!
Given Wang Hao’s usual temperament, he would have beaten these drivers up right after hearing those words.
But since Zhou Yingying was there today, he definitely couldn’t resort to violence.
"Master, would you consider it if I increase the price? How about double the rate?"
Wang Hao could only back down and say, knowing full well he was the one asking for help.
"Even if you offered us ten times the rate today, we wouldn’t take it!"
The driver still mercilessly refused. freewebnσvel.cѳm
Wang Hao wasn’t foolish; these drivers normally made their living by running a few trips a day. Now they weren’t even willing to take the job for ten times the pay, which surely meant someone was meddling behind the scenes.
Upon reflection, Wang Hao realized that the only ones who knew he was coming to rent a car were the villagers helping Su Zhenping sort out the herbs and a few other villagers hanging around to watch the excitement. It seemed he had also spotted the figure of the village chief, Zhao Youquan.
The only one who would cross him was the village chief, Zhao Youquan.
However, Wang Hao urgently needed a vehicle and couldn’t find one elsewhere on short notice.
So Wang Hao decided to teach these people a lesson once Zhou Yingying left, to see if they would still listen to Zhao Youquan’s provocation.
The problem now was that Zhou Yingying didn’t seem to have any intention of leaving.
Actually, Zhou Yingying had realized from the start that these drivers were deliberately making things difficult for Wang Hao, and she too was holding back a surge of anger!
Since Wang Hao had saved her last time, her heart had tacitly consented to him, and now these damned drivers dared to bully her man right in front of her. She was thinking that she needed to deal with them properly.
Zhou Yingying glanced at the cards on the stone bench, the corner of her mouth lifting slightly. She pulled out a pair of handcuffs from her waist and swiftly cuffed the driver who had just been speaking to Wang Hao.
"What are you doing?"
The driver looked at Zhou Yingying with a puzzled face.
"What am I doing? You guys are gathering to gamble. Come back with me and cooperate with the investigation!"
Zhou Yingying barked sharply, then pointed at the others and said. ƒгeewebnovёl.com
"None of you think about running; all come back with me!"
The other four drivers’ complexions changed dramatically after hearing this. They were playing for fifty cents a hand, which was common in every street and alley. Why were they the only ones being caught?
"Officer Zhou, let’s talk this out, there’s no need to get serious!"
The handcuffed driver quickly pleaded for mercy. They all knew Zhou Yingying, the iron-faced official, who always upheld justice. Today she was willing to stand up for Wang Hao right here, indicating that the relationship between the two of them was extraordinary.
"Then talk!"
Zhou Yingying snorted coldly, pointing at the playing cards and the pile of change next to the stone bench.
"Look for yourselves, the game’s still on, the stakes are here, caught red-handed. I think you’d better come back to the station and explain yourselves!"
The driver was left with nothing to say because they were indeed playing cards there. There was winning and losing, and yes, losers had to pay, which by nature could be considered gambling.
But for these small bets amounting to a few tens of yuan, it was indeed a disgrace to be taken into custody and not worth it.
"Officer Zhou, we’re wrong, okay? Don’t you just want us to transport herbs for Wang Hao? Fine, we agree. To hell with Zhao Youquan; we’re tired of listening to him. We’ll agree right now to transport the goods for Wang Hao!"
These drivers, who had been running goods on the road all year round, were certainly not dumb. It wasn’t worth ruining their reputation for the sake of Zhao Youquan.
"Who is Zhao Youquan?"
Zhou Yingying looked at Wang Hao, puzzled.
"He’s the chief of our village; you met him last time!"
Wang Hao gave a wry smile.
"Oh, it was that fellow who couldn’t wait to see me thrown in jail and who I also kicked once?"
Zhou Yingying suddenly remembered.
Hearing that Zhou Yingying had once kicked Zhao Youquan, the drivers realized there was bad blood between them and were taken aback.
If they continued to side with Zhao Youquan and make things difficult for Wang Hao, Zhou Yingying would be even less inclined to let them off.
"We’ll do it for half price, we can help Wang Hao with the transport at half price. Officer Zhou, does that work for you?"
"Right, we swear we won’t help Zhao Youquan with these things anymore! That rotten guy didn’t even bring us a few decent jobs!"
"Yes, yes, yes, I heard that the medicinal herbs Wang Hao planted in his greenhouse had a bountiful harvest. There’s a lot that needs transporting; from now on, we’ll work with you!"
The drivers spoke one after another, then looked pathetically at Zhou Yingying and Wang Hao.
In fact, the amount they gambled on cards was very small. Even if they were all taken in, it would simply mean a warning before being released. It wasn’t much of a deterrent.
Just now, Zhou Yingying only wanted to scare them a little, and now that her objective was achieved, she couldn’t be bothered to argue with them anymore.
"From now on, if you see Zhao Youquan, deliver a message for me. If he continues to meddle and causes any losses to Wang Hao’s business, and I find evidence, I’ll make sure he rots in jail!"
Zhou Yingying threatened the drivers as she yelled.
"Yes, yes, yes!"
The drivers nodded repeatedly; then one of them followed Wang Hao back to Chen Village to check precisely how many trucks would be needed to haul everything.
"My God, this much?!"
Upon seeing the mountain of medicinal herbs, the driver was astounded. Even if five trucks came, they might not be able to handle it all at once.
But it seemed only about half a truck’s worth was left. Suggesting a later trip wouldn’t be cost-effective, they proposed combining it with a future load.
Wang Hao thought it was feasible as long as most of it could be transported to the county town, and there was somewhere to store the little that remained.
Since there was so much cargo, loading and the trip would take some time. Hence, Wang Hao suggested that the driver come over to start loading after breakfast the next day. Thinking of the payment, the driver agreed readily.
However, as the driver was leaving the village, Zhao Youquan stopped him.
"How can you go back on your word? Didn’t you agree firmly not to do business with Wang Hao? Why are you here now?"
Zhao Youquan, his face twisted with anger, ended with a threat.
"You just wait, none of you will get any work from me again!"
"You still have the guts to say that?"
The driver shouted back at Zhao Youquan scornfully.
"With the kind of lousy jobs you gave, we hardly make enough money to buy a decent pack of cigarettes! Wang Hao is much more generous—the trip to the county town alone pays six hundred, three times what you offered before!"
"Just to help you, we almost missed out on such a good opportunity. We’re not going to believe your word anymore!"
"You!"
Zhao Youquan was suddenly at a loss for words, but as a village chief who cared about his reputation, he scoffed and said,
"You guys shouldn’t be unaware of my connection to the town mayor. Just one word from me and your trucks won’t be seen in town again, let alone haul any cargo!"
"I’m not afraid of you! You should start worrying about yourself now. Officer Zhou already said if she catches you stirring up trouble from behind, she’ll deal with you on the spot!"
The driver snorted coldly, too lazy to waste words with Zhao Youquan, and sped off with a press of the accelerator.
Zhao Youquan couldn’t dodge in time and ended up swallowing a mouthful of exhaust, swearing furiously.
"Wang Hao, you think you’re capable? I refuse to believe there’s no way to stop you!"
After speaking, Zhao Youquan glanced at the road where the car had disappeared. It was the only road connecting Chen Village to the outside world, and an insidious smile crept across Zhao Youquan’s face...
