51: The village chief, the village beauty, and Dazhuang

The Little Security Guard ordered the Village Chief to lead the way.

The Village Chief trotted ahead eagerly.

The Little Security Guard followed behind.

This Village Chief was well-preserved; nearly seventy years old, yet he could still run and jump.

If he were an ordinary old man without a pension, life would have long since worn him down with a decaying body and constant ailments.

"Village Chief, your health is much better than most old folks!"

The Village Chief exclaimed in surprise, "Young man, I'm not an old man yet! I'm only seventy-two, in my prime!"

"I can still get married and have kids!"

The Little Security Guard said in astonishment, "You really are young at heart, old timer!"

"There's one thing I don't understand. You're seventy, so your wife shouldn't be much younger than you. Why would someone want to steal her?"

"Is your wife some old man's first love who never forgot her, and he's taking advantage of the Apocalypse to snatch her away?"

The Village Chief laughed, "You're joking, young man. What old man?"

"The person who stole my wife is also a young man, in his twenties."

"He's from our village, name's Strong Ox. He's incredibly strong; seven or eight young men couldn't beat him."

The Little Security Guard stopped in his tracks.

"I say, old man, are you pulling my leg?"

"A young man would steal a sixty or seventy-year-old woman?"

"For her youth and beauty?"

"For her ability to bear children and carry on the family line?"

"For her age and experience?"

The Village Chief saw the anger on the Little Security Guard's face.

He felt a sudden chill throughout his body.

As if he had fallen into an ice cellar.

He hurriedly explained, "Ex... Expert, I didn't explain clearly. My wife is a twenty-year-old girl, young and vibrant. In our village, she's at the level of a Village Flower."

Only then did the Little Security Guard understand.

"You're nearly eighty, and you're wasting a young girl's youth?"

"With your physique, can you even do the... work?"

The Village Chief's face, which looked like withered tree bark, blossomed into a grin like a foxtail flower.

"Hehe, ancient emperors could still father children at ninety or a hundred!"

"Besides, I'm only in my seventies, still at an age as fierce as a wolf or tiger!"

This old fellow really thinks of himself as a local tyrant emperor!

Fine then!

He just needed to focus on collecting more grain!

If this Village Flower really was a great beauty, he'd take her for himself. Right now, he didn't have nearly enough beauties!

"With that handful of a beard, is the girl actually willing?"

"Why wouldn't she be? I have a car, a house, savings, and a government position. That Strong Ox has no car, no house, no money, and no position. Why would the Village Flower stay with him?"

"Don't girls nowadays love these conditions?"

"Only by following me can she have a bright future."

"Who would like a guy like Strong Ox who has nothing?"

"That guy Strong Ox is fit to die without descendants."

"If he can't give her happiness, why get married?"

"Why bring a child into this world to suffer?"

The Little Security Guard thought to himself: Sigh! That's just how the world is!

Looking at park matchmaking corners and TV dating shows, the Village Chief wasn't wrong.

There are women who don't care about conditions, but they're either naive college students or hopelessly romantic; in short, they are very rare.

Since she can't enjoy physical happiness with the Village Chief and can't enjoy material happiness with Strong Ox, she might as well follow me.

She can have both kinds of happiness!

The Little Security Guard chuckled.

Thinking the Little Security Guard agreed with him, the Village Chief continued, "Expert, when we see Strong Ox later, kill him for me."

"That guy is truly detestable. I'll double the grain—two bags of millet."

The Little Security Guard grinned mischievously, "Don't you worry, this Village Flower will definitely find happiness."

They finished crossing the fields and entered the village.

Scattered farmhouse cottages came into view.

The Village Chief gathered a dozen young men, who shouldered shovels and steel rods, and marched grandly toward Strong Ox's house.

Little Security Guard: "You have so many people; why do you need me to step in?"

Village Chief: "Expert, you don't understand. This Strong Ox is as strong as an ox; he can fight seven or eight people alone."

Little Security Guard: "I'd like to see if this Strong Ox has three heads and six arms!"

They arrived at a small wooden cabin in the woods.

Near the cabin, a Village Girl was spinning yarn.

The Village Chief pointed at the woman and said, "Expert, that is my wife."

The Little Security Guard took one look and thought, Damn, this is what you call a Village Flower?

He opened the system panel to check her information.

Her beauty score was only around 80.

In the countryside, that was just above-average looks!

Although before the Apocalypse, when there were more men than women, matchmakers would have broken down her door.

Of course, in the countryside where men far outnumber women, any woman is highly sought after.

But for the Little Security Guard, she needed at least 90 points to be worth taking in.

How could he be interested in an 80?

Most importantly, she had already had her rice pounded.

He didn't know if it was the Village Chief or Strong Ox who did the pounding.

Regardless, he wasn't interested.

Seeing the Village Chief approaching, the Village Flower was so frightened that she quickly hid inside and slammed the door shut.

Then, the sound of a gong rang out from inside.

The Village Chief said urgently, "Expert, Strong Ox isn't home; she's banging the gong for help."

"You lot, get moving! Smash the door open!"

"Get the woman back for me before Strong Ox returns!"

Several young men rushed forward to smash the door.

The door resounded with the loud banging of the assault.

The woman inside cried out anxiously, "You guys grew up with Strong Ox! How can you follow the Village Chief and betray your friend?"

A look of doubt appeared on the Little Security Guard's face.

Didn't he say the Village Flower was willing to be with the Village Chief?

Why does it seem like she wants to be with Strong Ox now?

Was he lied to by the Village Chief?

If he dared to lie to me, he's dead meat.

The young men chattered as they smashed the door.

"If we can't have her, Strong Ox can't either."

"The Village Chief has money and power. Following him means living the good life. Isn't that better than being with Strong Ox?"

"Is the Village Chief someone you can afford to offend?"

..."Stop!!!"

A thunderous roar.

Like a tiger emerging from the mountains.

The young men smashing the door were so startled their hands shook.

The steel rods and other tools in their hands fell to the ground.

The newcomer was a large young man.

This person was none other than Strong Ox.

He had several other young men behind him.

"You are all my brothers! Why would you betray a friend?"

Strong Ox shouted in anger.

The young men retreated.

They stammered, "The Village Chief is permanent, but the villagers are just passing through."

"Can we afford to offend the Village Chief?"

"Since ancient times, commoners don't fight officials!"

...The young men behind him joined the shouting match.

"Bullshit! What's wrong with offending the Village Chief?"

"It's the Apocalypse! The Village Chief is nothing!"

"What's the point of following these old geezers?"

"With Brother Dazhuang leading us, Xiaohe Village will have a future."

Seeing his young men retreating in fear, the Village Chief, relying on the Little Security Guard and his own experience, stepped forward.

"Strong Ox, don't throw away my kindness."

"Only by following me can the Village Flower live without worry as a full-time wife."

"Following you? To live on nothing but air?"

A look of embarrassment crossed Strong Ox's face.

Not being able to give the Village Flower a happy life was a source of guilt for him.

The Village Chief's words hit him where it hurt.

The Village Flower opened the door and walked out fuming.

"Bullshit!"

"I'd rather starve to death with Brother Dazhuang!"

"Even if I lived in a villa, ate meat, and counted gold bars every day with you, I wouldn't be happy!"

The Village Flower's face looked adorably fierce.

The Village Chief sneered, "I'll give you one last chance. If the Village Flower doesn't come with me, Strong Ox is dead meat today. Don't blame me for not showing neighborly kindness!"

The Village Flower said, "Hmph! You've never shown kindness before; why would you start now?"

Seeing the Village Flower's support, Strong Ox's confidence surged.

"Get lost! Or don't blame me for being ruthless!"

The Village Chief said, "Get lost? I'd like to see who's the one getting lost!"

With that, he presented the Little Security Guard.

Strong Ox and the others had already noticed that there was a stranger beside the Village Chief..."}],