Chapter 46: The 1990s Teacher Supporting Character Who Despises the Poor and Favors the Rich (23)

The village committee secretary told Uncle Fang that the situation had escalated and that superiors had come down to investigate.

They feared nothing except an investigation from above.

They had committed many shady acts and were skilled in deception. Bold and unrestrained, they behaved tyrannically in their area, with messy accounting records. A thorough investigation would surely uncover everything.

In the past, there had been no money to be made. But after the land acquisition, each one of them profited handsomely.

“We need to find someone,” Uncle Fang came to his senses and said urgently.

“These are people from the provincial level. Where can we find anyone to help?”

Uncle Fang broke out in a cold sweat again. His hands and feet trembled uncontrollably, and he no longer had the heart to go buy a car in the provincial city.

Fang Feng and Fang Wei had been looking forward to this day for a long time. They had bragged to everyone and were waiting to show off their new cars. Upon hearing the purchase was postponed, they immediately became displeased.

“What’s going on?” Fang Feng said with a darkened face. “Didn’t we already finalize the car? We have to pick it up today.”

Fang Wei said, “Exactly. I was planning to drive it tonight to pick up my buddies.”

Back when they had no money, they stayed at home like freeloaders. Now with some money, they had a bunch of friends around them, flattered to the point of dizziness.

Aunt Fang still thought it was thanks to her sons’ abilities and reassured them, “What could possibly happen? Your dad will take care of it and take you there right after. We have plenty of money in this family.”

After speaking, she didn’t forget to glare fiercely at the daughters-in-law and scolded, “Why are you standing there stunned? Go cook!”

Seeing the daughters-in-law fume in silence, Aunt Fang felt a sense of superiority that words could not express.

While Uncle Fang was out running around anxiously, pleading and begging, the Fang family remained impatiently waiting for him to return and take them to buy a car.

The first thing Uncle Fang and the others did was to quickly contact the previously ignored married daughters, giving each of them some money and repeatedly promising that their names would be added to the land loss insurance, but this matter had to be suppressed.

They had to silence these people before the investigators arrived and try pulling some strings to muddle through the situation.

Upon hearing that money had to be given to the married-out daughters, and that it had to come out of their own pockets, Aunt Fang immediately exploded, “What? Thirty thousand per person? That’s robbery!”

She flatly refused.

She would never spit out the meat that had already reached her mouth.

That was their family’s money.

“If the authorities come down and investigate, we might end up with nothing left!” Uncle Fang yelled at her. “What do you understand?!”

“It’s not that I don’t understand. That’s a lot of money to give away for nothing!” Aunt Fang started arguing with him, clutching the money pouch tightly.

Fang Feng and his brothers had never seen so much money. Although they knew being investigated carried risks, they still hesitated. That was money—their money—so they sided with their mother and tried to persuade Uncle Fang.

Aunt Fang ended up crying, making a scene, hiding the family’s bankbooks, and was only willing to give ten thousand per person.

Even that ten thousand felt like it cost her half her life.

She even shouted disdainfully, “Isn’t ten thousand enough to shut them up? Ten thousand can build a small house. What more do they want?”

They all married poor losers and came to their natal home to beg.

If they want to beg, let them do it in their husband’s home. Why should she give them money? A bunch of damned girls!

Uncle Fang was swayed and eventually agreed to give only ten thousand per person. He thought to himself that it wasn’t as if he had denied them the compensation money. Ten thousand should be enough.

Initially, they had planned for Uncle Fang to give out thirty thousand per person. If that didn’t work, then fifty thousand—anything to get through this crisis.

At first, faced with the village committee cadres’ promises and money, some people began to waver. They even contacted Fang Yuwei and asked if reconciliation was possible.

Some of them were simply too poor.

Forget thirty thousand. They didn’t even have three thousand in hand and lived in crumbling houses. Thirty thousand was a huge sum that could be used to build a decent house at their husband’s home, where persuasion had already started.

Moreover, the cadres promised to add their names to the land loss insurance, offering them future security, and even said they could help mediate with the natal family to get more compensation.

Life was too hard. Even a little bit of charity was enough for them.

Fang Yuwei understood them. With so many people, it was hard to stay united. Everyone had their own difficulties. She simply said, “A promise is still a promise. If you miss this opportunity, it’ll be hard to turn things around later.”

There was silence on the other side.

They wanted to hold their heads high for once, but there were too many burdens.

Fang Yuwei didn’t say more, because she didn’t need everyone to testify. Just a portion was enough.

The current effect was already enough to give Uncle Fang and the others a hard time.

Fang Yuwei just didn’t expect Uncle Fang to be so shortsighted. After promising thirty thousand, he went back on his word and only offered ten thousand, instantly sparking public outrage. The married daughters collectively resisted.

Uncle Fang had wanted to take credit, but instead messed everything up.

The others were furious at Uncle Fang’s stupidity and were about to pressure the daughters’ natal families, when villagers began to hear rumors: in this land acquisition, Uncle Fang alone had embezzled over a million.

He was just a small team leader. Could he really have embezzled over a million?

Villagers who had previously thought it didn’t concern them started getting agitated. Had these cadres embezzled several million? That money belonged to them.

They immediately surrounded the Fang family and began questioning them harshly.

“Who’s spreading nonsense?” Uncle Fang rebuked loudly, swearing on the spot. “If I embezzled money, may I be struck by lightning!”

“This was something your son Fang Feng said himself!”

Fang Feng couldn’t get the car and had been mocked by his drinking buddies, so he had been gathering with them to drink the past few days.

Once he got drunk, he started bragging.

He said their family received far more than just that one million in compensation. His dad was the team leader. A car worth over two hundred thousand was nothing. In a while, he could buy two and alternate driving them.

It was all small change.

“I never said that!” Fang Feng immediately denied it and even looked furious, ready to fight whoever was spreading the rumor.

The scene quickly became chaotic. A few young men in the crowd were hot-blooded too. They had never liked Fang Feng since childhood and had long been annoyed by his arrogance after the land expropriation. They directly rushed up and started beating him.

A group of people got into a scuffle.

“Stop fighting, stop fighting!”

“Don’t hit my son, stop!”

Aunt Fang watched her son getting beaten and screamed at the top of her lungs, “Murder! They’re going to kill him—”

Fang Yuwei, hearing the news, kindly called the police for them.

She also contacted some journalists to help publicize the matter.

There were big problems in this situation. Not only did they withhold compensation from the married-out daughters, but this group of people also embezzled money that belonged to the villagers.

The villagers had been poor before, and when they heard that several million might have been embezzled, it hit close to home. They immediately jumped into action. Once the reporters and media arrived, they all began to accuse and demand a thorough investigation.

“They never did anything proper. The village’s hillside land was sold off secretly! We never saw any money. Not even a cent.”

“I heard the state allocated funds for seedling subsidies every year. It’s been decades, and we’ve never seen any of it.”

“Embezzlers. Every single one of them is corrupt. They’re all fat like pigs from eating stolen money.”

“The state must investigate this thoroughly. A lot of money was pocketed.”

The villagers were scrambling to curse them out. Some elderly people even knelt down and cried, begging for justice for their families.

The village committee secretary, seeing this scene, rolled his eyes back and had a heart attack on the spot.

It was unclear whether it was from anger or fear.

Fang Feng was hospitalized with a head injury. Fang Wei’s wife, Su Jiao, was so frightened she gave birth prematurely and was also hospitalized. Aunt Fang was panicking and circling around anxiously. She kept cursing the people who hit Fang Feng and said she would teach them a lesson. She also scolded Su Jiao for being useless, unable to even keep her baby.

It wasn’t until Uncle Fang was taken away by the police for investigation that she truly panicked and tried to stop the police from taking him.

Aunt Fang was used to being bossy in the village. If she didn’t like someone, she would scold them viciously. If that didn’t work, she would just make a scene. But when she saw that the police didn’t play along and were going to detain her too, she trembled in fear.

Fang Wei rushed back and told her, “If they find out Dad embezzled money, not only will the money have to be returned, but we’ll also be fined and he’ll go to jail. Mom, what do we do?”

Aunt Fang’s legs gave out and she collapsed to the ground. Filled with venom, she cursed, “That damn girl Fang Yuwei! Just for some money, she wants to ruin our whole family! I bet her parents died because of her bad luck!”

It was all because Fang Yuwei gave an interview, and Aunt Fang was convinced this disaster was brought by her.

Fang Wei asked, “So now what?”

“She just wants money, doesn’t she?” Aunt Fang gritted her teeth so hard they cracked, her shoulders trembling with heartache. “I’ll give her money. Tell her to stop suing your dad. And we’ll spend more to pull some strings. As long as we pay, your dad can come out. We’ll shut everyone up!”

“How much are you giving her?”

“100,000!” Aunt Fang clutched her chest. “A hundred thousand should be enough!”

In her mind, that was already worth Fang Yuwei’s life.

“So much?” Fang Wei winced, his face contorting in pain.

Even though they had taken over four hundred thousand of Fang Yuwei’s compensation, he didn’t think of it as someone else’s money. But a hundred thousand now? That hurt.

Thinking about how Uncle Fang caused this mess by being stingy with the hush money, Fang Wei didn’t object this time. The mother and son took the money and went to find Fang Yuwei.

They went to Tahe Primary School first, only to be told that Fang Yuwei had already transferred to the city’s top primary school.

Aunt Fang sneered, “That damn girl must have used some shady method to get into City No.1 Primary School. No wonder she’s grown so bold.”

They rushed to City No.1 Primary School and waited at the gate for Fang Yuwei.

Shortly after school let out, Fang Yuwei came out.

Aunt Fang and Fang Wei rushed forward. She wore a stern face and said she wanted to talk to Fang Yuwei.

“What’s there to talk about?” Fang Yuwei’s expression was calm, and she ignored them and kept walking.

“Isn’t it money you want?” Aunt Fang blocked her path and spoke with a tone of condescension. “I’ll give you money. But you have to withdraw the lawsuit and calm this thing down.”

She naively thought that if Fang Yuwei withdrew the case and stopped making a fuss, no one would investigate anymore.

And if they spent a bit to grease the wheels, it would all blow over.

This time, she was even willing to give those married-out daughters thirty thousand each. Not a cent less.

Fang Yuwei looked up at Aunt Fang, finding it ridiculous. She immediately refused: “I don’t want your money.”

Aunt Fang, thinking she only wanted her bride price, breathed a sigh of relief. The bride price back then was only eight thousand.

But then, Fang Yuwei calmly said, “As for the compensation money, that was granted to me by the state. Whoever took it must return every single cent.”

“You damned brat, have you never seen money before?!” Aunt Fang’s face twisted with rage.

Fang Yuwei’s compensation was four hundred and sixty thousand.

One person’s compensation was three hundred and fifty thousand, plus housing subsidies and other miscellaneous costs.

Their family had many people and few houses, so they didn’t get much money. Fang Yuwei was an only daughter and had two large rooms, which was why she was compensated so much.

Fang Yuwei wanted four hundred and sixty thousand?

Then they might as well kill her! If they gave her four hundred and sixty thousand, they still had to buy houses and cars for their three sons. What would be left?

“The land compensation was given to me. Why are you so mad?” Fang Yuwei remained calm and raised an eyebrow. “Have you never seen money either?”

Before leaving, Fang Yuwei even kindly reminded, “Back then Grandpa left some money. My dad is gone now. That money is more than enough to support me. Remember to return the bride price.”

Aunt Fang was so furious her lungs were about to explode. Her hands trembled as she pointed in the direction Fang Yuwei left and turned to Fang Wei. “She’s gone crazy, hasn’t she? Is she mad for money?”

“Mad from poverty!” Fang Wei was also fuming.

Over four hundred thousand. Enough to buy two luxury cars and four houses.

Fang Yuwei had gone completely insane!

“She definitely wants more money. I’m not giving her over four hundred thousand.” Aunt Fang paced back and forth, cursing Fang Yuwei thousands of times. One hundred thousand was already her limit. Even one cent more felt like a death sentence.

The two decided to go home for now and see if the situation would blow over.

But they soon learned that Uncle Fang had already been found with issues and several more people had been arrested. Things had gotten serious.

Uncle Fang had embezzled over a million. If he had to spit it all out, Aunt Fang would rather die.

She didn’t sleep a wink that night. Clutching her chest, she cursed Fang Yuwei as she bled from the mouth and prepared four hundred and sixty thousand. She repeatedly told Fang Wei, who was going with her, “Don’t give her that much. No matter what, find a way to give her less.”

Fang Wei gritted his teeth and nodded.

The two went to find Fang Yuwei again, thinking this time it would surely work.

Fang Wei was even thinking that once this blew over, he’d spend money to hire someone to beat Fang Yuwei half to death.

When the two went to find Fang Yuwei, she outright refused to see them.

Aunt Fang had the security guard pass on a message to Fang Yuwei: “Tell her I came to give money. She got what she wanted. Come take it quickly!”

The security guard didn’t understand and passed on the message. After a while, he returned and asked Aunt Fang, “Is it to return the bride price?”

“No.”

The guard replied, “Teacher Fang said, you only owe her the bride price. The rest of the money will be claimed through legal means. She won’t engage in these illegal private deals.”

Aunt Fang had finally made up her mind, and now Fang Yuwei pulled this move. She exploded in anger, shouting, “What’s her problem? Isn’t this all about the money? Why act high and mighty? She married a broke loser. Who knows how she managed to get transferred to a city school and now thinks she’s something?”

Fang Wei also couldn’t hold back and snapped angrily, “She’s faking it, right? And where’s her useless husband?”

No job. He must be some poor bum who mooches off her.

“Are you sure you’ve got the right person?” the security guard frowned and asked.

Aunt Fang and Fang Wei paused and confirmed again, “We’re looking for Fang Yuwei. Her husband is Lin Yan—”

“Ah, Teacher Fang. They have two good-looking twin children,” the guard said, then looked confused. “Her husband is very rich. He owns several large supermarkets and milk tea shops. He drives a car. What you said doesn’t match at all.”

“How could Lin Yan own supermarkets? Fang Yuwei is bluffing, right?” Aunt Fang found it absurd.

The security guard pointed across the street to a large supermarket. “That’s owned by their family. My wife even works there.” Then he pointed to a nearby milk tea shop, “That chain of milk tea shops is also theirs. They’ve opened several branches.”

“Impossible!” Aunt Fang still refused to believe it.

The security guard’s eyes lit up as he saw Lin Yan walking out of the supermarket. “That’s Boss Lin. You must have the wrong person. He’s very wealthy.”

Aunt Fang and Fang Wei followed his gaze. The man the guard called Boss Lin wore a casual suit and held a smartphone worth tens of thousands. He walked out of the supermarket and directly got into a car parked by the roadside and drove off.

That figure was unmistakably Lin Yan.

Aunt Fang and Fang Wei were so shocked their tongues tied up. They couldn’t say a word and stood frozen in place.