Liang Yuan didn't care whether his words were effective or not, he just started cursing.
"You bunch of idiots, do you all really trust Liu Erlong that much? Have you forgotten that this dog, Liu Erlong, was the one who infiltrated our homeowner group as a spy for the management, repeatedly sabotaging the formation of the homeowner committee?"
"Meidu Garden has been handed over for more than two years. Every time we try to form a homeowner committee, the news leaks. Who do you think the inside man is in our group?"
"Back then, the management was shitting all over us because they were united. That's why they could bully us."
"But now? The management company is gone, the great flood is here. Whose life isn't precious? Who's born to be lowly? Born to be a lackey?"
"Why are you all so cheap? You paid the management fees for two years just to be their dogs?"
"Today, Liu Erlong can send two lackeys to die at my doorstep, tomorrow he'll send you to die."
Liang Yuan's every word made the people downstairs pale.
Liu Erlong's face turned extremely ugly, and he immediately shouted, "Let's go! Everyone back downstairs. That kid has petrol and a gas canister, we can't move him for now. Let's regroup at other floors first."
As he spoke, he urged the crowd to leave immediately, afraid that they might be further swayed by Liang Yuan.
The others lowered their heads silently and followed Liu Erlong quickly downstairs.
Wu Hua stood in the crowd, his eyes flickering as he exchanged a glance with Zhang Li.
Both of them hesitated for a moment, then turned their heads away indifferently, following the crowd to leave immediately.
Liang Yuan cursed a few more times at the door, and only stopped when he heard the footsteps downstairs fade away, letting out a light, cold laugh.
"I've never lost a verbal fight."
As he spoke, he turned around to close the door. At that moment, a crack appeared in the door opposite.
"Little brother, wait a minute, hang on!"
Liang Yuan paused and looked across, only to see Yang Mei sticking half her head out, cautiously watching outside while urgently calling Liang Yuan.
She was still wearing that pale yellow stepmother dress, bending halfway out of the door carefully due to her cautiousness.
Even though the door slit was narrow, Liang Yuan could instantly see a large expanse of fair skin as she bent over, under the dim light from the ground.
Liang Yuan's gaze froze, staring at Yang Mei's... face, and said in a deep voice, "Sister Mei, you dare to come out? Aren't you afraid of being seen by Liu Erlong's people?"
Yang Mei forced a smile. Of course, she was afraid. At the beginning of the great flood, the way Liu Erlong looked at her was as if he would devour her.
She had been hiding in this room for the past six months, mostly because she was afraid of Liu Erlong.
Even now, if she could avoid it, she wouldn't open the door.
But...
"Hurry up, he's about to close the door!"
Her husband, Li Zhiqiang, urged Yang Mei impatiently from behind, even pushing her a bit.
Yang Mei nearly stumbled out in fright.
Feeling displeased, she could only look at Liang Yuan, pleading, "Little brother, Liu Erlong and his men won't give up easily. They will definitely find a way to deal with you. Your Brother Li has an idea and wants to discuss it with you."
Liang Yuan was surprised. Li Zhiqiang has the guts?
He actually dares to deal with Liu Erlong along with him?
His curiosity piqued, he asked, "What is it?"
Yang Mei hurriedly said, "Your Brother Li's idea is that he can help keep an eye on Liu Erlong's men at the door. As soon as they come up again, he'll make a noise to alert you immediately."
"We don't want anything else, just some food for the two of us."
Liang Yuan was speechless, "Sister Mei, are you kidding me? I have this security door here, can Liu Erlong's men sneak in without making any noise? Do I need you to watch the door? And I should give you food for that? What are you thinking."
With that, he attempted to close the door.
On the other side, Li Zhiqiang became desperate, pulling Yang Mei aside and sticking half of his body out, "Liang Yuan, we don't eat much, if it's too much, just give food for me alone."
Yang Mei, pushed aside, collided with the shoe cabinet, causing her forehead to swell and redden.
Suddenly hearing Li Zhiqiang's words, she was thunderstruck, her eyes reddened, and she glared at Li Zhiqiang, biting her cracked lips in anger.
But as a traditional woman, she didn't dare to get mad at Li Zhiqiang, hoping that Liang Yuan wouldn't agree.
Of course, Liang Yuan wouldn't agree. Food is so precious, and this guy has the audacity to ask for it.
Just watching the door and wanting food?
There's no such good deal.
Bang!
Liang Yuan shut the door firmly, ignoring Li Zhiqiang.
Seeing this, Li Zhiqiang's eyes filled with venom.
"Damn it, Liang, you'll be beaten to death by Liu Erlong and his men sooner or later, damn it."
He swore under his breath, not daring to raise his voice.
Suddenly, there was some commotion downstairs, causing Li Zhiqiang to panic and quickly slip back inside, closing the door hurriedly.
He peeked through the peephole for a while, and seeing no one coming up, he let out a sigh of relief.
Turning around, he saw Yang Mei still sitting on the floor, rubbing her forehead, and immediately became furious.
"Are you dead? What are you still sitting there for?"
"Damn it, marrying you was pointless. Didn't you know we should have stocked up on more food? You did nothing, causing me to have nothing to eat now!"
Li Zhiqiang cursed, venting his anger on Yang Mei.
Yang Mei couldn't hold back her grievances anymore, and with red eyes, she argued, "Li Zhiqiang, the food you've been eating these past six months was all bought by me at the beginning. When the big flood started, everyone was scrambling for supplies. You, a man, didn't go, and you let me, a woman, snatch the supplies from those guys. How could I compete with them?"
"And now you have the nerve to blame me? You've eaten three-quarters of the food in the house over the past six months!"
"What about me? I only ate one meal a day, taking care of the water and cooking. Do you... do you still have the nerve to scold me? Boo hoo..."
She started crying angrily.
However, Li Zhiqiang showed no pity or guilt, but instead, his face darkened and he cursed, "Damn you, are you serious? If it weren't for me, Liu Erlong would've come and raped you already. You dare to be fierce with me?"
"Believe it or not, I'll send you to Liu Erlong right now, and he'll guarantee me some food!"
Yang Mei's face turned pale with fright, she didn't dare to make a sound and only trembled all over.
Thinking of the women neighbors' miserable experiences she had seen before, she was so scared that she scurried into the room on all fours.
"No, I won't go. I won't go. Li Zhiqiang, if you send your wife to someone else, you're worse than a beast, worse than an animal..."
Li Zhiqiang's face turned grim, and he sneered, "Worse than a beast? Yang Mei, do you think those people outside are still human? Let me tell you, they've already turned into beasts."
"I'll give you one more day. If you can't figure out how to borrow food from that Liang tomorrow, don't blame me for not considering our marriage. Hmph!"
He turned and went back to his room.
The only one left in the living room was the shivering Yang Mei.