Facing the coercive pressure exerted by these people,

Zhang Pu had originally intended to retort with some sharp and crude words, but at the very last moment, he forcefully swallowed them back.

Just because others lacked basic manners, should he lower himself to their level?

Forget it!

The sharp-tongued young woman opposite him, Hu Xiangling, probably hadn't expected a poor country boy like Zhang Pu to be so quick-witted. For a moment, she was completely caught off guard by this verbal sparring and found herself utterly speechless.

That old fellow, Cheng Yuan, promptly stepped in to smooth things over. "We are all young people here, let's not be so hot-headed. Both sides share some fault, why don't you both take a step back?"

Then, turning his gaze specifically to Zhang Pu, he continued, "Young man, think this over carefully! If you truly refuse to sign, we will have no choice but to withdraw these funds. Most of this money actually comes out of Miss Siyi's own pocket, and knowing your current hardships, she genuinely intends to help you."

Zhang Pu simply let out a cold laugh. "And what if I don't want her charity at all?"

"You—" At this, Hu Xiangling—that petty-mouthed girl who appeared noble on the surface yet utterly lacked substance—interjected once more. "Then there is nothing more to discuss."

Cheng Yuan suddenly waved a hand at Hu Xiangling, signaling her not to be so rash. Ginger is indeed spicier the older it gets! He wanted to slowly wear Zhang Pu down, because the best outcome for this trip would be a mutually agreeable one. If things blew up completely, he would have a hard time reporting back to his superiors, and it might even leave behind lingering troubles.

"Nobody takes you for a mute just because you keep your mouth shut," Zhang Pu fired back at Hu Xiangling immediately.

Hu Xiangling wanted to flare up on the spot, but this time Cheng Yuan clearly shot her a warning glance.

Swallowing her venomous words with bitter resentment, she glared daggers at Zhang Pu, her eyes bulging like a bullfrog's while her mouth pursed in an involuntary pout. Zhang Pu couldn't help a wildly exaggerated thought: you could easily hang dozens of baskets of pig manure on that snout and it wouldn't look out of place.

If the person Wang Siyi sent to represent her possessed such an attitude, Wang Siyi herself was probably no better.

With that, Zhang Pu dismissed the two of them from his mind. He was now keen to see how Cheng Yuan and his associates intended to wear him down.

However, seeing Zhang Pu's stubborn demeanor, the seasoned Cheng Yuan realized that no matter what else he might say at the moment, not a single word would penetrate Zhang Pu's ears.

For the time being, any words spoken by Cheng Yuan's faction would carry zero weight.

Director Zhang and the others were shrewd enough to read the room, understanding that the next moves in this game had to be played by them.

"Zhang Pu!" Sitting close to Zhang Pu, the village party secretary was the first to speak, seizing the local advantage. In a deeply earnest tone, he advised, "A young man must never act purely out of impulse. You haven't fully grasped the exact amount of debt your parents accumulated while leasing this mountain forest, have you?"

As he spoke to Zhang Pu, the village secretary suddenly turned to Uncle Fu and asked, "Brother Fu, you probably have a rough idea, don't you?"

At that moment, Zhang Pu noticed that Uncle Fu's face had twisted into an expression of bitter agony, a transformation that seemed to trace back to the exact second Zhang Pu had flatly refused to sign.

His refusal meant that Uncle Fu's peaceful and prosperous life had been cut short by his own hand.

In his preoccupation with his own dignity, he had seemingly neglected Uncle Fu's feelings.

Yet, a fraction of a second later, Zhang Pu's resolve hardened right back to where it was.

Because Zhang Pu knew full well: even if his parents had indeed run up a massive deficit managing this forest, he had the means to fill that financial black hole entirely!

None of the people present knew his true circumstances, which naturally made his actions seem utterly incomprehensible to them.

Opting not to expose the truth just yet, Zhang Pu thought he would simply let them scratch their heads in bewilderment for a little longer.

Meanwhile, facing the village secretary's coercive inquiry, Uncle Fu nodded with a pained expression.

Zhang Pu understood completely: apart from Uncle Fu, if he refused to sign, neither the village nor the township would be able to reap the benefits of the wealthy Wang family from the outside region.

Truth be told, these people were so desperate for those benefits that they were itching to force his signature; they simply didn't want to resort to outright banditry on the surface.

After the village secretary fired the opening salvo as a lobbyist, the village head and Director Zhang from the township chimed in with their own sets of persuasive arguments.

One speech sounded sweeter than the last, until even Uncle Fu, deeply moved by the appeals, finally joined in.

Were these people really demanding that he sacrifice his personal dignity for the sake of their money? Zhang Pu grew furious.

In his previous life, he might have yielded under such pressure.

But now, having experienced so much in the realm of immortal cultivation, he understood far better what truly possessed precious value in life—wealth was merely fleeting smoke passing before one's eyes. What could these mortal beings possibly understand?

*Bang!*

Suddenly, Zhang Pu brought his hand down hard, striking the large table where everyone sat.

The loud crash startled everyone in the room.

What on earth... has he lost his mind?

Director Zhang immediately furrowed his brow.

The village party secretary and the village head could hardly believe their own ears and eyes. Since when had they ever heard of this timid boy from the Zhang family possessing such audacity? To dare slam the table right in front of this gathering of prominent local figures?

"Zhang Pu—" Director Zhang was the first to speak up.

As the official in charge of economic affairs in the township, who occasionally exercised the powers of a vice-mayor, he represented QingShan Township on this mission. Having finally lured the golden phoenix of the Wang family to this impoverished backwater, he was by no means going to let Zhang Pu pop this dream like a soap bubble.

Miss Wang from the provincial capital had made a substantial promise to their humble township: as long as they could completely sever ties between the township and this poor boy Zhang Pu, and provided the local authorities lent a hand, the Wangs would find a way to invest in several local projects.

Fearing that Zhang Pu's hot-headed impulse might ruin everything, Director Zhang had originally planned to employ soft-handed tactics. He never expected this young man to be so unyielding, directly slamming the table in front of everyone. Did he really have to make things this ugly?

Seeing that even Cheng Yuan seemed to be losing his patience and was walking away with Hu Xiangling to catch a breath of mountain air, Director Zhang hurriedly signaled his two subordinates, gesturing for them to accompany and appease the important guests. If those people stormed off in anger, everything would be completely ruined.

He had no choice but to stay by the table and figure out a solution, desperately worried that the village secretary and village head wouldn't be able to handle Zhang Pu.

Feeling the oppressive weight of the township and village cadres, Uncle Fu felt compelled to stand up and placate Zhang Pu. He urged, "Let's talk things over calmly, lad! Don't go slamming tables!"

While these officials wouldn't dare mobilize the local police station or militia right this second, Uncle Fu was simply terrified that if things escalated, Zhang Pu would be the one to suffer.

After all, he was still just a kid. If they threw him into some dark room to lock him up, it wouldn't be a laughing matter!

"Uncle Fu, say no more for now. I need some quiet!"

With that, Zhang Pu abruptly abandoned the assembled group and strode back toward his own room.