Zhang Jun roughly stuffed a handkerchief into Su Qingyue’s mouth, dragged her into the cornfield, and pressed her down tightly.
His eyes were lewd and filthy as he reached for her waistband. “Su Qingyue, give yourself to me, and tomorrow I’ll go to your house to propose!”
“Propose to your damn father!”
With a loud clang as a bicycle crashed to the ground, an urgent, icy male voice rang out.
Pei Huaiye kicked Zhang Jun hard, sending him sprawling. He scooped Su Qingyue up and set her aside.
Yuan Guang steadied the bicycle and turned back. “Comrade Su, don’t be afraid—I’m going to the police station right now!”
Pei Huaiye swung his fist and punched Zhang Jun viciously, left and right!
Blood streamed from Zhang Jun’s nose, and one of his front teeth flew out of his mouth!
Pei Huaiye’s eyes were bloodshot, his face ferocious. Each punch landed harder than the last.
Zhang Jun screamed like a slaughtered pig. Hearing that Yuan Guang had gone to report to the police, he clutched his head and begged for mercy. “It’s a misunderstanding! Comrade, I got the wrong person—it’s all a misunderstanding!”
With a cold expression, Pei Huaiye flipped him over, tied his hands and feet together, then rolled up corn leaves and stuffed them into Zhang Jun’s mouth to gag him.
Thinking of the humiliation Su Qingyue had suffered, he wished he could tear this man to pieces.
Su Qingyue wiped away her tears and fixed her hair. Afraid Pei Huaiye might beat the man to death, she hurried over to stop him. “Enough—don’t hit him anymore!”
Only then did Pei Huaiye stop.
He carefully helped Su Qingyue up, his face full of concern.
Before they could leave the cornfield, they heard hurried footsteps approaching from afar—more than one person by the sound of it.
Zhou Wenfang strode at the front, full of righteous fervor as she led the way. “It’s around here, Captain Xiang. I saw it with my own eyes—Su Qingyue got off the vehicle and went into the cornfield with a tall male comrade.”
“Look, a whole patch of corn has been trampled flat!”
“Captain Xiang, even though Su Qingyue is my sister, for the sake of the brigade’s morals, I have to tell the truth. She really did go into the cornfield with a man.” Su Qianqian spoke with a heartbroken expression.
Su Qingwu said angrily, “What nonsense are you talking about? My little sister is not that kind of person!”
Su Qianqian spoke urgently. “Brother Su, I’m really not lying to you.
“That tall man was wearing a Zhongshan suit, had a crew cut, was big and tall—he even seemed to be a Level Seven worker at the printing factory.”
Zhou Wenfang pretended to be impressed. “A Level Seven worker—that’s more than seventy yuan a month.
“No wonder Su Qingyue wanted to mess around with him!”
Hearing this, Zhang Guoqiang of Qingshan Brigade stopped in his tracks.
“Watch your mouth! My son has upright character—he’d never mess around! It must’ve been Su Qingyue who seduced him!”
Li Zilan was shaking with anger. “Bullshit!
“You people spread rumors without a shred of evidence—aren’t you afraid your mouths will rot with sores?
“And besides, our little sister is beautiful and has a job in the county town. She wouldn’t even look twice at your son!”
Zhang Guoqiang exploded. “Then why did she lure my son into the cornfield? People from your village all saw it!”
“You believe whatever others say? Don’t you have a brain?!” Li Zilan shot back.
Li Zilan usually looked gentle and mild, but when it came to protecting her own, she was unstoppable.
Since Su Qingyue returned to the countryside, the Su family had completely changed. They ate well now, had money and ration tickets in hand, all glowing with health—no longer living with hunched shoulders and fearful looks.
Just as the argument reached a fever pitch, a fair-skinned, beautiful woman stepped out of the cornfield openly and calmly.
The crowd fell silent for a moment, stunned by her beauty, then instantly realized—it was Su Qingyue!
Shuangqiao Commune had several villages. Everyone had heard that Su Qingyue was beautiful, but no one expected her to be *this* beautiful.
Red lips, white teeth, brows and eyes like a painting. Her thick, glossy black braid rested against her chest. Her skin looked like tender tofu soaked in water—white and delicate—glowing softly under the moonlight. Her peach-blossom eyes were dark and bright, clear and limpid beneath the night sky.
Zhou Wenfang’s eyes flashed with malice. “Su Qingyue! Did you just finish fooling around? Where’s your wild man?”
Su Qingwu and Li Zilan stepped forward protectively, shielding Su Qingyue behind them. Su Qingyue gave them a reassuring look.
She walked briskly up to Zhou Wenfang and raised her hand, slapping her hard across the face.
Before Zhou Wenfang could even cry out, Su Qingyue raised her hand again and slapped Su Qianqian across the face as well!
“Su Qingyue, how can you hit people?!” Su Qianqian cried out in shock and anger, clutching her cheek.
She burst into tears. “You’re the one fooling around and ruining the brigade’s reputation—how can you still hit us?”
“You deserve it! Twisting the truth and deliberately doing evil like this—that’s what truly ruins the brigade’s reputation!”
Pei Huaiye spoke coldly as he dragged the tightly bound Zhang Jun out from the cornfield.
His sharp gaze swept over Zhou Wenfang and Su Qianqian, filled with disgust.
Su Qianqian’s heart skipped—an ominous feeling rose within her.
When Li Dongmei and Zhang Guoqiang saw their son’s bruised and battered face, they exploded. “My son! He was fine—how did he get beaten like this?!”
As they spoke, the two of them lunged forward, about to attack Pei Huaiye.
Captain Xiang’s head was buzzing. He quickly blocked Zhang Jun’s parents. “Pei Huaiye, Su Qingyue—tell me exactly what happened!”
“Captain Xiang, it looks like a jeep just arrived.”
The bustling crowd parted, making way.
Yuan Guang and Liu Qiang got out of the vehicle. Liu Qiang was in police uniform, accompanied by two officers.
Liu Qiang gave Pei Huaiye an almost imperceptible nod, then spoke sternly. “Comrade Yuan Guang reported the case as an eyewitness. Zhang Jun of Qingshan Brigade maliciously assaulted Su Qingyue, a woman of Shuangshui Brigade, and was stopped in time by Comrade Pei Huaiye.”
Liu Qiang barked sharply, “Zhang Jun has committed hooliganism. Step forward! Take him away!”
Seeing the police arrive in full force, the crowd was so intimidated that no one dared make a sound.
Pei Huaiye kicked Zhang Jun once. An officer pulled the corn leaves out of his mouth. “Dare to lie even one word, and your sentence will be increased!”
Zhang Jun spat out blood and dropped to his knees, begging. “Comrade police, I’ve been wronged!
“I’m sorry to Comrade Su Qingyue, but I really didn’t do it on purpose.
“It was all instigated by Su Qianqian and Zhou Wenfang!
“Su Qianqian said she was Su Qingyue’s sister. She said Su Qingyue liked me, that she was just timid and shy, and told me to be bold and pursue her.
“I was confused and believed their lies. As soon as we got off, I hugged Su Qingyue and carried her into the cornfield. I didn’t do anything else!
“Then I got beaten up by Pei Huaiye!”
As the officer took notes, he scolded him. “How old are you? Doing whatever others tell you? This is a crime—you know that means prison?
“And also, Comrade Pei didn’t assault you—he acted bravely to stop a crime!”
Every word from Officer Liu and Zhang Jun struck the crowd like thunder.
Once Zhang Jun admitted to assaulting a woman, handcuffs were slapped onto his wrists.
The crowd erupted—this was completely different from what Su Qianqian had said!
Li Dongmei collapsed to the ground.
Upon hearing that Su Qianqian and Zhou Wenfang had instigated his son to commit a crime, Zhang Guoqiang lunged forward and grabbed the two women by the hair, beating them.
Before Su Qianqian and Zhou Wenfang could even react, their faces were already swollen.
With tremendous strength, Zhang Guoqiang dragged them in front of Liu Qiang. “You two shameless bitches—explain clearly to the police how you incited my son!”
“What are you doing?! Do you think we’re not here?!” Liu Qiang roared at Zhang Guoqiang, then turned sharply. “Su Qianqian, Zhou Wenfang—why did you instigate Zhang Jun to commit a crime?!”
Su Qianqian and Zhou Wenfang exchanged glances and stubbornly insisted Zhang Jun was lying. “Comrade police, he’s lying! He’s throwing false accusations at us!”
Li Dongmei snapped. “Who’s throwing false accusations? You two clearly ran to the commune saying Su Qingyue was fooling around in the cornfield!”
“Exactly! You incited Zhang Jun to harm Su Qingyue, then called everyone over to watch the show. One sings, the other echoes—clearly trying to ruin Su Qingyue!”
“Captain Xiang, educated youths with such low character can’t stay in our brigade. Their hearts are far too vicious!”
The crowd erupted into voices, condemning Su Qianqian and Zhou Wenfang one after another.