Su Qingyue tossed aside the bag of clothes and shouted for everyone to chase after them.
Seeing their scheme exposed, the two human traffickers shoved the child into the middle of the road and immediately jumped into a car coming straight toward them.
The van was speeding right at them! Without a second thought, Su Qingyue lunged forward, shielding the child’s head as she wrapped her arms around him and rolled twice to avoid the car.
The aunt carrying fruit and the elderly man in a military uniform hurried over to help them up.
“Girl, are you alright? Oh dear, your leg is scraped, and you’re bleeding from the corner of your mouth!”
The bespectacled young man ran back, panting. “Comrade, you were really brave. Let me take you to the hospital! I already went to report this to the police—the license plate number has been given. They’ll be here soon.”
Su Qingyue let out a breath of relief. “No need. I have medicine at home, and I have something urgent to take care of.”
Before she could stand up, a woman carrying a vegetable basket hurried over. “Shu’er, are you alright? I heard there were traffickers at the station when I went to the restroom—Aunt Qin was scared to death!”
Yan Shu’s mouth trembled as he threw himself into Aunt Qin’s arms, sobbing. “It was this big sister who saved me.”
Aunt Qin quickly thanked Su Qingyue. “Young lady, what’s your name? Thank you for saving the child.”
“Auntie, my surname is Su. Everyone helped—it was nothing.”
Soon the police arrived and asked for witnesses. Seeing that three people had already stepped forward, Su Qingyue quietly moved aside.
The police reminded everyone, “Please cooperate. What happened today should not be spread for now—we can’t alert the suspects.”
Su Qingyue nodded. When the bus arrived, she quickly boarded it.
By the time Aunt Qin came back to her senses, Su Qingyue was already gone. “Oh dear! Our benefactor left something behind! I don’t even know where she lives!”
The elderly man in the military uniform spoke knowingly, “Bus 280 goes to the south of the city. Among families with the surname Su, there’s only Commander Su’s household. Go check the military compound over there.”
“Thank you so much.”
……
Zhou Wenfang had been wandering near the construction park with Su Qianqian. “Qianqian, we haven’t checked those little alleys over there yet.”
Su Qianqian’s eyes flickered. “Alright, there’s more shade there.”
They chatted casually on the surface, but inside they were frantic, darting through alley after alley in search of someone—eager to see Su Qingyue after her chastity had supposedly been ruined.
But after searching for a long time, the alleys were empty.
*That shouldn’t be possible,* Su Qianqian thought. *I paid a high price for that sedative—Su Qingyue couldn’t have escaped!*
*Could it be that she already lost her purity and went home?*
Zhou Wenfang’s thinking was much simpler.
So much time had passed, and Su Qingyue still hadn’t come looking for them—she must have been violated. She was probably at home now, clothes torn, crying her eyes out.
The thought thrilled her. “Qianqian, who knows where Su Qingyue went. Let’s go home.”
Each harboring her own thoughts, they returned to the military compound and ran into Aunt Qian.
Zhou Wenfang leaned in mysteriously. “Aunt Qian, do you know if Su Qingyue has come home?”
“Haven’t seen her.”
As soon as she finished speaking, Aunt Qian nodded toward the front. “Good heavens! Isn’t that Su Qingyue? Why is she covered in dirt and grass? Where on earth has she been?”
Su Qianqian and Zhou Wenfang turned around at once, surprise mixed with delight flashing across their faces.
Su Qingyue looked utterly disheveled. The hem of her yellow dress was torn, her fair calves marked with scratches and bruises. Her hair was a mess, and the corner of her mouth was split.
Joy flashed across Su Qianqian’s face. She grabbed Su Qingyue’s wrist with astonishing force, as if afraid she might run.
Her tone, however, was full of concern. “Qingyue, you’re finally back. How did you end up like this?”
Venom flashed in Zhou Wenfang’s eyes. “Swollen lips, a torn skirt, bruised knees—she must have done something shameless—”
Su Qianqian covered her mouth in apparent horror. “Wenfang, don’t say that. Qingyue isn’t that kind of person.”
“And Aunt Qian, please don’t tell anyone about this. It concerns Qingyue’s reputation.”
“Alright, alright.” Aunt Qian smelled gossip in the air, excitement gleaming in her eyes.
Su Qianqian suppressed her inner excitement. Aunt Qian’s son, Lu Wenjin, liked Su Qingyue. He had been rejected multiple times, and their family resented her, spreading rumors behind her back.
With Aunt Qian’s big mouth fanning the flames, today’s show was bound to be entertaining.
Su Qingyue forcefully shook off Su Qianqian’s hand, clenching her fists tightly to keep herself from showing fear.
When she spoke, her voice still trembled. “Don’t talk nonsense. I just fell. Nothing happened.”
Her reaction only made Su Qianqian and Zhou Wenfang more certain that she had been violated.
“Then where did you fall? You can break the corner of your mouth from a fall? And be gone for so long?”
Zhou Wenfang pressed relentlessly.
Soon, small groups of people gathered around.
Song Qingyan and her husband had just gotten off work. On the way, they ran into Shen Xunbao and invited him home for dinner. Su Weixin had a very good impression of this future son-in-law, and the group chatted and laughed as they walked back.
Seeing them, the onlookers hesitated and automatically made way.
“Su Qingyue, do you dare say you weren’t violated today?” Aunt Qian continued her harsh questioning.
When Su Qianqian saw her parents arrive, she stepped in front of Su Qingyue like a protective hen.
With a pained expression, she scolded Aunt Qian. “Qingyue didn’t have an affair and wasn’t violated! You have no evidence—don’t talk nonsense!”
Su Qingyue felt as if she had plunged into an icy abyss, unable to breathe. Her eyes reddened as she stared at Su Qianqian in disbelief.
*Was today’s trip to the Friendship Store a trap set by Su Qianqian?*
The crowd erupted into chatter.
“She was definitely violated—look at her torn skirt and muddy legs.”
“Exactly. Her hair’s a mess, her lip is bitten—she must have been—”
Su Weixin stopped short. Song Qingyan’s eyelids twitched as she glanced at the expressionless Shen Xunbao beside her, then frowned and stepped forward.
“Su Qingyue, your parents are here. Explain to your family—did something happen to you today?”
Song Qingyan said angrily, “My daughters did go out to buy clothes today. Aunt Qian, why are you being so aggressive?”
“Oh, Xiao Song, I’m just worried Su Qingyue might disgrace your family’s reputation. We’re neighbors—I’m only asking out of concern. If nothing happened, let Qingyue prove it herself.”
“Don’t blame Aunt Qian. Look at her—she’s clearly been violated.”
Zhou Wenfang and Su Qianqian had long noticed Shen Xunbao. Dressed in a suit, tall and straight, with a high nose bridge and gold-rimmed glasses, his narrow eyes made him look refined and handsome.
*Why does such a noble man have to be Su Qingyue’s fiancé?*
In a voice only Zhou Wenfang could hear, Su Qianqian muttered, “Where are the clothes Qingyue bought?”
Zhou Wenfang’s eyes flashed. Pointing at Su Qingyue’s empty hands, she screeched, “Su Qingyue, where are the clothes you bought? Why are your hands empty? Can a fall make clothes disappear?”
“The clothes?” Su Qingyue widened her eyes. “I left them at the bus stop.”
Shen Xunbao took off his suit jacket and draped it over Su Qingyue’s shoulders, his tone gentle. “Whatever Qingyue does is her own business. She doesn’t need to explain herself to everyone.”
The crowd marveled. “Young Master Shen is amazing—even now, he still protects Su Qingyue.”
“To be able to marry Young Master Shen—that’s blessings earned from a previous life.”
Su Qingyue held her head high, desperately suppressing her fear. *Did someone see me on the bus today?* If this was exposed publicly, her reputation would truly be ruined.
*Absolutely not.*
She bit down hard and replied in a trembling voice, “I really just fell. Nothing happened.”
Shen Xunbao put an arm around her, his tone cold. “You all heard her. Qingyue just fell. Thank you for your concern—may we leave now?”
Zhou Wenfang blocked their way aggressively. “Young Master Shen, even if you protect Su Qingyue, can a fall make clothes disappear too?”
“Su Qingyue, Young Master Shen has cherished you for seventeen years. If you’re no longer pure and have disgraced the Su family, how can you still marry into the Shen family?”
“Won’t you give everyone an explanation?”
Su Weixin’s deep, authoritative voice rang out. “Qingyue, tell the truth. What happened today? Dad will stand up for you!”
The crowd fell silent.
No one valued family honor more than Commander Su.
Su Qingyue lifted her chin, meeting Su Weixin and Song Qingyan’s gazes. Tears shimmered in her eyes; she looked utterly wronged.
“Dad, Mom, I swear to heaven—I, Su Qingyue, am innocent and untainted. I was not violated. The clothes really were left at the bus stop.”
“All that talk and still no proof!” Aunt Qian scoffed.
Just as she finished speaking, an elderly woman’s voice rang out from the crowd.
“Excuse me—does the Su family’s young lady live here?”