Zhou Wenfang nudged Su Qianqian with her elbow. “They’re looking for you—go on, hurry.”
“It seems the Yan family’s old matriarch has come with her great-grandson.”
“Whoa, the Yan family from the east side of the city? That’s an even more powerful background than the Shen family. Why would they be looking for Su Qianqian?”
Su Weixin had already led Su Qianqian forward a few steps. He bent slightly at the waist. “How have you been lately? Please come sit at our home sometime. This is my daughter, Su Qianqian.”
Song Qingyan and Shen Xunbao also stepped forward to greet them politely. “May I ask why you’re looking for our daughter?”
The Yan family’s old matriarch wore a kindly expression. “Your young lady helped me greatly. I came today especially to thank her.”
A faint smile rose on Su Weixin’s face. He glanced at Su Qianqian, feeling even more satisfied.
Just as he was about to speak, he was interrupted by the child beside him. Yan Shu spoke in a soft, childish voice, “Great-Grandma, it’s not this sister!”
The old matriarch remained patient. “Does your family still have—”
Before she could finish, her great-grandson went pattering over and wrapped his arms around Su Qingyue. Tilting up his little head, he said in a milky voice, “Great-Grandma, it’s this pretty sister! She’s the one who saved me today!”
The words shocked everyone present.
Su Qingyue let out a breath of relief, the heavy stone pressing on her heart finally dropping away. She revealed a relaxed smile. “Good boy. I see you scraped your leg too—why aren’t you resting at home?”
“I wanted to bring something to give to big sister.”
Shen Xunbao immediately understood. He squatted down and asked gently, “So Qingyue got hurt because she saved you, right?”
Yan Shu nodded. “Bad people wanted to kidnap me. Big sister rushed over to save me, and she fell down.”
Everyone suddenly understood.
“So Su Qingyue wasn’t disgraced at all—she went to do a good deed!”
“Who was it just now spreading nonsense, turning a perfectly good girl into gossip fodder?”
“She didn’t even say she went to save someone—no wonder people misunderstood.”
Hearing the murmurs, the old matriarch grew indignant. She walked over and took Su Qingyue’s hand.
“Today the nanny took my great-grandson out, and we unexpectedly ran into human traffickers.
“Thankfully, Su Qingyue was brave and quick-witted. She called out to everyone to stop them. The traffickers threw my great-grandson into the middle of the road and even tried to run him over with the car. If this girl hadn’t rushed forward to save him, I dare not imagine what would have happened…
“She left in a hurry, only saying her surname was Su, and didn’t even realize she’d dropped her bag by the roadside.
“My Shu’er is safe and sound, so my great-grandson and I came here to give our thanks.
“This debt of gratitude will never be forgotten by the Yan family.”
As she spoke, the old matriarch handed over a bag and even tried to bow to Su Qingyue.
Su Qingyue quickly bent down to support her. “Grandma Yan, I really don’t deserve this. I only did what I should have done.”
The old matriarch continued, “The police instructed us not to publicize the matter yet, for fear of alerting the criminals. The main goal is to root out the people behind it all.
“But who would have thought this would cause the girl to be publicly humiliated? You people open your eyes and speak nonsense! Don’t you know how important a girl’s reputation is these days?!”
Her sharp, forceful words frightened everyone into silence.
Aunt Qian’s face flushed red with shame. Someone from her family worked under the Yan family, and thinking of that, she hurried forward to apologize.
“Su Qingyue, Aunt Qian was blind. It was mainly because Su Qianqian said you hadn’t been sleeping around, and Zhou Wenfang said your leg was injured—that’s why my thoughts went astray. Auntie apologizes to you.”
Su Qianqian’s eyes darted nervously. “Grandma Yan, I’m not good with words. I only said she hadn’t been fooling around to protect my sister’s reputation. I never expected everyone to misunderstand.”
Only then did Su Qingyue see Su Qianqian’s ugly true colors clearly. The way she had rushed to smear her today—it was very likely that the whole affair had something to do with her!
Thinking of everything that had happened today, Su Qingyue could no longer hold back her tears.
“Qianqian, when we went to buy clothes today, you and Zhou Wenfang left first. I couldn’t find you, so I took the bus alone.
“I just happened to run into traffickers snatching a child. I didn’t think much and rushed forward—that’s how I got hurt.
“When I got back to the courtyard, you and Zhou Wenfang stopped me and publicly asked if I’d been violated.
“If Grandma Yan hadn’t clarified things in person, my whole life would have been ruined!”
Her voice was soft and trembling. Big tears rolled down her pale little face, making anyone who saw her ache with pity.
Song Qingyan’s eyes reddened. She stepped forward, hugged Su Qingyue, and wiped her tears. “Qingyue, you’ve suffered.”
“So… does that mean Su Qianqian did it on purpose?”
“Maybe she was just anxious and misspoke.”
“No matter how much you want to protect your sister, you can’t talk like that. She’s a woman too—doesn’t she understand how important a woman’s reputation is?”
“Su Qianqian was clearly trying to frame Su Qingyue. She must be jealous of her!”
Hearing everyone side with Su Qingyue, Su Qianqian panicked even more. Without hesitation, she raised her hand and slapped herself twice across the face. Her cheeks instantly swelled.
Crying, she apologized to Su Qingyue. “Qingyue, it’s all my fault.
“I just came back from the countryside and I’m not as clever as city people. I spoke without thinking and almost got you wronged.
“I meant well but did harm today. It’s all my fault—please forgive me!”
Her words were humble and pitiful.
She had indeed stood in front of Su Qingyue earlier to shield her. In the eyes of outsiders, it looked like an elder sister speaking carelessly out of anxious love.
Su Qianqian not only gained a reputation for being kind and gentle, but also won everyone’s sympathy. One had to admit—she was truly shrewd.
Zhou Wenfang also panicked. No matter how much she despised Su Qingyue, she knew exactly what kind of background the Yan family had.
She hurried to clarify as well. “Su Qingyue, I’m sorry. Qianqian and I were just worried about you and misunderstood. We didn’t mean it.”
Su Weixin cast Zhou Wenfang a faint glance, then instructed Su Qianqian, “From now on, go out together. Don’t leave your sister behind.”
Even her most doting father was speaking up for this impostor. Su Qianqian clenched her fists, hatred surging in her heart.
On the surface, she looked obedient and gentle, her eyes full of guilt. “Dad, I’m sorry. I didn’t handle things well today.”
The old matriarch slammed her cane heavily against the ground. “Don’t be afraid, Qingyue. With this old woman here, I want to see who would dare wag their tongues again!”
“Take this bracelet. If you ever have any trouble, come to the Yan family—I’ll stand up for you!”
Yan Shu also spoke up sweetly, “Big sister, hurry and take it. This is our family heirloom. No one will dare bully you again!”
Everyone gasped in shock.
Su Weixin and Song Qingyan both stepped forward to stop her. “Madam, this is far too valuable. Su Qingyue can’t accept it.”
“How can she not? My great-grandson nearly went missing today. If not for Su Qingyue’s kindness, I wouldn’t dare think of the consequences!”
“This is for the child. Don’t stop me.”
Seeing how stubborn the old matriarch was as she fastened the bracelet onto her wrist, Su Qingyue was utterly astonished.
She spoke gently, “Grandma Yan, a great leader once said, ‘It’s not hard for a person to do a good deed; what’s hard is doing good deeds for a lifetime.’
“Thank you for your chivalrous kindness in helping me clear my name. In the future, I will keep this teaching firmly in mind, lead by example, do more good deeds, and become someone useful to society.
“Now that today’s misunderstanding has been cleared up, I believe the public’s eyes are sharp and won’t mistake a good person.
“Since you’ve given me this bracelet, it belongs to me now.
“And now, I pass it on to little Yan Shu.
“I hope Yan Shu grows up healthy and happy, carrying with him the Yan family’s generations of blessings and protection.”
After she finished speaking, she removed the precious bracelet and carefully placed it into Yan Shu’s palm, gently pinching the little one’s soft cheeks.
The bracelet was extraordinarily luxurious—clearly made of top-grade jade, its green color vivid and lustrous. The pure gold carvings were exquisite and smooth, and the two embedded gemstones sparkled brilliantly.
Su Qingyue’s gaze was firm, her eyes pure and bright. At that moment, her disheveled hair and mud-stained clothes instead became symbols of courage.
Her words were neither servile nor overbearing. Who would still dare to gossip behind her back now?
With the truth laid bare, which onlooker would dare blind themselves and wrong a good person?
No one dared wear that label—especially now that Su Qingyue had gained the Yan family as her support.