Su Wanqing looked at Zhang Hongying and gave a tight smile, her tone hard and unyielding.
“You grabbed my clothes and scolded me. I hit you, so what? Do I still have to pick a time for it?”
Zhang Hongying’s lips trembled, and she could not form a complete sentence for a long time.
The onlookers nearby began whispering and discussing among themselves.
Su Wanqing ignored the murmurs and turned to look toward the back of the crowd.
“Team Leader,” she called out, her voice carrying a hint of grievance and a slight tremble. “You came at just the right time. I have something to say to you.”
The crowd immediately parted to make a path.
The Team Leader walked over slowly with his hands behind his back. His face was dark and heavy, like a storm cloud. He first looked at Su Wanqing, then at Lu Shiyan, and finally his gaze landed on Zhang Hongying.
“What is going on? Why is it so chaotic in the middle of the night?”
As soon as Zhang Hongying saw the Team Leader, tears poured out instantly. She covered her face and rushed toward him, her voice choked with sobs.
“Team Leader, you must stand up for me. Su Wanqing hit me in front of so many people.”
The Team Leader glanced at her, then turned to look at Su Wanqing.
Su Wanqing stood there with her hair slightly messy. Her clothes were covered in bits of grass. Her face was flushed red, and her eyes were also red, looking both aggrieved and angry. She appeared pitiful at first glance.
“Team Leader,” she began, her voice still trembling, but each word was clear and firm. “You have to judge this fairly for me.”
She pointed at Zhang Hongying, her tone filled with anger.
“This Zhang comrade did not sleep at night and secretly followed me. I came out to talk with my partner, and she followed behind us all night, watching us. Then she ran to report to you and said I was engaging in improper behavior.”
Her eyes turned even redder, and her voice became more aggrieved.
“Team Leader, I am an innocent young woman. My reputation has been ruined like this. Do you think I should have hit her?”
The Team Leader frowned and looked at Zhang Hongying, his tone turning serious.
“Didn’t you just say you saw it yourself, that she was with a man?”
Zhang Hongying panicked and quickly wiped her tears.
“I saw it. She left the educated youth point when it got dark and went toward the haystack area with a man. If that is not improper behavior, then what is it?”
Su Wanqing looked at her and suddenly tears fell, fast and urgent.
Lu Shiyan, standing beside her, was stunned. He had not expected that this woman could switch so quickly, crying on command.
Her ability to turn the situation around was also impressive.
“Zhang Hongying,” Su Wanqing sniffled, her voice carrying a tearful tone but striking with every word. “Just because I came out to talk with my partner becomes improper behavior? Then if you ever get a partner, does that mean you can never meet them? If you meet them once, is that also improper behavior?”
This question left Zhang Hongying speechless. Her lips moved, but no words came out.
Su Wanqing wiped her tears with her sleeve and turned back to the Team Leader, her tone softening but becoming even more pitiful.
“Team Leader, I have been in a relationship with Lu Shiyan for some time now. Tonight we came out to discuss marriage matters. Who knew this Zhang comrade would follow us all the way, watch us all night, and then report to you saying we were doing something improper.”
Her voice became even more tearful.
“You know my situation. My parents are not here. I am all alone in the countryside. I finally found someone I can rely on, and now my reputation is being ruined. How am I supposed to live in the village after this? I do not want to live anymore.”
She even pretended to move toward a nearby tree trunk as if she was going to crash into it. The onlookers quickly reached out and stopped her.
Lu Shiyan, watching from the side, felt his eyelid twitch, but there was a trace of admiration in his expression.
As expected of the person he had taken a liking to. She had just been calmly slapping someone a moment ago, and now she was crying like a pitiful mess. Her acting was truly convincing.
The Team Leader’s face grew darker as he looked between the crying Su Wanqing and the agitated Zhang Hongying. His brows were so tightly furrowed that it seemed he could crush a mosquito.
Zhang Hongying became even more anxious and stepped forward loudly.
“Team Leader, do not believe her nonsense. What discussion about marriage? Meeting in the haystack at night to discuss marriage? Who would believe that? She is clearly making up lies because she was caught!”
Su Wanqing lifted her head with red eyes and looked at Zhang Hongying.
“Zhang Hongying, what do you mean? If I discuss marriage with my partner, do I still need to choose a time that suits you? Do I need to do it in front of you? We cannot find a quieter or more romantic place? This is a new era now. Why are you still clinging to old thinking? That is not appropriate.”
Zhang Hongying’s face turned bright red in anger.
“You are twisting words!”
Su Wanqing ignored her and turned back to the Team Leader again, her tone becoming more sincere.
“Team Leader, I know it is not appropriate for me and Lu Shiyan to meet at night. But we had no choice. He lives in the cattle shed and I live at the educated youth point. We barely get to see each other. We finally found a chance to talk about marriage, and then we were followed.”
She wiped her tears again and looked seriously at the Team Leader.
“Team Leader, I want to ask you something. Because his background is not good, does that mean he cannot date? Does that mean he cannot get married? Is there such a rule in the village?”
The Team Leader was left speechless. He opened his mouth but could not respond.
There really was no such rule. People with poor backgrounds could still get married. It was just that few were willing to marry them, as no one wanted to be implicated.
Su Wanqing stepped forward again, her tone soft and pleading.
“Team Leader, I am sincere with Lu Shiyan. Yes, his background is not good, but he treats me well, and I am willing to be with him. We were in the wrong for meeting at night and causing gossip. But we were truly just discussing marriage. It is not what Zhang Hongying said. It is not improper behavior.”
She glanced at Lu Shiyan, then quickly lowered her head, her cheeks slightly red, showing a hint of shyness.
“We originally planned to tell you about this in a few days. Since you are here today, I will tell you now. We plan to register our marriage.”
Register marriage?!
The moment those words were spoken, the surroundings fell completely silent. Everyone gasped in shock and looked at each other in disbelief.
Zhang Hongying widened her eyes, completely stunned.
Register marriage? Su Wanqing was actually going to marry Lu Shiyan?
Was she not always chasing Lin Wenxuan? Always sticking around the educated youth Lin Wenxuan as if she could not leave him? How did she suddenly decide to marry Lu Shiyan?