In the brigade, among the people who had been slandered behind their backs by Wang Dafen, there were at least fifty if not eighty. Although everyone was angry inside, no one had ever confronted the brigade leader like Wen Ranran did and left the other party unable to save face.
Living in the same production brigade, they all looked up and saw each other constantly; going back several generations, they might even share the same ancestors. It wouldn’t look good to completely fall out with one another.
But at the same time, many people also felt that Wen the educated youth’s response was genuinely satisfying.
Exactly—why should Wang Dafen’s wrongdoing be forgiven just because she apologized? Did she think her face was that big?
When Wang Dafen heard Wen Ranran say this, she immediately panicked and shouted angrily at her: “This won’t do, that won’t do either—what exactly do you want before you’ll let it go?”
You little wretch, little slut—she had just been careless for a moment, and now this girl wouldn’t let go of it.
Slap.
Wen Ranran raised her hand without another word and slapped Wang Dafen across the face. Everyone was stunned.
“Let it go? What are you thinking?” Wen Ranran said coldly. “A light apology isn’t enough to settle this, and neither is this slap!
Other people may not hold it against you because they’re kind-hearted, but I have a bad temper, small-minded, and I hold grudges. If I hear any rumors about me again in the future, no matter who spreads them, I’ll assume it’s you. I will come to your house and tear it apart. If you don’t believe it, try me!”
Wang Dafen covered her face, unable to believe she had actually been slapped by a young girl.
Normally, she wouldn’t have tolerated such humiliation and would have fought back immediately.
But at that moment, a thought suddenly flashed through her mind.
This little wench from the Wen family usually pretended to be gentle and considerate, but in reality she was fierce and domineering. Now that she had seen Wen Ranran’s true colors, she didn’t believe Lu Shian would still want her.
Wang Dafen instantly felt pleased.
Although she had suffered a loss, the final outcome would still be Wen Ranran being abandoned by a man. Worth it!
But she hadn’t expected Lu Shian to frown while looking at Wen Ranran’s slightly curled fingers.
“Why did you hit her? Does your hand hurt?” he asked. “Next time, just kick her directly.”
As he spoke, he even told Wen Ranran to open her hand so he could check it.
Wang Dafen’s eyes widened in disbelief.
This wasn’t the reaction she had imagined at all.
Shouldn’t Lu Shian have realized that Wen Ranran was a deceitful woman who put on one face in public and another in private, and then dumped her in front of everyone?
Instead, Lu Shian looked at Wang Dafen coldly and said, “Ranran is a female comrade. There are some things she shouldn’t personally deal with. If you have anything in the future, come to me directly.”
His gaze was dark and heavy, and Wang Dafen instantly recalled the fear of being dragged over earlier by Lu Shian. She couldn’t help but shiver.
When dealing with women like herself, Wang Dafen was aggressive and domineering, but when faced with a tall, imposing man, she instantly became timid.
This time, she was truly afraid.
The onlookers also gradually came to understand after hearing Lu Shian’s words.
What “things a female comrade can’t handle”? It just meant that if anyone wanted to trouble Wen the educated youth, they should go through him first.
They were only a couple at this stage, yet he was already so protective. Once they got married, who knew how spoiled Wen the educated youth would become!
Wen Ranran couldn’t help but smile, feeling a warmth in her heart.
Only a man this protective was worth trusting.
The brigade leader Tian Yougen watched all of this and sighed, then waved over the clerk Chen Yinghua to bring the matter to an end.
“Today’s incident was Wang Dafen’s fault. Deduct five days of full attendance work points and give them to Wen the educated youth. Don’t let this happen again,” he said.
“Everyone in the brigade should also remember this—stop gossiping behind people’s backs. If I catch anyone again, none of you will be let off!”
“Alright, it’s getting late. Everyone still has to go back to work. Disperse.”
During busy farming season, everyone ate in a hurry and worked against the clock. With the brigade leader dismissing them, the crowd quickly went their separate ways.
Wang Dafen got up from the ground with her face scratched and was somewhat unwilling.
Five days of full attendance work points were equivalent to what the men in the brigade earned. Losing fifty points was like cutting out her flesh.
But under the brigade leader’s authority, she could only curse inwardly and limp home.
This time she had lost to Wen Ranran, but what would happen next time—no one could say.
Meanwhile, Wen Ranran and Lu Shian returned to the educated youth compound.
After a victorious battle, Wen Ranran had been in a good mood, but when she saw the three dishes and one soup she had carefully prepared now gone cold on the table, her mood soured again.
The fifty work points she had just earned suddenly didn’t seem like much.
When someone wrongs her, she doesn’t forgive lightly; when someone pushes her, she’d even dig up their ancestors.
Seeing her unhappiness, Lu Shian quickly comforted her: “It’s hot today anyway, just eat it like this. I like it at this temperature—it’s perfect.”
He even went to wash both of their bowls and chopsticks, rinsing hers twice carefully.
Looking at the dishes on the table, his eyes seemed to light up, as if they were some rare delicacy.
Seeing him bustling around, Wen Ranran’s mood gradually improved.
This man was attentive and emotionally considerate—her taste in men was indeed good.
After thinking for a moment, she still insisted on reheating the food.
The dishes were fine cold, but she had also made egg drop soup, which would taste fishy once it cooled. Since this was the first time hosting her fiancé, she wanted everything to be perfect.
Lu Shian immediately stood up. “Don’t move, I’ll do it!”
In the army, he had done all kinds of hard labor. Lighting a clay stove was easy for him.
He quickly lit a fire with straw and twigs, his movements smooth and practiced.
Wen Ranran sat idly aside, watching his skilled figure, feeling warmth in her heart.
A man who kept his word really was the most attractive.
Right now, as long as Lu Shian was around, she didn’t have to do any work—that was the best feeling.
Even though she didn’t know what the future held, so far, everything he had promised her, he had fulfilled.
…
The meal soon ended.
After eating, Lu Shian took the initiative to wash the dishes again, reminded her not to go out after dark, and then reluctantly left for work, turning back step by step.
His steps were heavy.
He used to laugh at others for missing their wives all the time, but now that it was his turn, he hadn’t even married yet and already couldn’t bear to leave.
He finally understood what “days feel like years” meant.
Even though they would see each other again tomorrow, just thinking about how long the night would be made him feel it was unbearable.
Was a month even longer? No, he still needed to urge them when he got back—he wondered if the marriage approval could be processed in twenty days…
Wen Ranran, however, didn’t know what he was thinking. After he left, she went back to her room, closed the door, and counted her money and vouchers.
She had quite a bit of cash, and she had enough industrial coupons to buy a pot and rubber shoes. She planned to go to the nearest supply and marketing cooperative tomorrow to get them.
Spend according to your ability and live comfortably within your means. She had no intention of wronging herself.
She rested in the room, and time passed quickly.
When she heard the work bell outside, she walked to the window and looked out.
Soon, several educated youths appeared in the yard, along with the brigade leader Tian Yougen.