“Chubby Girl’s matter can wait until I come back.”
Before the words were finished, Xie Zhongming had already shaken off Jiang Beiyang’s hand and rushed out of the regiment office building. His rubber shoes struck the sun hardened dirt road as he ran.
Even when his heels hit stones, he did not slow down.
The paulownia tree shadows in the camp flew backward behind him. Even the wind carried his heavy and urgent breathing. That dense cornfield where the tassels had just emerged was one or two li away from the regiment. The more he ran, the more anxious he became.
In the field, Xie Jiang sat on the ground cushioned with pea vines and quickly ate the lunch Qiao Xingyue had delivered.
The twice cooked pork was rich in color, aroma, and taste. Everyone gathered around. Besides Xie Jiang, several other veteran cadres from the compound were harvesting peas and broad beans today. One of them was Old Jiang, the father of Jiang Beiyang and Jiang Beisong, and also Xie Jiang’s longtime comrade in arms.
He showed no restraint and picked up a piece of pork from Xie Jiang’s lunch box. “Old Xie, every time I return to the compound, I can smell the fragrance of the dishes cooked by your family helper from far away. It makes me crave it badly.”
After tasting it today, Old Jiang’s eyes lit up. “This cooking skill is no worse than a state run restaurant. Let me taste the sour and spicy shredded potatoes too.”
“Aren’t there shredded potatoes in your bowl?”
“The ones in my bowl are not as fragrant as yours.”
Old Jiang suddenly changed the topic. “Old Xie, let me discuss something with you. My eldest nephew once ran into your family helper at the supply store. He wants me to help set him up through you. Does your family helper have someone she is seeing or any plan to remarry?”
Xie Jiang stopped eating. The gentle look on his face tightened into a frown and his expression became solemn. “Old Jiang, you should stop calling Xingyue a helper. If Guilan hears it, she will be unhappy. As for introducing someone to Xingyue, do not bring it up again. Guilan will never agree.”
“Why not. My nephew’s conditions are not bad.”
“You do not need to ask.”
Xie Jiang looked toward Qiao Xingyue sitting on a distant haystack with her head lowered as she read a book. Knowing that she planned to take the college entrance examination this year, his gaze carried a trace of approval.
Such a capable and driven woman would be more than worthy of his fourth son after the divorce. Xie Jiang even worried that Xingyue might look down on his fourth son.
He quickly finished his meal, placed the lunch boxes into the net bag, and walked over to hand it to her. “Xingyue, the sun is strong in the fields. You should head back.”
“Alright Uncle Xie. The sun is harsh. Drink more water this afternoon. You have been having internal heat lately, so I soaked some malva nut in your cup.”
“Good.” Xingyue was as considerate as a daughter. None of his five sons were this attentive.
In the cornfield rarely passed by anyone, Jiang Yongqiang hid among the stalks, crouching and listening for movement.
As soon as Qiao Xingyue’s bicycle passed by, he would pounce, drag her into the cornfield, and once he had her, she would obediently submit and agree to marry him. Then he could bring home a beautiful wife.
Four years ago, he had encountered Qiao Xingyue by chance in a ruined temple in Kun City. At that time, she had two children with her and was not as slender and eye-catching as now, but her plump and alluring figure still stirred his desire. Unfortunately, the attempt had been ruined and Qiao Xingyue was rescued.
Today, her luck would not be so good.
He had been squatting in the cornfield for half an hour without seeing a single passerby. He rubbed his hands together and grinned wickedly.
The bicycle bell rang clearly as the front wheel of the old style bicycle rolled over uneven dirt, the spokes striking small stones.
Jiang Yongqiang parted the green corn leaves and saw Qiao Xingyue approaching. Her slender figure on the bicycle made his heart itch. As she rode past, he lunged forward with force and knocked both her and the bicycle into the cornfield.
Before Qiao Xingyue could react, her hair was yanked and she was dragged deeper into the cornfield. Dirt slid into her collar. The sharp corn leaves cut into her skin, causing pain that made it hard to open her eyes.
The afternoon wind carried the damp scent of corn leaves. Amid panic and pain, she grasped her pulled hair and steadied herself. She had encountered a lecher.
She could not panic.
She had to stay calm.
She was no longer the weak bodied Chubby Girl who had just crossed over and had no strength to fight back.
“Qiao Xingyue, someone saved you four years ago. Today, let me see who will save you.”
The voice sounded familiar. “Jiang Yongqiang?”
“Heh heh. Since you are going to marry me anyway, we might as well do what a husband and wife do today.” Jiang Yongqiang paused as he held her arm and hair.
They were already dozens of meters away from the dirt road. He decided to do it right here.
The cornfield rustled loudly in the wind. Jiang Yongqiang crouched close to her. His coarse pores and red swollen nose came closer and closer. A fierce look flashed in his eyes. “Qiao Xingyue, behave yourself. Do not scream. No one will come to save you. Otherwise, you will suffer more.”
As his rough hand released her hair and moved to tear her clothes, his wrist was suddenly seized tightly.
The next moment, he screamed in pain. “Ah. What did you stab me with.”
It hurt terribly.
Qiao Xingyue flipped up agilely from the ground. The silver needle in her hand pierced into the tendon on the back of his hand. After the pain, his arm went numb and suddenly lost strength.
“You lecher.”
Qiao Xingyue climbed up and kicked Jiang Yongqiang hard between the legs.
“I will teach you to lust after women. I will teach you to pull my hair.”
She kicked him again and again.
Then she squatted down, grabbed his short hair, and slapped him repeatedly.
The wind rustled the corn leaves, covering the sound of the slaps.
Jiang Yongqiang groaned in pain. “Where did you get such strength.”
“Do you think I am still the malnourished postpartum Chubby Girl from four years ago who could not even hold a silver needle after being pinned down by you.”
Back then, she had just given birth to An’an and Ningning and had not rested even a single day during confinement. She had struggled for a living, suffered severe anemia, and lost over eighty jin in two months, dropping from more than two hundred twenty jin to one hundred forty.
She lacked strength then, but not now.
“Jiang Yongqiang, you are a scourge to society. If I do not send you to prison, who knows how many girls you will harm in the future. Today, I will definitely hand you over to the police.”
She kicked him hard again. Jiang Yongqiang flipped over and lay face down. His face and temples were smeared with dirt and grass debris. He tried to crawl away, but his arms were locked behind his back by Qiao Xingyue.
The braid hanging over her chest was tied with a rope. She swiftly untied it and bound Jiang Yongqiang’s hands tightly behind his back, wrapping them several times and tying firm knots.
“Get up. Come with me to the police station.”
Qiao Xingyue kicked him. He was tall and strong, and it took great effort to pull him up. “Move.”
When he tried to raise his leg to kick her, another silver needle went in.
“Either you obediently go with me to see the police, or I have a hundred ways to make you suffer unbearably. Do you want to try.”
The needle pierced his leg. The pain made him sweat profusely. He felt as if he were about to meet his ancestors.
Sweat seeped from his coarse pores. His gaze was panicked and vicious, yet he could do nothing.
“You damn woman.”
“I will teach you to speak filth.”
“It hurts. It hurts.”
“Will you curse again?”
“No. I will not.”
“Are you leaving or not?”
“Yes. Yes.”
A few minutes later, Jiang Beiyang’s second brother Jiang Beisong saw an old style bicycle lying in the cornfield, crushing a patch of young corn. He also saw a long dragging trail deep inside the field.
His heart sank. What he feared most had happened.
He followed the flattened trail and ran inside, but saw no one.
Not long after, Xie Zhongming arrived at the scene. Seeing the fallen bicycle and crushed corn stalks, his chest tightened.
His throat bobbed violently. His mind exploded with panic. His heart felt clenched and aching. He stumbled into the cornfield, shouting anxiously, “Comrade Qiao, are you inside?”
His voice trembled without him realizing it.
“Comrade Qiao. Qiao Xingyue.”
His strong arms swept aside the sharp corn leaves that cut his arms and cheeks without him noticing.
“Zhongming.”
“Beisong. Did you see Qiao Xingyue?”
“The bicycle outside belongs to your family, right?”
“Yes.”
“This is bad. There is no one here. I searched for a long time. This cornfield spans several mu. If Jiang Yongqiang wanted to harm Comrade Qiao, he might even kill her. Keep searching. I will go get help.”
Jiang Beisong went to call for help.
Left behind, Xie Zhongming saw corn leaves moving in the distance. His heart leapt into his throat. He feared seeing what he dreaded, yet desperately wanted to find Qiao Xingyue.
His back was tense as he ran forward. His hands clenched tightly. His knuckles turned white. Sweat slid from his temples down his throat. He pushed aside the corn leaves, only to find nothing.
An hour later, soldiers harvesting peas and broad beans had searched the entire cornfield, yet there was still no sign of Qiao Xingyue or Jiang Yongqiang.
Thinking that Xingyue might have already been killed, Xie Jiang felt heavy pain in his chest. “I should never have let Xingyue bring me lunch.”
Just when everyone was at a loss, a jeep drove over the dirt road.
The jeep stopped amid swirling dust. The first to get out was Qiao Xingyue, who had brought police officers to identify the crime scene. Seeing so many people gathered, she was confused.
Before she could understand what was happening, someone pushed through the crowd and grabbed her arm. “Qiao Xingyue, are you alright?”
The grip was tight, filled with lingering panic.
He looked her up and down. Her hair was messy and tangled with grass. Several bloody cuts marred her fair face, streaked with dirt. Her clothes were filthy.
His throat moved. His voice was hoarse and carried concern he did not notice himself. “How are you? Were you harmed.”
The wind swept through the cornfield. The rustling leaves stirred the emotions in Xie Zhongming’s eyes.
Jiang Beiyang arrived and saw how much his good brother cared for Comrade Qiao. He hesitated.
He had just received news from Kun City. Five years ago, Chubby Girl had been pregnant with Zhongming’s child and had most likely already given birth.
Should he tell Zhongming this news or not.