No one responded to Jiang Beiyang.
Xie Zhongming rode his old-style bicycle carrying Qiao Xingyue, weaving through the green waves of the cornfields along the dirt road, and they had long since ridden far ahead.
The corn stalks rustled on both sides. Their figures merged with the turning wheels, slowly blending into the breezy countryside. The bumpy dirt road jolted the bicycle, and Qiao Xingyue collided several times with Xie Zhongming’s firm back, quickly pulling back, which made Xie Zhongming tense.
He gripped the handlebars tightly, his voice calm as always, “Comrade Qiao, you were scared today, weren’t you?”
“I’m okay, used to it.”
Qiao Xingyue held the iron frame under the seat and responded lightly. She had faced dangerous situations like this before and no longer panicked.
“You are really brave.”
Xie Zhongming’s calm voice carried both praise and the fear he felt afterward, along with a subtle concern he didn’t even notice. An ordinary woman would have lost composure by now.
Comrade Qiao did not let the scoundrel humiliate her and had beaten him up before taking him straight to the police station. She treated herself as one of the men. Such courage and toughness were honed through countless dangers and hardships.
Her three words ‘used to it’ concealed an untold amount of difficulty.
Xie Zhongming pressed the pedals steadily, and without realizing it, his admiration had turned into hidden concern.
Outside the Xie family courtyard, Huang Guilan paced alone.
The sun was almost setting. Why hadn’t Xingyue returned? Her heart was in chaos. When someone greeted her as Aunt Huang, she barely responded.
The news that Xingyue had gone out at noon to deliver food to her father and had not come back, and that Xie Zhongming had only hinted that Jiang Yongqiang had followed her, leaving traces of struggle in the cornfield but no sign of her, had left Huang Guilan anxious.
She could not reveal her worry in front of the children, so she asked her eldest daughter-in-law’s two sons, Zhiyuan and Mingyuan, along with An’an and Ningning, to play inside.
If something happened to Xingyue, the children would lose both parents.
Huang Guilan’s eyes reddened several times as she hid outside the courtyard, shedding countless tears.
The sound of a bicycle bell rang from afar.
Through her tear-blurred vision, she saw Xie Zhongming riding the old-style bicycle carrying Qiao Xingyue, returning slowly in the sunset glow.
Before the bicycle arrived, Huang Guilan ran out, “Xingyue, you scared Aunt Lan to death!”
Tears streamed down her face.
Seeing Aunt Lan so worried, Qiao Xingyue jumped off the bicycle without waiting for Xie Zhongming to stop, and Aunt Lan held her hand tightly.
Feeling Aunt Lan’s trembling hands, Qiao Xingyue realized her genuine concern and love. Her eyes reddened as well, “Aunt Lan, I’m fine. Sorry to worry you.”
“And Jiang Yongqiang…” Huang Guilan’s throat tightened, chest constricted. She could not bring herself to say the words ‘bullied you.’
Qiao Xingyue quickly reassured her, “Aunt Lan, I took that scoundrel Jiang Yongqiang to the police. He didn’t touch me, and I even beat him up.”
“It’s true,” Xie Zhongming added, “Just one of Xingyue’s silver needles can make even my arm go numb and useless.”
Huang Guilan finally exhaled but remained uneasy. “Xingyue, though you are brave and know how to use acupuncture points, starting tomorrow, you cannot deliver food to your Xie uncle. I should have realized the cornfield is unsafe. This is my fault; I almost put you in danger.”
Inside the house, Deng Yingying was at the square table picking celery.
Jiang Chunyan sat nearby cracking sunflower seeds. “Yingying, why are you picking vegetables? Let the little helper cook. These chores are hers.”
Deng Yingying snorted. If Qiao Xingyue could cook, she would have already returned. Maybe Jiang Yongqiang had harassed her, and she was hiding somewhere crying.
If she had come back, it would be over with Xie Zhongming anyway.
Hearing footsteps outside, Deng Yingying continued picking vegetables and deliberately added, “Mom, Aunt Lan allows us to stay here. You should take responsibility and not let Xingyue do everything. And Aunt Lan likes cleanliness; can you not spit seed shells on the floor?”
At that moment, Huang Guilan led Qiao Xingyue into the hall, followed by a serious-looking Xie Zhongming.
Seeing Qiao Xingyue with several bleeding scratches on her face from corn leaves, messy hair, and clothes covered in dirt and grass pulp, Deng Yingying felt a secret joy. She assumed Xingyue had been violated by Jiang Yongqiang, though she feigned concern and asked anxiously, “Xingyue, what happened? Did you fall off the bike? Sit down, I’ll treat your wounds.”
Deng Yingying put down half the celery, reached for Qiao Xingyue’s hand, intending to make her sit.
Qiao Xingyue pushed her away and asked coldly, “Comrade Deng, did you see Jiang Yongqiang today?”
Jiang Yongqiang must have known her whereabouts to lie in wait in the cornfield.
There were two possibilities.
One, Deng Yingying knew Jiang Yongqiang was a habitual harasser and deliberately told him her route to watch the drama unfold.
Two, Deng Yingying incited Jiang Yongqiang to assault her.
Qiao Xingyue guessed the first.
Deng Yingying replied openly, “Yes. Oh, and Yongqiang gave you a pack of brown sugar to hand over.”
She retrieved a small bundle of brown sugar tied with twine and handed it to Qiao Xingyue. “Yongqiang asked me, and I told him you went to deliver food to Xie uncle. Then he left. What’s wrong, Xingyue?”
Qiao Xingyue immediately said, “I took Jiang Yongqiang to the police.”
“What happened?” Jiang Chunyan looked puzzled. “Xingyue, you took my nephew to the station? He just wanted to give you brown sugar and court you. Did you have to be so cruel? What did you do to Yongqiang?”
She seemed unaware.
Deng Yingying pretended innocence, “Xingyue, I don’t understand. What did Yongqiang do? Did you take him to the police?”
Huang Guilan, who had been silent, realized the truth. Xingyue had gone to deliver food, and Deng Yingying had informed Jiang Yongqiang, who then tried to ambush her in the cornfield.
“Aunt Deng, did you give Jiang Yongqiang the idea to target Xingyue?”
Huang Guilan felt a chill. This girl was dangerous, scheming to wait until Xie Zhongming divorced so she could marry him and willing to harm Xingyue for it.
Deng Yingying, eyes red and filled with tears, pleaded innocence, “Aunt Lan, I don’t understand. I didn’t do anything. I only accepted Yongqiang’s brown sugar for Xingyue.”
Qiao Xingyue forced her inside, shut the door, and locked it. Her eyes scanned Deng Yingying coldly.
Deng Yingying’s heart sank. “Xingyue, are your injuries serious?”
Qiao Xingyue advanced, “No one else is here. Stop pretending.”
Deng Yingying backed up, confused.
In an instant, Qiao Xingyue held a silver needle and jabbed it into Deng Yingying’s Tiantu point near her vocal cords.
Deng Yingying’s throat went numb. She tried to speak but could not, stepping back until she fell. Her eyes pleaded, asking, what are you going to do?
Qiao Xingyue said, “You knew Jiang Yongqiang was a habitual harasser and still told him my route. Did you want to see me assaulted?”
“I am certain he didn’t touch me. I beat him up, and he was as scared as you are now.”
The needles pricked multiple acupoints, amplifying pain instantly. Deng Yingying sweated and cried, powerless to resist. Only after a final needle could she speak again.
“Qiao Xingyue, what if I tell Aunt Lan and Zhongming that you bullied me?”
“How did I bully you? I hit you? You have evidence?”
Deng Yingying was furious that she had no injuries or evidence.
Qiao Xingyue applied iodine to her own wounds with a small mirror, stating, “If you have evidence, go to the police.”
Deng Yingying could not do anything. Later, when Qiao Xingyue praised her in front of Xie Zhongming and Huang Guilan, she could not speak a word. The spots pricked still hurt, and she would never dare provoke Qiao Xingyue again.
Outside the Xie residence, Jiang Beiyang called out, “Zhongming, come out.”
Earlier, he had mentioned news from Kun City about Chubby Wife. He walked out, asking, “Any news about Chubby Wife?”
“Before I tell you, Zhongming, answer me a question.”
“Ask quickly, don’t keep me in suspense.”
Jiang Beiyang looked serious, “Zhongming answered honestly. Do you have feelings for Comrade Qiao?”
Xie Zhongming hesitated, being a married man. “Comrade Qiao is like family. Don’t overthink.”
Jiang Beiyang shook his head. Zhongming’s loyalty had complicated his love life ever since Chubby Wife’s family caused trouble five years ago.
“I thought about Chubby Wife. You should know. About four and a half years ago, someone saw her at a Kun City hospital’s maternity ward, five or six months pregnant. Calculating the time, the child should be yours.”
Jiang Beiyang added, “If Chubby Wife is still alive, she may have already had the baby for you.”
Standing in the sunset, Xie Zhongming’s mind went blank. After a long moment, he finally said, “What, Chubby Wife has a child for me?”