On the riverbank, her stepmother, Sun Yanhua, arrived excitedly with a crowd of people.
She had even thoughtfully brought along several of the village’s biggest gossips—afraid that Jiang Yunshu’s scandal today wouldn’t spread far enough.
“Oh heavens! My daughter said someone fell into the water—folks, hurry and help!”
“Someone’s drowning here! Not just one person! Come save them—quick, we need more people!”
Sun Yanhua shouted at the top of her lungs, even hinting to Aunt Liu—the most meddlesome of them all—to go fetch Qi Zihao, the village secretary’s son.
Aunt Liu had always disliked Jiang Yunshu’s fox-like beauty. Every young man in the village admired her.
Meanwhile, her own daughter couldn’t even get married because of a few pockmarks on her face!
Worse, the man her daughter liked had even used Jiang Yunshu as an example to mock her daughter’s looks.
Every time Aunt Liu thought of Jiang Yunshu, she rolled her eyes, wishing the girl would stay a fool forever.
“Aunt Liu, hurry!”
Aunt Liu quickly understood Sun Yanhua’s intention and rushed off to call people, thrilled.
Sun Yanhua had long been fed up with Jiang Yunshu—the useless girl who freeloaded in her house yet still acted all proud!
Why should she so easily win the affection of Qi Zihao, the village secretary’s son?
Even after becoming a fool, men still wanted her.
Since the wretched girl wouldn’t be grateful anyway, and if she married well she’d only enjoy life herself—then better to ruin her, let her own daughter marry in her place, and even trade the girl for some money!
Panting heavily, Sun Yanhua looked smugly at the river, though her mouth said otherwise:
“Oh dear, what should we do? There aren’t even any bubbles on the surface—are they already beyond saving?”
“Oh no, oh no! None of us can swim—what if they die!”
Seeing that several men who could swim had finally arrived, they didn’t even have time to take off their shoes. After roughly confirming the location, they dove straight in.
Sun Yanhua couldn’t suppress the smile tugging at her lips.
How long had it been since Jiang Yumeng went to call her? That wretched girl was probably already soaked and bloated.
The thought nearly made Sun Yanhua laugh out loud.
Just then, she turned and saw Qi Zihao running over anxiously. She quickly said, “Zihao, why are you here too? Your uncles have already gone in—you don’t need to worry.”
As she spoke, she listened to the commotion behind her.
Hearing them say that there really were two people below, clinging tightly together and hard to pull apart, Sun Yanhua covered her mouth, trying not to laugh.
Qi Zihao was extremely worried. “I haven’t seen Jiang Yunshu for a while—is she the one who fell in?”
Concern filled his handsome face.
He knew Jiang Yunshu’s reactions were slow now; her illness hadn’t even healed. If she had fallen into the water, she’d be as good as dead.
Sun Yanhua waved her hand. “How could that be? Jiang Yunshu is very fortunate—she wouldn’t fall into the water.”
But inwardly, she sneered: Isn’t it exactly that wretched girl who fell in?
Serves her right. Her unlucky fate starts today.
But the next second, Sun Yanhua looked up—and saw Jiang Yunshu walking over from the other side, her clothes completely dry.
“What??? Jiang Yunshu, why are you here?!”
Sun Yanhua’s pupils shrank, nearly screaming.
The gossiping aunties who came with her all changed expression, especially Aunt Liu, who had just rushed off to find Qi Zihao.
“How is that possible? Sun Yanhua, didn’t you say it was Jiang Yunshu who fell into the water?”
Jiang Yunshu smiled calmly. “Why would I go to the river alone? It’s too dangerous.”
Sun Yanhua staggered back in fright. Not only did Jiang Yunshu look clear-headed now—no longer foolish—
But if she wasn’t in the water, then who was?
Thinking of that possibility, Sun Yanhua’s face turned pale.
She spun around like a madwoman and rushed toward the river.
Just then, Jiang Yumeng and the old bachelor were hauled up by the villagers.
Jiang Yumeng’s face was deathly pale as she lay stiff on the ground.
The old bachelor clung to her like an octopus, his limbs wrapped tightly around her.
The two were inseparable—at a glance, they looked almost like conjoined twins.
The aunties all covered their eyes, unable to look. Even Aunt Liu couldn’t bear the sight.
Sun Yanhua’s eyes nearly split with rage; her throat tasted of blood.
Trembling, she screamed, “Uncle Qiangzi, what are you standing around for? Hurry and separate them! My daughter is dying!”
Only then did the crowd rush forward—but Old Wang’s body was stiff and hard to move.
Worse, when they forcefully pulled him away, Jiang Yumeng’s clothes were torn apart.
Her pale body was instantly exposed.
Only then did everyone realize the position Old Wang had been holding her in.
Even if unconscious, his hands had wandered everywhere they shouldn’t!
Sun Yanhua nearly fainted. She hurriedly begged Qi Zihao, “Zihao, please save my daughter—she can’t be ruined like this!”
Qi Zihao frowned deeply at Jiang Yumeng’s state and Old Wang’s posture.
He had already been dissatisfied with the arranged marriage swap.
Now that something like this had happened to Jiang Yumeng—
The girl he had always liked was someone like Jiang Yunshu: clean and elegant.
He turned to look at Jiang Yunshu, who stood calmly to the side—beautiful, composed, and coldly watching Sun Yanhua’s breakdown.
Has she recovered?
A strange sense of relief rose in him—thankfully, it was Jiang Yumeng who fell into the water. That meant he wouldn’t have to marry her.
The village medic quickly arrived and performed emergency treatment on the two.
Once the situation was stabilized, everyone finally relaxed.
But the shocking scene from earlier still lingered.
Jiang Yumeng had practically been naked in Old Wang’s arms…
Everyone exchanged knowing glances toward Qi Zihao.
Sun Yanhua’s scheme had backfired, and she was so furious she nearly tore her hair out.
Pointing at Jiang Yunshu, she shouted angrily, “It must have been you! Yumeng said it was you and Old Wang who fell into the water—how did it become my daughter instead?!”
She tried to strike first, accusing Jiang Yunshu of wrongdoing.
She had never seen someone so vicious—hurting her own daughter like this!
She wished she could kill Jiang Yunshu on the spot.
Jiang Yunshu sneered. “Me? When I came over just now, Qi Zihao heard it too—you were already claiming it was me who fell into the water before even seeing who it was. You sounded almost eager for it to be me. Who really did this—everyone knows.”
“Do you think everyone here is as stupid as you? Since everyone’s present, let them be witnesses. Not just Sun Yanhua—Aunt Liu also said beforehand it was me in the water, wishing I’d be down there with Old Wang.”
“I’ll report this to the police right now. Once they arrive, the truth will come out. Since you’ve accused me in front of everyone, let’s investigate it thoroughly!”
Sun Yanhua was already terrified for her daughter—now her legs went weak, and she nearly collapsed.
Under everyone’s gaze, she stammered, unable to say a word.
“Yeah—she hadn’t even seen who it was, so how did she know it was Jiang Yunshu?”
“What kind of stepmother is she? First stealing the girl’s marriage while she wasn’t right in the head, and now trying to harm her like this!”
“Well, now the karma’s fallen on her own daughter—serves her right.”
Furious and panicked, Sun Yanhua glared at Jiang Yunshu—but could do nothing.
She couldn’t understand where things had gone wrong.
She didn’t even dare look at her own daughter again—because she’d have to see Old Wang’s revolting face.
The old man looked even worse after falling into the water—his sparse hair plastered flat, mouth open as he gasped like a toad.
Thinking that such an old, ugly man might soon become her son-in-law, Sun Yanhua felt like she might have a heart attack from grief.
Tears welled in her eyes as she looked at Jiang Yumeng—
But suddenly, she noticed the pearl necklace on her daughter’s neck was gone.
She whipped her head toward Jiang Yunshu—
But saw no trace of it on her.
What was going on?
Where had that valuable pearl necklace gone?
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