Li Yan saw the big-eyed girl in front of him, and his stern expression softened.
He took a step forward. “Ning Zhiqing, we are all comrades here. Don’t be afraid. We’re here now. We will protect you and severely punish the bad elements!”
Ning Yuan’s expression, however, was complicated and dazed.
She had been married to Li Yan for decades. Their story didn’t have the exaggerated plots found in most novels, like being murdered by her husband and his mistress.
Li Yan came from a “red and proper” background, handled matters with impartiality, and had become the youngest Brigade Secretary in the Commune at a very young age.
They had been introduced to each other when she was an Educated Youth sent to the countryside, and they later fell in love freely.
Li Yan later attended the Lin Institute and became a young and promising State-owned Enterprise Cadre.
By the time he was thirty, he had already become the youngest section-level cadre in a state-owned enterprise in the entire province.
And she had always been just an ordinary worker in a regular work unit. Everyone said she had stepped in dog poop luck to become the Section Chief’s Wife.
But as Eileen Chang once said, life is like a gorgeous gown, crawling with lice.
Her work at the Silk Spinning Factory was too grueling. She worked three shifts, and even when pregnant, she still had to do housework. The exhausting days and nights led to three miscarriages. It was only because he still wanted a child that he was willing to help transfer her to a Cashier position at the Lumber Factory to prevent her from miscarrying again.
He was so busy with work that he was barely home a few days a year. He resented her for being unable to bear a son, for her low education level, and for their lack of common ground.
He had a bad temper and would curse at home at the slightest displeasure.
And then later…
He found a soulmate, a female reporter from a news agency.
Ning Yuan knew that Li Yan must have thought about divorcing her many times.
It was only due to the social repercussions that he never did. That female reporter waited for him for ten years, but in the end, he did not get together with her.
Everyone in the Work Unit Family Compound seemed to know something, but she could only pretend she didn’t.
Her salary was low, and for people of her generation, divorce meant being judged and gossiped about.
Everyone said he was just having a fling outside of marriage, that a man’s heart was still with his family. She should be burning incense and thanking her lucky stars that he didn’t despise her for not being able to bear a son.
But…
Every night, she would lie with her eyes open until dawn, her tears soaking her pillow, yet during the day, she still had to put on the facade of a virtuous wife and loving mother managing the household.
As time went on, Ning Yuan developed severe depression and suffered from insomnia night after night.
Depression doesn’t make a person attack others like a schizophrenic patient would, but it does make the patient attack themselves.
She took an early internal retirement from her work unit, and her body began to develop various immune problems, with all sorts of aches in her back and legs, leaving her feeling unwell all over.
This was a microcosm of the lives of countless virtuous wives and loving mothers of the older generation.
Ordinary and quiet, yet the pain was like a dense web of fine needles piercing the bottom of their hearts.
Every night, she had fantasized countless times: if she could go back to the beginning, would she still marry Li Yan?
What about you? Would you marry your husband from this life again?
…
Ning Yuan stared dazedly at the face before her.
It made Li Yan worried enough to reach out and pat her shoulder. “Ning Yuan?”
Ning Yuan jolted and subconsciously took several sharp steps back. “No!”
Li Yan’s hand froze in mid-air. The few people with Red Armbands around them exchanged glances. What was wrong with this female Educated Youth?
Ning Yuan took a sharp breath to calm herself down and forced a smile. “I’m sorry, I was just a little shocked.”
Seeing the pale face of the big-eyed girl before him, Li Yan felt a sense of pity. “It’s alright. The Production Brigade will stand up for you. We won’t let a single bad person go!”
As he spoke, he shot a fierce glare at Rong Zhaonan, who was leaning against the corner of the wall.
Rong Zhaonan watched Ning Yuan expressionlessly, taking in her strange reaction.
What was the relationship between this little spy and the Brigade Secretary? The way they were exchanging glances was not normal.
“You bad element, what are you looking at? Squat down and behave!” Seeing Li Yan speak, the men with Red Armbands at the side immediately reprimanded Rong Zhaonan.
Ning Yuan also subconsciously looked toward Rong Zhaonan.
He was very tall. Wearing black-framed glasses and with his head lowered, his bangs covered half his face as he squatted down against the wall in a pale, submissive manner.
Ning Yuan instinctively took a few steps forward and stood in front of Rong Zhaonan. “Don’t do this. He didn’t bully me. He didn’t do anything wrong.”
The men with Red Armbands were all stunned. Li Yan’s face grew stern again. “Ning Yuan, don’t cover for a bad element out of fear!”
Ning Yuan took a deep breath and looked up at Li Yan. “No, I’m not scared, and I’m not covering for a bad element. Doctor Rong and I are in a relationship.”
Li Yan’s face turned ashen, and he looked at Ning Yuan in disbelief.
Although they hadn’t officially confirmed their relationship and started dating, it was clear they had taken a liking to each other.
He had come down to the village teams several times to inspect work and assign tasks from the Commune. Whenever he saw her, they always had a lot to talk about.
The way she looked at him was also shy and joyful. They had agreed to officially start dating the second time they met.
When he heard this morning that something had happened to Ning Yuan last night, he immediately rushed over with his men. He had always believed she was innocent and that someone must have bullied her last night.
But why…
Just as they were about to break through that final layer and confirm their relationship, she had changed?!
Seeing Li Yan’s livid face, the men with Red Armbands were a little bewildered. What was going on?
They also knew that the young Brigade Secretary was the most handsome young man in the surrounding villages.
Countless girls liked Li Yan, but he seemed to have taken a fancy to a female Educated Youth. When he heard she had been bullied by a bad element, he had rushed over first thing in the morning.
But looking at the situation now, why did it seem like Li Yan’s affection was one-sided?
Ning Yuan averted her gaze, no longer looking at Li Yan, and clenched her fists. “I don’t know who started this rumor, but Doctor Rong and I have already gotten the certificate from the village. We’re going to register our marriage tomorrow!”
Heaven had let her live again, and she wanted nothing to do with Li Yan!
She was going to live differently in this life. Never again… never again would she walk the old path, depressed until old age.
She hadn’t been brave enough before, not daring to take a gamble. Now, the person who was in the past should be bid farewell!
Li Yan stared at her blankly, an indescribable pain welling up in his heart.
It felt as if something was about to be severed.
He clenched his jaw and balled his fists. “Since… Ning Zhiqing wasn’t bullied, then that’s good. I still have work to do, so I’ll be leaving!”
With that, he turned and strode away.
The other men with Red Armbands looked at each other, then quickly followed.
Before long, the area around the Cowshed became quiet again.
Ning Yuan’s eyes couldn’t help but redden, and she leaned against the wall, feeling drained.
She… was truly bidding a complete farewell to her former life. Her heart ached with a mix of sorrow and uncertainty.
Rong Zhaonan patted his pants, stood up, and looked in the direction Li Yan had left. “Is that young secretary your boyfriend? He didn’t seem to like the look of me.”
Ning Yuan rubbed her brow wearily. “No. Li Yan is very upright in these matters. He would never retaliate against you because of me.”
Although Li Yan was truly not a good husband, nor a good father.
But in his work, he was extremely principled his entire life, a rare man of integrity.
He clearly held power in his hands, yet he was never corrupted and never sought personal gain.
Forget about people bribing him with money; even if someone sent him a basket of imported fruit, he would either refuse it or turn it in.
He lived a life of integrity and incorruptibility. His wife and daughter barely benefited from his position. He was a truly good cadre with clean hands!
See, people are just that complicated.
Rong Zhaonan watched Ning Yuan speak of Li Yan in such a familiar tone, and he raised an eyebrow—
“You know him very well. Why not ask him to help you out of your current predicament? You wouldn’t have to marry me.”