Su Junze shouted, “What nonsense are you talking? My little sister has absolutely no relationship with him!”
Xi Jiani sensed something amiss, “Didn’t they say Comrade Su had already forgiven Comrade Lu and was about to marry him?”
Su Junze spat, “Who said that? How could my little sister possibly forgive him?”
Everyone else’s eyes turned to Su Qingran – hadn’t she said it herself?
Su Qingran stepped forward, her expression calm, “This is a good opportunity for me to clarify – I have never said I would marry Lu Jingxuan. Everyone, please stop spreading this rumor.”
Lu Jingxuan stared directly at her, his eyes filled with disbelief.
How could this be?
“Ah?” Zhang Ping also looked at her in surprise.
“Zhang Zhiqing, from beginning to end, I never said I forgave Lu Jingxuan. I can’t handle a man who’s so fickle!”
Zhang Ping thought about it and realized she really hadn’t said it. They had just assumed her silence meant consent. Zhang Ping wasn’t stupid – connecting the dots made the whole situation clear.
“Comrade Su indeed never said such words. We misunderstood on our own.”
“Did you hear that? My little sister never said she would marry Lu Jingxuan!”
“Impossible!” Lu Jingxuan refused to believe it, refused to accept it!
Su Qingran looked at him, “Lu Jingxuan, aren’t you already dating Qiao Zhiqing? Why are you still pestering me? If what I’m saying is wrong… then what are you two doing right now?”
Doing what?
Of course they were going at it like rabbits!
“That’s right, we are dating!” Qiao Manxue, who had been hiding behind putting her clothes back on, said, “We’re about to get married. Everything said before was just rumors!”
This made the men who wanted to get another look at her feel regretful – such smooth, fair skin they had never seen before.
But thinking that Lu Jingxuan would eventually return to the army, they could look as long as they wanted when the time came!
“Jingxuan, tell them we’re dating, aren’t we?”
Looking at Qiao Manxue’s pleading eyes and the surrounding crowd, Lu Jingxuan couldn’t bring himself to say no.
If he denied it, it would be equivalent to admitting they were committing adultery. If this got out, his reputation would be ruined and it would affect his future.
“Jingxuan, say something.” Qiao Manxue knew this was her only chance. Even if it made things awkward, she didn’t care – she had to seize this opportunity!
Lu Jingxuan finally lowered his head, “Qiao Zhiqing and I are dating, but I only started seeing her after things ended with Su Qingran.”
Some people believed the first part, but few believed the latter statement.
“Bullshit! When Qiao Manxue jumped off the cliff, your engagement wasn’t broken yet! You called her ‘Xue’er’ right in front of my little sister. How dare you say there’s nothing between you?”
Su Junze’s words expressed what everyone present was thinking, but Lu Jingxuan didn’t care. These were just conjectures without evidence – they couldn’t cause him much trouble.
“I never called her ‘Xue’er.’ Qiao Zhiqing and I only became close after things ended with Su Qingran, when she felt guilty and wanted to make it up to me.”
Lu Jingxuan’s explanation sounded so righteous that some people actually began to waver. In this era, ordinary people naturally held soldiers in high regard.
Su Junze let out a contemptuous snort and spoke with sarcasm, “Oh, so this is how Educated Youth Qiao is compensating you? Quite substantial, I must say!”
“Pfft—”
Someone burst out laughing first, followed by many others joining in.
Qiao Manxue’s face flushed crimson, a look of humiliation spreading across her fair complexion. Lu Jingxuan’s expression turned cold as he retorted, “Second Brother Su, don’t speak nonsense. We’re in a proper relationship and are getting married soon.”
Having achieved his goal for the day, Su Junze was in high spirits. “Alright, alright, I’ll just wait to toast at your wedding then.”
“Alright everyone, break it up! What’s there to see? They’re a proper couple about to get married. Young lovers just got a bit carried away—who hasn’t been there? Move along now!”
Lu Jingxuan watched Su Qingran’s retreating figure with icy eyes. By now, he could clearly see that this entire incident had been orchestrated by Su Qingran!
Qiao Manxue lowered her head, a secret delight flashing across her face. She was finally going to leave Zhiqing Point!
The news that Lu Jingxuan and Qiao Manxue were dating and soon to marry spread like wildfire through Su Family Village. The sudden turn of events left everyone bewildered. As they puzzled over it, someone recounted everything they had witnessed that day.
While some believed Lu Jingxuan’s version, most remained skeptical. Though spreading rumors about military personnel was illegal these days, the law couldn’t control what people truly thought.
After this incident, Lu Jingxuan and Qiao Manxue’s reputation in Su Family Village was completely ruined.
Whenever Li Lan and Lu Yunxi stepped outside, people would approach them with questions. If they remained silent, it was manageable, but the moment they opened their mouths, they’d be met with mocking stares that made them want to stay indoors.
Lu Yunxi absolutely detested that Qiao Manxue. “Brother, how could you marry that Qiao woman? Don’t you know everyone in the village is pointing and laughing at me? Even creepy old men leer at Mother and me! If it weren’t for that Qiao Manxue, I wouldn’t have fallen to this state!”
Remembering her recent predicament, Lu Yunxi felt utterly desperate.
Lu Jingxuan, still limping from the severe beating Grandpa Lu had given him, lay expressionless on his bed. At her words, he smirked faintly. “Then just don’t go out.”
“I have to work in the fields! How can I not go out? Brother, you’re so selfish!”
Furious, Lu Yunxi felt her brother showed no consideration for his family. If he hadn’t insisted on meeting that Qiao woman and doing such things, she wouldn’t be suffering the consequences!
“Selfish?”
Since the scandal broke, Lu Jingxuan had been beaten by Grandpa Lu, blamed by Li Lan, and now his sister was accusing him too. He could no longer contain his anger. “Who I marry is none of your business. Just because I’m not marrying Su Qingran and you can’t mooch off her anymore, you call me selfish? Aren’t you the selfish one?”
“You!” Lu Yunxi stared in shock, her face burning with shame. “Brother, how can you think of me that way? I’m your own sister!”
Own sister?
Hah, Lu Jingxuan wished he didn’t have such a sister!
“No wonder Sister Qingran won’t forgive you. Brother, you’re truly disappointing!”
Watching Lu Yunxi run off in humiliated anger, Lu Jingxuan lay back down on his bed.
These past few days, he had been tormented inwardly, and his feelings for Su Qingran had turned from love to hatred. He had blamed her for her cruelty more than once.
Just because he had saved Qiao Manxue, did she have to destroy him?
It had only been a few years since they last met—how had Su Qingran become like this?
She was simply too vicious!
……