“Marriage?” Lin Su looked completely stunned.
Qin Zhoucheng was also confused. How did the topic suddenly jump to marriage?
The village party secretary had his own calculations. Yu Minghai was dating a girl from the city, supposedly a high-ranking cadre’s daughter. If he could marry her, Yu Minghai would secure a foothold in Haicheng.
As long as Lin Su didn’t cause trouble, and Minghai’s marriage went smoothly, his grandson Lin Zi’s job would be secured.
As for Qin Zhoucheng, though he was transferred from Xiaoshiling and said to be some kind of technician, he had no backing and could be controlled.
Besides, this Qin comrade was handsome and outstanding. In the end, Lin Su would be the one benefiting.
“Marriage? Why are they getting married?” Yu Xiuli screamed, feeling extremely upset. She didn’t even have a boyfriend yet. A man like this—handsome and young—should be introduced to her. Why should he be given to Lin Su?
Old Madam Sun also disagreed and was about to speak.
The village party secretary’s expression turned stern as he glared at them: “Enough. Stop making trouble. Think about Minghai’s future. I will handle this.”
Old Madam Sun and Yu Xiuli fell silent, but their eyes toward Lin Su were filled with resentment.
“Comrade Qin, you acted bravely. Our Yu family village and Xiaoshiling should award you a banner and even a commendation letter. But you did take advantage of Xiao Lin. Everyone saw it. We can spare you from being charged with hooliganism, but how will she live in the future? A divorced woman like her won’t be easy to marry again.”
Lin Su immediately understood their intentions. This was moral coercion.
“Secretary, I don’t need Comrade Qin to take responsibility. I’m not afraid of gossip. I have hands and feet and can support myself. Comrade Qin should not be falsely accused, and even less should he be forced to marry just because he saved me. That would make me a clingy burden—I refuse to be that kind of person.”
Lin Su spoke bluntly, fearing Qin Zhoucheng would be dragged into trouble, which made him look at her differently.
“Shut up! What do you, a young girl, understand? You’re divorced—who in the village would dare to marry you?” the village party secretary said sharply.
He was afraid she wouldn’t be able to remarry and ruin Yu Minghai’s chance to climb up the social ladder.
Qin Zhoucheng was the unlucky one.
The secretary took a deep drag of his cigarette: “You also saw Xiao Lin’s situation. After what happened with you, she’ll be looked down upon in the village. Now that she’s divorced, what will she do for the rest of her life?”
Lin Su trembled with anger. This was a threat, blatant bullying. She forced herself to stand in front of Qin Zhoucheng:
“Comrade Qin, don’t be afraid. I am the person involved. I won’t accuse you. You will not be charged with hooliganism. Marriage and relationships are based on freedom of choice. We’re in the era of reform now—no one can force you into marriage. I—”
Qin Zhoucheng found it a bit amusing. In all his life, this was the first time a woman had protected him like he was a fragile chick. It felt novel—but not unpleasant.
“Alright. Then I’ll marry.”
“Huh?” Lin Su didn’t hear clearly and looked at him in shock. “Comrade Qin, this is marriage—it can’t be treated so casually.”
But the village secretary was already excited, rubbing his hands and even forgetting to smoke: “Good! Good! This is great! That solves everything.”
Old Madam Sun refused to give up: “Uncle, you can’t be biased! I won’t accept this. He must pay compensation.”
“Enough. Don’t keep targeting Comrade Qin. The divorce certificate is real. Xiao Lin has nothing to do with your family anymore. Hurry, take Xiao Lin and Comrade Qin to the clinic. Get them checked. They fell into the water; don’t let them catch a cold.”
Lin Su gritted her teeth in frustration. She had been shivering and weak earlier, and they refused to send her to the clinic. Now that Qin Zhoucheng agreed to marry, they suddenly insisted on taking them—this was clearly deliberate.
At the clinic, only the two of them were left. Lin Su couldn’t help but ask:
“Comrade Qin, why did you agree to marry?”
“If I didn’t, I’d be sent to the police and charged with hooliganism. Your reputation would be ruined, and life in the village would be difficult. We’re just helping each other,” he said seriously.
Lin Su sighed and accepted the explanation.
He rolled up his sleeves and began disinfecting his wounds with iodine, revealing strong, well-defined arms.
Even in a loose military-style uniform, his broad shoulders and narrow waist couldn’t be concealed.
Lin Su still didn’t understand, but regardless of his motives, marriage wasn’t necessarily bad. After all, her reputation was already ruined. With Qin Zhoucheng willing to “take responsibility,” having a man to stand up for her would reduce gossip. Otherwise, as the secretary said, she would truly have no place in the village.
Having a nominal shield wasn’t a loss—and Qin Zhoucheng was also very handsome.
But she still needed to confirm: “Comrade Qin, are you sure you want to get married? Not joking? No regrets?”
Qin Zhoucheng nodded. “I keep my word.”
Lin Su thought for a moment and said seriously, “Thank you for being willing to help me. But I don’t want to take advantage of you. Let’s just live together as partners. If you ever meet someone you like, or change your mind, we can divorce. I won’t hold you back.”
Qin Zhoucheng had his own plan. His identity was fake, and he came to Yu family village on a mission. If Old Madam Sun kept causing trouble, it could interfere with his work. Marriage would give him a legitimate reason to stay. He had originally even considered staging a martyrdom certificate later.
But her open-mindedness surprised him. She was straightforward and not fussy. He didn’t dislike that. After completing his mission, he could claim he had someone else and divorce her. Given her difficult life, he could leave her some money as compensation.
Lin Su couldn’t apply iodine on her back in front of Qin Zhoucheng, so she went into a small inner room with bandages and iodine. There was a mirror inside, and only then did she see the original owner’s appearance.
She was quite plump, likely around 160–170 pounds, but her skin was fair and soft, with faint waistlines visible—she would likely be a beauty after losing weight.
She looked at her rough, labor-worn hands, took off her clothes, and saw bruises all over her pale body—beaten by Old Madam Sun with a broom.
The original owner had been weak and submissive. From now on, she would take good care of her body and live a better life.
As she tried to apply iodine to her back, she lost balance because she couldn’t reach it. Her foot was also sprained, and she fell to the ground with a thud.
Grimacing in pain, she tried to get up and accidentally grabbed the door handle—
At that moment, the door opened.