“An elder? How shameless can you be? What kind of elder are you supposed to be? You deserved that beating because you were asking for it. If you dare keep yapping, I’ll hit you again. And you—Jiang Xiaowei. Since you love stealing other people’s men so much, then fine, I’ll give him to you.”
“Why are you so obsessed with grabbing what belongs to others? Since you want him that badly, you can take my discarded trash. Stop pretending to be some pure white lotus in front of me—I feel sick just looking at you. Ugly people really do cause the most trouble, and yet you don’t even realize how ugly you are.”
“But Lin Yuchuan, listen carefully. First of all, I am the one who doesn’t want you, you trashy man. Everyone here can be my witness. You all saw it today—these two have been fooling around together for a long time. Since that’s the case, I’ll just fulfill their wishes.”
“Lin Yuchuan, you can’t make up your mind. Being engaged to you was eight lifetimes of bad luck for me. Your算盘 beads are practically flying into my face. And about the 100 jin of grain your family owes us—return it before nightfall. Otherwise, I’ll take a hammer and smash your roof. Believe it or not, you can try me.”
“What? You don’t want to return the grain? Really? Really? You want to be a whore and still build a chastity arch? You want our grain while messing around with someone else? Even pigs aren’t as calculating as you.”
(The pigs would like to formally request not to be lumped in with him. Thank you.)
Lin Yuchuan sneered.
“Lu Wanqing, you really are vulgar and crude. How could you ever compare to Xiaowei? She’s cultured, sensible, educated, and prettier than you’ll ever be. You breaking off the engagement is just another trick to get my attention. Let me tell you—impossible. Your little schemes only make me despise you even more.”
The original owner hadn’t cared much about appearances.
And after falling into the river, Lu Wanqing’s hair was covered in mud and grass.
Xu Xiuying finally spoke up.
“Lu girl… are you really going to cancel the engagement with my son? What happened today was his fault. I’ll discipline him properly when we get home and have him apologize to you.”
Lu Wanqing smiled faintly, but her eyes were cold.
“Aunt Xu, no need. Didn’t you see how close your son is standing to Educated Youth Jiang? If everyone weren’t here, who knows—something inappropriate might already have happened. You might even be gaining a grandchild soon. Congratulations, Aunt Xu.”
Xu Xiuying panicked.
“Lu girl, how can you say such things? My son is engaged to you! If others hear this, what will they think of him? You can’t talk nonsense like that.”
Lu Wanqing replied calmly.
“Whether it’s nonsense or not, just ask your son. Anyway, we’re incompatible. Since everyone is here today, let them be witnesses—we’re breaking off the engagement.”
Xu Mengyi stepped forward firmly.
“My precious daughter, whatever you decide, your mother supports you. Since Lin boy already has someone else in his heart, our two families will have nothing to do with each other from now on.”
Lin Yuchuan snorted.
“At least you know what’s good for you.”
The production team leader, Lin Yonghua, came running over, panting heavily.
He had heard someone fell into the river—how could that be trivial?
“What’s going on? Where is everyone? Have they been rescued? Is anyone hurt?”
Jiang Xiaowei immediately put on her white-lotus act, weak and pitiful.
“Team Leader, I’m fine. Brother Yuchuan already rescued me. Please don’t blame Comrade Lu—she didn’t push me. I just slipped and fell in myself. She’s jealous of me and resents me—that’s normal. After all, I’m just a little more educated than her, from the city, and a bit prettier. I don’t really have any strengths. Brother Yuchuan just saw me fall into the water and saved me.”
“But Comrade Lu keeps pressing the issue. Isn’t this harming unity? Chairman Mao taught us to help each other and improve together. Comrade Lu, this behavior…”
The team leader glanced at the two of them.
“Enough. Go back and change your clothes first. It’s not that cold, but catching a cold still costs money. That would be a waste. I’ll get to the bottom of what really happened.”
Lu Wanqing spoke up clearly.
“Team Leader, the matter is simple. This Educated Youth Jiang wanted to die and jumped into the river herself. Or rather, she wanted to frame me. She even provoked me, saying that if we both fell in, Lin Yuchuan would only save her. So she pushed me in, and then jumped in herself. She can swim. Besides, the water isn’t deep—it wouldn’t drown anyone. And I’ve already decided to cancel the engagement with Lin Yuchuan. From now on, we have nothing to do with each other.”
“If Jiang Xiaowei ever tries this trick on me again, I won’t let her off easily.”
Xu Mengyi added fiercely:
“That’s right! If anyone dares bully my daughter again, I’ll risk my life to make them pay. We’re not dead yet—our whole family is still here—and you already dare to trample on my daughter like this? If we old folks were gone, who knows how badly she’d be bullied?”
Xu Xiuying hurriedly tried to smooth things over.
“Ahem… Sister Xu, you’re exaggerating. No one is bullying you. Don’t worry—when we get home, I’ll teach that brat a proper lesson. Don’t let outsiders damage the relationship between our two families. If the engagement is really canceled… what will happen to Lu girl in the future?”
Lu Wanqing answered calmly:
“Aunt Xu, that’s none of your concern. What could happen? I’m innocent and upright—I have nothing to fear. And remember to return the grain tonight. If there’s no grain, cash is fine. Either way, you owe it, and it has to be returned.”
“You wouldn’t seriously use our grain to support another woman, would you? That wouldn’t make sense anywhere. Besides, Aunt Xu, aren’t you the one who cares most about saving face? You wouldn’t want people gossiping behind your back, would you?”
Xu Xiuying clenched her fists in anger.
This damn girl—why did she suddenly seem like a completely different person?
Every sentence was sharp and loaded.
She used to be so quiet, barely able to say a word.
Always lowering her head, timid and obedient.
But now…
Breaking off the engagement meant returning 100 jin of grain.
In these famine years, no one had enough to eat.
Where was she supposed to get that much grain?
If they really had that much, their own family still wouldn’t have enough.
She’d thought this girl would be easy to control.
After all, her eldest son was outstanding—handsome, a high-school graduate, with a bright future.
Marrying Lu Wanqing was already a compromise.
That educated youth at least had education and money at home.
Much better than a rural girl.
But she absolutely didn’t want to give up those 100 jin of grain.
Suddenly, Xu Xiuying’s eyes lit up.
She had an idea.
If Educated Youth Jiang wanted to marry her son, then she should pay this price.
Jiang Xiaowei had no idea that Xu Xiuying was already eyeing her wallet.
What no one knew was that Jiang Xiaowei didn’t actually have any money at all.
And a storm was quietly brewing.