“Auntie, don’t worry. Maybe nothing will happen.”
At this moment, Song Yunqiao could only say these comforting words.
Ji Peilan gave a bitter smile, then said goodbye to Song Yunqiao. She still had two young children at home—she couldn’t afford to fall apart.
Watching Ji Peilan’s retreating figure, Song Yunqiao felt an indescribable emotion in her heart.
He Susha said, “Let’s go back too.”
“You go back first. I’ll wait at the village entrance for the team leader.”
Wu Dexiang was returning from the commune and would definitely pass by the village entrance, so waiting there would be right.
“Xiaoqiao…”
He Susha didn’t understand why she cared so much about Jiang Jiyuan’s matter.
Could it be…
“Susha, don’t overthink it. Aunt Ji has been good to me, and Comrade Jiang once saved my life. I should repay him.”
Song Yunqiao spoke openly, and He Susha felt she had indeed been overthinking.
“Can you manage alone? Do you want me to wait with you?”
Song Yunqiao shook her head. “No need. I’m fine alone.”
He Susha nodded and left.
Song Yunqiao waited at the village entrance. While waiting, she tried to recall the plot from the book, but after thinking for a long time, she still couldn’t remember clearly—she had skimmed parts of it before and wasn’t sure whether she had missed it or the author hadn’t written it.
She didn’t wait for the team leader—instead, she ran into the person she disliked most.
Li Gouzi had just returned from town and, unexpectedly, saw Song Yunqiao before even entering the village. His lecherous thoughts immediately returned.
“Comrade Song, are you waiting for me?”
Li Gouzi smiled obscenely.
Song Yunqiao frowned, wondering if she should leave. She knew exactly what kind of person Li Gouzi was—she had already experienced it before.
Seeing her turn to leave, Li Gouzi blocked her.
“Don’t go.”
“A good dog doesn’t block the road! Get out of my way!”
Song Yunqiao scolded him, but he wasn’t angry at all—he just continued smiling in a disgusting way.
“You haven’t even interacted with me. How do you know I’m not a good dog?”
His gaze was vulgar as he looked her up and down.
Song Yunqiao took out a small knife from her pocket and pointed it at him.
“Move. Or I won’t be polite!”
Li Gouzi didn’t take the knife seriously at all.
“That last time, that bastard Jiang Jiyuan ruined my good business. But now he’s been locked up. No one can save you this time.”
“What did you say?!”
Seeing how anxious she was about Jiang Jiyuan, Li Gouzi showed a smug smile.
“You don’t know? He’s been arrested for hooliganism. It won’t be long before he gets his head shaved and is paraded through the streets.”
“You’re talking nonsense!”
“Whether I’m talking nonsense, you’ll find out soon enough. That little bastard even ambushed me last time—don’t think I don’t know…”
He paused, then suddenly realized something.
“You’re so nervous… don’t tell me you’ve fallen for that ugly guy?”
Song Yunqiao gritted her teeth.
“Shut your filthy mouth. Say another word of nonsense and I’ll go report you to the team leader!”
Li Gouzi still looked like he understood everything.
Suddenly, he noticed someone approaching from afar and warned, “Because of you last time, I got beaten badly. One day I’ll get my revenge.”
After saying that, Li Gouzi quickly left.
Song Yunqiao finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Wu Dexiang walked over quickly.
“Comrade Song, are you alright?”
He had seen Li Gouzi blocking a girl from afar and rushed over.
Song Yunqiao shook her head and quickly asked, “Where is Comrade Jiang?”
At the mention of Jiang Jiyuan, Wu Dexiang’s brows tightened slightly.
“Leader, just tell me—what happened to him? Why was he taken to the commune?”
“I don’t know who reported him to the commune, saying he assaulted a female educated youth. The commune people came to the village for an investigation and heard the rumors. So this afternoon, they took him away.”
Hearing that Jiang Jiyuan was taken because of her, she became anxious.
“I can testify. I can prove that Comrade Jiang was saving me.”
Wu Dexiang nodded.
“Tomorrow I’ll go to the commune with you.”
Song Yunqiao finally relaxed. “Alright.”
Seeing how worried she was about Jiang Jiyuan, Wu Dexiang looked at her differently.
Song Yunqiao didn’t notice at all. Her attention was elsewhere. She even thought of going to Jiang’s home to inform Ji Peilan—but before she could leave, Ji Peilan had already arrived.
“Leader!”
Ji Peilan looked at Wu Dexiang as if he were her last hope.
“I know what you want to ask. Jiyuan is fine.”
“Then why did the commune take him away?”
Wu Dexiang glanced at Song Yunqiao beside him, unsure how to explain.
Song Yunqiao exchanged a few words and then returned to the educated youth dormitory.
Wu Dexiang then explained everything to Ji Peilan in detail.
There was actually no solid evidence that Jiang Jiyuan had committed hooliganism, but someone was deliberately trying to make things difficult for him—that was the real problem.
Ji Peilan had considered many possibilities, but she never expected this reason.
Back at the dormitory, Song Yunqiao kept thinking about Jiang Jiyuan and also about what Li Gouzi had said.
She hadn’t known that Jiang Jiyuan had fought Li Gouzi for her sake. She had thought everything was over after that day.
Thinking of this, she felt deeply moved and became even more determined to help him.
..
The next day, Song Yunqiao didn’t go to work. Early in the morning, she went to town with Wu Dexiang.
After their explanation, the commune officials still didn’t believe them and refused to release Jiang Jiyuan.
Pressed into a corner, Song Yunqiao blurted out that she and Jiang Jiyuan were in a relationship and would soon get married—so it couldn’t be considered hooliganism.
Her words shocked not only the commune officials but even Wu Dexiang.
The commune staff had no choice but to report it to their superiors.
In the end, Jiang Jiyuan was released. He also heard what had been said at the commune office.
Song Yunqiao did not regret what she said. No matter what, he was out.
“You really are a bold girl,” Wu Dexiang said as they left.
Song Yunqiao smiled, not even sure where her courage had come from.
“Don’t be too happy yet,” Wu Dexiang warned. “The commune is close to the village. They can check anytime. If they find out you two aren’t actually married…”
He didn’t finish, but the meaning was clear.
“Then we’ll get married,” Song Yunqiao said.
Jiang Jiyuan stiffened slightly upon hearing that.
“I’ll head back first,” Wu Dexiang said. He couldn’t interfere in young people’s matters.
Although “getting married” had been said on impulse, after thinking about it, Song Yunqiao felt it might actually be a good option.
Just as Jiang Jiyuan was about to speak, Song Yunqiao beat him to it.
“Let’s get married.”
She said it with great courage. Even though she had lived two lifetimes, this was the first time she had ever asked a man to marry her.