Chapter 57: Beating Up a Scoundrel

Song Yue felt a twitch in her brow, her hands itching with anticipation. What now?

Yang Chunhua watched as Li Hongjun approached Song Yue.

She panicked completely.

Comrade Song was a good person—she couldn’t let her be tainted by this shameless scoundrel!

She shouted at the top of her lungs, “Somebody help!”

“Chen Hongjun is harassing a woman!”

“Help!”

Lin He and Zhao Zirui, who were carrying water: “!!”

Villagers nearby: “!!”

Hearing the commotion, people rushed toward the source of the voice.

Li Hongjun’s face twisted into a vicious expression. “You wretched woman, I’ll beat you to death today—”

Before he could finish, Song Yue flung her firewood to the ground and swiftly delivered a kick, sending Li Hongjun flying.

“Ahhh!”

With a pained scream, he crashed heavily onto the ground.

Thud!

Yang Chunhua: “!!!”

T-this…

Song Yue plucked a mulberry branch from the roadside, smiling sweetly as she approached Li Hongjun. “Alright, Comrade Chen, let’s have some fun.”

Without hesitation, she whipped the branch across his body.

“Ahhh!”

That wasn’t satisfying enough.

Song Yue kicked his repulsive face a few more times, sending blood gushing from his nose and splitting his lip.

Lin He and Zhao Zirui dashed over, only to witness Song Yue ruthlessly pummeling a man.

Both of them were stunned: “…”

Villagers arrived one after another.

Seeing Song Yue beating someone senseless, leaving him covered in blood and boot prints, they were completely shocked.

Someone finally reacted. “Comrade Song!”

“What’s going on?!”

“This…”

“Help!” Li Hongjun screamed at the top of his lungs. “Uncles, save me… Someone, please save me…”

“Ahhh! I’m going to die…”

“It hurts so much…”

The villagers’ expressions changed at the sound of his voice—so it was that Li Hongjun getting beaten up.

Li Hongjun was notorious in the village for all the filthy things he’d done—stealing, creeping around women…

They never said anything because he was a fellow villager, and they couldn’t go too far.

But honestly?

Seeing him getting thrashed like this… they were actually kind of happy.

Most of them secretly found it satisfying.

But… some folks just couldn’t stand to see an outsider beating up one of their own, especially a woman!

An elderly villager scolded, “You’re new to the countryside, girl! How could you just start beating people?”

Song Yue raised an eyebrow and looked at him.

“Is he your son?” she asked.

The old man’s face darkened. He shook his head. “No.”

Song Yue chuckled lightly. “Then why are you taking his side without asking for the reason? You almost had me thinking you were his father.”

“…” The old man trembled with anger. “You—”

Song Yue cut him off. “I don’t care for your nonsense. Has the team leader arrived? I want to report him for harassment.”

Everyone: “!”

Harassment!

That was a serious offense—it could land someone in jail!

And considering Li Hongjun’s past behavior… yeah, it was totally possible.

Li Hongjun cursed, “You shameless little—”

Song Yue kicked him again.

Li Hongjun writhed in pain. “Ahhh!”

Song Yue: “Speak properly.”

Li Hongjun gritted his teeth. “You shameless tramp, you seduced me—”

Lin He shouted, “Get out of the way!”

He grabbed a bucket and rushed forward, dumping cold water over Li Hongjun.

Drenched, Li Hongjun sputtered as the water washed the blood off his face.

Everyone got a clear look—

Oh. It was just a nosebleed. Nothing too serious…

“You awake now?” Lin He set down the bucket and grabbed a carrying pole. “If not, I can help you wake up properly.”

The brigade leader arrived at a full sprint. “What now?! What now?!”

Pushing through the crowd, he saw Li Hongjun lying on the ground, soaked and bleeding from the nose.

Then he saw Song Yue… and Lin He, holding a carrying pole.

He: “…”

These two again!

Lin He immediately played the victim. “Brigade Leader! You have to stand up for us! Our female comrade encountered this on her first day working—how is she supposed to go on?!”

Li Hongjun weakly lifted a trembling finger to point at Song Yue. “Brigade Leader! You have to stand up for me too—this woman seduced me, she wanted to be my wife—”

Song Yue kicked him again.

“Ahhh!”

Brigade Leader: “…”

Li Hongjun: “I—”

Yang Chunhua finally spoke up. “Brigade Leader, this has nothing to do with Comrade Song. She was helping me.”

Everyone turned their eyes toward her.

Song Yue glanced over as well.

Beside Yang Chunhua stood a man, holding her hand.

From the looks of it, this was Chen Guoqiang—Yang Chunhua’s husband.

Yang Chunhua began to explain.

“This is what happened: After work, I was heading home when Chen Hongjun appeared out of nowhere and blocked my way…”

Song Yue moved closer to Lin He and whispered, “Go back to the educated youth dorm and cook.”

Lin He looked confused. “?”

Was now really the time to think about food?

Song Yue ignored his baffled expression. “Who knows how long this will take to wrap up? It’ll be dark soon, and cooking then will be a hassle. Just save me a portion if I’m not back.”

Lin He: “…”

Her priorities were something else.

Song Yue asked, “Can you make wood ear fungus stir-fried with pork?”

Lin He nodded. “I can.”

She handed him the basket. “Take this back and use it.”

Lin He still hesitated. “But what if—”

Song Yue cut him off. “Not lending you the pot.”

“…Fine, fine.” Forced to comply, Lin He took the basket. “I’ll come find you when the food’s ready.”

Once she saw Lin He squeeze through the crowd and leave, Song Yue turned back to Yang Chunhua.

Let’s see where she’d left off.

“…He said disgusting, vulgar things and told me to divorce Guoqiang. When I scolded him, he got mad and tried to hit me, even saying he’d kick the baby out of my belly…”

The villagers’ expressions turned grim.

Chen Guoqiang froze.

His wife had said Comrade Song was helping her, but she hadn’t mentioned why.

Now, hearing the full story, his blood boiled.

Li Hongjun saw the change in the crowd’s attitude and panicked. He hurried to explain, “I—”

Chen Guoqiang exploded, charging forward. “Li Hongjun, I’ll kill you! You dare mess with my wife—”

“Hey!” The brigade leader reacted quickly, yanking him back. “Guoqiang, calm down—”

Others rushed in to hold him back.

“You just have a little money and think you can steal a woman? What’s so great about you? Your wife’s about to give birth, and you’re still making her work the fields?”

“You listen to your mother for everything and can’t even protect your own wife—what a coward.”

Chen Guoqiang’s eyes turned red with rage. “I swear to god, I’ll—”

More villagers scrambled to restrain him.

The scene was turning chaotic.

Yang Chunhua, with her pregnant belly, wasn’t stepping back. If someone bumped into her…

Song Yue’s gaze darkened. She moved forward.

Just as she reached Yang Chunhua—

Someone jostled Yang Chunhua, causing her to stumble.

Song Yue caught her just in time, leading her out of the crowd.

Just as they stepped outside—

Chen Juhua came charging over, brandishing a cleaver. “Who dares lay a hand on my son?! I’ll fight you to the death!”