Chapter 12: A Hero Saves the Beauty

Lin Yiran couldn’t figure it out—how had it turned into Xiao Ziyi coming to their house to eat during the farming off-season?

But since her parents had agreed, she couldn’t say much. After all, it wasn’t unusual for educated youths to share meals with villagers.

Soon, another rest day came. Today, Lin Yiran planned to go to town to meet Sister Hua. The night before, her second sister-in-law had finished sewing a new dress for her. Every time Yiran got new clothes, Sister Hua always asked her to wear them first thing to show her.

When she put on the new dress, it really looked stunning. So this is that retro Hong Kong-style dress from my past life, she thought. Yiran hugged her second sister-in-law tightly. “Thank you, Second Sister-in-law, I love it so much!”

Then she ran to hug her mother. “Thank you, Mom!” With joy written all over her face, she went back to her room to plan tomorrow’s outfit.

The Lin family all looked happy. They loved seeing their daughter and sister looking so pretty and cheerful.

The next day, her second brother was also heading to town, so she didn’t need to take the carriage at the village entrance. Instead, he could take her there on his bicycle.

A bicycle was considered a big-ticket item in the village—alongside radios and sewing machines. Thanks to the family’s improving situation over the years, they had slowly managed to buy these things.

Lin Yiran hopped onto the back of the bicycle. “Brother, let’s go!”

“Alright, hold on tight.” Lin Weimin pedaled toward town with his sister.

At the village entrance, Xiao Ziyi happened to be heading to town as well, planning to pick up a letter from home.

When he saw Lin Yiran sitting on the back of her brother’s bicycle, wearing a floral dress, she looked so beautiful that his heart skipped.

He thought about his own savings. I should buy a bicycle too. It would be convenient around the village.

In town, Lin Weimin first dropped his sister off at the bookstore before going to work.

Yiran browsed while waiting for Sister Hua. The selection was a bit better than before, but still limited. She had already read most of them. She decided that next time her eldest brother traveled far, she’d ask him to bring back some books for her.

“Yiran!” Sister Hua arrived. She now worked as a sales clerk in the department store, a job her husband had found for her. He had fallen in love with her at first sight during their arranged meeting.

She pulled Yiran to a teahouse. “Come on, let’s drink tea. Your Sister Hua has plenty of gossip to share with you.”

Once seated, Sister Hua immediately praised her. “This dress is gorgeous. Your second sister-in-law’s handiwork is still as good as ever.”

“I like it too. But I think I’ve gained a little weight lately,” Sister Hua complained with a hint of worry.

“You’re not fat—it just means you’re healthier and looking better.” Yiran remembered how her sister had once lost a lot of weight, grieving over that scumbag from before. Now, she was slowly recovering.

“Your brother-in-law says the same thing—that I’m not fat, just glowing.”

“Exactly! He’s right. Sister Hua, if you like, you can give me some fabric, and I’ll ask my second sister-in-law to make you one too. She’ll be happy to get extra material.”

Sister Hua had asked her second sister-in-law to make clothes before, usually paying with fabric or food.

“Alright, I’ll bring the fabric when I come to your village.”

Then she leaned closer. “By the way, I heard the other day that Aunt Wu spread rumors again and got beaten at her house—and even had to pay compensation. Who was bold enough to do that?”

Lin Yiran lifted her chin proudly and pointed at herself, then launched into the whole story about how Zhou Ke had spread lies.

Sister Hua was furious after hearing it. “If I had been there, I’d have torn her mouth apart too. It’s good the others didn’t believe her. But I’m sure someone was behind it, giving her ideas.”

Yiran nodded. “I think so too. But it doesn’t matter anymore. No one in the village dares to gossip now.”

That made Sister Hua happy. She sipped her tea, ate some snacks, and was just about to say more when she suddenly felt nauseous.

Seeing her discomfort, Yiran quickly asked, “What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know… I just feel a bit suffocated.” She frowned. “Maybe there are too many people here. Let’s go walk around the department store—it’ll be cooler there.”

“Alright.” Yiran helped her up, and they went to the department store.

At first, Sister Hua felt better. But after a while, the nausea returned, and she even felt like vomiting. Yiran realized something was wrong and immediately took her to the hospital.

When they came out, both their faces were glowing with joy. Sister Hua was pregnant—that explained her nausea. The doctor told her to rest well.

Excited, Yiran gently touched her sister’s stomach. “There’s a little baby inside now.”

“Auntie Yang must be so happy. My brother-in-law is happy too. Everyone’s happy.” Lin Yiran beamed, holding Sister Hua’er’s arm. “Sister Hua’er, I’ll walk you home.”

Sister Hua’er lived in a residential complex, in an old-style corridor building packed with families. Her husband had an older brother and a younger sister, so their home had been divided into four rooms. But Sister Hua’er’s husband was doing well at the factory and was likely to be assigned a private unit this year, so they might move out soon.

Her mother-in-law looked like a kind woman. Seeing Hua’er and Yiran return, she quickly poured tea and brought out some snacks.

Lin Yiran drank her tea while listening to Sister Hua’er, who shyly but happily told her mother-in-law about her pregnancy. The mother-in-law was overjoyed and quickly helped Hua’er sit down.

After finishing her tea, Lin Yiran got ready to leave, politely refusing their invitation to stay for dinner.

Hua’er wanted to see her off, but Yiran told her to rest well. “I know the way back,” she assured her.

After leaving the building and walking out of the complex, she reached a quiet road. Hardly anyone was around. Yiran decided to stop by the bookstore while waiting for her second brother.

“Hey, pretty girl, out here all alone?” A drunken young man with a lewd grin swaggered over, trying to touch her.

Startled, Lin Yiran dodged aside and prepared to run toward a busier street.

Seeing her run, the thug only got more excited. “Why run? Big brother will show you a good time.”

Furious but helpless—knowing she couldn’t fight him—Yiran could only run faster.

At that moment, Xiao Ziyi was just leaving the post office after phoning his grandparents and parents. He had picked up the package they sent him. As he reached the gate, he noticed the commotion in a nearby alley and immediately rushed over.

“Who dares mess with me?” Xiao Ziyi shouted as he kicked the thug to the ground, leaving him groaning in pain.

Ignoring the man, Xiao Ziyi carefully turned to Yiran. “Comrade Lin, are you alright? Did you get hurt?”

Panting, Yiran shook her head. “No, just disgusted.”

With Xiao Ziyi there, she no longer felt afraid. Seeing the thug writhing on the ground, she angrily walked over and kicked him several times.

Xiao Ziyi stayed close to protect her. Whenever the thug tried to get up, he knocked him back down, signaling to Yiran that she could continue if she wanted.

After a few more kicks, Yiran was tired. “Let’s go. We should send him to the police.”

“Alright.”

With one hand, Xiao Ziyi grabbed the thug as if he weighed nothing, and with the other, he picked up his package. He marched the thug straight to the police station.

The thug struggled, but he couldn’t even break free from Xiao Ziyi’s one-handed grip. Realizing he was up against someone dangerous, he quickly begged for mercy. “Big brother, I was wrong. She was dressed like that to seduce me.”

Yiran had almost calmed down, but when she heard that, her anger flared again. Just as she was about to kick him, Xiao Ziyi struck first, landing a vicious kick.

“Say one more word of nonsense, and I’ll break your legs.”

The thug screamed in pain and dared not speak again.

At the police station, Xiao Ziyi calmly explained what had happened. Seeing the drunkard’s condition and Yiran standing beside him, the officers frowned and immediately took the thug into custody.

When they left the station, Xiao Ziyi noticed Yiran was still fuming. He pulled some candy from his pocket and handed it to her.

“Comrade Lin, he’ll be detained for five days. But if you want, when he gets out, I can put a bag over his head and beat him again.”

Yiran looked at the candy in his palm, then at his overly serious expression, and couldn’t help bursting into laughter. Her anger melted away.

She unwrapped the candy, popped it into her mouth, and smiled at the sweet-and-sour taste. She liked it very much.

Seeing her smile, Xiao Ziyi finally relaxed. It seemed she liked this type of candy—he hadn’t chosen wrong.

As Yiran sucked on the candy, she suddenly asked, “That thug said I was dressed like this to seduce him. Do you think I shouldn’t go out looking too nice?”

“Of course not. Beautiful flowers should bloom freely,” Xiao Ziyi immediately refuted, his brows furrowed. “He was the one in the wrong. You don’t need to blame yourself.”

“You’re beautiful. You have every right to be beautiful, freely and confidently.” He looked at her seriously as he spoke.

Yiran felt a little shy under his earnest gaze and quickly turned her eyes away. “Thank you.”