Chapter 16 : Interrogation

Jiang Li felt a little carsick and nodded uncomfortably.

Qi Shaoqiang noticed and felt distressed. “You don’t feel well in the bus. I’ll ride my bike to pick you up tomorrow morning.”

Jiang Li forced a smile. Qi Shaoqiang was really considerate and thoughtful.

But with everyone in the car looking at her, she felt a little embarrassed.

“Go to work quickly, don’t be late.”

Qi Shaoqiang kept glancing back as he got off the bus. The conductor teasingly said, “Girl, your boyfriend treats you really well.”

Jiang Li blushed all the way. After getting off the bus, she still had to walk a short distance back to the village.

The sun was so hot she felt dizzy. With bags in her hands, Jiang Li stopped and rested several times before finally walking back to the Jiang house.

The door to the Jiang house was not closed as usual, and voices could be heard from the yard.

Among them, Jiang Hongmei’s voice was the loudest. “Brother Zhuang, calm down.

Jiang Li, she’s not sure when she’ll be back, she usually goes out for a whole day.”

Jiang Li was cautious and didn’t enter. Instead, she peeked through the crack in the door.

The dining table in the yard hadn’t been cleared. Zhuang Guoliang, Widow Liu, Jiang Hongmei who was trying to please them, and Wang Juhua who looked unhappy, were all sitting together.

Jiang Hongmei cut a melon and said, “Brother Zhuang, please try this. It’s grown in my family’s private plot. It’s soaked in well water and is sweet and cool.”

Zhuang Guoliang was filled with anger. He stared at the empty intersection and ignored Jiang Hongmei.

Now Jiang Li understood.

Wang Juhua must have secretly sent someone to see her, but she didn’t expect Zhuang Guoliang to visit while she was out.

She stepped into the courtyard, and several eyes fell on her.

Zhuang Guoliang clenched his fists and asked, “Where have you been?”

Jiang Li rolled her eyes. “Why should I explain where I’ve been to you? Who are you? Do you care?”

Zhuang Guoliang was so angry he nearly exploded. His gaze fell on the bags Jiang Li was holding, and his anger grew.

She had no money, so where did these things come from?

Could it be that what Jiang Hongmei said was true, that she really had an affair with a man and had him buy these things for her?

“Where did you get these things?”

Jiang Li frowned. This guy must be crazy. He didn’t understand what people said and was interrogating her.

“It’s none of your business. A good dog doesn’t block the road,” Jiang Li said as she walked around Zhuang Guoliang and entered the house.

Widow Liu quickly stood up when she saw the two arguing. “Lizi, don’t you know? Someone to see you today. Why are you out?”

Jiang Hongmei looked apprehensive when she heard this. She twisted her fingers nervously and desperately tried to signal Jiang Li.

Jiang Li saw her gestures but had no intention of taking the blame.

“Jiang Hongmei asked me to go out and buy some soap.”

With that, Jiang Li left.

Widow Liu looked at Jiang Hongmei with a bad expression. She wondered why Jiang Hongmei, usually so lazy, was now serving tea and cutting melons in front of the banker’s boy. It seemed like she was trying to steal her sister’s man.

So shameless!

“That’s not the case. I just asked Jiang Li to bring me a bar of soap when she went to the county town. I never meant for her to go out today.”

Wang Juhua’s heart ached when she smelled the fragrance of the pastries wrapped in paper in Jiang Li’s hands. ‘This damn girl had started spending the money as soon as she got it. How long could she keep those five dollars? She had also bought egg cakes. Was she, a jinx, really worthy of eating such delicious food?’

The more she thought about it, the angrier she got. Wang Juhua knocked on the door and shouted, “Jiang Li, you silly girl, didn’t you see there were guests at home? Why are you hiding in the house? Come out.”

Widow Liu felt increasingly disappointed. She finally realized that the village boy was only interested in his own gain, and Jiang Li had no intention of marrying him.

The thank-you gift for matchmaking was all wasted, and these two days of work were in vain.

Looking at the closed door, Zhuang Guoliang’s heart sank. How did Jiang Li become like this?

She was vain, aggressive, and restless, completely different from the gentle girl he remembered.

He slumped on the stool, picked up the white wine in the bowl, and drank it in one gulp, as if venting his anger.

The liquor, sold in bulk at the supply and marketing cooperative, was harsh and made him cough, feeling dizzy.

When he stood up again, he was unsteady. “Aunt Liu, let’s go. Since they don’t like it, we can’t rush in.”

After saying that, he walked out of Jiang’s house without looking back. Liu Erhong sighed as well. What a mess!

Wang Juhua was anxious. Were these two hundred dollars going to be wasted?

She chased after Widow Liu, coaxing her, “Aunt Liu, don’t be angry. This marriage is decided by the elders. How can a little girl like her decide? Don’t worry, this marriage will definitely go through. Just wait for the matchmaker’s gift.”

When Jiang Hongmei saw this scene, she hummed a song quietly. Now, Jiang Li would never be able to marry Brother Zhuang.

Widow Liu was very angry. Wang Juhua and her daughter were playing tricks on her!

“You’re not Jiang Li’s real elder. To be honest, you’re just her aunt. How can you make the decision for her? I’ll talk to Brother Jiang some other time.”

Wang Juhua wanted to slap Widow Liu in the face. The woman had been taking advantage of her. She usually flirted with widowers and bachelors in the village, and now she was trying to seduce her boss.

She forced a smile. “No, my mother-in-law has already agreed. Let the young man stay the night, and bring him back tomorrow. I’ll make sure I can teach this girl a lesson.”

Jiang Hongmei, who overheard this, changed her expression. No, her mother still hadn’t given up on the idea, so she had to think of another way.

That evening, Wang Juhua tentatively brought up Zhuang Guoliang, but was immediately rejected by Jiang Changyi with a frown.

“Did a dog eat your brain? The captain came here just now, and now you’re talking to Jiang Li about a marriage? Believe it or not, the captain will skin you alive before the commune comes.”

“But he could give a betrothal gift of 200 yuan! This opportunity is really rare!” Wang Juhua’s heart burned when she thought of the 200 yuan.

“Let’s talk about it later,” Jiang Changyi was also tempted.

Life in their team was relatively good. They grew tobacco and raised fish, and the members were generally well-fed.

But he didn’t have any cash on hand. If he could save three or five dollars a year, he could live well.

This was why he was willing to raise Jiang Li.

The annual pension of sixty yuan was a good income that ranked among the best in the team, not to mention in the eight brigades of the entire commune.

Now, two hundred yuan was right in front of him, how could he not be shaken?