Chapter 12

After dealing with He Yirou, Ji Yunchen went to find Zhou Jingjing to discuss returning to the city.

“Jingjing, I’ve thought it over. Since He Yirou has already betrayed me, there’s nothing left for me here. I’ll go back to the city with you.”

“Alright.”

Zhou Jingjing believed that the reason Ji Yunchen hadn’t returned earlier to marry her was because of He Yirou clinging to him.

While Ji Yunchen was busy preparing to return to the city, Shen Yuling came looking for him. At this point, he was already getting impatient with her.

“Shen Yuling, why are you still looking for me?”

“Brother Yunchen, once I give birth, let’s go back to the city together, okay?”

“Are you joking? Shen Yuling, we are not going back together. Besides, I have a fiancée, and I will return to the city with her.”

Shen Yuling still held onto hope, but Ji Yunchen’s words were like a bucket of cold water, completely extinguishing it.

“Brother Yunchen, we’ve been together for so long. Do you really have no feelings for me at all?”

“What are you talking about? I only helped you because I needed to deal with He Yirou.”

Shen Yuling was completely heartbroken. Ji Yunchen left without looking back, leaving her standing there, lost and helpless.

—-

Half a month passed in the blink of an eye. Gu Nian continued her daily routine of working and occasionally visiting Niupeng.

Jiang Huaijing had yet to return, nor had he sent a single letter. However, Gu Nian trusted him—since he promised to come back for her, he definitely would.

Meanwhile, Ji Yunchen had completed the procedures to return to the city with Zhou Jingjing. But the day before their departure, He Yirou suddenly appeared.

Her husband had fallen from a mountain a few days ago and broken his leg, giving her the perfect opportunity to escape.

She ran straight into Wang Qini’s house, where Wang Qini was intimately chatting with Accountant Liu. Seeing He Yirou burst in, Wang Qini frowned.

“He Yirou, what are you doing here?”

“Wang Qini, I came to tell you—Shen Yuling’s baby isn’t your son’s. It belongs to Ji Yunchen from the educated youth camp!”

“Before she married Erlai, she was already infatuated with Ji Yunchen. The two of them planned to have a child and secretly return to the city together!”

Hearing this about her son and supposed grandchild, Wang Qini took the matter seriously. She dismissed Accountant Liu and pulled He Yirou aside.

“Are you telling the truth?”

“Of course. Go ask Shen Yuling and Ji Yunchen yourself. But before that, I suggest you find the village chief and let him handle it.”

“Alright!”

Wang Qini wasted no time in seeking out the village chief.

He Yirou noticed the unusual relationship between Wang Qini and Accountant Liu, but she had no time to worry about that. Her goal was to ruin Shen Yuling and Ji Yunchen’s reputations.

Wang Qini was quick to act, and before long, she brought the village chief over. Coincidentally, Erlai and Shen Yuling had just returned from the county.

Since becoming pregnant, Shen Yuling constantly complained about feeling unwell, so Erlai took her to the county hospital for a check-up.

As soon as she stepped into the courtyard and saw the crowd, Shen Yuling had a bad feeling. She was even more shocked to see He Yirou there.

“He Yirou, what are you doing here?”

“Shen Yuling, I want to see how long you can keep up this act. Let’s see if you can still smile later.”

Without another word, Wang Qini rushed forward and slapped Shen Yuling twice.

“You shameless woman! Tell me—whose child is in your belly?!”

“Mother, what are you doing? Of course, the baby is Erlai’s!”

“Liar! You yourself said before that Erlai is infertile!”

He Yirou continued to stir up trouble, and Wang Qini was ready to tear Shen Yuling apart. The village chief had to step in to stop her.

“This is no small matter. We should wait for Ji Yunchen to arrive before making any conclusions,” the village chief declared.

Word spread quickly, and the educated youth camp soon gathered to watch the drama unfold. Even Song Youyou dragged Gu Nian along, with Fang Siyu insisting on coming too.

Watching Fang Siyu and Song Youyou walk together, Gu Nian suspected there was something going on between them.

Once Ji Yunchen arrived, the village chief wasted no time asking,

“Ji Yunchen, He Yirou claims that Shen Yuling’s child is yours. Is that true?”

Ji Yunchen’s heart sank. No! He was about to return to the city—he couldn’t let anything go wrong now. He instinctively denied it.

“Village chief, He Yirou and I did have a past, but that doesn’t mean she can falsely accuse me. Shen Yuling and I were simply coworkers in the countryside. Nothing more!”

Ji Yunchen’s firm response nearly convinced the crowd. Shen Yuling, though hurt by his words, understood that denying everything was in both their best interests.

“Mother, Erlai, do you believe me now?”

“Heh, Ji Yunchen, Shen Yuling, you two really know how to put on an act. The baby is definitely Ji Yunchen’s. If you don’t believe me, get Erlai checked at the county hospital to see if he can even have children!”

He Yirou refused to give up, and Wang Qini also felt that the matter couldn’t be settled so easily.

“Village chief, I don’t think Ji Yunshen should be allowed to leave until the truth is uncovered!”

“Village chief, I really have nothing to do with Shen Yuling!” Ji Yunchen desperately defended himself, afraid his chance to return to the city would be ruined.

Just then, a villager stepped forward.

“I can testify for He Yirou. I once caught Ji Yunchen and Shen Yuling together. The child is definitely his!”

The man had never actually seen anything—he was just hoping to get some benefits from He Yirou.

With a villager backing He Yirou’s claim, the village chief sided with her.

“Ji Yunchen, are you still denying it? If you refuse to admit it, I’ll report this to the county’s educated youth office and have you sent to the labor camp for reform!”

The village chief despised people who refused to take responsibility for their actions.

Ji Yunchen panicked. He couldn’t go to the labor camp—it would be far worse than his current situation. He blamed Shen Yuling for everything.

Before he could speak, Shen Yuling stepped up.

“The baby is Ji Yunchen’s, village chief. Please don’t send him to reform. We love each other.”

Before Ji Yunchen could react, she had already admitted it. What followed was Wang Qini and Erlai’s furious fists.

“You shameless adulterers! We fed and sheltered you, and you still dared to betray us? I’ll beat you to death!”

Wang Qini and Erlai showed no mercy. Despite the blows, Shen Yuling continued to protect Ji Yunchen—she still loved him.

Eventually, the village chief intervened. Ji Yunchen and Shen Yuling were sent to the hospital, and the village chief reported the case to the police.

As the commotion ended and the crowd dispersed, Accountant Liu unexpectedly walked out of Wang Qini’s room.

“Accountant Liu, what are you doing here?”

“I…”

Accountant Liu thought everyone had left, but now he was exposed.

Wang Qini, rather than being embarrassed, was thrilled. She grabbed his arm and announced,

“Liu Dong, it’s time you tell everyone about our relationship! And when will you acknowledge Erlai as your own son and bring him into your family?”