Chapter 38: Fu Yuzhou Takes the Punishment for Chu Ning

A hard slap sent Chu Ning’s face to the side, her cheek and ear numb.

Wang Fengxian watched in alarm, “No, Captain Liu, you can’t hit Fu Chen!”

Liu Dazhui’s face was stern, “Why not? In the Hongguang Brigade Commune, no one is allowed to damage public property.”

Liu Dazhui glared at Chu Ning, “Think your cousin is Battalion Commander Fu and you’re above the law? Even if Battalion Commander Fu were here, I’d still hit you.”

“Camp Commander, Battalion Commander Fu is here!”

Someone in the gathered crowd shouted.

Before Chu Ning could catch her breath, Fu Yuzhou, in his military uniform, stood before her. He was tall and strong.

At nearly six feet tall, he stood out among the crowd, exuding a powerful presence.

Chu Ning had made a mistake and couldn’t look Fu Yuzhou in the eye, her head bowed.

Fu Yuzhou had warned her more than once to go back, but not only had she not gone back, she had made a mistake.

Chu Ning felt remorseful. Why had she acted so impulsively?

She shouldn’t have agreed to Wang Fengxian’s suggestion to experience farm work.

She shouldn’t have tried to hide her true gender, avoided the help of the male educated youths, and foolishly chased rabbits.

Now that she had made a mistake, she was afraid of angering Fu Yuzhou, so she could only sincerely admit her fault.

“I’m sorry, it’s all my fault, cousin, I know I was wrong, please punish me.”

Before Fu Yuzhou could speak, Liu Dazhui rebuked, “Fu Chen, you damaged the commune’s property, your cousin can’t take your punishment.”

Chu Ning lowered her head, “Okay, just punish me then.”

Fu Yuzhou said coldly, “Captain Liu, it’s my fault for not supervising her properly. I’ll take the punishment.”

The open protection made Chu Ning tremble in surprise, her shocked gaze fixed on Fu Yuzhou’s face.

Fu Yuzhou hadn’t scolded her?

He was going to take the blame for her? Had she misheard?

Fu Yuzhou didn’t look at Chu Ning, but stood firmly in front of her, as if protecting her.

His sharp features were righteous and resolute, his hawk-like gaze fixed on Liu Dazhui.

His strong jawline made his features even more prominent.

He looked upright, handsome, serious, and cool, like an awe-inspiring king.

His dashing military bearing once again captivated Chu Ning.

At that moment, Chu Ning felt her heart racing.

“You can punish me however you want…”

Fu Yuzhou spoke again with determination.

“You?”

Liu Dazhui said, “Battalion Commander Fu, Chairman Mao taught us that a man should be able to bend and stretch, never timid, dare to do and dare to be!”

Implying that Fu Chen, as a man, should bravely admit his mistake.

Chu Ning didn’t want to implicate Fu Yuzhou.

“Captain Liu, just tell me, what’s the punishment? I…”

“Come with me.”

Fu Yuzhou grabbed Chu Ning’s wrist and pulled her away.

Even when he pulled Chu Ning to a deserted area near the camp, Fu Yuzhou still held her wrist tightly.

“You’ll take the punishment? Tell me, how will you accept it?

You’re just a little rascal who mooches off me and refuses to leave my dorm.

With your frail body, easily blown away by the wind, you think you can take the punishment?”

Chu Ning was annoyed. In Fu Yuzhou’s eyes, she was a useless waste?

The gratitude she had felt towards Fu Yuzhou was instantly extinguished.

“Don’t underestimate me, why can’t I take the punishment?

I can, I’ll take responsibility for my actions. I’m willing to bear the consequences.”

“Alright, five kilograms of weight, 20 laps around this hillside. When you finish, the punishment is over.”

Fu Yuzhou said insincerely.

In his opinion, Chu Ning was reckless, and he had to teach her a lesson.

He spoke up for her in front of Liu Dazhui and took the punishment for her, all for her own good, but she wasn’t grateful.

Instead, she defied him.

Chu Ning was stunned, “That’s the punishment?”

“…”

Fu Yuzhou remained silent.

The commune’s punishment was certainly not this; their punishment was far more severe.

Chu Ning’s small frame couldn’t handle it.

“Fine, I’ll run, I’ll run now.”

Chu Ning put her hands on her hips, looking at Fu Yuzhou, “Just stand there and watch me run.”

He looked down on her, so she would prove him wrong.

Fu Yuzhou was determined to punish Chu Ning. He called Chen Mo and put a five-kilogram sandbag on Chu Ning’s shoulders.

Chu Ning felt that five kilograms wasn’t a big deal.

When the sandbag was placed on her shoulder, she didn’t think it was a problem.

Only Chen Mo felt heartache. The entire militia camp knew that Fu Chen, Fu Yuzhou’s cousin, had trampled a large field of wheat while chasing rabbits.

Fu Yuzhou made ‘Fu Chen’ run 20 laps with a five-kilogram weight as punishment for the commune.

Twenty laps with five kilograms was nothing to them, but it was very difficult for ‘Fu Chen’, a city boy who hadn’t suffered hardship.

“Camp Commander, in my opinion, since Fu Chen knows he’s wrong, let’s just forget about the laps.”

Fu Yuzhou disliked Chen Mo speaking for Chu Ning, his face dark, “She’s my person, I decide whether to punish her.”

Chu Ning didn’t want to be looked down upon by Fu Yuzhou and refused Chen Mo’s plea.

“Deputy Camp Commander, it’s okay, I can do it.”

Then, Chu Ning ran off along the hillside with the sandbag on her back.

Fu Yuzhou watched Chu Ning’s stubborn and slender back, his heart feeling complex.

Chen Mo said, “Camp Commander, Fu Chen is still a child, twenty laps with five kilograms is too much. Don’t make him run, besides, the commune’s punishment for Fu Chen isn’t this.”

Fu Yuzhou ignored Chen Mo, his face grim, “Twenty laps, not one less, don’t even think about helping her cheat.”

Then, Fu Yuzhou strode towards the commune office.

•  

Commune Office.

Liu Dazhui had already reported Chu Ning’s actions to all the commune leaders.

The leaders, both big and small, were scowling, waiting for Fu Yuzhou to bring the person he took away back.

When Fu Yuzhou entered, he volunteered, “Leaders, I’ll take my cousin’s punishment.”

Chen Rulai spoke quickly, “Battalion Commander Fu, taking the punishment for him might not achieve our goal of punishing Fu Chen.

This is his first day out of your dorm, and he made such a serious mistake. If you take his punishment, it will only encourage his arrogance.

I can’t guarantee he won’t make other mistakes.”

Fu Yuzhou said word by word, “Please rest assured, leaders, I’ve already made her run twenty laps with five kilograms. In the future, I’ll bring her to the militia camp, keep her under my supervision, and absolutely prevent her from making mistakes.”