Chapter 28

Shen Jianzhen’s aggressive demeanor startled the gatekeeper.

After all, this involved someone’s child—and better safe than sorry.

If he failed to report it and Li Moli ended up getting hurt, he’d definitely be blamed.

“You wait here, I’ll go call Li Moli’s father!” the gatekeeper said before hurrying off to find someone.

It happened to be lunchtime, and everyone was at the cafeteria—easy to locate.

Li Moli was actually quite a local celebrity.

Who wouldn’t brag about having such a promising daughter? Her father’s surname was Hua, and his name was Hua Ling. He had married into his wife’s family and took her surname for their first daughter. As a result, they were allowed to have a second child.

The eldest daughter was named Li Moli, while the second, also a girl, bore the father’s surname and was called Hua Juxiang.

If the older sister had inherited all the good features from their parents and was universally adored, the younger sister unfortunately got all the not-so-great ones. People who saw her would often say, “Well… she’s not that ugly,” but only because the comparison to her sister made her look even worse.

Despite this, Hua Ling cherished both daughters equally.

The gatekeeper burst into the cafeteria and shouted, “Director Hua! Quick! Someone’s trying to hit your daughter!”

Hua Ling dropped his lunchbox and rushed out. “Who? Who’s trying to hit my daughter?”

A crowd of people followed behind him, stirred by the commotion.

Shen Jianzhen and Zhang Hongying stood at the gate, stunned as they watched the swarm of people charging toward them.

…

“Oh, it’s just two little girls?” Many people turned around and left after taking one look. Clearly, the gatekeeper had gotten it wrong. Still, some stayed to enjoy the spectacle—after all, the food would taste better if it cooled a bit.

Zhang Hongying blinked nervously, signaling, “What do we do now?”

“Who? Who said they were going to hit my daughter? You two tiny girls?” Hua Ling had calmed down by now, likely realizing this was just a misunderstanding.

Shen Jianzhen stepped forward. “Hello, Uncle. My name is Shen Jianzhen. I just graduated from junior high this year. I came here to speak with you about something.”

It happened that Hua Ling worked in the education department, so he recognized her name—after all, she was this year’s top scorer in the high school entrance exams.

“Oh, Shen! Yes, of course. What brings you here?” Hua Ling glanced at Zhang Hongying as well.

Blushing, Zhang Hongying managed to squeeze out, “Zhang Hongying.”

“If you two students are here to talk to me, then it must be important. Come, let’s go to my office,” Hua Ling invited them.

Zhang Hongying thought: Never thought I’d step into a government office one day. Her legs nearly gave out as she followed him inside.

Seeing Zhang Hongying too nervous to speak, Shen Jianzhen took the lead.

“Zhang Hongying is my good friend.

We both know who Li Moli is, but she doesn’t know us.

We came to you today because Hongying has noticed—several times—a local thug following Li Moli.

Hongying didn’t know what to do, so she asked me for advice.

We don’t know what that thug is planning, and we don’t have the time or means to prove anything.

But I felt it was important to let you know. If he does do something, it might be too late.

You know how it is—after school, there aren’t always people around. If he catches her alone, Moli wouldn’t stand a chance.

I didn’t want to talk about this openly outside. If word spread, people might twist the story, and rumors would go wild—saying Moli had some sort of ‘incident’—and we all know how ugly that could get.

I honestly didn’t expect you to be here or even come out to see us.

That’s why I said I wanted to beat her up.

I figured, worst-case scenario, if people hear about a couple of girls wanting to fight Li Moli, it wouldn’t matter much. They’d just think we were causing trouble.

But more importantly, if someone heard that kind of talk, they might start paying closer attention and arrange for someone to walk her home.

I didn’t say all this to threaten anyone.”

Shen Jianzhen forced the words out and nervously swallowed.

He’s a government official—surely he won’t hit me, right?

Hua Ling stared at Shen Jianzhen for a long time, as if trying to judge whether she was telling the truth.

Zhang Hongying’s palms were soaked with sweat, but she had no regrets.

“You know that thug,” Hua Ling said confidently.

Zhang Hongying mustered her courage. “Yes. His name is Hong Siqiang. He looks honest and quiet, doesn’t act like a typical troublemaker.

But he keeps staring at Li Moli. I’ve seen it multiple times on my way home from work.”

“Could just be coincidence—maybe they’re heading the same way. It’s a public road after all,” Hua Ling replied.

Zhang Hongying got flustered—she didn’t know how to explain it.

In her past life, after Hong Siqiang was arrested, he confessed that he had followed Li Moli for nearly a year before finding a chance to drag her into a wooded area when no one else was around.

But as soon as he pulled her in, her screams alerted the forest watchman.

Hua Ling watched Zhang Hongying’s panicked expression and then gave a nod. “Thank you both. You can head back now.”

On the way home, Zhang Hongying, still sweating, kept asking Shen Jianzhen, “Do you think he believed us?

Why didn’t he say whether he believed it or not, or if he’d do anything?”

Shen Jianzhen shook her head. “I don’t know. Who can tell what adults are thinking?

Even if they have plans, they won’t tell us kids.

We’re not family—why would they share their private decisions with us?

If they have something in mind, they’ll discuss it behind closed doors.”

Zhang Hongying nodded. That made sense. Anyway, they had said what needed to be said. If Li Moli’s own parents didn’t care about what might happen, what could an outsider like her say?

If she spoke up too much, relatives might blame her, and strangers would gossip.

From now on, it would be Hua Ling’s responsibility.

As for what happened next—Shen Jianzhen went off to school, so she didn’t hear much. But Zhang Hongying did.

One morning, the market was abuzz with gossip: “Hey, did you hear? Someone got their leg broken yesterday?”

“What? Where?”

“Near the orchard by the middle school.

It’s weird. If it were summer, you’d think maybe someone was stealing fruit and got caught.

But this is late autumn—why would anyone be out there now? And still get their leg broken?”

“How do you know it was broken?” Zhang Hongying asked, unable to contain herself.

“Oh, the thigh was bent. You ever seen a leg bent that way? No normal leg bends like that!”

“Do we know who it was?

Why’d he get beaten up?”

“Someone named Hongqiang… or maybe Siqiang, something like that. I heard his family has money—they had him sent to Shanghai by car.”

“Wow, getting a car to Shanghai? That’s gotta cost at least two thousand yuan!”

“Yup. A kid from our village had his finger severed and was taken to Shanghai—cost them two thousand yuan.”

“Phew, a whole year’s income.”

“Well, you can’t not go. If the leg heals wrong, he’ll be a cripple for life.

A cripple can’t find good work, can’t get married, can’t even do field work or carry water. That’d be the end of him.”

Zhang Hongying guessed right—it must have been Hong Siqiang. And she felt a deep sense of satisfaction.

In her past life, he had ruined someone’s future, yet he’d somehow managed to “turn over a new leaf” and live out his life quietly. Meanwhile, his victim, who should’ve had a dignified life, had been crushed—treated like dirt.

She never understood why Hua Ling hadn’t transferred Li Moli to a different school in another town. As a former “sent-down youth,” his hometown should’ve been far away—if they had transferred her there, maybe they could’ve escaped all the rumors.

But hindsight is 20/20.

Now, with the advantage of hindsight, Zhang Hongying had used it to help someone else. She felt a weight lifted from her chest.

She wouldn’t just change her own fate—she’d help Shen Jianzhen too, and maybe even other unfortunate girls from her previous life.