Chapter 5

Zhou Shanshan was dumbfounded, panicked for a moment. Calm down, she told herself, you must stay calm.

She had clearly been waiting outside the educated youth compound to watch the drama unfold, so how on earth did she end up lying in bed with Da Hai and his mother?

Her head throbbed. Zhou Shanshan clutched it as fragments of memory flashed past. According to the plan, Da Hai should have been in bed with Song Wanyue right now.

She had suddenly fainted, and when she woke up, things had become like this.

Grinding her teeth, she hissed: “Song Wanyue, I’ll make you pay. Why didn’t you obediently follow my plan?”

Song Wanyue was an only child from a well-off family. As long as Gu Dahai married her, the entire Song family’s assets would eventually become theirs.

The most respected elder of the village, Xu Jianshu, said sternly: “Enough. You three put on your clothes and come out to talk.”

His face was dark as he walked out.

When the three of them had dressed and stepped outside, they were met with a sea of villagers. Almost everyone who could come had come.

Even those who couldn’t, like Granny Gao—half paralyzed and unable to walk—had been carried on her grandson’s back to witness the scene, now seated on a stool.

Village Party Secretary Zhang Jianjun glowered. “Which one of you is going to explain this? Our brigade has over three thousand people—there’s no covering this up. Gu Dahai fooling around with Zhou Shanshan, that I can understand. A one-night couple carries a hundred days of affection, divorced or not, feelings linger. But Zhang Shufen—what about you?”

He had no intention of helping them cover it up. Impossible. The villagers’ mouths could never be shut.

Zhang Shufen was already stupefied.

Brigade Captain Gu Weimin arrived last. He had been busy at the village committee office and hadn’t known who was involved until now.

Seeing the mocking gazes all around, Gu Weimin was livid.

He stormed forward, giving Gu Dahai and Zhang Shufen each a vicious kick, then slapped them both across the face several times.

Idiots, he cursed inwardly. They were scheming again, only to be out-schemed.

Zhang Shufen burst into sobs. “Weimin, I didn’t sleep with Dahai, I swear! On my way back from work, I suddenly blacked out, and when I woke up, I was on that bed. I really didn’t do anything!”

She had been waiting outside the educated youth quarters when she fainted and woke to this nightmare. She was utterly wronged.

Cui Hehua sneered: “Captain, we all saw it with our own eyes—three people stark naked. Of course she won’t admit it if something really happened.”

The crowd began to chime in.

“That’s right, no one admits it if they weren’t caught in the act.”

“Who would’ve thought Zhang Shufen had such skills? The tears just flow on command.”

Zhang Shufen’s eyes went bloodshot with rage. She shouted: “Shut up! I am innocent! As for Dahai and Shanshan, that was their own weakness—but I was framed! It was that girl Song Wanyue. No one else could have done it!”

She had planned to drug Song Wanyue, then let Gu Dahai go to her—sparks would fly, and the deed would be done.

With Song Wanyue married into the Gu family, the Song family’s wealth would be under Dahai’s control.

If Dahai prospered, he could take her along to the city too.

But why was Zhou Shanshan on the bed instead of Song Wanyue? Zhang Shufen simply couldn’t figure it out.

Her eyes swept the crowd and locked onto Song Wanyue’s gloating expression. She hadn’t imagined it.

In a flash, she lunged forward, seizing Song Wanyue’s arm, demanding: “Song Wanyue, it was you! Why weren’t you at the educated youth quarters? And why is there mud on your hands? Weren’t you supposed to be there?”

Wretch. It had to be her.

Song Wanyue looked pitiful. “Auntie, you and Comrade Gu Dahai were the ones fooling around—don’t pin it on me. I only went to change my wet clothes and then headed to work. I was with Auntie Cui and the others today. If you don’t believe me, ask them.”

Zhang Shufen’s grip hurt. The woman’s strength was no joke.

Her tearful expression made Cui Hehua’s heart ache.

Song Wanyue shook off the older woman’s hands.

“Auntie, you’re hurting me.”

Cui Hehua pulled Song Wanyue behind her. “Zhang Shufen, our Zhang family can vouch for her. Wanyue only slipped by the river while washing her hands and went back to change her clothes. Stop making a fuss.”

Now let’s see how Zhang Shufen explains this.

Gu Dahai, slapped silly by his own father, stood frozen in terror.

It was over. The plan had been to trap Song Wanyue into marriage, turn raw rice into cooked rice.

But how had he ended up in bed with Shanshan and his own mother? Did Song Wanyue know something?

But they had only made the plan two days ago. How could word have leaked so quickly?

All it should have taken was slipping her some medicine—then he’d get his way, a sure win.

Gu Dahai charged at Song Wanyue, shouting: “Song Wanyue, did you know something? Otherwise why weren’t you in the educated youth quarters?”

That was the only explanation. His mother would never do such a thing with him.

Song Wanyue’s face remained blank. “Didn’t I already say? I changed clothes and went to work. Otherwise it would have counted as skipping work—I didn’t ask for leave. The Zhang family can testify. Do you not believe me, or do you not believe them?”

The Zhang family was tied to her; they wouldn’t expose her lie.

Cui Hehua nodded. “Exactly. Everyone knows what kind of person Wanyue is. What village child hasn’t had candy from her? Plenty have eaten her snacks in exchange for helping her with chores.

“Wanyue is pure, lively, warmhearted, never lies. We’ve all seen it. She’s just a little lazy, but she’s an only child—her parents support her. If not for being egged on by Comrade Zhou, she wouldn’t even have come down here to do this labor.”

She almost blurted out “suffer here,” but held her tongue.

With those words, the villagers’ eyes toward Gu Dahai’s group grew more contemptuous.

Wang Qiang spat at them.

“Exactly! Gu Dahai, if you three want to amuse yourselves, fine—but why drag Comrade Song into it? She’s just a weak girl. How could she possibly trick the three of you into bed?”

“Scandals like this—we’ve heard plenty. Today just happened to be caught in the act. What’s so rare about it? In the neighboring Willow Brigade, didn’t a father and daughter have a child together? That was years ago though.”

At this, the crowd buzzed louder.

Gu Weimin’s face grew uglier still.

A nagging suspicion arose: could Zhang Shufen and Gu Dahai really have that kind of relationship?

His fury was boiling over.

Suddenly Wang Qiang raised his voice: “Secretary, I also know another of the Gu family’s disgraceful secrets!”

Years ago, Wang Qiang’s mother fell ill. With no money, they had tried to borrow from the village. Gu Weimin only offered two yuan, saying the family might not repay. Eventually, it was Zhang Youlin and the Party Secretary who lent the money.

Wang Qiang had grown up with a widowed mother, life tough since childhood. His father had died of illness. His mother had earned work points alone to raise him.

But help had come too late—by the time she was taken to the hospital, she couldn’t be saved.

Song Wanyue knew Wang Qiang harbored resentment toward Gu Weimin.

She had given ten yuan to the Zhang family to pass to Wang Qiang, urging him to expose Gu Weimin’s affair with Zhou Lanhua.

Still, it would be his own words, not hearsay from others.

Zhang Jianjun frowned. “What is it? Speak clearly. Don’t be afraid.”

This young man had been diligent these past years, repaying his family’s debts. He was a good lad, not one to falsely accuse.

Wang Qiang declared loudly: “Captain Gu had an affair with Zhou Lanhua. Daniu and Erniu are his children. Yang Tieniu couldn’t have kids, so Zhou Lanhua borrowed Gu’s seed to bear sons.”

“The Gu family’s been rotten all along. Zhang Shufen with Gu Dahai—like mother, like son. When the beam at the top is crooked, those below won’t stand straight.”

The crowd exploded again.

Zhang Jianjun’s weathered face sagged. “Did I hear that right? Gu Weimin, explain yourself!”

At those words, Zhang Shufen’s eyes locked with Zhou Lanhua’s.

Her gaze shifted to Daniu and Erniu—their lips did indeed resemble Gu Weimin’s.

Zhang Shufen let out a howl, lunging to grab Zhou Lanhua’s hair and tearing at it.

“Zhou Lanhua, you shameless hussy! Seducing my husband—you admit it! Are Daniu and Erniu your children with him?”

“If you’re so desperate for a man, marry one! Why ruin my husband?!”

Zhou Lanhua shrieked as furious Zhang Shufen ripped out clumps of her hair by the roots.