Sun Jiandong’s mother glanced at He Dan and, after a few seconds of silence, asked, “Do you know Jiang Cheng?”

“I wouldn’t say I know her well. We live close by, but we don’t get along particularly well.”

He Dan put on a perfectly calculated expression of reluctance, as if she didn’t want to speak ill of others but still wanted to imply that something was off.

“Why are you beating around the bush like this?”

Old Wang couldn’t stand it anymore. Frowning, he shouted, then continued blocking the gate, saying, “Outsiders aren’t allowed into the school. If you want to find your son, let this student call him out for you.”

In short, no entry.

He Dan, however, looked down on a mere gatekeeper. She glared at Old Wang and said, “This is a night school. It’s not up to you. Can’t I just take Auntie inside?”

Old Wang was both amused and annoyed. He placed one hand on his hip and pointed at He Dan with the other.

“You really have a screw loose, don’t you? This is the gatehouse. Do you even know what a gatehouse is? You think you can just waltz in whenever you want? Is this night school your family’s kang?”

The commotion at the gate grew louder, and students arriving for class began to gather at the entrance without going inside.

Sun Jiandong’s mother frowned. This was getting ridiculous.

“Comrade, could you please call Jiang Cheng out for me?”

He Dan’s face darkened at Old Wang’s words, but when she heard Sun Jiandong’s mother’s request, she immediately put on a smile and said, “Of course, I’ll go right now! Auntie, don’t get too upset. That’s just how Jiang Cheng is.”

“How is she?”

Sun Jiandong’s mother asked casually, and He Dan, as if possessed, blurted out, “She’s pretty, so there are always a lot of boys around her.”

As soon as He Dan said this, Sun Jiandong’s mother showed no reaction, but several girls in the crowd were visibly displeased.

Jian Yue’e was the first to step forward, glaring at He Dan with a strong presence.

“Comrade He Dan, what you’re saying is completely unfounded. Jiang Cheng has never had any inappropriate contact with male classmates. What exactly are you trying to imply with these vague accusations?”

“What else could it be? She’s just jealous because Jiang Cheng is pretty.”

“Comrade He Dan, your behavior is unacceptable.”

The last person to speak up was Zhang Cuijuan, who had the demeanor of a seasoned cadre.

Zhang Cuijuan looked at He Dan with disappointment and said, “Comrade He Dan, as a woman, you should understand how important a woman’s reputation is.”

Zhang Cuijuan might dislike Jiang Cheng for stealing the spotlight, but she would never condone tarnishing a woman’s reputation.

He Dan had completely underestimated Jiang Cheng’s standing among the female students at the night school. Her attempt to smear Jiang Cheng not only failed to sway anyone but also drew backlash and disdain.

Someone who could so easily slander another woman was not someone to be trusted.

“Mom—what are you doing here?”

Sun Jiandong arrived, and surprisingly, he was behind his mother.

Sun Jiandong stood next to his mother, pushing his bicycle, completely confused about what was happening.

“I’m here to find Jiang Cheng.”

“How do you know Jiang Cheng? No, wait, who’s been feeding you nonsense?”

Sun Jiandong glared at He Dan, pointing at her angrily. “Did you hear something from her? Mom, don’t listen to her! She never tells the truth!”

Sun Jiandong hurriedly explained.

He genuinely had no feelings for Jiang Cheng; in fact, he was somewhat in awe of her.

He Dan, who had been rebutted by several classmates, kept her head down. The resentment she had been suppressing since moving into the courtyard and being overshadowed by Jiang Cheng was finally boiling over.

Why?
Why should Jiang Cheng, a rural woman who hadn’t even finished elementary school, always come out on top?
If everyone hates me, then they should hate Jiang Cheng too.

He Dan suddenly looked up, her voice sharp.

“Comrade Sun, don’t be fooled by Jiang Cheng’s pretty face!”

“He Dan, are you out of your mind? Jiang Cheng hasn’t said a word, yet you’re out here slandering her. Isn’t it because you’re guilty?”

Sun Jiandong’s words only further provoked He Dan.

Rather than letting Sun Jiandong or Jiang Cheng expose the Lin family’s affairs, she decided to take the initiative.

“If Comrade Sun is referring to my marriage to Lin Chengyuan, I have nothing to hide.”

He Dan looked around with an air of righteousness, completely unashamed.

“Lin Chengyuan and I met, got to know each other, fell in love, and got married. Many people witnessed it. Our relationship is legal and legitimate. As for Jiang Cheng, she misunderstood the situation. She chose to live with the Lin family for three years. What does that have to do with me?”

He Dan had exposed herself.

“What does that mean?”

“Jiang Cheng lived with the Lin family for three years?”

Whispers spread through the crowd. Just as Sun Jiandong was about to refute her, Jian Yue’e shouted:

“Jiang Cheng’s here!”

At the sound of Jiang Cheng’s arrival, the students at the gate automatically parted, creating a path.

Jiang Cheng walked through the crowd with a gentle smile, her presence both warm and commanding. She even took the time to thank everyone.

“Class is about to start. Let’s not waste any more time.”

As soon as Jiang Cheng spoke, the surroundings quickly fell silent. Her ability to control the situation was truly impressive.

Jiang Cheng first looked at He Dan, not giving her a chance to speak, and said, “Three years ago, I moved into the Lin family under the pretense of being Lin Chengyuan’s wife. In reality, we never registered our marriage or held a wedding, so we were never truly married.”

“Living with the Lin family for three years wasn’t a life—it was three years of servitude. Moreover, the Lin family took 600 yuan from me.”

“Three years later, when Lin Chengyuan returned and registered his marriage with He Dan, I immediately left the Lin family and took back the 600 yuan that belonged to me. It was fair and reasonable.”

“These are the facts. How you interpret them is up to you.”

After delivering her statement decisively, Jiang Cheng turned to Sun Jiandong’s mother.

“Hello, I’m Jiang Cheng. Did you need something from me?”

Sun Jiandong’s mother looked at the beautiful and poised young woman before her. Her usually stern face struggled to form a smile.

“You—hello!”

Sun Jiandong’s mother extended her hand, and Jiang Cheng naturally shook it.

“I—I just wanted to thank you! Thank you for setting my youngest son straight and putting him on the right path! You have no idea how I felt when I saw him studying and reading. I—I even slapped his father in excitement, and it turned out to be true!!!”

Sun Jiandong: ???

He Dan’s expression cracked: I dropped such a bombshell, and you’re here to thank her?!

The onlookers: This isn’t the direction we expected things to go.

Old Wang: I told you everyone likes Xiao Jiang.

The calmest person in the room was undoubtedly Jiang Cheng.

“I’ve received your gratitude. Principal Wang often teaches us that classmates should help each other.”

“It’s almost time for class. If there’s nothing else, let the students go in and start their lessons.”

Sun Jiandong’s mother nodded excitedly, unable to take her eyes off Jiang Cheng.

Look at this child!
Such strong organizational skills!

Such leadership ability!

Her looks are almost secondary to her capabilities.

Jiang Cheng waved to the students who had been watching the spectacle.

“Let’s go to class. The teachers are waiting for us.”

The students instinctively obeyed and began filing inside. Upstairs, several teachers who had been watching the scene quickly retreated.

The teachers: It’s fine if class starts a little late.