Chapter 12

The man had a roguish air, exuding a rebellious, untouchable aura. His sharp, cold gaze bore straight into Song Guangji.

“You’re Gao Han?”

Song Guangji lifted his chin arrogantly and looked at Gao Han with disdain.

Just a useless bumpkin—what was there to be afraid of?

“These days, stepmothers really are a piece of work. Everyone in this compound knows that my Qingdai has a gentle and kind nature. And now you’re forcing her to hand over the bride price and trying to kick her out?”

Gao Han’s voice was loud and clear, and in the square-shaped residential courtyard, his words echoed loudly enough for every household to hear.

People poured out to watch the commotion.

Seeing Song Qingdai’s belongings scattered on the ground, they instantly understood what was going on.

“Pah! Shameless!”

“That poor girl has worked hard for the family for years, earning money and taking care of her younger sister—not even related to her by blood. And now that she’s getting married, they want to kick her out?”

“Heartless!”

“The Song family is clearly bullying a poor child who lost her mother. That Song Yuanshan is scum—trying to sell off his own daughter!”

Many in the compound had long disliked Feng Cuifen.

Especially her son—if there were any families with daughters in the compound, they all watched their girls like hawks.

Sure, Gao Han might not have the best reputation, but at least he never acted like a creep or harassed women.

But Song Guangji was a different story.

Any pretty girl, and he’d be scheming to harass or flirt with her.

There had been so many complaints to the community office because of him. The community director was practically at his wit’s end with the Song family.

A few years ago, Song Guangji had even been caught red-handed peeping on a widow bathing next door.

And what did Feng Cuifen do? She had the gall to blame the widow, claiming she seduced her son.

The scandal had stirred up so much drama, the widow had nearly drowned herself in the river to prove her innocence.

Feng Cuifen spun the story into the widow being too ashamed after her “flirtations” were exposed.

Everyone in the compound had come out. After all, they’d watched Song Qingdai grow up here and knew all too well what her life in the Song household had been like.

To them, even if Gao Han was a bit rough around the edges, he was still far better than marrying her off to Zhang Shaoxing and making her a stepmother.

“Shut up! All of you, shut up! A bunch of gossipy shrews—you don’t know anything!”

Feng Cuifen was instantly furious, spewing curses left and right.

But Song Guangji remained unfazed. He pulled a jade pendant from his pocket and dangled it in front of Song Qingdai.

“Sister, if I’m not mistaken, this peace pendant belonged to your short-lived mother, didn’t it?”

Song Qingdai’s pupils contracted. She rushed forward to snatch it back.

“Give it to me!”

That pendant was the only thing her mother had left her before she passed away.

It had vanished not long after—and now she realized it had been stolen by Song Guangji.

He’d thought the pendant looked valuable and had wanted to pawn it, but none of the shops recognized the material—it looked like jade, but wasn’t. Eventually, he forgot about it—until today.

Back then, that little brat had cherished the pendant so much she even slept with it. He’d gone to great lengths to steal it, only to find out it was worthless.

“You want it? Fine! Hand over the bride price! Mom and Dad raised you, and this is how you repay them? I’m telling you, not a cent less than two thousand! Otherwise, I’ll destroy all your mother’s keepsakes—this pendant too! Don’t think I won’t!”

Song Guangji wasn’t the type to care about appearances.

In fact, he was a shameless scumbag. Even with the entire compound watching, he had no qualms about doing something so disgraceful.

Bang!

Just as the words left his mouth, a heavy thud rang out—the sound of a fist slamming into flesh.

Gao Han didn’t say a word. His punch landed straight on Song Guangji’s face.

“You bastard! You dare hit me?!”

Song Guangji was furious and tried to fight back.

But Gao Han wasn’t one for useless talk. Especially not when it came to people like this.

Bang!

Another punch came flying, hitting the opposite side of his face.

Both cheeks took a blow.

“My son!”

As Song Guangji let out a miserable scream, Feng Cuifen shrieked—but didn’t dare come forward, afraid that if Gao Han really lost it, she’d get hit too.

“You think you’re worthy of holding Qingdai’s things?”

He could tell how much that pendant meant to her.

“Oh god, what are you all standing around for? Stop him! He’s going to beat my son to death!”

Feng Cuifen was beside herself, slapping her thighs in panic—but still didn’t dare move closer.

Tall and strong, Song Guangji had no chance of fighting back. He was completely overwhelmed.

With one final kick, Gao Han knocked him to the ground and yanked the pendant from his hand, wiping it clean on his shirt.

“My mother-in-law’s belongings?”

Feng Cuifen was so terrified her legs gave out.

She pointed at Gao Han, her voice trembling. “Y-you! I’m going to report you to the Public Security! I’ll go to the community office—I’ll have the Inspection Team arrest you!”

Gao Han sneered and stepped hard on Song Guangji’s chest.

“I said—where. Are. Her. Things?”

As he pressed down harder, Song Guangji screamed in agony.

Feng Cuifen hurried away to fetch them.

There weren’t many of Yao Jiahui’s belongings, nor did Song Qingdai have much. Everything was stuffed into a burlap sack that once held urea fertilizer.

Gao Han snatched the sack from her, lifted his foot, and began picking up Qingdai’s things from the ground.

He straightened his clothes and casually brushed off imaginary dust.

Then he turned to the crowd watching from the courtyard.

“Uncles, aunties, sorry for the spectacle. Thank you all for looking after Comrade Song over the years. In a few days, the Gao family will be hosting a wedding banquet to welcome her—we’d be honored to have you join us for a drink and some sweets!”

His voice rang loud and clear, full of confidence. Standing tall in the courtyard, one hand holding Song Qingdai’s, he radiated a reassuring presence.

“Aiyo, well then, congratulations to Comrade Xiao Gao! Don’t worry—we’ll definitely attend the wedding feast!”

“Yes, yes! But you better treat little Song well—she’s a good girl!”

“Good to marry early! Try to have a chubby baby soon!”

Gao Han lifted the corners of his mouth into a smile. “We will!”

Song Qingdai looked up at the man beside her. He was tall, with defined features and a prominent nose.

Despite the sharpness in his brows, he gave off a calm, grounded energy.

She stared at him in a daze, realizing he was quite different from the rumors.

In just two days of knowing him, he had already shattered every negative impression she once held about him.