Chapter 34

The atmosphere was tense to the extreme.

Zhao Qingqing hadn’t expected things to turn out this way, and she deeply regretted it.

“Uncle Li, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to hit you…”

“Enough, Qingqing! I always thought you were a well-behaved and sensible child, but I never expected you to do something like this. If you truly like this guy, you should date him openly. Instead, you’re sneaking around in the grove in the middle of the night—do you realize how much you’ve embarrassed our community?”

Suppressing his anger, Li Wenqing reprimanded her.

He didn’t believe rumors, but he did believe what he saw with his own eyes.

Zhao Qingqing felt like dying inside. He had watched her grow up, yet he didn’t trust her character at all.

“Uncle Li, I’m telling the truth! I was framed by Ye Yao. If you don’t believe me, ask Li Yukun! Who was the one planning to elope with him tonight?”

Yes! Li Yukun could prove her innocence!

Li Wenqing took a deep breath. He was about to dismiss the idea, but someone nearby whispered that it would be best to get to the bottom of things.

Suddenly, all eyes turned to Li Yukun, who looked completely flustered.

With a grimace worse than crying, he stammered, “W-Why are you all looking at me? I didn’t do anything…”

“You! Tell me now—was it Ye Yao who wanted to elope with you, or were you secretly meeting Zhao Qingqing?”

Li Wenqing’s voice was harsh, clearly looking down on him.

Li Yukun’s eyes darted around, and he hesitated to answer.

“Li Yukun! Speak the truth from your heart!”

Zhao Qingqing urged him anxiously.

“Uncle Li, isn’t this question unfair?” Ye Yao suddenly interjected, pretending to be concerned. “If Li Yukun really is Qingqing’s lover, then in this situation, he obviously wouldn’t be able to tell the truth.”

“Shut up, Ye Yao!” Zhao Qingqing was on the verge of losing her mind.

But Ye Yao wasn’t afraid at all. She continued, “Li Yukun, think carefully about the situation. Qingqing already said that you should speak with a clear conscience.

“Actually, the elders here are reasonable people. Even though sneaking around at night is inappropriate, at the end of the day, you’re both unmarried. If your feelings are genuine, they might even give you their blessings.”

“I’M GOING TO KILL YOU, YE YAO!”

Zhao Qingqing’s face twisted in rage as she completely lost control and lunged at Ye Yao.

But Li Wenqing stopped her immediately.

“Zhao Qingqing, do you really think you can still act recklessly in front of us elders?”

Meanwhile, Li Yukun had fully grasped Ye Yao’s implication and thought things through.

After this fiasco, deceiving Ye Yao into eloping was impossible. Instead of ending up with nothing, why not just admit to dating Zhao Qingqing?

Reputation was everything to a girl. If things played out right, he might actually end up marrying into the community as an esteemed son-in-law.

Excited by this idea, he spoke up loudly,

“I’ll say it! I’ll say everything! It was Qingqing who asked me to meet her. We’ve actually been together for a long time! She told me she missed me, but since we couldn’t meet in public during the day, she arranged this secret meeting at night!”

Zhao Qingqing’s face contorted in despair, as if someone had strangled her—unable to live, yet unable to die.

These two scumbags had completely set her up and destroyed her reputation!