Chapter 6

Everyone pricked up their ears to hear the gossip.

Lin Hui grabbed Liu Cuihua’s arm and pressed her, “Sister-in-law, what did you just say? Commander Zhou is going on a blind date with Hu Shufen? Hu Shufen is so ugly and so old. How could Commander Zhou go on a blind date with a woman like that?”

Liu Cuihua smiled awkwardly. “It was arranged by the families. They’re from the same brigade, they know each other well.”

Not far away, Zhou Changgui suddenly jumped up and shouted at Zhou Changhuai, “What? You’re marrying Comrade Wen?”

Now, not only did everyone in the yard hear it, even the people inside the house did.

Niu Guixian rushed out of the house, followed by her eldest daughter Hu Shufen and her husband Hu Qinghui.

“Zhou Changhuai, you still dare to come to my house? I was just about to look for you!” Niu Guixian shouted as she ran, “Why did you reject our Shufen to go marry some shameless hussy? Have you lost your mind?”

Wen Jiao silently cursed Niu Guixian and her whole family, thinking whether she should tear into this woman herself, but Zhou Changhuai spoke first.

“ Aunt Guixian,” Zhou Changhuai said firmly, “this blind date was something you discussed with my mother. I never agreed to marry your daughter. The reason I came back this time was to say it clearly face to face.”

“I will not marry your daughter. I told my elder brother this last night.”

Zhou Changgui quickly nodded. “That’s right, Auntie. Changhuai told me last night he didn’t agree to this match. What now—are you trying to force my brother to marry your Shufen?”

Zhou Changgui would never allow anyone to bully his younger brother. Besides, if Wen Jiao was willing to marry Zhou Changhuai, then of course she was the better choice. The blind date with Hu Shufen had only been out of politeness.

Hu Qinghui, hearing this, immediately scolded his wife:

“What nonsense are you spouting? Changgui is right—marriage is a personal choice. This blind date was something you and Sister Qiuju arranged. If Changhuai doesn’t agree, then forget it. How could you force him?”

Niu Guixian was left speechless for a moment, glaring furiously at Wen Jiao, cursing her in her heart as a vixen who had bewitched every man since joining the educated youth team. She had disliked Wen Jiao from the very start, and now that she had the chance, she wouldn’t let her off.

Shen Qiuju spoke up after Hu Qinghui: “That’s right, Sister Guixian. This matchmaking was our idea. I also told you back then—it’s up to Changhuai to decide.”

“Now that our Changhuai doesn’t agree, of course we can’t force him. Isn’t that so?”

Niu Guixian pouted and said sarcastically, “Sister Qiuju, I’m not trying to force your Changhuai to marry my daughter. I just don’t understand—why would he choose to pick up someone else’s worn-out shoes? And you even agree?”

“Aunt Guixian, who are you calling worn-out shoes?” Zhou Changhuai cut her off. “I wasn’t finished speaking just now. You will immediately apologize to my fiancée, Comrade Wen Jiao, or I’ll go straight to the commune leaders to settle this!”

“As the wife of the brigade leader, you use such vile words to insult an educated youth assigned here—so this is how Lingtou Brigade treats the educated youth? Is this how you’ve always treated them?”

As soon as Zhou Changhuai finished, the whole yard went dead silent.

Niu Guixian’s face turned green, as if she’d swallowed a fly. How had this suddenly escalated to an issue about the entire educated youth team? She thought Zhou Changhuai was bluffing, and she wasn’t afraid.

Yang Shuming and Hu Shufang came to the doorway to watch.

Wen Jiao looked at the man fiercely standing up for her and wanted to applaud him.

At that moment, a male educated youth stepped forward and echoed Zhou Changhuai: “Commander Zhou is right. It’s outrageous to insult our comrades like this—just because we have no backing, you think you can bully us.”

The other educated youths chimed in:

“Exactly—you bully us because we have no one to rely on.”

“Yeah! You give us the hardest work, the worst housing, and the poorest food.”

“And you don’t even treat us like human beings. We live worse than pigs and dogs.”

Wen Jiao understood their anger very well. Everything they said was true. Everyone had been swallowing their resentment in silence, hoping to one day return to the city.

But this time, the only available quota to return to the city had been given directly to the brigade leader’s future son-in-law, Yang Shuming, rather than being awarded fairly based on performance.

Everyone was furious but too scared to speak up, afraid that offending the brigade leader would ruin any chance of going home.

Now, with Zhou Changhuai backing them, they grew bold and wanted justice.

Lin Hui, always quick to take sides, immediately suggested, “I support Commander Zhou! Let’s go to the commune together and ask the leaders how they decided on this return-to-city quota.”

“Yes! Let’s go together—there’s strength in numbers. I’ll get the tractor and we’ll all go!” another male educated youth said, then ran off at once.

Only now did Brigade Leader Hu Qinghui realize how serious the situation had become. If they really stirred up trouble at the commune, it would be disastrous.

Smack! He suddenly raised his hand and slapped his wife Niu Guixian hard across the face, shouting furiously:

“You brainless woman! How dare you insult a military wife! Get down and apologize right now!”

Niu Guixian held her burning cheek, ears ringing. When she came back to her senses, her eyes widened. She stomped her foot hard and lunged at Hu Qinghui, flailing wildly and crying:

“Hu Qinghui, you heartless man! You’ve got some nerve to hit me! Have you forgotten all these years I’ve served you like a beast of burden and bore you two daughters?

Without me, Niu Guixian, you’re nothing! People bully our family and you don’t help me, and now you even tell me to apologize? Pah! So what if I said it? That woman seduced my second son-in-law—if she’s not a tramp, what is she?”

“Now she’s stealing Shufen’s suitor too! A woman like her, in the old society, would have been drowned in a pig cage! Even drowning would be too good for her—I wish I could skin her alive, rip out her tendons, and drink her blood!”

“Yang Shuming!” Wen Jiao, who had been silent, suddenly roared. Niu Guixian froze, and every eye turned to Wen Jiao.

She raised her hand and pointed at Yang Shuming, who was standing at the doorway looking uneasy.

“Yang Shuming, if you’re a man, come out here right now and explain yourself in front of everyone!” she shouted.

“I’m asking you—when and where did I ever seduce you?”

All eyes shifted to Yang Shuming. Everyone held their breath, afraid to miss a single word.

Yang Shuming looked pained, his face twisted, and sneaked a glance at Zhou Changhuai, whose imposing presence made his heart tremble.

“Yang Shuming, are you deaf or mute? Speak!” Wen Jiao shouted.

Yang Shuming finally stammered, “C-Comrade Wen… it’s… it’s all a misunderstanding. You… you never seduced me. Really, you didn’t. I don’t even know how everyone got that idea.”

A male educated youth who had read Wen Jiao’s file raised his hand and said, “I can testify for Comrade Wen. In fact, it was always Yang Shuming who kept pestering her. She never wanted to deal with him. He’s the one who spread rumors saying Comrade Wen seduced him.”

“Sun Lei, what nonsense are you talking about?” Yang Shuming panicked. “You just want to make trouble! Don’t think I don’t know—you like Wen Jiao yourself, and since you don’t have the guts to pursue her, you’re smearing me instead!”