Chapter 4: Letter of Introduction

After leaving the youth center, Grandma Ye changed direction and headed toward the brigade leader’s house.

She needed to test the brigade leader’s attitude.

Upon seeing Grandma Ye approaching, Brigade Leader Li Weimin quickly came to meet her.

“Aunt, have you been to the youth center to talk to Wang Jiaojiao? What did she say?”

Grandma Ye sighed and looked defeated. “I went, but Wang Jiaojiao stayed under her quilt and wouldn’t come out. No matter how much I tried to talk to her, she wouldn’t pay me any attention. It looks like she’s really upset this time. I think I’ll wait until she calms down, then I’ll go see her again.”

Li Weimin smirked. “Well, no wonder she’s upset. Who would be happy after losing a tooth, especially someone as proud as Wang Jiaojiao? Besides, Wang Jiaojiao is not like the other youth—her family’s not ordinary. Even I, as the brigade leader, wouldn’t dare to mess with them.”

This was also why he didn’t want to get involved in this matter and preferred that the Ye family handle it themselves.

“Aunt, it’s really important that you persuade Wang Jiaojiao. You can’t let her report this to the commune. The effect on the brigade’s chances of being named an advanced brigade is secondary, but the main thing is that it would be bad for your granddaughter, Ye Sanqiu.”

“Beating a youth is a serious issue. If this matter gets reported to the youth office, Ye Sanqiu could end up in trouble, even spending a few days there.”

Li Weimin wasn’t just trying to scare Grandma Ye. If this matter really escalated to the youth office, with Wang Jiaojiao’s powerful family backing her up, even someone as bold as Ye Sanqiu wouldn’t stand a chance against those in power.

Grandma Ye was clearly shocked. “Is it really that serious? My granddaughter, Sanqiu, may have hit someone, but she didn’t do it without reason. Wang Jiaojiao insulted her first. If Sanqiu has to spend a few days in detention, should Wang Jiaojiao also be punished?”

Li Weimin patiently explained, “It’s not the same. Wang Jiaojiao insulted your granddaughter, but she didn’t cause any real harm to her. Besides, who hasn’t insulted someone in the village? If everyone who insulted others got locked up, there’d be no one left in the village.”

“Aunt, can you guarantee that your granddaughter never insulted anyone in the village?”

Grandma Ye couldn’t make that guarantee.

Her granddaughter not only had a quick temper, but a sharp tongue as well.

There were plenty of people in the village who had been insulted by her!

But…

“My Sanqiu may have insulted people, but she never ruined anyone’s reputation. Wang Jiaojiao, on the other hand, damaged my granddaughter’s reputation. The nature of the offense is different.”

Li Weimin twitched his lips. He wanted to say, with the way your granddaughter is, does she even have a reputation left?

But he remembered his position as the brigade leader and refrained. He cleared his throat and said, “Aunt, let me be frank with you. Your granddaughter, Ye Sanqiu, has really met her match this time. Wang Jiaojiao’s family is not simple. Even I, as the brigade leader, have to show her respect. If you can’t calm her down, and this goes to the commune and the youth office, your granddaughter will be in big trouble!”

Even though he had heard from other youth that Wang Jiaojiao’s family was influential, hearing it from the brigade leader himself felt different. It made Grandma Ye feel like disaster was looming over her granddaughter.

At that moment, Grandma Ye was more anxious than ever.

She realized she couldn’t count on the brigade leader to help any further.

Since that route was blocked…

Grandma Ye gritted her teeth and made a decision.

She slapped her chest confidently and promised the brigade leader, “Don’t worry, I’ll convince Wang Jiaojiao. I may not be good at much, but I am good at smoothing things over and making peace.”

Li Weimin believed her. Over the past three years, Grandma Ye had been there to clean up after Ye Sanqiu time and again. No matter how difficult the situation, when she stepped in, people usually gave in.

He trusted that this time, Grandma Ye would be able to persuade Wang Jiaojiao as well.

“Aunt, I believe in you!”

Grandma Ye let out a sigh of relief, realizing that if Wang Jiaojiao was truly planning to report this to the commune and the youth office, it would probably happen by tomorrow at the earliest.

That meant time was running out for her and Sanqiu.

She needed to get Sanqiu out of there before Wang Jiaojiao could make her report.

With that thought in mind, Grandma Ye had a clear plan and said, “Brigade leader, I came to see you today for another matter.”

Li Weimin frowned slightly, a subconscious alarm ringing in his mind. He became cautious and asked, “What is it?”

Grandma Ye let out a long sigh. “Actually, this is something I’ve never shared with everyone. After you left today, I thought it over carefully and realized you were right. My Sanqiu is not young anymore; it’s time for her to get married.”

Li Weimin breathed a sigh of relief, agreeing, “Aunt, it’s good that you’ve thought this through. I…” Suddenly, it seemed like he thought of something, and his voice trailed off. He looked at Grandma Ye warily.

He thought to himself, Could it be that Ye Sanqiu is aiming at my Red Army son?

Is Grandma Ye here to propose a match for Sanqiu?

His initial relief quickly turned into unease.

He cautiously asked, “Aunt, what exactly did you come to talk to me about?”

Grandma Ye appeared troubled. “Actually, there’s something I’ve never told anyone. Sanqiu has had an engagement since she was a child, arranged by her mother. The boy is from the capital, and he’s the son of a close friend of her mother.”

At the mention of the capital, Li Weimin relaxed. He had initially feared something else was going on, but hearing about the engagement made him more at ease.

“I originally didn’t approve of the match,” Grandma Ye continued. “How could a city boy from the capital marry our uncultured village girl? After Sanqiu’s mother passed, I decided to break off the engagement and planned to find her a reliable country boy when she grew older.”

She paused before continuing, “But three years ago, after that incident, Sanqiu’s temperament changed. I feel guilty for not having raised her better, so I’ve been letting her do as she pleases these past three years. However, Sanqiu is a troublemaker, and I don’t think there’s any young man around here brave enough to marry her. I used to worry that she’d be mistreated in the capital, but now I realize I was wrong. Since she can’t find a match here, I think it would be better for her to go to the capital and meet her fiancé.”

Li Weimin exhaled in relief after hearing Grandma Ye’s explanation.

Thank goodness, he thought. His Red Army son was finally safe.

He was more than willing to see Ye Sanqiu leave the brigade.

Without a second thought, he gave Grandma Ye a thumbs-up. “Aunt, you made the right decision. With your Sanqiu’s capabilities, you don’t need to worry about her being taken advantage of outside. She should have gone out there long ago, instead of staying here in this small place.”

Grandma Ye smiled cooperatively. “It’s just that I, an old woman, have limited vision. Thanks to your reminder, I finally understand. It’s all thanks to you, Brigade Leader, for pointing me in the right direction.”

“You really are the leader of our brigade, always giving the right advice. If Sanqiu is destined for greatness, she owes it to your guidance.”

Li Weimin was delighted by Grandma Ye’s compliments and humbly replied, “I haven’t done much. It’s just my duty as brigade leader.”

Seeing that Li Weimin was in a good mood, Grandma Ye got to the point. “Brigade leader, the reason I came to see you is because I need you to issue a letter of introduction for my Sanqiu so she can go to the capital and meet her fiancé.”

Li Weimin, still basking in the joy of seeing Ye Sanqiu leave, didn’t think too much about why Grandma Ye was asking for the introduction today. He also didn’t question where Sanqiu’s late mother’s friend from the capital was. He simply responded, “I’ll take care of it right away.”

Without hesitation, he turned and went inside. Two minutes later, he returned with a letter of introduction stamped with the brigade’s official seal and handed it to Grandma Ye.

“Aunt, the letter is ready.”

Grandma Ye looked at the letter in her hand and sighed in relief.

Her granddaughter, Sanqiu, would no longer have to go to the farm for reeducation.

“Thank you, Brigade Leader. It’s getting late, so I’ll take my leave,” she said, holding the life-saving letter in her hand. She turned to leave.

But there was still one more problem.

The letter was in hand, but how was she going to convince her granddaughter to go to the capital?

Grandma Ye was really worried!