Chapter 4: Ning Honglian Is Not My Fiancée

Zhao Xinghua had sharp eyes and instantly recognized the man as Lu Qinglin. She quickly jogged over and grabbed him.

“Comrade, you came at just the right time! We’re standing up for you right now! We know you’re too shy to speak up, so we’re taking the lead for you.”

Without another word, Zhao Xinghua dragged Lu Qinglin over to the crowd, playing the part of a “justice enforcer” to perfection.

She brought Lu Qinglin over mainly to stir the pot. As long as he confirmed that Su Tangxue had acted indecently, she’d be thrown into the station, no way around it.

Zhao Xinghua was feeling both pleased and excited at the thought.

Afraid Lu Qinglin might be too embarrassed to speak, she quickly added, “Comrade, everyone here has sharp eyes. If you’ve been wronged, just say it. We will definitely get you justice. This is New China, not the old feudal society—if anyone dares to behave indecently, we won’t tolerate it. We’ll get you the justice you deserve.”

She looked at Lu Qinglin expectantly.

But at that moment, Lu Qinglin didn’t even spare her a glance. His gaze went past Lu Yulong and landed straight on Su Tangxue.

Su Tangxue, with her flickering and uncertain gaze, suddenly met Lu Qinglin’s cold eyes. Her body trembled involuntarily, and she quickly looked away in fright.

The original host’s childhood memories surged up and overwhelmed her.

No wonder the original host had always feared him growing up.

Back then, his gaze toward her was terrifyingly cold. Even now, as an adult, just thinking about it made her shiver. That look didn’t belong to a ten-year-old child.

He was only ten when he demanded, eyes red with determination, that Su Tangxue be married to him.

Even Su’s father had probably been frightened then.

“Comrade, say something! Did Su Tangxue try to forcefully kiss you? Was she indecent in public?”

Seeing Lu Qinglin remain silent, Zhao Xinghua couldn’t wait any longer and urged him.

Lu Qinglin finally shifted his gaze from Su Tangxue to Zhao Xinghua.

The entire area fell silent, as if dead. Everyone was waiting for Lu Qinglin to speak, even Su Tangxue, who had been trying not to pay attention, now focused on him.

Then, a cold, emotionless voice rang out:

“She didn’t kiss me.”

Those five words made Lu Yulong breathe a sigh of relief and Zhao Xinghua’s face darken.

“What? Comrade, there’s no need to lie! If you’ve been wronged, just say it. Don’t be afraid.”

Lu Qinglin’s face was cold and stern. “I’m not lying. Su Tangxue didn’t kiss me.”

“That’s impossible! If she didn’t, why was she standing so close to you? And what about the wound on her lip? Why did you push her?” Zhao Xinghua protested, unconvinced.

She wasn’t happy with that outcome and kept arguing.

With Lu Qinglin’s statement backing her up, Su Tangxue became more confident. She figured the male lead wasn’t lying.

So she decided to fight back.

“The person involved already said nothing happened, yet you keep running your mouth? What, you want him to lie with his eyes open just so I get arrested? Would that make you happy? Why are you so vicious? Can’t stand to see me doing okay?”

“I— Then explain the wound on your lip!”

“I bit it myself out of fright, okay?”

“You were standing that close! If not to force a kiss, what else could it be? People don’t push others for no reason!”

Zhao Xinghua scoffed. She didn’t believe for a second Su Tangxue was truly innocent.

“I haven’t seen my second brother in a long time, what’s wrong with catching up? And… I had garlic this afternoon. My breath stank. Maybe it grossed him out and he pushed me—what’s wrong with that?”

Even though her excuse was smooth, Zhao Xinghua still couldn’t help but respond with sarcasm.

“Tch… someone who doesn’t know might think you’re catching up. Someone who does might think you’re seducing your sister’s fiancé.”

Su Tangxue choked on her words and was about to retort when the man beside her beat her to it.

“Ning Honglian is not my fiancée.”

Lu Qinglin’s words shocked everyone present. Were the previous rumors false?

Was it a game of telephone gone wrong, or was there another reason entirely?

The eyes of the gossiping crowd lit up instantly as they stared curiously at Lu Qinglin.

Su Father, not wanting the matter to spread, hurriedly tried to protect his daughter. He grabbed Lu Qinglin’s hand and attempted to lead him upstairs.

The crowd quickly dispersed.

Only then did Su Tangxue finally have a moment to look around the large courtyard.

But just as she lifted her gaze upstairs, she met a pair of calm eyes. The figure on the second floor disappeared almost immediately.

Su Tangxue frowned.

That was her stepsister, the book’s female lead—Ning Honglian.

Her sixth sense told her that gaze just now was extremely unsettling. She didn’t know how long Ning Honglian had been watching.

Judging from the original host’s memories and comparing it to the plot, Su Tangxue was certain this woman was not simple.

While she was still lost in thought, someone called out behind her.

“Xiaoxue, why aren’t you going upstairs?”

Su Tangxue turned to see a woman with braided hair, a vegetable basket in hand, and a headscarf tied around her head. This was her stepmother, Li Chuchun.

Li Chuchun had fled to the eastern city years ago with Ning Honglian and was found by Lu Yulong hiding with her daughter under a bridge.

At the time, Lu Yulong happened to be looking for someone to care for seven-year-old Su Tangxue. Moved by pity, he brought the mother and daughter home.

From what she could recall, over the years, Li Chuchun had treated Su Tangxue quite well, even siding with her over her own daughter Ning Honglian during conflicts.

“Li Aunty, you’re back from the market?”

Even though Lu Yulong remarried, Su Tangxue always addressed her as “Li Aunty.”

“Yes! I bought a chicken. I’ll make chicken soup to nourish you tonight.”

As she spoke, Li Chuchun pulled out a chicken from the basket to show Su Tangxue.

Su Tangxue nodded. It looked quite plump.

In this era, meat was expensive. To buy a chicken likely took a lot of effort, running around different supply stations.

“Lu Qinglin’s here too. Just in time to treat him to dinner.”

When Li Chuchun heard his name, her eyes lit up. “Lu Qinglin is here?”

“Yes.”

“Then I need to get back and cook quickly! Can’t neglect a guest.” Li Chuchun hurried upstairs.

Previously, when Lu Yulong suggested pushing the Lu family’s marriage proposal onto her daughter, Li Chuchun was worried. She feared the man might be trouble.

But after hearing her daughter say he was a company commander, seeing how handsome and reliable he looked in person, she changed her mind.

She now believed having Honglian marry him wouldn’t be a bad choice at all.

With her future son-in-law in the house, as a mother, she couldn’t afford to show neglect, lest she bring shame to Honglian.

Unaware of what had happened between Su Tangxue and Lu Qinglin, Li Chuchun remained immersed in her joy.

Over the past few years, living under the Su family roof with Ning Honglian had been tough. She feared making a single misstep and being kicked out.

After getting officially married to Lu Yulong, things were a little better for her. But for her daughter, it was different. Ning Honglian was living under someone else’s roof, and if either Lu Yulong or Su Tangxue grew unhappy, she could be thrown out at any moment.

Li Chuchun had walked on eggshells all these years, working hard to please Su Tangxue, just hoping Honglian could marry into a good family and have a better life.

Now that her dream was finally coming true, how could she not be thrilled?