Chapter 4: No Misunderstanding, I Deliberately Beat You

Su Jianguo was startled. His hand froze mid-air as he stared blankly at his daughter. Then, he looked at the village chief with a bewildered expression. He hung his head, his honest face etched with worry, and asked, “Chief, what… what exactly is going on here?”

The village chief looked at Fu Yanci, then at Su Wantang, his face a picture of helplessness. He sighed, “Alas… Old Su, you… you should ask your daughter yourself!”

Before Su Jianguo could question Su Wantang, Lin Mei, lying on the ground, caught her breath and heard Su Jianguo’s voice. She abruptly opened her eyes, rushed over, and grabbed Su Jianguo’s leg. She wailed, “Old Su! You’re finally back! Your daughter tried to kill Shiyi and me while you were away! You must avenge us!!!”

Su Jianguo looked at Lin Mei, her face bruised and swollen, her hair a mess. He asked in astonishment, “What’s going on? Who beat you up like this?”

Lin Mei lifted her chin, pointing a trembling finger at Su Wantang. She cried, “Who else could it be! Your daughter tried to beat Shiyi and me to death…”

Su Jianguo was shocked, then shook his head. “Impossible, how could Xiao Wan possibly hit someone?” In his mind, his daughter was always calm and never caused trouble. How could she possibly hit someone for no reason?

Hearing this, Lin Mei cried even louder. Full of grievances, she asked Su Jianguo, “Old Su, don’t you believe me?” Seeing Su Jianguo frown without answering, she continued, “If you don’t believe me, you can ask the villagers. Your daughter… she was caught in the house with a strange man by me and the villagers! I originally wanted to discipline her for you, but she went crazy and beat Shiyi and me!”

“Everyone can testify! The village chief is here; they all saw it with their own eyes!”

Su Jianguo looked at the village chief. The village chief twitched his mouth, wiping the sweat from his forehead. He said, “Well… Lin Mei was indeed beaten by Wantang, but Lin Mei, you must be clear, Wantang wasn’t with any strange man in the house, you can’t say such things carelessly!”

The village chief had just asked Fu Yanci why he was in Su Wantang’s room. He now knew the reason. He continued, “Regimental Commander Fu happened to pass by and saw Wantang crying at the door. Upon inquiry, he learned she had lost something, so he kindly came in to help Wantang move the wardrobe to look for it.”

Lin Mei didn’t expect the village chief to side with Su Wantang, becoming even more indignant. Before she could speak, Song Shiyi, struggling to get up from the ground, stopped her. Song Shiyi was also bruised and swollen, and her petite frame made her look pitiful. She tugged at Lin Mei’s sleeve, giving her a wink. Then, she choked out, “Mother, it was a misunderstanding. Look again, that’s my sister’s fiancé, Regimental Commander Fu.”

Reminded by Song Shiyi, Lin Mei noticed the man standing behind the village chief was in military uniform. She had heard a few days ago that Su Wantang’s fiancé, Fu Yanci, was on leave. Song Shiyi had seen Fu Yanci from afar and said she must marry him. He was a military officer, from a good family, and handsome! Why should Su Wantang, that motherless girl, get him? So they drugged Su Wantang. Song Shiyi had specifically asked Fang Shishen, who admired her, to come, intending to ruin Su Wantang’s reputation. Then she would see how Su Wantang could marry into the Fu family! But why wasn’t Fang Shishen here? And why was Fu Yanci here instead? And how could Su Wantang, who drank a large bowl of drugged porridge, be fine?

Lin Mei looked around suspiciously, but didn’t see Fang Shishen. She cursed inwardly: Another unreliable one!

Song Shiyi looked at Su Jianguo, aggrieved, “Dad, it’s all a misunderstanding. My sister certainly didn’t mean to hit us. Please don’t blame her…”

The villagers present, including Su Jianguo, saw Song Shiyi’s appearance and thought she was sensible and magnanimous. Many couldn’t help but sympathize with her. She was beaten by Su Wantang for no reason. Could Su Wantang be possessed by something evil?

Before anyone could speak up for Song Shiyi, Su Wantang interrupted them.

“No, no, no, there’s no misunderstanding. I deliberately beat you.”

This stunned Song Shiyi. She stared at Su Wantang, dumbfounded.

Su Wantang walked to Lin Mei and her daughter, looked down at them, and revealed an evil smile. She asked, “Guess why I only beat you and not others?”

Lin Mei gritted her teeth in anger, “Because you’re sick!”

Su Wantang burst into laughter. “Yes, yes, yes! I’m sick! I’m crazy! So enjoy my involuntary madness! Hahaha…”

Su Wantang raised her leg and kicked Lin Mei, sending her flying onto Song Shiyi. Both of them fell to the ground with a “bang” before they could react.