Chapter 9: Who Was Really Scheming Against Her?

The roads at this time weren’t like decades later, where solar-powered street lamps were everywhere. Now, even having electricity was rare. At best, families used candles or kerosene lamps.

As for those in worse conditions—they could only grope around in the dark.

Jiang Yunhe found it odd. She couldn’t help but wave her hand in front of Chu Peihan’s face, testing if he would react. But Chu Peihan remained utterly calm, as if he hadn’t noticed her movements at all.

Could it be… she was wrong about him?

Guilt rose in Jiang Yunhe’s heart. How could she suspect him?

Chu Peihan was the one person in this world who treated her best. Even if everyone else deceived her, he never would.

She should believe in him.

Chu Peihan listened to the sounds inside the house, his expression somewhat complicated. In a low voice, he asked, “What are you doing here?”

Jiang Yunhe: “…”

If she said she came to take revenge on Widow Liu, would that make her seem petty?

But if she didn’t explain…

Chu Peihan could more or less guess her intentions. He felt a little helpless, but putting himself in her shoes, he realized he’d probably do worse if he were her.

He didn’t blame her.

It was those people who had gone too far.

“I’ll help you.”

“No need. You should go back and rest,” Jiang Yunhe said, pulling him away. No way could she let Chu Peihan get involved in this. He was upright, righteous, and honorable. He stood for truth and fairness. How could he stoop to this kind of petty scheming? Absolutely not!

Chu Peihan gave off such a positive vibe—it just wasn’t possible.

He was being pushed back by her, which wasn’t what he wanted. Since he was already here, he intended to help her solve the problem before leaving.

Otherwise, wouldn’t all this effort be in vain?

Just as he was about to speak, the two people inside the house had already finished their business and were talking.

Wang Tiejiang was panting heavily, gasping in the corner.

Chu Peihan clenched his jaw, calculating the odds of killing him directly. He couldn’t let that man roam free any longer.

Just thinking that the Jiang family wanted to marry her off to that kind of man made his stomach churn.

Jiang Yunhe was too focused on listening to him now. She quickly got out of his arms and perked up her ears to eavesdrop.

Widow Liu’s voice was still tinged with flirtation as she said sweetly, “You rascal, we’re about to get married and you’re still this rough. I wonder if that Jiang girl can even handle you.”

Wang Tiejiang chuckled. “C’mon, you know who I care about. I promise, even if I marry her, I won’t touch her. You can be at ease.”

Widow Liu snorted, “At ease, my foot. If anyone should be worried, it’s your wife who’s been dead for years. What’s it got to do with me?”

At the end of the day, their relationship was nothing but a fling.

Chu Peihan instinctively tried to cover Jiang Yunhe’s ears. He didn’t want her to hear such filthy words—it made him feel sick inside.

Jiang Yunhe quietly peeled his hands away and held them in hers, scratching his palm gently.

What she wanted to know now was—who had been scheming against her all along?

So this whole setup had started long ago?

Wang Tiejiang wanting to marry her—was it all a trap from the beginning?

But why hadn’t the two gotten to the point yet? She needed a real plan, not more innuendo.

Fortunately, Widow Liu finally got to the main point.

“Hey, I say, Fang Zhiqing is really cruel. We don’t know what hatred she has with the girl from the Jiang family. She wants to force Sun Meilin to marry you!”

“Who knows?” Wang Tiejiang scoffed. “If a pie falls from the sky, you take it. Why ask where it came from?” He was more than happy to have someone gift him a young girl to vent his anger on.

When Sun Meilin first came to him, he thought she’d gone crazy. That was her own daughter—pretty and young. Even if she needed money, she could easily find a guy in his twenties for her.

But no.

Fang Zhiqing, Fang Mianmian.

Jiang Yunhe’s eyes flashed when she heard that name. So it was her!

Not a surprise.

Fang Mianmian had come from the city a few years back. Her background was solid—supposedly from an intellectual family in Beijing. Somehow, she and Sun Meilin had hit it off. Sun Meilin treated her like her own daughter… no, more like her own mother!

But Jiang Yunhe had never had any conflict with Fang Mianmian. No disputes, no rivalry. So why was she targeted?

Something didn’t add up.

Crazy.

Chu Peihan frowned as well. He had met Fang Mianmian once. She looked soft and delicate but didn’t seem decent. Always flirting with the village men whenever she had free time.

Still, he was blind and had just returned from military service, so he’d never interacted with her directly.

Inside, Widow Liu twisted Wang Tiejiang’s arm, clearly upset. “You sly dog. You’ve got money, huh? Then why didn’t I see a penny of it before? I’ve been sleeping with you all this time for nothing!”

She was pissed.

They’d had a thing going for a while, and in the end, she hadn’t gotten a single benefit—just lost everything instead.

Wang Tiejiang hurriedly explained, “What are you saying? I don’t have 300 yuan! You know how poor I am. And even if I did have that much, I wouldn’t spend it. At most, I’d give 50. I only said 300 publicly.”

As for the other 250? That had nothing to do with him.

Jiang Yunhe hadn’t expected this part at all. Her whole body trembled in anger.

So Sun Meilin had thrown out a ridiculous bride price just to scare away suitors?

And she’d been fooled for two lifetimes!

Chu Peihan instinctively pulled her into his arms, his heart aching. Being betrayed by her own family like this—how could she not be crushed?

Jiang Yunhe felt like she’d fallen into an ice cave. Only the warmth from Chu Peihan’s body helped her breathe again.

Forget it. She would settle scores one by one.

No rush—they couldn’t hurt her anymore.

But one thing still puzzled her. If Chu Peihan had also come to propose marriage, how had Sun Meilin turned him down?

The thought quickly passed.

Jiang Yunhe shook her head, dismissing it. What did it matter? The important thing now was to make sure this despicable pair got what they deserved.

If heaven wouldn’t deliver justice—she would.

She grabbed Chu Peihan’s hand and started heading back.