Seeing her displeasure, Lu Hang quickly waved his hands, ” Linlin, don’t be angry. I don’t want you to repay the money. I always said that money was for you. Do you need money now? I’ll give it to you.” He reached into his pocket to take out money.

Jiang Xinglei watched in shock.

They said Lu Hang was a troublemaker, but he was clearly just a fool!

Jiang Lin frowned, “Are you out of your mind? I have a man and a child. Would I spend your money? You’re deliberately trying to disrupt my family, do you realize that?”

Lu Hang grinned mischievously, “I know you have a man and a child. I don’t mind. I just cherish you, not your man and child.”

Jiang Lin stepped back two steps, keeping her distance from him, and angrily said, “Listen to me. I’ve seen through Meng Yiyi’s true colors and severed ties with her. She used my name to cheat you and Bian Haitao out of money. I didn’t know about it, and I haven’t spent a single penny. Now, go find her and demand your money back!”

Lu Hang spread his hands, “That money I spent was for you. Why do you want it back?”

“Damn it!” Jiang Lin felt like she couldn’t communicate with him at all, like talking to a brick wall.

She ignored him and pulled Jiang Xinglei away, leaving.

She had intended to send him to find Meng Yiyi to return the money, further confirming Meng Yiyi’s bad reputation.

Little did she know he had something wrong with his head.

“Hey, Linlin, Linlin!” Lu Hang caught up with her, “Don’t be angry. What do you want me to do? You say.”

Jiang Lin ignored him and just kept walking.

With a few long steps, Lu Hang caught up with her and ran to the front, spreading his arms across the road. “You still have faith in me, don’t you?”

Jiang Lin stared at him, “You delivered it to the nearby police station, to the public security and Meng Yiyi, ask her how to use my name to deceive me.”

Lu Hang caught up with her in a few strides.

He ran ahead and spread his arms to block her path. “Believe me or not, I still have the evidence. Do you want it?”

Jiang Lin glared at him. “Take it to the nearby police station. Tell them and Meng Yiyi how you used my name to cheat and slander me.”

But Lu Hang wasn’t listening.

He only stared at her face.

It had been several years, and she looked even more beautiful.

Once a cold beauty, now her eyes sparkled with warmth, making her more charming.

Could it be because she had married and had a child, she became even more beautiful?

Why did other women become less attractive after marriage and childbirth?

He couldn’t help but step forward and reach out to touch Jiang Lin’s face. “Beauty…”

Jiang Xinglei immediately stepped in front of Jiang Lin. “If you keep this up, my brother-in-law will hit you.”

He really wanted to see if his brother-in-law could beat Lu Hang.

Jiang Lin shouted directly, “Someone is being a hooligan!”

Lv Hang quickly stepped back, raised his hands innocently, and smiled. “Okay okay, don’t shout, don’t shout. I didn’t do anything.”

He even leaned closer to Jiang Lin’s face and said, “If you’re angry, should I let you hit me once? Or maybe twice?”

Jiang Lin didn’t want to deal with this lunatic anymore.

She grabbed the disheveled Jiang Xinglei and walked away.”

Jiang Xinglei muttered, “Sis, our parents were right not to let you date him. He’s just a complete idiot, far worse than my brother-in-law.”

Jiang Lin replied irritably, “You don’t need to tell me. I warn you, if I catch you secretly meeting with him, I’ll break your legs!”

Jiang Xinglei said hastily, “Of course not! I’m not stupid. I know who’s on my side. You’re my sister. Why would I be close to him?”

Jiang Lin scoffed.

Jiang Xinglei blushed, “When you weren’t home before, I took two letters… I didn’t want to embarrass our parents, so I acted like I hadn’t seen them and asked for some money…”

“Just drop it. Just remember that for me,” Jiang Lin quickened her pace.

Jiang Xinglei was very annoyed.

It seemed she would hold this against him forever.

Behind them, Lu Hang gazed foolishly at her figure. After having a child, why did her figure become even more appealing?

Why was she so beautiful!

In recent years, none of the women he dated were as pleasing to him, so he never got married.

Years ago, he thought he didn’t care about her anymore.

But seeing her now, he realized how much he did care.

He still cherished her the most!

He felt troubled.

Why didn’t the beautiful woman he loved love him back?

Was some country bumpkin better than him? He couldn’t accept it.

Thinking about what Jiang Lin said about the letters, he immediately jumped into his jeep and drove home to look through the letters written by Meng Yiyi, which even included a photo of Jiang Lin.

After Meng Yiyi was taken away, Meng Kaiping and Huang Meini immediately heard about it over the loudspeaker.

The surrounding workers looked at him strangely.

Meng Kaiping protested immediately, “False accusations, false accusations! Yiyi didn’t do anything like that.”

He was so angry he almost got sick.

He hurried to ask for leave to handle his daughter’s situation, but the supervisor refused.

“Meng Kaiping, if everyone takes leave, who will do the work?”

Ignoring the supervisor, Meng Kaiping ran off to find help for his daughter.

He hoped that in the future, his daughter could lead the family well, as the military district leader trusted her.

Unfortunately, he didn’t succeed this time.

He couldn’t reach Bian Haitao on the phone, so he quickly left a message.

He also went to the police station to see his daughter, but they said she was being questioned and couldn’t be seen casually.

Helpless, he had to return to the factory.

Back at the factory, Meng Kaiping was severely scolded by the workshop director. “Meng Kaiping, this is anarchism. During working hours, you can’t take leave and run around like this.

Who will handle production if you’re not working?

Do you think it’s just a small delay?

You’re delaying the entire workshop!

We have rules—going AWOL for a day means a pay cut, and three days’ leave means a demotion.

Didn’t you know? Since you didn’t apply for leave today, your pay for today will be deducted! If this happens again, you’ll be demoted! Reflect on your actions!”

Meng Kaiping had no choice but to go back to work.”

Meng Yiyi was detained at the police station, waiting for her father to call Bian Haitao to rescue her, but he never showed up.

“On what grounds are you arresting me? I’ve already returned the money. I haven’t committed any crime.”

Captain Ding opposite her replied, “Meng Yiyi, no one has accused you of embezzlement.

You’re accused of maliciously slandering Jiang Lin, alleging child-selling and elopement, being a hooligan, and destroying someone else’s family. You better explain yourself.”

“Who? Who accused me? Why would Jiang Lin accuse me? What evidence does she have? I never spread rumors.” Meng Yiyi denied vehemently.

She couldn’t believe Cheng Rushan would accuse her.

Knowing him, although stern, he wouldn’t easily harm a woman.

She was sure Jiang Lin was just jealous and causing trouble.

Cheng Rushan walked in coldly from outside and said, “Of course, I filed the complaint. Rumors can destroy lives. If I believed your lies, wouldn’t it lead to ruin? With such dire consequences, whom else should I sue if not you? Anyone who dares to support you this time, I’ll sue them too.”

His voice was icy, his black eyes devoid of warmth or his usual amiable demeanor.

Da Bao and Xiao Bao had often said that the old witch always tried to convince their mother to leave them and reunite with some man named Bian Haitao.

Since the incident in Shuicai Village, Jiang Lin and Meng Yiyi had severed ties, and Meng Yiyi was supposed to repay the money.

As a man, Cheng Rushan wouldn’t harm another woman again.

But now, Meng Yiyi was spreading rumors near Jiang Lin’s family home that could be life-threatening, and he couldn’t tolerate it.

Last night, Fan Huiyuan had Meng Yiyi arrested, but someone called to rescue her.

Today, he learned that Bian Haitao was behind it.

Today, he would send her to the police station, where she might face three to five years, and let’s see who she could find to help her now.”

If Bian Haitao dared to call, then Cheng Rushan would dare to involve Bian Haitao too.

“I didn’t do it, I didn’t do it,” Meng Yiyi sobbed, admitting only to the money and denying everything else.

Cheng Rushan slapped down two letters Meng Ruirui had helped find. “Do you want me to read these letters word by word to you?”

Captain Ding and the secretary watched nearby, both wondering what Cheng Rushan was up to.

He seemed more like a police officer than they did.

With his authoritative demeanor, they involuntarily moved aside.

Meng Yiyi stared wide-eyed at the letters, looking as if she had seen a ghost.

She reached out as if to grab them. “How is this possible?”

Cheng Rushan was faster, retrieving them with a quick motion. “If you don’t confess, these letters can still convict you.”

Meng Yiyi recognized the letters as hers.

She had thought she had destroyed them all.

She had asked her parents to burn all the letters, and she had checked her home to ensure there were none left.

How could Cheng Rushan have them?

“Where did you get these? Did you steal them from my house? You thief!” Meng Yiyi shouted hysterically.

Cheng Rushan replied calmly, “No, your brother gave them to me.”

“It’s impossible, impossible! You’re lying… I’m sorry, Cheng Rushan, please forgive me. I can’t go to jail, you can’t ruin my reputation.” Meng Yiyi’s tone changed from defiance to tearful pleading.

She knew someone as ruthless as Cheng Rushan wouldn’t back down easily once he took action.

Resisting now would only invite harsher retaliation.

It was better to admit guilt temporarily and later recant, letting Bian Haitao figure out how to get her out.

She had to get out.

She still had to take the college entrance exam next year!

But Cheng Rushan remained unmoved by her tears. “If crying worked, the prisons would be empty long ago.” He stood up and bid farewell to Captain Ding.

As he walked out the door, Meng Yiyi stared at his back with a malicious glare and cursed, “You bastard, you tricked my brother into stealing those letters!”

Cheng Rushan didn’t even turn his head, disdainfully replying, “There are plenty of ways to deal with you. Letters are the kindest option—you should be grateful.”

He left without looking back.

…

Jiang Lin and Jiang Xinglei had sold two scarves at the market and bought some radishes.

It was almost noon when they headed back to the auto parts factory.

At quitting time, they noticed there were fewer people than usual at the factory gate.

Jiang Lin had a bad feeling. “What’s going on here?”

Then they heard someone shouting, “Oh no, someone’s threatening to jump off a building! Hurry, let’s go see.'”

Jiang Xinglei laughed, “There are a lot of fools today. Our buildings are at most three stories high. Jumping would just break a leg or an arm.”

Someone spotted them and shouted, “Quick, go see near the water tower!”

“Oh no, the water tower is tall enough to kill someone! Sister, let’s go see.” Jiang Xinglei grabbed Jiang Lin’s hand and ran.

By the time they arrived, a crowd had gathered around the water tower.

They heard Fan Huiyuan’s voice from inside, “Huang Meini, come down. What good does this do anyone?”

Huang Meini sat on the edge of the tall water tower, arms outstretched to the sky, shouting, ‘l”Heaven, have mercy on us. Yiyi didn’t do anything terribly wrong. Why should she go to jail? Such a good girl, spending three years in jail, how can she face anyone?”

They asked at the police station and were told she might get three years in jail.

“Brother Jiang, sister-in-law, please show mercy. Even if the child is at fault, after so many years of friendship, can’t we work things out? Did you have to call the police to arrest us?” Meng Kaiping’s voice pleaded.

Jiang Lin and Jiang Xinglei squeezed in and saw Jiang Dongjian and Xu Aimei there too.

Meng Kaiping knelt in front of them, crying and pleading pitifully, looking utterly miserable.

In the crowd, people started discussing, “Yeah, they’ve been neighbors for years. Such a small matter shouldn’t be blown out of proportion.”

“I heard it was the Meng family girl who cheated the Jiang family out of a few hundred bucks, and now the Jiangs reported her to the police and she’s facing jail.”

Many sympathized with the Meng family, thinking the Jiangs shouldn’t push things so far.

Some began advising Jiang Dongjian and Xu Aimei.

“Harmony is precious; adults shouldn’t hold grudges against others.”

“Exactly, admit the mistake and apologize.”

Qianbo was also in the crowd, discontented. “Spreading rumors that Jiang Lin sold her daughter and eloped. Jiang Lin’s parents have been ashamed, and now that their daughter is back, they want to kill her. Isn’t that despicable? Should they wait until they drive Jiang Lin to her death?”

“True, tarnishing Jiang Lin’s reputation back then was utterly despicable.”

Meng Kaiping and Huang Meini echoed each other, pressuring Jiang Dongjian and Xu Aimei to withdraw the lawsuit and not prosecute Meng Yiyi, or else they’d be responsible for their deaths.

Jiang Dongjian’s face alternated between red and pale, and Xu Aimei trembled with anger.