Chapter 219: Hatred Towards the Wrong Person

After finishing dinner, Luo Qiao cleaned up and instructed Shitou, “Shitou, you can’t fall behind in your studies these days. If you don’t understand something, ask Brother Lu in the evening. School starts in a few days.”

Shitou looked a bit downcast. “Sister, when will you come back?”

Luo Qiao patted Shitou’s head. “I’ll definitely come back before your school starts.”

Shitou said, “There are still more than twenty days left. I’m afraid my stomach will miss you before I do.”

He chuckled at his own joke.

Luo Qiao handed the key to the gate to Lu Yichen and asked him to water the backyard vegetable garden every few days. Then she locked the door, shouldered her basket, and walked towards the brigade headquarter.

When she arrived, Zhang Dezhen and his younger brother Zhang Degang were just coming out.

Zhang Degang looked at Luo Qiao with mixed feelings. Honestly, this matter had nothing to do with Luo Qiao, but now that his brother had been removed from his position, it seemed that Qiaoyan might not be able to come out for the time being.

He didn’t quite understand the regulations of the authorities, but according to his brother, if Luo Qiao didn’t relent, Qiaoyan would have to spend a few years in juvenile detention. Qiaoyan was a girl, and if she really stayed there for a few years, her proud and arrogant nature might be ruined.

But he couldn’t bring himself to ask Luo Qiao to relent. After all, what Qiaoyan did was really pushing Luo Qiao to the death. Not everyone could be so generous.

Zhang Dezhen’s thoughts were quite different now. There was a deep resentment in his eyes as he stared at Luo Qiao, which extinguished any sympathy she might have had.

Since it was like this, Luo Qiao decided not to greet them or engage with them anymore. She didn’t want to invite trouble for herself.

So she walked straight towards the brigade headquarters courtyard. However, as she passed by Zhang Dezhen, she heard him say, “Luo Qiao, I’ve been removed from my position. Are you satisfied now?”

Luo Qiao stopped, sneered, and replied coldly, “The commune’s cadres wouldn’t remove you without proper reasons, right? Besides, what’s the meaning of your words, Uncle? Maybe you should ask your daughter if she’s satisfied or not?”

Luo Qiao had no intention of saving face for him. She hadn’t done anything wrong, so why should she be harassed and troubled by this father and daughter duo? Did they think she was easy to bully?

Afterwards, she went straight into the brigade headquarters, collected eighty yuan from the accountant Sun Guichang, and then left the village. From a distance, she saw Lu Yichen waiting not far from the village entrance.

Lu Yichen said, “I called Yuan Weicheng earlier.”

Luo Qiao hopped onto the back seat of the bicycle and said, “I wondered how the village secretary could be removed so quickly and still dare to glare at me.”

When they heard this, Lu Yichen’s eyebrows faintly furrowed. He said, “Don’t worry about things here. Take a few days to stay quiet in the city.”

After a while, they arrived at the entrance of the commune. Lu Yichen watched her board the vehicle before turning his bike towards the agricultural machinery station.

Zhang Dezhen returned home and saw his wife had come back, her eyes red from crying. He knew she must have found out what had happened.

He walked over, wanting to comfort her, but realizing there were others in the room, he withdrew his hand.

He softly said, “Our daughter has gotten herself into trouble this time. I don’t have the ability to get her out now, and Luo Qiao still refuses to relent.”

Wang Chunni, her voice trembling, said, “I’ve prepared some things. Let’s go see her again later. Qiaoyan really went too far with what she did, but she’s still young. We can’t just watch her get sent to the juvenile detention center. It would ruin her life.”

Seeing his wife so upset, Zhang Dezhen took a deep breath and said, “Alright, I’ll accompany you to see her again.”

If his wife could persuade Luo Qiao to change her mind, then what did his own pride matter?

Unfortunately, while their ideals were grand, reality was harsh. When they hurriedly arrived at Luo Qiao’s house with some things, they found the door tightly locked.

Now Wang Chunni was anxious and asked, “Didn’t you say the village asked Luo Qiao to rest?”

Zhang Dezhen replied, “I saw her at the brigade headquarters earlier. Should we go ask there?”

Carrying their belongings, they left. By the riverside, people were busy working. A woman who had grievances with Zhang Dezhen’s family said, “Oh, they’re going to see Luo Qiao. She’s gone to recuperate in the city with bruises all over. It’s heart-wrenching to see.”