Chapter 92 : Rescue

With the brilliant glow of the sunset, the bus finally pulled into the bus station.

Liang Junqiang hurriedly got off the bus and ran outside. Plans changed unexpectedly when they encountered villagers herding sheep on the way back, causing the bus to wait on the road for half an hour before it could restart. Given this delay, he wasn’t sure if the last bus to the village had already left.

If there were no more buses, he would have to walk back.

Sighing slightly, he forced himself to stop the troubling thoughts in his mind and ran toward the village parking area, his long legs striding forward with surprising strength and speed. However, a casual glance made him gradually slow down.

“What are you doing?”

Upon getting a clearer view of the situation not far away, Liang Junqiang didn’t hesitate to shout angrily at the people he saw. To accompany Liang Qingqing to the county town, he had borrowed a white shirt and black trousers from Fan Yanxing. Their similar builds made the clothes fit unexpectedly well, without speaking, he could have been mistaken for a dashing gentleman.

However, with his current fierce expression and heavy breathing, he appeared quite out of place.

The people seemed surprised that someone was around at this time and shuddered in fear. But seeing that he was alone, they grew bolder, brandishing their wooden sticks menacingly in his direction.

“Mind your own damn business and get lost.”

The bus station in Fuxin Country was situated in a remote area with few people around, mostly just some small houses. If someone were to do something bad here, it was likely that no one would find out.

They had taken advantage of this isolation, which is why they dared to act so boldly. However, they hadn’t expected to be caught in the act.

The woman, who had already given up, felt a glimmer of hope upon hearing a voice. She struggled with all her might, but her mouth and nose were tightly covered, preventing any sound from escaping. She could only stare wide-eyed at the alley entrance.

“Shut up, you slut!” One of them was about to teach her a lesson, but was stopped by one of his companions. “Hey, don’t hit her face. The others were ugly, but this one is pretty. I might have a use for her later.”

“True enough.”

The men exchanged lewd glances, clearly not their first time doing something like this.

As they prepared to drag the woman deeper into the alley, one of them was suddenly kicked to the ground. Instinctively, he let go of his wooden stick, which fell to the ground with a sharp clatter.

Liang Junqiang picked up the stick, his eyes filled with fury. Taking advantage of the moment when they were still reacting, he struck each of them on the legs with the stick, using about eighty percent of his strength enough to incapacitate them temporarily.

“Let’s go.” Liang Junqiang was self-aware. Although he was strong, he wasn’t very skilled in fighting. One-on-one or two-on-one, he might have a chance, but facing so many, he would only be on the losing end.

So, as the saying goes, retreat is the best strategy.

Seeing the woman slumped on the ground, looking frightened, Liang Junqiang didn’t care about the gender difference. He simply carried her on his back and ran as fast as he could, even faster than before.

When he finally reached the country town and saw that no one was catching up with them, Liang Junqiang slowed his pace.

“Thank you, you can put me down now. It’s just that I didn’t have a chance before.” This was her first time to have such close contact with a strange man. Her heartbeat had long gone out of control, hitting her chest again and again.

The parts of their bodies pressed together felt like a winter’s firepot, burning with intense heat, making her skin feel scorching hot, yet she was reluctant to move away.

Perhaps it was because he had rescued her from so many men, Huang Yali felt that as long as she was by his side, she was in a warm and safe haven.

“Oh, okay.” Liang Junqiang was startled by her sudden voice and quickly put her down. “Sorry, it was an emergency, I…”

Seeing his awkward and unsure demeanor, Huang Yali’s previously heavy and fearful mood lightened considerably. She discreetly used her peripheral vision to carefully examine her savior.

He was a towering figure, a full head taller than her, with well-defined muscles that were robust but not overly exaggerated just the right amount of masculinity, much stronger than the frail male colleagues around her.

His face was handsome with distinct features, especially those fox-like eyes that carried a hint of flirtatious charm. They were incredibly attractive.

But why did those eyes look so familiar? It was as if she had seen them somewhere before.

Temporarily pushing aside the question in her mind, Huang Yali took a deep breath and bowed solemnly to Liang Junqiang. “Comrade, thank you for saving me. Please accompany me to the police station. I want to send those scoundrels to jail and ensure they get the punishment they deserve! It’s also to prevent other women from falling victim to them!”

Her words were resolute and made a significant impact on Liang Junqiang.

Usually, when women encounter such incidents, they often downplay the situation for the sake of their reputation, choosing to minimize or ignore it. But she was different she actively requested to go to the police station. It was known that such matters, regardless of the truth, would attract gossip and could even affect her future prospects.

Could it be because she was young and didn’t yet understand the complexities involved?

Seeing this young woman, who was about the same age as Liang Qingqing, Liang Junqiang admired her courage but couldn’t help but analyze the pros and cons with her.

Huang Yali looked at Liang Junqiang with surprise, not expecting him to discuss these issues with her. She felt a surge of gratitude and was even more determined in her decision.

“Thank you for considering my feelings. But if everyone thought like that, those people would never face justice. I won’t regret the choice I made today.”

“Alright, I’ll go with you to the police station!”

Liang Junqiang had only been to the county a few times and didn’t know which direction the police station’s door faced. He could only follow Huang Yali, walking behind her. She kept glancing back to make sure he was still there before she felt comfortable continuing forward.

Noticing this, Liang Junqiang subtly moved up a few steps to walk beside her, matching her pace as they proceeded.

Perhaps he didn’t realize it, but his large frame taking such small steps made him look somewhat awkward. Huang Yali smiled faintly and quietly pressed her hand against her rapidly beating heart.

Once they arrived at the police station, they separated for individual interviews. Huang Yali had a good memory and had previously reported similar cases at the broadcasting station. She had noted down the suspects’ appearances right after the incident and, under the reassurance of the female officers, she was able to provide every detail without error.

She had taken a leave of absence today to visit her seriously ill grandfather in the neighboring county with her parents. Since she had important work the next day, she had returned alone on the bus.

However, she hadn’t anticipated encountering such a distressing situation near the bus station. Fortunately, Liang Junqiang had saved her, or her whole life would have been ruined.

The police took this case very seriously. After organizing the information, they quickly mobilized personnel to arrest the suspects.

Huang Yali wanted to identify the criminals as soon as possible and refused to go home. The female officer allowed her to stay at the police station and even brought her some hot water.

“I’ll stay too.”

Seeing this, Liang Junqiang, who had initially planned to leave, stopped. Since the last bus back to the village had surely departed, he figured it was better to spend the night on a chair at the police station rather than walking back to the village overnight. He could return to the village early the next morning.

“Thank you, Comrade Liang.” Huang Yali looked at Liang Junqiang with gratitude. From the police’s address, she learned his surname was Liang, the same as Qingqing’s.

Her large, sparkling eyes and disheveled long hair draped over her shoulders made her look exceptionally beautiful with her fair skin and dark hair. Liang Junqiang glanced at her and instinctively turned his head away, clearing his throat. “You’re welcome.”

They were, after all, still strangers, and the atmosphere began to grow subdued after sitting in silence for a while.

As time passed and the temperature dropped with the arrival of autumn, Huang Yali began to feel cold after finishing her hot water. After she rubbed her arms to warm up for the second time, Liang Junqiang hesitated for a moment, then took out his jacket from his bag and handed it to her.

“It’s clean and hasn’t been worn since I washed it. My sister insisted I bring it… If you don’t mind, you can wear it.”

“Thank you.” The jacket he gave her contrasted sharply with the white shirt he was wearing. She didn’t examine it closely but noticed some issues at a glance, like the frayed cuffs and patched corners…

His family might not be wealthy, but Huang Yali felt it didn’t matter. What mattered most about a person was their character. From the moment he rescued her from so many people, he had already earned her highest respect.

Moreover, although the jacket looked shabby, she felt it was worth more than any expensive coat in the world.

Huang Yali clutched the fabric tightly, mustering the courage to turn to Liang Junqiang and uttered what she felt was the boldest thing she’d ever said in her life.

“Comrade Liang, I want to marry you.”

—

“Comrade Liang, I want to marry you.”

Liang Junqiang suddenly sat up from his bed, but when he turned, he didn’t see that dazzlingly beautiful face. He let out a deep breath, rubbed his face with his hands, and since coming back from the country, this line had been repeatedly flashing in his mind, disturbing his peace even at work.

As a divorced rural man, how could he have any chance of marrying a city girl?

He had many shortcomings, but self-awareness was not one of them.

Liang Junqiang expressionlessly put on his shoes, went outside to wash his face with cold water, and then went through his morning routine with care. He started fetching water for the water tank, and by the time he had filled it, the other members of the household began to wake up one by one.

“Why are you up so early today? Don’t you want to sleep a bit more?” Ma Xiuzhi yawned, glanced at the full water tank, and then looked at Liang Junqiang sweeping the yard. She closed her mouth in surprise, sensing something was off.

Meanwhile, Liang Junqiang continued to smile as usual and replied, “I was bitten by mosquitoes and couldn’t go back to sleep once I was awake.”

In this weather, where would the mosquitoes come from?