“You…”
“You…”
Another moment of speaking in unison made Yun Su burst out laughing.
She realized that every time she talked to Ji Xiangtian, she couldn’t help but laugh. And she was normally someone who kept her composure very well.
Yun Su considered herself a steady, mature adult. But whenever she was around Ji Xiangtian—even though they had only known each other for a day—a cheerful feeling spread through her heart.
Thinking this, she beamed and waved at Ji Xiangtian. “Good morning, Comrade Ji. Are you here to browse the market?”
Ji Xiangtian once again felt as if his eyes had been seared. And strangely, he wanted that searing sensation to happen again.
His head nodded several times, seemingly of its own accord. “Yes, just out for a walk.”
Seeing his slightly dazed expression, Yun Su wanted to laugh again. But this time, she managed to hold it back. After all, they had a life-and-death bond between them!
“Come on, Comrade Ji. If you have time, how about we walk and talk?”
——
“So, your family also lives on the island?”
“Yes, we moved here three years ago. Our hometown is Yangcheng. I went to university in Yangcheng, and I work there too. Both my parents work at the military hospital on the island.”
The two walked along the town’s main road, and as they walked, Yun Su asked about Ji Xiangtian’s basic situation. After spending time with him yesterday, and seeing how well he got along with her eldest brother, Yun Su felt it was good to get to know him better.
Hearing his circumstances, she could tell his family was quite well-off. More importantly, Ji Xiangtian’s words and demeanor were very polite. Being friends with someone like him felt like a spring breeze.
“I’ve never been to Yangcheng! What kind of food is good there…”
As Ji Xiangtian listened to these soft, fluffy little questions, he answered each one very seriously.
Time slipped by without them realizing it—half an hour had passed. They had walked the entire length of the small town’s main road and back.
Just as Yun Su was about to say goodbye and head home, she saw a large crowd streaming out of the supply and marketing cooperative ahead.
——
Half an hour ago, a crowd had flooded in. Now, half an hour later, that same crowd was flooding out. Clearly, the matter had reached its conclusion. Yun Su wondered how the confrontation between Yun Feng and the cooperative had turned out.
With this thought, Yun Su pulled Ji Xiangtian to stand at the side, her eyes fixed on Yun Feng as she emerged from the cooperative.
Yun Feng had barely stepped out of the cooperative’s entrance when she was followed by the cooperative’s director and Chen Xiangye, the saleswoman from the enamelware counter.
“Comrade Yun Feng, this matter arose because Comrade Chen here failed to explain things clearly. The suggestions you made are correct. Our supply and marketing cooperative will hold a meeting to study them.”
Hearing these words, Yun Feng nodded with satisfaction. She felt her efforts hadn’t been wasted. The energy she’d expended had paid off. Most importantly…
With this thought, she turned to look at Gu Zhengrong, who was standing behind her.
This tall, strong man stood behind her like a mountain, supporting her. The warm, masculine aura emanating from him made Yun Feng feel weak all over. If she hadn’t wanted to leave an even better impression on Gu Zhengrong, Yun Feng felt her legs might have given out.
It was his silent support that gave Yun Feng the confidence to finally wear down the cooperative’s director into an apology.
“Director Liu, I also appreciate that your cooperative was willing to listen to our concerns. You are a good leader…”
The two went back and forth several times, and the passersby who witnessed it were thoroughly entertained. Many who didn’t know what had happened grabbed those coming out of the cooperative to ask.
Upon hearing that a saleswoman at the cooperative had a bad attitude, and that Yun Feng had stepped up to demand that she correct it, quite a few people applauded in approval.
The truth was that salespeople at supply and marketing cooperatives often looked down on everyone. Seeing one forced to apologize, people felt that this Comrade Yun Feng was quite capable.
Listening to the applause and seeing the approving look in Gu Zhengrong’s eyes, Yun Feng felt sweeter inside than if she had eaten honey.
But soon, Gu Zhengrong turned and left with his family. Yun Feng lifted her foot to follow, but immediately stopped herself. She knew she couldn’t be too hasty. Soon enough, she would have a wonderful future with him.
——
After watching Gu Zhengrong and his family leave, Yun Feng turned to go back into the cooperative to buy some kerosene. That was actually why she had come today—to buy kerosene for her family. But after the earlier commotion, she had almost forgotten.
However, as she turned, she saw Yun Su and the young man she had met yesterday standing not far away, laughing and talking together.
The smiles on their faces stung Yun Feng’s eyes.
Yun Feng clenched her fists. She thought that a young, clueless girl like Yun Su would definitely have a worse life than her once she got married.
“Isn’t that the man who came out of the sea with Yun Su yesterday? Ha, supposedly she saved him. Look at those two talking now—they don’t seem like strangers who just met yesterday at all.”
Hu Chunhua had shamelessly followed Yun Feng on the ox cart to the market early that morning. Her only goal was to curry favor with Yun Feng. Yun Feng was such a softhearted pushover that sticking with her could yield plenty of benefits.
Yesterday, Hu Chunhua had smeared stinky mud all over Yun Feng, which had clearly made her angry.
So Hu Chunhua had been clinging to Yun Feng since early morning, not letting go. Even during the argument with the saleswoman at the cooperative, Hu Chunhua hadn’t left.
Sure enough, Yun Feng, by her own ability, had subdued the cooperative staff and even gotten the director to see them out.
Such capability made Hu Chunhua feel proud by association. Now, seeing Yun Su getting chummy with that man, she immediately thought of her own brother’s miserable state.
Hmph, laughing and chatting with some wild man, standing so close—yet yesterday, how had she treated her brother!
Yesterday, when her brother had fallen into the drainage ditch and finally made it home, he had immediately started yelling that someone pushed him. As for who pushed him, it must have been Yun Su’s brothers.
What a shameless woman. Her brother even taking a liking to her was her good luck. Otherwise, someone who couldn’t do housework, couldn’t dry seafood, couldn’t mend fishing nets—such a woman would never find a husband.
Thinking this, Hu Chunhua deliberately raised her voice. “Yun Feng, look how cozy Yun Su is with that man! Yesterday she fell in the sea and acted like I pushed her. Look at her now. If you ask me, she probably jumped into the sea on purpose so she could go wild swimming with her lover boy.”
——
She spoke very loudly. There were still many people on the street who had just watched the drama at the supply and marketing cooperative. Hearing these words, they all turned to look at Yun Su.
And Yun Su didn’t hold back.
She shoved her basket into Ji Xiangtian’s arms, crossed the distance with her long legs in a few strides, and landed several hard slaps on Hu Chunhua’s face—smack, smack.
Yun Su’s movements were extremely fast. After delivering the slaps, she calmly walked back and took the basket from Ji Xiangtian’s arms, hooking it back over her own elbow.
Hu Chunhua felt her face swelling and throbbing with pain. She charged forward, wanting to hit back. But Ji Xiangtian had already stepped in front of Yun Su, shielding her behind him.
“What are you doing, what are you doing? Women fighting—what business is it of a man to interfere? Still saying he’s not her lover boy?”
Yun Su shot back without any politeness. “Keep running your mouth! Why don’t you mention how you deliberately pushed me into the sea, trying to kill me?”
When the people around heard this, they let out an “Oh…”
Just a moment ago, they thought it was two girls fighting over jealousy. But now it had turned into attempted murder.
Everyone’s eyes widened. They looked back and forth between Yun Su and Hu Chunhua, their expressions full of disbelief.
Hu Chunhua was startled by Yun Su’s words. The charge of murder was too heavy for her to bear.
But Yun Su wasn’t joking.
Last night, she had thought it over. The moment she transmigrated, she was drowning in the sea. Could it be that the original body had actually died by drowning? If so, then Hu Chunhua, who pushed her into the sea, was a murderer.
She had already taught Hu Daqiang a lesson yesterday and hadn’t planned on getting further entangled with this family. But Hu Chunhua’s mouth was just too filthy.
Well, this was a perfect opportunity to teach her a serious lesson.
“Let’s go. We’re going to the police to report the crime. I don’t believe that after pushing me into the sea and trying to kill me, the police comrades will let her off!”
——
“Yun Feng, stop her, quickly!”
Hearing that Yun Su was going to report the crime, Hu Chunhua’s earlier arrogance completely vanished. Instead, she was so frightened her legs gave way, and she collapsed to the ground, hugging Yun Feng’s thigh and crying for help.
Yun Feng said, “Xiao Su, Hu Chunhua didn’t do it on purpose yesterday…”
Yun Su laughed dryly. “Whether it was on purpose or not, you can say it in front of the police comrades…”
Not wanting to waste time with such a difficult character, Yun Su held her head high and walked step by step toward the nearby police station. Ji Xiangtian pushed his bicycle and walked quietly beside her, his eyes scanning their surroundings, ready to act if anything happened.
Once inside the police station, Yun Su quickly explained the whole situation in a few words.
The suspect was right outside the supply and marketing cooperative. The police comrades quickly went and brought her in. Even Yun Feng, as one of the witnesses, was kept at the station to give a statement.
After leaving the police station, Yun Su felt very satisfied.
The look of disbelief on Yun Feng’s face just now had been truly delightful. And Hu Chunhua, with her stinking mouth, had only been able to cry tears and snot in front of the police comrades.
“She probably won’t receive a severe punishment for this,” Ji Xiangtian said reluctantly, seeing Yun Su’s cheerful expression.
Yun Su nodded. “I know. After all, I’m perfectly fine. And the only one who saw Hu Chunhua push me was Yun Feng. In the end, she probably won’t get much punishment.”
That’s just how cases were handled in this era.
But Yun Su didn’t regret sending her to the police station one bit. Otherwise, someone like Hu Chunhua might just keep causing trouble. It was better to scare her once and for all—scare her so badly that she would avoid Yun Su every time she saw her.
——
“Hey, do you think I went too far…”
Just now at the police station, Yun Feng had said she was ignoring the bonds of fellow villagers by sending someone to the station over a little misunderstanding—just some petty squabbling between young girls.
Ji Xiangtian shook his head. “I think you did a great thing, and you were very brave…”
This praise made Yun Su’s mood soar even higher. “Hey, I’ve discovered you’re quite good with words! My big brother said yesterday that you have only one flaw—you talk too little…”
Hearing this comment, the corners of Ji Xiangtian’s mouth turned up, and his eyes were filled with deep warmth.
“I do talk very little. But every word I say is true. I really think you’re very brave. However, that Hu woman is no good. When you get home, remember to tell your big brother. And also your cousin…”
Yun Su nodded. She also planned to tell her family about everything that had happened today.
The two walked and talked as they made their way to where the ox carts were parked.
Seeing that not many people had gathered there yet, Yun Su didn’t want to wait too long. She asked Ji Xiangtian what his plans were for the rest of the day. When she learned that he was also planning to go home, she asked without ceremony, “Can you give me a ride back?”
Ji Xiangtian immediately nodded. After making sure Yun Su was seated comfortably, he pedaled off toward the Yunjia’ao Brigade.
The sea breeze blew against them as they rode. Ji Xiangtian felt as if he might just fly away along with it…
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