Chapter 574: The Counterattack of the Original Female Lead 9
"Your mom runs her mouth off, calling Xia Zhiqing a slut, claiming she’s pregnant. Xia Zhiqing couldn’t stand it and hit your mom."
"Your mom deserved to be hit, splashing filth on an innocent girl. She’s pushing people to the edge and not allowing them to fight back?"
At this point, several village women sided with Xia Yuan Chun, speaking up for her.
They all had scratch marks on their faces from the village chief’s wife, their hair disheveled like madwomen, and bloodstains on their scalps where chunks of hair had been pulled out.
When Daquan learned that Xia Yuan Chun had hit his mom, he was about to rush out and settle the score, but the brigade leader held him back. "Daquan, what are you planning to do now? I’m warning you, let this matter rest here. If you really go after Xia Zhiqing, she’ll go to the police and charge your mom with slander and rumor-mongering. Then your mom will be sent to a labor camp."
"Wang Daquan, I’m telling you, I’m not trying to scare you. Your mom slandering Xia Zhiqing as pregnant is defamation, it’s rumor-mongering, it’s a crime. Xia Zhiqing was originally going to report to the police, but I talked her out of it. She was so upset that she hit your mom a few times, but Xia Zhiqing also said that this incident is over, she won’t pursue it further. But if you go and cause her trouble now, and really hit her, maybe your mom and you will all be sent to the labor camp by her."
"Think about it, if someone slandered your sister as pregnant, wouldn’t you hit them too? Daquan, listen to me, don’t blow this out of proportion, or else I won’t be able to cover it up."
The brigade leader talked sense into Wang Daquan.
As for those village women, they and the village chief’s wife were both injured and at fault. The brigade leader mediated, ensuring no compensation was needed, resolving the matter.
In the village, fights over disagreements are common. Once the village officials mediate, the matter is settled.
Yuan Chun squatted by the river, washing small cabbages all morning until her legs were numb.
Only when the off-work bell rang did Yuan Chun drag her stiff legs back to the Knowledge Youth Courtyard.
The educated youths took turns cooking, two a day, pairing a man with a woman. The heavier tasks, like fetching water and chopping wood, were for the men, while the women picked vegetables, washed them, lit the fire, and cooked.
Today it was Cao Meng’s turn to cook. She made a pot of vegetable porridge, with leaves scavenged from the riverside, mixed with a small amount of rice.
Yuan Chun looked at the greenish vegetable porridge and sighed silently, "007, if I sneak into the space in the bathroom to eat beef noodles, will 178 notice?"
"Definitely, Host. Wang Shufang hasn’t given up on sabotaging you. She’s already told 178 to keep an eye on you. The moment you disappear into the bathroom, 178 will notice, and Wang Shufang will surely figure something out."
Yuan Chun cursed heaven under her breath and gulped down the bowl of vegetable porridge.
At noon, they had an hour’s break. After eating, Yuan Chun returned to her room to get her dirty clothes and took them to the river to wash.
"Yuan Chun, wait up, I’ll go with you."
After the morning incident, Yan Hui wasn’t comfortable letting Yuan Chun go out alone. He intended to follow, but another male educated youth stopped him, "Yan Hui, one of the legs of my bed is cracked. Do you have any nails? Lend me a few, and I’ll buy you more next time I’m in town."
Yuan Chun also waved and said, "Eldest Brother Yan, you don’t have to come with me. I can wash by myself."