Liu Zhenshen drew in a slow, measured breath, forcing down the rising irritation within him. Then his gaze shifted, steady and authoritative, toward Li Shuying.
"Little Shuying," he said, his tone firm yet controlled, "is what they are saying true? Did you strike Zhao Xiaojun?"
Li Shuying stepped forward, her expression was calm and composed and when she met Liu Zhenshen's eyes, there was neither defiance nor fear, only quiet respect, "Yes, uncle Liu," she replied evenly. "I did."
A ripple of murmurs broke through the crowd.
Before she could continue, Sun Guifeng's sharp voice cut through the air like a blade, "Did you all hear that?" she cried, pointing accusingly. "She admitted it! She beat my Xiaojun!"
The villagers' gazes shifted, turning sharper, more scrutinizing as they fixed upon Li Shuying.
Chen Meilan's face paled. Panic surged through her as she hurried forward, her voice trembling, "Brigade Leader Liu, please… please understand our position as well," she said, almost pleading. "You have all watched my daughter grow up. You know how quiet and obedient she has always been. That day… the circumstances forced her into taking such an extreme step."
Widow He stepped up beside her, nodding firmly, "That's right," she said, her voice carrying conviction. She turned toward the villagers, addressing them directly. "At that time, it had only been two days since Chen Meilan and her children received the allowance sent by her husband. And immediately, Wang Chunhua and Sun Guifeng came to demand money claiming it was to buy study materials for Zhao Xiaojun." She paused, letting her words sink in, "But tell me, if Zhao Xiaojun truly needed study materials, could Sun Guifeng not use the money her own husband sends home every month?"
Lu Lingmei stepped forward as well, her brows knit in disapproval, "Exactly," she added. "To me, it looked like nothing more than a setup, to force money out of Sister Meilan under the pretense of education. After Brigade Leader Liu emphasized Li Jianhua's education, it seems that very matter became their excuse. This month it is 'study materials.' Next month, who knows what reason they will find?" Her voice hardened, "If you ask me, this Li family simply cannot bear to see Sister Meilan keep any money of her own. Calling it borrowing is too generous, this is no different from theft."
Wang Chunhua immediately exploded, "You shameless wretches!" she shrieked, springing to her feet despite her earlier theatrics. "You dare call me a thief?"
Her voice rose into a shrill tirade, coarse and biting in the manner of a village crone long accustomed to quarrels, "Bah! You mud-born dogs who don't know your own place! Widow He, you dried-up broomstick, have you forgotten how many meals you begged from others in your younger days? And you, Lu Lingmei, don't wag your tongue like a market crow! Look at your own house before pointing fingers at mine!"
Her words grew more vulgar, laced with scorn and ridicule, drawing uncomfortable glances from the crowd.
But before the chaos could escalate further, "Enough!" Liu Zhenshen's voice thundered across the ground, "Stop this at once!" He swept a stern glance over everyone before fixing his gaze on Sun Guifeng. "Speak clearly," he said, each word deliberate. "Is what they are saying true?"
Sun Guifeng reacted at once, her voice rising in firm denial, "Brigade Leader Liu, that is utter nonsense," she said, placing a hand over her chest as though wronged. "How could I possibly do such a thing? I have two children to raise and a large household to support. Every grain, every coin must be counted carefully, how could I have spare money for such expenses?"
She paused, then continued with practiced composure, "That day, my Xiaojun told me that one of his classmates had obtained special study materials from the Capital, rare books that could help him prepare for the college entrance examination. But such things are not easily found, and naturally, they are expensive. That is why I went to Chen Meilan to borrow a small sum, only as a loan."
Her explanation sounded reasonable on the surface and yet a soft chuckle broke the tension.
All eyes turned.
Li Shuying stood there, her lips curved faintly, her gaze calm, almost amused.
Sun Guifeng's composure cracked at once. "Why are you laughing?" she snapped, irritation flashing across her face.
Li Shuying did not answer immediately. She took her time, "I am only amused," she said, "at how conveniently some people can weave lies as though they were truth."
Her brows lifted slightly, "You say you contribute to the household?" she continued. "Then tell us how much? As far as I remember," Li Shuying went on, her voice steady, "you have never contributed a single coin to that household. And that is not merely my opinion, many neighbors here know this well. Is that not the reason for your constant quarrels with Aunt Zhang Xiuli?"
The words landed like stone. For a brief moment, both Wang Chunhua and Sun Guifeng stiffened, their expressions paling.
Sun Guifeng recovered first, her voice rising defensively, "What does that have to do with anything?" she snapped. "How do you know whether I contributes or not? Don't try to shift the matter!" Her finger jabbed toward Li Shuying, "This is not about household accounts, it is about you beating my son!"
But this time, Li Shuying did not even glance at her. Instead, she turned toward Liu Zhenshen, "Uncle Liu," she said respectfully, her tone composed, "if Aunt Guifeng's intentions were truly as she claims, that she wished to borrow money only to buy study materials for her son, then the truth is easy to verify."
Liu Zhenshen frowned slightly, "How?" he asked.
Li Shuying answered without hesitation. "Ask her to bring Uncle Zhao Depeng's allowance passbook," she said. "We need only check the balance recorded in it."
A hush fell.
"If there is truly not enough money in that account to purchase study materials," she continued calmly, "then I will admit my fault and apologize in front of everyone."
Her gaze shifted, locking onto Sun Guifeng.
"But if there is sufficient money… then it will prove that what Aunt Lingmei said was correct."
Sun Guifeng's face drained of color in an instant.
Beside her, Zhao Hongmei's eyes widened as well. Because only the two of them knew the truth.
For years, Sun Guifeng had been quietly hoarding every possible coin. She contributed nothing to the household expenses, leaving even Zhao Xiaojun's major needs to be covered by Wang Chunhua. Every allowance Zhao Depeng sent had been carefully saved, accumulated bit by bit. By now the sum in that passbook was far from small.
Sun Guifeng's composure shattered at once, "No… this cannot be done!" she cried sharply, her voice rising with unmistakable panic. "You have no right to inspect my husband's allowance passbook!" The reaction was too quick and forceful.
Li Changfu's expression darkened almost instantly. His eyes flickered with cold understanding as he shot a sharp glance toward Wang Chunhua, whose own face had turned pale. The two exchanged a fleeting look. After all, this scheme had begun with her.
Li Changde, however, let out a low chuckle, stepping forward with an air of measured disdain, "Brigade Leader Liu," he said, folding his hands behind his back, "surely you are not truly considering the suggestion of a mere young girl?" He cast a sidelong glance at Li Shuying, his lips curling faintly. "This is absurd. How can you expect a military dependent to reveal her husband's allowance passbook before a crowd? Let us not forget, that is the entirety of her family's savings, her lifeline."
His words seemed reasonable on the surface. But Li Shuying's eyes sharpened. She met his gaze without the slightest hesitation, "Why not?" she replied calmly.
Her voice was steady, "My mother is also a military dependent," she continued. "If you argue that Aunt Guifeng cannot reveal her passbook because it represents her entire wealth… then how do you justify your family using my father's allowance for decade?"
Her gaze did not waver, "That same money is my mother's lifeline as well. If your reasoning stands, then perhaps we should begin discussing that matter first."
The words struck like a hammer and heavy silence fell.
Wang Chunhua and Li Changfu stiffened, panic flashing unmistakably across their faces. The crowd, too, grew still, eyes shifting between the two sides as unspoken realizations began to take root.
Li Changde's expression hardened. For a brief moment, he had no answer. He stared at Li Shuying, his gaze turning colder, more calculating. Anger stirred within him.
This girl is just like her father, he thought grimly.
Before the tension could escalate further, Liu Zhenshen spoke again, "Little Shuying's words are not without reason," he said. "However, if it is deemed inappropriate to display the passbook before everyone…" He paused, then added decisively, "I can examine it privately and make a fair judgment."
That should have been a compromise, yet Sun Guifeng's face drained of color. Her heart pounded violently in her chest.
No, she could not allow that passbook to fall into anyone else's hands, not even for a moment. If the contents were revealed… if Wang Chunhua, Li Yulan, or worse, Zhang Xiuli discovered the amount she had secretly accumulated over the years, she would never be able to keep it.
Beside her, Zhao Hongmei's thoughts churned just as violently. Unlike the others, she knew exactly what lay within that passbook.
In her previous life, when Zhao Xiaojun had successfully passed the college entrance examination, Sun Guifeng had handed over the entire savings to him for his journey south. Zhao Hongmei had seen the sheer amount and that memory had burned into her heart like a lingering regret.
Because after taking that money Zhao Xiaojun had never returned.
Her eyes darkened, a cold glint surfacing within them. In this life… that money belongs to me. Not Zhao Xiaojun. Not the Li family. No one else. Her thoughts settled into ruthless clarity.
The next moment, her expression shifted softening into one of concern, almost fragile in its sincerity.
She stepped forward slightly, her voice gentle, almost trembling, "Uncle Liu," she said softly, lowering her gaze, "the reason my mother is hesitant… is not because she has something to hide."
She paused, as if choosing her words carefully, "It is because… there is enough money in the passbook to purchase the study materials."
Sun Guifeng's voice rose sharply, almost shrill with panic, "Zhao Hongmei! What nonsense are you talking about?"
But Zhao Hongmei did not turn to look at her.
Instead, she kept her gaze lowered, her expression soft and restrained, "…but that money cannot be used so casually. That is not idle money, Uncle Liu," she continued. "It is what my mother has saved bit by bit over the years, from what little our family could spare."
She lifted her eyes slightly, her lashes trembling, "My elder brother's future… our family's emergencies… even unforeseen hardships, everything depends on that small savings."
Her voice softened further, almost pleading now, "If we begin taking from it for every sudden expense, then what will remain when something truly important arises? That's why my mother thought of borrowing the money first and than repay it when my father's next month's allowance is credited."
The villagers exchanged glances, their expressions wavering. What Zhao Hongmei had said did not seem entirely without reason. In these uncertain times, when survival itself was fragile, savings were not merely money, it was security, a family's final safeguard against misfortune.
Sun Guifeng stood rigid, her heart still hammering in her chest. Yet as she grasped her daughter's intention, her panic gradually settled. Seizing the justification that had been handed to her, she nodded quickly, her voice regaining strength, "Yes… yes, that is exactly what I meant," she said hastily. "That money is not for casual use it is for the future of our family!"
Zhao Hongmei lowered her gaze modestly, then spoke again in a soft, measured tone. "But, Uncle Liu," she continued, "this matter is not about whether my mother has money or not." She turned toward Li Shuying, her expression gentle yet firm. "Sister Shuying," she said, her voice carrying a faint note of reproach, "there is a saying, even when disciplining, one must not strike without measure. To harm kin is to harm one's own roots. My elder brother came with good intentions. Beating him… was wrong."
Her words were mild, yet they carried the weight of moral righteousness.
A murmur rose from the crowd. Many villagers nodded in agreement.
One elderly man stepped forward slightly, stroking his beard as he spoke in a measured tone, "Brigade Leader Liu, this young girl speaks sense. This matter is not about whether Sun Guifeng had money. It is about Li Shuying raising her hand against her elder."
"Exactly… that is the real issue."
"She should not have beaten him in the first place."
Voices rose one after another, forming a tide.
Liu Zhenshen felt a headache building behind his temples. Though irritation flickered within him, his face remained composed. He cast a brief glance toward the closed doors of the commune office, the meeting inside was still ongoing. He could not afford to let this commotion escalate further in front of county cadres.
Drawing a slow breath, he made a decision.
"Little Shuying," he said, his tone firm but controlled, "what everyone says is not without reason. Regardless of the circumstances, raising your hand against Zhao Xiaojun was inappropriate. He is several years your senior, you should not have struck him."
He paused, then raised his voice slightly, as if delivering a final verdict, "Let us conclude this matter here. You will apologize to Zhao Xiaojun, and this issue will be settled."
Li Shuying's fingers curled into her palms.
Her jaw tightened, reluctance flickering across her calm exterior. She was about to speak, but before a single word could leave her lips, a sharp voice cut through the air.
"We don't want an apology!" Wang Chunhua's voice rang out, loud and triumphant.
All eyes turned.
Her face was flushed with excitement, her eyes gleaming as she seized the moment. "We want compensation," she declared without hesitation.
Liu Zhenshen, who had just believed the matter resolved, stiffened. A flash of anger crossed his eyes, "What do you mean by that?" he asked, his voice dropping in temperature.
Wang Chunhua stepped forward, emboldened, "What I mean is simple," she said, her tone brazen. "Those liberation shoes those brats are wearing and all the things Li Guoqiang sent back from Baicheng, hand them over."
Her gaze swept over Li Jianmin and Li Jianguo, lingering greedily on their footwear. "After all," she continued, lifting her chin, "I raised Li Guoqiang with my own hands. I fed him, clothed him, and made him what he is today. If he has the ability to send such fine things back, then naturally, those things belong to me as well."
Her words were shameless, yet spoken with absolute conviction.
The crowd fell into stunned silence once more.
Li Jianmin, who had remained silent until now, suddenly stepped forward, his face flushed with anger, "We will not give you a single thing!" he shouted. "Everything was bought with our father's hard-earned money. You have no right to take it!"
Wang Chunhua's expression twisted instantly. Her face darkened, and she stamped her foot, "You shameless little wretch! A dry-boned brat who hasn't even grown his wings dares to bark in front of elders?" she screeched. "Who do you think you are, talking back to me like this? Your sister has committed a wrongdoing, and I am only asking for compensation, what right do you have to interfere?"
She pointed a trembling finger at him, her voice rising louder and harsher, "Eating rice grown by elders, wearing clothes bought with family money, and now you dare to turn your face against your own roots? Truly, a white-eyed wolf raised in the house!"
Sun Guifeng, emboldened by the turn of events, also spoke up, her voice laced with calculation, "Are you going against Brigade Leader Liu now?" she said coldly. "Did you not hear his conclusion? Li Shuying is at fault. Compensation is only natural."
Li Shuying's patience snapped.
All this while, she had been quietly observing Liu Zhenshen. His repeated glances toward the commune office doors had not escaped her notice. He wanted to settle the matter quickly before the county cadres emerged and avoid further escalation.
And if pressed further… he might very well concede to Wang Chunhua's outrageous demands. If that happened, they would lose far more than just a pair of shoes.
Her eyes hardened and she stepped forward and spoke clearly, her voice calm but resolute, "Uncle Liu, if this is your final decision… then I am willing to comply."
The moment those words left her lips, Chen Meilan's face turned pale, "Shuying, what are you saying?" she cried anxiously.
Her brothers were equally alarmed.
"Little Shuying, those are our things!" Li Jianmin protested. "How can we hand them over to them?"
But Wang Chunhua and Sun Guifeng's faces lit up with unconcealed greed. Their eyes fixed hungrily on the liberation shoes, as though they already belonged to them.
Li Shuying did not waver.
She continued, her tone shifting ever so slightly, "But, Uncle Liu… before that, I believe we should first deal with a suspect related to a big case in our village."
The words fell like a stone into still water.
Liu Zhenshen's expression sharpened immediately. His full attention snapped back to her.
"A suspect of big case?" he repeated, frowning. "What do you mean? Who are you referring to?"
The villagers stirred in confusion.
"A suspect? In our village?"
"What is she talking about?"
Li Shuying's gaze slowly turned, landing directly on Wang Chunhua. Then she spoke, each word clear and deliberate, "Yes. And that person is none other than Uncle Guofu."
A collective gasp rippled through the crowd.
"Everyone here knows," she continued, "that he has been associating with thugs connected to the Hei Long gang in the county."
Her voice grew colder, "last night, the Public Security Bureau raided the Hei Long gang and uncovered a major human trafficking operation. Every person connected to it was arrested. This morning," she added, "more than ten members of that gang were publicly executed in the county."
Shock spread like wildfire.
She turned to face the villagers fully, "I also heard," she said, "that the Public Security officers are now conducting a thorough investigation to identify all individuals associated with the Hei Long gang."
Her gaze sharpened, "So tell me since Uncle Guofu has been involved with them… should we not report him and hand him over to the authorities?"