CH 11

Captain Li looked suspiciously at his nephew, and had doubts about what he said to him, especially when he smelled alcohol on his body. He was even more worried that this kid wanted to get rid of things and said nonsense. It would be nice if he was right. But if it really offends people, it will not end well!

He asked, “Have you been drinking?”

Li JianYe froze, and then nodded, “Yes, a little. I drank with Lao Shu [1] , but I’m already sober.”

[1] 老叔 / lǎo shū – means old uncle; father’s younger brother; husband’s younger brother.

He had previously assumed that now that Qin LingLing’s husband had died, he could finally take advantage of the situation and have her. Qin LingLing is a female educated youth who is sent to the countryside to re-educate and have no chance to return to the city. Her husband is no longer alive, and she has nowhere to turn. At the very least, by following him, her life may improve, and maybe she can still hope for a return to the city. He even can get her a better job if she intends to stay here.

He also considered how he could entice and threaten this woman into obedience. He went to the supply and marketing agency to drink half a catty of wine with Lao Shu and have some salted peanuts, which put him in a good mood.

On his return to the team leader headquarters, someone from the neighboring village brought Qin LingLing’s husband’s belongings over. He thought that finally there is a reason for him to find her.

So, when he went to the banana plantation to check the situation of the educated youths there, he specifically asked someone to find Qin LingLing for him.

After that, he thought about it and got more excited. Knowing that Qin LingLing was on her way, he persuaded everyone on the banana plantation to go back and rest, then work at the rubber plantation with the second team in the afternoon. Although the labor is exhausting, the remuneration is well worth the effort. As a result, people are naturally pleased.

So, he sat in the plantation by himself, waiting for her. But his fantasy shattered in an instant when the other party was unwilling, causing him to get enraged. He had to devise a plan to get her, but he had not anticipated that a man would appear out of nowhere and beat him up without saying anything! When Li JianYe thought of this, he was in pain.

Captain Li felt unhappy and knocked Li JianYe’s head directly. There was a crisp “bam” sound.

Li JianYe groaned again, only feeling bitter in his heart, why is he always got beaten?

Captain Li hold himself back, and he said to the soldier in front of him, “Um, comrade soldier, let’s go inside and talk about it. It’s not appropriate to discuss it here.”

Gu Zheng nodded, “Yes.”

When the four people entered, the onlookers couldn’t see the play anymore, they could only go to the dining hall to have their lunch, only a few people came back to watch the play after eating.

Captain Li first invited them to sit down, and then asked Accountant Fan outside to fill the enamel jar with tea.

“Comrade, please have tea.” Accountant Fan exclaimed respectfully and nervously. But when it comes to Qin LingLing, Accountant Fan did not pour her tea and left.

Captain Li still didn’t understand clearly what was going on. So, he first smiled and looked at the soldier in front of him, “Comrade, what do I call you?”

“My surname is Gu.”

“Oh, Comrade Gu, can you tell me first, what’s going on? I need to understand clearly what is going on, so that I can solve the problem, right?”

Gu Zheng looked at Qin LingLing, wondering what kind of words could be used to make this clear? After all, this matter is about Qin LingLing’s reputation.

But he also thought that Qin LingLing is still afraid and that it would be difficult for her to speak, so he could only speak for her side, but Qin LingLing who was sitting next to him suddenly spoke: “Captain, let me explain it to you!”

Captain Li looked at her, his eyes flashed a trace of surprise.

Qin LingLing told the entire incident, claiming that Li JianYe purposefully enticed her with a job in a rubber factory, and when she refused, he planned to do it the hard way, so she was rescued by Gu Zheng, allowing her to escape from the danger.

Qin LingLing’s voice was soft, as if she didn’t take much effort, but every sentence is accusing Li JianYe’s bad behavior.

Li JianYe listened to it and retorted loudly, “You’re talking nonsense, Uncle-Captain, the truth is like this, this woman wants to seduce me, she wants to go to the rubber factory, and begging me for it, but I didn’t expect that these two adulterers would play a fairy jump on me. And when I refused to agree, they beat me, and now the villain is suing!”

“Li JianYe, you lied!” Qin LingLing who are stay quiet, suddenly turned red with anger.

“Heh, I lied? Qin LingLing, then tell me, who is this man and what is going on here? Didn’t your man just die? Your man death is a heroic sacrifice. But you even have a date with a wild man in the banana Plantation. Unfortunately, I ran into him and now you’re playing Fairy Jump on me. Huh, now you want to accuse me. Don’t think about it. Uncle-Captain, you must believe me, what kind of person am I, don’t you know? Do you think I’m really going to do such excessive things? Even if I usually like to say nonchalant things, but where I have done such things, they’re slandering me.”

“You……” Qin LingLing was speechless. It was the first time she saw such a scoundrel. She suddenly being suspected in doing fairy jump and became an adulterer. She looked at Gu Zheng, this was her husband in name. How can they suddenly become adulterer?

Just as she was trying to explain their relationship. Gu Zheng, who was drinking the tea, suddenly put down the enamel jar with a “bang.”

Qin LingLing looked over and noticed Gu Zheng, who had remained silent, had a calm expression on his face. Even as she looked over, the corner of his mouth had a hint of mockery. Inexplicably, Qin LingLing sensed peace and calmness emanating from his face. She felt that Gu Zheng seemed to be able to settle this matter. Isn’t he trying to make a huge move by remaining silent? Thinking of this, Qin LingLing suddenly became calmer.

Captain Li swiftly calmed them down by waving his hand and saying, “Please, everyone, take a deep breath and listen to me first, okay? Educated Youth Qin, listen to me. Despite the fact that his mouth isn’t very nice, I know this nephew of mine. He appears to be lascivious, yet he’s only said a few hurtful remarks. I often scold him about his terrible behavior, but despite making little mistakes, he has been a team leader on this farm for a long time. Educated Youth Qin, do you think there is any misunderstanding between you two?”

When Qin LingLing heard this, her heart is on fire. “Captain, what do you mean by this? Is it possible that you think we played the fairy jump on your nephew?”

“No, no, I didn’t mean it that way. I’m just wondering if there are any misunderstandings? This matter is neither a big nor small issue. You said that your husband just passed away, yet you’re already causing such havoc. Also…” The captain glanced at Gu Zheng next to her, with a smile on his face, “So, that’s why I ask these questions. This way, there is no misunderstanding, you know, that there was a play like this happening in the team before. After such a thing, if the female educated youth wants something good, so we inevitably need to doubt it.”

“Yes, yes.” Li JianYe hurriedly echoed.

Looking at the two people desperately wanting to get rid of their guilt, Qin LingLing only felt disgusted.

However, presumably they didn’t know the relationship between her and Gu Zheng, so they would accuse them in committing adultery one by one and insist on that there are any shameful relationship between them.

Captain Li saw that she hadn’t spoken, and thought that she was already nervous, so he continued to slowly say: “Educated Youth Qin, it’s not that we don’t want to believe you, but you have to let us have a reason to believe in you, otherwise who will be in the future? If we believed in your word blindly, then what fairness is there in our team, don’t you think so? I am not sure how this comrade Gu appeared there, but I see that you two are familiar, do you know each other ah?”

“Why, what does this have to do with this matter?” Gu Zheng asked.

“Of course there is a relationship, how about this, Comrade Gu, Educated Youth Qin, what happened today, I think it’s just a misunderstanding, let’s not pursue who is right and who is wrong. Let’s take a step back and stop fighting. Let’s reconcile, reconcile, what do you think?”

Captain Li had considered it as well. The husband of the female educated youth in front of him had recently died, and she had been rescued from her nephew by a man in military uniform. It’s unclear what others might think if this issue spreads.

Besides, this is about the woman’s reputation, behind closed doors Qin LingLing can still say a few words, but does she really dare to write to the higher up to denounce them?

He thought it out clearly. If this man cares about her reputation, then he would choose to reconcile. If this matter is not reported to the officials, then there will be no problem. Educated Youth Qin could still stay in the countryside in the future, continues her works in the teams. As for this man, he just appeared here, if he didn’t cause any trouble, he wouldn’t ask too much.

Li JianYe looked at his uncle in favor of himself, and laughed directly, “Uncle, they are not good people, don’t look at this person in a military uniform, he is just a shrewd poor man. They are just trying to get some benefits from us. But we adults don’t care about the villains, let them be.”

“Shrewd poor man?”

Gu Zheng suddenly stood up, staring at Li JianYe with sharp eyes like a falcon. Li JianYe shivered, and went straight behind his uncle, and said hurriedly: “Uncle, he wants to hit me again.”

Captain Li quickly protect his nephew, “Comrade Gu, what do you want to do? You are not allowed to beat people here.”

“Even if I beat him to death today, no one could say anything.” Gu Zheng laughed and rubbed his fist in his hand, his finger bones made a clucking sound, also frightened Captain Li.

Captain Li hurriedly yelled to Accountant Fan who was outside: “Quickly, go find someone. Someone is going to hit us here. Comrade Gu, if I tell you that you can’t hit someone, then you can’t hit someone.”

Gu Zheng ignored his words and walks towards the two of them step by step, scaring them until their faces turns pale.

Li JianYe afraid of being beaten again. So, when he see that hiding behind his uncle are not effective, he hurriedly trying to run. But just two steps after he ran, one foot stretched out, and he tripped on the ground, screaming again.

Gu Zheng said “Oh” with an innocent look, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it.”

Captain Li’s face flushed with anger, and he pointed at him “you” for a long time without saying a complete sentence.

Before he could speak, Gu Zheng turned around and walked to the door again, not knowing who was standing outside, and shouted, “Hey, comrade, can you get me the secretary or the leader above? There is something important. Go call them over, thank you!”

After Gu Zheng finished speaking, he turned around and looked at the nephew and uncle inside. There was an indescribable sharp look in Gu Zheng’s eyes, as if they had seen them through and through, the kind of coldness that seemed to be carved into the bone marrow, both of them can’t help but shiver.