Volume One, Chapter Seventeen: Spreading Rumors Once More

“The literal meaning is to obey the organization’s instructions and not to act on your own.”

It seemed someone couldn’t sit still but had been warned by their superior.

The warm breath sprayed across Gu Nanzhou’s neck, instantly making him feel as if he were on fire.

The last time was on the train, when Xia Niannian was still dressed like a little boy. He wanted to check if she had a fever, but just as his hand touched her forehead, he was suddenly grabbed by the arm and pulled into an embrace. Only then did he realize she was a little girl. God knows how he managed to get through that night.

Coming back to his senses, Gu Nanzhou nodded and then took a few classic White Rabbit candies out of his pocket, placing them in front of Xia Niannian. “Consider this your reward for now.”

Seeing the candies, Xia Niannian’s eyes lit up—it was the old-fashioned White Rabbit candy!

She reached out, unwrapped one, popped it into her mouth, and with a satisfied squint, thanked Gu Nanzhou. “Thank you, Captain Gu. If there’s ever anything this good, just come find me. Don’t hesitate.”

Gu Nanzhou had been waiting to hear those words. He nodded, the corners of his mouth curling into a faint, visible smile.

Watching this scene, Wang Hu suddenly became a gossip enthusiast. He gently bumped Liu Zheng and whispered, “Look, look! The captain actually smiled!”

Usually, Gu Nanzhou’s face was as gloomy as a brewing storm. What was going on today?

Liu Zheng barely wanted to acknowledge Wang Hu but did notice their captain seemed much more cheerful when with Xia Niannian.

Today, he even asked for White Rabbit candies in Yonghe Village—those were the ones Liu Zheng bought for his daughter!

But thinking about Gu Nanzhou being married, Wang Hu couldn’t help but feel it was a shame. Their captain had everything he could want. Why couldn’t he marry a beautiful wife like Xia Niannian instead of that scheming woman?

He even secretly wished that shrewish woman would just disappear somewhere along the way.

...

More than half an hour later, Li Meihua finally recovered enough to stand, leaning against a tree. She pushed through the crowd, marched straight up to Xia Niannian, pointed at her nose, and shouted.

“It’s you, it has to be you! Yesterday noon, I saw Yu Mingliang rushing out of your house. You shameless fox spirit must have arranged to meet him at the fields that night for that disgusting business.”

Li Meihua had been making Xia Niannian’s life miserable in the village lately. Since Xia Niannian was tall and pretty, today she wanted to ruin her reputation so no one would want her—and then both her sons could claim her.

Xia Niannian frowned, thinking: Did she mess up Li Meihua’s whole family in a past life? Why did this woman keep causing trouble?

“You had chicken soup noodles yesterday, right? I bet it was Yu Mingliang who brought it. Shameless—if you can’t afford it, don’t eat it. You even seduced a sent-down youth just for a bite of meat.”

As soon as she said this, everyone watching the police examine the body gathered around, stretching their necks to catch the gossip.

“She looks like a decent person, but who knew her taste was so bad? She even went for a cripple. Now look, it’s gone too far—someone died. Just wait to see what happens…”

Before she could finish cursing, a sharp slap echoed. Xia Niannian had fiercely struck Li Meihua across the mouth with the sole of her shoe. Li Meihua lost her footing and collapsed to the ground.

Because Xia Niannian’s move was so sudden and unexpected, no one dared to step forward to help.

Xia Niannian slowly slipped her cotton shoes back on, fixed her gaze on Li Meihua’s eyes, calm and composed, and asked word by word, “Auntie, are you lying about my sister again? Or have you started slandering me now? Let me remind you—spreading rumors is a crime, and the police will take you away.”

Last time, Wang Cui had been lenient, sparing her for the sake of family ties. But Xia Niannian was different. If she provoked her, Li Meihua would regret it beyond cure.

Li Meihua sat on the ground, clutching her aching mouth, wanting to throw a tantrum, but Xia Niannian’s words silenced her.

“Aunt Meihua, don’t say such things lightly. Miss Xia here is from the city. If she had eyes for anyone, it would be someone excellent like Captain Gu, not a lame sent-down youth!” Hou Aixiu’s eldest daughter-in-law, He Mainiao, hurried forward and pulled Xia Niannian back, trying to speak on her behalf.

“Exactly. Don’t think everyone’s as bad-eyed as you. Any man would want her,” Hou Aixiu’s second daughter-in-law, Tian Min, chimed in bluntly.

“Just because she says she’s from the city doesn’t mean she is. Don’t forget how Wang Cui came to our village. Maybe she’s just like Wang Cui—forced by her family to marry an old man and ran away,” Liu Juan, who was closer to Li Meihua, suddenly stepped out from the crowd and fired back at the two sisters-in-law.

“How do you know how she came? Were you there when she came? You remember so well?” Xia Niannian completely lost her composure and picked up on that disgusting word.

“Who are you calling shit?” Liu Juan was about to fight Xia Niannian but was grabbed by the arm by another woman.

“Have you forgotten what happened with Li Ergou?” the woman quickly reminded her.

Liu Juan was over fifty, with brittle bones—she couldn’t withstand a kick from a young girl.

Realizing this, Liu Juan gave up on fighting, but pointed at Xia Niannian, “I think Aunt Meihua is right. You seduced that sent-down youth, didn’t you? You’re the little bitch messing around in the fields last night.”

Gu Nanzhou happened to overhear this as he walked over. He quickly stepped forward, grabbing Xia Niannian before she could react, and shot Liu Juan a dark glare. “What did you just say?”

Seeing Gu Nanzhou, Liu Juan froze, then stepped back and waved her hands nervously. “I didn’t say anything, I was just babbling nonsense.”

No one in Yonghe Village didn’t know about Gu Nanzhou’s reputation. Offending him meant you probably didn’t want to stay in this village anymore.

At that moment, Li Meihua’s two precious sons squeezed into the crowd, intending to watch the commotion. But the moment they came through, they saw their mother sitting on the ground, facing the delicate Xia Niannian.

Yang Xiangdong tried to step forward and greet her but was suddenly grabbed by his mother’s wrist.

“Oh, my dear mother! I only spoke the truth, and this damn girl hit me—Xiangdong, Xiangxi! Mom’s whole body hurts. Do you think I broke a bone? Hurry, take me to the hospital!”

Seeing reinforcements arrive, Li Meihua grabbed Yang Xiangxi’s and Yang Xiangdong’s hands and burst into tears, almost collapsing but caught in time by her two sons.

“You’re not broken, you’re about to die,” Xia Niannian rolled her eyes and added another barb.