Chapter 444 Dealing with Wu Jing, Luo Xueli Protects Herself
A Liang counted the one hundred and ten yuan in his hand. Not bad, this business was easy.
"Alright, ask. Hurry up."
Wu Jing quickly organized her thoughts, wanting to ask all the questions she could think of, to avoid paying again for more questions.
"What is the relationship between Zhao Daming, Bai Chufan, and the person surnamed Ye?"
"They are relatives."
"What did the person surnamed Ye do before? Why does he know kung fu?"
"A hunter from the mountains. An old hunter taught him."
"Where are they from originally? Why did they come to live in the countryside, and as a whole family?"
"Don't know where they were from before, but I heard they were fired from a factory. They couldn't make a living in the city, so they came to the countryside."
"The whole family was fired?"
"Believe it or not."
A Liang answered questions without thinking. He might give different answers if asked again later.
"How is that possible? How could they have a car to ride in? Could an ordinary person borrow one?"
"Seems like they have connections in Chuncheng. Otherwise, why would they come here to live? Are you done? I need to go work in the fields. If you delay me for half a day, I'll lose quite a bit of work points."
The veins on Wu Jing's forehead bulged. She had spent one hundred and ten yuan but didn't seem to have asked anything useful. Yet, she didn't know what else to ask. It was truly frustrating.
"Then I'm leaving. If you have more questions next time, come find me. The price will be the same. Also, go away quickly. Be careful not to be caught by the villagers as a thief."
A Liang left with a skip in his step, his mood greatly improved, and soon disappeared from Wu Jing's sight. When she wanted to call out to him, he was nowhere to be found.
"What kind of person is he, he's making me so angry."
A Liang hid not far away, watching Wu Jing. Someone who courted death was delivering herself to their doorstep.
Wu Jing observed Ye Mu'en and the others for a while longer. Unwilling to give up, she decided to contact her father immediately and inform him of the news she had received today.
Ye Mu'en followed Wu Jing not long after she left. She re-entered the post office and stood at a distance, listening.
Wu Jing, as expected, was severely scolded. After all, she had to get back the money she spent today, or she would be heartbroken.
After Wu Jing left with a dark expression, Ye Mu'en also made a phone call, gave some instructions, and then headed to Chunyang Brigade.
Meanwhile, Luo Xueli sat in the room with a somber expression. Upon hearing Wu Jing's voice in the courtyard, she immediately rushed out and dragged Wu Jing away.
"Xueli, what are you doing? Where are you taking me?"
When they reached the foot of the mountain, Luo Xueli released her hand and stared at Wu Jing with a scrutinizing gaze.
"What did you go out to do today? The team leader has called your name several times. You've taken leave twice in three days. Did you go to trouble Bai Chufan again?"
"Why would I go to trouble Bai Chufan? I don't really know him."
Luo Xueli was very disappointed to see Wu Jing spewing lies, and her gaze turned cold.
"Wu Jing, you're still lying to me. You went to Bai Rong Brigade today, and many people in our village know about it. They also know that you were pestering a man at Bai Rong Brigade and got kicked away. Are you still trying to lie to me?"
"What? How would the villagers know? Did you spread the word?"
"Bullshit! I only found out today that you were kicked away. So, it's all true. What did you do to make someone hit you?"
Wu Jing threw off Luo Xueli's hand. She now desperately wanted to know who spread the news about Bai Rong Brigade. If she couldn't explain herself clearly, her reputation in Chunyang Brigade would be ruined.
"It must be Bai Chufan and the person surnamed Ye. I'm going to find them now."
"You still want to go find them? How did I offend you? I could have gotten along with Bai Chufan perfectly well, but it's you, it's you who sees everyone as a bad person, it's your nosiness that has led things to this point. You still don't know your mistake, and you have the audacity to go cause trouble? I, I will never forgive you. Being friends with someone like you is too exhausting."
Luo Xueli actually didn't want to see Wu Jing anymore. Every time, she used the guise of caring for others to prove her own righteousness, as if everyone except herself was problematic.
But now, she had to keep an eye on Wu Jing, lest this madwoman go find Bai Chufan, which would only make Bai Chufan resent her even more.
Wu Jing was very hurt by Luo Xueli's words. After all, she was sincerely looking out for Luo Xueli, fearing that she would find a problematic bad man. Now, the facts proved that her suspicions were correct.
"Luo Xueli, are you out of your mind? Don't you see that Bai Chufan's whole family is problematic?"
"Problematic? Ha! What problems? In your eyes, anyone richer or stronger than you is problematic. That's because you can't stand them. Think about how many people you can't stand."
Ye Mu'en sat in the grass not far away. She found the argument between the two girls very tedious. Soon, the two girls started fighting, primarily because Wu Jing slapped Luo Xueli.
"Since you don't appreciate my kindness, don't blame me for being rude."
Wu Jing rarely lost fights against women, but today she lashed out at her former friend.
Wu Jing turned and left. She had to find Bai Chu Gan and the person surnamed Ye, and she wanted them to pay the price.
Luo Xueli, enduring the pain, quickly followed. Ye Mu'en also followed. It seemed like they could deal with this woman today.
Wu Jing arrived at Bai Rong Brigade again in the late afternoon, close to evening. She had walked back and forth, so most of her day was spent on the road.
A Sen saw Wu Jing and nudged A Liang again.
"The one who brings money is here again."
"Look, it's Brother Mu behind her. I'll go lead her away first, to avoid the villagers seeing her."
Fortunately, it was the time for dinner at home. A Liang quickly came up to Wu Jing and blocked her path.
"What are you doing here? Get out of the way."
"What? Going to find Bai Chufan?"
"What's it to you? I'll find whoever I want!"
"Then follow me. They're visiting someone else's house today. I'm only guiding you because you paid so readily."
Luo Xueli also followed. She couldn't beat Wu Jing, so she could only think of stopping her later and explaining to Bai Chufan.
However, when Luo Xueli saw someone suddenly appear and knock Wu Jing unconscious with a raise of their hand, she was so scared that she fell to the ground. She looked closely and realized it was Comrade Ye.
"You, why did you knock out Wu Jing? She just wanted to ask a few questions."
Ye Mu'en gestured for A Liang to carry the person away and turned to Luo Xueli, saying coldly,
"Go back quickly. Don't come to Bai Rong Brigade again in the future."
"Then, what about Wu Jing? Where are you taking her?"
"She will be fine."
Luo Xueli was truly terrified. She didn't know what to do, nor whom to ask for help. As she tentatively walked to the Bai family's door, she suddenly mustered up the courage to knock.
Bai Chumo opened the door. He didn't seem to recognize Luo Xueli at all.
"Who are you looking for?"
"I, I'm looking for Bai Chufan. Could you call him out?"
Bai Chufan also came out when he heard the commotion. Seeing Luo Xueli, he didn't show much emotion.
"Why are you here?"
Seeing that Bai Chufan didn't seem to dislike her too much, Luo Xueli quickly stepped forward.
"Comrade Ye knocked out Wu Jing. Can you save her? I promise she won't come here again."
Bai Chufan frowned upon hearing Wu Jing's name, and his face turned cold.
"Why did Wu Jing come? Did she come to cause trouble again?"
Luo Xueli lowered her head in shame, tears falling from her eyes. She recounted the previous events intermittently.
"Heh, then there's nothing for you to worry about. Hurry back."
"I'm sorry, I really didn't know Wu Jing would treat you like this. I had no malicious intent when I came to see you."
Bai Chumo listened vaguely from the side. He had indeed seen Brother Mu kicking someone in the field earlier, but his elder brother had changed the subject before he could ask for details.
"I know. Don't get involved in Wu Jing's affairs anymore. Just pretend you know nothing."
"But what if Wu Jing gets hurt?"
"She's not in mortal danger."
Luo Xueli had no idea how she got back to her residence. When others asked her, she didn't say a word. She was extremely anxious all night. Even if Wu Jing was wrong, she didn't want Wu Jing to be harmed.
The next morning, Luo Xueli was woken by the noise. She didn't know when she had fallen asleep. After she woke up, the first thing she did was look at Wu Jing's bed. The quilt was neatly arranged, as if untouched.
Luo Xueli quickly put on her clothes and shoes and ran out. Seeing someone, she immediately asked,
"Did you see Wu Jing come back?"
The person she asked had a contorted expression and moved aside, allowing Luo Xueli to see the scene not far away.
Luo Xueli looked up and saw Wu Jing leaning against the courtyard gate with a big-character poster on her, completely unconscious.
Outside the courtyard gate were villagers, and some literate people were reading the content of the big-character poster for the villagers.
"I can't believe it. She's not old, but she's done so many wicked things."
"Exactly. How miserable must the families she reported have been?"
"Then do we all have to be careful from now on? We might offend her and get reported at any time."
"......"
Hearing the villagers' words, Luo Xueli's footsteps became heavy. She walked to Wu Jing and slowly squatted down. She intended to wake her up, but after glancing at the content of the big-character poster, she withdrew her hand.
It turned out she only knew a small part of what Wu Jing had done. It turned out that Wu Jing had done so many wicked things for the Wu family.
She recognized some of the people mentioned on the poster. She had wondered why such good families were arrested overnight. At that time, she had felt sorry for those people. Now, she realized that the culprit was actually her good friend of many years.
Luo Xueli shivered. She suddenly felt terrified. If she offended Wu Jing, would she and her family be next?
"Luo Xueli, aren't you and Wu Jing the best of friends? Were you also involved in these things she did?"
"No, I didn't. I don't know anything, I really don't know anything."
Luo Xueli retreated step by step, her face full of fear and unease.
"I argued with her yesterday. Is she going to report me too? She's no longer my friend, and I will never accept such a friend again."
Luo Xueli instantly understood her situation. If she didn't distance herself now, she would have no peace in Chunyang Brigade in the future. Besides, she hadn't participated in anything; she had also been deceived by Wu Jing.
"No way, you seemed very close normally."
"It's true, it's true. Someone should have seen me and Wu Jing arguing yesterday."
Luo Xueli looked hopefully at the villagers. Quite a few people had seen her drag Wu Jing away.
"Yes, I saw it at the time."
"Right, it was the first time I saw Xueli so angry."
"Why did you argue?"
Luo Xueli knew she was saved, at least she wouldn't be treated as the same kind of person as Wu Jing.
"I discovered she was going to report someone she had just met, but that person clearly hadn't offended her and wasn't a bad person. So I went to question her, and we fell out over this matter. I really can't accept a friend like this."
"So that's how it is. It seems what's written up there is all true."
"Team leader, we can't keep someone like this in the brigade. Otherwise, our entire brigade will be in danger. We don't know when we'll be reported."
"Exactly, how can you guard against a thief every night!"
The captain, village head, and secretary of Chunyang Brigade also discussed it. Although such a person as Wu Jing was unwelcome, she hadn't committed any substantial harm to the villagers. They couldn't use this big-character poster to send her back, could they?
When the captain expressed their thoughts, it immediately caused an uproar among the villagers, who insisted on sending Wu Jing away.
Even the villagers joined in the denunciation, as they were the more vulnerable group. Who knew when it would be their turn? After all, quite a few people had had conflicts with Wu Jing.
Seeing the strong public outrage, the village head had to be ruthless and create a situation out of nothing.
"Everyone, please disperse first. We'll ask about it and then provide a solution later."
When only Wu Jing and the village head and a few others remained at the courtyard entrance, a person who looked like a scoundrel suddenly appeared. However, he didn't even glance at Wu Jing.
"Chuanzi, carry her to the brigade headquarters first."
The person named Chuanzi walked towards Wu Jing with some disgust and directly lifted her by the waist and carried her away.
When they reached the brigade headquarters, the village head handed Chuanzi a small knife.
"Chuanzi, you are also a member of Chunyang Brigade. If you handle this well today, I will reward you with twenty catties of corn kernels."
Chuanzi took the knife, his expression serious.
"Okay, Uncle Village Head. You must all bear witness for me later."
"Don't worry, why would we do this if we weren't going to testify. But Chuanzi, this matter must be kept secret from now on."
"Don't worry, Uncle Village Head. If it gets out, I won't get any benefits either."
Chuanzi gritted his teeth and made three cuts on his arm with the small knife, and then another cut on his thigh. The cuts were not deep, but a lot of blood flowed out.
"Alright, alright. Hurry up and report to Officer An, saying that Wu Jing tried to bribe Chuanzi to falsely accuse me, and then Chuanzi refused and was injured. Hurry!"
The captain got on the only bicycle in the brigade and disappeared like lightning. The brigade secretary quickly ran to call people, and the village head quickly stopped Chuanzi's bleeding.
"Chuanzi, you've been wronged. You had to suffer for no reason."
Chuanzi sat on the ground, sweating profusely, his lips pale.
"I did it voluntarily. I really need grain and money."