Meanwhile, on the other side of the mountain, Cheng You was waiting for Cheng Wenyu to return.
After a long wait, with no sign of Cheng Wenyu, she grew impatient. The weather was hot, and she was sweating profusely after standing for a while.
Instead of Cheng Wenyu, San Leng showed up.
"Sis, what are you doing here?"
"Waiting for Cheng Wenyu. He asked me to take him up the mountain, but after walking not far, he said his stomach hurt and he needed to go to the latrine."
He disappeared after that.
"Let's stop waiting and go look for the Polygonum multiflorum again."
Wild ginseng was out of the question, they just wanted to see if there was any more Polygonum multiflorum.
Cheng You nodded, "Okay, let's go."
It wasn't that she didn't want to wait, but since he hadn't come after such a long time, she couldn't be blamed.
The two walked uphill along the path where they had previously dug for Polygonum multiflorum, and unknowingly reached the spot where Qi Chengyan set traps for hunting.
Qi Chengyan didn't seem to have come today. There was a wild rabbit in one of the traps, but he hadn't collected it.
San Leng licked his lips and said, "The educated youths at the commune are so lucky."
Following Qi Chengyan, they had meat every couple of days.
"How about I bring it down to Brother Yan? Sis, wait here, I'll go cut some vines to tie up the rabbit."
Cheng You squatted by the side, waving her hand, "Go ahead, I'll wait for you here!"
However, after a while, she didn't see San Leng. Instead, she heard a scream: "It's here!"
Immediately, Song Yulian rushed over with a group of people, gritting her teeth and accusing, "Good for you, Cheng You! Let's see if you dare to quibble today!"
Cheng You found her inexplicable, "Quibble about what?"
"You went into the woods with someone! Where is Qi Chengyan? Where is he hiding! I'm telling you, neither of you will get away today. I've caught you!"
Song Yulian's eyes held a clear excitement, wishing she could nail Cheng You to the pillar of shame immediately.
Cheng You suddenly thought of Cheng Wenyu's inexplicable request to take him up the mountain today. Could it be that Cheng Tao had instigated him?
She dismissed the idea immediately.
No matter how close Cheng Wenyu was to her, he wouldn't help his stepmother against his own sister.
Secondly, this place was where she and San Leng happened to walk to, and it had nothing to do with Cheng Wenyu.
If Cheng Wenyu had really intended to do something, he wouldn't have left halfway.
"Aunt Lian, I don't know what you're talking about. I'm not with Qing classmate Qi. If you're looking for Qing classmate Qi, you should go to the educated youth point."
Song Yulian snorted coldly. She had seen Qi Chengyan go up the mountain with her own eyes, so she dared to bring people.
Since Cheng You was here, how could Qi Chengyan not be?
"You've been caught by me, so just confess! Be lenient if you confess, I'm your stepmother after all, and I can still cover up for you in front of everyone. If the Zhao family finds out about this, your marriage with Yunlin might be in jeopardy."
Cheng You blinked innocently and pouted, "But I'm really not with Qing classmate Qi. Aunt Lian, you must have misunderstood."
Seeing her stubbornness, Song Yulian sneered.
Suddenly, everyone heard a voice from the other side.
Song Yulian's face lit up with excitement, her features almost contorted. She pointed in that direction and shouted, "Qi Chengyan is over there, let's go!"
Cheng You frowned, "Aunt Lian, Qing classmate Qi is really not here!"
Song Yulian ignored her protests and led the people rushing over.
She thought Qi Chengyan must be hiding there, but when she ran over, she bumped right into San Leng, who was returning with two vines.
San Leng rubbed his ribs and got up, "What's the rush? You almost killed me!"
Seeing it was him, Song Yulian quickly asked, "San Leng, where is Qi Chengyan?"
"What Qi Chengyan? My Brother Yan isn't here."
Song Yulian's face changed drastically, "How could he not be here! If he's not here, why would Cheng You be here? You're lying! Are you specifically here to cover for them?"
San Leng frowned and said, "Cover for them? Brother Yan isn't here. I came up with Sister Cheng You to collect herbs!"
Song Yulian retorted sharply, "If you were collecting herbs, why would you be here? Isn't this where Qi Chengyan hunts?"
San Leng became even more confused, "Why can't we collect herbs here? We can collect herbs anywhere on the mountain! You're really strange. And how do you know this is Brother Yan's hunting ground when even Sister Cheng You doesn't know!"
Song Yulian was speechless. Of course, she had been secretly observing for many days.
Just as she didn't know how to answer, the village loudspeaker blared.
San Leng recognized it as Cheng Tao's voice.
Listening closely, he realized that Cheng Tao and Zhao Yunlin were having a secret meeting at the broadcast station!
Then, the loudspeaker was turned off.
Cheng You walked up from behind, smiling sarcastically, "Aunt Lian, you wouldn't have come to the wrong place, would you? Your daughter is having a secret meeting with Zhao Yunlin at the broadcast station. What are you doing running up the mountain?"
Song Yulian was shocked and scrambled down the mountain, muttering, "It's bad, it's bad! It's all ruined!"
Cheng You grabbed her clothes, preventing her from leaving.
"You haven't explained yourself yet. You brought a group of people up the mountain for no reason, and without even seeing anyone clearly, you started accusing me and Qing classmate Qi of sneaking into the woods? Where did that come from?"
Song Yulian couldn't even bother to answer her questions, her mind filled with thoughts of Cheng Tao.
She struggled a few times and shoved Cheng You away fiercely, but San Leng caught her.
Even though San Leng was thin, he was strong.
"No one is allowed to leave until we've cleared this up!"
Song Yulian remained silent, but others spoke up.
"Actually, your stepmother suddenly told us she saw you and Qing classmate Qi sneaking into the woods, and asked us to come up as witnesses, so we could explain if the Zhao family asked later."
Cheng You sneered, "So that's how it is. But the reason I came up the mountain was because Cheng Wenyu brought me. Halfway, he said his stomach hurt. I waited for a long time and he didn't come back. Then I met San Leng, so I brought him along to collect herbs."
Those people exchanged glances, "Then we don't know."
As soon as they finished speaking, everyone heard the loudspeaker blare again, followed by the sounds of Cheng Wenyu, Cheng Tao, and Zhao Yunlin arguing.
Song Yulian finally understood. Both she and Cheng Tao had been tricked by that scoundrel Cheng Wenyu.
Listening to Cheng Wenyu's fluent curses, even San Leng wanted to give him a thumbs up.
"Sis, let's go down the mountain to see!"
Cheng You sneered, "Of course, we have to go down the mountain. After all, this matter still needs to be clarified. Don't you think so, Aunt Lian?"
Song Yulian trembled uncontrollably. It was over! Everything was ruined!
"Cheng You, you can't do this! Your father will beat you to death! You don't care about my reputation, you don't care about Cheng Tao, but you should at least think of your father!"
Cheng You shrugged, her delicate face filled with confusion.
"Aunt Lian, what are you talking about? Of course, I'm thinking of my father! It's precisely because of my father that I need to clarify this matter! Slandering me is slandering my father. My father dotes on me the most and would never allow you to treat me like this!"