Director Qian did not chase after her, but the predatory look in his eyes made Cheng You feel uncomfortable all over.
After Cheng You came out, she pushed her bicycle back.
It wasn't disappointment, but a heart full of anger and disgust.
No matter what she did, she couldn't escape Cheng Tianhua, because she had his blood running in her veins.
Cheng You walked forward in a daze. After an unknown amount of time on the road, she suddenly saw a figure by the roadside.
"Uncle Qian?"
He was leaning against a rock by the roadside, clutching his foot, his face contorted in pain.
Seeing Cheng You, he forced a smile.
"It's Cheng You."
Cheng You quickly put down her bicycle and ran over. Up close, she saw a trap clamped onto his foot, bleeding profusely.
"How did this happen?"
Uncle Qian said, "I wanted to go to the commune, and I don't know who put this thing here. I didn't see it."
Cheng You felt her pocket and found some hemostatic powder.
"Let me remove the trap for you, apply some medicine, and then take you to the clinic."
Uncle Qian nodded. "Alright, you can take it."
Cheng You was Uncle Li's apprentice, so he didn't doubt her.
In fact, Cheng You's skills were not yet proficient, and her technique for treating wounds was still clumsy.
After finally removing the trap, she broke out in a cold sweat.
However, the hemostatic powder worked well, and the bleeding stopped soon after.
"Uncle, let me help you onto the bicycle and take you to the clinic."
What followed was like fighting a battle.
Uncle Qian didn't look tall, but he was quite heavy, underestimated by Cheng You.
After helping him onto the bicycle, Cheng You was already breathless and still had to take him to the clinic.
But since she had decided to help, she couldn't possibly leave him halfway. She could only brace herself and take him to the clinic.
Uncle Qian was very grateful and insisted on giving her money, but Cheng You felt too embarrassed to accept.
Since he had said so much, he didn't insist further.
"Then you should hurry home. I'll have someone contact my son to pick me up."
Cheng You thought that since they were at the clinic, there shouldn't be any further problems, so she left.
This trip back and forth had almost exhausted her strength.
She returned the bicycle to Uncle Li's house and, without a word, Cheng You rushed out again in anger.
Uncle Li followed her out and called after her retreating figure, "Where are you going?"
Cheng You ran straight back home without looking back.
Her gaze swept over Song Yulian and, without thinking, she rushed forward and slapped her several times.
"This is the first time I've hit you, but it won't be the last! Song Yulian, don't force me to a point of no return. I have nothing to fear as I'm all alone, but you have a daughter. Even if I die, I'll drag your daughter and grandson down with me!"
Song Yulian was stunned by her fierce gaze and endured the slaps until Cheng You left before she came to her senses, sitting on the ground and crying.
It was only when she saw Cheng Tianhua enter that she cried and complained, "I kindly introduced her to a suitor, and now we're enemies! Cheng You has truly gone too far. Look at my face, if she dares to hit me today, she'll dare to stab you with a knife tomorrow!"
Hearing this, Cheng Tianhua was about to go find Cheng You to settle the score without a word. How dare she hit an elder like Song Yulian!
Before he took two steps, Song Yulian stopped him.
"If you go to her now, you'll definitely argue, and then she'll be even less willing to marry into the Qian family. Tianhua, I'm just complaining to you. Don't be impulsive. If you ruin your plans, how can I be at ease?"
Her understanding demeanor softened Cheng Tianhua's heart.
"I asked the doctor a couple of days ago. A minor surgery can restore fertility, so it won't have much impact. Yulian, you've endured so much for me, and I can't let you down. We'll have another child in the future."
Song Yulian was overjoyed and cried tears of happiness. After enduring for so long, she had finally seen the light of day.
"It's not really enduring. Cheng You is my daughter in name. No matter how bad a stepmother I am, I wouldn't joke about her major life event. The Qian Deputy Director's eldest son is only eighteen. A young couple makes for a long companionship in old age. If Cheng You marries in now, her future life will surely be good."
Cheng Tianhua felt the same way.
This marriage was a perfect match. If Cheng You was still dissatisfied, then she was ungrateful.
Cheng Tianhua looked at her with pity, a trace of guilt arising in his heart.
Song Yulian's face was smiling, but it stung.
She had already grown to hate Cheng You and was even more determined to marry her off, and the sooner the better.
...
Cheng Tianhua and Song Yulian's introduction of a suitor for Cheng You was not kept secret, but people only heard rumors and understood half of it.
San Leng specifically came to ask Cheng You what was going on.
Mentioning this, Cheng You felt unhappy, as if she had a fishbone stuck in her throat.
"It's as everyone says. They want to introduce me to someone, and I disagree."
She didn't want to talk about these things, finding them disgusting.
San Leng asked, "Aren't you dating Brother Yan? Why are they introducing you to someone?"
Cheng You snorted, "If I marry Qi Chengyan, they won't get any benefits. Cheng Tianhua wants to sell me off by weight."
However, it wouldn't be that easy. As long as Cheng Tianhua was shameless, she could make trouble until the end.
San Leng was indignant, "This isn't a father, he's even worse than a stepfather."
Cheng You shook her head, not wanting to talk about such unpleasant matters that would spoil her mood.
Seeing her expression darken, San Leng cleverly changed the subject, "Sister, don't be afraid. Brother Yan will handle anything. You're the厲害 one, to be able to get Brother Yan."
Cheng You squinted at him and tapped his head.
"What do you mean 'get him'? Your words are too unpleasant. I put in a lot of effort."
San Leng chuckled and winked at her, "Who doesn't know you put in effort? Back then, you kept asking me to find out Brother Yan's whereabouts. You don't know, so many women in our village were eyeing Brother Yan. They all said he was like a monk, and only you could move him."
Cheng You was proud, her lips curling upwards, and she said with her chin raised, "It was worth it for me to pretend to sprain my ankle and such. He was destined to be mine. We have fate."
San Leng's teeth ached from her words, but he had to admit that Cheng You and Qi Chengyan were indeed a perfect match, looking like they belonged together.
Cheng You picked up her basket and clapped her hands.
"Enough talk, I'm going down the mountain."
San Leng still had to go gather pig feed, so he didn't follow. He watched her descend the mountain.
He sat there for a while. After Cheng You's figure disappeared from sight, he stood up.
Unexpectedly, when he turned around, he saw Qi Chengyan, his eyes deep.
He was startled and stammered his name, thinking, "Oh no, did he hear everything?"
Qi Chengyan grunted and walked down the mountain.
Seeing that he seemed fine, San Leng cautiously looked back and suddenly saw him stop.
"Besides following her, what else did she ask you to do?"
His voice was clear, yet like ancient ice and snow, emitting a hint of coldness.