Li Lian was working in the field, thinking about what happened last night, feeling a stomach full of anger, just as someone started chatting with her.
She immediately vented her fury by cursing Lin Qin.
"It's all because of that damned girl Lin Qin, doing such disgraceful things, making us lose face with her and still daring to show attitude to me. It's getting more outrageous!"
The woman listening got interested, "Lin Qin actually slept with someone?"
Li Lian's eyes flickered, not nodding or denying.
In others' eyes, it seemed like it was true, Li Lian just didn't want to admit it.
Others started to come over and pry further.
Surrounding Li Lian tightly.
Li Lian loved being in the spotlight like this, clearing her throat with pride, she snorted coldly, "That damned girl usually seems quiet, but who would've thought she's rotten inside. Her muddle-headed dad still protects her, can't even talk about it. If he keeps letting this slide, who knows what kind of trouble that girl will cause next!"
"Oh! We can't let such people stay in our village, they'll ruin the young women and wives here!" said one woman righteously.
Another immediately agreed, "Yes! We can't let such disgraceful things stay in our village, no way! We should go talk to Lin Yi, can't let one bad apple spoil the whole bunch!"
"Have you said enough?" Qingxiang's roar startled a group of old women.
Li Lian turned around, feeling a bit guilty when she saw Qingxiang, secretly guessing how much Qingxiang had heard.
Only to see Qingxiang slam his hoe down hard at a foot's distance from her.
"Ah!" Li Lian was so scared she fell to the side, fearfully clutching her chest, coming to her senses, she cursed aloud, "You crazy!"
Qingxiang let out a cold snort, pointing at Li Lian, "Let me tell you! We all know whether Lin Qin slept with someone, the city police and street director aren't blind. You dare to spread baseless rumors, I can get the village leader and village chief to deal with you!"
"What? What does that mean?" asked a bewildered woman.
Qingxiang glared at her, "What else could it mean? Li Lian isn't a good person! A black-hearted rotten thing, and you guys believe what she says, all pig-brained, stupid and foolish! No wonder you get used like pawns!"
The group of women were embarrassed and angry from Qingxiang's scolding, losing face completely.
After Qingxiang left, they all went after Li Lian to settle scores.
It began with just pushing, but eventually turned into a group beating.
Each woman hit Li Lian a couple of times to vent their anger.
When the village leader arrived, Li Lian was lying in the field crying loudly, looking as if she didn't want to live.
Lin Zhi came soon after, wanting to pull Li Lian up, "What happened? Who hit you like this?"
Li Lian cried even harder.
In the end, the village leader called Qingxiang and those women who hit Li Lian over for questioning.
Lin Zhi was furious, but Qingxiang was even angrier, as soon as he entered, he pointed at Lin Zhi's nose and cursed, "Useless fool, can't even control an old woman, yet dare to let her out, aren't you afraid someone will come and bag you up?"
Lin Zhi's face turned pale, "Qingxiang, what do you mean?"
Qingxiang laughed slyly, fearlessly describing Li Lian's rumors about Lin Qin sleeping around.
The village leader's face changed slightly, he had heard rumors about Lin Qin sleeping with someone, since it happened just last night, he hadn't had the chance to investigate with Lin Yi.
"Qingxiang, are you saying Lin Qin is innocent? This isn't a small matter!" The village leader's face was serious.
Qingxiang confidently slapped the table, "Village Leader, if you don't believe me, just send someone to the police station near the Liu family to inquire! Last night Lin Qin reported it to the police, heard even the street director went over, guessing the whole street knows by now.
This kind of thing is quickly verified, I'm just angry that we were unaware, but Lin Zhi and Li Lian were at the Liu family last night. Today I overheard Li Lian spreading rumors about Lin Qin stealing people, ask them if you don't believe it."
The women deceived by Li Lian all nodded furiously.
"Village Leader, we're not unreasonable, we're just too angry. If Qingxiang didn't show up in time, we would've gone to Lin Yi's for an explanation, Li Lian deliberately dug a pit for us to jump!"
"Exactly, her heart is truly venomous! Thinking nobody knows her thoughts!"
Li Lian was furious, loudly retorting, "What thoughts? What thoughts? I didn't say anything, it's your own assumptions, what does it have to do with me? Did I say Lin Qin slept with someone? Did I ever utter those words?"
"What thoughts? Isn't it about Lin Yi not having a son, scheming for his land and house, everyone knows her plan! You dare say you don't want Lin Yi's family fortune?" Huang Guihua mercilessly exposed Li Lian's schemes.
"You're deliberately misleading them!" Qingxiang also retaliated, not minding Li Lian's status as a woman.
The village leader glanced at Lin Zhi and his wife with a somewhat obscure gaze.
Lin Zhi was furious, there was no other way but to curse back, and the longer they stayed, the worse Huang Guihua and the others spoke of them, he could only drag Li Lian away in disgrace.
He didn't even dare demand any explanation.
Qingxiang snorted in triumph.
Huang Guihua and the others felt embarrassed, they said goodbye to the village leader and went back to work.
The village leader helplessly patted Qingxiang twice, "I know you're righteous, but you really offended Lin Zhi and his wife today, be careful they might trouble you."
"I'm afraid of them! My family has seven or eight brothers, and you my cousin covering me, if he dares retaliate, I'll deal with that scumbag!" Qingxiang cursed, thinking about going to Lin Yi later, to remind him of Lin Zhi and his wife's schemes.
Within half a day, everyone in Shanglin Village knew about Lin Qin being abused and falsely accused by the Liu family, and Li Lian spreading rumors.
Even Lin Zhi's schemes for Lin Yi's family fortune were being widely spread.
Some honest elders especially went to question Lin Zhi, all from the same village, by virtue, they had to call him uncle.
Lin Zhi was cornered at his door, unable to forcibly chase people away, feeling extremely frustrated!
Li Lian was even worse off, originally the villagers sympathized with Lin Qin, Li Lian spreading rumors at this time, offended several village women, she couldn't shake off the reputation of a black-hearted person scheming for others' fortunes.
Lin Qin, upon knowing the situation outside, hid at home laughing.
Lin Yi carried fish soup inside, calling Lin Qin and Liu Yaya to eat, seeing Lin Qin all joyful, couldn't stop shaking his head, "You don't have brothers, so you're bullied, Dad is useless, can't stand up for you, can only let you face it alone."
Lin Qin was unhappy, "Dad, why say such things? What's wrong with not having brothers? Without brothers, I stand tall myself! Although Second Aunt is insufferable, she said one thing right, because I was too weak before, that's why others dared bully me, from now on, I'll toughen up, anyone who angers me, I'll return it tenfold, hundredfold!"