She wasn't bluffing—last month, she went to the fields with the team to plant rice seedlings. While others planted one mu a day, she, thanks to her modern planting techniques, planted one and a half mu a day, and did so quickly and well. The team leader praised her in public, and getting full work points was a sure thing. If Zhao Jianjun dared to deduct her work points arbitrarily, not only the commune but also the team wouldn't stand for it.

Zhao Jianjun was stunned by Lin Wanqiu's imposing manner and was momentarily speechless. Seeing this, Wang Guilan quickly smoothed things over: "Wanqiu, look at you, why are you in such a hurry? We're just trying to help you. How about this, think it over first and give us your answer tomorrow?"

Lin Wanqiu shook her head: "No need to consider it, I don't agree. Aunt Zhao, Comrade Zhao, please go back, I'm busy drying vegetables." As she spoke, she picked up the bamboo basket next to her and began to sort the vegetables, clearly indicating that she was asking them to leave.

Wang Guilan was about to say something more, but Zhao Jianjun grabbed her arm and said, "Mom, don't waste your breath on her! Let's go!" He glared at Lin Wanqiu, his eyes full of threat, "Lin Wanqiu, you just wait and see how long you can keep up this act!" With that, he angrily pulled Wang Guilan away.

The commotion as Zhao Jianjun slammed the door and left caused debris to fall from the courtyard wall. Nian'an shrank back behind Lin Wanqiu in fright, her small hands clutching her clothes tightly. Lin Wanqiu patted her son's hand, her gaze fixed on the arrogant figure outside the gate. The chill in her eyes was colder than well water in June—this Zhao Jianjun, relying on his father being the brigade secretary, really thinks he's a local tyrant?

"Mommy, he's so mean." Nian'an's voice was trembling with tears. She buried her little head behind Lin Wanqiu's waist, only daring to peek out with one eye.

Lin Wanqiu bent down and picked up her son, wiping the dust from the tip of his nose with her sleeve. Her tone softened, "Don't be afraid, Mom's here. He won't dare bully us." Although she said that, she knew in her heart that Zhao Jianjun wouldn't let this go and would definitely find a chance to retaliate. She had to think of a solution quickly; she couldn't wait to be manipulated.

Just as I put Nian'an back on the small stool, I heard Aunt Wang's voice from outside the courtyard wall: "Wanqiu, was that Jianjun from Secretary Zhao's family just now? What's he doing at your house?" Aunt Wang is a kind-hearted person, but she's a gossip. There's nothing about the team that she doesn't know.

Lin Wanqiu walked to the foot of the courtyard wall and replied through the earthen wall, "Nothing much, just came to sit for a while." She didn't want to make the forced marriage public, lest people gossip. But as soon as she finished speaking, she heard Aunt Wang lower her voice and say, "Don't be fooled by him! Yesterday I saw him whispering with Zhang Lan under the big tree at the village entrance, saying he'd teach you a lesson!"

Lin Wanqiu's heart skipped a beat—Zhang Lan? How did she get involved with Zhao Jianjun again? Those two, one greedy for money and the other arrogant, could never have a good time together. She thanked Aunt Wang and returned to the yard, her mind racing as she looked at the vegetables drying on the line.

Zhang Lan's voice rang out from outside the courtyard gate: "Lin Wanqiu, open the door! My mother wants to see you!"

Lin Wanqiu frowned—Shen Laotai and Zhang Lan coming at this time couldn't be good news. She got up and opened the courtyard gate, and sure enough, she saw Shen Laotai and Zhang Lan standing outside. Shen Laotai was holding a tattered cloth bag in her hand, and her face was gloomy.

"You actually know how to open the door? I thought you were hiding inside and too scared to come out!" Old Mrs. Shen said irritably, pushing Lin Wanqiu aside and walking into the yard, her eyes fixed on the cured meat hanging on the rope. "So you've been hiding cured meat! We eat coarse grains at home, but you're secretly eating cured meat here. Did you move all of the Shen family's things into your house?"

Zhang Lan chimed in, "That's right! Mother, I told you she was hiding something good, but you didn't believe me! This cured meat must have been bought with our Shen family's money!"

Lin Wanqiu sneered, "I bought this cured meat with my own money; it has nothing to do with the Shen family. Besides, I don't have anything from the Shen family here. If you want to look for it, go look elsewhere!"

"You're talking nonsense!" Old Mrs. Shen reached out to pull the cured meat off the rope. "You're a widow, where would you get the money to buy cured meat? You must have stolen money from the Shen family! I must take this cured meat back today!"

Lin Wanqiu grabbed Old Lady Shen's hand and flung it away forcefully: "Old Lady Shen, don't go too far! This cured meat is mine, you can't take it!" She was much stronger than Old Lady Shen, and Old Lady Shen was thrown off balance and almost fell.

Seeing this, Zhang Lan quickly helped up Old Lady Shen and scolded Lin Wanqiu, "Lin Wanqiu, how dare you push my mother? Do you have a death wish?"

"Do I want to die?" Lin Wanqiu's eyes turned cold. "You came here to cause trouble first! Let me tell you, don't think I'm easy to bully. If you dare to come here and steal anything again, I'll report you to the brigade and let the whole brigade see your true colors!"

Old Mrs. Shen was intimidated by Lin Wanqiu's imposing manner and dared not step forward again, but she was still unwilling to give up: "You... don't think you're so capable! I heard that Secretary Zhao's son has taken a liking to you and wants to marry you, and you're not happy about it? I think you're just ungrateful! Zhao Jianjun is the secretary's son. If you marry him, our Shen family will also benefit. But you dare to refuse him. Are you stupid?"

Lin Wanqiu's heart skipped a beat—how did Old Lady Shen know about Zhao Jianjun's visit? It must have been Wang Guilan or Zhao Jianjun who told her. She sneered, "My affairs are none of your business. If you have nothing else to do, then leave and don't get in my way!"

"You!" Old Mrs. Shen was so angry that she trembled all over, but she didn't dare to confront Lin Wanqiu directly anymore. She could only pull Zhang Lan and say, "Let's go! Let's go find Aunt Zhao to settle this! I don't believe we can't deal with you, you little hussy!" After saying that, she stormed off.

Watching the backs of Old Mrs. Shen and Zhang Lan, Lin Wanqiu's anger flared up—these two women were truly stirring up trouble! They even wanted to complain to Wang Guilan; it seemed their future days wouldn't be peaceful.

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!