I heard from the villagers that when the police came to arrest Cheng Yi and his mother, Cheng Yi shouted that his uncle was the Party Secretary. They said they would release him even if they took him away.

Cheng Qianjin became the shortest-serving secretary in the history of Qingshan Brigade.

When the police came to the village to investigate again, they visited every household.

No one would hide what kind of person Cheng Yi is.

With Aunt Wei and Wei Dazhuang as witnesses, Cheng Yi can't escape this time.

Cheng Yi and Cheng Xiuyun were both reprimanded at a commune-wide education meeting. Many people from the brigade went to watch, specifically to pick up stones and wait to beat them up.

I heard that Cheng Xiuyun was beaten up pretty badly.

The money of dozens of women in the knitting group was all gone. How could they not hate her?

At this moment, Lao Han quietly told Song Yan that judging from the appearance of Widow Wang, she was probably pregnant.

It's still unknown how many years Cheng Yi will be sentenced to, but Cheng Xiuyun has been sent back.

For three consecutive days, the brigade held criticism and education sessions, with Cheng Xiuyun being the first to be criticized, as she was accused of corrupting the village's atmosphere. Cheng Qianjin was also among those criticized, as was the person who forged the testimony for Cheng Yi.

The more glorious they were back then, the more pathetic they are now.

Previously, the people from Qingshan Brigade were relatively easygoing, and they mainly focused on criticism and education. But this time it was different. Everyone kept throwing stones at them.

Every family is struggling. Under the previous system of the weaving group, each person would definitely receive twenty yuan before the New Year. Now, all of that is gone.

Everyone wanted the educated youth to return to the weaving group.

But the educated youth were heartbroken.

Whose fault is all this? Of course, it's the Cheng family.

Moreover, if Cheng Yi hadn't schemed against Jiang Xiaoxiao, Song Yan would still be in the knitting group. With her there, the editing team could hold up half the load…

All this resentment and hatred was directed at Cheng Qianjin and Cheng Xiuyun, and the person who forged the evidence couldn't escape either...

Another criticism meeting began, and everyone in the brigade participated.

Song Yan sat down behind Widow Wang. Song Yan carried a medicine with him; it was the very smell of this medicine that had caused Wu Meili to vomit uncontrollably…

Sure enough, Widow Wang had to leave halfway through the meeting.

"Where are you going?" Song Yan grabbed Widow Wang.

Widow Wang ignored her and was about to leave. Widow Wang was too embarrassed to speak; she felt like vomiting if she didn't open her mouth.

Song Yan: "Back then, the village didn't even punish you for spreading rumors with Dazhuang's wife. Now you want to leave? You should be the one who gets criticized."

The closer Song Yan got to Widow Wang, the more uncomfortable she felt. But Song Yan wouldn't let her leave.

Widow Wang was enduring great hardship, and her face turned pale.

The meeting was in progress when there was a sudden commotion, and everyone looked towards Widow Wang.

"Ugh, ugh, ugh!" Widow Wang started dry heaving uncontrollably.

"Why do I feel like that looks like...?"

"But she's a widow!"

Judging from Widow Wang's appearance, she's most likely pregnant. Everyone in the village who can move is here. There's no way to hide Widow Wang's pregnancy.

The Qingshan Brigade has already made so many jokes, one more won't make a difference.

Besides, how can you keep something like this a secret?

Captain Wu immediately arranged for Wang Wenjuan to take Widow Wang to the commune hospital for a check-up.

Although Widow Wang wasn't sure she was pregnant—after all, she hadn't conceived in so many years—she was still afraid of being forced to undergo a checkup. To everyone else, her fear appeared as guilt.

Wang Wenjuan didn't want to waste words with her, so she directly found two women and forced her onto the carriage.

Needless to say, everyone guessed correctly.

Widow Wang herself had no idea that she was pregnant.

Now there's another question: whose child is it?

Widow Wang confessed that the child was Cheng Yi's. Cheng Yi, however, vehemently denied it. He claimed that Widow Wang and Li De had been having an affair, and that the child was Li De's.

At this point, Cheng Xiuyun said that it was Widow Wang's idea for Cheng Yi to act indecently towards Jiang Zhiqing.

Jiang Zhiqing was, after all, an outsider. Even though Cheng Yi and she were constantly arguing, Jiang Zhiqing didn't dare do anything to Cheng Yi. If people started gossiping about them after a while, Jiang Zhiqing would have no choice but to marry him.

Widow Wang was sent to the commune.

The police officers at the local station interrogated Cheng Yi several times regarding this matter.

Cheng Yi couldn't hold out any longer and confessed everything.

Cheng Yi witnessed Widow Wang throwing Wei An into the ditch. Fearing he would reveal the truth, Widow Wang went to see Cheng Yi several times. Cheng Yi had no ulterior motives; it was Widow Wang who seduced him.

His leg hadn't healed yet, and it wouldn't have happened if Widow Wang hadn't taken the initiative.

The child may not necessarily be his; Widow Wang and Li De have been together for several years.

Li De was also taken to Guan Commune.

The team members hadn't even recovered from the completion of the weaving group when this news came out.

What a ruthless person Widow Wang must be to not even spare a child without parents.

Qingshan Brigade became the laughingstock of the entire commune…

Song Yan had just received a letter from Wei Aiguo the day before, saying that he had been awarded a second-class merit and that the good news would be sent back in a few days.

Wei Aiguo's salary has increased several levels. He'll probably earn at least ten yuan more next month.

Chang Xiaohu will also be assigned to their commune.

These are all good things.

However, Wei Aiguo has been transferred from his original team, and all his work from now on needs to be kept confidential. Don't send him any more letters in the short term; they need to undergo intensive training.

He received the package from last time. It contained enough food for him to eat for a while. Don't worry about him. Once he's settled in, he'll write to let us know his home address.

The letter was mailed to the designated place, where military personnel would hand it over to him.

Aunt Wei was overjoyed to hear that her son's allowance had increased. She then asked if being transferred meant things were better than before.

That's for sure; outstanding individuals will be assigned to units that require confidentiality.

The next day, Chang Xiaohu came to their door.

Song Yan had already told Wei Da Niang about Chang Xiao Hu. Wei Da Niang already knew about this boy who had helped her son. He was an orphan who was bullied by thugs, and Wei Da Niang felt very sorry for him.

When Aunt Wei met him in person, she felt even more sorry for him.

He was about the same age as Cheng Youfu, but much shorter than him.