Song Yan…

Song Yan might actually do what Dong Mingming suggested.

This girl has that ruthless streak.

Dong Mingming felt uncomfortable under the captain's gaze. "Captain, why are you staring at me? I wasn't lying."

Captain Wu completely ignored her.

The brigade leader had already seen through Dong Mingming during his time here; he was just a troublemaker.

Song Yan and Lao Han, who had lived as neighbors for so long, never spoke to each other; there was a certain bond between them. Pushing someone that old into the water, Song Yan retaliated—didn't he deserve it?

This little girl is so cruel for her age.

There were several old newspapers on the table, so Captain Wu simply started flipping through them.

Dong Mingming was already feeling aggrieved, and her frustration only intensified as she recounted her story. Tears streamed down her face; she was hoping the captain would sympathize with her. What did the captain mean by this? Why was he staring at a few tattered newspapers?

All the educated youth from the designated settlement, plus Song Yan, have arrived.

Dong Mingming blinked, surprised to find that Shen Hanyang, Pan Bo, and Gao Weijie, who had gone to the commune, had all come.

Shen Hanyang and Pan Bo guessed that Li Yuanzhao was at the Wei family's house, and that she hadn't returned to the educated youth settlement since coming back from the commune.

Gao Weijie just got back.

All the leaders of the brigade were present.

Dong Mingming then recounted the whole story again.

Shen Hanyang glanced up at her, then lowered his head again. Sure enough, Pan Bo's guess was right. Shen Hanyang wasn't guilty at all now. Dong Mingming was too ruthless. Those people in the thatched hut, if it weren't for the educational conference, would have been like invisible men. They were all that old, with no grudge against each other, why would she kill someone!

Song Yan pointed only at himself, "You're saying I wanted to drown you because of Lao Liao? First, I didn't know you pushed Lao Liao into the water. Second, even if you did push him, I would report you to the brigade for trying to kill someone. Me? Impossible, I'd rather not have my hands dirty."

Dong Mingming's face flushed with anger. "I told you you're framing me. I didn't push the person into the water. You're the one who's associating with bad elements."

"Dong Mingming, you said Song Yan tried to drown you last night. When did you go to the educated youth settlement? How come I didn't know? I didn't leave the settlement at all last night!" Li Yuanzhao asked her. She wasn't guilty at all. She ran into Old Du, who was herding cattle, and asked how Old Liao was doing... Hearing Old Du's words, Li Yuanzhao felt really sad.

"What did you say? You didn't know Song Yan went to the educated youth settlement?" Dong Mingming was taken aback.

Li Yuanzhao: "Hanyang, did you see Song Yan go to our place last night?"

Shen Hanyang was a little hesitant to testify voluntarily. Now that Li Yuanzhao was leading the way, things were much simpler. Besides, Dong Mingming deserved what she did.

Shen Hanyang: "We've been together the whole time! If you didn't see it, I definitely didn't see it either!"

"You actually gave false testimony! Aren't you ashamed? Aren't you afraid of divine retribution?!" Dong Mingming never expected that they would deny that Song Yan had been to the educated youth settlement. She thought that refusing to testify would be the worst that could happen.

Song Yan: "Dong Mingming, how could you promote feudal superstition?"

It's not a major issue of right or wrong, requiring a firm stance or a clear statement. It's just two women arguing, and one side is simply picking a fight. The onlookers in the village immediately started criticizing Dong Mingming.

"Is this guy crazy? Why would Song, the educated youth, hire you?"

"He wanted to freeload off them but failed, so he's looking for revenge!"

"You're so craving food, you're shameless!"

Dong Mingming couldn't help but cry again. "I didn't promote feudal superstition. Song Yan himself said whether you did it or not. If you have the guts, then admit it. Don't let others look down on you."

Song Yan really wanted to laugh. Am I the kind of person who's afraid of being looked down upon? Besides, what does it matter whether someone like you looks down on me or not? "Dong Mingming is sick and needs to take her medicine, you know? It's so late at night, do you think I'm going to come to your place? Are you that pretty?"

Chen Xiaobei and his group of teenagers started jeering, "Let's see if Dong Zhiqing is pretty!"

"So tanned and dark-skinned, what makes her as pretty as us country girls?"

"Ha ha!"

"What do you greenhorns know? You only know if a woman is pretty or not after she takes off her clothes."...

Dong Mingming usually looked down on rural people and always dragged her feet when working. Song Yan didn't mention her role in the weaving group, but simply said that she was the daughter-in-law of the Wei family, so the people in the brigade naturally sided with her. And then there were her friends and relatives; they all egged her on and made fun of Dong Mingming for a long time.

Dong Mingming was so angry that she cried and swore to the heavens and the earth that she had not lied.

But it didn't work.