Chapter 88 Lu Chenzhou approached, gently…

Lu Chenzhou walked closer and said softly, "I should have gone to the factory to find you. I'm so sorry to have made you come out again."

Yu Jiajia joked, "If Director Lu comes to the factory, the factory manager will come to greet you!" She then asked curiously, "What did Director Fang do? What will happen?"

Lu Chenzhou stated the result directly: "He will be executed by firing squad, just like Zhu Jingsong."

Yu Jiajia looked at Lu Chenzhou: "And then?"

Lu Chenzhou: "The people in Director Fang's faction will be dealt with. The cultural troupe will represent Zhou City to perform 'Thunder Sweeps Away the Stubborn Enemy' in the military region, and will then tour various counties and cities in the province."

Yu Jiajia immediately lost her curiosity about Director Fang; as long as he was dealt with, that was enough! No need to worry about the details! The result was very good: "The cultural troupe must be very happy." She took out a stack of cloth coupons from her bag, took out two, and handed them to Lu Chenzhou: "Thank you for the cloth coupons."

Lu Chenzhou chuckled, took the cloth coupons, and then took out a stack of receipts from his pocket and handed them to Yu Jiajia: "I've been benefiting too much from you lately, and I've also received a bunch of rewards. I don't usually need them, so you can use them."

Yu Jiajia stared at the stack of receipts: industrial coupons, grain coupons, meat coupons, cloth coupons, and even a watch coupon! She looked at the receipts in her palm, then at Lu Chenzhou, and asked incredulously, "Give them all to me?"

Lu Chenzhou nodded.

Yu Jiajia: "You're so generous!"

However, she couldn't keep these receipts. She glanced at them again and reluctantly handed the stack of receipts back to Lu Chenzhou: "Never mind, you can keep them."

Lu Chenzhou didn't want to buy anything for Yu Jiajia, so after thinking it over, he decided to just give her the receipt: "If you don't accept it, I won't know how to thank you. Just consider it money spent on my behalf; it would be a waste for me to keep it."

Just then, a disheveled young woman came running from afar. She had lost one shoe, and a tall, burly man was hot on her heels, clutching a thick wooden stick and cursing, "You bitch! You dare to run? I'll break your legs!"

The woman rushed forward in a panic, glancing back frequently. As she drew closer, her legs gave way, and she tripped over a pebble and fell to the ground.

The man grinned maliciously and swung the stick. Just as the stick came crashing down with a whoosh, the woman had nowhere to hide and could only curl up, covering her head. But the expected excruciating pain did not come. She looked up shakily and saw a tall, upright young man standing in front of her, catching the stick with one hand. The young man pushed her with his other hand... Her husband, the tall and strong man, cried out in pain and fell backward.

He fell heavily to the ground.

Yu Jiajia rushed forward and helped the woman up. "Are you alright? Where are you hurt?"

Congratulations on obtaining [(Strength +1)*1, Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Related Blueprint*1 (7/20)];

Yu Jiajia: !!! Power!

The system finally added strength to her attribute!

The woman cried, her whole body trembling.

Yu Jiajia smelled a strong stench of blood and noticed that the woman's exposed skin was covered in wounds, with bloodstains on her collar and chest, indicating that she was badly injured.

The man's tailbone seemed to be cracked, and it took him a long time to get up from the ground. He pointed at Lu Chenzhou and cursed, "Who the hell are you? Mind your own business, huh? Get out of here!" He then angrily shouted at the woman, "Get back here right now, or I'll beat you to death."

The woman trembled all over, and Yu Jiajia stood in front of her, saying, "Who are you? How dare you be so arrogant." She comforted the woman, telling her not to be afraid, "I will protect you."

The woman didn't think that the frail Yu Jiajia could protect her, but at this moment, she still couldn't help but want to grasp at this lifeline.

Lu Chenzhou and Xu Mo went to call the police and waited for them to arrive to handle the situation.

The man roared, "This is my wife! I can hit her however I want! What the hell is it to you?" He rushed forward, raising his hand to smash it over the woman's head. The woman screamed and covered her head, shielding Yu Jiajia in front of her to prevent her from being implicated.

Yu Jiajia was quite eager to test her newly acquired strength, and she swung her fists, ready to give it a try. However, with Lu Chenzhou there, she also had a chance to try. Lu Chenzhou executed an over-the-shoulder throw, slamming the arrogant man to the ground and locking his shoulders behind his back: "Quiet down for a bit and wait for the police to arrive, okay?"

His voice seemed gentle, but his tone was very cold, and he had lost all patience.

The man lay on the ground, his mouth full of dirt. He spat it out, wincing and howling in pain. "What's it to you? I hit my old man, what's it to you? Are you some kind of bastard?"

Yu Jiajia said disdainfully, "You're like a mad dog, biting people everywhere. You think you're right to bully the weak? No matter who you hit, using violence is wrong! The new China is governed by law, and it won't tolerate you using your fists to rule. We will absolutely not sit idly by in this matter!"

The man hadn't expected Yu Jiajia to be so beautiful. He hadn't even seen her face before. Staring at her face, he said, "You don't want me to hit her? Fine, why don't you come with me? I definitely won't have the heart to hit you." Before he could finish speaking, Lu Chenzhou twisted his arm and broke it. He screamed in agony and could no longer look at Yu Jiajia.

The woman's expression changed drastically. She stepped aside to block Yu Jiajia, urging the two of them to leave quickly and not to worry about her.

Yu Jiajia reassured the woman: "Don't worry, we're not afraid of him. He won't be able to hit you again."

What a joke! Lu Chenzhou is the director of the Revolutionary Committee of Qingshan County. Does he think he's afraid of anyone? This matter must be addressed!

Even if it's a married couple, they can't commit domestic violence. If someone hits another person, they should be punished.

The police arrived quickly, recognized Lu Chenzhou at a glance, called him "Director Lu," and rushed over to subdue the arrogant and shouting man.

When the man saw the police treating Lu Chenzhou with utmost respect, he panicked instantly. What Director Lu? But since he was a director-level officer, he was someone the man couldn't afford to offend, so he didn't dare to shout. "Officer, I didn't hit anyone. Hitting my wife isn't illegal. Xu Mei, tell them we were just playing around."

Beating one's wife is illegal, of course, but these days, no one calls the police when couples fight. They usually advise the woman to just bear with it and let it pass. They say that once they have children, the man will know how to cherish his wife, or that once the children grow up, the man won't be able to beat her anymore.

Xu Mei's heart sank to the bottom. She thought that this time it would be like before. Everyone advised her to be patient, but if she continued to endure it, she would be beaten to death.

Yu Jiajia said, "Don't be afraid of him!" Pointing to Lu Chenzhou, she said, "He is the director of our county's Revolutionary Committee! Tell us your thoughts now, and we will definitely help you."

Xu Mei turned her head sharply, a glimmer of hope igniting in her eyes. She brushed aside the damp, sticky hair on her forehead, revealing a gruesome wound with exposed flesh. A layer of firewood ash had been sprinkled on it to barely stop the bleeding, and there were two large welts nearby. Half of her face was covered in bruises. Before the two could react, she tremblingly pulled open her collar, revealing old and new wounds layered on top of each other on her shoulders, neck, and arms—not a single patch of uninjured flesh could be found.

Yu Jiajia's eyes were red. She held Xu Mei's hand, preventing her from lifting her clothes any further. She gritted her teeth and said, "You bastard, you only use your fists against the weak. You're not even human!"

“If I continue living with him, he’ll beat me to death sooner or later!” Xu Mei’s voice was unusually hoarse. “I want a divorce, but my family won’t let me, the neighborhood committee won’t let me, the oil press won’t let me, everyone tells me to endure it.” She stared intently at Lu Chenzhou, tears streaming down her face. “Director Lu, will you let me get a divorce?”

Yu Jiajia's anger flared up, and she glared at Lu Chenzhou with murderous intent in her eyes.

Looking into Yu Jiajia's big, round eyes, Lu Chenzhou found her inexplicably adorable. His gaze returned to Xu Mei, his eyes steady as he looked at her, his words clear and forceful: "As long as you are determined to get a divorce, no one can force you. Not your family, not the neighborhood committee, not even the factory. We will stand up for you and ensure justice."

Xu Mei burst into tears. Had she finally escaped the cage of the Liu family? She added, "Director Zhang of the oil press said that if I get a divorce, she will fire me. There can't be divorced women in the oil press."

Yu Jiajia said sarcastically, "How come there are so many scoundrels in this oil pressing factory? This factory is corrupt from top to bottom. Director Lu, aren't you going to do anything about it?"

Lu Chenzhou paused for a moment, then said, "It's my fault."

Xu Mo lowered his head and silently mourned for the oil mill. The mill had undergone a complete overhaul, yet it remained in the same state. Wasn't it courting death? It deserved it.

Yu Jiajia snorted and whispered to comfort Xu Mei, "Don't worry, just go ahead and get a divorce. Director Lu is here! If anyone tries to make things difficult for you because of your divorce, just come find me. I'm Yu Jiajia from the steel rolling mill. Let's go to the hospital to get our injuries checked and bandaged up quickly." She wanted to help Xu Mei up, but she didn't dare, as Xu Mei was covered in sores.

So many injuries, how much pain must it have caused?

Xu Mei couldn't help but tear up. Even a stranger felt sorry for her, but her family would rather watch her be beaten to death than rescue her.

One policeman accompanied Xu Mei to the health center for a medical examination and treatment, while another policeman took the man to the police station.

The man panicked this time. He knelt on the ground, slapping himself repeatedly across the face, wailing, "Mei, Mei! I was wrong, I really know I was wrong! Have you forgotten how good I was to you when we first got married? Who stayed by your side day and night when you were sick? Without me, who else would treat you so sincerely? I'm a bastard, I'm not human! But even a day as husband and wife is worth a hundred days of kindness. Please trust me one more time, and I promise I'll cherish you from now on, give you all my salary, let you make the decisions at home, and let's live a good life together, okay?"

Xu Mei turned around and looked at her husband, the husband who had only ever raised his fists at her, now sobbing uncontrollably. So, he could be afraid too. So, he could show weakness too.

Yu Jiajia was really afraid that Xu Mei would soften her heart. If she did, it would be a family matter, and the police wouldn't be able to get involved.

Abusive men never regret their actions; the only way to deal with them is to divorce them or become more physically capable than them.

Once they're scared enough, that's enough.

However, Yu Jiajia did not try to persuade others to respect their choices or their fate, or to save those who were willing to save themselves.

Fortunately, Xu Mei did not soften her heart. She said, "I heard you say in your heart that if I go home with you, you will beat me so badly that I can't get out of bed."

The man's eyes were menacing, but he quickly concealed them. Before he could say anything more, the police dragged him away.

Xu Mei trembled under his gaze; he really wanted to kill her.

It's said that abusive men are incorrigible and will never regret their actions; they will only regret not killing the person.

Yu Jiajia suddenly felt a little grateful for this era. This man would definitely be sent to a farm for labor reform, and he wouldn't be back for at least ten years. As for what would happen after that, she'd see if he was still alive.

Yu Jiajia checked the time; it was almost eleven o'clock. She asked Uncle Zhang, the gatekeeper, to pass a note to her mother.

Lu Chenzhou told Xu Mo he didn't need to come anymore and instructed him to organize the Women's Federation to relearn the skills. From now on, in Qingshan County, freedom of marriage must be fully upheld; any further obstruction of divorces by the street-level government offices will be dealt with severely!

After hearing this, Xu Mei felt relieved; she could finally get a divorce.

When they arrived at the steel mill clinic, the doctors were furious when they heard that Xu Mei had been beaten so badly by her husband. They were even more enraged when they learned that the neighborhood committee and the oil mill were preventing Xu Mei from getting a divorce. "She's been beaten like this, and they still won't let her get a divorce? Are they waiting for Xu Mei to be beaten to death?"

The original plan was to exaggerate Xu Mei's injuries during the medical examination. But after the examination, even the doctor was moved to tears. There wasn't a single unscathed spot on Xu Mei's body. The visible areas were covered with layers upon layers of bruises, and the unseen areas were covered with bite marks. She was worse than an animal!

The doctor admitted Xu Mei to the hospital, carefully cleaned her wounds, re-bandaged them, and applied medicine. They even prepared lunch for her.

Xu Mei stayed in the hospital and didn't have to worry about anything. She wanted those who had previously opposed her divorce to come to her door and beg her to get a divorce.

Director Lu is keeping an eye on this matter! Xu Mei, there's no need to worry.

Xu Mei lay on the bed, feeling a sense of peace she had never known before. Holding Yu Jiajia's hand, she choked out, "Thank you, thank you."

Yu Jiajia subtly reminded her that a divorce was inevitable, and she had to fight for her interests; she shouldn't be foolish enough to give up everything: "You understand?"

Xu Mei squeezed her hand tighter: "Comrade Jiajia, thank you."

She felt like she was dreaming. Things she never dared to dream of before could be solved so easily. She was so lucky today to have met such a kind person.

Yu Jiajia: "Take good care of yourself and don't be afraid of anything. There are security guards at the health center. Just call out and someone will come. I'll come see you again tonight."

Xu Mei said thank you again; she didn't know how to express her gratitude to Yu Jiajia.

Yu Jiajia doesn't need to thank Xu Mei. She's very brave to file for divorce in this era; that's truly remarkable.

Yu Jiajia can't manage other places, but in Qingshan County, she has the ability to manage them, so she'll see it through to the end.

Yu Jiajia left the ward and went to a state-run restaurant for dinner with Lu Chenzhou.

Yu Jiajia thought Lu Chenzhou was a very good person and a good official. "Let's go eat, it's on me!"

Lu Chenzhou: "Okay."

Yu Jiajia: "Qingshan County will get better and better in the future." Then she asked, "Will you be transferred to Zhou City?"

Lu Chenzhou: "I'm not qualified enough, I'm afraid it won't work."

He's climbed fast enough; to get to Zhou City, he'll definitely need to achieve some political success. Qingshan County is rich in resources; it'll be easy to make a name for himself there.

By the time they arrived at the state-run restaurant, it was almost two o'clock. If it were anyone else, they would have to eat whatever was left, but Lu Chenzhou was no ordinary person.

Yu Jiajia calculated the amount of food the two of them would eat, gave them five yuan, half a jin of grain coupons, and a jin of meat coupons, and told the cook to prepare the food accordingly.

The manager hesitated for a moment, glanced at Director Lu, and didn't want to accept the money. Lu Chenzhou smiled and said, "If I don't accept the money, I won't dare to eat here."

The manager then accepted the money and the chef brought out all the braised pig's trotters he had kept, and also took out the shrimp and crabs he had been raising in the tank to make a plate of spicy crab. Then he made a cucumber salad and a pickled bean sprout dish, and also cooked a bowl of hot and sour tripe soup and steamed rice.

They didn't even have to fetch their own food; the chef brought it to them. He even told Lu Chenzhou and Yu Jiajia that if they didn't like anything, they could let him know, and he would make some improvements.

Lu Chenzhou was very gentle. After thanking them, he told them to go about their business.

Yu Jiajia whispered, "Do you usually eat at restaurants?"

Lu Chenzhou: "Come occasionally."

Yu Jiajia: "This is the first time I've ever heard of shrimp and crabs here!"

Lu Chenzhou picked up half a crab and put it in Yu Jiajia's bowl: "Try it. If it's delicious, we'll come again next time."

Yu Jiajia didn't stand on ceremony; she had paid for it! She had to eat!

The crabs were delicious! There wasn't much crab roe, but the crab meat was fresh and flavorful, especially with the spicy sauce! The shrimp were also delicious, sweet and very fresh, though peeling them was a bit of a hassle.

Lu Chenzhou helped peel the shrimp, and after peeling a small bowl of shrimp meat, he handed it to Yu Jiajia. Yu Jiajia poured it into the rice, then poured a spoonful of spicy crab broth on top, and mixed it together. It was so delicious!

Yu Jiajia was used to being taken care of, so she didn't think there was anything wrong with Lu Chenzhou peeling shrimp for her. Anyway, she enjoyed the meal very much. The cucumbers were crisp, and the bean sprouts were sour and spicy, both of which went well with rice. She also ate two pieces of pig's trotters, which were a bit spicy and had a particularly chewy texture. The more she ate, the more delicious it became.

Finally, I had a small bowl of hot and sour tripe soup; I was so full.

Lu Chenzhou didn't usually find these dishes particularly delicious, but seeing Yu Jiajia eating so heartily made the meal more enjoyable.

In the end, Yu Jiajia didn't finish the braised pig's trotters and spicy crab, so of course she had to pack them up. She used a lunchbox from a state-run restaurant, so she didn't even need to leave a deposit; she could just return it later.

The chef smiled and said, "Jiajia, if you want to eat crab next time, just let me know in advance, and I'll save you some big crabs. They're delicious steamed too."

Yu Jiajia smiled sweetly and said, "Thank you, Uncle."

Lu Chenzhou was carrying the lunchbox. Yu Jiajia was about to take it from him, but when she tugged at it, she found that the lunchbox hadn't moved an inch. Lu Chenzhou said, "I don't want it. I'll carry it for you."

Yu Jiajia looked innocent: "...I'll take you anywhere." She then asked, "Are you busy? I need to go home and change first. If you're busy, I'll go back to the factory first and have my mom come home with me. If you're not busy, you can stay with me."

Her dress was stained with blood from Xu Mei's hair, and there were two small patches of dirt on her chest and shoulders that were quite noticeable. In addition, she had been eating spicy crab so deliciously that some chili oil had splashed on her as well, so she had to change her clothes.

Although her strength increased by 1, she had just tried and couldn't even lift the lunchbox; her strength was simply insufficient. She definitely couldn't wander around outside on her own; the risk was too high.

She's so happy right now, she can't afford to take any risks. What if she runs into a madman and gets stabbed to death?

Lu Chenzhou took her home first. The steel mill's residential compound wasn't far, and the two strolled back. However, no one was home at the moment; her grandparents had gone out, and the gate was locked. She took out her key from her bag, unlocked the gate, invited Lu Chenzhou inside, poured him a glass of water, gave him some snacks, and then went back inside to change her clothes.

Lu Chenzhou glanced at the slightly ajar door and could clearly hear her opening the wardrobe. She truly trusted him.

Actually, she is also wary of people and very vigilant. She doesn't even dare to go home alone to change clothes; she always has someone accompany her.

A smile appeared on his lips as he picked up his water glass and took a sip of the sweet and sour orange juice.

Yu Jiajia opened the closet and took out the sky-blue dress that Xia Jing had given her. The dress had been washed clean by her second brother and must have been brought in by her grandmother. It still smelled of being dried in the sun.

After changing, she restyled her hair into a fishtail braid and tied the ends with a blue hair tie. The pale yellow daisy hair clip no longer suited her, so she didn't wear it anymore. After tidying herself up, she came out of the house looking beautiful.

She sat down next to Lu Chenzhou, picked up another enamel mug, and took a sip of orange juice: "Brother Chenzhou, are you going to Beijing in November to attend the National Day celebrations? What rank did you get?" She blinked: "Can I ask that?"

Her eyes were dark, watery, and exceptionally clear; she looked particularly beautiful when she stared directly at someone.

Lu Lu Chenzhou wasn't seeing Yu Jiajia's beauty for the first time, but she was still stunned when Yu Jiajia walked in wearing a sky-blue dress. The pure color enveloped her in an almost transparent purity, so clean that one wanted to touch her, yet so fragile that one wanted to control her.

Lu Chenzhou looked away: "I'll go too. Thanks to you, I got a first-class merit."

Yu Jiajia said happily, "Then we can go together! My family has all made new clothes, do you want to make some too? Oh, right, I have all your receipts with me! Here you go?"

Lu Chenzhou: "Keep it. I don't need it at home, and I don't need it."

Yu Jiajia didn't feel that she was that desperate, but since Lu Chenzhou genuinely wanted to give it to her, she genuinely accepted it. She smiled and said, "Then I really want it."

The two drank orange juice and then went out. Lu Chenzhou took Yu Jiajia to the steel rolling mill. Only then did Yu Jiajia remember the model opera. She asked, "Will you come to see the model opera tonight? I revised the script!"

Lu Chenzhou smiled: "Here I am."

It had already been decided; Director Li had sent out invitations, and he had agreed.

Yu Jiajia nodded happily, "See you tonight." She jogged into the gate, then turned back to wave at Lu Chenzhou before running inside. She needed to find her mother first.