Zhao Jinyun struggled to her feet and scurried away like a rabbit. Zhao Mingyue helped Yu Youfen up, saying, "Sister Youfen, let's go."

Yu Youfen was still sobbing, while Yu Youqing, panting heavily, looked at his sister and Zhao Mingyue. Zhao Mingyue turned around and called to him, "Youqing, let's go."

Yu Youqing asked woodenly, "Where are we going?"

Zhao Mingyue said, "Let's go back first and talk about it later."

The three of them returned to the Yu family home via a secluded path. Yu Youfen went back to her room, threw herself on the bed, and burst into tears.

Yu Youqing stood in the center of the main room, his fists clenched, steam practically rising from his head. He gritted his teeth and said, "That bastard Zhao Jinyun, he's gone too far! I'm going to kill him!"

Zhao Mingyue offered a few words of advice to Yu Youfen, then turned to Yu Youqing and said, "Youqing, don't be foolish. Calm down. What good will it do you to kill him? Do you think your life is only worth that worthless life?"

Yu Youqing wiped away her tears with her sleeve, her eyes red, and bit her lower lip: "But that bastard is going too far! Just because our family has a low social class? My grandfather once saved his father's life. This ungrateful beast is not even human!"

Looking at Yu Youqing, who was on the verge of collapse, Zhao Mingyue knew that the child had been suppressing his emotions for too long. She softened her voice and said, "Your class background will not be a shackle for you forever. What you need to do now is to endure. Only after you endure it will you have a better life in the future."

Yu Youqing gritted his teeth: "They've bullied us to this extent, we can't take it anymore!"

Zhao Mingyue said sternly, "Even if you can't bear it anymore, you must endure it."

Yu Youqing took a few deep breaths and finally calmed down: "What should we do now?"

Zhao Mingyue remained silent. The situation was very complicated. If she publicly denounced Yu Youfen, she would not have any advantage. Because of her family's class background, public opinion would not favor them. Zhao Jinyun could even shamelessly say that she was helping to reform landlords and rich peasants. She could also turn around and say that Yu Youfen offered herself in order to get jobs.

But they've caught them in the act, and Zhao Jinyun will definitely hold a grudge. He'll find a chance to retaliate sooner or later, and he'll make things difficult for them in the future. Especially when it comes to college entrance exams, if Zhao Jinyun gets in their way, their future will be blocked. They absolutely cannot let this despicable person succeed.

After Zhao Mingyue calmed down a bit, she said to Youfen, "Sister Youfen, I have something to tell you."

Yu Youfen stopped crying but didn't speak, probably waiting for Zhao Mingyue to speak. Zhao Mingyue took a deep breath and said, "Sister Youfen, I don't think this matter can be left like this. We need to find someone to judge it."

Yu Youfen turned her head sharply and grabbed Zhao Mingyue's sleeve: "Mingyue, no, don't tell anyone." This is too embarrassing. If word gets out, how will we ever face anyone again?

Zhao Mingyue said, "Sister Fen, Zhao Jinyun takes advantage of our mentality. He knows we're timid and afraid of trouble, afraid of losing face, which is why he does such disgusting things so recklessly. If you just let it go, he'll stay in that position and control everyone. You'll never be able to go to school or get a job." In this era, there are far too many cases like this.

"What will I do in the future?" Yu Youfen cried her eyes out.

Zhao Mingyue said, "Are you just going to swallow your pride and suffer in silence? We need to find a way to get Zhao Jinyun out of this situation, otherwise when other people come to recruit, you and Youqing will never have a chance."

Yu Youfen blinked and looked at Zhao Mingyue. Of course, she hated her, but she hated herself even more for being weak and incompetent, for being exploited by Zhao Jinyun and almost getting the better of her. Yu Youfen sniffed: "Let me think about it."

Zhao Mingyue could understand Yu Youfen's thoughts. In this day and age, who doesn't care about their reputation? If word got out that an unmarried girl had been defiled, she could never hope to marry into a good family for the rest of her life.

Yu Youqing finally calmed down and said from the side, "Sister, we really can't let this go like this. We were already like this, but Mingyue offended Zhao Jinyun in order to help you. Isn't this ruining Mingyue's future?"

Yu Youfen looked up at Zhao Mingyue, her eyes filled with pain: "I'm sorry, Mingyue, I've dragged you into this."

Zhao Mingyue shook her head. What was she afraid of being implicated? If she were afraid, she wouldn't have stood up for her. She just didn't want Yu Youfen to follow in her footsteps.

Yu Youfen wiped away her tears, gritted her teeth, and said, "Should I report him?"

Zhao Mingyue shook her head and said, "We don't need to make a big fuss about this. Just let people know the truth. Even if you report it to the higher-ups, the Revolutionary Committee will still side with him. Let's tell the brigade secretary about this and let him judge the matter. He might stand up for us if anything happens in the future." The most important thing is to wait until the movement is over and then remove Zhao Jinyun from his position as village head. As long as he is no longer the head, everything will be easier in the future.

Yu Youfen looked at Zhao Mingyue: "Tell the brigade secretary?"

“Yes.” Zhao Mingyue clearly remembered that Shen Xuyue returned to the city after taking the college entrance examination in 1977. Before that, he had been serving as the brigade secretary in their village. The movement ended in October of this year. Once the Revolutionary Committee was dissolved, Zhao Jinyun would lose power. When the village cadres were re-elected, as long as the matter of removing Zhao Jinyun was brought up, there would be overwhelming support, and Zhao Jinyun could forget about being the director again. Shen Xuyue might not be able to help much now, but all that was needed was for him to be a witness.

Yu Youfen was somewhat embarrassed, unsure how to tell Shen Xuyue, since they were practically the same age and it was a difficult topic to broach. Seeing Yu Youfen's predicament, Zhao Mingyue suggested, "How about Youqing and I go talk to Secretary Shen?"

Yu Youfen looked at her younger brother, and Yu Youqing nodded.

Zhao Mingyue and Yu Youqing found Shen Xuyue working in the field. He was a little surprised to see Zhao Mingyue: "Is something wrong?"

Zhao Mingyue nodded: "Secretary Shen, may we speak in private for a moment?"

Shen Xuyue glanced at her and came out from the field. Zhao Mingyue and Yu Youqing led Shen Xuyue a long way and stopped in an open and deserted place. The reason for choosing an open place was to prevent others from overhearing them.

Shen Xuyue was very surprised. What could have happened? Zhao Mingyue, seeing that things were about to get going, said to Yu Youqing, "Youqing, why don't you tell Secretary Shen about your sister's situation?"

Yu Youqing lowered her head and recounted what she had witnessed, her eyes stinging with tears as she spoke. Shen Xuyue listened in silence, his brows furrowing as he turned to Zhao Mingyue: "You noticed something was wrong, that's why you went to check?"

Zhao Mingyue nodded.

Shen Xuyue said, "Director Zhao said that the factory leaders came to interview Yu Youfen, which is why they asked her to go?"

“Yes, that’s what my sister said,” Yu Youqing said.

Shen Xuyue thought for a moment and said, "This matter is indeed extremely serious, but I'm afraid I'm powerless to do anything about it. You must understand, I'm just an outsider, and my grassroots support and influence are not as great as those of the locals. If I step forward to uphold justice, I'm afraid it will backfire and I'll be falsely accused." Shen Xuyue was well aware of Zhao Jinyun's behavior, but he was helpless. Firstly, the woman was too afraid to speak out after being insulted, and secondly, Zhao Jinyun had the Revolutionary Committee as her backing, making her difficult to bring down.

Zhao Mingyue nodded: "I've also considered this issue, so we didn't report it to the police, nor did we plan to make it public. We're telling you this so that someone can understand what happened and know that we are innocent victims, so we won't be falsely accused later."

Shen Xuyue looked at Zhao Mingyue and sighed, "I already know about this. Also, in these kinds of situations, you must know how to protect yourself, especially you young ladies. Don't be alone, do you understand what I mean?"

Zhao Mingyue knew that Shen Xuyue was reminding her to be careful of Zhao Jinyun: "I know, Secretary Shen, thank you. If there's nothing else, then we'll go back to work."

Shen Xuyue waved his hand: "Go ahead."

Zhao Mingyue and Yu Youqing turned and left. Shen Xuyue watched Zhao Mingyue's retreating figure and sighed almost imperceptibly. This woman, Zhao Mingyue, was truly extraordinary in her courage, even daring to risk her life to save others. Her sense of justice was too strong. However, excessive rigidity is easily broken, especially in this era. Who could protect her kindness and sense of justice?

Zhao Jinyun was beaten and stayed at home for two days before swaggering back out. The way he looked at Zhao Mingyue and Yu Youfen was as cold and vicious as a venomous snake.

Zhao Mingyue felt uneasy. Zhao Jinyun had suffered such a great loss; she was sure he would find a way to retaliate. A few days later, the commune was going to hold a large meeting—a denunciation meeting, no less.

In the later stages of the movement, these denunciation meetings became very rare. Every time such a meeting was held, landlords and rich peasants would be dragged onto the stage and their ancestors' major crimes, as well as their own crimes, would be listed. Some hot-tempered commune members would even throw things at people on the stage.

This time, Yu Youqing was also called up on stage because he was a counter-revolutionary and dared to lay a hand on revolutionary cadres. Yu Youqing had always watched his father being called up on stage to be criticized, so he was somewhat bewildered that he himself had been called up this time. Zhao Jinyun walked over and slapped Yu Youqing twice across the face.

Yu Youqing's ears were ringing from the beating. He really wanted to rush up and fight Zhao Jinyun to the death, but he held back. His fingernails dug into his flesh. He knew that if he fought back, he probably wouldn't be able to get off the stage today.

Yu Youfen watched her younger brother being beaten from below the stage with tears in her eyes. Yu Youyi clenched his fists in anger and tried his best to control his emotions so as not to rush onto the stage.

Zhao Mingyue looked at Zhao Jinyun and Yu Youqing, clenching her teeth. Zhao Jinyun was indeed starting to retaliate. Everything that happened today would be repaid to him many times over in the future.

Yu Youqing's father was on the stage. Seeing his son being beaten, he quickly pulled his son aside and bowed and apologized to Zhao Jinyun. At such a time, one couldn't be tactless, or one would suffer greatly. Yu Youqing was young, not yet eighteen, and in most people's eyes, just an immature child, so the Revolutionary Committee members didn't make things too difficult for him. Zhao Jinyun glanced at Yu Youqing arrogantly, as if to say, "You think you can mess with me? You're too green."

On the way back, Yu Youqing's cheeks were swollen, and his father wiped away tears. His family knew why their son had been wronged, but they couldn't tell him the reason. They could only swallow their anger and suffer in silence.

Zhao Mingyue and Yu Youfen walked behind. Yu Youfen's eyes were swollen like peaches, and Zhao Mingyue comforted her as they walked. Just then, someone called Zhao Mingyue's name: "Zhao Mingyue! Comrade Zhao Mingyue, please wait a moment."

When Zhao Mingyue turned around, she saw Cheng Yonggang standing behind her, pushing a nearly new Forever brand bicycle. His hair was neatly combed, and he was wearing a crisp white short-sleeved shirt, blue trousers, and a pair of new Liberation shoes. He looked like he was going on a blind date and was smiling at her.

Zhao Mingyue's heart skipped a beat: Why is he here?