Chapter 73 This younger sister is so cool, I want to hug her.

Yu Jiangli, slumped on the muddy ground, shivered uncontrollably, her lips frozen purple. She struggled to lift her head, her voice trembling but unusually clear as she defended herself: "Don't, don't talk nonsense! Comrade Lin Sanlang saved my life! I, Yu Jiangli... even if I were confused, I wouldn't do something like repaying kindness with enmity and holding him responsible! I... I'll give you one hundred yuan as a token of my gratitude for Comrade Lin's life-saving grace!!"

A collective gasp rippled through the crowd! One hundred yuan?! That's money an ordinary strong laborer might not be able to save even after working from dawn till dusk for half a year! And this new female educated youth just gave it away so casually?

The old women watching instantly changed their expressions, like hungry wolves eyeing a piece of fat meat. Back when Yu Jiangli went to the countryside… her father drove a large "Jiefang" brand truck! The truck was crammed full—a radio, a sewing machine, two huge bundles of heavy new cotton quilts, two large wooden crates of clothes, and pots and pans were all there!

I heard her family is related to Secretary Sun in town! As soon as she settled down, she paid for her own brick house! Like a golden phoenix landing in a straw nest, many families have their eyes on her. Today's incident… who knows, maybe some wicked person has plotted this, trying to pull off the old "hero saves the beauty" and "wins the beauty's heart" trope! This trick is so overused in every brigade, but…

Just then, Lin's mother rushed in, carrying two slightly worn but thick cotton quilts. Without saying a word, she first wrapped one quilt around Yu Jiangli, making sure she was well covered, before tossing the other quilt to her son who was shivering from the cold.

"Daughter! How are you? Can you walk? If you really can't, Auntie will find you a cart to push you back!" Lin's mother asked with heartache as she looked at Yu Jiangli's pale face.

Upon seeing Lin's mother, Yu Jiangli's eyes reddened. She burst into tears and threw herself into her arms, trembling violently. Tears mingled with the icy river water as they streamed down her face. "Aunt Guo! I...I didn't fall into the water accidentally! Someone! Someone pushed me hard from behind! Waaah...I've only been here a few days! I just wanted to enjoy my time in the countryside...How could someone try to harm me...I'm going to report this to the police! I'm going to sue someone for murder!!!"

Lin Baozhu had a slight suspicion. This Yu Jiangli... her close relationship with her mother seemed to be quite unusual.

Upon hearing this, Lin's mother's eyes widened in shock! She knew all too well the despicable tricks those wicked, unmarried scoundrels in the village would use! But she never imagined that these wretched beasts would actually lay their hands on her. Luckily, it was her third son who saved her today; if someone else had saved her, how could she explain it to Yu Jiangli's parents...

After all, she did receive a real kickback of twenty yuan.

Yu Jiangli was sent back by Lin's mother, while Lin Baozhu helped the trembling Lin Sanlang walk home little by little.

Lin Sanlang's teeth were chattering, his lips were blue, but his voice trembled slightly with relief at surviving the ordeal and a barely suppressed anger: "Little sister, when I went down to rescue people just now, I saw someone in the river..."

Lin Baozhu tightened her grip on his hand, her eyes suddenly turning cold: "It seems that Yu Zhiqing's matter... was clearly a setup." Her tone was calm, yet it carried a chilling undertone.

Lin Sanlang vigorously wiped the water droplets from his face: "It's all because of a few bad apples! They've ruined the reputation of our entire brigade! I just don't understand, these bastards... don't they know what kind of people they are? It's their own fault for not being able to get married! Why do they have to use these despicable tricks to harm those educated youth who have left their hometowns? What, can't they live without a wife?"

Looking at the indignant Lin Sanlang, Lin Baozhu didn't respond, but she agreed with his point of view in her heart.

Although she didn't associate with those educated youth, she didn't want to see these people far from home being schemed against like this. It seemed she had to find a way to teach some people in the village a lesson.

Upon arriving home, Lin Baozhu quickly boiled water and made a bowl of piping hot brown sugar ginger water for Lin Sanlang to ward off the cold.

Watching Lin Sanlang pour the water down his throat, he laughed and said, "I'll go boil some hot water, and you can take a bath later so you won't catch a cold."

After saying that, she turned and went to the kitchen, quickly boiled half a pot of water, poured it into a large bathtub, and carried it into Lin Sanlang's room. Then, carrying a military water bottle filled with brown sugar water, she hurried outside...

In the courtyard of the educated youth settlement, Yu Jiangli, who had changed into dry clothes, was surrounded by several female educated youths with red eyes and several male educated youths with indignant expressions. They all glared at the man who was tied up tightly and soaking wet—Er Laizi.

The brigade leader rubbed his hands together, looking distressed, and whispered to Yu Jiangli, "Young Yu, this matter... how about we settle it privately? Let Erlaizi pay you thirty yuan..."

Before she could finish speaking, a sharp, sarcastic female voice suddenly exploded from the crowd. It was Li Chunhua: "What?! Thirty yuan?! Why doesn't she just rob someone?! If you ask me, this slut must have her eye on my Yaozu, and she's jumping into the river waiting to be saved! Can't you city girls behave yourselves? Can't you live without men?!"

She spat as she spoke, a glint of shrewdness flashing in her slanted eyes, then, as if she'd suffered a terrible injustice, she raised her voice: "But you've been hugged and cuddled by Lin Sanlang in the water, and your body's filthy! My Yaozu doesn't mind that you're a slut, and he's willing to take you in—that's a blessing from your ancestors! But if you want to enter our family, you'll have to prepare a dowry of three turns, one ring, and one watch, plus a thousand yuan!!"

Upon hearing that this shrew was slandering her son in an attempt to frame Yu Jiangli, Lin's mother instantly flew into a rage, pointing her finger at Li Chunhua's nose and shouting, "Li Chunhua! What kind of filth are you spewing?! My son was saving people! Doing good deeds! Do you think everyone is like that rotten-hearted wretch of yours, resorting to such despicable means because he can't find a wife?! You and your son have disgraced Da Ge Ba Village!"

"That Yu Zhiqing has money and looks! So many good young men in the city are lining up but she doesn't even want him. Why would she want your good-for-nothing bastard?!"

Erlaizi, who had been pinned to the ground, turned bloodshot at the word "bastard"! He broke free and roared as he viciously punched Lin's mother in the face...

Just then, Lin Baozhu, who had just stepped into the courtyard, flashed a cold light in her eyes, raised her leg and kicked a pebble, which accurately hit Er Laizi's wrist!

"Aww...!"

Erlaizi screamed and fell straight forward.

Lin Baozhu rushed forward and stomped on Er Laizi's wet head, grinding her foot slightly—she dared not use too much force, afraid of crushing the bastard's skull. It wasn't worth getting into a murder case for such a beast.

"You scoundrel, you want to hit my mother?"

Lin Baozhu looked down at the toad at her feet, her voice icy cold, "Am I, Lin Baozhu, too weak to wield a knife, or have you... gotten so cocky that you've forgotten your own limitations?"

"You damned little whore! Release my son right now!!"

Li Chunhua screamed and lunged at Lin Baozhu like a madwoman. Lin Baozhu didn't even turn her head, but twisted her waist and delivered a clean and swift spinning kick! Li Chunhua screamed and flew backward, then lay sprawled on the ground, groaning and unable to get up for a long time.

Yu Jiangli stood to the side, her eyes sparkling, staring intently at Lin Baozhu's giant-like figure, her heart pounding wildly.

This girl is so cool! I want to hug her!!!

But now is not the time to appreciate it.

She composed herself, her eyes instantly filling with tears. Her voice was soft, but exceptionally clear: "Captain, please send someone to the town to report to the police! I want to accuse Er Laizi of indecent assault and attempted murder!"

Her gaze swept over Li Chunhua, who was slumped on the ground, and she continued, "At the same time, I'm suing Li Chunhua for defamation and spreading rumors! Also, I'd like to trouble you to make another trip to the government and tell Director Sun and Uncle Sun... just say that I was almost killed in our Da Ge Ba Village, and now I'm so weak and sore all over that I can't go to his house for dinner tomorrow."