Chapter 25 has no malicious intent
Now, seeing her youngest daughter snuggling against her like a spoiled child, Shen Cuifen felt a warm glow in her heart and couldn't help but reach out and tap Lu Xiuye's forehead.
"You're so sweet-talking and full of tricks! I just can't do anything with you!"
The family of three chatted and laughed as they walked toward the main road leading to the county seat, preparing to take a vehicle to the county town.
There are dedicated bus services from the town to the city.
If you take a horse-drawn carriage, it only costs one dollar.
If you take a tractor, it costs three cents.
Although the prices of the two are similar, they differ slightly in terms of speed.
It takes about an hour by horse-drawn carriage to reach the county station.
Taking a tractor, on the other hand, would take an hour.
In comparison, the former is naturally faster, but unfortunately, seating is limited.
Therefore, most people will still choose the relatively cheaper option.
They didn't have anything urgent at the moment and had plenty of time, so they didn't hesitate to choose the more cost-effective and affordable mode of transportation.
As soon as she boarded the carriage, before she could even get her footing, she noticed a young man sitting opposite her.
She was in a good mood at first, but after glancing at it, a strange feeling suddenly arose in her heart.
The boy's eyes held a hint of frivolity and ill intent.
The scene made Shen Cuifen's heart clench, as if something was blocking her chest.
The boy's attire clearly indicated he wasn't very proper.
Shen Cuifen cursed inwardly.
This guy looks like he's no pushover!
She stared at him sharply, her brows furrowed, thinking she had to teach him a lesson.
Before she could even speak, the guy on the other end broke the silence first.
He whistled a sharp, piercing whistle at Lu Xiuye and grinned.
Then, with a grin, he said, "Lu Xiuye! Are you going into town to Jin Mantang's place? We're going the same way, why don't we go together? I can look after you!"
After those words were spoken, the atmosphere suddenly froze.
Shen Cuifen, who had been sitting calmly in her seat, immediately changed color.
She quickly turned her gaze to her daughter, staring intently at Lu Xiuye's face.
Sure enough, her face had turned deathly pale.
His two hands were clenched together, and his knuckles had turned white.
This unusual reaction immediately aroused Shen Cuifen's suspicion.
Her heart skipped a beat.
This clearly indicates that something is on their mind, or even...
I'm a little afraid of this young man.
She knew about Jin Mantang.
It was very famous in the county town; it was the largest dance hall in the area.
Not to mention the chaotic and complicated environment.
People from all walks of life gathered there.
In her past life, Lu Xiuye went astray there and eventually contracted a serious, incurable disease.
At that time, my family had already experienced a major upheaval, and the pressure of life was immense.
She originally thought her daughter went to such a place purely out of necessity.
Things were far more serious than she had anticipated.
Thinking of this, an unnamed fire surged up instantly, making her almost unable to suppress her anger.
"Lu Xiuye!"
She suddenly questioned him, her voice rising more than an octave, her eyes filled with a menacing aura.
"Tell me, what exactly happened? How did you end up with someone like that? And what's the deal with Jin Mantang?"
After these words were spoken, the carriage became unusually quiet.
Before Lu Xiuye could even come to her senses and open her mouth to explain or refute,
The boy, who had been all smiles just moments before, could no longer contain himself.
He pointed his finger directly at Shen Cuifen, his tone full of dissatisfaction.
"Hey, who are you? You've got nothing to do with this, so why are you yelling at her like that? So what if Xiuye knows me? What's it to you?"
His attitude thoroughly enraged Shen Cuifen.
Before anyone could stop her, Shen Cuifen suddenly reached out and grabbed the boy's wrist.
Then she flipped her arm over, twisted it outwards, and pulled it downwards sharply!
With a crisp "crack," he screamed in agony.
"Ouch! That hurts so much! Let go!"
He yelled and grimaced, trying to pull his hand back, but Shen Cuifen was too strong.
He was completely unable to move.
She gave a cold snort.
“I’m her biological mother! What’s wrong with me saying a few words to her? You’re not convinced, are you? Then I’ll put in even more effort to make you even more convinced.”
The carriage body swayed gently as a result.
The driver was startled by the strange cry and turned around to look, puzzled.
"Hey, if you want to fight, get out of the carriage and do it. Don't scare the horse, or that will be troublesome!"
Seeing that the situation was getting out of control, the driver quickly tried to stop it.
He gripped the reins tightly to calm the frightened horse while glancing back at the people in the carriage.
Lu Xiuye then came to her senses and quickly said, "Mom, let him go first. Qu Dong isn't a bad person!"
Her voice was hurried.
Upon hearing this, Shen Cuifen's anger flared up instantly.
She gripped Qu Dong's arm tightly.
"You're still pleading for him? I raised you with so much difficulty, and you're just going to be kidnapped by an outsider like this?"
"You still say he's not a bad person? Taking you to that filthy place, and you call him a good person? You're such a worry! I'll settle the score with you when we get back!"
As she spoke, Shen Cuifen forcefully tugged at Qu Dong's arm, continuing to berate Lu Xiuye.
If someone wants to learn well, they need to be guided gradually.
But if you go astray, it's just a matter of a single thought.
This is a principle that the elderly people in the village often talk about.
At this moment, Shen Cuifen's mind was completely occupied by this sentence.
When I get back, I'll give her a good beating so she'll never dare to think about going to Jinmantang again.
This lesson cannot be delayed, nor can it be dealt with leniently.
Those places are very chaotic, and she could easily be led astray if she's not careful.
The nightclub was brightly lit and filled with revelry; men smoked opium, and women sang lewd songs.
Even children can be tainted by evil spirits.
How could I let my daughter step into a place like this?
"Auntie, please let go! I really didn't mean any harm!"
Qu Dong was in so much pain that tears were about to fall.
He pleaded as he tried to break free.
"Xiuye went willingly on her own. I couldn't stop her, and I went with her to look after her because I was afraid she would get lost on the way."
Shen Cuifen's years of farm work haven't been in vain; she's incredibly strong.
She can carry a 50-pound grain sack with one hand, and she's just as good as a man when she's wielding a hoe in the field.
Her face darkened, and she pulled Qu Dong out of the car.
Qu Dong was caught off guard and fell heavily to the ground.
His glasses slipped off his nose and fell onto the dusty ground, the lenses instantly cracking.
"Lu Xiuye! Come down here and explain yourself clearly. What exactly happened?"
Shen Cuifen stood beside the carriage shaft and angrily rebuked, her boots creaking under her feet.
The carriage was already narrow, so it was indeed not very convenient to actually do anything.
She could barely stand, but she couldn't contain her emotions.
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