As they were talking, the brigade leader also rushed to Widow Liu's house.
Lin Qian stormed into Widow Liu's house, and without saying a word, kicked the dilapidated door hard. With a loud bang, the door was kicked open, startling Widow Liu.
Widow Liu wore a gray jacket covered in patches, and although the clothes were worn, they couldn't hide her rather graceful figure. Her hair was casually tied back with a strip of cloth, but a few strands still stubbornly fell out and hung on either side of her fairly pretty face, adding a touch of messy beauty to her appearance.
Although her face was etched with the marks of time, a closer look still revealed glimpses of her former beauty. Her eyes were large and bright, but now they were filled with fear and anger, revealing weariness and a sense of vicissitude.
Widow Liu stared in astonishment for a moment before she came to her senses. Then, she plopped down on the ground and began to throw a tantrum, crying and screaming.
"Oh my god, what are you trying to do!" Widow Liu wailed at the top of her lungs. "Is there no justice in this world?! I'm a widow, struggling to raise my child. What have I done to deserve this?!"
"You're bullying us, a widow and her orphan! I haven't done anything wrong, so why am I in this mess? I'm just a woman, living a simple and honest life in this village, and you still won't leave me alone. Are you trying to drive me to my death?" She cried and pounded the ground, looking both pitiful and somewhat fierce.
Lin Qian asked bluntly, "Why are you spreading rumors about me?" Her eyes were cold and sharp as she stared directly at Widow Liu.
Widow Liu's eyes darted around, avoiding Lin Qian's gaze. She stammered, "I...I heard it from someone else." Her voice trembled slightly, clearly indicating her inner turmoil.
"Who told you that?" Lin Qian stared intently at her, her eyes seemingly able to see through everything, her tone filled with a sense of pressure.
Widow Liu unconsciously shrank back, fine beads of sweat appearing on her forehead. She stammered, "It was...it was Wang Qiang who told me to pass it on."
Lin Qian frowned and pressed, "Wang Qiang? Why did he ask you to do this?"
Widow Liu lowered her head, not daring to look at Lin Qian, and said softly, "A few days ago, Wang Qiang came to me and said that as long as I helped him spread rumors about you, he would give me some benefits. I... I'm a widow, and it's not easy for me to live with my child. I was blinded by greed and agreed."
Lin Qian snorted coldly: "You're willing to slander someone's reputation for a little benefit? Do you know how much harm this will cause them?"
Widow Liu cried with remorse, "I know I was wrong, I really know I was wrong, Miss Lin Qian, please forgive me! I will never dare to do it again!"
At this point, the surrounding villagers began to discuss the matter.
"Oh, I see. This widow Liu is really outrageous!"
"Exactly, they'd do such a despicable thing for a little benefit."
"Miss Lin Qian is also pitiful, being slandered for no reason."
When the captain arrived at the scene, after learning what had happened, he said sternly to Widow Liu, "Widow Liu, your behavior was wrong. You must apologize to Lin Qian and make amends."
Widow Liu nodded repeatedly, apologizing to Lin Qian incessantly.
Lin Qian stared coldly at Widow Liu and questioned, "I've been here for so long and I still don't know Wang Qiang. Why is he spreading rumors about me?"
Widow Liu avoided eye contact with Lin Qian, her body trembling slightly as she stammered, "I...I don't really know either. Wang Qiang told me to spread these rumors for some benefits, and I agreed out of greed." Her voice trailed off, and her head drooped even lower.
At this moment, the surrounding villagers were also whispering and discussing among themselves.
"What's wrong with Wang Qiang? Lin Qian doesn't even know him, why is he spreading rumors about her?" A villager frowned, looking puzzled.
"Who knows? Maybe he thinks Lin Qian is an easy girl to bully." Another villager shook his head and guessed, "Wang Qiang is always dishonest, always doing petty theft. Who knows what kind of trouble he's gotten himself into this time."
"Oh dear, what a mess this has made. Lin Qian is such a pitiful girl," an old woman sighed, a look of sympathy on her face.
Upon hearing Widow Liu's words, the brigade leader's face darkened to a grim degree. His eyes blazed with anger and authority as he addressed the two young men beside him: "You two, go and fetch Wang Qiang for me right now. I want to see what he has to say."
The two young men immediately replied, "Okay, Captain, we'll go right away!" After saying that, they hurriedly ran towards where Wang Qiang might be.
The captain's eyes were sharp as he stared intently at Widow Liu, and he said sternly, "Widow Liu, look what you've done! You've slandered someone for such a paltry sum of money. How can you live with yourself? This is a serious matter. Don't think that an apology will make it all go away! Once the truth is out, you must give Lin Qian a satisfactory explanation!"
The captain's voice boomed like a bell, making Widow Liu tremble. Her face turned deathly pale, her eyes filled with fear and regret, and her body began to tremble uncontrollably.
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