The young cadre in front of him could clearly see his disgust and indifference on his face.
It's as if he stole something the other person cherished, or... their sweetheart.
However, it's worth mentioning that Ning Yuan and Li Yan were once a perfect couple.
So it seems that Ning Yuan was indeed forced by circumstances to marry him and separate from Li Yan.
Rong Zhaonan lowered his eyes, feeling a strange mix of displeasure and a secret, malicious pleasure.
Ha, even if that little spy really had something going on with Li Yan, she's still his wife in name only.
Li Yan looked at Rong Zhaonan standing there with his head down, wearing ill-fitting, patched clothes.
He was tall and thin like a bamboo pole, with a pale and delicate face. He wore glasses and had a scholarly air, yet also appeared gloomy.
They lacked any vitality and didn't even dare to look themselves in the eye.
He felt disgusted and distressed—did Ning Yuan really marry this kind of person?
“These are all cadres sent down from above, here to conduct a special ideological inspection of you people,” Li Yan said, frowning.
Rong Zhaonan looked at the other red armband-wearing men who had stood up; they were indeed not the same men who frequently came to inspect.
"Alright, take us to your workplace and renovation site for inspection." A tall man wearing a blue-gray worker's uniform and a red armband stood up.
Li Yan suddenly spoke up: "I still have some things to take care of at the village team office. Why don't you all come with me?"
If it weren't for the special inspection conducted by higher authorities, he wouldn't want to see Rong Zhaonan at all.
“Alright, Comrade Li Yan, you’re busy. We’ll go over by ourselves.” The tall man nodded.
The officers who came with him rudely shoved Rong Zhaonan: "Let's go, what are you standing there for!"
Rong Zhaonan stumbled from the push, adjusted his glasses, and obediently walked out with his head down, saying, "Okay."
He was quite surprised that Li Yan didn't intend to mess with him; he had prepared himself for a beating today.
Just as Ning Yuan said, he really is a virtuous gentleman.
She really... knows Li Yan quite well.
Rong Zhaonan curled his lips in a mocking smile.
The old Party Secretary, who was also the production team leader of the village, watched as Rong Zhaonan was pushed and shoved away by several cadres.
He couldn't help but whisper, "I hope Dr. Rong is alright..."
Dr. Rong has had a really tough time during the years he was sent to the countryside, especially the first two years, when he suffered every few days.
But when villagers get injured while working, like being bitten by snakes, it's Dr. Rong who helps them.
Previously, the people who came were from the county or commune, and he could at least put in a good word for them. But now, people from the city have come.
Li Yan's expression darkened: "I don't know either. This time, it's an inspection team from the city."
I just hope this burdensome guy doesn't cause any trouble today, so that I can't find fault with him and drag Ning Yuan down with me.
The old Party Secretary sighed, "Dr. Rong has had a tough time, and so has Xiao Ning."
He could see how hard Ning Yuan had tried to live her life and integrate into the village since she married Rong Zhaonan.
He didn't mind Ning Yuan getting close to him, the production team leader, because Ning Yuan wasn't like some of the slackers in the educated youth team.
The girl had no bad intentions; she just wanted to improve her situation and live a good life.
Li Yan said sullenly, "She could have chosen not to marry him back then."
“Xiao Ning is a kind girl. If she hadn’t married Dr. Rong back then, he would have been branded as a disgrace to female educated youth. He would have been beaten, or even shot.”
The old Party Secretary sighed.
That's why he always took extra care of Ning Yuan; the girl was pitiful too.
Li Yan looked somewhat distressed. He knew that some people would resort to any despicable means to get back to the city.
But he couldn't help Ning Yuan; he could only watch as she wasted her life on Rong Zhaonan.
...
Several officers pushed and shoved Rong Zhaonan as they escorted him through half the village to the cowshed, a sight witnessed by many villagers.
Tang Zhenzhen, Huang Xuehong, and the others also saw it and showed gloating expressions.
"The man Ning Yuan found is a down-on-his-luck guy. She'll end up in a bad way sooner or later. She's a good educated youth, yet she willingly degraded herself by marrying a backward person. What a disgrace!"
Huang Xuehong's chubby face showed disgust.
Tang Zhenzhen narrowed her eyes. Yes, someone came to deal with that guy surnamed Rong today.
Then she might as well add fuel to the fire for this couple who are at the bottom of the village.
Originally, he could have simply arranged for Ning Yuan to marry that down-on-his-luck Rong Zhaonan and that would have been the end of it.
Ning Yuan was honest and unassuming, resigned to being a village woman, just like a chicken that couldn't hold its head up in front of a phoenix.
But that woman must have been out of her mind to dare to cheat her like that!
Then don't blame her for messing with her to death!
Tang Zhenzhen sneered and turned back to the educated youth courtyard.
Rong Zhaonan was taken back to the cowshed, where the tall, imposing officer gave instructions to the men who had come with him—
"You all wait outside. I'll go check his recent self-criticism first, and if there are any problems, I'll take corrective action."
The officers nodded.
The tall clerk pushed Rong Zhaonan into the room: "Go, take out your self-criticism."
Rong Zhaonan led him to the backyard of the house, then stopped. Suddenly, he swerved to the side, avoiding the fist that was about to smash into his face.
Rong Zhaonan narrowed his eyes, turned around and kicked the other man hard in the stomach.
The tall clerk flipped over, dodging his deadly kick, and grabbed his calf with his other hand, slamming him to the ground like he was swinging a stick.
But Rong Zhaonan hooked his arm around her and leaned forward, bending over and flipping over in a strange arc.
Then, her long legs clamped around the tall man's neck, and with a twist of her waist, she strangled him—"Bang!"
With a muffled thud, the tall man was thrown face down hard.
Rong Zhaonan then flipped over onto his back with lightning speed, his elbows fiercely locking around his throat.
"Waaaah—!" The tall man couldn't even speak, his face turning red with frustration, and he could only pound the ground with all his might.
But the next moment, Rong Zhaonan stepped on his arm, rendering him completely immobile.
The people in the front yard were smoking, completely unaware of what was happening in the back yard.
"You're really asking for trouble, aren't you? Trying to get yourself killed?" Rong Zhaonan said calmly, showing no sign that he had the strength to strangle the other man's throat.
The tall man could only beg for mercy with his eyes.
Rong Zhaonan then released his grip and stood up.
"Cough cough cough... Captain, you're still as ruthless and cruel as ever... You really want to kill me... You..."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
