Lu Jiefang refused, saying, "You should say what you have to say here."
If this guy could do something like that to the Korean War yesterday, he might do it again today. There's basically no one going behind the warehouse. If he really does it again, he won't be able to explain himself no matter how hard he tries.
Zhong Yanling bit her lip, looking like she was about to cry, as if she had suffered a great injustice.
"Jiefang, I'm sorry. I was confused yesterday. I mistook Yuanchao for you, that's why I acted that way."
Lu Jiefang scoffed, "Do you even believe that yourself?"
If he hadn't heard her say yesterday that the person she liked was Yuan Chao and the person she wanted to marry was him, he might have believed her nonsense.
But now, anyone who still believes that would be a fool.
"Jiefang, you have to believe me. Have you forgotten how well we got along before?"
As Zhong Yanling spoke, she reached out to take his hand, but Lu Jiefang dodged her.
"Just say what you want to say, don't pull and tug at me. We're not dating anymore, this isn't a good thing."
"you……"
Zhong Yanling was embarrassed and annoyed, but then softened her tone.
"Liberation, don't you really have any feelings for the past at all?"
Lu Jiefang frowned, glanced at his colleagues who were looking in their direction, and said impatiently, "If that's all you have to say, then I'll go back to work."
"Wait, liberation."
Zhong Yanling grabbed his bicycle, preventing him from leaving.
"Jiefang, please, forgive me, okay? Can't we just be a couple like before?"
"not good."
Lu Jiefang was resolute.
“Comrade Zhong Yanling, I thought that after what happened yesterday, we would tacitly agree not to bother each other anymore, but I didn’t expect you to keep bothering me.”
"Then I'll make things clear to you today: there's no future for us. Let's part amicably and save face for each other. If anyone asks, I'll keep it a secret and just say we broke up because of personality clashes. It won't affect your reputation. I just hope that you'll be sincere with your future partners."
After saying that, Lu Jiefang forcefully pulled the bicycle over and pushed it away with long strides.
Zhong Yanling wanted to chase after him, but when she saw some colleagues pointing and whispering about her as they passed by, she stopped.
Watching the departing figure, his eyes were filled with resentment.
What a jerk! He acted like he liked her so much before, but he completely gave up on her after just one thing.
She hasn't really lost her innocence, so what's there to mind?
At this moment, Yanling had serious doubts. Did Lu Jiefang ever truly love her? If he really loved her to the point of obsession, even if she had a relationship with another man, he probably wouldn't be able to let her go.
Ultimately, it's because I didn't love him enough.
He's really heartless. I treated him so well before, but he always held back his love for me. He can easily abandon me over such a small thing.
Lu Jiefang, don't even think about it!
Since you are heartless, don't blame me for being ruthless.
What about parting amicably and leaving each other with some dignity? Things have come to this point; what dignity does she have left?
Even if she uses incompatibility as an excuse, how many people would truly believe her? They would still gossip about her.
If someone gets engaged and then breaks off the engagement, others will only think that there is something wrong with the woman. How could this not affect her reputation?
It will definitely be difficult for her to find a husband in the future; she will probably have a hard time finding a man like Lu Jiefang again.
Lu Jiefang was unaware of her thoughts. Soon after starting work, he received a notice to immediately go out and deliver bricks and tiles. He had no time to be sentimental and threw himself into his work.
That's good, because whenever he has free time, he'll think of all the little things he shared with Zhong Yanling.
This was his first love, a love that was both unforgettable and deeply etched in his memory.
Before the delivery tractor had even left the factory gate, it was stopped by a woman with a tear-streaked face, forcing Lu Jiefang to stop the tractor.
"What are you doing, comrade?"
The woman didn't answer him. Without saying a word, she got on the tractor and sat next to him, urging, "Comrade Lu Jiefang, could you please take me to the county?"
"No, I'm delivering bricks and tiles."
The woman clasped her hands together and pleaded, "Please, Comrade Lu, my mother has been hospitalized in the county. I just received a call from the county hospital saying that my mother is critically ill. There are no cars going to the county at this time. Please take me there, okay? Please!"
Lu Jiefang was in a dilemma. The tractor belonged to the factory, and he also needed to deliver bricks and tiles. If he drove the tractor to take her to the county town during working hours, it wouldn't just be a simple case of a miner; it would also raise suspicions of misappropriating collective property.
However, this was a matter of life and death, and he made a decision after only a moment's hesitation.
"Okay, don't worry too much, I'll take you there."
He explained the situation to the gatekeeper, Zhong Quanyong, and asked him to speak to the factory leaders on his behalf, which would also be considered as asking for leave.
Upon hearing that it was an urgent matter, Zhong Quanyong took out all the money in his pocket and gave it to the woman.
"You child, why didn't you tell us that your mother was sick and hospitalized? We could have helped take care of her."
The woman accepted the money without hesitation, tears streaming down her face. "Thank you, sir. I'll pay you back when I get my salary."
"Don't worry about the money. I didn't bring much with me today. Just ask if you need more money later."
After saying that, he gave Lu Jiefang a few more instructions and then waved for the two of them to leave quickly.
Seeing that the woman was anxious, Lu Jiefang didn't delay any longer and drove the tractor toward the county town.
To ease the awkwardness, Lu Jiefang tried to make conversation, saying, "Grandpa Zhong is a really nice person."
The woman wiped her face with her sleeve and nodded slightly. "Yes, my uncle is indeed a good person. He's the only one in the Zhong family who still treats my mother and me like relatives."
"Huh? You and Grandpa Zhong are related?" Lu Jiefang asked in surprise.
"Yes, he's my uncle."
"Your grandpa? My own?"
When I heard her call him "Grandpa," I thought it was just a casual way of addressing him, like everyone else.
"Not by blood, but from another family. My dad's cousin, what else could he be but an uncle?"
That's right, you should call him "Grandpa".
"So you also have the surname Zhong?" Lu Jiefang asked.
He didn't recognize the woman and felt he had never seen her at the factory before.
"Yes, my name is Zhong Zhiping. I just started working at the factory last week," the woman introduced herself.
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