Chapter Thirty-Three: You Still Want to Get Married?

Seeing her struggle so hard to contain herself, Lin Xiang felt an instinctive urge to lash out.

She managed to hold back, however, and asked Yang Lihua in the softest of voices, "What... what did he do to you?"

Yang Lihua touched her lips with her fingertips. "He... he forcibly touched... touched my lips. He also... tried to put his hand inside my clothes... but I fought him off with all my might, so he didn't succeed."

Perhaps finding the matter too shameful to speak of, Yang Lihua’s account was fragmented and hesitant.

Lin Xiang began rolling up her sleeves. "Calling him a piece of trash is no exaggeration. Not only is he a deadbeat sponging off women, but he also tried to force himself on you? If we don't teach him a lesson today, he’ll really think us girls are easy targets!"

Lin Xiang understood how much a woman’s reputation meant in this era. Even though her soul came from a later time, she didn't believe that being forcibly kissed or touched was a trivial matter. In the future, premarital relationships might be common, but those things were always based on mutual consent. Anything done against a woman’s will was nothing short of sexual assault.

Wen Siyuan deserved no mercy.

Seeing Lin Xiang even more furious than she was, Yang Lihua quickly pulled her back. "Lin Xiang, I know you want to stand up for me, but... but we can't make a scene. I..."

*I still have to get married one day!*

Lin Xiang understood what remained unsaid. She touched her own lips with her fingers. "It doesn't matter. Just pretend you were bitten by a rabid dog and brush your teeth twice when you get back. Also, only you and I know about this. Don't tell a third person, understand?"

Lin Xiang knew nothing substantial had happened between Yang Lihua and Wen Siyuan, but others wouldn't know that. Rumors had a way of twisting the truth.

"Are you still going to go find Wen Siyuan?"

"I am. Why wouldn't I? But I won't use this as an excuse. Don't worry, I will never let your secret slip."

Yang Lihua wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "I’m coming with you!"

She had only sought out Lin Xiang because she was overwhelmed, not because she was defeated. Having regained her composure, she was determined to make Wen Siyuan pay.

Lin Xiang didn't mind and they headed out together. As they neared the educated youth dormitory, Lin Xiang reminded her, "You’ve memorized what I told you, right?"

Yang Lihua frowned slightly. "Isn't this... isn't this framing him? Isn't it going too far?"

"If you want to be a saint, at least pick the right target! For a scumbag like Wen Siyuan who has no conscience, you’re just asking to be bullied if you keep making excuses for him."

It was clear that Yang Lihua had been overly protected by her school life.

"Right. He’ll stop at nothing to get what he wants. I’m just giving him a taste of his own medicine. There’s nothing to be ashamed of. This is his karma!"

Yang Lihua clenched her fists, took two deep breaths to steel herself, and marched straight into the dormitory compound.

The compound was small, consisting of only three rooms housing eighteen veteran and new educated youths. Yang Lihua didn't storm inside; she stood in the yard, one hand on her hip and the other pointing at the men's quarters, shouting at the top of her lungs, "Wen Siyuan, get out here! You stole my things and refused to admit it. Is this how your parents raised you?"

"Give my things back right now, or I’ll expose all the dirty things you’ve been doing!"

"Don't think you can hide in there and I won't have a way to deal with you. If you don't come out and return my things, I’m going to the brigade office and the commune to expose your crimes! You want to return to the city? I’ll make sure you never make it back!"

Wen Siyuan had initially intended to cower, but at the mention of returning to the city, he couldn't sit still. He pushed the door open and stepped out. He didn't lose his temper at the agitated Yang Lihua, but instead put on a look of forced patience. "Lihua, I’ve told you many times, I’m returning to the city soon. There is no future for us. Please stop focusing your heart on me."

"You are a good girl. Your purity should be saved for your future husband. You shouldn't try to lure me into making a mistake."

With just a few sentences, Wen Siyuan’s performance eclipsed everything Yang Lihua had said. He even managed to pin his own misconduct onto her. Yang Lihua, having been a well-behaved student her whole life, had never encountered such a person and was momentarily at a loss.

Her flustered appearance only made others believe she was exactly the kind of person Wen Siyuan described.

Yang Lihua couldn't take it anymore. She wanted to run.

Just then, Lin Xiang lunged forward, slapped Wen Siyuan across the face, and before that could satisfy her, she kicked him to the ground and rained blows upon him.

"You open your mouth and start spewing lies, trying to ruin a girl's reputation? Wen Siyuan, you black-hearted wretch! If I don't give you a beating today, my name isn't Lin Xiang!"

Lin Xiang used both hands and feet, quickly forcing Wen Siyuan to beg for mercy. The other educated youths, fearing she might actually kill him, hurriedly had several female youths pull her away.

Lin Xiang stood beside Yang Lihua, her hand resting on her shoulder as she caught her breath.

"Wen Siyuan is absolutely shameless! He heard from somewhere that our Lihua Brigade received a quota to return to the city. He approached Lihua, thinking that since her mother is the head of the Women's Federation, she could pull strings to get him that quota."

"When Lihua firmly refused him, he grew hateful. He not only stole a Hero-brand fountain pen from her but also started spreading rumors to ruin her reputation! He knows how important a woman's virtue is; if today's lies spread, how is Lihua supposed to live?"

At this, no one in the compound paid attention to what Wen Siyuan had said earlier; they were hooked by the key point in Lin Xiang’s words.

"Comrade Lin Xiang, are you saying our Lihua Brigade has a quota for returning to the city?"

"You didn't know?" Lin Xiang feigned surprise, then smacked her own forehead. "Look at me—Wen Siyuan isn't like you all; why would he ever be generous enough to tell you about the quota?"

"The commune did grant us one quota. But the brigade leader hasn't announced it yet; they probably haven't decided who gets it."

"I have to say, Wen Siyuan is truly beneath contempt. He’s not open or honest at all. Not only did he hide the news, but he tried to play dirty behind your backs. And when that failed, he resorted to slandering a female comrade..."

"Everyone, you’ve lived with Wen Siyuan for so long; you know what kind of person he is. Don't take a single word he says to heart!"