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墨書 Inktalez
On the other side, Zhang Liu suddenly recalled this matter. She couldn't remember it immediately, partly because the Yang family preferred not to discuss it much. As she thought back to the encounter with Lu Zheng and then considered Yang Tong, she didn't see anything wrong with her brother. He had looks and height, and he was caring. It was hard to find such an outstanding and handsome young man in the surrounding villages.
In her opinion, Lu Zheng simply couldn't compare to Yang Tong. The atmosphere in the Yang household was genuinely pleasant; the men of the Yang family were romantic and devoted for life once they fell for someone. For instance, Wen Qian had married into the Yang family, and their relationship as sisters-in-law was surely harmonious, allowing them to live well together. She wouldn't have to endure the hardships she faced in the past.
She planned to return home and write a letter to Yang Tong, quietly informing him about this matter so he could prepare himself. She would cheer him on later as his sister-in-law. Zhang Liu had already made her choice; she was casting her vote for her brother-in-law.
When they arrived at the supply and marketing cooperative, several children clamored for soda and ice pops. While the kids enjoyed their drinks, Wen Qian and the other two women each picked up a bottle for themselves.
As they drank, Meng Fang's eyes wandered around the store until they suddenly lit up. She hurried over to the counter and asked, "Comrade, is that Shuangxi brand hair oil?"
"Yes," came the reply.
"Please get me a bottle." After saying that, she quickly turned back to Wen Qian. "Xiao Qian, come here!"
Wen Qian walked over, only to have Meng Fang grab her arm. "You should buy a bottle of this hair oil to try! I’ve been using it and it works well. I came by earlier but there was none in stock. I just happened to find it now; we need to buy it quickly before it runs out."
"Really?" Wen Qian picked it up to take a look and decided to buy a bottle as well. After all, she had plenty of cash on hand; it wouldn't hurt to give it a try since her hair definitely needed some care.
Zhang Liu also bought a bottle. Beauty products for women sold out quickly; if they didn’t buy now, they might miss out later.
Wen Qian thought about how there wasn't much grain left at home. She glanced at the nearby grain and oil store and decided she would come back later to buy some; otherwise, carrying it would be cumbersome.
"Let’s go!"
The children happily held their snacks as they walked ahead, while the three adults followed behind them. The setting sun cast a warm glow on them, their shadows stretching across the ground as they strolled forward.
Suddenly, a voice rang out from a nearby alley: "Thief! Stop! Help! Someone's being robbed!"
The children in front were startled and quickly ran back behind them, clutching their hands tightly. Wen Qian, Zhang Liu, and Meng Fang were equally shocked that someone would dare rob in broad daylight. However, they were three women without any fighting skills; they couldn't confront such a situation!
Wen Qian picked up a stick from beside the wall and cautiously peered into the alley. She saw a man rushing out towards them.
"Xiao Qian, be careful! If things get dangerous, let’s find a police officer," Meng Fang and Zhang Liu said anxiously, worried about her slender arms and legs—how could she possibly fight?
Though Wen Qian felt some panic inside her at the thought of confronting him directly, she believed that cleverness could still prevail over brute force.
"I'm fine, you all hide," the man said, clutching a bag as he prepared to dash out of the alley. Suddenly, a foot extended from the corner of the wall.
Caught off guard, the man stumbled and fell to the ground. In an instant, Wen Qian raised her foot and kicked at him, while her stick came crashing down as well. The man hadn’t expected anyone to be there; he rolled on the ground in pain. Wen Qian saw him trying to grab the stick and quickly seized his wrist, gritting her teeth as she exerted force. A sharp crack echoed through the alley, accompanied by the man's agonized scream.
"Ah! My hand! Help! Someone's robbing me!"
A woman in the alley panicked and rushed out, clearly having fallen and limping slightly. She hadn’t anticipated the scene before her; whether from fear or shock, she couldn’t help but swallow hard.
"Is that a heroine?"
At that moment, the man was begging for mercy, "I was wrong! Please spare me, Auntie!"
Gradually, more people gathered around, watching curiously. Upon hearing that it was a thief being robbed, they became indignant and stepped forward to help.
Wen Qian slowly backed away from the crowd as the police arrived. The police station wasn’t far; just moments ago, Zhang Liu had rushed over in a panic and was now leaning against Meng Fang, gasping for breath.
Meng Fang was already stunned by what had happened. She looked at Wen Qian, who had approached them, and nervously smacked her lips together in disbelief.
"I can’t believe it! How are you so strong?"
"I was worried you might get bullied," she continued excitedly. "But honestly, you didn’t just beat him up; you practically broke his arm!"
Wen Qian felt a bit embarrassed and interrupted her. "Sister Meng, you’re exaggerating. His arm is broken because I used force; it’s not as impressive as you say."
"That’s still impressive! When I get home, I’m going to ask my husband to teach me some moves too. Then I can be a hero like you!"
The three of them laughed and comforted a few children nearby, especially Xiao Chen, who was both excited and worried after seeing Wen Qian fight.
As they were about to leave, they were called back by the woman whose money had been stolen. She looked at Wen Qian with gratitude in her eyes. "You… you comrade! Thank you so much! Let me treat you to a meal!"
"No need for that. Just make sure to keep your money safe and avoid such incidents in the future."
The woman watched Wen Qian's retreating figure and called out loudly behind her, "Thank you! Thank you! My name is Yue Xin!"
Yue Xin looked at Wen Qian with excitement in her eyes, hoping they would meet again someday. Yet deep down, she knew that hope was slim since she had only come here for a brief errand and might never return.
On their way back, Wen Qian walked between Meng Fang and Zhang Liu as they chattered away.
"How are you so strong? You don’t look like someone who has much muscle!"
"I’ve built my strength from working in the fields," Wen Qian replied casually. "I used to do double shifts, so gradually I got stronger."
While Wen Qian spoke about it as if it were trivial, both Meng Fang and Zhang Liu looked at her with concern.
"She’s been through so much!"
Wen Qian found it amusing yet exasperating; she truly didn’t want pity nor did she need anyone to feel sorry for her.
Reluctantly, she quickened her pace to return home.
When she arrived, Lu Zheng and the others had already learned about the incident. Yang Yong and Zhang Li exchanged looks that suggested they were surprised by Wen Qian.
It was getting late, so Wen Qian and Lu Zheng decided to leave. They first went to buy some groceries before heading home. On the way, Lu Zheng hesitated before speaking up, "Be careful."
Wen Qian was momentarily taken aback, but after a moment, she realized he was referring to what had just happened.
"I know," she replied. "I made that decision after weighing my options."
She didn’t need a hero to save her; she would consider her own abilities and the opponents she faced. In this life, she cherished her life and future even more.
As they traveled, Lu Zheng found his mind wandering uncontrollably to Yang Tong, the so-called rival. There was no denying that Yang Tong was an outstanding individual. He had only been in the army for four years, yet he had already been appointed as a company commander. If it weren’t for the short time he had served, he might have already been a deputy battalion commander.
Wen Qian gradually sensed that Lu Zheng seemed somewhat out of sorts, unlike his usual self.
"You're riding now! You don’t care about your own life, but what about us?"
She raised her hand and gave Lu Zheng a firm pat on the back, reminding him, "Lu Zheng, focus on riding!"
Only then did Lu Zheng snap back to reality. He turned to look at Wen Qian and nodded seriously, "I know."
Once they got home, it was already late. Before returning, they had bought some buns from the state-run restaurant and cooked a bit of porridge to eat for dinner.
Wen Qian noticed something strange about Lu Zheng; this feeling persisted until bedtime. As she lay in bed and turned off the light, she could sense that something was off with him. Ever since they returned from Sister Meng's house, he had been absent-minded—a state he hadn’t shown during their time together.
As she drifted into a light sleep, a sudden loud knock on the door startled Wen Qian awake. She gasped for breath to calm herself while Lu Chen cried out in fear, shrinking into her embrace.
Furrowing her brows, Wen Qian patted her son’s back gently. "Don’t be afraid, Xiao Chen. Mommy is here!"
Lu Zheng glanced at them before getting up to turn on the light. He dressed quickly, his demeanor filled with tension as he walked toward the door.
Opening it and stepping outside into the yard, he saw no one at first. However, suddenly someone grabbed his foot. Reacting instinctively out of self-defense, Lu Zheng lifted his leg and kicked out.
"Ah!"
A woman's scream pierced through the night. Frowning, Lu Zheng looked over and immediately recognized the woman before him—Zhang Yan.
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