"I want to report..."
Liu Cuilan's shout stunned everyone in the yard. The crowd, which had just been a chaotic mess, instantly fell dead silent.
Wang Haibao shuddered all over, his face as white as paper. That night in the outhouse, he had slept with Liu Cuilan, and shortly after, she got pregnant.
After she got pregnant, he did it with her several more times. If this shrew ratted him out, it would be adding insult to injury—he might even get shot!
"Who do you want to report?" Wu Mingwei's gaze burned like a torch, staring fixedly at Liu Cuilan's face.
Liu Cuilan felt a chill under his stare, but at this point, she had to drag someone down with her no matter what.
She jerked her head around, pointed straight at Zhou Zhijun, and shrieked, "Him! Not only did he rape me, but he also seduced my daughter-in-law..."
As soon as she said this, everyone gasped in shock, their jaws nearly dropping to the ground.
Earlier she claimed Zhou Zhijun wasn't a real man and hadn't laid a finger on her in four years, and now she was saying he raped her? Wasn't this a slap in her own face?
Gossip about Zhou Zhijun and Li Chuntao had never stopped in the village, but everyone just suspected it behind their backs; no one had ever caught them.
Zhou Zhijun rarely smiled and kept a stern face all day. Would he really seduce Li Chuntao? The crowd was highly skeptical.
Wu Mingwei didn't believe a word of it. He and Zhou Zhijun were comrades-in-arms who had gone through life-and-death situations together; they were brothers. He knew better than anyone what kind of man Zhou Zhijun was.
His cousin Zuo Jinhui had a formal job, was young and beautiful, and Zhou Zhijun hadn't even given her a second thought. How could he be interested in someone like this?
The gang caught tonight was led by Zhou Zhijun, and this woman's husband was tied up too. She was holding a grudge and deliberately framing him!
"I asked you to report crimes, not spout nonsense! Framing a good person is also against the law!" Wu Mingwei shouted sternly.
"I'm not framing him! Every word I say is true!"
"Really? What evidence do you have?"
"I have it! This is the proof that he seduced my daughter-in-law!"
Liu Cuilan pulled out a small mirror. Seeing it, Wang Haichao acted like he had grasped a lifeline.
He hurriedly shouted, "There's also a handkerchief! With words on it! That handkerchief is with Wang Xiaoming!"
Liu Cuilan immediately chimed in, "Yes! He seduced my daughter-in-law, they are having an illicit affair! Zhou Zhijun is guilty of rape and hooliganism!"
Zhou Zhijun froze at first, his tense face instantly freezing over like ice.
His clenched fists cracked, his chest heaved violently, and his Adam's apple bobbed hard twice, but he didn't utter a single sound.
It wasn't until Liu Cuilan finished speaking that he suddenly took a step forward. Glaring at her with bloodshot eyes, he squeezed out a few words from his throat, fierce and heavy, "Bullshit!"
In truth, Liu Cuilan accusing Zhou Zhijun of rape was just to bluff the commune officials and make them take her seriously. Her real goal was to report Zhou Zhijun and Li Chuntao for improper male-female relations.
Terrified by Zhou Zhijun's ferocious appearance, she took a step back but refused to let it go.
Holding up the small mirror in her hand, she yelled at the onlookers, "Everyone, look! The back of this mirror has naked little figures drawn on it. Only people having affairs would give something like this...
He runs to my house every day, helping my daughter-in-law with chores. Whenever he has good food or drinks, he never forgets to bring her some. What's he after? Isn't it just because she's young and pretty...
They even went to sell piglets together and stayed overnight in Wanggang! If that's not having an affair, what is?
Comrade Police, you must stand up for me! My son lost a leg, we are just a helpless widow and orphan, we can't let him bully us like this! Oh, I can't live like this anymore..."
As Liu Cuilan spoke, she plopped down on the ground, slapping her thighs and wailing dryly, "Oh my heavens! He's bullying us because we don't have a man to back us up..."
Wu Mingwei finally understood; this woman was just an unreasonable shrew.
He knew in his heart that Zhou Zhijun was not that kind of person, but in front of the whole village, he had to make a statement.
Wu Mingwei frowned tightly, turned to look at Zhou Zhijun, "Zhijun, say something. What exactly is going on?"
Zhou Zhijun gritted his back teeth, and his white-knuckled fists slowly loosened.
He looked up at Wu Mingwei, his eyes open and honest, without the slightest hint of panic, and his voice was so calm that no emotion could be heard.
"Li Chuntao is my mother's recognized goddaughter. As her godbrother, it's only right that I help her out. There is absolutely no such thing, don't listen to her nonsense!"
At the mention of Li Chuntao, Wu Mingwei suddenly remembered and quickly asked, "Zhijun, is it the same Li Chuntao who dared to fight a thief to protect the people's money?"
"Exactly." Zhou Zhijun nodded.
When Chuntao first returned from the hospital, Wu Mingwei had personally visited her, bringing not only canned fruit and brown sugar but also pressing ten yuan into her hand.
He had originally planned to hold a commendation meeting in Wangjiazhai village to properly publicize Li Chuntao's deeds, but Chuntao absolutely refused.
Blushing, she had said, "Comrade Police, I didn't think about anything at the time. I just couldn't stand seeing a thief harm the villagers..."
The impression Li Chuntao gave him was of a shy, simple girl. She looked frail on the outside, but in her bones, she carried an unyielding stubbornness.
On one side was the iron-willed Zhou Zhijun, and on the other was the courageous Li Chuntao. Both were notoriously decent people, not to mention the significant age gap between them.
Wu Mingwei was a veteran policeman who had seen countless people; he wouldn't believe they had that kind of relationship even if you beat him to death.
He didn't spare another glance at the tantrum-throwing Liu Cuilan. Instead, he raised his eyes to scan the buzzing crowd and said loudly, "Everyone, quiet down! Today, I'll take this opportunity to announce something!
During the temple fair on the eighth of April, Li Chuntao was stabbed by a thief while protecting the villagers' money. This is true heroism!
For a weak woman to have such courage and spirit makes it even more commendable!
At the time, I wanted to hold a meeting in the village to commend her, but Comrade Li Chuntao is low-key and didn't want to make a fuss, so the matter was put on hold!
Comrade Li Chuntao is a hero of our Wangjiazhai! No one is allowed to fabricate stories and throw dirty water on her!"
As soon as Wu Mingwei spoke, the murmurs in the yard grew louder.
Back when Wang Xiaohong said Chuntao was injured fighting a thief, everyone didn't believe it. But coming from the mouth of a policeman, they couldn't help but believe it.
"I really couldn't have imagined! Such a weak-looking person actually dared to risk her life fighting a thief!"
"Exactly! This Li Chuntao, you really can't judge a book by its cover!"
"Acting courageously for a just cause, she's stronger than many men in the village!"
Hearing everyone's discussions, Liu Cuilan gritted her teeth in hatred and shrieked, "I didn't frame anyone! The small mirror in my hand is proof!"
But her voice was long drowned out by the villagers' chatter.
Wu Mingwei completely ignored her, turning to the several policemen he brought with him and said, "Let's go! Take these people back to the commune for interrogation!"
Just then, Wang Xiaoming ran over, panting heavily.
Just now, when Zhou Zhaodi heard Wang Haichao say there was also a handkerchief in Wang Xiaoming's hands, she quickly asked Baldy Zhang to go to the melon field to call Wang Xiaoming.
Baldy Zhang woke Wang Xiaoming up, saying in a panic, "Xiaoming, your brother has been arrested! Hurry up and go to the brigade headquarters to take a look! It will be too late if you delay!"
Wang Xiaoming was still groggy from sleep and did not believe it at all. "Stop talking nonsense! My brother has a bad leg, what crime could he possibly commit?"
"Why would I lie to you! He is right there at the brigade headquarters! Go quickly!"
Seeing Baldy Zhang's serious face, not looking like he was joking, Wang Xiaoming's heart skipped a beat. He hurriedly asked, "What on earth is going on? Who told you to come get me?"
"I heard it is over a handkerchief! That handkerchief is in your hands! Xiaoming, hurry up and hand that handkerchief over to the police, and your brother will be fine!"
Wang Xiaoming's heart jolted, suddenly recalling how Wang Haichao had asked to see that handkerchief a few days ago. Was there really a problem with that handkerchief?
Baldy Zhang was stomping his feet in anxiety beside him, constantly urging him. Wang Xiaoming's mind was buzzing; without having the time to think it through, he took off running toward the brigade headquarters.
When he arrived and saw the scene in the courtyard, he was instantly stunned.
His brother Wang Jieshi, a disabled man with a lame leg who rarely stepped out of the house on normal days, was actually tied up, squatting on the ground with his head drooping.
Liu Cuilan caught sight of Wang Xiaoming at a glance, her eyes instantly lighting up like lamps. She shouted at the top of her lungs, "Xiaoming! Where is the handkerchief? Hurry and take out the handkerchief!"
Wang Xiaoming's mind was a mess at this moment. He knew Wang Haichao was up to no good.
Although his brother Wang Jieshi was not exactly a saint, with his lame leg, what illegal thing could he possibly do?
Baldy Zhang had said the handkerchief could prove his brother's innocence. Not having time to think too much, he hastily pulled the handkerchief out of his pocket.
Liu Cuilan snatched it away, rushing over to Wu Mingwei in a few quick strides, and held the handkerchief high in the air.
"Comrade Police! Look quickly! This is also hard evidence of their illicit affair!"
Wang Haichao also chimed in, shouting, "There is a 'Jun' character embroidered on it! This is the proof of Zhou Zhijun seducing a young wife!"
