Chapter 22: A Letter from Father Lin, Reaping What One Has Sown

Aunt Sun's words were truly harsh, and Wang Xueping's face went pale with anger. She was still wavering on whether to marry Sun Zhiyuan, and now his mother had put on such a show—an unforgettable impression. Instantly, memories from her previous life surged back.

“Mother, what are you saying? I was saving her!” Sun Zhiyuan hurried over and grabbed his mother’s arm, then looked apologetically at Wang Xueping. “Comrade Wang, I’m sorry. My mother misunderstood. I…”

“Zhiyuan, you were saving her, yes—but you touched her all over. Who else would marry her now? Who would want her?” Aunt Sun’s lips flapped relentlessly, her noisy words making everyone’s ears ache. She then glanced at Sun Liangdong. “Would you take her? Who’d want a woman that’s been touched all over, like an old shoe?”

Sun Liangdong’s face turned dark as he stood there, unable to utter a single word.

Wang Xueping’s breath grew tight. “I ask you not to slander my reputation, or I won’t be polite!”

She wasn’t good at quarreling—if she were, she wouldn’t have spent two lifetimes with her head bowed from insults.

“Hah, your reputation? You’ve already been touched by my son and still won’t admit it. What reputation do you have left? What a joke!”

“Mother!” Sun Zhiyuan’s expression was cold. He pulled his mother away and looked apologetically at Wang Xueping. “Comrade Wang, please don’t take my mother’s words to heart. I’ll take her home now. Sorry for today.”

As for him, Wang Xueping simply couldn’t treat him with cold indifference—especially after he had saved her.

Aunt Sun was dragged away by Sun Zhiyuan, and the matchmaker and onlookers awkwardly dispersed. Yet, the rumor about Wang Xueping being touched all over was bound to spread. The Party secretary’s wife would certainly not let her off.

Wang Xueping sensed the eyes on her and felt her face pale, but she quietly glanced at Lin Jingyue leaning against the doorway.

Seeing her calm expression, so indifferent even toward Sun Zhiyuan, Wang Xueping felt a twinge of doubt.

“Xueping…” But just then, Sun Liangdong, with an ugly expression, looked at her.

“Comrade Sun, we were never courting. I hope you won’t spread rumors in the future,” Wang Xueping said coldly.

“By the way, all the things and money you borrowed from me—I hope you return them soon.” Sun Liangdong had managed to take quite a few good things from her.

After finishing, Wang Xueping went inside alone. The yard fell silent, and Sun Liangdong’s face burned as anger and contempt for Wang Xueping simmered in his heart.

Lin Jingyue, watching the drama unfold, pondered Wang Xueping’s sudden hostility toward her.

How baffling.

Could it be that in ‘her’ past life, she had done something to harm Wang Xueping? Was Wang Xueping… reborn?

Tsk!

She raised her brows with a smile and, by chance, met Lin Xinrou’s hateful glare. She bared her teeth and mouthed, “Careful or I’ll beat you!”

“Brother Zhao Hua…” Lin Xinrou shrank like a frightened rabbit, glancing fearfully at Lin Jingyue.

Zhao Hua’s heart softened. He looked at Lin Jingyue, and met her clear, piercing gaze, which unsettled him.

“Coward,” Lin Jingyue muttered, turning and entering her room.

The educated youth center fell into complete silence. Lin Xinrou and Zhao Hua spoke for a while longer before leaving.

Lying in bed, Lin Xinrou wondered why her family hadn’t sent any news, and why the thick cotton quilt her mother promised hadn’t arrived.

Could something have happened? Lin Xinrou tossed and turned half the night before finally falling asleep. The next day, she went to work with dark circles under her eyes, barely conscious, and soon fainted from exhaustion. The brigade members were thoroughly displeased with her.

Lin Jingyue, as usual, finished her tasks and slipped away. When she returned, Jiang Xun and Zhou Yan were already back, building a stove beside the kitchen—they had no intention of using the youth center’s stove anymore.

Lin Jingyue glanced at them. “Are we eating together today?”

Their stove wouldn’t be ready for a couple days, and they still needed to buy a pot.

“Sure,” Jiang Xun replied with a smile.

“So, what’s for dinner?” Lin Jingyue was determined to enjoy a few more meals cooked by Jiang Xun before it became difficult.

“Braised rice with cured pork?” He still had two pounds left.

“Sounds great.”

Zhou Yan… Well, his opinion was as irrelevant as ever.

As Jiang Xun cooked, the other educated youths trickled back, and the aroma of meat filled the courtyard, instantly energizing everyone.

What delicacy were those three concocting now?

Their hearts burned with jealousy.

Lin Xinrou, supported by Zhao Hua and Lin Xinjian, looked unwell. She had fainted in the fields today and endured a round of mockery—her pride must have been badly bruised.

“Are Lin Xinrou and Lin Xinjian here? There’s mail for both of you,” the postman’s voice suddenly sounded from outside the courtyard.

“Is Lin Jingyue here? There’s a letter for you, and Jiang Xun has a package!”

Usually, packages had to be picked up at the county post office, but sometimes the postman would deliver them along with the mail.

The youth center’s gate was open, so everyone saw Jiang Xun’s package immediately.

Good heavens, what treasures could be inside?

Jiang Xun had just signed for his package when Lin Xinrou, who had been lying down, rushed out.

“My letter—I’m Lin Xinrou…” she said eagerly.

She had waited for this letter with desperate longing.

After signing, she wasted no time and opened it right there in the yard. The letter was from Hu Cui Xi, detailing recent events.

Inside was a twenty-yuan remittance slip.

But Lin Xinrou didn’t even care about the remittance. After reading the letter, her face turned ashen and she seemed about to collapse.

Zhao Hua quickly caught her.

They were already known to be a couple.

“Sis, what’s wrong? Did something happen at home?” Lin Xinjian’s heart skipped a beat.

He snatched up the letter and speed-read through it.

Lin Jingyue, uninterested in who had written to her, signed for her letter and watched the scene unfold.

After reading, Lin Xinjian’s face also paled.

The siblings suddenly looked at Lin Jingyue as if they wanted to devour her.

Lin Jingyue shrugged. “Want to fight? Cut the chatter and come on, then!”

Her eager stance brought Lin Xinrou back to her senses.

“Xinjian!” She grabbed her brother, gritted her teeth, picked up the letter and remittance slip, and left.

Lin Jingyue raised her brows—so she’d regained her composure. Not bad.

She flicked the letter in her hand and nodded at Jiang Xun before returning to her room.

The handwriting on the letter was unfamiliar. Curious, she opened it.

“Lin Jingyue, you heartless traitor…”

The opening was a string of insults, so vile that Father Lin couldn’t keep up the pretense any longer.

From the letter, she learned what had happened.

It all began with the telegram Lin Xinrou sent back, asking if the siblings were actually Father Lin’s children.

It had been seen by someone at the factory—one of Father Lin’s rivals, who had long coveted the two-bedroom apartment allotted to Father Lin’s wife and the special treatment she received at the factory.