Chapter Seventy-Nine: Yue Hehua

As Chen Liang had anticipated, the moment he uttered the name Yue Hehua, the brigade leader and his colleagues’ expressions changed visibly.

“Comrades of the Security Department, you... you mustn’t believe everything you hear. That’s just idle gossip!” The brigade leader’s face was ashen, his voice trembling. In these times, any severe incident in the village spelled the end for the production brigade leaders—they would be swiftly dismissed by the commune.

“Heh, Comrade Brigade Leader, whether it’s true or not isn’t up to you to decide. Now, please lead the way.” Chen Liang stopped his junior, Borba, from speaking further, signaling him to let Chen take the lead, then addressed the brigade leader directly.

The brigade leader sighed deeply, head bowed, dejectedly guiding them forward. In his heart, he silently cursed the Yue family for ruining him. If he survived this disaster, he swore he would make the Yue family pay for their troubles.

“Comrades, here’s the truth: Hehua has suffered since childhood. She lost her mother early, and Yue Laosan, her father, found her a stepmother who is no better—she takes pleasure in tormenting the girl. Please, comrades, help her!” Now that things had reached a point of no return, the village chief hastened to distance himself and revealed the entire situation of the Yue family, hoping to salvage his standing.

It wasn’t that he, the production brigade leader, was incompetent—the roots of the Yue family were rotten, and he could do nothing.

“Heh, Comrade Brigade Leader, there are no outsiders here, so I’ll speak plainly,” Chen Liang glanced at the other two. “Actually, when the incident happened, my junior was right there, witnessed everything, and intervened to drive away the hooligans.”

His words made the brigade office leaders’ eyes light up. “Comrade, you mean the girl wasn’t harmed?”

“Yes, and I can even guess that some of those hooligans were from your village!” Damn it, this young comrade always speaks in such roundabout ways. If it weren’t for his position in the Security Department, someone would have slapped him by now!

From hell to heaven, then heaven to hell again—the emotional turbulence was intense. If Chen Liang had an emotion collection system, the sound of “xxx+10086” would be ringing nonstop.

“But, my junior has taken a liking to Hehua. So, whether catching the hooligans becomes a big or small matter depends on you. Do you understand?”

Chen Liang’s words were clear enough, and the seasoned brigade officials understood immediately—this was a threat.

Yet, even though they were being threatened, they were more than willing to comply. “Comrade, just tell us what you need—we’ll cooperate fully!”

Negotiating with clever people was simple; consensus was reached in a few words. “Alright, the terms are simple. My junior wishes to marry Comrade Yue Hehua, but doesn’t want any ties with the rest of the Yue family. So, we’ll need your help.”

The brigade cadres conferred quietly for a moment. “Comrade, is your junior really willing to marry Hehua?”

Looking at Borba, who was pretending to be harmless despite his rough appearance, Chen Liang kicked him. “Speak up! Do you want to marry Yue Hehua or not?”

Borba replied quickly, “Of course I do.”

“You’ve all heard him, so bring out a plan. How do we proceed?”

“Comrades, it’s not actually difficult. It mainly depends on you. After all, once a daughter is married off, she’s like water spilled and can’t be reclaimed. Just pay a proper bride price, and the Yue family will be satisfied.”

After much deliberation, this was the scheme the brigade cadres proposed.

Chen Liang chuckled and said to Borba, “Do you remember what those hooligans looked like? Come, let’s go arrest them.”

“Comrades, there’s no need for arrests. If you have any requests, just let us know!” the brigade leader hastily interjected.

“Are you trying to treat us like fools? You propose a high bride price—what, is the Yue family not sucking enough blood as it is, so you’re itching for more trouble?”

These shameless brigade cadres were up to no good. If their scheme was accepted, they would cling like leeches, impossible to shake off.

“Never, comrades—you misunderstand. As the production brigade leader, I guarantee that the Yue family won’t dare trouble you.” He pounded his chest. “You don’t know our village customs: once a girl is married, she’s gone for good—no reclaiming her.”

“Really?” Chen Liang was skeptical—this wasn’t what women’s novels described at all.

He smacked his lips. “I don’t believe it. You don’t have a choice. I can pay extra bride price, but you must have the Yue family write a severance letter.”

There were too many absurd stories in later generations about family obligations. Chen Liang genuinely wanted to protect his junior. Considering Borba’s Mongolian family’s temperament, any trouble would become a monumental affair.

The brigade leader pondered for a moment. “Alright, as long as you pay the bride price, I’ll make them write the severance letter.”

“Let’s get moving then.” They had already wasted the whole morning. For his junior’s happiness, Chen Liang had even skipped the free lunch at the library today—a real loss.

When they arrived at Yue Hehua’s home, the brigade leader knocked loudly, “Yue Laosan, open up!”

“I’m coming! Who is it? Stop banging—if you break the door, can you afford it?” A sharp female voice came from inside.

The main door swung open, revealing a middle-aged woman whose harsh features betrayed her sour disposition.

“Oh, it’s the brigade leader, secretary, and accountant—come in, please. Hehua, wake your father.”

“Alright, I know.” A woman got up from beside the pigsty and went inside to rouse her father.

The pigsty was slightly out of the way, and Chen Liang hadn’t noticed the woman crouching there. But as she stood up, he took a closer look. If he wasn’t mistaken, this must be Yue Hehua, the girl his junior longed for.

She was nowhere near the extraordinary beauty Borba had boasted about—just a solid eighty-four or eighty-five points, a typical attractive woman with nothing particularly unique.

After the middle-aged woman opened the courtyard gate, she ushered the brigade cadres inside. Only once everyone was in the yard did she reveal Chen Liang and Borba behind her.

Immediately, her expression changed dramatically.