Chapter 22 The Deceived Girl in the 1970s: Fake vs. Real Daughter Story (22)

By now, the person sent to fetch the team leader had already returned, and quite a few villagers had come to watch the commotion. Ye Xiaoxiao and Zhang Yumei were also among them.

Everyone had clearly heard what had just been said, and now all eyes were on Lu Ze, waiting to see what he’d say.

Zhang Yumei leaned in close and whispered to Ye Xiaoxiao, “Do you think Lu Ze is really dating Li Wenli? I find that hard to believe. I mean, how could he pick her over me?”

Ye Xiaoxiao replied calmly, “Of course you’re better. But why do you care? Don’t tell me you still have feelings for Lu Ze.”

Ye Xiaoxiao didn’t think much of Lu Ze at all. Ever since that scuffle between them, they’d bumped into each other a few more times. She wasn’t sure if it was just her imagination, but she always felt like he looked at her… differently. So she’d been avoiding him.

If Lu Ze were on his own, she might’ve considered dating him, as he was good-looking and hardworking, after all.

But with the mess of people around him? No, thank you. Just judging by that circus, it was easy to guess what kind of family he came from. Especially with a younger brother like Lu Chuan? There was no way that family was easy to deal with.

She hated trouble. Even the possibility of getting tangled up in it was enough for her to say no. Wasn’t it better to live quietly on her own?

Sure, it could get lonely sometimes. But if she ever decided she wanted someone, it certainly wouldn’t be someone who’d drag her down.

Lu Chuan, meanwhile, felt his head about to explode from all the attention.

Feng Qingqing looked pitifully at Lu Ze and asked in a soft, tearful voice, “Brother Ze, you’re not actually involved with Li Wenli, right? You like me, don’t you?”

Li Wenli quickly shot back, “Who says we’re not? Lu Ze is my boyfriend!”

The team leader’s face turned dark as he looked at the group. “Can someone explain what exactly is going on? Why were you fighting? And male educated youth hitting female educated youth? Seriously?!”

He’d already lost whatever shred of a good impression he’d had of the Lu brothers. Back when they first got into a fight with Ye Xiaoxiao, he’d thought they were bad news.

Recently, Lu Ze had seemed to shape up—working hard, not causing trouble—so the team leader had just started to revise his opinion.

But now? This mess?

Lu Chuan immediately jumped in. “Team leader, it was like this: Qingqing and I saw Li Wenli hugging my brother. We asked what was going on. Qingqing told her to let go, but she refused, and then she hit Qingqing. My brother and I tried to break it up, and that’s how it turned into a scuffle.”

Ye Xiaoxiao: … Wow.

Lu Chuan was really throwing his brother under the bus. Even if Lu Ze had nothing to do with Li Wenli before, he sure looked involved now. Was that his intention all along?

Zhang Yumei whispered to Ye Xiaoxiao, “I always thought Lu Chuan was just a lovesick idiot who followed Feng Qingqing around, but I guess I underestimated him. That was cold—he really threw his own brother to the wolves.”

Lu Ze looked like he was about to explode. His face was turning purple from suppressed rage. He couldn’t help himself; he slapped Lu Chuan across the face.

“I have nothing to do with Li Wenli! I’m your brother, and this is how you treat me? What did I ever do to deserve this?!”

Lu Chuan didn’t fight back. He just played dumb. “Brother, why’d you hit me? I was just telling it like I saw it. How am I throwing you under the bus? Don’t slander me!”

Lu Ze growled, “I have no connection to Li Wenli. If you say another word of nonsense—!”

Feng Qingqing cut in, looking wounded but sincere. “Brother Ze, I believe you. It’s that shameless slut Li Wenli trying to cling to you!”

Lu Ze: … I’m so tired. Can I just cease to exist?

Why did I ever agree to come down here with Lu Chuan? I was worried he’d get into trouble, but now I’m the one drowning in it.

The team leader was visibly exhausted.

“If this is just your own personal drama, then I’m not going to interfere. But watch yourselves. This was a public brawl. Everyone involved gets 20 work points deducted.”

He turned to leave. Emotional entanglements weren’t something he wanted or could manage.

Ye Xiaoxiao and Zhang Yumei didn’t leave. Neither did anyone else. The whole crowd wanted to see what happened next.

Someone piped up, “Lu Ze, which one is it then? Who’s your girlfriend?”

Lu Ze replied clearly, “I don’t have one.”

But Li Wenli cried out at the same time, “I’m his girlfriend!”

Screw it, she thought. Everyone was always stepping on her; why should she be the only one suffering?

If she had to be miserable, then no one else was getting off easy either.

She was going to cling to Lu Ze like glue. Make Feng Qingqing jealous and bitter. Make Lu Ze take the fall.

He was the one who’d refused to help her when she needed it. Just a single word from him would’ve stopped everything, but he didn’t say it. Fine. She’d drag him down with her.

Lu Ze glared at her. “Li Wenli, stop spouting nonsense. You know what the consequences are.”

But Li Wenli pushed forward, “Why won’t you admit it? Lu Chuan and Feng Qingqing saw us hugging. I know I’m not good enough for you, and I come from a poor background. But I’m trying to be better.”

Then, imitating Feng Qingqing’s usual pitiful style, she lowered her head and started sobbing.

Unfortunately, when she lowered her head, she noticed something horrifying—her collar had come undone. One glance down, and she realized her chest was clearly visible.

Had everyone seen it?

Panic surged through her, and she clutched her chest tightly, her heart filling with hatred toward everyone involved.

Her innocence was gone and seen by so many villagers, no less. How was she ever supposed to find a respectable husband after this?

And with Feng Qingqing around? No chance she’d keep it quiet, and not after this falling-out. She’d probably broadcast it to the whole province.

Which meant… there was only one option.

She had to marry Lu Ze.

Before, claiming to be his girlfriend had been about revenge. But now it was about survival.

It was no longer just a game—this was her only way out.

She looked pleadingly at the team leader. “Team leader, please help me. Feng Qingqing likes Lu Ze, and she’s trying to ruin us. Her family has power. Lu Ze doesn’t dare admit it because he’s afraid of retaliation.”

The team leader didn’t believe her, but he turned to Lu Ze anyway.

Lu Ze was about to explain when Li Wenli suddenly burst into tears. “So many people saw us together today. My body is already his. If he doesn’t acknowledge it… then I might as well just die!”

Lu Ze was stunned. Was she… really planning to latch onto him forever?

Panic crept into his voice. “Li Wenli, have you lost your mind?! What the hell are you talking about?! Don’t slander me! We’ve never had anything like that between us. I’ve never touched you!”

But Li Wenli looked utterly heartbroken. She let her hands drop, exposing the bruises on her neck and collarbone—marks from her earlier fight with Feng Qingqing. But now, with her performance, everyone assumed they were something else entirely.

“I don’t blame you for not admitting it,” she said in a hopeless tone. “But I really have no future left.”

Then she lunged for the wall, trying to bash her head against it.

Of course, she didn’t hit it. She was acting. People rushed to stop her, and she let herself collapse to the ground, sobbing dramatically.

By this point, a lot of people in the crowd were starting to believe her story. Even Zhang Yumei was wavering.

“Xiaoxiao,” she whispered, “do you think she’s telling the truth?”

Ye Xiaoxiao raised an eyebrow. “What do you think?”