Chapter 4: A Tigress and a Loser

Chapter 4: A Tigress and a Loser

If she had agreed to this today, she feared they would think she was a soft persimmon that could be easily squeezed, and they would be able to manipulate her in the future.

Xia Zhi's eyes darted around, and she suddenly smiled. She bypassed the crowd and walked toward the exit, saying as she went, "I understand. How could I bear to make things difficult for everyone?"

With that, Xia Zhi turned and walked out. She went into her own room, and looking at the messy scene inside—where the air was even permeated with a nauseating stench—a flash of disgust crossed her eyes.

She stepped forward to find the original owner's piggy bank, which was a large, chipped water vat.

Looking at the few cents and small change inside, her heart tightened. She picked it up and walked outside in a rage.

Seeing her leave, the group thought she had compromised and breathed a collective sigh of relief; after all, it wouldn't be good for anyone if this matter escalated.

Instead, they saw Xia Zhi walking out with a patchwork cloth bag, stuffing money into it as she went.

The crowd immediately followed her out of curiosity.

Xia Zhi ran out of the residential compound. Before the people behind her could catch up, she hurriedly grabbed a passerby.

"Quick, quick, go notify Lu Beiting! Tell him... tell him he's been cheated on, and if he doesn't come soon, he'll be a father without knowing it!"

Then, she went to the locust tree at the village entrance. Liu Kun, who drove an ox cart, specifically waited there to haul goods or people to earn a little money.

"Uncle Liu, I'll have to trouble you to take me to town."

Upon hearing this, everyone's expression changed. She was actually going to the town to report them!

Zhang Xiao's legs went weak with fear. If Gu Yunshen hadn't been supporting her from the side, she would have collapsed onto the ground long ago.

"Quick, Yunshen, you can't let her go to town! Otherwise, what will happen to you in the future!"

"Liping, help me hold onto my mother."

After saying this, Gu Yunshen walked toward Xia Zhi in a rage. This woman was going too far.

"Xia Zhi! That's enough! Is there really a need to go this far?"

Caught off guard, Xia Zhi was pulled by him and fell directly to the ground. Xia Zhi froze for a moment, then burst into loud wails, lying right on the ground, clutching her arm and howling in pain.

"Bullying! The Gu family's college student is bullying people! Waaaah! It's one thing to hook up with my cousin behind my back, but the whole family is ganging up to bully an orphan! There is no justice, truly no justice!"

"Xia Zhi, enough! It was just a light push, what are you acting for!"

Gu Yunshen paced around anxiously. The military district was not far from here; if they alerted the Regimental Commander, this matter would be difficult to resolve.

"How can the Gu family be like this? This is truly too much." Li Chunhua really couldn't stand to watch anymore. She hadn't known the Gu family was this hateful before.

"Xia Zhi, I beg you, please get up. I... I'll give you money, alright?"

Seeing the gazes from the troops in the distance looking this way, Gu Yunshen panicked. With such a big scene, even if Xia Zhi didn't go to report them, he wouldn't gain anything from this.

It would be better to just give her the money first.

"What's going on?"

A low, powerful voice drifted over, and everyone turned to look.

Lu Beiting, dressed in military green, sat in a wheelchair with a blanket draped over his legs. Although he was sitting, he exuded an intimidating aura.

"Regimental... Regimental Commander Lu is actually here."

Seeing Lu Beiting, everyone instantly became well-behaved.

Xia Zhi followed his gaze. The man wore a clean and tidy military uniform, his features were well-defined, his posture was straight, and an air of majesty radiated from his brow.

This was Lu Beiting?

He looked much better than that pretty boy Gu Yunshen.

She thought she wouldn't be able to summon this great deity.

Xia Zhi's eyes darted around a few times, then she wiped her tears and walked toward Lu Beiting, wailing with a soft, delicate voice.

"Regimental Commander Lu, you must seek justice for me! Gu Yunshen and Hao Liping were shamelessly coupling in my room. If I hadn't come back early, I'm afraid my reputation would have been completely ruined.

It's one thing for them to bully me, but they also kept you in the dark, acting before reporting.

And also, Regimental Commander, this Hao family wants me to swap with Hao Liping and marry you."

The delicate crying reached his ears, and her calling him "Regimental Commander" with every breath made one's heart itch.

Lu Beiting lowered his eyes, a flash of ferocity appearing in his gaze.

"Gu Yunshen, Hao Liping... Heh, Hao Dazhuang, shouldn't you give me an explanation?"

Lu Beiting frowned slightly, his hand on his lap tightening involuntarily as his gaze shifted between the Gu and Hao families.

The Hao and Gu families felt a chill run down their spines under his stare, a sense of dread rising within them.

The clueless Hao Dazhuang's palms were sweating profusely.

Lu Beiting was a Regimental Commander after all; the prestige of a soldier pressed down on them, and even though he was currently injured, he was a man with military merits.

The clueless Hao Dazhuang's palms continued to sweat as he said tremblingly

"This... this, Regimental Commander Lu, this matter was our fault. But things have already turned out this way, and besides, you and Liping aren't engaged yet.

How about this, Regimental Commander, Xia Zhi was also raised by us. What do you think of Xia Zhi?"

Lu Beiting remained silent with a dark expression. The Hao family had saved his father's life, so his grandfather had taken the initiative to arrange a childhood betrothal between the two. Later, after his grandfather passed away, it was the Chief who had brought it up.

The agreed-upon date was almost here, and he hadn't expected such a complication to arise now.

Seeing that Lu Beiting wasn't speaking, the surrounding people grew nervous. This was Regimental Commander Lu; the Hao family was truly bold.

Hao Liping grit her teeth; she didn't want to marry a loser.

"Lu Beiting, you're already injured. Why are you dragging a pure young lady like me down with you?

Yunshen and I are in love. Anyway, either you marry Xia Zhi, or you two can just wait to grow old alone!"

After all, one was a loser and the other was a tigress whose engagement had been broken; who would want them?

It would be better to just settle for each other.

Lu Beiting's hand on his leg tightened involuntarily, his piercing gaze looking at them, brimming with anger.

"So, you simply hold me, Lu Beiting, in such low regard?

Acting without saying a word?

Heh, truly impressive."

He wasn't angry at the woman Hao Liping, but at their contempt for military authority.

"Regimental... Regimental Commander Lu, this is truly a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding."

Hao Dazhuang tried desperately to explain, but since the facts were as they were, whatever he said was futile.

Lu Beiting leaned back, his aura fully unleashed, looking at them with disdain. "Uncle Hao, don't forget who proposed this marriage."

Hao Dazhuang froze. Who proposed it? Naturally, it was... the Chief.

Chen Xiuping, who had been standing firmly on her daughter's side, also panicked now. "Regimental Commander Lu, we were wrong. We'll let you apologize. What happened between Liping and Yunshen has already happened; if she marries you, it won't be good for your reputation either."

Hao Liping couldn't help but look at Lu Beiting, a flash of obsession crossing her eyes, but it quickly turned into hatred.

Lu Beiting was indeed more handsome than Gu Yunshen and had a better family background, but what use was that?

His body was ruined; he certainly wouldn't be someone capable of doing great things in the future.

"I am not set on Hao Liping. I only agreed back then out of respect for the Chief. You all better think carefully about how you will explain this to the Chief."

Watching the "good family" being intimidated into a stupor, Xia Zhi felt a great sense of satisfaction.

Looking at Zhang Xiao and Gu Yunshen, who were trying their best to minimize their presence, she stood up and walked directly toward the two of them.

Seeing Xia Zhi approaching, Zhang Xiao backed away in fear. What was this lunatic planning to do now?

(End of Chapter)