novellhall Chapter 167 Please be our witness
Chapter 167 Please be our witness
The point in time when the attitude suddenly changed...
Lu Congyue didn't sleep all night, wishing he could recall every moment from the first day he met Zhuang Qingxiang until now. Now, pondering Shi Peiran's words, he finally figured out a problem.
"Well..." Lu Congyue patted Shi Peiran on the shoulder, "I have to go out for a bit. You and your wife pack your things and come to my house. Tell your sister Zhuang that I might be free for a while, and ask her to wait for me."
"Huh? Where are you going?" Shi Peiran asked.
Lu Congyue waved as he walked, saying, "Something really happened!"
Lu Congyue rode his bicycle straight to the home of Village Chief Qian in Dongya Village.
Upon seeing him approach, Village Chief Qian became somewhat excited, grasping Lu Congyue's hands tightly with both of them and shaking them.
"Director Lu, you're finally back! You know Zhuang Qingxiang got into trouble, right? Director Lu, I have to tell you, you have to help her... She grew up in the village, everyone knows she's a good girl, how could she do something illegal?"
"Besides, that child... I mean, she has two other children to raise. To arrest her like this without any explanation, those two children are pitiful too, don't you think?"
Lu Congyue was surprised that the old village chief cared so much about Zhuang Qingxiang, and hurriedly said, "I know, she's fine, don't worry."
"She's alright?" Village Chief Qian was taken aback. "She's alright?"
"Yes, the real criminals have been arrested, and she's fine now," Lu Congyue said in a deep voice.
Village Chief Qian finally breathed a long sigh of relief: "Thank God... no, I mean, good people are rewarded."
Knowing that Zhuang Qingxiang was alright, Village Chief Qian was completely relieved. Only then did he ask Lu Congyue if there was any work to be arranged for him.
"I wanted to ask about Zhuang Qingxiang," Lu Congyue said.
Village Chief Qian's wrinkled face twitched, and he coughed lightly: "What...what do you want to ask?"
For some reason, Lu Congyue saw a hint of guilt on that old face.
Lu Congyue thought he must have misread it, so without thinking too much, he asked directly, "Before Zhuang Qingxiang was arrested, wasn't she also detained in the village for a few days? Who did it?"
Village Chief Qian secretly breathed a sigh of relief: "Hey, you didn't know about this? I was going to ask you for help, but the people at your factory said you were away on a business trip..."
"Yes, I was away on a business trip, so I'm not entirely clear on the specifics. I've been busy catching criminals since I got back these past two days, and I only just had time to come and ask you for clarification." Lu Congyue was very polite.
Village Chief Qian became agitated again: "Factory Director Lu, you're going to stand up for her, aren't you? That's right! She's a good woman..."
For some inexplicable reason, Village Chief Qian praised Zhuang Qingxiang again.
In the past, Lu Congyue would have just listened, but now he listened with great patience and even found the arguments reasonable.
Then, I heard all the news from Village Chief Qian.
The person who detained Zhuang Qingxiang was actually a cadre from Beijing. He came specifically to interrogate Zhuang Qingxiang. Not only did he interrogate Zhuang Qingxiang, but he also interrogated the old village chief, Zhuang Qingxiang's stepfather, her younger brother, and others in the village. All the questions were about Zhuang Qingxiang.
Upon hearing that someone from the capital had come, Lu Congyue guessed who was behind it.
The thought of the Lu family in the capital made Lu Congyue's face turn icy cold.
He didn't want to bother with them, lest it lead to endless trouble, but they bullied Zhuang Qingxiang, and that was something he had to seriously consider.
Thinking about Zhuang Qingxiang's reaction again, he could understand it.
Those two must have said something that scared Zhuang Qingxiang, and she just wanted to stay away from him to ensure her safety.
She's gentle and timid; she must have been terrified.
"Okay, I understand. I have something to do, so I'll take my leave now. I'll come find you for a drink later." Having obtained the information he wanted, Lu Congyue immediately took his leave.
"Alright, alright," Village Chief Qian replied repeatedly, seeing him off at the door. But as Lu Congyue was about to leave, he grabbed his bicycle handlebars and asked in a low voice, "Factory Director Lu, please don't blame this old man for being nosy... you and Zhuang Qingxiang are now..."
His eyes were filled with anticipation, which puzzled Lu Congyue.
Even if the old village chief is kind-hearted, Zhuang Qingxiang has nothing to do with him after all. Is he being too concerned?
With a slight thought, he smiled and said, "She's hardworking and conscientious, and she's good to the children. I'll definitely lend a hand if she encounters any difficulties."
"That's it?" Village Chief Qian was somewhat disappointed.
"Otherwise what?" Lu Congyue asked, "Old village chief, is there anything else you want to say to me?"
Village Chief Qian quickly shook his head: "No, no, I was just asking casually. Um... Director Lu, please take care and ride your bike carefully."
Lu Congyue nodded, and was about to ride away when he stopped and turned back, saying, "Old village chief, I'll have to come back again in a bit. I'll need your help to be a witness then."
"What? What testimony?"
Before Village Chief Qian could react, Lu Congyue had already ridden away on his bicycle.
Village Chief Qian waited anxiously, wondering what kind of testimony he was asked to give, yet a faint hope lingered in his heart, which he dared not tell anyone.
After waiting anxiously, the jeep finally drove into the village. Lu Congyue and Zhuang Qingxiang got out of the car and stood in front of him.
Village Chief Qian was filled with mixed feelings, and he almost blurted out "Congratulations".
Suppressing his excitement, he eagerly asked, "Are you here to get a letter of introduction?"
If they can get married, that would be a perfect ending.
Lu Congyue asked, puzzled, "Why would I need a letter of introduction?"
"Huh? You're asking me to be a witness?" Village Chief Qian felt he was really getting old and his brain wasn't working properly anymore.
At this moment, Lu Congyue's face darkened, and he said seriously, "Village Chief Qian, please come with us to Qian Dayou's house. He is suspected of abusing Comrade Zhuang Qingxiang's daughter, Qian Yue, and of illegally detaining and stealing Comrade Zhuang Qingxiang's belongings!"
"What? Abuse? Theft?"
Village Chief Qian's forehead was covered in sweat. "This...this can't be said lightly! If word gets out, our village will lose its little red flag this year!!"
"Whether it's nonsense or not, you'll know once you come with us," Lu Congyue said solemnly.
So, Lu Congyue strode ahead, with Zhuang Qingxiang accompanying Village Chief Qian behind, as they headed to Qian Dayou's house.
As they approached Qian Dayou's house, they ran into the Qian sisters, Qian Hua and Qian Cao, who were returning from doing laundry.
Zhuang Qingxiang glanced at them only once before rushing forward to block their path.
Lu Congyue's face also darkened.
Because he could tell that the clothes the two girls were wearing were the ones he had bought for Zhuang Qingxiang.
The two sisters, one sixteen and the other fourteen, were small and thin, and their clothes didn't fit them well; it was obvious they were wearing other people's clothes.
Qian Hua and Qian Cao were startled by the sudden appearance of the person. When they saw that it was Zhuang Qingxiang, they were both surprised.
"It's you? Why are you back? Weren't you squatting by the fence?"
"Yeah, didn't you get shot? Why did you come back?"
The two sisters spoke at the same time.