C3 Father

Her voice was loud, and she spoke with such intensity that spit flew as she said, "Hmph, calling my Peng shameless? You're the shameless one, pretending to fall into his arms. Ugh, you lowlife."

"Aunt Qi, my cousin didn't mean to. It was my fault for accidentally bumping into her," Hailan chimed in, trying to defend her.

"Oh, it's you, Hailan. You're saying this is your cousin, Fulai? Not the usual short, ugly, poor girl who's always hanging around Peng, but the daughter of the team leader?"

Hailan nodded repeatedly, "Yes, my cousin, Zong Fulai."

"Oh dear, I made a mistake. I thought it was some shameless hussy, but it's the village leader's daughter. It's like a family not recognizing its own."

One moment she was a shrew, and the next, she could turn into a kind-hearted person. Qi Haipeng's mother was truly a master of performance.

"Fulai, I was just worried about my Peng. He's so outstanding, and there are always shameless people clinging to him. Sigh, it's my fault for wrongly accusing you. Please don't hold it against me."

"Aunt Qi, my cousin has always been kind-hearted. You were just anxious and made a mistake. She wouldn't blame you," Hailan replied softly.

Qi Haipeng's mother clapped her hands, drawing everyone's attention. "You're right, the village leader is our guide. How could his daughter be anything less? This was my misunderstanding, and since Fulai is kind enough not to blame me, that's even better."

"Fulai, my mom realized her mistake and is apologizing to you. I'm here to apologize on her behalf too," he said, acting particularly dutiful and considerate.

Zong Fulai laughed coldly to herself. This mother and son duo put on quite the show, but she was no longer the naive girl she once was.

"No need for apologies. We're not close. I've never thought of marrying you—not before, not now, and not ever."

"Fulai, please don't take out your frustration on me because of my mom. She really didn't mean it," Qi Haipeng tried to explain himself.

His mother chimed in with a smile, "Fulai, I'm just a concerned mother. I might have spoken a bit harshly, but please don't take it to heart. You're a good kid, I know that."

The conversation shifted between apologies and explanations. "I accept your apologies, but please don't misunderstand my relationship with Qi Haipeng. Let me make it clear again: I'm not familiar with him and won't marry him. It's a new era, and marriage is a personal choice."

Her words were met with silence, and Qi Haipeng and his mother exchanged glances, signaling a woman they knew well to speak up.

"Fulai, you're a grown woman. We're trying to save face here. You've already been seen with Haipeng, so what do you expect if you don't want to marry him?"

"Exactly. Haipeng not only saved you but has been looking out for you. A good man like him is hard to find. How can you treat someone who saved your life this way? Who would dare marry you?"

Qi Haipeng and his mother shared a knowing look, both confident in their position. He wore a pained expression, "Everyone, please stop. I didn't save her expecting anything in return. I just want Fulai to be well."

Fulai felt disdain for his insincerity, as he tried to establish a connection between them. Despite her repeated denials, her words seemed to have no impact. She had neglected her social ties under Zong Hailan's influence, and now, in this argument, no one stood by her.

Without evidence to prove her cousin and Qi Haipeng were conspiring against her, and unable to erase the public "rescue" by Qi Haipeng, no one believed her.

As the crowd gathered instead of working, the village chief, Zong Qingshan, noticed and hurried over. Seeing his daughter's state, he was shocked, "Fulai, what happened?"

"Your daughter fell into the field, and Haipeng saved her, but she treats him like an enemy," someone summarized succinctly.

Zong Fulai looked at her father, and tears streamed down her face uncontrollably. "Dad!—"

"Fulai, tell me, what's going on?" As the village chief, he never jumped to conclusions, especially when it came to his own daughter.

He took off his thin jacket, revealing a patched-up vest underneath. "Look at you, soaked to the skin. Here, put this on."

Zong Qingshan draped the jacket over his daughter, feeling a pang of sympathy as his fingers brushed her cold skin.

Seeing the father who doted on her the most, Zong Fulai couldn't hold back her tears. "Dad," she managed to say before choking up again.

Qingshan quickly grabbed his military canteen, unscrewed the cap, and held it to her lips. "Don't cry. I'm here. Take a sip of warm water to calm down."

She rinsed the mud and sand from her mouth and drank a little to soothe her throat.

"Don't rush. Tell me everything slowly." His daughter had clearly been through a lot, and her tears were breaking his heart.

Zong Fulai's mind was racing. She had woken up earlier than in her past life, knowing she couldn't let things drag on. Otherwise, the rumors would only grow, ultimately hurting her.

She would deal with her cousin later; for now, she needed to distance herself from Qi Haipeng.

Laying out the facts and reasoning with people was easier said than done. Even her father couldn't change the onlookers' opinions, especially when the Qi family had come prepared.