Song Jincai had originally spoken out of anger, intending to motivate Yueqin to better herself.
Yesterday, the village chief’s wife came looking for him, having heard a proposal to marry Yueqin off to the village idiot, and he was so furious he almost slapped her across the face.
After restraining himself several times, he finally managed to hold back.
No matter how undesirable his daughter might be, she was still his own. How could she be so bad as to be married off to the village idiot?
Yueqin didn’t understand Song Jincai’s intentions and, upon hearing his words, she became so angry that she stomped her foot and ran out, standing alone by the pond in the village for a long time.
When she saw Song Jincai and Zhang Juyun coming after her, she leaped into the pond with a splash.
Song Jincai’s soul nearly left his body with shock, and without a second thought, he jumped in after her. It took the strength of an ox and the effort of a tiger to drag her out.
After the incident, Yueqin fell ill.
She lay in a deep fever for three days straight, unable to break it.
Zhang Juyun was so mad she argued with Song Jincai. Exhausted from staying up for three nights in a row monitoring Yueqin, it wasn’t until the fourth day, when Yueqin’s fever subsided a little and she seemed somewhat alert, that the couple could no longer stay awake and both went to sleep.
The entire village knew about the incident and was abuzz with talk.
At the Qin Family’s home.
Li Junping brought lunch to the table and, as they began to eat, she brought up the incident to Qin Ru Hai and Qin Fen, "Yueqin is really set on ruining herself. When I first met her, she was quite a fine girl, not at all inferior to An Hao. Now, An Hao is getting better and better, while Yueqin is getting worse and worse."
Qin Ru Hai took a bite of his pancake and let out a cold snort through his nose: "I don’t like that Yueqin, a glance at her eyes and I can see she is full of shrewd scheming. Now it serves her right, scheming against others and entangling herself in her own plot."
Qin Fen couldn’t help but feel indignant on Yueqin’s behalf: "Mom, Dad, I think Yueqin is okay? She’s not as bad as you say, is she?"
"You’ve been working out of town for years; you’re unaware of many things. Song Yuqin has been led astray by her mother," said Li Junping who didn’t know much, but after the most sensational "feces-throwing" incident, everyone blamed Zhang Juyun.
They all said she led Yueqin down the wrong path.
"Her mother is indeed no good." Qin Fen had gone on dates with Yueqin twice, and both times Zhang Juyun spotted them, watching him like a hawk, as if she was afraid he would do something to Yueqin.
"Qin Fen, I’ve heard from the people in the village that you’ve been quite close with Yueqin lately?" Qin Ru Hai asked, putting down his chopsticks.
"Yeah. We talk when we see each other and sometimes I help her with stuff."
"Stay away from her in the future."
Qin Fen suddenly looked up: "Dad, Yueqin really isn’t as bad as you think. You all shouldn’t always judge her with prejudice."
After half a year of brainwashing, Qin Fen did not initially believe that Yueqin’s current predicament was entirely due to An Hao.
He was quite angry when Yueqin got caught last time.
He had warned Yueqin not to engage in such activities, as, first of all, An Hao was his sister-in-law, and secondly, being caught would tarnish her reputation.
Besides, such actions were simply wrong! Who with a kind heart would engage in this sort of thing?
Song Yuqin had said she would stop but ended up doing it anyway, and was taken to the police station.
After spending half a year getting to know her, Qin Fen had developed a bit of a soft spot for Yueqin.
Seeing her in such a pitiable state, Qin Fen had privately sought An Hao’s help to plead on Yueqin’s behalf.
He felt An Hao ought to give him, her brother-in-law, some face, but she flatly refused him. Especially after witnessing An Hao’s aggressive demeanor at the police station, Qin Fen started to believe everything he previously doubted.