Liu Yulan led the two people home, passing by the Zhang mother and daughter who were still at the original spot, they snorted disdainfully before strutting away with high spirits.
Wang Miaomiao walked second, since they had to avoid the mother and daughter, they walked closer to the riverbank.
Suddenly, she saw Zhang Hongfang charging towards them fiercely...
"What do you want!" Wang Miaomiao shouted loudly, in a flash, she realized Zhang Hongfang was aiming at Jiang Yan, trying to throw herself at Brother Jiang? No way!
Without much time to think, Wang Miaomiao moved to block in front of Jiang Yan.
"Ah..."
With a scream, followed by a "plop" sound, everyone only saw Wang Miaomiao and Jiang Yan both fall into the river, while the culprit Zhang Hongfang fell on the bank, clutching her foot and crying loudly.
"Miaomiao..."
"Quick, save them..."
"Luckily, the water isn’t deep..."
"They’re up, they’re up..."
The riverbank was thrown into chaos once again.
Wang Miaomiao only knew she was pushed by Zhang Hongfang, then instinctively fell back into someone’s arms, large hands caught her, and after sinking into the river, the hands still held her, after swallowing a few mouthfuls of water, she was lifted up by the man beneath her.
As she surfaced, Wang Miaomiao coughed a few times, her eyes hadn’t opened yet, she felt herself being carried in a bridal style, frightened, she wrapped her arms around the person’s neck to prevent herself from falling, buried her face into his chest, and moved slightly, trying to wipe the water from her eyes onto his clothes.
However, she was evidently mistaken, the person’s clothes were also wet.
"Don’t move." The man’s husky voice sounded in her ear.
Wang Miaomiao tensed up and obeyed, feeling herself being lifted with a bounce, he carried her up onto the shore.
"Miaomiao, Miaomiao, are you alright?" Liu Yulan’s anxious voice sounded in her ear, a slightly rough hand touched her face.
"I’m fine." Wang Miaomiao comforted, moving her head, trying to rub against that hand to wipe away the water from her eyes, but didn’t succeed, because...
"Auntie, I’ll take her back first." Jiang Yan said, already walking briskly away.
Liu Yulan, seeing they were both fine, breathed a sigh of relief, thank goodness Xiao Jiang could swim, after a moment they came up, otherwise...
Thinking of this, she wanted to strangle the two mother and daughter, "Li Yinfeng, Zhang Hongfang, my Wang Family and your Zhang Family are not finished."
Leaving a harsh word, she followed Jin Jiang’s steps.
Jiang Yan carried Wang Miaomiao away, and here the crowd once again surrounded the Zhang mother and daughter, starting their condemnation.
Zhou Fengjuan was the first to attack, "Zhang Hongfang, I didn’t expect you to be so vicious at such a young age. Still dare to cry, feeling wronged now, crying for whom to see, truly shameless. And you, Li Yinfeng, as the saying goes, ’the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree’, like mother, like daughter."
"It hurts, my foot hurts... mom..." Zhang Hongfang’s foot indeed hurt, she felt as if her ankle was fractured.
She originally intended to rush into Jiang Yan’s arms, fall into the water with him, and then, having physical contact, she would cling to him, demanding he take responsibility.
But although the plan was well-made, who knew Wang Miaomiao would step in, that woman is her nemesis, she truly wished she could strangle her.
Since she couldn’t pounce into his arms, she pushed Wang Miaomiao, wishing she’d fall into the river and drown.
But somehow, her foot suddenly hurt, a pain deep to her bones, she’d keeled over.
This kick naturally came from Jiang Yan.
Actually, if Wang Miaomiao hadn’t come to block in front of him, Zhang Hongfang wouldn’t have been able to knock him down, she’d only have been kicked away by Jiang Yan.
Due to Wang Miaomiao’s block, Jiang Yan had to reallocate his force, curving past Wang Miaomiao to kick Zhang Hongfang’s ankle. Also due to reducing his force and Zhang Hongfang’s push, he couldn’t stabilize himself and only managed to hold onto Wang Miaomiao as they both fell into the river.
Zhang Hongfang cried sorrowfully, yet no one pitied her, only Li Yinfeng frowned kneeling down to check her ankle.
"It’s bruised, how come it twisted?" Li Yinfeng didn’t think Jiang Yan had kicked her, just assumed she twisted it while charging to collide into someone, she slapped her in frustration, "You’re truly blinded by greed, this... what’s all this fuss for." As she spoke, Li Yinfeng’s eyes reddened.
"I don’t know what happened, I didn’t turn, seems like something hit it..." Zhang Hongfang sobbed as she spoke, yet could not clearly explain.
"What are you all standing around here for? Move on, move on." At this moment, Village Chief Zhang Bingkun, Zhang Rongfa, and Wang Baoxing whom people had called, rushed over.
They had just been casting nets to fish in the river, heard the commotion but didn’t take it seriously, who knew things would escalate this much.
The person who went to call them had already recounted the event, Zhang Bingkun and Zhang Rongfa’s faces darkened ominously.
Wang Baoxing’s face was filled with anxiety, knowing that his daughter was unharmed, although he really wanted to hurry back to see her, he had other matters to handle, he had to address this incident, ensuring justice for his daughter must not fall through.
"Stop crying, cry for what, how dare you still cry!" Zhang Rongfa, annoyed by her cries, anger rising, barked, "Shut up."
"Sob... hic... sob..." Zhang Hongfang was frightened, crying while hiccupping, attempting to stop weeping, but it wasn’t so simple.
Zhang Rongfa’s face was dark as coal, furiously signaling to Li Yinfeng, "Take her home, such a disgraceful thing."
"Humph... just wanting to leave like that? Committing an act of harm without a word?" Wang Baoxing stood aside with hands clasped behind his back, face stern, speaking harshly, "No respect for law, with evil intent, I think having my second son-in-law bring her to the armed forces department might be fitting..."
"Well, Baoxing, she’s still young, doesn’t know better." Zhang Rongfa awkwardly rubbed his hands saying, "Getting the armed department involved seems unnecessary. I’ll have her apologize to Miaomiao, kneel and apologize."
"Humph, how convenient for you to say, young? Could she be younger than Miaomiao? Her mind’s as swarming as a wasp nest, and yet she’s young, shamelessly said." Wang Baoxing wasn’t buying it, "Uncle Zhang, what’s your say? You’re always fair, I’ll listen to you."
With that said, Zhang Bingkun as village chief couldn’t shield Zhang Hongfang even if he wanted, and he didn’t intend to.
This issue from Zhang Rongfa’s family, coming one after another, even tainting the reputation of the entire Zhang Clan, unless they get a harsh punishment, who knows what chaos they’ll cause next...
"Xiao Fang indeed is out of line, as a girl lacking any proper virtue, however, this matter isn’t something worth announcing everywhere, it would stain Upper Huang Village’s reputation, inviting outsiders’ ridicule, outweighing benefits, do you all agree?" Although Zhang Bingkun knew Zhang Hongfang must be punished, he didn’t want it to escalate, affecting the village’s reputation.