Zhao Wenqing braced herself and left the Chen family home after Wang Shulan sent her off with the excuse that it was getting late and that, as a young woman, she should not stay out too long. Zhao Wenqing sighed inwardly.
She had ventured out that evening because she had seen Li Yichen return home. She quickly ate dinner and left her house under the excuse of taking a walk to aid digestion. She had already ruined her reputation by spreading rumors, hoping Li Yichen would accept them and be with her, yet he still never looked her way. The Zhao family residence was a thirty-minute walk from the Chen family home.
When she arrived, she saw her father tuning the radio while her mother carefully knitted under the dim bulb. She greeted them and was about to enter her room when she heard her father's voice.
"Don't think I don't know you went to see that Li Yichen boy," he said without looking up from the radio. "Pack your bags. We are leaving for Haicheng tomorrow. You asked for three weeks, and three weeks are already up."
Zhao Wenqing breathed in sorrowfully, nodded in agreement, and went inside.
She was the one who had asked for the three-week break under the guise of coming home to visit her parents. In truth, she wanted to see Li Yichen and show him that she had matured. Yet everything had gone downhill.
Lost in her thoughts, she suddenly heard familiar voices outside. Her heart leaped. Is Li Yichen coming to propose?
Outside the Zhao residence stood Li Yichen, Wang Shulan, and the village head.
"Good evening, Mr. Zhao," Li Yichen greeted.
Mr. Zhao pretended not to hear, still clutching his radio with an annoyed expression.
Madam Zhao brought out a long bench for them to sit on and quietly took a seat beside her husband. She actually had a favorable impression of Li Yichen and had heard he was planning to open his own stall.
"Good evening, Mr. Zhao," the village head greeted, placing a small bag on the ground. "The Chen family came to thank Miss Wenqing for saving their son, Li Yichen. Though this token is small, it comes from their hearts."
Mr. Zhao snorted but continued listening.
Li Yichen spoke calmly. "Mr. Zhao, Madam Zhao, I came this evening to refute the rumors spreading in the village about Miss Wenqing and me being intimate. I, Li Yichen, have never had a private encounter with Miss Wenqing. I have never discussed marriage or a relationship with her. I do not know where these rumors came from. I only ask that you please ignore them."
Mr. Zhao felt secretly relieved. His daughter was not a match for someone like Li Yichen. Madam Zhao, however, felt disappointed; her daughter's reputation was at stake.
Zhao Wenqing felt her heart drop to nothing when she heard Li Yichen's words. So he was not here to propose, but to dismiss the rumors. She broke down in silent sobs.
"The whole village saw you kiss my daughter!" Mr. Zhao protested angrily.
Wang Shulan wanted to explain, but Li Yichen spoke first. "Mr. Zhao, I never kissed Miss Wenqing. What she did was mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, which was necessary at the time. If mouth-to-mouth resuscitation is considered kissing and a requirement for marriage, then should Miss Wenqing marry everyone she has ever performed it on?"
Mr. Zhao's face turned red. "You—what nonsense are you saying?!"
Madam Zhao was speechless at Li Yichen's eloquence. She could only sigh inwardly. If only he liked Wenqing.
Wang Shulan watched in amusement, a laugh threatening to escape the corner of her mouth.
The village head silently agreed. They were already in the 90s—such logic made no sense.
Unable to endure it any longer, Wenqing burst into tears and ran back to her room. She could only blame herself for her ruined reputation.
After some back and forth, Mr. Zhao finally stopped pretending to be angry and ordered them to leave. He instructed the village head to announce that anyone who continued spreading the rumors would be fined 200 yuan or jailed for slander. He rejected the small bag of money Li Yichen brought and sent them away.
It was his daughter's reputation that had been damaged, and he would do everything to protect it. She had simply loved the wrong person.
Elsewhere, Shen Anran and her mother successfully finalized their menu. They planned to open the shop the next day and officially begin business.
"Mother," Shen Anran said excitedly, clinging to her. "I can't wait for tomorrow."
Liu Meilan smiled and held her eager daughter. "Me too."