Chapter 4: I Will Give Myself to You
"Get lost!" Jiang Yexun and Su Xiaoxiao both snapped with disdain, their voices echoing in unison.
Pan Yongsheng's face instantly stiffened. He hated this couple so much that he wanted to kill them, but he had to maintain the facade of a righteous man.
"Xiaoxiao, I'm doing this for your reputation! You're still young and naive; don't let others take advantage of you," he said, sounding nauseating to Su Xiaoxiao.
She felt a wave of nausea wash over her. "I'll say it again. Jiang Yexun is my savior. Don't even think about tarnishing his integrity! And my reputation is also none of your concern. We have no relations. You can't address me ‘Xiaoxiao’!"
Although the young girl was clearly angry, her soft voice didn't carry much authority. Nevertheless, it was enough to appease Jiang Yexun, who was burning with jealousy.
He had heard from the villagers that Pan Yongsheng and the little educated youth were childhood friends and were likely to get married soon. He had observed them closely and felt that the little educated youth wasn't close to this man, but it was certainly much closer than her relationship with the other male educated youth.
He had been jealous countless times in his mind, thinking about how to get rid of this man who clearly didn't deserve the little educated youth.
But now he didn't need to be jealous anymore. He could stand in front of the little educated youth openly and tell this man, who had been spreading rumors, to get lost.
Lifting Su Xiaoxiao's head back against his chest, Jiang Yexun cast a cold and menacing gaze at Pan Yongsheng. "If you don't want to die, stay away."
"How can you be like this? You're acting like a tyrant, denying our right to speak," Pan Yongsheng said angrily, trembling all over, but he dared not confront Jiang Yexun physically.
In the production team, there were about twenty rubes, almost the same age as Jiang Yexun. These people were audacious on a regular basis, even daring to argue with the production team leader and secretary, but when it came to Jiang Yexun, they were as obedient as mice in front of a cat. This just proved that he was the worst among them.
"Educated Youth Pan, you're just stirring up trouble! Comrade Jiang and Educated Youth Su are clearly in love and will get married. Their relationship is none of your business. Why are you, an outsider, meddling in their affairs?" The village aunties were shrewd and quickly saw through the twists and turns of the situation.
"What's this about 'in love'? They don't have any relationship at all!" Pan Yongsheng shouted in frustration. He was afraid that the duck he had been eyeing for so long was about to fly away.
He had done so much for this woman—writing denunciation letters, spending all his money on gifts just to join the same production team as her. Now, he was basically penniless and was hoping to coax her into buying him warm clothes and blankets for the winter. Maybe sweet-talking her would solidify their relationship. Once she got pregnant with his child, the Su family would have to beg him to marry Su Xiaoxiao.
But before he could make his move, this rube had snatched her away.
"Their lips touched, and they're still hugging each other. How can they not be a couple?" the village aunties chimed in.
"Yeah! Jiang Yexun saved Educated Youth Su's life, so Educated Youth Su should be grateful!"
These village women were skilled at seeing through people's intentions.
Those aunties, with one word from this and another from that, were refuting Pan Yongsheng. In fact, there were quite a few people in the team who looked down on the educated youth from the city. They were not only delicate and unable to do manual work, but they also looked down on the rural people. If one were to marry an educated youth, it would be equivalent to marrying a spoiled kid into the family.
However, the youngest son of the production leader obviously had taken a liking to Educated Youth Su. In the past, when someone from the production team fell into the water, he wouldn't jump in to rescue them, let alone use this embarrassing method to save Educated Youth Su. Now, holding her in his arms, he was like holding his own precious daughter. Even if they think Su was not good enough, they would definitely side with Jiang Yexun.
"Educated Youth Su was frightened. I'll take her to the health clinic first. We'll leave it to you, aunties," Jiang Yexun said, giving the girl in his arms a gentle lift before holding her tighter.
Then, he headed to the village's health clinic with Su Xiaoxiao.
Pan Yongsheng struggled to his feet and tried to catch up, but the village aunties blocked his way.
"Oh, Educated Youth Pan, Jiang's temper has always been bad. Even the young men in the production team can't beat him. Trying to snatch a bride from him? Aren't you just asking for trouble?"
"That's right! You hugged Educated Youth Dong so you should be responsible for her. Otherwise, you're the real rogue here. We'll have to have a talk with the educated youth office."
These normally fierce aunties were experts at issuing threats when needed.
"Brother Yongsheng..." Dong Jiaxuan's eyes showed a hint of joy as she shyly reached out to pull on Pan Yongsheng's sleeve.
"Get lost! You crashed into me just now. What do I have to do with you? I won't marry you!" Pan Yongsheng snapped, giving her a hard slap on the face.
"Brother Yongsheng..." Dong Jiaxuan covered her face, looking at the man in front of her in disbelief.
She never expected that Pan Yongsheng, who was usually gentle and refined, would treat her this way. However, her heart was filled with jealousy toward Su Xiaoxiao.
If it weren't for Su Xiaoxiao, who had bewitched Yongsheng, he wouldn't treat her like this.
"Don't stop me anymore! I'm an educated youth from the city, not one of those guys in the cowsheds. You have no right to restrict my freedom." Pan Yongsheng wanted to chase after them, but Jiang Yexun and Su Xiaoxiao had long disappeared.