Free Web NovelChapter 406: Chapter 406: Backing
Lin Caigen ushered out the unrelated villagers who were watching the excitement in the house Guo Xiangxiang was renting. After locking the door, he turned around and pulled his elder sister Lin Caihua to a corner to ask what was going on.
"Sister, what’s going on? Did you really wrong her?" Lin Caigen asked in a low voice.
At this moment, Lin Caihua furrowed her brows slightly, her face displeased. "It’s nothing serious. That female comrade fell off her bike, and Wenkang went to help her. But some villagers saw it and spread rumors that they were hugging. The rumors sound unpleasant, so today I thought I’d bring Wenkang to the female comrade’s house and make things official."
"It’s rare that Wenkang also likes her. Our family wouldn’t mistreat the female comrade, but she doesn’t recognize the good in us. Her family and classmates are even more excessive, saying our Wenkang is a toad wanting to eat swan meat. Isn’t that humiliating?" Lin Caihua, playing the victim, complained first.
"Sister, be honest with me," Lin Caigen lowered his voice, "People wouldn’t call the police for no reason. They must have had a reason to speak about Wenkang like that. Did you say something about them before?"
"Sister, that Captain Yin is the captain of the Licheng District Public Security Bureau’s Criminal Investigation Team." Lin Caigen anxiously explained, "He’s a person who solves big cases. You think these trivial matters would concern Captain Yin? Sister, you’ve offended someone formidable this time. You need to apologize and wrap this up quickly, or I can’t help you."
Lin Caigen’s words made Lin Caihua’s heart skip a beat. She thought of that woman who came with her son, who had an air of superiority from beginning to end, speaking slowly and without fear despite knowing their situation. She didn’t back down, even called the police. So, they had someone to rely on, someone more powerful than their own connections.
Lin Caihua and her husband, though having some say in the Dahua Production Team and were familiar with the commune leaders, did not have strong relationships with them. People treated them well mainly because her brother Lin Caigen was with the Public Security Bureau, overseeing their commune. Hence, Lin Caihua always heeded her brother’s advice. ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom
"Well, I didn’t really say anything. It’s just that when village women speak, they inevitably add some words for effect. I was just miffed by their dismissive attitude towards Wenkang, so I scolded a little. Nothing really happened." Lin Caihua said. freewёbnoνel.com
"You know Wenkang’s temperament. Although he likes the girl, he wouldn’t do anything excessive. The girl came to no harm." Lin Caihua assured repeatedly.
"Sister, come with me and apologize properly." Lin Caigen helplessly pulled Lin Caihua in front of Captain Yin and his group.
"Captain Yin, I just heard from my sister that there were some misunderstandings. My sister and they were at fault. After all, there’s the issue of seniority, and they’re not as sensible as the younger ones. As expected of a university student, my sister and they barely attended school, so if they offended or upset the female comrade, please forgive them."
Lin Caigen tried to smooth things over, "Sister, quickly apologize to them."
Lin Caihua felt somewhat uncomfortable. For so many years, everything had gone smoothly for her, and everyone had flattered and accommodated her. When had she ever apologized to anyone? But she understood the situation now.
"Xiangxiang, this aunt was wrong. It really was a misunderstanding, and your brother Wenkang had no ill intentions. He only heard some nasty rumors circulating in the team. He couldn’t just sit idly by after hearing them. It wasn’t appropriate for him to come find you, so he brought me instead."
"I didn’t look into it carefully. I thought you two were mutually... Never thought it was Wenkang who misunderstood. I’m sorry, it was my mistake." Lin Caihua said with a strained smile.
"A simple ’misunderstood’ and ’sorry’ can’t change anything." Yi Roujing didn’t let Guo Xiangxiang speak, speaking herself instead. "Just now, so many people heard the aunt’s curses at our Xiangxiang. This apology needs to be done publicly, otherwise who will know the truth of what happened?"
Lin Caihua’s face darkened slightly, "Why insist on going to the big playground and doing it in front of everyone?"
Yi Roujing was unrelenting, "For a girl, reputation is everything. I think the aunt, being a woman, would best understand this. Though our Xiangxiang is not from your Daoxiang Production Team, East Province University is so close. If someone gossips and the school’s teachers and students hear it, Xiangxiang would be so wronged."
"It’s only because our Xiangxiang is resilient and strong, unlike those fragile ones. Otherwise, the aunt wouldn’t even have the chance to apologize today; you’d be sitting in jail by now."
Yin Xincheng didn’t know Yi Roujing, but seeing the Dai siblings standing deferentially to her, he understood that Yi Roujing was the decision-maker here and her identity was not simple.
"Comrade Yi Roujing is right." Yin Xincheng agreed with Yi Roujing’s decision, "When you do something wrong, you should deeply self-reflect and apologize publicly in front of the team members. Lin Caihua, as the women’s director of the Dahua Production Team, surely you have this level of awareness?"
Yin Xincheng’s words made Lin Caigen’s heart sink, and Lin Caihua’s face slightly paled. Today’s matter would not be resolved without losing face, but if she lost face, her authority in the team would be weakened in the future. Lin Caihua was unwilling and looked to Lin Caigen.
Her own brother’s warning gaze was understood by Lin Caihua. She knew this self-reflection and apology were unavoidable.
Yi Roujing glanced at the conflicted and struggling Lin Caihua, then turned her attention to Li Wenkang, who was silent in the distance.
At this moment, Li Wenkang had his head slightly lowered, leaning back unconsciously, looking timid and as if he wanted to flee. Actually, Yi Roujing hadn’t heard Li Wenkang say a single word today. Clearly, it was his issue, but his mother was the one who stood in front the whole time.
Now that Lin Caihua was being asked to apologize, Li Wenkang didn’t even say a word in her defense. Why have a son like that? Yi Roujing averted her gaze, fearing she wouldn’t be able to resist giving him a beating.
"Just let them off that easily?" Dai Zhenyan asked in a low voice when Lin Caihua went to write her apology letter, walking over to Yi Roujing and Guo Xiangxiang. "Saying a few apologetic words, how is that considered punishment?"
"On the surface, doing this is about right." Yi Roujing said, "Even if the police took them away, they wouldn’t be sentenced to anything serious, maybe just detained for a few days."
"Overdoing it wouldn’t be good for Xiangxiang’s reputation either. It would make people think we’re being unreasonable even when we’re in the right."
"Rest assured, things can be handled behind the scenes. If we really want to remove them from their position, Xiangxiang’s minor incident shouldn’t be the cause. As long as we investigate, given their behavior, there will be something we can grab onto. Then their focus will be on their own problems, and Xiangxiang’s issue will have long passed." Yi Roujing had her own plans.
