Chapter Nine: Tang Xue's Astonishment

When the crowd heard Xu Hong brazenly demand that Tang Xue surrender her urban reentry quota to him, and then launch such vicious verbal attacks against a defenseless woman after being refused, their gazes toward him shifted instantly.

Several female educated youth who were close to Tang Xue spoke up one after another, standing up for her.

Xu Hong, flushed with shame and fury, felt his dignity being trampled into the dust, and for a moment, he lost his composure.

"What right do you have to accuse me? Am I not speaking the truth?"

He pointed at Tang Xue and roared, "A young woman like her, caught in bed, stark naked, with this local hoodlum—does that not make her loose and unrefined? Is this not illicit behavior?"

"She is about to marry this hoodlum; why should she still hog that urban reentry quota? Why..."

Before he could finish, Li Yi stepped forward and struck him across the face several times, knocking him straight to the ground.

Li Yi glared at him, his eyes burning. "While my actions with Xiao Xue may have crossed the line, that was entirely my fault; it had nothing to do with her. If you want to talk about being base and shameless, then it is I, Li Yi, who is base and shameless. She is innocent!"

Li Yi turned to Feng Kai and the other educated youth behind him, continuing, "Tang Xue has been here at Nianzishan Brigade for three years. Everyone knows what kind of person she is. She is warm, cheerful, helpful, diligent, hardworking, self-respecting, and kind to others—like an angel fallen to earth."

"Before this, has anyone ever heard of her doing anything improper? How can you associate such vicious words as 'loose,' 'unrefined,' or 'illicit' with her?"

Hearing Li Yi’s words, the crowd could not help but nod.

Everyone had witnessed Tang Xue’s conduct over the years. They had watched her grow from a girl of fifteen or sixteen into the person she was today. They knew exactly what she was like.

Especially with her opportunity to return to the city so close at hand, she had absolutely no reason to entangle herself with someone like Li Yi.

Therefore, even if there was a fault in this matter, it lay with Li Yi, and certainly not with Tang Xue.

As for Xu Hong, his choice to attack a defenseless woman who was already a victim was truly despicable.

However, Xu Hong was beyond caring. Clasping his swollen cheek, he insisted, "But it’s a fact that she slept with you! Isn't sleeping together before marriage considered loose?"

"Loose your mother’s backside! If you don’t know how to speak, I’ll tear that foul mouth of yours apart!"

Li Yi stared at Xu Hong and said again, "I heard you once pursued Xiao Xue, but were rejected. I suspect the reason you are using such vicious language to hurt her is that she would rather choose a good-for-nothing hoodlum like me than be with you. This is nothing but jealousy!"

"I... I didn't!"

"Don't deny it, and don't make excuses. Explanations are just cover-ups; the eyes of the masses are sharp!"

"Furthermore, Xiao Xue has only decided to postpone her return to the city; she hasn't definitely decided not to go back at all. By what right should she give up her quota?"

Li Yi continued, "This isn't a steamed bun or a sweet potato that you can just hand over because you want it! Besides, there are over thirty educated youth in the Nianzishan Brigade, and six or seven from Qin Province alone. Even if Xiao Xue really decided to stay here, why should that quota go to you? Who do you think you are?"

Xu Hong was rendered speechless by Li Yi’s logic. His face cycled between green and red, and his chest heaved, revealing his internal frustration.

The people inside and outside the room looked at him with nothing but contempt and disgust. Not only was he hurling insults, but he was also trying to snatch someone else’s ticket to the city!

No one knew better than they did how precious a return quota was. Since the state announced the phased return of educated youth two years ago, countless people had fought tooth and nail for a single spot.

Spending money and offering bribes were common occurrences; many women, desperate to return to the city, were even forced to use their own bodies as capital to satisfy unspoken rules.

There were others who had already married locally but abandoned their wives and children to return home—the civil affairs bureau in the county had to form queues just to process the divorces!

Xu Hong had no relation to Tang Xue, barely even a fellow villager; why should she give such a precious quota to him?

To curse her when she refused, and even smash up her dormitory—his character was truly abysmal. It was no wonder Tang Xue would rather marry a hoodlum than be with him.

Hearing the whispers outside, Li Yi knew he had gained the upper hand in public opinion.

Li Yi added, "No matter how dark your heart may be, if I hear of you bullying my wife again, I will make you regret ever coming into this world!"

Having delivered his ultimatum, Li Yi turned to everyone present and said in a cold, stern voice, "Barring any accidents, I will officially marry Tang Xue in a month. We are already engaged. Our relationship is reasonable and justified. If anyone dares to gossip behind our backs, the man surnamed Xu shall serve as a warning!"

The crowd felt a chill run through them as Li Yi’s sharp gaze swept over them, making their hair stand on end.

Li Yi ignored them, turned, and walked toward the door. As he passed Tang Xue, he took her hand and led her away.

Both Tang Xue and Li Na were stunned by Li Yi’s performance. Putting aside his formidable fighting strength, the very words he had used to defend Tang Xue were shocking enough.

The former Li Yi had been arrogant and overbearing, but he was never good with words; when faced with trouble, he relied only on his fists, often turning a justified case into a losing one.

But today was different. Not only had he defended Tang Xue’s reputation, but he had also dismantled Xu Hong’s arguments completely.

Throughout the process, he had demonstrated both physical prowess and clear, logical reasoning, as if he were an entirely different person.

So much so that even after being led back to the female dormitory, Tang Xue and Li Na remained in a daze.

Li Yi knew his performance today was hard for them to adjust to, but he said nothing more.

Back at the dormitory, Li Yi personally cleaned up the broken pots and jars, urged his third sister to stay at the youth point for the next few days, and then drove his mule cart home.

It was just past five when he arrived; the sky was still bright, and his parents had not yet returned.

Li Yi brought the flour into the house and hid the money safely.

He then fed the mule some fresh grass before rushing out of the house once again.