Chapter 54
Jiang Yexun’s eyes twitched, and he was about to firmly deny it. But when he saw the girl looking at him with anticipation, her eyes even slightly moist and with a hint of seduction, he realized his self-control was being put to the test.
“Mmm,” Jiang Yexun made a nearly imperceptible humming sound, his dark skin visibly flushing with a hint of blush.
“In that case, I’ll build a window into your room when my house is finished, just for you,” Su Xiaoxiao said, her voice trailing off seductively.
This suggestion left Jiang Yexun struggling to contain the emotions welling up within him. He swallowed hard, trying to suppress the palpitations in his heart.
After a moment, he noticed that the girl was still gazing at him expectantly. Jiang Yexun could barely resist, and he grudgingly conceded, “Alright.”
With her skin tingling and her heart racing, Su Xiaoxiao couldn’t help but smile victoriously.
“Do you even fear that I might do something to you?” Jiang Yexun warned with a hint of menace.
“Do you think you will?” Su Xiaoxiao tilted her head innocently, her smile filled with mischief. For some reason, Jiang Yexun felt a touch of ill intent behind her smile, which made him feel like he had become the little white rabbit about to fall into the wolf’s trap.
“Before we’re married, I won’t be sneaking into your room at night,” Jiang Yexun coughed lightly, trying to maintain a stern expression. But he then realized his tone had been too severe and quickly softened his voice, adding, “This kind of thing wouldn’t be good if others found out.”
Su Xiaoxiao swayed her head, not really paying attention to his words. After all, men’s mouths were full of deceitful tricks. Moreover, she was secretly contemplating whether to go all the way and thoroughly devour Jiang Yexun. Maybe, just maybe, her uncontrollable physical reactions would finally be sated.
“Hey, hey! All comrades from the Hong Feng Production Team, please stop what you’re doing now. Last night, someone broke into our educated youth dormitory, tied up Pan Yongsheng, and brutally beat him. Afterwards, they even threw him into the pit latrine. We hope the perpetrator will voluntarily come forward and admit their mistake. If anyone has information, please report it to me. We hope that this person can realize their mistake, come forward, and accept a lenient punishment. The production team will take that into consideration.”
The serious and indignant voice of Team Leader Jiang echoed suddenly through the loudspeakers, startling everyone.
Su Xiaoxiao’s small face tensed up gradually.
“Don’t worry, I left no evidence behind,” Jiang Yexun whispered, his voice barely audible.
Of course, Su Xiaoxiao wasn’t worried about that. She knew that her man was always careful and would never make such a rookie mistake.
The broadcast was repeated several times, but until lunchtime, no one had gone to report anything to Team Leader Jiang.
He became so frustrated that he gathered everyone on the threshing ground.
People in the production team were exchanging words, and the atmosphere became chaotic. However, Jiang Yexun’s gaze was firmly fixed on the young girl who stood two people away from him.
Her long, dark eyelashes cast a shadow over the coldness in his eyes. Was this girl deliberately distancing herself from him?
His tongue pressed against the roof of his mouth as he clicked his tongue disapprovingly.
He was pondering how to punish this naughty little thing when the others, who had been detained along with him, started to clamor.
“Team Leader, we all went to bed around nine last night. Our whole family can vouch for it. Even if you keep us here all day, we can’t provide any more information.”
“That’s right! Pan Yongsheng is the kind of person who could offend anyone behind their back, right? Why should we be dragged into this when he’s the one who messed up? If he doesn’t change his ways, he might get beaten again, and again, and again.”
Actually, everyone in the production team knew that Pan Yongsheng had made an enemy of Team Leader Jiang’s son and his future daughter-in-law. However, Pan Yongsheng was a known gossip monger, and when he got caught, he would persistently plead and try to frame others, so it served him right.
Team Leader Jiang’s face darkened, and finally, he turned to look at Pan Yongsheng, who was seething with rage.
“Pan Yongsheng, since we can’t locate this person, shall we just drop the matter? You should also be more careful in the future and not get involved in such disputes. Otherwise, if you continue down this path, you might get into trouble again. Do you understand?”
Pan Yongsheng glared angrily at Team Leader Jiang, who was speaking. “When I had trouble in your team, you not only failed to resolve it but also tried to shift the blame onto me?! I will never let go of it! And Team Leader Jiang, have you ever thought that if someone with ulterior motives sees that such actions go unpunished, they might follow suit?”
That last blatant threat didn’t sit well with Team Leader Jiang, and even the others in the team found it hard to accept.
“Educated Youth Pan, stop talking nonsense. Our production team has been recognized as an advanced unit for seven or eight years in a row. We’ve never had any problems. How come it’s just you who got into trouble?” Someone taunted sarcastically.
Pan Yongsheng was about to confront Jiang Yexun and force him to admit that he was responsible for what happened last night. However, when he scanned the crowd, he realized that Jiang Yexun seemed entirely disinterested in this matter. In fact, he was openly flirting with Su Xiaoxiao.
Pan Yongsheng’s heart twisted with rage. “Damn it, they’re a pair of wretched lovers!”
He cursed inwardly.
“Anyway, if I don’t get an explanation today, I’ll report this to the police,” he gritted his teeth and said, full of resentment.
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone in the production team had an immediate change of expression.
“If you report this to the police, will our production team still be recognized as an advanced unit this year? Without that status, we’ll receive fewer food rations, won’t we?”
Su Xiaoxiao’s soft voice suddenly sounded amid the tension. The people in the production team quickly joined in, expressing their indignation.
“That’s right! What’s Educated Youth Pan doing? He offended someone and got retaliated against. Why should he drag us all down with him?”
“Our family’s food rations are already insufficient. If they get reduced further, people might starve. If anyone in my family dies of starvation, I’ll hold him accountable.”
Pan Yongsheng was intimidated by their collective stance. He opened his mouth several times but ultimately closed it weakly.
Coward!
Seeing his reaction, Su Xiaoxiao rolled her eyes in disdain.
Pan Yongsheng caught that expression, and his body couldn’t help but tremble with anger.
However, no one paid him any attention at this moment. Eventually, the matter was left unresolved.
After everyone dispersed, Jiang Yexun was about to escort Su Xiaoxiao back to the educated youth dormitory. However, he was stopped by his father.
“Come home with me.”
Team Leader Jiang looked as if he was forcibly suppressing his anger.
The tenderness on Jiang Yexun’s face disappeared instantly, replaced by an icy coldness as he stared at his father.