Chapter 33: Your Lover

Chapter 33: Chapter 33: Your Lover

Granny Zhang knew perfectly well how to choose between an already alienated son and a ten-thousand-yuan watch that was practically hers for the taking.

Even at this point, Granny Zhang still thought Deng Yuyuan was bluffing. It was just a trivial matter; was there a need to make such a big fuss? She hadn’t hit or killed anyone. At most, she would just get a verbal reprimand.

She shoved the watch into her pocket. "I’m not giving it back."

"Officer, I’m sorry to trouble you to make a trip down here," Deng Yuyuan said into the receiver.

What Granny Zhang didn’t understand, Zhang Jiahua understood all too well. After passing the recruitment earlier today, human resources had specifically warned him that if his personal reputation was damaged and affected the company’s image, he would be fired.

He stepped forward and snatched the receiver. "There’s no need, Officer. Within a few days, I’ll definitely convince my mother to return the item to its rightful owner."

"Then we should still have the police come over. It can be returned immediately; there’s no need to wait several months," Deng Yuyuan said, leaning her head closer to the phone.

She could have simply snatched it back, just as she had forcefully done before. But if they ended up quarreling like this every single time, she would never have a moment of peace. She had to strike hard once and for all.

"Understood, ma’am. We’re on our way," the voice on the phone replied.

Zhang Jiahua’s pupils abruptly contracted. He subconsciously shoved Deng Yuyuan away. "Are you really so heartless as to ruin our family?!"

"You don’t need to come! I can handle my mother’s issue!" he reiterated into the phone, speaking rapidly and urgently.

Sensing the dispute on the other end of the line, the police officer raised his voice. "We are heading over right now. If you threaten or get into a physical altercation with this lady, you will bear severe consequences!"

"I didn’t..." Zhang Jiahua tried to defend himself, but the line had already disconnected, leaving only a busy tone.

Zhang Ci Hao helped Deng Yuyuan into a chair and squatted down to check her ankle. His tone carried a rare hint of complaint. "Brother Jiahua, why did you have to get physical? You pushed Deng Yuyuan to the ground!"

Only then did Zhang Jiahua realize his loss of composure. He had actually shoved Deng Yuyuan! He was terrified of seeing a resentful look in her eyes. Yet, by the time he braced himself, he realized she wasn’t looking at him at all. Instead, she was looking down at Zhang Ci Hao.

The scene was both glaring and bizarre.

Everyone present noticed something was off—except for the blissfully oblivious Zhang Ci Hao.

He was still chattering away about how he had learned medicine from a barefoot doctor as he felt Deng Yuyuan’s bones through her sock.

For a moment, no one reacted.

The village chief was feeling guilty and debating whether to expose his youngest son’s adolescent crush, while the production team leader simply felt that Zhang Ci Hao was failing to maintain proper boundaries between men and women.

Granny Zhang felt that the youth of this new era were far too frivolous in their behavior. It didn’t even cross her mind that Zhang Ci Hao might have feelings for Deng Yuyuan. In her eyes, a loose woman wasn’t worthy of affection from a young man from a well-off family.

If her ankle hadn’t been in his grip, Deng Yuyuan would have wanted to dig a hole and bury herself on the spot.

The man’s grip was strong and firm, his expression meticulous as if he were conducting academic research. For a second, Deng Yuyuan wondered if she was just being too narcissistic.

Looking at Zhang Ci Hao’s earnest, handsome profile, she thought, "Why is this guy so strong?" She couldn’t pull her foot back no matter how hard she tried. Besides, did checking a bone really take this long?

Deng Yuyuan had no choice but to speak up and remind him. "Mr. Zhang Ci Hao, are you done checking?"

"Yes, all done." Zhang Ci Hao startled for a moment, helped her put her shoe back on, and stood up.

The village chief could hardly bear to watch his son. He cleared his throat and said, "Granny Zhang, hurry up and return the watch. When the police arrive later, we can still put in a good word for you."

Sigh. Come to think of it, this was the first time the police had ever been called to their village. His reputation was going to be ruined in his old age, all because of that dishonest Granny Zhang.

The village chief was a reasonable man. He didn’t blame Deng Yuyuan; in fact, he tacitly approved of her actions. Having the police enter the village would, at worst, make them the laughingstock for a few years, but it would pave a much smoother path for the female educated youth going forward. Granny Zhang was a bully who preyed on the weak and feared the strong. Doing jail time wouldn’t turn her into a murderer or an arsonist, but it would make her weigh the consequences before acting in the future.

Truth be told, the village chief was feeling a bit unsure himself. He didn’t know if she would actually go to jail. Would she really be locked up for ten years? Wasn’t that a bit too long? A dozen days would be enough to make an example out of her, but ten years... By then, the educated youths would probably have all returned to the city, and Granny Zhang wouldn’t be able to find anyone even if she wanted to seek revenge.

Oh, right. Tomorrow, he had to make sure his son brought him back a law book from town to read up on.

Heh. Using the law to bluff people in the future would be pretty effective.

Zhang Jiahua was begging his mother to return the watch, but Granny Zhang stiffened her neck and refused to utter a single word.

If he had continuously pressured her, she might not have been able to hold out. However, her son’s pleading only gave her a stronger sense of wielding absolute power over the entire family. She felt that this incident was just like everything else she had encountered before—as long as she refused to yield, the one who eventually backed down would be someone else.

At worst, she would just give a hundred yuan from the sale of the watch to Deng Yuyuan.

Deng Yuyuan shook her head helplessly. She knew it. Zhang Jiahua’s tough facade only ever lasted for three minutes. When it came to genuinely standing up to his mother, all he could do was resort to begging her with "fierce" desperation.

Under everyone’s gazes, she stood up and entered the hospital ward. It was time to see Tuantuan.

Tuantuan was sound asleep.

Shen Zhao, whose head was the only part of him that could move, looked over at Deng Yuyuan. Even though he was mentally prepared, he was still stunned by her beauty.

Perhaps because she had come in such a hurry, the woman hadn’t even tied her hair up neatly. A few stray strands tumbled down, which ironically added a touch of lazy, effortless charm to her appearance.

If... if there was an opportunity in the future, he would return to this small village and thank her in person.

"I’m sorry. I had good intentions but ended up doing a bad thing. I didn’t expect the watch to cause you so much trouble," Shen Zhao said apologetically. "Do you need me to sign a certificate of gift for you? The ambulance should be arriving soon, so I might not be able to act as a witness. When the time comes, my family will send a reward to the educated youths, the village chief, and the production team leader."

"It’s alright. She and I have had a long-standing grudge. Even without this incident, something similar would have happened eventually." Deng Yuyuan paused for a moment. "I think it’s best if you take the watch back. Sudden wealth for someone poor always attracts unwanted attention."

"But the watch can’t be handed over to me right now. If you get it back later and mail it to me, I’m afraid they’ll think it’s just an excuse and that it’s actually still in your hands." Shen Zhao sighed helplessly. He had thought that with his family background acting as a shield, openly giving them the watch would allow the mother and daughter to keep it safe. He hadn’t expected it to backfire so terribly.

"If you don’t mind, could I give it to someone else?" Deng Yuyuan came up with a compromise.

"Your lover?" Shen Zhao blurted out.

Deng Yuyuan stared at him in sheer bewilderment.

"At least for now, I don’t have a romantic partner," Deng Yuyuan said, smiling faintly. "I want to donate the watch to the village."

He marveled inwardly, "What a smart woman." Not only would she solve the immediate crisis, but she would also gain practical favors and benefits.

"Of course you can. Donate it under your own name and on your own terms. There’s no need to include me."