My Man is Lin Chuan
It had to be said, while the female lead’s actions toward the Lin family were questionable, her courage in other situations was commendable. For example, in a society without phones for calling the police, she had the guts to rush out and confront trouble. This alone showed she had a stronger sense of justice than most people, certainly better than those who remained indifferent.
Still, was it really wise for a young woman to charge out like that?
Su Su remembered being a justice-driven child herself, but her parents had always taught her that as a girl, she needed to protect herself in dangerous situations. “Call the police, don’t confront anyone head-on,” they’d warned. “You’ll only end up getting hurt.”
That advice had been her guiding principle for years.
But now, that principle was facing a bit of a challenge.
The thugs had pinned Song Laosan down and were now moving toward Qin Yueyue with the clear intention of harassing her.
Su Su was nervous, but with no one else around to intervene, she had no choice but to step in. Still, she was smart about it. She remembered how the female lead in the story had often borrowed the male lead’s reputation to scare off troublemakers. Even though Lin Chuan had left for the army, the fear he had instilled in the local thugs before leaving lingered like a shadow.
If his name could still work, why not use it? If it failed, she could always run back and get help.
Su Su stepped forward, crossing her arms, exuding as much authority as she could muster. “I didn’t realize this village had become so weak that even small-time thugs could run wild. What’s this? Harassing respectable women now?”
Her tone was sharp and unyielding, leaving no room for doubt.
The thugs froze, startled by the sight of this strikingly pretty young woman who was dressed well and carried herself with confidence. For a moment, they were too stunned to act.
“And who are you?” one of them asked.
This was exactly what Su Su had hoped for. If they had immediately attacked, things would have been much harder. “I’m Lin Chuan’s wife,” she declared. “You’re not just bullying villagers—you’ve brought your trouble right to the edge of our village. If Lin Chuan finds out…” She let her voice trail off, arching her brow to let them imagine the consequences.
Thugs, after all, were known for being cowardly against strong opposition. Lin Chuan had once been infamous for his ruthlessness, the kind of person who fought as if he didn’t value his own life. He had beaten these very men into submission before, and even though he wasn’t present now, the fear he instilled in them hadn’t faded.
Hearing that this woman was Lin Chuan’s wife, they hesitated. One of them, emboldened, tried to save face by saying, “Didn’t expect Lin Chuan’s wife to be so pretty. Why stick with him? Why not come with us instead?”
“Alright,” Su Su replied, taking two steps closer. “I’ll let him know what you said. What’s your name?”
At this, the thug immediately backpedalled, unwilling to leave any identifying information. Instead, they turned to Song Laosan and spat, “A single ration ticket! If you can’t pay up next time, we’ll beat you every time we see you.”
What? All this over one ration ticket?
“Wait,” Su Su said, stopping them in their tracks. “What does he owe you the ration ticket for?”
One of the thugs muttered, “His mother was starving and borrowed a ticket from us. She hasn’t repaid it yet.” Saying this, he kicked Song Laosan again for good measure.
“I’ll repay the ticket for him,” Su Su offered, thinking it wasn’t a big deal. After all, Song Laosan would be a wealthy businessman in the future. Helping him now could only be beneficial.
The thugs exchanged confused glances, unsure why this woman was stepping in.
“Well? Do you want it or not?” Su Su reached into her pocket and pulled out a ration ticket. It was one she’d received from the relevant authorities and had kept on her in case of emergencies. If she could do a good deed and resolve this now, why not? She was confident she’d earn much more back in the future.
Both Song Laosan and Qin Yueyue were stunned. Ration tickets in this era were life-saving. Yet, here she was, handing one over so casually. Was she naive or just wealthy beyond comprehension?
Of course, the thugs weren’t going to refuse. One of them stepped forward, snatched the ticket from Su Su, and asked cautiously, “You won’t tell Lin Chuan, will you?”
“Debts should be repaid; that’s only fair. He won’t get involved in this,” Su Su said. “But if I hear of you bothering Song Laosan again, don’t blame me for what happens next.”
“Fine. We’re square now,” one of the thugs said, spitting at Song Laosan before they all left.
Once they were gone, Su Su finally let out a breath of relief. Song Laosan opened his mouth, as if to say something, but Qin Yueyue spoke first. “Comrade Su, I don’t think Brother Song can repay your ration ticket. Was that really a good idea?”
“No rush. I brought a few extra tickets with me when I came here. Besides, they looked like they were ready to beat him to death. How could I just stand by?” Su Su glanced at Song Laosan and added, “Repay me when you can. If you don’t have tickets, money works too. Just pay it back before you give everything away to the female lead.”
“Huh?” Song Laosan blinked, confused. “Thank you for your kindness, little sister-in-law. If you ever need anything, just come to me.”
His tone was slippery, the result of years spent mingling with lowlifes, but Su Su didn’t hold it against him. She knew his backstory well—his father had died young, and his mother had worked herself into ill health to raise him. Unable to earn enough work points on the mountain, he had fallen in with a bad crowd, becoming more jaded over time.
Without dignifying his tone with a response, Su Su maintained her aloof demeanour and walked away.
Left behind, Song Laosan scratched his head, feeling both grateful and slightly vexed. He didn’t like being rescued by two young women, but it was the first time anyone had helped him.
Seeing his dazed expression, Qin Yueyue asked, “Are you alright? Just stay out of trouble from now on.”
Song Laosan grinned at her and said, “If you say so, little sister. Thanks for your help. How about I treat you to dinner?”
Qin Yueyue froze for a moment before realizing he was joking. With his level of poverty, what could he possibly treat her to? Annoyed, she snapped, “Behave yourself,” and walked away.
As she disappeared, Song Laosan touched his face and muttered, “These women… one is colder than the other.” But deep down, he resolved that if he ever made it big, he would repay their kindness tenfold.
Meanwhile, Su Su kept up her cool façade on her way home, but inside, she was shaken. What if the thugs hadn’t been intimidated by Lin Chuan’s reputation? She and Qin Yueyue could have been in real danger.
Thank goodness for Lin Chuan’s fearsome reputation.
When she got home, Lin’s mother had already prepared dinner. Seeing Su Su return, she asked, “Where did you go?” “I went to Widow Qiao’s place. She agreed to handle the high notes, so that’s one less thing for me to worry about,” Su Su replied with a smile before everyone sat down to eat.
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