Chapter 16: To Prove Innocence

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Sun Xiaorong had no idea what Lin Yang was truly thinking; she still believed he was merely sulking with her. Her tearful, pitiful appearance would indeed stir sympathy in anyone unaware of the truth.

Lin Yang had already made up his mind to extract some “interest” from Sun Xiaorong first. He glanced around and noticed the crowd’s eyes falling on him like spotlights, accompanied by whispered gossip and pointed fingers.

Moved by impulse, he immediately feigned uncontrollable anger and loudly demanded, “What’s wrong with me, huh?”

His voice was loud and tinged with indignation, instantly drawing more attention.

“You promised to give us a try, and back then, my heart was pounding like a trapped rabbit, almost leaping out of my throat.”

“My parents ran all over, borrowing money from relatives and friends, just to scrape together this five hundred yuan bride price.”

“The three-speed bike and the ‘one ring, one bell’ ticket were no small effort to save up for. But what did your brother do?”

“Just because we met once, your brother grabbed a shovel and slammed it hard on my head.”

“That blow nearly killed me! I just want to ask, who did I offend?”

“I know your family’s well-off, and I can’t afford to provoke you, but does that mean I have to hide forever?”

Lin Yang pointed toward the brand-new Phoenix bicycle beside him.

“This is the bike I just bought. I had everything ready—the three-speed bike, the bride price—all set to bring it proudly to your family. But now, I refuse!”

He paused, staring straight at Sun Xiaorong, his voice filled with furious accusation.

“Do you know why I refuse?”

Instinctively, Sun Xiaorong followed his gaze to the gleaming new Phoenix bicycle. Thinking of her brother Sun Daqiang ruining her plans, a burning hatred flared within her.

But she quickly masked it with a pitiful look, reddening her eyes and pleading in a trembling voice, “Lin, I really didn’t know about any of this! If I had known my brother would act so impulsively, like a brute, I would have stopped him with all my might!”

Lin Yang continued to shout in anger, “Your family’s outrageous demands, I gritted my teeth and accepted. Even if it meant emptying my family’s savings, I was willing to pay it all because I wanted to marry you.”

“I truly liked you. But your brother? He almost beat me to death. Did he ever consider your feelings for even a moment?”

“You wanted the three-speed bike and the ‘one ring, one bell’ ticket for him—to help him find a wife. The five hundred yuan bride price was handed over in full—every last penny!”

“And what did you give in return? Not even a single token of gratitude. I endured all this because I liked you, but your brother’s cruelty—he nearly killed me!”

“I’m a child raised with love and hardship by my parents. I can’t bear to see them brokenhearted over me. So, I have no choice but to refuse!”

As Lin Yang shouted these words in anguish, his face was contorted with grief, veins bulging on his forehead, as if all these pent-up grievances had finally burst forth.

The supply and marketing cooperative’s entrance was always crowded. Hearing Lin Yang’s tearful accusations, people’s faces showed shock.

After a brief silence, the crowd erupted into murmurs, whispering and discussing Sun Xiaorong’s family’s behavior.

Sun Xiaorong was completely flustered now. She knew all too well how excessive her family’s actions had been.

She hastily grabbed Lin Yang’s sleeve, her voice trembling with tears as she begged, “Lin, please stop, okay? If you say any more, I’ll feel utterly guilty.”

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She paused as if summoning great resolve, wiped her tears, and bit her lip. “Don’t worry, I’ll immediately go home and beg my father—I don’t want the bride price or the three-speed bike anymore.”

“If my father still refuses to let me marry you, then... then I’ll threaten to die. I will prove my innocence to you!”

Lin Yang sneered inwardly.

Innocence?

Sun Xiaorong was nothing but a “worn-out shoe,” yet she had the audacity to talk about innocence?

Though inwardly scornful, Lin Yang’s anger visibly softened as he pointed to another bicycle and coldly said, “If you don’t want to talk here, fine. Let’s go back to the village to discuss.”

Without another word, he mounted the brand-new Phoenix bike and pedaled away without looking back.

Watching Lin Yang’s rapidly retreating figure, Sun Xiaorong’s heart burned with anxiety.

She had finally chosen Lin Yang, an honest man; if she let him slip away now, all her schemes would come to nothing.

If she didn’t find a scapegoat soon, once her belly grew, her future would be ruined.

Without hesitation, she quickly jumped onto Li Jianhua’s well-maintained—though somewhat aged—two-eight big bar bicycle and hurriedly gave chase.

Within less than five hundred meters, Sun Xiaorong began feeling unwell—weak all over and noticeably out of breath.

But her mind was solely on catching up to Lin Yang to salvage their relationship; she had no time to dwell on her discomfort and gritted her teeth to endure.

Lin Yang kept a steady pace ahead, maintaining a distance neither too far nor too close—enough to keep her from falling too far behind, yet not allowing her to catch up easily.

Recalling Sun Xiaorong’s malice in their past lives and Liu Datong’s cunning deceit—the true culprits who had ruined his family—Lin Yang harbored no pity, only boundless hatred.

“Lin Yang, wait for me!” came Sun Xiaorong’s breathless voice from behind.

Feeling a faint pain in her belly, her heart skipped a beat as if realizing something, and she hastily stopped her bike.

Hearing her, Lin Yang glanced back with a mocking tone, “You’ve ridden less than two miles and you’re already exhausted?”

His gaze briefly flicked to her belly, leaving the rest unsaid.

Sun Xiaorong’s heart tightened sharply. Seeing Lin Yang’s eyes, she felt an ominous premonition—that he might know some unspeakable secret.

She forced down the discomfort, pedaled closer, and forced a sorrowful look. “Lin, don’t say that, I really care about you.”

Lin Yang curled a corner of his mouth.

Truly, she was a scheming “green tea.” With her skill at disguise, she could easily confuse the naive and inexperienced youth.

In their previous life, he had been deceived by this very façade, almost becoming her chosen scapegoat.

Though the tragedies of that past life hadn’t yet come to pass in this one, Lin Yang swore to repay that debt in full.

“What are you staring at?” Sun Xiaorong, noticing his lingering gaze on her belly, grew anxious. “Don’t you like me anymore? You were the one chasing after me, swearing undying love.”

“Now that I finally like you and feel I can never be without you, you want to abandon me? How can you do this?”

As she spoke, tears streamed down her face like a broken string of pearls.

In the past, Lin Yang would have softened seeing Sun Xiaorong’s pitiful expression.

He would have immediately stepped forward to wipe her tears, gently coaxing her, doing everything a devoted admirer could.

Sun Xiaorong knew Lin Yang’s temperament well and smugly thought that a few tears would quickly dissolve his anger.

Yet this time, after several seconds, there was no response.

Confused, she looked up at Lin Yang.

Her eyes, brimming with tears, looked like a pool of grievance, but what she saw in Lin Yang’s cold eyes was unmistakable scorn.

“You...” Sun Xiaorong gasped, unable to believe Lin Yang could be so cold.

Lin Yang snorted coldly. “Yesterday, I ran into Liu Datong. He told me some things about you. Want to know what?”

Sun Xiaorong was instantly filled with a dreadful premonition and hurriedly asked, “What did he say? Lin, please don’t believe his nonsense! He liked me back in school, but I never accepted him. I know he’s no good.”

“The only one I like now is you. Liu Datong is just a classmate trying to sow discord and ruin us.”

Lin Yang chuckled, a playful glint in his smile. “Whether it’s slander or not, I want to find out. I want to see if what he said is true or false.”

His eyes turned cold as he stared straight at Sun Xiaorong, his voice grave. “If it’s true, we’ll cut ties forever. If it’s false, I’ll make sure to break his legs!”

With that, he pedaled hard and rode off.

He knew Sun Xiaorong would definitely follow.

Sun Xiaorong was clever, inheriting Sun Fugui’s treachery and cunning, and excelled at disguise.

She understood that Lin Yang’s words were ambiguous, leaving much to interpretation.

Now was not the time to confront Liu Datong; she had to prove her innocence to Lin Yang.

Otherwise, all her plans would fall apart.

What puzzled her most was that Liu Datong had suggested this scheme, yet he had slipped up in front of Lin Yang—what was he really up to?

Her thoughts a tangled mess, she had no choice but to mount her bike and slowly follow.

Her only thought was to ensure Lin Yang never misunderstood her.