Chapter 145: That's Right, I'm Insulting You

The letter mentioned that Qian Li was helping Qin Fang handle a matter, and Qian's father told Qian Li to use her own discretion—delaying things as much as possible, and if delay was no longer an option, to figure out a clean way to extricate herself.

The underlying message was clear: she must not let herself get dragged too deep, and her own safety should always take top priority.

Now, standing up to Qin Fang, Qian Li felt vastly more confident. With the backing of her family and the assurance from her old schoolmate, she believed it wouldn't be long before someone set their sights squarely on Qin Fang.

Once Qin Fang went down, her own crisis would be averted. It was simply a perfect arrangement.

"I know she's no simple character. I'll do my best not to bring up her affairs in front of her."

With a smile, Qian Li waved goodbye to Xu Lin and headed back to cook.

Passing right by Qin Fang, she wore an icy expression, her remaining goodwill toward Qin Fang plummeting through the floor.

That reaction had Qin Fang stamping her feet in frustration. Odious! Damn that Qian Li, dropping her favorability points again! Sooner or later, she was going to finish Qian Li off.

Yet that very stomp threw Qin Fang off balance. With a loud *thwack*, she took a flat tumble right on the solid ground, landing face-first in the dirt, eating mud.

She even loosened her front teeth, filling her mouth with blood.

Qin Fang could only whimper in pain.

Su Liang, standing opposite, saw his beloved tumble and bolted over without a single regard for anything else. But as he sprinted—oh boy—his foot caught on something and he lunged forward.

Splendid. The two of them crashed down together, both eating mud and bleeding from the mouth.

They truly were a match made in heaven.

Watching people she loathed suffer misfortune brought a wave of delight to Xu Lin, who hummed a little tune as she stepped inside.

Closing the door a step behind, Qian Li stared in absolute shock, her eyes wide and her mouth frozen in an O-shape.

She had always known Xu Lin was formidable, but witnessing this... good grief, she was terrifying! She hadn't even managed to see how those two had managed to wipe out like that.

After dinner, Wu Qi called another educated youth meeting. Everyone currently at the educated youth compound attended, save for the youth surnamed Fang who was tending to Du Yong at the commune hospital.

Treading familiar ground, Wu Qi recounted Du Yong's ordeal all over again, and finally asked with an expectant expression:

"After thinking it over all afternoon, how does everyone feel we should help Comrade Du through this difficult hurdle?"

Throughout Wu Qi's speech, Qian Li kept secretly observing Qin Fang's expression, only to find that the woman didn't even wear a look of surprise.

It was as if she had known from the very beginning that Du Yong would meet such a fate.

There was not a shred of guilt or regret to be seen!

Hah, what a thoroughly venomous woman.

Qian Li shifted her gaze to Xu Lin, who sat beside her. Fortunately, she had Xu Lin on her side; as long as Xu Lin was around, she had nothing to fear from Qin Fang.

Goodness gracious, staying close to Xu Lin was simply the safest place to be.

This thick thigh—whoever dared try to snatch it away from her, she would bite their head off!

Noticing Qian Li clutching her arm tightly and wearing a foolishly happy grin, Xu Lin asked softly, "What on earth are you thinking about?"

"Nothing much, just hugging a golden thigh."

Tsk. Xu Lin was left speechless. What she was hugging so tightly was clearly an arm.

Wu Siu leaned her head over and whispered, "Whose thigh are you hugging?"

"N-nothing at all." Qian Li immediately brushed it off with a laugh. She certainly couldn't tell her about Xu Lin's extraordinary abilities, nor did she want anyone else competing with her for Xu Lin's protection.

Han Hong poked his head over from behind and asked, "How much money are you guys planning to donate?"

"This? Just follow the crowd, I suppose. Whatever everyone else donates, we'll donate. Right?" Qian Li looked at Xu Lin, silently pleading for agreement.

"Right, follow the crowd," Xu Lin concurred.

Han Hong nodded to show he understood, then pulled his head back to put his heads together with Zhang Strong in a low-voiced discussion.

Fu Yaqin tugged at Wu Siu's sleeve, quietly inquiring what the group was talking about. Hearing that they planned to follow the crowd with their donation, she nodded in agreement as well.

Following the crowd was best—it wouldn't make anyone stand out, nor would it give others room for gossip.

Qin Fang sat beside Su Liang, her gaze fixed unkindly on Xu Lin. Hearing that their group intended to follow the crowd, she stared straight at Xu Lin and asked:

"Since Comrade Xu is so well-off, don't you plan to donate a little more?"

"No matter how much money I have, it's just dead savings—unlike certain people who are deeply favored, whose fingers only need to leak a tiny bit to cover Comrade Du's medical bills.

"I just wonder if those certain people are actually willing to let anything slip through their fingers."

Xu Lin shot Qin Fang a meaningful look before executing a sharp conversational pivot.

"Besides, the reason Du Yong ended up like that is entirely the handiwork of some conscience-lacking, inhumane piece of trash."

When Xu Lin cursed the "piece of trash," she flashed an exceptionally bright smile, watching Qin Fang's complexion shift through various shades. Her look seemed to say: *That's right, I'm talking about you.*

*You are that piece of trash!*

"Senior Miss Qin, you and Du Yong mess together. I wonder how much money you plan to donate to help your dining partner?"

Xu Lin's words struck right at the heart of what everyone was wondering.

Indeed, Qin Fang and Su Liang shared meals with Du Yong, and neither of them was short on cash. Surely they ought to donate a hefty sum?

Meeting the curious gazes of the surrounding educated youths, Qin Fang's expression darkened. She pressed her lips together, turned to Su Liang, and asked:

"Brother Liang, how much do you think we should donate?"

Su Liang fell silent. There were only two yuan left in his pocket. He had called home again today, hoping his mother would wire him some money.

To his shock, his mother had flatly refused, even threatening that as long as he refused to break up with Qin Fang, he wouldn't get a single cent.

Two yuan. By any stretch of the imagination, that was all he could possibly donate.

Yet if he donated it all, what would become of him?

A surge of resentment welled up inside Su Liang. Why did she have to ask him this question in front of everyone?

Was this something he was even in a position to answer?

Hearing the system prompt that his favorability points had dropped, Qin Fang's face turned as dark as ink, and she was rendered utterly speechless. She couldn't help feeling that Su Liang was far too petty.

She was merely asking a question; she wasn't even forcing Su Liang to pay out of his own pocket. And that was enough to tank his favorability?

No, she couldn't let things drag on like this. It seemed she would have to take Su Liang down to the black market next time so he could make some money.

A man needed to be given opportunities to earn.

As for the money she had earned herself—Qin Fang glared venomously in Xu Lin's direction—most of her hard-earned cash had already been poured into digging traps.

Meeting that hostile glare, Xu Lin offered a brilliant smile. Seeing her enemies displeased always brought her immense joy.

"Let's just donate one yuan."

Su Liang finally squeezed the words out from between his teeth. The moment the words fell, Xu Lin burst into a laugh, her amusement making Su Liang's face grow even darker.

"What are you laughing at?" Su Liang demanded viciously, finding Xu Lin an absolute eyesore. It felt like nothing good ever happened whenever he crossed paths with this woman.

"Nothing at all. I just think that the great Young Master Su from the capital is truly so down-to-earth," Xu Lin said, giving him a thumbs-up and a look of deep admiration.

Yet that praise felt less like a compliment and more like a silent slap, burning fiercely across Su Liang's face.

In that instant, Su Liang truly understood the agony of how a single penny could confound a hero. If he had money, would he be acting this stingy?

Su Liang felt profoundly wronged inside. He had just forked over half his entire net worth as a donation—what more did they expect him to do?

"Xu Lin, stop making it sound so pleasant! How much are *you* planning to donate?" he demanded loudly.

"Me? I'm donating one yuan, of course. A poor, helpless educated youth like me would never dare try to outshine you."

With a giggle, Xu Lin pulled out a single yuan bill and placed it right on the table in the middle of the courtyard, leaving Su Liang with a face the color of a bruised lime.

If everyone else just threw in a single yuan, Du Yong would surely despise him to his dying breath back in the hospital.

Su Liang instantly regretted being the first to state an amount. He couldn't help glaring back at Qin Fang—Xu Lin had clearly asked Qin Fang first; why did it end up being *him* who had to answer?