Transmigrated as an Unwanted Ugly Girl

Chapter 519: Chapter 271: Confrontation

After the Li Family members left, Qingmu carefully questioned Uncle Lin about who the last people to leave were.

When he heard that Xiaonian’s wife had left alone, followed by Sister-in-law Qiang and the other three wives who left in pairs, he instantly understood. It had to be Xiaonian’s wife. She held a grudge against the Zheng Family and wanted to embarrass him.

It was a clumsy and unsophisticated method of revenge, but it had worked precisely because Jinling was Li Mingtang’s granddaughter.

Li Mingtang was a difficult man and wasn’t on good terms with the Zheng Family. If it had been anyone else locked inside, they would have just come out, cursed a bit in anger, and that would be the end of it. Who would drag reputation into it? That was just looking for trouble!

Qingmu gave a few instructions and then went home. He didn’t disturb his parents or Juhua. After sitting in his room and thinking for a long time, he got up and went to Li Gengtian’s house.

As the village head, Li Gengtian watched Qingnan Village thrive under his leadership. Which of the surrounding villages wasn’t envious? Even the value of the village’s young men and women had risen, making it much easier for them to marry. Because of this, he was in a wonderful mood every day. But tonight, that good mood had been ruined by his Third Uncle.

After his Third Uncle recounted in detail what had happened at the sausage workshop tonight, Li Gengtian said in a low voice, ”When something like this happens at the workshop, of course we have to investigate the cause and handle it properly. But Third Uncle, what kind of explanation do you want from Qingmu? He and Jinling didn’t do anything—not that they could have in such a short time! Besides, making a fuss like this isn’t good for our niece Jinling, either.”

Li Mingtang said angrily, ”So her reputation will be fine if we don’t make a scene? What won’t those gossips dare to say? What stories won’t they spin? A few moments could be twisted into them being locked up for a whole night! How is Jinling supposed to get married in the future?”

Li Gengtian was truly unhappy to hear this. Nothing had happened, yet he insisted on making a scene. If Li Mingtang weren’t his third uncle, he would have started cursing him out. His expression was grim as he suppressed his anger and said, ”I told you a long time ago, Third Uncle, that it wasn’t convenient for a young girl like Jinling to work in the workshop, but you just wouldn’t listen. Do you see any other family’s daughters working there? Liu Xiaomei and Juhua taught all the wives in the workshop, and they are still asked to come and give guidance when needed, but even they don’t work regular shifts.”

His selfish motives exposed, Li Mingtang flew into a rage out of humiliation. ”It’s their business if they don’t go! My Jinling works honestly. She doesn’t steal or rob anyone. What’s so shameful about that? Now that this has happened, are we supposed to just let it go? Are you even her uncle?”

Li Gengtian asked, displeased, ”Then what kind of explanation do you want from the Zheng Family, Third Uncle? Qingmu is already engaged. He’s about to get married, the date is even set! Don’t tell me you expect him to break off his engagement with the Liu Family’s daughter and marry Jinling?”

Li Mingtang’s eyes widened. ”And why not? Didn’t you break off an engagement back in the day to marry Changyu’s mother? If the Liu Family finds out Jinling and Qingmu were locked in a room together, they might not want their daughter to marry him anyway!”

Li Gengtian flew into a rage at his third uncle’s words. He had broken his engagement to remarry out of deep love, but that’s not how others spoke of it. To them, it was an act of betrayal.

He was so furious he laughed. ”I may be the village head, but I can’t control who other people marry. You can handle this yourself. But let me remind you, Third Uncle: when I broke my engagement for my child’s mother, it was because I loved her. So naturally, I treated her well after marrying her. Now, if you force Qingmu to break his engagement and marry Jinling—setting aside whether he or the Liu Family would even agree—even if you succeed, can you really expect him to treat Jinling well?”

He was truly ashamed of his third uncle’s actions and saw his crude intentions with perfect clarity. ’Can this situation really be compared to what happened with me and my child’s mother?’ he thought.

Li Mingtang faltered. He knew this wasn’t going to be easy, but for some reason, he just didn’t want to let it go and let that brat Zheng Qingmu off the hook. In the end, he wasn’t even sure if he wanted Qingmu as a grandson-in-law or if he just wanted to embarrass the Zheng Family, even though his own granddaughter was caught in the middle.

But since Li Gengtian had made it clear he wouldn’t step in on his behalf, he had no choice but to go home, fuming.

Meanwhile, Li Gengtian was swallowing his frustration and about to go to bed when Qingmu showed up at his door. Qingmu explained the night’s events and his deductions to Li Gengtian in detail, emphasizing at the end, ”Uncle Li, the workshop is getting bigger, and with it come more problems. If an incident like this isn’t handled, I’m afraid it won’t be right. I’ll be the first one to take responsibility.”