CHAPTER 103: 101 CATCHING ADULTERERS

Tian Tian’s beautiful face revealed a trace of sorrow as she softly said, "I’ve waited too long for this day, dreaming about it every night. When can I finally be like those city women, curl my hair, buy better perfume, wear better clothes? Why is it that in every other way I’m better than Chen Ying, but my family isn’t as good as hers? Heaven is so unfair..."

Chen Ming remained motionless under the table, but his fists quietly clenched in anger.

Zhou Zheng reached out and caressed Tian Tian’s fair cheek, saying, "Tiantian, very soon, very soon, we’ll achieve our dreams as long as we prepare well. I can already see a bright tomorrow beckoning us."

But neither of them realized that even if they could return to the city, Zhou Zheng would still be just a low-ranking teacher, and Tian Tian would remain unemployed. With Zhou Zheng’s meager salary, he could never support her. She was a woman who constantly blamed fate for being unjust, thinking that beauty was a skill, believing that just because she’s beautiful, all the men in the world should revolve around her. But what is beauty? It’s just a shell—only shallow and materialistic people overly emphasize appearances. The world is full of beautiful people; within a crowd of beautiful faces, what does she have that makes her truly stand out?

"And what about Chen Ying? What if she clings to you when the time comes?" Tian Tian furrowed her brows. "I know Chen Ying best. If you get transferred back to the city, she’ll be even more devoted to you."

Zhou Zheng snorted dismissively. "Chen Ying? Who could possibly fancy her? She doesn’t have your gentleness, charm, or sophistication. Other than knowing how to cook, she can’t do anything else. I want a woman who can stand proud in society, not someone who’s confined to the kitchen and the home. So Tiantian, don’t worry—my heart belongs only to you."

Chen Ying’s face flushed red with fury, her chest heaving as she could no longer bear listening! She stood up abruptly, overturned the table, and marched over to Tian Tian, slapping her face with a resounding "smack."

"Tian Tian, you shameless wench, you fox spirit! How could someone as despicable as you even exist?"

Tian Tian was stunned by the slap, seeing stars before she shook her head lightly to focus on Chen Ying’s enraged face. But more than anything, her terrified gaze darted towards Chen Ming, who remained frozen in place. At this moment, the urgency of her childhood dreams consumed her, leaving her uncertain about the reasons behind this panic. By the time she understood, it was far too late, as the moon set and loneliness enveloped her.

"It’s not what you think, Ying, Chen Ming—it’s not how it seemed..." she murmured, fragile like a shaking white lotus in the wind.

Chen Ying scoffed coldly, "Listening to the two of you just makes me sick. You say you know me? Let me tell you this—don’t assume that just because we’re from the same village, you actually understand me! Who would ever be like you, a two-faced liar. Go to the city? Who wants to go to the city? I don’t care! You think you know me—do you know that right now all I want is to beat you to death?"

"No..." Tian Tian’s tear-filled eyes glimpsed Chen Ying’s frenzied face, her words cut short as a slap came from the left, then another from the right, leaving her cheeks marked with finger-shaped prints.

Chen Ying raised her hand again, but a pair of large hands suddenly grasped her wrists, revealing Zhou Zheng’s face. "Ying, calm down and let us explain," he said, his demeanor composed, as though he had not remained stationary moments before.

"Hypocritical scum!" Chen Ying couldn’t fathom how Zhou Zheng could still maintain a tender expression towards her at a time like this. Thinking back to his earlier words, she realized that in his eyes, she was nothing more than a crude village woman. It dawned on her that everything Tian Sangsang had said was true. What was wrong with her judgment? How could she have fallen for him? He wasn’t even worthy of being mentioned alongside Ye Jiang! How could she have dared compare Zhou Zheng to Ye Jiang? By doing so, she had utterly insulted the pure, moonlit image of Ye Jiang within her heart all these years.

Unable to hold back her tears, Chen Ying broke down, covering her mouth with her hand as she fled the dilapidated house in utter despair.

"Ying!" Zhou Zheng called out urgently, attempting to chase after her.

But Chen Ming, who had stayed silent all along, quickly clamped Zhou Zheng’s frail arm with one hand, his face darkening completely. "Mr. Zhou, where do you think you’re going? As a country bumpkin, I’m in a terrible mood right now, and I plan to vent it using a country bumpkin’s way."

"Chen Ming, hitting someone is against the law! You’d go to prison for this!" Zhou Zheng trembled violently, desperately trying to break free from Chen Ming’s grip.

"You think I care? The village chief is my father!" Chen Ming shouted furiously, "What do you take my sister for? You’ve been eating our food, using what’s ours, treating my sister like a servant, and you still have the nerve to despise her? Tonight, I’m going to beat you until even your own mother wouldn’t recognize you! Let me show you that even though I’m just a country bumpkin, I’m still someone you won’t dare mess with!"

Chen Ming swung his fists at Zhou Zheng’s face, prompting a scream as Zhou Zheng’s glasses fell to the ground and shattered into pieces.

Chen Ming kicked him fiercely, sending Zhou Zheng sprawling miserably on the floor. Zhou Zheng coughed hoarsely, his words barely audible, "I’ll call the police."

As he tried to crawl away, punches continued to rain down on him as if he were caught in a storm. Zhou Zheng cried out in agony, his voice filled with desperation.

Chen Ming was livid, his emotions a chaotic mix of pain and anger, overpowering his need for release. He wanted nothing more than to chop Zhou Zheng up and feed him to the dogs. "Useless scum. That’s your solution to every tiny problem—running to the cops? How did I ever think you were a man?"

"Chen Ming, Chen Ming, stop! You’ll kill him!" Tian Tian glanced at Zhou Zheng curled up on the floor, trembling, and cautiously moved to pull at Chen Ming’s clothes.

"Get lost!" Chen Ming snarled at her, glaring ferociously as he continued to pummel Zhou Zheng, his bitter emotions spilling over.

"Chen Ming!" Tian Tian tugged at him with all her strength. "You can’t do this—he’s a teacher in our area. Where would we find another teacher if something happened to him?"

Chen Ming spat on the ground, shoving her aside. "A teacher like him? Let him teach—he’d only spoil the kids! Get out of my face, or I’ll beat you up too!" He cried as he struck, wondering bitterly why he had fallen for someone as vile as Tian Tian.

Tian Tian froze on the spot, staring at Chen Ming with a look of utter disbelief. That gaze was unfamiliar. It wasn’t the Chen Ming she knew—the Chen Ming who always spoke softly to her, treated her with care. Now, the man standing before her told her to get lost and shoved her aside roughly.

"Tian Tian, go get help... Ah! Say... just say... he’s trying to kill someone..." Bruised and swollen, Zhou Zheng raised his eyes toward Tian Tian, pleading for rescue.

Tian Tian turned to rush for the door but stopped abruptly. No, she couldn’t leave. If she went outside, everyone would know she was involved with Zhou Zheng. Her reputation would be ruined.

What about Chen Ying? Where had she gone? She had to stop her from telling anyone.

"Enough," Chen Ming muttered as if he were exhausted after venting his rage. Wiping the sweat dripping from his forehead, he growled angrily, "I’ll let you off for now. Next time I see you, I’ll beat you again."

It was precisely because Chen Ming suddenly stopped that Zhou Zheng didn’t notice Tian Tian’s hesitation.

Chen Ming walked toward the door, while Tian Tian gazed at him with deep despair. What should she do? If he stepped outside, everyone would know. Everyone would know...

"Hahaha, hahahahaha!" Zhou Zheng staggered to his feet, wiping the blood from his nose as he let out a sinister laugh that stopped Chen Ming in his tracks. "Chen Ming. I’ve slept with your sister."

Chen Ming froze, his entire body trembling. His bloodshot eyes snapped toward Zhou Zheng. "What did you just say?!"