CHAPTER 132: CHAPTER 131: WHICH FAMILY DID YOU HOOK THAT GUY FROM?

With so many people around, He Chen decided not to ride his bike and instead walked it alongside them.

He didn’t participate in any of the discussions between the three girls, staying silent throughout, but his eyes frequently glanced at the cheerfully laughing Ye Manman, constantly aware of the surroundings, much like a security guard on duty.

The Mandarin Duck Wardrobe wasn’t as far from the Education Bureau as their Sweet and Spicy Duck store, and within a little over ten minutes, filled with laughter and chatter, they arrived.

The registration process went smoothly, and they made a swift return.

During the friendly and joyful chats with Jiang Yuan and Ye Manman, Cheng Yuan gradually reverted to her usual self, occasionally covering her mouth as she laughed, her eyes sparkling with hope for the future.

Unfortunately, just as the two were almost back at the Mandarin Duck Wardrobe, someone began to gossip.

A few middle-aged women were munching on sunflower seeds while pointing at them and discussing loudly.

"Oh my, isn’t that the mistress? She actually has the face to come out, seducing other people’s husbands, she’s utterly shameless."

"Isn’t she afraid of having children without ** in the future? Morality is truly declining; doing such unprincipled things. Back in the day, she’d have been drowned in a pig cage long ago. How could she still be gallivanting on the streets like this?"

"Pity, the other woman is even pregnant. I hear it’s a boy. These days, young girls do nothing worthwhile, resorting to such immoral acts perhaps because that man’s family is wealthy and she wants an easy road."

"She must be after money, but it’s possible she just fancies the other’s husband. Isn’t the man said to be quite the catch? He even declared in public he wants to divorce the wife and marry her, must be bewitched by this little vixen, wrecking families, won’t die a good death, I spit."

"..."

The women talked while walking, almost matching their pace, making sure that no matter how fast or slow they walked, the unpleasant gossip was clear to their ears.

This was evidently meant for Cheng Yuan to hear, and might even be organized, otherwise, it wouldn’t be this deliberate.

Cheng Yuan’s face turned pale and ghastly again, grip tightening around her fists, while Jiang Yuan, no longer carefree, held onto Cheng Yuan’s hand, urging her not to listen.

Meanwhile, Ye Manman patted Cheng Yuan’s back, signaling her to watch how she handled those people.

"He Chen, let’s go ask them, I’m genuinely curious. We were eyewitnesses, how does the story sound so different from what they’re saying?"

He Chen obediently parked his bike, then followed her towards the women, frowning but silent.

Ye Manman didn’t seem confrontational, but her smile carried a significant threat.

"Ladies, from what you’re saying, did you see with your own eyes Cheng Yuan seducing someone else’s husband that day?"

Her petite and fragile frame beside He Chen, a sturdy figure, made the few women’s faces quiver slightly merely by him standing there with a stern face.

"Wha- what do you want? Are you here to seek justice for this mistress? She’s shameless and we’re going to speak out, what’s wrong with that, you dare to do it but not admit it? If you dare to do it, don’t be afraid of being talked about!"

The leading woman, with more nerve, not only confronted Ye Manman with bravado but also intentionally spoke loudly to Cheng Yuan, as if afraid she couldn’t hear.

Seeing Cheng Yuan’s face grow even paler, the woman, satisfied, cracked a melon seed and gave Ye Manman a scrutinizing up-and-down look.

"Look at your figure, another little vixen in the making, what, which family’s man did you seduce to get him?"

Her words were quite harsh, judging by appearance and directly assigning blame.

He Chen’s fists clenched tightly, and he couldn’t help taking a step forward.

His expression grew even more intimidating, and as his aura burst forth, the seed the woman was about to nibble on fell to the ground in fright.

She retreated two steps, putting some distance between them, and trembled as she spoke fearfully.

"Wha- what now, want to hit people?"

"I’m telling you, this is a public street, if you dare hit someone, you just wait to end up in a cell!"

The woman glanced around, checked there were still plenty of passersby, then steeled herself again to face them.

Ye Manman stopped He Chen, with an expression unchanged, as if the vixen comments weren’t aimed at her, still wearing a smile.

"We didn’t say anything about hitting. Why is it that whenever you open your mouth, it’s slander? Be careful, I might just go to the police station and charge you for defamation."

"You call it defamation? I didn’t slander you at all."

The woman, seeing Ye Manman restrain He Chen, regained her brazen spirit.

But Ye Manman completely ignored her.

"Whether it’s defamation isn’t for you or me to decide. Exactly so many people here today, why don’t we take a trip to the police station? That previous incident with Cheng Yuan was sorted out at the police station too, maybe they can tell if you’re defaming or not."

At Ye Manman’s mention of the police station, the women’s faces stiffened, exchanging glances, immediately wanting to disperse.

"Going to the police station? Isn’t that unlucky, we didn’t do anything wrong, what’s wrong with saying a few words? Why are you such a narrow-minded girl?"

They wanted to disperse, evidently to make themselves untraceable, clearly banking on the belief of safety in numbers, but Ye Manman didn’t stop them, just watched them quietly.

"Whether there’s something wrong isn’t up to me, but if you think you can just run today and it’ll be over, you’re gravely mistaken. We’re all neighborhood folks, everyone on this street knows you."

"If you don’t voluntarily come with me to the police station, it will be even more embarrassing later if the police come knocking."

As she spoke words of threat, her tone stayed calm and ordinary.

But the women, who were about to leave, froze.

They didn’t literally freeze, but didn’t dare to move.

The lead woman blanched, and if it weren’t for He Chen standing stern-faced beside her, she might have pointed a finger and cursed at Ye Manman.

"What’s with you, girl? We just said a few words and that warrants a trip to the police station? Do you think the police have nothing better to do? We’re not breaking any laws or harming anyone."

"You say it’s not illegal, but who are you to decide? Can you bear if this girl is bombarded with this vile talk, especially when she hasn’t done a thing? If we were badmouthing you every day in front of your house, could you handle it?"

Ye Manman rolled her eyes, growing a bit impatient.

"Be sensible, if you’re being used by someone, better cough up, else get ready for a lawsuit and financial consequences."

"I can straightforwardly tell you, that day Cheng Yuan, Xie Fengmian, and Ye Xiaotong faced off at the police station, Cheng Yuan did nothing wrong."

"All the police at the station are aware of the truth of this matter, if you really fancy jail time over some cash, keep serving whoever hired you, keep badmouthing by the door, because today we’re reporting you, and see what happens when the police come knocking."

Their actions might not land them in jail but could cost them financially.

But Ye Manman intentionally exaggerated, scaring them so much they didn’t even have time to snack anymore, wearing sheer panic on their faces.

After deliberation, they all realized being jailed wasn’t worth the few bucks, quickly confessed.

"No, we also only did it for the money, please don’t call the police! How could we know they resolved it at the station, really."

"It’s all that man’s wife’s doing; she paid us two bucks each just to badmouth a bit at the Mandarin Duck Wardrobe. We’re just earning a bit of petty cash, we really had no idea!"