Chương 15: Chapter 15: Taking Charge

A student brought a towel over to the instructor, "Instructor, wipe yourself off quickly!"

An Zhiyuan took the towel but didn't wipe himself, instead, he draped his jacket over Bai Xiao. She was wearing little since it was summer, and after falling into the water, her curves were all too visible, her chest clear for all to see. With so many people around, it was indecent.

Bai Xiao tightened the clothes around her, coughing as if she was between life and death.

Finally, she came back to life, and she could feel a force within her body, a power she was once familiar with.

Her special ability had returned.

But she wasn't ready to use it now, she wanted to let everyone see her in this sorry state, as evidence that she had been pushed in by Li Chunhua.

When Bai Jianguo saw she wasn't dead, tears of genuine relief filled his eyes.

He rushed forward to grasp Bai Xiao, "Xiaobai, I'm so glad you're alright, so glad you're alright."

Liu Baoguo, seeing that she was finally out of danger, also let out a sigh of relief. There was a big difference between a death and a near-miss.

He hurriedly went up to thank the instructor.

"Comrade, thank you, thank you. You are the Guanyin Bodhisattva who saves us from suffering. If it weren't for you today, this child would have been lost," he said, gripping An Zhiyuan's hand without end in his gratitude.

An Zhiyuan, wiping his hair with the towel, asked, "Are you the village chief?"

He could tell this man had the air of a leader, and he had also been the one who stopped the idle chatter among the villagers just before.

Liu Baoguo nodded eagerly, "Yes, I am the village chief, from Liupan Village just ahead."

An Zhiyuan glanced at Bai Xiao, who was now able to sit up, "We just saw someone push her into the water. That's attempted murder. I think you should report to the police station immediately. All of our students can testify." It was outrageous that someone could push another person off the dam in broad daylight.

This was definitely attempted murder. Falling from such a height, it would be a miracle not to die.

When Bai Jianguo heard this, he panicked. If the police got involved, it would be the end of them. Which decent family dared to have any entanglement with the police? Once entangled with the police, everyone would look at them differently, as bad elements. If such a reputation fell on their family, it would be difficult for his two sons to ever make something of themselves.

He hurried over to explain, "Instructor, comrade, there has been a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding. It's definitely not murder. The girl and her grandmother had a quarrel, and the old woman accidentally pushed her in."

Liu Baoguo knew that it couldn't really be called murder since the whole village had seen it clearly. Li Chunhua had acted out of desperation, it truly wasn't intentional. If they made a big deal out of it and reported to the police station, and if a murderer really emerged from their village, it would bring great shame upon them. In those days, being labeled as a murderer was a very serious crime. One person's mistake would make an entire family hang their heads in shame, and the whole village would be talked about.

"Comrade instructor, we just arrived, and it was indeed the old lady who lost control. It really wasn't intentional; they are all one family." Liu Baoguo, as the village chief, has the duty to protect the interests of everyone in the village.

Bai Xiao sneered; she had known there would be such an act.

The villagers are just like that—as long as it doesn't concern them, they hang it high, unless it's their own family member who dies, then they make a huge fuss. Since she has no biological father or mother to protect her, naturally, everyone thinks that since she didn't die, it can't count as murder.

Li Chunhua had also rushed over, her face covered with tears and snot, sobbing as she hugged Bai Xiao.

"Oh, child, it's good you're okay. It's all grandma's fault. You frightened me, saying you wanted to drag me down with you. Grandma got anxious and... it's all my fault..." Li Chunhua didn't forget to pin the blame on Bai Xiao even at such a time.

Bai Xiao trembled, gently pushing Li Chunhua away, "It's... my grandma... didn't... do it... on purpose, it's my fault! I wasn't careful!" These words made An Zhiyuan frown; this girl was clearly a scolded cat, a little bok choy.

Saying such things in front of so many people was obviously coerced.

An Zhiyuan said to Liu Baoguo, "Even if it was an accident, it's still intentional injury. This matter could be big or small, and as the chief of the village, you must handle it properly. Where are this girl's parents? Let her parents come forward. After such a big incident, do her parents not care about their own daughter? It looks to me like there's no one to stand up for her here. I don't think this grandma seems like her real grandmother!"

As soon as these words came out, Liu Baoguo understood that if An Zhiyuan pursued the issue, they would be powerless. Although these military school students were not public security officers, they had different rights. In the eyes of the villagers, they were potential government officials, people who had a say anywhere, not the same as ordinary citizens.

"This child's name is Bai Xiao; she is also pitiable, with both parents passing away when she was fourteen, leaving behind just her and her siblings. Her older brother went off to work, and both her sisters are already married. She had no choice but to be entrusted to her grandmother and little uncle to raise her. It was all because of a family dispute, and the child wanted to move back to her original home, but her grandmother was harsh, and the child couldn't bear it. Comrade instructor, rest assured, as long as I'm the village chief, I cannot ignore such matters." Now was the time for Liu Baoguo to showcase himself, as he turned his head to call for Bai Jianguo.

"Bai Jianguo, come here. This whole mess was sparked by you, in the presence of the instructor. Bai Xiao is already eighteen and wants to return to her own house to live, which is her natural right. As her uncle, you have no reason to stop her. Your mother doesn't understand things—rural old woman, uneducated—but you shouldn't be just as ignorant, don't let people point at your backbone and condemn you. I'm telling you, go back and immediately give the keys to Bai Xiao. As the village chief, I've decided on this matter. If you refuse, don't blame me for docking your retention funds and public grain. As the village chief, I won't stand by and watch Bai Xiao suffer."

Bai Jianguo didn't want to agree, but he had no choice in the matter. Noticing that the instructor was not easy to deal with, and considering that his own son wanted to join the military in the future, he had been planning to sell that house to get money for Bai Zhuang, but now was not the time. If it came to it, he could just agree for now! Just delay it, with no one around to supervise.

With delay, this matter would eventually fade away, and no one would remember it.

With this in mind, Bai Jianguo nodded immediately, "Alright, village chief, your words, of course, I will heed. Bai Xiao has always been young, and I was just worried about how she would manage on her own. Since you've spoken up, I will certainly get it done! Rest assured, I'll sort it out after going back and give it to her." Everybody knows how to talk sweet.

Liu Baoguo revealed a satisfied smile; Bai Jianguo knew the times, which made himself look good on the surface.

Liu Baoguo asked An Zhiyuan, "Comrade instructor, are you satisfied with this handling of the situation?"

An Zhiyuan, however, did not reply but walked over to Bai Xiao, "You're Bai Xiao, right? I heard what the village chief said, that your little uncle agreed to give you the keys to your family home when you go back. Speak up if there is anything else you're upset about. We people who saved you won't neglect the difficulties of the masses. We will definitely help you if we can!" The issue still needed the girl herself to speak up; he was only an outsider, and even if he wanted to help, he needed her to ask for it, lest it be a case of a meddlesome dog trying to catch mice.

Bai Xiao immediately spoke up, "Comrade Instructor, since you've helped me this far, having saved my life a few days ago, please help me get the keys from my little uncle, and could you please help me tidy up the house? I beg of you!" Since they were willing to help, regardless of the reason, it was like heaven helping her, so she shouldn't turn it down.

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