"The police couldn't do anything to her," the village head said slowly, looking at Fu Wenwen. Seeing that she didn't insist on him taking charge, his impression of Fu Wenwen improved further.
If it had been someone else, they would have already demanded that he punish Su Xiaoxiao and seek justice.
"Educated Youth Fu, how do you want to handle this?" the village head asked Fu Wenwen, wanting to know her thoughts.
Fu Wenwen thought for a moment. "Village head, have her make a self-criticism in front of the entire village!"
"On what grounds?" the village head nodded and asked.
Making a self-criticism was not a problem, but the reason needed careful consideration.
Su Xiaoxiao would definitely not admit it, so that reason was out of the question.
"Just have her criticize herself for slandering Lin Feng! Lin Feng is my benefactor. If it weren't for her, Lin Feng wouldn't be in such a predicament, mistaken for someone who bullied me. Whether she knew about it or orchestrated it, her act of convicting Lin Feng without explanation is wrong," Fu Wenwen said.
The villagers nodded. If Su Xiaoxiao hadn't been so vociferous back then, forcing the village head to get an explanation from Fu Wenwen, everyone wouldn't have misunderstood Lin Feng.
Lin Feng couldn't even explain himself. It was all due to Su Xiaoxiao's misdirection, which had already created an impression in the villagers' minds that Lin Feng was making excuses. Therefore, no matter what Lin Feng said, no one believed him.
"That's right, she made us all misunderstand Lin Feng!" the villagers nodded in agreement.
"Alright, we'll do as you say!" the village head glanced at Fu Wenwen and took a puff from his water pipe.
"Thank you, village head." Fu Wenwen thanked the village head.
The village head waved his hand, took another puff from his water pipe, and left. After the village head left, Fu Wenwen saw off the nearby neighbors, closed the door, and put the bag of grain from the yard back into the warehouse before returning to her room.
Lin An was sitting on the bed. Seeing Fu Wenwen enter, he rushed into her arms.
"Mom." Lin An looked at Fu Wenwen. Fu Wenwen stroked his hair. "Mom is fine, go to sleep!"
Under Fu Wenwen's comfort, Lin An fell asleep. Fu Wenwen, holding Lin An, also slowly closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.
The next day, at the first light of dawn.
After Fu Wenwen and Lin An finished breakfast, Fu Wenwen, carrying a basket of grain and holding Lin An's hand, prepared to go to the town police station to make a statement and then mail some grain home.
As Fu Wenwen took Lin An out, many villagers were preparing to go to work. Seeing Fu Wenwen, they greeted her, "Educated Youth Fu, where are you going so early?"
"Uncle, good morning! I'm heading to the town police station!" Fu Wenwen smiled at him.
"Then hurry up! When you get to the village entrance, you can wait. There should be an ox cart from the next village going to town. You can ride it for a dime," the villager said kindly to Fu Wenwen.
"Thank you, Uncle." Fu Wenwen thanked the villager and continued towards the village entrance, holding Lin An.
After Fu Wenwen left, she was unaware that the village had erupted in discussion among the villagers because of last night's events.
When Fu Wenwen and Lin An reached the village entrance, they saw an ox cart coming towards them. Fu Wenwen quickly waved. The old man driving the ox cart slowly stopped in front of Fu Wenwen.
"Girl, it's a dime to town. Hold the child in your arms when you get on," the old man said, looking at Fu Wenwen.
Fu Wenwen paid a dime, and then she and Lin An, along with the grain, got on the ox cart. Inside the ox cart were two or three women, who looked at Fu Wenwen with curiosity, especially since Fu Wenwen didn't look like someone who had given birth, yet she had a small child.