"Pay up!"
"Give me back my parents' hard-earned money!"
Lei Baoguo glared at Zhao Shufang, and Zhao Shufang's colleagues also stared at her with disgust.
Under so many gazes, it was Zhao Shufang's turn to feel fear.
Just then, the thin, sallow-faced man from before heard the news and hurried to the Kunqu opera troupe.
Seeing Wu Cheng arrive, Zhao Shufang felt as though she had grasped the last straw.
"Wu Cheng, quick, save me, save me."
"They've ganged up to bully me. Wuwuwu, are you even a man? To just watch me being bullied by so many people."
Zhao Shufang rushed tearfully to Wu Cheng's side, clinging to him and sobbing.
Wu Cheng had also heard that someone was causing trouble for Zhao Shufang, which was why he had rushed over. He certainly wouldn't miss an opportunity to show off his manliness.
"Lei, don't push your luck. Shufang has clearly told you that she doesn't like you. Stop bothering her."
"If you continue to make a fuss, don't blame us for calling the police to arrest you as a hooligan."
Wu Cheng looked at Lei Baoguo with arrogance. On this turf of the drama troupe, his father's influence was considerable.
The troupe leaders knew his background and gave him face. He felt confident coming to the Kunqu opera troupe to protect someone, believing that these people would not dare to oppose him when he stepped forward.
"You can call the police if you have the guts."
"I'm in the right, I'm not afraid."
Lei Baoguo looked at the proud Wu Cheng and suddenly felt a little better.
He used to think this man was detestable, but now he saw him as nothing more than a fool being played by Zhao Shufang.
If he knew what kind of person the woman he liked truly was, he would probably collapse.
"You kid really don't shed tears until you see the coffin. I'll make you give up."
As Wu Cheng spoke, he went to call the police. The drama troupe was rehearsing and preparing for a large-scale cultural performance that evening. Police officers were already present outside to maintain order.
Seeing Wu Cheng go to call the police, Zhao Shufang's face turned ashen with fear, but she dared not stop him. To do so would be to implicitly admit her own wrongdoing.
She could only pray that the police would believe her, a weak woman, and that Lei Baoguo had no evidence. She would be fine, she would be fine.
Zhao Shufang's face was a mask of prayer.
Soon, two police officers were summoned by Wu Cheng.
"Comrades police, it's this man, he's been harassing my girlfriend. You must teach him a lesson!"
Wu Cheng pointed at Lei Baoguo and yelled at the two officers. As the son of the deputy director of the Cultural Bureau, he had nothing to do at the drama troupe and was just idling his days away, having long developed an imperious demeanor.
"Comrade Baoguo?"
Hearing his words, the two police officers approached Lei Baoguo with stern expressions and gave a salute. They had initially thought someone was genuinely being a hooligan.
However, upon seeing Lei Baoguo's appearance, their expressions shifted.
"Comrade Zheng, Comrade Liao, hello. We meet again."
Lei Baoguo remained calm. Coincidentally, these two officers had been involved in escorting a robber at the train station the previous day and had seen him.
"Comrades police, you've come at the right time. This matter indeed requires your intervention. I would like to ask, how is the crime of sabotaging a military marriage punished in this era?"
Chen Yang, knowing that Lei Baoguo was hesitant to speak, stepped in to voice his inquiry.
Hearing Chen Yang's words, and seeing Lei Baoguo in the wheelchair, the two officers' expressions became even more serious.
"Zhao Shufang of the Kunqu opera troupe at the drama troupe was engaged to Lei Baoguo two years ago. Lei Baoguo's family gave her a betrothal gift of 280 yuan, after which Lei Baoguo enlisted in the army."
"After his two years of compulsory service were fulfilled, he gave up the opportunity to become a volunteer soldier and returned to fulfill his engagement with Zhao Shufang. Zhao Shufang, with Wu Cheng, unilaterally went to the hospital to break off the engagement with Lei Baoguo."
"Breaking off the engagement is one thing, but refusing to return the 280 yuan betrothal gift is another. Now, this pair of scoundrels, Wu Cheng and Zhao Shufang, are biting back and calling the police to target Lei Baoguo."
"I'd like to know, for such morally corrupt behavior and for defrauding a large sum of betrothal money, how many years can they be sentenced?"
Chen Yang glanced at Zhao Shufang and Wu Cheng. The once arrogant Wu Cheng's face instantly turned ashen.
He was stunned by Chen Yang's words.
When had Zhao Shufang received a 280 yuan betrothal gift from Lei Baoguo? Receiving a gift and getting engaged was entirely different from just dating.
Dating could be considered free love, and it could end at any time. However, receiving a betrothal gift and getting engaged changed the nature of the relationship.
This was no longer about defending his girlfriend; it could be defined as sabotaging a military marriage and acting as a hooligan.
"Comrades police, I truly didn't know Lei Baoguo was a demobilized soldier. I also didn't know Zhao Shufang was engaged to him and had received his family's betrothal gift."
"She only told me that someone she had met before was pestering her, making it impossible for her to live a normal life."
"If I had known the truth, I would never have..."
Wu Cheng trembled uncontrollably, his teeth chattering.
Zhao Shufang's face was even more ashen.
Not only would her reputation be ruined, but if she were convicted of defrauding Lei Baoguo of 280 yuan, she would definitely be sentenced.
In those days, 280 yuan was not a small sum, even for a family in the city, it was not easily afforded.
"Baoguo, Baoguo, I was wrong. I shouldn't have gotten involved with Wu Cheng."
"It was all him, he forced me. His father is the deputy director of the Cultural Bureau and has absolute power in the entire drama troupe. If I didn't listen to him, I would lose my job."
"Now that you're back, let's get married. I'll marry you immediately. The betrothal gift you gave, I've already bought the 'Three Turns and One Sound' appliances. We can use them when we get married."
Zhao Shufang plopped down on her knees before Lei Baoguo's wheelchair. With this, the two police officers no longer needed to ask questions; the facts were clear.
Their faces immediately turned grim. A hero who had bravely fought eight thugs on the train was being treated like this upon his return.
They couldn't stand for it!
Hearing Zhao Shufang's words, Wu Cheng could barely stand and collapsed to the ground with a thud.
If Zhao Shufang's words were to be believed, he would be unable to clear his name even if he jumped into the Yellow River.
"Comrades police, she's lying. I didn't coerce or entice her at all. She seduced me."
"She wasn't a virgin when I first slept with her. I definitely didn't force her."
In his panic, Wu Cheng blurted out everything. Hearing his words, Lei Baoguo's face grew colder.
This woman had truly treated him like a fool.
"Comrade Zheng, Comrade Liao, everything should be handled according to our country's laws. I don't understand, so I cannot comment rashly."
"I just want my parents' 280 yuan betrothal gift back. As for this pair of scoundrels, arrest them if you should, and sentence them as you see fit."
Lei Baoguo pushed away the kneeling Zhao Shufang. Chen Yang had said it well: to see through such a woman before marriage was a tremendous stroke of luck.
If she had entered his family, she would have disgraced the Lei family name.
"Baoguo, you can't do this to me. I love you, Baoguo, you..."
Zhao Shufang, like a madwoman, lunged towards Lei Baoguo. The two police officers immediately pinned her to the ground and cuffed her.