Returning to the county opera troupe in 77

The three men carried two bags of roasted nuts out of the grocery store, got on their tricycle, and turned out of Xiguan Alley.

Li Mancang and Lin Gouwa had been craving peanuts and melon seeds for a long time in the truck bed. They each grabbed a handful and started cracking them open, sending the shells flying like snowflakes all the way.

Li Mancang stuffed his two pockets bulging, then patted the sunflower seed shells off his hands and called out to Chen Xiangdong, "Brother Xiangdong, let me pedal. You sit in the back and have some peanuts? These peanuts are so fragrant and crunchy!"

Chen Xiangdong chuckled and didn't turn around: "No need. There are plenty of people on this road. It wouldn't be good if we ran into someone we know and saw you sneaking a bite. I'll take a shortcut. Anyway, it's still early, so you two can eat your fill before going back."

As he spoke, he twisted the handlebars and turned into a secluded old alley.

The alley is lined with dilapidated and abandoned houses, many of which have collapsed roof tiles. As you ride your tricycle, stray cats and dogs often dart out from the nearby houses.

Chen Xiangdong simply parked the tricycle on the side of the road, jumped off, and waved to the two of them: "You two eat first, I'm going to find a place to relieve myself."

"Okay, sure." "Go ahead."

Chen Xiangdong walked forward for more than ten meters, intending to relieve himself on the spot, when suddenly, he faintly heard a strange "uh-uh" sound.

"What was that noise? It didn't sound like a cat meowing."

Chen Xiangdong listened intently for a while, and the more he listened, the more he felt something was wrong. He followed the direction of the sound and turned into a courtyard where half of the wall had collapsed.

He carefully avoided the broken bricks and rubble under his feet, walking step by step into the house. The closer he got to the house on the west side with its door half-open, the clearer the sounds became.

It sounded like someone had covered his mouth, muffled and rapid. There were muffled thuds of feet kicking the ground, and the rustling of a body struggling and rubbing against the ground.

In addition, a low, threatening male voice also emerged from the crack in the door:

"If you yell again, believe me, I'll strangle you!"

But the struggles inside became even more intense, and the "mmm" sounds seemed to have turned into sobs.

Chen Xiangdong recognized the voice as a woman's!

His heart skipped a beat, and a thought raced through his mind: Damn it! Could it be that I've run into some thugs?!

He took a deep breath and cautiously approached. He heard another muffled thud from inside the house, like something had been kicked over, followed by a man's low curse: "Kick your mother! I'll fucking kill you!"

Damn, he really is a rapist!

Chen Xiangdong bent down, picked up a whole large blue brick, held it in his hand, took a step forward, and kicked the door open with a "bang".

The wooden door slammed against the wall with a loud bang, startling the people inside who turned around in a panic.

When their eyes met, Chen Xiangdong immediately recognized that the long-haired youth with half of his buttocks showing was actually Little Long Hair, who lived behind the theater troupe's compound!

He was on top of a young girl, one hand tightly covering her mouth, the other hand pulling down her pants. Her outer pants were already pulled down, revealing white, close-fitting shorts underneath.

The girl pinned beneath him had tears of terror in her large eyes. When she saw Chen Xiangdong rush in, she struggled even more fiercely, her heels leaving white marks on the ground.

The moment Chen Xiangdong saw the girl's face, his mind went blank, as if a thunderbolt had struck.

Lou Jingru!

The rumors from his past life made him instantly understand what was going on.

It was that bastard Xiao Changmao who ruined the young girl's reputation and completely destroyed a promising opera singer!

How old is she?

That beast!

"Fuck your mother!"

Chen Xiangdong gritted his teeth, rushed forward, swung the brick, and smashed it hard on the terrified little long-haired boy's forehead.

The large blue brick shattered into pieces instantly. Little Longhair let out a miserable howl, clutching his forehead as blood flowed out between his fingers. He rolled over and tumbled to the corner of the wall.

"Waaaaah... Waaaaah..."

Lou Jingru, who was already terrified, lay on the ground, sobbing and crying uncontrollably, her whole body still trembling.

"Don't be afraid, don't be afraid! It's alright now, I'm here."

Chen Xiangdong quickly squatted down, grabbed her outer pants and pulled them up with force, then pulled Lou Jingru to sit up halfway, patting her back and gently comforting her.

The young man, ignoring the blood all over his face, scrambled to his feet, clutching his head, and staggered out the door. He nearly fell over when he stepped on a broken brick, and ended up rolling and crawling out the door.

Lou Jingru sobbed as she came to her senses, tears still clinging to her long eyelashes. Looking at Chen Xiangdong's face so close to hers, the fear and grievances in her heart erupted at that moment. Unable to hold back any longer, she burst into tears and threw herself into Chen Xiangdong's arms, tightly hugging his neck with both hands, and wailing loudly.

Chen Xiangdong froze, his hands hanging in mid-air, unsure what to do. He could only gently pat her back, comforting her, "Don't be afraid, I've chased the bad guys away, no one will hurt you again..."

Outside the courtyard, Li Mancang and Lin Gouwa were also startled by the commotion. The two stood at the gate and looked into the courtyard: "Brother Xiangdong, are you alright? What happened?"

As they spoke, the two decided to come in and see what was going on.

Chen Xiangdong quickly covered Lou Jingru's mouth with his hand, winked at her, and then shouted outside, "I'm fine, you two don't need to worry about it, hurry up and ride your bikes back to the theater troupe, you hear me!"

Although Li Mancang and Lin Gouwa were curious, they ultimately did not dare to go into the yard to find out what was going on. Li Mancang said "Oh," pulled Lin Gouwa, who was peeking into the yard, and turned to leave.

Chen Xiangdong listened to the commotion outside until he was sure the rumbling of the tricycle had gone far away, and only then did he breathe a sigh of relief.

Lou Jingru, whose mouth was covered, indeed quieted down.

Chen Xiangdong then sheepishly withdrew his hand and explained to her, "We can't let other people know what happened here, otherwise, your reputation will be ruined."

Lou Jingru looked at him helplessly, her face pale: "Brother Xiang Dong, I... I was violated?"

Chen Xiangdong shook his head, subconsciously raising his hand to wipe away the tears on her face: "No, he didn't succeed. You are still an innocent and good girl."

"I...I'm so scared."

"It's alright, it's alright, I'm here. No one can bully you anymore."

Chen Xiangdong pulled her up and helped her brush off the mud, but some mud stains just wouldn't come off.

Lou Jingru stood there, completely lost and disoriented, letting Chen Xiangdong's hands pat her back, thighs, and buttocks, her mind a complete blank.

Chen Xiangdong thought for a moment, looked at her bewildered and helpless little face, and said in a deep voice, "Jingru, listen to me, only you and I know about this right now. You must not tell anyone. People's words can be terrifying... Otherwise, your innocence will be completely ruined."

Lou Jingru stared blankly at him, pursing her lips without saying a word, her face growing even paler...