Chapter 5 Villains

Gu Jiao was quite surprised by her dream; she actually had a dream, and she even dreamed about a man.

"Do you miss him that much?" Gu Jiao touched her chin strangely.

However, it was just a dream after all, and Gu Jiao didn't really take it to heart.

It's just getting light, and there are still a few stars in the sky, so it looks like it's going to be a clear day.

Gu Jiao couldn't remember the last time she'd gotten up this early. In her past life, although she did work at a research institute, those who knew her well knew she was a complete night owl; most of her research and surgeries were scheduled for the afternoon. As for the tasks assigned to her by the organization, she rarely worked from sunrise to sunset.

Gu Jiao is wearing her own clothes today.

Last night, after Gu Jiao brought the brazier into Xiao Liulang's room, she sat around it for a while to dry her clothes. However, she moved very quietly and didn't wake Xiao Liulang.

Gu Jiao went to the backyard to fetch water to wash up.

Xiao Liulang's door was open, but he was no longer inside.

She thought she was an early riser, but it turned out someone had gotten up even earlier.

Gu Jiao walked around the house, but couldn't find Xiao Liulang anywhere. She only noticed that a bucket was missing next to the water vat.

Gu Jiao looked at the water tank, which was still half full, and stroked her chin without saying a word.

The front door was still bolted. Xiao Liulang went out through the back door of the kitchen and locked it from the outside. This way, outsiders couldn't come in at will, but if Gu Jiao wanted to go out, she could open the front door and go out.

After washing up, Gu Jiao went back to her room, applied ointment, and took anti-inflammatory medicine.

Xiao Liulang hadn't returned yet, so Gu Jiao first prepared the last bit of cornmeal. This was the last of their stored food.

Gu Jiao needed to find a way to take the pheasants she brought back to town to sell and exchange them for some grain for her family. However, the original owner of this body had never left the village, so Gu Jiao didn't know how to get to town.

It would take some time for the dough to rise, so Gu Jiao took a broom and swept the backyard, the main room, and her own room. Xiao Liulang wasn't there, so she didn't go into his room.

Yesterday's clothes were only half washed; there were still a few pieces in the closet. Gu Jiao took them all out and put them in the large wooden tub in the backyard.

Soap soap existed in this dynasty. The original owner had seen it on a peddler's stretcher, but the villagers were poor and most couldn't afford it, so they used soap pods picked from trees.

Gu Jiao crushed the soap pods and applied them evenly to the clothes. She then pounded the clothes with a mallet until a fragrant foam appeared before she began to wash them repeatedly.

The soapberry's cleaning power wasn't as strong as imagined, but Gu Jiao was very determined to wash the clothes clean.

Finally, a small hole appeared in the bellyband.

Gu Jiao: "..."

When Gu Jiao finished washing the clothes, she had used up almost half of the water in the tub.

By this time, the dough had risen, and Gu Jiao made cornbread buns and put them in the pot to steam.

Xiao Liulang still did not return.

There are two wells in the village. The old well is at the end of the village, closer to them, but it is almost dry. Gu Jiao guesses that Xiao Liulang will probably go to the new well at the entrance of the village to fetch water.

It was only a few dozen steps further than where Gu Jiao had fallen into the water yesterday; a normal person could make a round trip in less than fifteen minutes. Xiao Liulang had difficulty walking, and he was carrying a bucket of water, so even if Gu Jiao estimated it would take him two fifteen minutes, he should have been back long ago.

Gu Jiao stood in front of the stove, glanced at the front door, and finally opened the door and went out.

Gu Jiao found Xiao Liulang behind a large locust tree near the ancient well.

Xiao Liulang was surrounded by several fierce-looking thugs. The water bucket was overturned on the ground, and well water was spilled all over the ground.

Each of the villains had two chicken feathers stuck in their hair.

An ancient version of the "Shamate" style?

Gu Jiao recognized that the group of thugs included not only those from her own village but also those from the neighboring village. They were always causing trouble and doing evil. They wouldn't commit murder or arson, but they certainly brought a lot of trouble to their neighbors and fellow villagers.

Xiao Liulang's cane was snatched away by a little scoundrel. The little scoundrel was not old, and his profile showed that he was only thirteen or fourteen years old, but he was very arrogant.

He shoved Xiao Liulang to the ground and pointed his cane at Xiao Liulang's face: "How many times have I warned you? Don't you dare show your face in front of me again! Are you deaf? Get the hell out of Qingquan Village right now!"

The little rascal was clearly going through puberty; his voice sounded somewhat familiar.

The little rascal's cane came down at Xiao Liulang. Gu Jiao didn't have time to think, she took a few steps forward, raised her hand to block it for Xiao Liulang, and kicked the little rascal in the butt.

"Ouch! Who the hell dares to kick me—" The little thug was kicked face-first into the dirt, turned around to curse, but suddenly choked.

Gu Jiao didn't care whether he choked or not. She stepped forward, snatched the cane from his hand, twisted his hand behind his back, and put the cane around his neck.

The little rascal was in extreme discomfort from being strangled and immediately yelled, "Sis! Sis! What are you doing!"

Gu Jiao was taken aback.

Seeing their leader being bullied, the thugs swarmed towards Gu Jiao.

The thug roared, "All of you, stop it! This is my sister!"

The villains were stunned.

Gu Jiao... Gu Jiao remembered who this little rascal was: Gu Xiaoshun, the youngest son of the second branch of the Gu family.

Gu Xiaoshun is thirteen years old this year. He is the youngest among the grandchildren of the Gu family, and also the only one who is genuinely close to the original owner of this body. He doesn't mind that the original owner is a fool, nor does he mind that the original owner is ugly.

The reason for this was probably that Gu Xiaoshun was too much of a troublemaker. He refused to study properly and spent his days fooling around. His older siblings always scolded him, and his parents always beat him. Only the original owner of this body would foolishly hold his hand and coax him with the candy she had saved from her own mouth, saying, "Xiaoshun can fight. Xiaoshun is really good."

Gu Xiaoshun knew that Gu Jiao acted this way because she was foolish, but he wasn't exactly a smart person either.

He felt that he would be good to whoever was good to him.

"Sister! Sister! It hurts!" Gu Xiaoshun cried out in distress.

Gu Jiao released him, put her right hand behind her back, pulled him up with her left hand, and asked calmly, "Why did you bully your brother-in-law?"

"Brother-in-law?" Gu Xiaoshun thought he had misheard. "Didn't you tell me to beat him up?"

"Me?" Gu Jiao asked, puzzled.

“Yes!” Gu Xiaoshun glanced at Xiao Liulang and lowered his voice, “You told me that you didn’t want this little cripple anymore and wanted me to get rid of him so that you could be with Mr. Qin!”

He thought his voice wasn't loud, but everyone present could hear it.

Xiao Liulang had a cold and aloof expression.

The villains couldn't bear to watch anymore.

Gu Xiaoshun said, "Sister, you haven't forgotten, have you? You told me yourself!"

Gu Xiaoshun wouldn't lie to her. It seemed that the original owner had indeed said such things, but the original owner herself didn't remember them. However, her younger brother hadn't forgotten a single word!

"I just... said it casually, and you actually took it seriously?"

Gu Jiao has a toothache.

"What do we do now?" Gu Xiaoshun realized he seemed to have done something wrong, and stood there with his head drooping, like a little quail.

Labor is the most glorious thing, happy holiday!

(End of this chapter)