Jiang Chan could endure it, but Xiao Tao couldn't!
She was so frightened by Wang's vicious voice that she almost dropped the pancake in her hand.
She suddenly raised her head and looked at the woman with a distorted face and spittle flying everywhere, her small chest heaving violently.
Although she didn't quite understand the specific meaning of "jinx" or "lone star," she could hear the hatred and curse in the tone. She knew that it was cursing her most trusted sister, Sister Jiang!
A surge of courage and anger, unlike anything she had ever felt before, welled up in Xiao Tao's heart.
She broke free from Jiang Chan's protective arm, her small body shielding Jiang Chan, and facing Wang Shi, her voice trembling with tears, she shouted with all her might:
"You're talking nonsense! Sister Jiang isn't a bad person! Sister Jiang is so good to me! She gives me food and water! She's not a jinx! She's a good person!"
Xiao Tao's tears rolled down her cheeks in large drops, her voice trembling with excitement and fear, yet unusually clear.
Wang was in the middle of a tirade when this little brat talked back to her, which made her even angrier!
Her last shred of reason completely burned away:
"You little slut! You're no better than me!" Wang's anger instantly turned to Xiao Tao, her eyes filled with malice. "Your parents are all dead! Even your old, ungrateful grandmother is about to kick the bucket! You're an unwanted bastard! You and that jinx are both destined to bring misfortune to your family! You two are a perfect match! You're both incredibly unlucky! Sooner or later you'll both starve to death and be fed to the wild dogs!"
These vicious curses, like a poisoned dagger, not only pierced Xiao Tao but also broke through the delicate boundaries in the hearts of the villagers.
Aunt Zhao, who had been observing coldly, suddenly stood up!
She was furious!
It's one thing to scold Jiang Chan, but after all, she still carries the title of "Jiang family member," so the villagers shouldn't interfere too much in other people's family affairs.
But what is Xiao Tao?
Before fleeing the famine, Grandma Sun wanted to entrust Xiao Tao to the villagers, but they all avoided her because of their own difficulties and fear of being a burden!
That guilt has been buried deep in my heart.
Now, seeing Wang Shi extend her venomous tongue towards this helpless little girl, Aunt Zhao felt a surge of hot blood rush to her head!
"Wang! Shut up!" Aunt Zhao rushed over, pointing at Wang's nose, her voice trembling with anger, "What do you think you are?! How dare you speak such vicious words to a little child who has no parents?! Are you even human?!"
Her roar was like lighting a fuse.
Old Man Wang couldn't stand it anymore, his beard bristling with anger. "This is outrageous! Wang Shi! Have you no conscience? How could you use such vicious words to scold such a young child?"
Zhang the butcher frowned and shouted gruffly, "What are you saying? Are you even human?!"
Li Laosan shook his head, his face full of disdain, "How vicious! He always knows how to take advantage of others and do bad things in the village, and now he's become even more wicked!"
Liu Dazhuang's wife couldn't help but spit out, "You vicious woman! Your heart is utterly black!"
Three or five villagers, and even a few women who had previously been relatively quiet, joined in the condemnation.
Wang's words to Xiao Tao have thoroughly aroused public outrage.
Everyone's guilt towards Xiao Tao and their disgust for Wang's usual behavior turned into a wave of accusations, which rained down on Wang.
"Exactly! What did that kid do to you?"
"With such a sharp tongue, aren't you afraid of getting a rotten tongue!"
"You're picking on a child? What kind of elder are you!"
"You've really disgraced Liushutun!"
The unanimous accusations came crashing down like hailstones.
Wang was stunned by the scolding. She opened her mouth to retort, but was silenced by an even louder chorus.
Looking at the angry and disdainful faces around her, and then at Aunt Zhao's eyes that seemed to want to tear her apart, her arrogant arrogance instantly vanished.
Her face turned pale and then flushed, her lips trembled, but she couldn't utter a single word.
"I...I..." She subconsciously took a step back, her eyes frantically searching for protection, and shrank behind Jiang Shou, tugging at his sleeve, not daring to lift her head.
Jiang Shou was also blushing with embarrassment. He wanted to retort, but under the angry gazes of everyone, he didn't dare to utter a sound.
Liu and Jiang Fu lowered their heads, wishing they could disappear into the ground.
Like a group of defeated roosters, the Jiang family dragged their heavy steps and sat down on a patch of withered grass away from the crowd next to their cart.
Jiang Fu and Jiang Shou slumped to the ground, both silent.
Jiang Fu touched his pocket, where there was a hard, dry place containing some loose silver coins.
He unconsciously rubbed it, but the icy touch only made his heart feel colder.
money?
What use is money in this godforsaken place, where there's no village or shop in sight and even the weeds have been eaten clean?
Could we exchange it for those few dozen life-saving pancakes?
Jiang Shou also touched the money pouch in his arms, his face showing the same despair and bewilderment.
Looking at the meager amount of food they had stored in their luggage, and thinking about the bleak future ahead, they felt a chill run through their bodies, a coldness seeping into their very bones.
"It's all because..."
"If it weren't for..."
The two instinctively wanted to blame each other again, but when they looked up and saw each other's equally ashen and lifeless faces, they swallowed their words.
Quarrel?
What else is there to argue about?
Once the food is gone, it's gone.
scold?
Who are you cursing at?
Wasn't the consequence of cursing the villagers just now shameful enough?
There's no one left to argue with.
Extreme fatigue washed over me like a tidal wave.
The shock of fleeing for their lives, the devastating blow of having their food stolen, and the shame and anger of arguing with the villagers... all these emotions intertwined and drained their last bit of strength.
The cries of Liu and Wang gradually subsided, leaving only intermittent sobs.
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