Xiao Yunying didn't believe in any rumors about "cursing one's spouse's luck": "Sister Cheng Yue, you go wait aside first, leave this to me."
“Yun Ying…”
"Believe me."
Cheng Yue nodded and stepped aside, no longer hindering Xiao Yunying's performance.
Xiao Yunying said to the shop assistant, "Go report to the authorities and say that someone has repeatedly caused trouble at Jinxiu Pavilion, damaging property and spreading rumors."
The three men panicked when they saw that Cheng Yue wasn't stopping them this time.
The young man said, "Wait, why would I report to the authorities? I haven't reported to the authorities yet."
Xiao Yunying looked at him with disdain: "Even if the officials come, they still have to question you before they can take you back for trial. What are you panicking about? If you have any grievances, just bring them up together when the time comes."
Ordinary people have a sense of awe and fear towards the government, especially since they know that what they are doing is unreasonable, so they naturally feel guilty.
The short woman, realizing what was happening, tried to remain calm and said, "We don't need to report this to the authorities. Why bother the magistrate with such a small matter? Let's... let's settle this privately."
Xiao Yunying picked up the fruit knife again, seemingly playing with it unintentionally: "The matter of me hurting you can be settled privately, but the matter of you smashing my shop can't be settled privately. You can't afford the loss. To avoid being accused of extortion, you should report it to the authorities and let the county magistrate decide."
The family had heard that the shop was doing very well, and they knew that Xiao Yunying wasn't entirely lying. Feeling guilty, they said, "Then we don't need you to compensate us. Let's just call it even."
Xiao Yunying curled her lips in a mocking smile: "You've certainly played your cards right. The losses you've caused me are more than enough to offset the cost of one of his hands, or even the lives of the three of you."
The young woman's eyes widened upon hearing this: "Stop talking nonsense, who are you trying to scare? What about my brother's life? If it weren't for this woman's bad luck, my brother would still be alive and well, and we wouldn't be here demanding an explanation from her."
Hearing this conversation come full circle, Xiao Yunying frowned and said coldly, "Stop trying to confuse me. You say it's Sister Cheng Yue who's the culprit, but what evidence do you have? I could say it's this old woman who's the culprit. Look at her face, high cheekbones, thin face, small eyes, thin lips. At first glance, she looks sharp and mean."
These words infuriated the woman: "How can you say that? I've raised my son for over ten years, and he's hardly ever been sick. How could I be the one who brought him bad luck? You're so vicious, you're really hurting me."
Xiao Yunying didn't like hearing her cry and said sternly, "Stop crying, you're not allowed to cry anymore."
The onlookers outside parted to make way, and someone shouted that the officials were coming.
Before the waiter could even leave, Xiao Yunying initially thought it was some kind passerby who had reported it to the authorities. But when she saw who it was, she exclaimed in surprise, "Brother Liu, what brings you here?"
Liu Dalei wiped the sweat from his forehead: "Just passing by, what happened? Did someone smash up your shop?"
Duan Yingying immediately pointed at the three people and complained, "Brother Liu, it was them who smashed it! If Sister Yunying had arrived any later, she would have slapped Sister Chengyue in the face!"
The young woman exclaimed "Ouch!" and pointed at Duan Yingying, saying, "What nonsense are you spouting, you little brat? Who hit her?"
Her mother-in-law did want to hit her, but the shop assistant stopped her and she didn't get the chance.
Duan Yingying shouted back fearlessly, "You were being hit, not that you weren't hit!"
Liu Dalei slapped the young woman's arm off with the scabbard: "Stop gesturing like that. It's you again. I really want to go to the county government office. It's only because this girl is kind-hearted that she won't hold you responsible, otherwise you would all be punished."
The woman dared not confront the officials directly, so she resorted to her old trick, wailing loudly, "Your Honor, my son died unjustly! As his mother, I am heartbroken and just want justice for him..."
"Shut up, stop howling."
Liu Dalei was also impatient: "Your son died without any injustice. I have been to your village these past few days and have found out everything. I have also asked several of your son's classmates from his school days. The cause and effect are clear to me."
In the dead of winter, he was restless and caught a cold. Instead of staying home to recover, he went to a brothel in the city to drink and carouse until night. Drunk, he stumbled home in the dark and fell into a pond.
When you found him the next morning, he was already on the verge of death. You tried to save him for two days, but you couldn't, and that's how he died. It had nothing to do with that girl.
Upon hearing this, the three men couldn't hide their guilt and huddled together in silence.
Cheng Yue suddenly became excited and walked to Liu Dalei's side: "Are you telling the truth?"
Liu Dalei said seriously, "I asked everyone I could find, and that is indeed the truth. The man fell into the pond. If he had fallen in, he wouldn't have lasted more than two days. He would have been hard by the time we found him."
Xiao Yunying turned her head away helplessly, not wanting to look at him. This person's speech was too rude.
Cheng Yue murmured, "Then... does that mean I didn't cause his death?"
Liu Dalei waved his hand: "What do you mean by 'cursed'? You've lived with your uncle and aunt's family for so many years and nothing has happened. Stop putting those unfounded accusations on yourself."
Xiao Yunying nodded to herself. What she said was right. Please continue to do so.
Someone outside the door shouted again, "More officials are here."
The head constable was someone Xiao Yunying had met a few times. He greeted Liu Dalei and then asked Xiao Yunying, "Miss, is this your shop?"
Xiao Yunying did not deny it: "I guess so. Why did the official come?"
"Someone reported to the police that there was trouble here."
Duan Yingying pointed to the three people who were sneaking out: "That's them."
The lead officer waved his hand: "Arrest him."
"Hey, officers, don't arrest us! It's that woman! She has a knife and she cut my son's hand. Arrest her!"
The officer glanced at the knife still clutched in Xiao Yunying's hand: "This..."
A voice came from outside the door: "Sir, it was the man who suddenly reached out and grabbed the girl, and she only acted in self-defense. She didn't mean to hurt anyone."
Xiao Yunying glanced outside the door and saw the same ordinary-looking man who looked very familiar to her.
Someone started talking, and the rest of the people chimed in, saying how outrageous these three people were. Before long, the officers roughly understood the whole story.
Xiao Yunying said, "I am going to sue them for damaging property and spreading rumors. I want them to compensate me for all the losses in the store at the original price. There is no room for negotiation."
The head officer said, "I understand. I will convey the young lady's meaning."
"Then I'll have to trouble you, officer."
"The girl should deal with the shop matters first; I'll take them to the county government office first."
The three men panicked when they heard that they were to be taken to the county government office.
"Cheng Yue, please put in a good word for us with the officials."
“I’m so old, I can’t go to jail, I can’t handle it. Cheng Yue, you should tell us you’re not going to sue us. I’m your mother-in-law after all.”
Duan Yingying spat and said, "Who do you think you are, mother-in-law?"
The head constable noticed Xiao Yunying's impatience: "Quickly gag them and drag them away."
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