Chapter 3, Chapter 3: A Trap
What's wrong? What's wrong?
What's going on now? The eyes of the onlookers lit up instantly, too busy to keep up!
This drama isn't over yet?
She Ning withdrew from the one-sided battle, pursing her lips: "Trouble came pretty quickly. We beat up the little one, and now the old one's here. She really is my precious darling."
The She family occupied the best location in the village, with their two houses situated at opposite ends of the village. Back when Old Master She's generation divided the family property, his stepmother, showing favoritism, found a reason to force him to leave with nothing. It was only because the clansmen couldn't stand by and watch that they managed to secure him a homestead in the most remote location.
The She family didn't think much of Old Master She, but he turned out to be the most promising one. He got married, had three children, and built three large brick houses.
During that time, those people were extremely envious. Later, when the eldest and second sons of the She family got into trouble, they started to gloat again. However, since Old Master She was still alive, they didn't dare to be too obvious.
Until the last two years, She Ning's family has been plagued by troubles. Now that they are all women, those people have become increasingly unscrupulous and their actions have become more and more disgusting.
"Village Secretary, look at my Yaozu! Poor thing, he was beaten like this by that disrespectful, good-for-nothing She Ning!!"
The woman was wearing a floral print blouse with dark blue coarse cloth trousers and a colorful cotton headscarf. She was small and had a gentle appearance, but the moment she opened her mouth, that gentle facade shattered completely.
She rushed over, saw She Ning standing next to the village secretary who seemed unharmed, and reached out to scratch her.
The hand was uneven and full of black dirt, and the fingernails were stuck in the dirt. The hand was specifically aimed at scratching She Ning's face.
They have a very malicious mind.
"Lin Xiufang, how dare you!!" Seeing this, She Hongmei's heart almost jumped out of her chest.
After being pulled apart, she stood to the side listening to Luo Xiaoling's nonsense with the village secretary. By the time she heard the commotion and turned around, it was too late to stop her.
She instinctively rushed over, then abruptly stopped in her tracks.
To everyone else, little She Ning crouched down in fear, then accidentally stepped on a stone, and her body swayed and bumped into the woman.
By a twist of fate, the woman stumbled and scratched Luo Xiaoling's face with her raised finger, falling into the arms of She Laosan, who was standing between Luo Xiaoling and the village secretary.
She Laosan instinctively hugged her back.
"Shame on you, little kids shouldn't look!" She covered her eyes and hid behind She Hongmei, then secretly peeked through two fingers.
"Ah!!!" Luo Xiaoling was furious when she saw this, and she screamed and lunged at her to tear her apart.
Luo Xiaoling and She Yaozu's mother, Lin Xiufang, are sisters-in-law; their family has not yet separated.
Normally, the two, as aunt and sister-in-law, already had too much resentment towards each other. They couldn't stand each other. She Ersao thought Luo Xiaoling was lazy and took advantage of their family, while Luo Xiaoling thought She Ersao was too nosy and meddling in other people's business all day long.
Seeing Lin Xiufang pounce on her man, her face still burning with pain, fueled by both old and new grudges, she launched a fierce attack on Lin Xiufang.
"Lin Xiufen, you stinking bitch, you dead bitch, I'll beat you to death." (Scratching)
"Luo Xiaoling, are you crazy?! Let go!" She started pulling and tugging.
Pitter-patter.
It was chaotic, and the situation was briefly out of control.
"Stop!! All of you, stop!"
"You're still looking? Tear them apart!"
The veins on She Aijun's temples throbbed uncontrollably, and his dark skin, typical of working people, was even flushed with anger. He roared at the villagers who were watching.
"The two sisters-in-law are fighting; it's their family matter. How can outsiders interfere?"
"It's a thankless task, and I'll just be accused of meddling later."
"that is."
Many of the aunties who had just helped to mediate and separate the people grumbled with dissatisfaction. They were kind-hearted, but not stupid. They were being given the cold shoulder, yet they still had to keep trying to get the better of them.
However, out of respect for the village party secretary, although everyone was not happy about it, they still stepped forward and pulled the person apart.
"Thank you, Auntie." Lin Xiufang thanked the aunt who was helping her in a low voice. She was much better at dealing with people than Luo Xiaoling.
The aunt waved her hand, showing some sympathy for Lin Xiufang, completely forgetting that she was the one who pushed her first.
However, Lin Xiufang's image is indeed not very good now.
Her hair, which had been neatly combed and wrapped in a colorful headscarf, was now a mess. Her headscarf had been torn off somewhere, and her yellow skin was marked with several red scratches from fingernails. Her clothes were wrinkled, and she looked disheveled and embarrassed.
Luo Xiaoling is in a better state, except her hair is a bit messy, which is from the fight she had with She Hongmei.
After the people who broke up the fight left, She Yaozu, who was standing unharmed behind Lin Xiufang, became particularly conspicuous.
Raising children is for old age security.
She Ning lowered her eyes, her gaze concealing a hint of sarcasm.
"Old Third Sister She, for what you said, you're punished by having to apologize to Hongmei and Xiaoshe Ning and compensate them with a basket of eggs. Do you accept that?" She Aijun, who had already learned the truth from the crowd's words, glared at Old Third Sister She.
They even claimed it was just a verbal argument; what a swindler!
Some people have forgotten the ferocity of the crackdown on feudal superstitions in previous years.
"Why should I?! I refuse to accept this!" Luo Xiaoling exploded upon hearing the demand.
“If you’re not satisfied, then I’ll report you to the commune and say you’re promoting feudal superstition. You’ll have to bear the consequences.” She Aijun’s stern words intimidated Luo Xiaoling. She also thought of the fanatical attitude of those who were breaking with feudalism a few years ago, and her tone immediately softened.
"An apology is fine, but not eggs," she stammered.
"Old She! Do you still need your fertilizer?" She Aijun warned, seeing Old She coming over with a shameless grin, trying to smooth things over.
After spring planting, fertilizer is needed. Nowadays, it is difficult for individuals to purchase it themselves. Instead, the village collects statistics and reports to the commune for procurement. She Aijun's words hit She Laosan right where it hurts.
Old Man She was flexible and adaptable. He pulled Luo Xiaoling aside and, with a kind and honest look, said to She Hongmei and She Ning, "Hongmei and little She Ning, I'm sorry. My daughter has a sharp tongue but a soft heart. She's straightforward and often offends people with her words. She didn't mean what she said. I apologize to you."
After saying that, he tugged at Luo Xiaoling, signaling her to apologize.
"Yes, I'm sorry." Her wrist, gripped by her husband, ached terribly. Not daring to cause any trouble, Luo Xiaoling offered a formal apology.
"Hongmei, I'll send the eggs over to you when we get back," Old Man She said kindly.
"Hmm." She Hongmei didn't give them a friendly look. Little She Ning's hair was messy, and she had just tied it up for her.
Old Man She looked at Little She Ni's two little hair sticking up, and a kind smile appeared on his dark face. He reached out to pat She Ni's head, but Little She Ni dodged away and ran behind She Ning, tightly clutching the hem of She Ning's clothes to hide.
He didn't seem to mind and pulled Luo Xiaoling away.
She Ning's eyes darkened as she stared at their departing figures, and she tightly grasped Xiao She Ni's hand.
Luo Xiaoling has left the stage, but Lin Xiufang is still here.
After tidying herself up, Lin Xiufang grabbed She Yaozu from behind and pulled him forward, pushing him in front of She Aijun. She didn't know how such a small person could be so strong. She Ning clearly saw that She Yaozu's face contorted in pain as he was pulled.
But he clearly didn't mind and was even proud of it. The 1.8-meter-tall man had a face covered in bruises and welts. She Yaozu stared at She Ning with a provocative look and silently uttered a few words.
#You're dead.#
She Ning: ...
I don't know where he got his confidence from.
She Hongmei stood between them. She also saw the threatening look in She Yaozu's eyes. She glared back fiercely, then turned to the side and tightly shielded She Ning and She Ni behind her.
Their slender and frail bodies, like towering trees, sheltered them completely from the wind and rain.
She Ning's gaze towards She Yaozu deepened slightly.
Village Party Secretary She Aijun was at his wits' end looking at Lin Xiufang, who was still chattering and complaining. He had even developed more wrinkles on his forehead by the end of the day.
"Listen to yourself, do you think what you're saying is reliable?"
"You said She Ning hit She Yaozu."
"Leaving aside the fact that She Ning is 13 years old and She Yaozu is 18, just look at how tall She Yaozu is, standing at 1.8 meters. Could She Ning possibly beat him? Would she even be able to jump up and hit him?"
Lin Xiufang was also puzzled by what was said, but her sincerity towards her son prevailed. How could She Yaozu lie to her? It must have been that brat She Ning who hit him.
"If it's not her, then who is it? My Yaozu is such a good boy, he would never lie. That girl must be holding a grudge against Yaozu for accidentally pushing her into the water last time, and she's deliberately getting revenge on my Yaozu."
"You're talking nonsense. We haven't settled accounts with you for what happened last time. We can't just listen to your side of the story."
"She Ning, tell me, did you hit him?" She Aijun, who had just been shouting and yelling, turned around, bent down, and lowered his voice to She Ning.
"Second Uncle, it wasn't me." She Ning waved her hand obediently, shook her head, and then hid behind She Hongmei, leaving only her small head sticking out.
Cute and well-behaved, harmless to humans and animals.
"Don't be afraid, your second uncle will stand up for you." She Aijun said kindly, straightened up, and turned to the upright and strict village secretary again. "She Yaozu, look at your own body, and then look at She Ning. She is so thin and frail, while you are so sturdy. Do you believe she hit you?"
She Yaozu subconsciously looked at himself, with thick arms and legs, and then at She Ning, with thin and small limbs, clearly weak and powerless. For a moment, he thought his memory was playing tricks on him and that She Ning hadn't hit him.
Wait, no, it was clearly her who hit me with the kettle!
"Mom!" She Yaozu turned around and called for help.
“Village Secretary, you can’t judge a book by its cover! How do you know that girl can’t beat us? Look at the scars on my Yaozu’s forehead. If she didn’t do it, did we do it ourselves?” Lin Xiufang pulled She Yaozu over and made him stand facing everyone to show them his injuries.
Looking at She Yaozu's large frame and then at She Ning's thin frame, it was hard to believe!
When people are bullied to this extent, everyone can't help but stand up and speak out for justice.
"Tsk, your Yaozu spends all day walking chickens and fighting dogs. I don't know where he offended someone. Lin Xiufang, don't take advantage of the She family's small size and lack of men to make baseless accusations."
"Exactly! Everyone's eyes aren't blind. To throw mud at your own relatives is really something! Bullying your own people is shameful!"
"Everyone saw your Yaozu push someone into the river last time! The old lady of the She family is kind-hearted. She only asked for medical expenses because we're all relatives. You don't even need to thank her! Lin Xiufang, you're not trying to extort money from her and then take it back, are you?"
"Hmph, if you ask me, last time She Yaozu pushed She Ning into the river, he should have reported it to the police and sent him to labor reform so he wouldn't bully people all the time and end up kicking a hornet's nest!"
Seeing that she had angered everyone and aroused their righteous indignation, even to the point of calling the police, Lin Xiufang said urgently, "Let's talk about this matter this time, why bring up the last one! She Ning just lay comfortably in bed for a few days and was fine, but my Yaozu was beaten until his head was bleeding!"
As she spoke, her face paled as she grabbed She Yaozu's hand, still stubbornly insisting, "This time I'm being magnanimous, I won't hold it against her!"
After saying that, she dragged She Yaozu away in a sorry state.
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