Chapter 95 The Third Sister Failed
The dust from the previous duel had not yet settled, and the shouts of "Traitor!" were still echoing in the air, when the cunning third fox sister sneaked back to the village.
She came back like an indestructible cockroach, with a vicious gleam in her eyes.
Her pride was hurt, her wallet was empty, and her desire for revenge was stronger than ever.
She said to herself, "That little girl Xu Yao, did she think she won? I want to let her know what will happen if she messes with the third sister!"
Xu Yao is not someone who can be easily fooled.
In a small village, news travels fast, especially hot gossip.
Xu Yao’s sharp-eyed assistant Xiao Fang, whose ears are as sensitive as satellite dishes, heard word of Third Sister’s return faster than you can say “hot potato.”
She hurried over to Xu Yao and said, "Boss, that old witch is back! I heard her mumbling about 'revenge' and 'teaching you a lesson'... You know, the rhetoric of a villain."
Xu Yao and Xue Han looked at each other.
"So the snake is back, huh? Then we'll give her a good welcome party."
They called in a village elder, Uncle Zhang, who was as wise as an owl and as strong as an oak tree.
Together they hatch a plan so ingenious that you'd think the fox had come up with it himself.
They spread a super tempting rumor that a shipment of rare and valuable goods would be arriving at the store.
And said the profits were big enough to make Scrooge McDuck blush.
The bait has been placed, now we just have to wait for the fish to take the bait.
As expected, the third sister was completely hooked.
There was a greedy gleam in her eyes.
"Now!" She whispered while rubbing her hands, "This is my chance to destroy that little goblin!" Like a moth to a flame, she was attracted by the temptation to successfully destroy Xu Yao.
She then went to see Li Kuaiji, the village accountant, who loved to bend the rules for a few small advantages (and he was also hunchbacked).
He was still irritated by his last defeat, but his third sister used both coaxing and intimidation to force him into submission once again.
Under the cover of night, the third sister and Li Kuai Ji sneaked towards Xu Yao's shop.
The night was dark and silent, with only the rustling of leaves and their rapid breathing to make it through.
They imagined that they had become rich and reveled in Xu Yao's failure.
They pried open the back door, their hearts pounding with a mixture of excitement and fear.
The store was dark and silent, and the air was filled with the smell of... incense?
Confused, they groped their way inside.
Suddenly, the lights came on.
"Surprise!" A group of people shouted, startling them like a flock of crows suddenly flying up.
Xue Han stood there with his face as hard as a rock, his arms crossed, next to him were Uncle Zhang and several sturdy villagers.
The third sister and Li Kuaiji were trapped like rats in a cage.
Xu Yao walked forward with a knowing smile on her face.
"Third sister," her voice was as soft as silk, "welcome back. We've been waiting for you." She held up a thick stack of documents.
"You recognize these, I suppose?"
The third sister's face changed faster than a vampire in the sun.
The documents detailed her every evil deed, every lie, every bribe, and every attempt to undermine Xu Yao.
Everything is in black and white for everyone to see.
Li Kuai Ji was sweating like a pig in a sauna, and began to make nonsense excuses, putting all the blame on his third sister, trying desperately to save himself.
The third sister was defeated and collapsed to the ground, the anger in her eyes extinguished. The game is over.
Xu Yao turned to Uncle Zhang, her voice low and steady.
"Uncle Zhang," she said, with a shadow across her face, "I think it's time..." She paused, glanced towards the back room, her expression changed, "but first..." Everything was exposed, the secret had been leaked, what about the third sister?
Well, she was totally screwed.
Uncle Zhang spoke with the dignity of a Supreme Court Justice and a voice as loud as a street crier, without wasting a moment.
He banged his trusty old gavel (made, of course, of a rock he'd found by the creek) and announced, "Come over here, folks! It's time for a little community...re-education!"
The villagers gathered one after another. They were a diverse group of people, including farmers, gossipy old ladies, and children who looked around with wide eyes.
Aunt Wang is very kind-hearted. She held Xu Yao's hand tightly, with anticipation gleaming in her eyes.
"Oh, now we're going to have something interesting to watch!" she whispered.
Xu Yao took a deep breath.
The critical moment has arrived and the truth is about to come out.
She nodded to Uncle Zhang, and Uncle Zhang began to speak passionately.
He recounts every bad thing the Third Sister has done, from something as trivial as stealing a chicken (which is common) to an elaborate plot to sabotage Xu Yao's budding career.
He read aloud the pile of solid evidence, his voice full of righteous indignation.
At the same time, Accountant Li wished he could find a hole in the ground to crawl into.
He was sweating profusely, and a small puddle of sweat had formed at his feet.
Every time Uncle Zhang paused to catch his breath, he squeaked pitifully: "But...but...she forced me to do this!" But no one believed him.
The third sister had just been refusing to plead guilty, but now she was like a deflated ball, lying there in despair.
The image of respectability she had carefully constructed crumbled faster than a bad cookie.
The villagers stared at her, their faces filled with a mixture of shock, disgust, and a hint of gloating.
"I can't believe it!" one woman gasped, clutching her pearl necklace (which, let's be honest, was probably fake).
"She seems so... kind!"
"Kind?!" another person sneered.
“She tried to sell me snake oil last week! She said it would cure my rheumatism! Rheumatism! I’m doing fine!” (OK, maybe not that fine, but you get the idea).
As the accusations grew, Third Sister’s followers left like flies from a rotten melon.
They mumbled excuses, not daring to look others in the eye, and hurried back to their own lives, eager to draw a line between themselves and this despised person.
Even her closest confidants, those who once listened to her gossip with relish and conspired with her, abandoned her without looking back.
These are really friends who can only share good times but not bad times!
There was hostility in the air.
The villagers gathered around, their whispers blending into a chorus of condemnation.
The third sister was drowned in a wave of opposition.
She tried to open her mouth to defend herself, but the words died in her throat and she only let out a pitiful whimper.
Finally, Uncle Zhang raised his hand to signal everyone to be quiet.
"Third sister," he said, his voice full of disappointment, "you have betrayed the trust this village placed in you. You spread rumors, caused harm, and tried to profit from other people's misfortune. To be honest, your behavior... is really speechless."
He paused to let everyone appreciate his words. "You are no longer welcome here."
The villagers burst into cheers.
The third sister was defeated and utterly humiliated, and she staggered to her feet.
Her eyes darted about, searching for a friendly face, a hint of sympathy.
But nothing was found.
She was alone and helpless.
She gave Xu Yao one last desperate look, then turned and ran away, disappearing into the darkness.
The cloud of dust that rose behind her aptly symbolized her shattered dreams and ruined reputation.
Everyone in the village breathed a sigh of relief.
It is such a relief that my third sister has passed away.
Xu Yao smiled.
Justice has been served.
The world, as it always does, (eventually) regains its balance.
But her moment of triumph was short-lived.
The villagers dispersed, gossiping excitedly as they walked, feeling good about themselves.
Xiao Fang hurried to her side, looking pale and haggard.
"Boss!" she screamed, "I just got news from your family! Your mother...her condition has worsened! They said she needs surgery, and it's going to cost a fortune!"
Xu Yao's heart sank.
Just when everything was finally looking up, fate gave her another problem.
Her fledgling business was barely breaking even, and she couldn't come up with the money needed for major surgery.
She looked at Xue Han who was standing beside her; his expression was unpredictable.
He knew what this meant.
He knew the burden she was about to bear.
He stepped forward and his eyes met hers.
"Don't worry," he said, his voice firm and reassuring, "we'll figure it out. We always can figure it out."
But Xu Yao couldn't shake the feeling that this was a challenge she had never experienced before.
How could she save her mother's life and keep her business afloat?
How will this new crisis affect her relationship with Xue Han?
The road ahead is full of uncertainty, strewn with obstacles and challenges.
But one thing is clear: this fight is far from over.
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