The water bucket moved rhythmically up and down on the carrying pole, and Xiaoyue followed along with the pole's movements, making carrying water less tiring.
Xiaoyue had walked about fifty paces with the carrying pole on her back when she heard a surprised shout behind her, followed by a "thud," and then the onlookers nearby all shouted: "Ge Erlin's wife jumped into the well! Ge Erlin's wife jumped into the well!"
As Xiaoyue carried water, she saw a string of villagers rushing out of their homes toward the village's large well. Xiaoyue remained unmoved, continuing to carry the load on her shoulder pole, swaying back and forth, without looking back, and headed straight home.
Back home, Xiaoyue poured water into the water vat, put the carrying pole and wooden bucket in the front yard, put the chickens, ducks and geese into their pens, and went to the mat where cucumbers were drying, turning the cucumber slices over.
Xiaoyue heard voices and footsteps coming from the courtyard. Normally, people in the mountain village don't go out for a stroll after the sun goes down, unless there are special circumstances.
Xiaoyue walked calmly towards the gate. Once there, she pressed her ear to the door and listened carefully. Confirming that the sound was coming towards her house, she then pushed open the gate to the courtyard.
She saw a dense, dark mass of people; almost the entire village had come. Xiaoyue's mind was filled with questions.
Xiaoyue glanced at the people at the front and saw Ge Sanlin, followed by Lu Xiaomei, Ge Erping, Ge Erlin, Old Man Ge, and Old Lady Ge.
When Ge Sanlin saw Xiaoyue come out, he stepped out from the crowd alone, taking a steady step with his right leg first and his left leg behind, exuding a sinister killing intent.
When he was three steps away from Xiaoyue, Ge Sanlin angrily pointed at her, his body radiating a bloodthirsty murderous aura. Due to his leg injury, he took another step forward with one heavy foot, clenched his left fist, and swung his right hand to slap Xiaoyue.
The moonlight shone on Ge Sanlin's distorted face. His eyes were fixed on Xiaoyue, and his teeth were clenched so tightly they were grinding. Ge Sanlin had no manners whatsoever of not slapping a girl. If anyone offended the Ge family, he would definitely seek justice for them.
Xiaoyue instinctively took a step to the left, dodging the slap. She turned her face to Lu Xiaomei, who was to Ge Sanlin's right, and stared at her intently. Xiaoyue didn't understand what was going on with Lu Xiaomei, nor did she understand why Lu Xiaomei, whom she had treated so well, had brought people to ransack her house.
Lu Xiaomei noticed Xiaoyue's gaze and took a step back. Ge Sanlin pulled Lu Xiaomei back to stand with him.
Xiaoyue looked at Ge Sanlin's father, mother, second brother, and second brother, but not Ge Dalin's family or his sister-in-law, Xiao Sun. She wondered what they were all doing there.
"Speak up, I have no more contact with your Ge family. I've already given you the hundred taels of silver for your redemption, don't be so ungrateful," Xiaoyue shouted.
The villagers didn't have much of a nightlife; they just filled their curiosity with gossip and idle chatter. Someone in the crowd said, "Is it blood-sucking? Bought for a tael of silver?"
He sold it for a hundred taels of silver immediately; Ge Sanlin really made a good deal.
Some people were disdainful, some whistled, and some even jeering.
Ge Erlin limped up, his face twitching, each step accompanied by a painful spasm. "It was your men who broke into my house at night, punching and kicking me, stabbing me in both legs, and..."
Ge Erlin's face contorted in pain as he recalled the two men who had stabbed him in the groin; the pain was indescribable.
After speaking, Ge Erlin took a step back, grabbed Ge Erping behind him, and turned to Ge Erping, saying, "Come forward and explain what happened that night."
Ge Erping blinked his triangular eyes, took a hesitant step forward, his face tense and fearful. He took a step forward timidly and whispered, "It's a ghost coming to claim my life."
Ge Erping's face was filled with terror, his triangular eyes wide open, and his lips trembling as he cried out, "A ghost is taking my life! Ah!" He then covered his head with his hands, squatted down, and shook himself while shouting, "Don't come any closer! Don't come any closer!"
As she kept squatting and backing away, Old Mrs. Ge, supporting Ge Erping, sternly questioned Xiaoyue, "Was it the person you hired?"
Xiaoyue felt really bad seeing Ge Erping like this. She didn't know what Ge Erping had gone through, but why a group of people had come to her today was interesting.
I don't know what happened to them. I was kidnapped by bandits that day. If I had that kind of power, I wouldn't have been kidnapped by those bandits.
As for you, Xiaoyue glanced at Ge Erlin, Ge Erping, and Old Madam Ge, "Do you know what wrong things you've done? Isn't there a saying: 'If you don't want others to know, then don't do it in the first place'?"
Xiaoyue didn't want to deal with these unreasonable people and was about to turn around and leave when Ge Sanlin grabbed her from behind. Xiaoyue heard the sound of wind behind her and dodged Ge Sanlin's hand. Ge Sanlin grabbed nothing.
Xiaoyue turned around and glared at Ge Sanlin. She didn't expect Ge Sanlin to be so persistent. She turned around and moved closer to Ge Sanlin, but her eyes were on Lu Xiaomei. Lu Xiaomei took two steps back.
Xiaoyue turned her face, glanced at Ge Sanlin with disdain, quickly raised her right leg, pulled it up and back, and kicked forward with force, slamming her foot hard into Ge Sanlin's stomach. Ge Sanlin's right leg staggered back three steps, and his left leg lost its grip, so he sat down on the ground with a thud.
Lu Xiaomei hurriedly stepped forward, reaching out her hand to help Ge Sanlin up, while muttering in a low voice, "I told you not to bother Xiaoyue, but you wouldn't believe me."
Seeing that things couldn't be resolved peacefully, Xiaoyue walked over to Ge Erlin. Ge Erlin was still injured, and seeing Xiaoyue's fierce expression, he was so frightened that he kept backing away. Xiaoyue took a few quick steps, gathered all her strength, and kicked Ge Erlin to the ground. Ge Erlin fell to the ground, still backing away in fear.
Ge Erlin took a step back, and Xiaoyue followed with a step forward, until they were backed up to the cane that Xiaoyue was holding. Xiaoyue grabbed Ge Erlin's collar and pulled him up, then threw him to the ground.
Stepping on Ge Erlin without leaving any room for maneuver, he coldly said, "Tell me all about your plan to conspire with Fatty Ren to harm me, and let's see in front of the villagers whether I was wrong or you inhuman, beastly bastards were wrong."
Xiaoyue blew hard on her bangs that were hanging down and blocking her eyes. "I originally thought that since the Ge family once saved my life, I would spare your whole family. But the softer a person is, the more they will be bullied."
One of the villagers watching the commotion remarked, "Yes, kindness is often taken advantage of."
"Ghosts always prey on the kind-hearted."
...
Xiaoyue glanced at the people around her, then turned her attention back to Ge Erlin.
She kicked Ge Erlin again, making him spin around. Xiaoyue squatted down, bent one leg, and patted Ge Erlin's face with one hand, saying softly, "You shameless brat."
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