next day
Ning Huaizhi got up early. He could clearly feel that his legs had regained sensation after the acupuncture and medicine he took yesterday, and he could even exert a little strength to get out of bed.
So I wanted to get up early and chop the firewood, but as soon as I got outside the yard, I heard a knock at the door.
"Knock knock knock..."
Ning Huaizhi tensed up immediately. Ning Daya, who had just finished feeding the pigs in the backyard and was about to cook in the front yard, also heard the urgent knocking. She and Ning Huaizhi exchanged a nervous glance, and neither of them said a word.
"Thump thump thump thump..."
"Is anyone home? Do you collect paper mulberry bark and wood ash? Is anyone home?"
Hearing this, Ning Daya breathed a sigh of relief, quickly put down the basket in her hand, and went forward to move the heavy object blocking the courtyard gate. After opening the gate, she saw a short, fat man standing outside the courtyard. He had a patch of scabs on his forehead, and his unshaven face really startled Ning Daya.
Ning Daya glanced at the cartload of paper mulberry bark he had brought behind him, then composed herself, lowered her head without looking at him, and whispered:
"Come with me."
Ning Huaizhi glanced at the man at the door. His pair of sly, bloodshot green beady eyes were staring intently at Ning Daya, scrutinizing her from head to toe.
Ning Huai frowned:
"Ning Daya, let him go to the backyard to find Tiezhu to weigh the food himself. You stay in the front yard and cook."
Ning Daya nodded with relief upon hearing this, and was about to give the man directions to the backyard when she was suddenly grabbed by the arm by the man in front of her.
The man said excitedly:
"You, you, you're Ning Daya? You're my wife!"
Ning Daya was so frightened by the man's grip that her eyes turned red. She tried desperately to pull her arm out of his grasp, but the man held on too tightly, and Ning Daya couldn't move an inch.
Upon seeing this, Ning Huaizhi immediately took out a slingshot from his pocket, aimed at the man's arm, and shot it.
"Ouch, it hurts so much! Who hit me?!"
The man, in pain, released his grip, and Ning Daya, like a rabbit, leaped behind Ning Huaizhi, keeping a safe distance from the man.
The man looked up at Ning Huaizhi and frowned:
"Who do you think you are? You're just a cripple, yet you dare to try and steal my wife? You should go ask around in Jiang Village! Everyone who sees me, Zhou Tietou, is afraid of me!"
Jiang Yuwei came out of the house at this moment. Zhou Tietou? Zhou Tietou from Jiangzhuang. Jiang Yuwei looked closely and sure enough, it was him, the Zhou Tietou who had lost three wives.
Jiang Yuwei quickly stepped forward to shield Ning Daya behind her, and looked at Zhou Tietou warily:
"Zhou Tietou! What are you doing here?!"
Zhou Tietou looked at Jiang Yuwei and clicked his tongue:
"Oh, isn't this Old Man Jiang's eldest daughter? I've heard you married into Ningjia Village. It seems you're doing well. You've grown up quite a bit since you were a girl at home. You're quite the beauty now. If I had known, I would have paid off Old Man Jiang's gambling debt of one or two taels of silver and married you. Such a cheap and beautiful wife, anyone would be happy to have her."
As he spoke, Zhou Tietou stood on tiptoe and looked at Ning Daya behind Jiang Yuwei, laughing:
"Haha, but my daughter-in-law is not bad either. She's still young now, but after a few more years, she'll definitely grow up. Look at that big butt, she'll definitely be able to give me a few more sons."
"Pah! You? You're not worthy!"
Jiang Yuwei spat on the ground, then looked up at Zhou Tietou:
"Who sent you today? Was it Granny Sun or the matchmaker?"
Zhou Tietou laughed heartily:
"Oh, Jiang Yuwei, you've really gotten bold. You've only been married a short time, and you're already swearing? Da Ya and I are destined to be together. Nobody told me about this place. I found it myself by following Da Ya's scent!"
As Zhou Tietou spoke, he didn't forget to raise his head and pretend to sniff the air.
Looking at him like this, Jiang Yuwei couldn't help but feel glad that she hadn't eaten breakfast yet, otherwise she would have been disgusted and vomited all over his face.
Hiding behind Jiang Yuwei, Ning Daya was so frightened by his appearance that she started to sob. If Jiang Yuwei hadn't brought her to the courtyard to work that day, she would have had to marry this disgusting man, and she didn't even dare to think about what the future would hold.
Seeing that Ning Daya seemed frightened, Jiang Yuwei reached out and squeezed Ning Daya's hand, whispering to her:
"Da Ya, don't be afraid, I'm here for you. Do you remember what I told you that night?"
Ning Daya remembered the chili water Jiang Yuwei had given her and the dagger under her pillow. Suddenly, her eyes hardened, and she squeezed Jiang Yuwei's hand back, nodding at her.
Seeing that the others did not respond, Zhou Tietou stepped forward and made a move to pull Ning Daya, who was standing behind Jiang Yuwei:
"Da Ya's wife, come here, let me take a good look at you. Come back with me today, okay?"
Ning Daya was trembling with fear when he approached when suddenly the door to the room was kicked open.
"Where did this ugly monster come from? Get out of here!"
The idiot suddenly produced a stick from somewhere and began striking Zhou Tietou without hesitation. Each blow left Zhou Tietou with no way to dodge, forcing him to run and shout:
"Da Ya, I'll come back for you! Wait for me!"
Jiang Yuwei and Ning Daya were both stunned. This seemingly foolish guy actually seemed quite capable in combat. Ning Huaizhi, watching the fool's moves, muttered to himself:
"How could he know the Qingfeng Sword Technique..."
Seeing that Zhou Tietou had run far away, the fool took his stick and went back into the yard, putting one hand on his hip.
"I'm hungry, I want to eat!"
Ning Daya glanced at Jiang Yuwei, and Jiang Yuwei nodded at her:
"Go cook."
Looking at the fool's arrogant demeanor, Jiang Yuwei suddenly realized that this person's identity might not be simple. She walked up to the fool and pointed to the cart left by Zhou Tietou outside the courtyard, saying:
"Go push this cart of tree bark to the backyard before you can eat."
The fool glared at Jiang Yuwei, and Jiang Yuwei glared back...
The fool glanced back at the cart outside the door, then turned and went out to push it. As he passed Jiang Yuwei, he glared at her again.
Jiang Yuwei was speechless:
"If you glare at me again, you won't get any food!"
The fool quickly looked away and pushed the cart to the backyard.
Ning Daya quickly prepared breakfast and put it on the table. The simpleton glanced at the plain white porridge and side dishes and immediately lost his appetite, muttering:
"Is this all you're feeding me?"
Jiang Yuwei sat down with Ning Wan in her arms, picked up her own bowl of porridge and started eating, replying casually:
"If you don't want to eat, then go hungry."
Seeing this, the fool angrily sat down, snatched the bowl of porridge from Ning Daya's hand, and began to eat with his head down.
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