What an unexpected disaster this was.

The little girl was still puzzled, not yet having said a word, when the crazed mud-covered figure opposite her suddenly howled, stretching out dirty hands to lunge at her as if to bite.

The Song family were no pushovers. Zhao Xiuying, the mother, quickly pulled her precious daughter away from the grimy assailant. Nearby, Song Wenbo, known for his fiery temper, reacted instantly with a kick that landed squarely on the crazed woman, who, failing to bite anyone, instead cried out in pain from the blow to her stomach and collapsed on the ground, unable to rise.

Qin Rongrong could hardly believe it. She had seized what she thought was a perfect moment to attack the despised girl when the Song family was off guard. Not only did she fail to hurt the girl, but she also ended up taking a forceful kick from Song Wenbo, a man as sturdy as a bear, known for his strength in fieldwork, which could match that of a strong man. The kick to her abdomen left her in such pain that it felt as if all her organs were in distress.

In agony, Qin Rongrong writhed on the ground, rolling until her eyes teared up and she began to sob loudly on the dirt floor.

“Bullying, oh!

There’s no greater bullying than this under heaven.”

The crazed woman cried hoarsely as she rolled on the ground.

The villagers standing by in the temple room were puzzled about where this mud-covered figure had come from. Chen Juhua, with sharp eyes, stared intently at the person on the ground for a while before suddenly slapping her thigh,

“Hey! No wonder, I thought she looked familiar. Isn’t that Qin’s eldest granddaughter, Qin Rongrong?

But wait, wasn’t this wicked girl locked up in a labor camp?

How did she end up back in our village?”

Her words set off a commotion among the crowd. Liuzi’s wife, a woman of bold nature, grabbed a basin of cold water and doused the mud-covered figure, who, caught off guard and enraged, struggled to rise despite her abdominal pain, wiped her face and, baring her teeth, was about to pounce and scratch Liuzi’s wife’s face.

“You vile woman!

Looking for death!

Dare to splash water on my face!

Watch as I claw your despicable face!”

The mud-covered figure spat curses, her face a mask of anger not to be trifled with. Liuzi’s wife, who had been raised tough by her family, was not one to suffer fools. Upon hearing the insults, she sneered, rolled up her sleeves and delivered a hefty slap that sent the mud-covered figure tumbling back to the ground.

With a buzz in her head from the slap, the figure clutched her face, seething with fury as everyone now got a clear look at her face.

“Ah!

That madwoman really is Qin’s Qin Rongrong!”

“Indeed!

How did Qin Rongrong escape from the labor camp?

Could it be that being locked up there drove her mad?”

Chen Juhua gestured to her temple, causing the older women around her to chuckle.

“Utter nonsense!

All my misfortune is because of that wretched girl, Song Wanyue!”

Qin Rongrong’s shameless outburst left everyone thunderstruck.

Really!

The shamelessness of some knows no bounds!

“Alas.

In all my years, I’ve never seen someone who could twist the truth and be so shameless!

Qin Rongrong, to be so malicious at such a young age, aren’t you afraid of retribution?”

Chen Juhua said sternly.

Qin Rongrong, with a face as thick as a city wall, long lost any sense of shame. Now, glaring defiantly, she shouted back,

“What now, what now.

How am I malicious?

I’ve done nothing wrong, never harmed anyone, nor done anything against my conscience.

What have I to fear!”

Her brazen defiance only elicited laughter from the village’s young wives and grandmothers.

The venerable Granny Fu sighed deeply, her kindly face filled with sorrow.

“It’s a sin.

Such a good girl, turned into someone so shameless.

Qin Rongrong, you can’t go on like this!

Everyone saw you push Song from the dam and knock him unconscious.

You can’t deny it.

The Goddess of Mercy herself watches from above!”

“That’s right, I saw it with my own eyes. The village chief even had her taken to the police station.

If it wasn’t Qin Rongrong’s doing, do you think the police would bother locking her up for no reason?”

“Exactly, the officers must have confirmed Qin Rongrong’s wrongdoing before sending her to the labor camp!”

“Disgusting!

The entire Qin family is rotten, starting with that troublemaker Qin’s wife who raised such a venomous creature!”

Hearing Granny Fu’s words, the village women angrily denounced Qin Rongrong.

Having endured the labor camp, Qin Rongrong had lost all semblance of respect for her elders.

Seeing everyone glaring and cursing at her, she scoffed and turned to Song Wanyue, who was being shielded by her family, her face filled with hatred.

*This is all because of this despicable girl!

All I wanted was to live a good life, to be a decent person. What have I done wrong?

You old witch, pretending to be good at your age.

And you lot!

Just because Song’s eldest son holds a supervisory position at the coal factory, wielding power and perks, you all fawn over him like slavish dogs, groveling at the Song family’s feet, licking their faces!

What then?

If the Song family defecated, would you rush to eat it up too?*

These words turned the faces of those present ashen. Granny Fu turned pale with rage, nearly collapsing. Seeing her mother-in-law in distress, her daughter-in-law grabbed a broom and began beating Qin Rongrong mercilessly.

“You heartless idiot!

If anything happens to my mother-in-law, I will beat you to death!”

Disgusted, another villager chimed in,

“I always knew Qin Rongrong was inhumane!

I should have used the washbasin to fetch water earlier, using my face basin was such a waste!”

Qin Rongrong winced under the painful lashes of the broom, managed by Granny Fu’s daughter-in-law. Struggling, she suddenly threw herself at Song Wanyue’s feet, eyes bloodshot and throat choked with blood, wishing she could devour the despicable girl alive.

“It’s you!

All you!

You little wretch, all the wealth and honor that will come should have been mine, all mine.

Don’t you dare take it away!”

Seeing Qin Rongrong’s battered state and unrepentant demeanor, still trying to intimidate her precious granddaughter, Chen Juhua’s temples throbbed with anger:

“What are you doing!

Trying to scare my Wanyue?

With me here, you little hussy, don’t even dream about it!”

Qin Rongrong chuckled maliciously, her gaze wild.

“Protect her, go on.

I want to see how long the Song family can protect this little wretch.

As long as I live, I won’t let the Song family live in peace.”

Her last words were a deathly glare at Song Wanyue.

The Song family shuddered with anger. Song Wenbo raised his foot, intending to kick Qin Rongrong out, while Granny Fu’s daughter-in-law, tired from the previous beating, stood panting at the side. Hearing Qin Rongrong’s vile speech, she rolled up her sleeves, ready to attack again with the broom handle.

As Qin Rongrong braced for another beating, a soft, sweet voice intervened.

“Granny Fu, please wait a moment.”

Hearing this, and realizing it was the delicate Song Wanyue speaking, the normally rough and tough woman softened her tone:

“Wanyue, is there something you need?”

Song Wanyue, her beautiful almond eyes glistening, spoke softly,

“Granny Fu, I have some questions for Qin Rongrong, could you please wait a moment?”

Granny Fu’s daughter-in-law, usually dealing with her unruly children, melted at the gentle request from the young girl. How could she refuse?

“Go ahead, take your time.”

Smiling warmly, envy filled her eyes. No wonder everyone said Zhao Xiuying was blessed. Looking at Zhao Xiuying, whose husband was successful and who had borne two sons and this graceful daughter, her life was truly enviable.

At that moment, Zhao Xiuying was unaware of the envy. She held her daughter’s hand, worried,

“Sweetheart, are you sure you don’t need me with you?”

Song Wanyue shook her head: “Mom. I can do this alone.”

“You can do what!

Qin Rongrong is a lunatic, and a lunatic can do anything!

Sweetheart, let me stay with you.”

Song Wanyue, feeling the genuine concern from her family, responded softly,

“Grandma, mom, I’m grown up now. Some things I must face alone.”

Hearing this, Granny Chen’s heart quivered with pride and worry, gazing tenderly at her sensible granddaughter who knew she had her own path to walk.

Zhao Xiuying was a whirlwind of maternal worry, missing the deeper meaning in her daughter’s words. As she tried to pull her daughter back to reason, Granny Chen firmly held her back.

“Mother!

What are you doing?

I need to protect Wanyue, otherwise…”

Zhao Xiuying was confused and anxious.

Chen Juhua said firmly:

“How so! Can you protect her for a lifetime?

She said she can do it alone, so let her!

Don’t worry, with so many people here, she’ll be fine!”

Zhao Xiuying muttered to herself, finally understanding her mother-in-law’s implication.

The village women were also puzzled, wondering what Wanyue was up to.

Qin Rongrong, watched over by her family, gritted her teeth and spat,

“You little wretch!

What are you trying to do!

Are you trying to harm me again?”

Song Wanyue, calm in her demeanor, squatted down, locking eyes with Qin Rongrong on the ground. For a long while, neither girl spoke, leaving Qin Rongrong increasingly agitated. What did that look mean?

What was she planning? Was she concocting some vicious scheme to harm her?

As Qin Rongrong’s thoughts spiraled into chaos, she shouted,

“What are you going to do!”

“Do nothing really.

I just want to ask you, did you just say all this was my doing?”

The young girl’s voice was soft.

Qin Rongrong sneered, thinking the fool had brought up the topic herself. If the little wretch was this stupid, then she couldn’t blame her for not letting her live.

She scoffed coldly,

“Right!

It’s all your fault!

Without you, I wouldn’t be this miserable!”

“Ah, so that’s how it is,” the young girl nodded solemnly, continuing,

“You, with your malicious mind, attacked me from behind on the dam.

You made me tumble down the cliff and this is my fault.

You were investigated by the police and sent to reform through labor and this too is my fault.

The city flooded, you sneakily ran away from the labor camp, plotted to harm me, causing Granny Fu to almost faint and getting beaten by Auntie Fu and all of this is still my fault.

So, I ask you.

Did I really make you do all these things?”

Qin Rongrong blurted out in response,

“Yes, yes, you made me do all this…”

A second later, realizing her mistake, Qin Rongrong became furiously embarrassed,

“You little wretch!

How dare you set me up!

I won’t let you off!”

With that, she struggled to lunge forward, but Chen Juhua stepped in to protect her granddaughter.

“Hey.

This little troublemaker still wants to harm people!

A dog can’t change its habit of eating dirt!”

Li’s wife was infuriated, rolling up her sleeves and giving Qin Rongrong a hefty slap, then sat on her to pin her down firmly.

Qin Rongrong’s face swelled up, her voice muffled as she protested,

“It’s all because of this wretch.

It’s not my fault!”

Self-inflicted misery is inescapable.

Song Wanyue stood quietly behind Chen Juhua, not even glancing at Qin Rongrong.

The house was in disarray. Hearing the noise, Song Jiandang shuffled in with a group of young men from outside, frowning,

“What’s going on.

It’s so late, why aren’t you all sleeping instead of causing a ruckus.”

Li’s wife, quick to speak, raised her hand to complain,

“Captain!

Look here!

It’s all because of Qin Rongrong, this little troublemaker causing trouble!”

What, Qin Rongrong was supposed to be unconscious and settled in the temple kitchen, how did she end up here causing chaos again?

Song Jiandang turned to ask someone nearby.

“Where is that scamp, Da Liuzi?”

Speaking of the devil, Da Liuzi zipped in from outside, frantically scratching his head,

“Captain, there’s big trouble.

I just went to the toilet and when I came back, Qin Rongrong was gone!”

You don’t say, she’s already causing trouble here!

Song Jiandang glared at Da Liuzi, who stretched his neck for a better look and then chuckled sheepishly.

“So, she’s here.”

Alright, get out of the way.

Song Jiandang waved his hand dismissively, then turned with a headache to ask Li’s wife what exactly had happened.

The women in the house, each talking over the other, explained the situation in detail.

Upon hearing it was another of Qin family’s nuisances, Song Jiandang’s veins popped with anger, he kicked the shaky door violently, commanding loudly.

“You guys!

Tie up this bunch of Qin family fools and throw them into the kitchen!

Once the rain stops and the flood recedes, immediately send Qin Rongrong back to the labor camp!”

Qin Rongrong panicked at the mention of the labor camp, a place she never wanted to return to in her life.

“No!

I won’t go back!

I won’t go back!”

Qin Rongrong’s teeth chattered as she struggled desperately to escape.

But the sturdy young men of the village, already fed up with the Qin family’s antics, didn’t sympathize. Da Liuzi, using the smelly towel he usually used for his feet, gagged Qin Rongrong. Several young men carried her off to the kitchen like hauling a pig to slaughter.

Qin Rongrong, overwhelmed by the smell from the foot towel, struggled even more violently. One of the young men, sniffing around, puzzledly spoke,

“Guys, why do I smell stinky feet?”

Hmm?

Stinky feet?

The young men sniffed around, realizing the odor seemed to emanate from Qin Rongrong.

They looked disdainfully at Qin Rongrong; such a lack of hygiene in a young woman was…

*It’s not me!

It’s not me!*

Qin Rongrong’s head shook wildly.

Ahead, Da Liuzi seemed to recall something, chuckling as he turned back.

“That thing.

My bad, I stuffed the foot towel into Qin Rongrong’s mouth thinking it was a face towel.”

Qin Rongrong’s eyes rolled in frustration.

The young men nearby: ……..

They actually felt a bit of sympathy for Qin Rongrong now.

~