Chapter 24: Warning

The crowd understood the village head’s attitude; he was clearly going to help Lin Nuo’s family. Everyone exchanged glances, waiting to see the drama unfold.

The neighborhood head stepped forward and said, “Let’s have Shao Qun and Gouzi, the witnesses, tell us what happened.” As soon as he finished speaking, Shao Qun came forward and addressed the crowd.

“Grandpa, uncles, and aunts, we were playing just now when Gouzi brought Lin Lei over to greet us. Lin Lei even shared candy with us. Then Er Pao and the others threw the candy on the ground and insulted Lin Lei’s sister, calling her a ‘little whore, going to the city to steal men.’ After that, they rushed to hit Lin Lei, and Lin Lei couldn’t take it anymore, so he fought back.”

“Yes, yes, that’s how it happened; it was Er Pao and the others’ fault,” Gouzi chimed in.

When Li Xiaocui, Widow Li, and the two men heard Shao Qun’s account, their faces turned pale; things had taken a turn for the worse for them.

The crowd looked at them with even more contempt.

The neighborhood head spoke up, “Li Hu’s family, did you hear that? If you dare to come here and cause trouble again, spouting nonsense, you’ll be the ones to face the consequences. If the village were filled with people like you, what would the village head become?”

Upon hearing that there would be punishment, the group felt scared; in such a situation, they would have to kneel in the ancestral hall and face the consequences.

“Go home and educate your children properly; look at how your child has been raised, with no manners at all.”

“If you continue to speak carelessly, I will definitely pull out your tongues,” Lin Nuo said coldly.

“Also, let me clarify something. When I, Lin Nuo, fled from the famine two months ago, I had just gotten married, and I am now pregnant. I went to the town merely to sell herbs for a living, and the money for building our house also came from selling herbs. I have not stolen men nor been unfaithful. Moreover, Lin Lei is my brother, not some illegitimate child. If I hear any more slander against us, don’t blame me for being merciless.”

After Lin Nuo finished speaking, some onlookers were once again stunned. Not only had she gotten married, but she was also pregnant and was able to gather herbs to sell. Selling herbs could indeed fund the construction of a large brick house.

Shen and the village head’s wife were the most surprised. After all, they were the closest to Lin Nuo and felt the most sympathy for her. In such difficult times, a woman raising a child alone was hard enough, and now she was pregnant again; her future days would likely be tough.

“Oh my goodness, this Miss Lin is remarkable,” some people exclaimed.

The village head was also shocked. Lin Nuo was pregnant? Goodness! At that moment, he felt he was in trouble; if the county magistrate found out he hadn’t taken good care of Lin Nuo’s family, he feared he would face the consequences.

He still thought of Lin Nuo as the magistrate’s concubine.

At this point, Li Xiaocui’s family dared not linger any longer. They were secretly grinding their teeth in frustration but put on a facade of remorse and left with their child.

The onlookers also dispersed.

“Shao Qun, uncle, neighborhood head, thank you for speaking up for me today,” Lin Nuo said to them.

“No need to mention it. You’re not having an easy time, especially being pregnant; you mustn’t be so reckless in the future,” they replied as they left. These matters were not something they could easily discuss.

Once everyone had left, Shen and Widow Li approached Lin Nuo, asking, “Sister, girl, are you really pregnant?” they both inquired.

Lin Nuo could tell they were concerned for her.

She held their hands and said, “Yes, it’s been over a month. But don’t worry, I can take care of them.”

The two women knew about her selling ginseng for over a thousand taels, so they were not worried about her finances, but it was still tough for a woman to raise a child alone.

Lin Nuo invited them into the yard, where they carefully explained some precautions for pregnant women before reluctantly leaving, continuously reminding Lin Nuo.

After everyone had gone, Lin Lei cautiously approached and threw himself into Lin Nuo’s arms, crying loudly.

Once he finished crying, his little nose was red, and tears glistened in the corners of his eyes as he looked at Lin Nuo like a little kitten and said, “Sister, I was wrong. I shouldn’t have hit anyone. I was wrong. Please don’t be angry, okay?”

Lin Nuo gently pinched his little nose and said, “Sister is not angry at all. Lei’er, you were protecting your sister, and that makes me happy. But they are older kids, and you can’t fight them. In the future, you mustn’t act recklessly, understand? Just come back and tell me.”

After the siblings played in the yard for a while, Lin Nuo noticed it was getting late, and since they couldn’t go out to gather wild vegetables, she took Lin Lei to prepare dinner.