Chapter 27: All for Her

Chi Wan always believed in any decision made by Huo Nanchuan.

This was not just because she knew that Huo Nanchuan was the male lead of this world, but also because of the reassuring aura he exuded.

The group finally managed to leave the cold and gloomy forest.

Before they left,

Chi Wan turned back to look.

Next to the clearing where she had argued with Huo Ergou, there was a dark cave.

Her gaze followed the cave, landing on a patch of weeds beside it.

It was –

Chi Wan narrowed her eyes, a mixture of doubt and surprise flashing through her mind.

She silently memorized it.

…

Huo Family Ancestral Hall.

According to the rules, only men were allowed to enter the ancestral hall, women were not.

Therefore, both Chi Wan and Huo Chuchun waited outside, while Huo Nanchuan led Huo Dongzhi inside.

The two brothers had a brief conversation before entering.

It was Huo Nanchuan’s instructions to Huo Dongzhi.

After listening, Huo Dongzhi looked up and said, “Big Brother, I know what to do next.”

A hint of surprise flashed across Huo Nanchuan’s face.

Their brothers had been arguing and hadn’t spoken much in the past few days.

But in just a few days, he suddenly felt that the young man in front of him had grown up instantly, with a more mature air.

After exchanging glances, they walked inside.

Chi Wan disliked places like the ancestral hall.

The large signboard, the dark walls, all gave a strong sense of oppression.

And the ancestral tablets enshrined inside, as well as the thick incense smoke, all made her uncomfortable.

Such rules like only men can enter, women cannot enter.

These were nothing more than excuses for men to oppress women.

Chi Wan scoffed at this.

However…

Since the ancestral hall and the clan held such power in this village, it would be better to use it as a tool, hold it in hand, and make good use of it.

Just like Huo Nanchuan had invited the Third Uncle to come before…

Use this oppression as a means of balance.

Standing in front of the ancestral hall, Chi Wan vaguely knew what Huo Nanchuan was going to do.

“Sister-in-law…”

Huo Chuchun followed closely behind Chi Wan，the frail girl trembling constantly.

Her face was pale, and she asked nervously, “Sister-in-law, will Second Brother be alright? Last time… last time it was also here… Huo Ergou came to complain… Second Brother was beaten… he was beaten so badly…”

Speaking of the past,

Huo Chuchun’s eyes turned red, tears almost falling.

Chi Wan quickly pulled her into her arms, holding her tightly, and softly comforted her.

“Xiao Chun, don’t worry. This time is different! We didn’t do anything wrong, those bad guys should be punished! Little Dong will be fine!”

She was so confident.

After listening to Chi Wan’s comfort, Huo Chuchun calmed down slightly.

Soon after,

The Third Uncle of the Huo family, whom they had met briefly before, appeared again.

Stroking his white beard, he sat majestically in the middle of the ancestral hall.

The authority of the head of the clan was something no one dared to challenge.

Huo Dongzhi knelt on the cushion, looked up and said, “Third Uncle, I hit someone, a fellow clan member, I did something wrong, I’m here to be punished.”

There was no remorse in his words.

But Huo Dongzhi’s appearance at this time was too pitiful.

His clothes were dirty and torn, his face covered in mud and bruises.

His exposed arms were also bruised and pale.

It was more like he had been beaten than he had hit someone.

The events in the forest behind the mountain had already spread quietly.

Therefore, after Huo Dongzhi said this, some uncles and elder brothers among the men immediately spoke up.

“Third Uncle, the one who fought with this kid was Huo Ergou, the son of the second family of Huo. I heard that the four of them ganged up to bully Little Dong alone…”

“I saw it too! It was terrible! The eldest son of the second family of Huo is three or four years older than Little Dong, how can a cousin bully a child…”

“Huo Ergou! Where is Huo Ergou! He has the guts to hit someone, but not the guts to admit it?! It’s clearly written in the clan rules that brothers of the same clan are not allowed to fight, they can’t fight among themselves!”

Listening from outside the ancestral hall, Chi Wan’s initial guess became even more certain.

After a commotion,

Huo Ergou and three others were dragged into the ancestral hall by several elders.

All the way,

Huo Ergou and the others were still shouting loudly, “Uncle, Uncle! I didn’t hit anyone, I really didn’t hit anyone! Uncle… look at my injuries, I’m the one who got beaten!”

They had completely changed from their previous arrogant and domineering, bullying and vicious appearance.

Especially after entering the ancestral hall, they not only cried out in pain, but also trembled all over with fear.

As soon as Huo Ergou saw Huo Dongzhi, he was filled with anger.

“Huo Dongzhi, are you talking nonsense to the Third Uncle!”

“You little villain! You’re actually playing the victim!”

“How did I hit you! It was clearly your family’s stinky woman—”

He barked like a mad dog.

His violent words even implicated Chi Wan.

Huo Dongzhi interrupted Huo Ergou’s shouting and said firmly, “I did it!”

Huo Nanchuan’s face turned dark, his tone unkind, “This is a matter between men in the ancestral hall, don’t involve women!”

The atmosphere in the ancestral hall suddenly became tense.

The villagers had lived together for decades, they all knew each other.

The elders and uncles of the Huo family had also watched Huo Nanchuan and Huo Dongzhi grow up, they knew the temperaments of these two brothers.

They were poor, but they lived with more self-esteem and pride than anyone else.

The elders absolutely didn’t believe that the two of them would take the initiative to provoke and bully others.

As for Huo Ergou and the others,

They didn’t know how to work in the fields, they were idle all day long, causing trouble in the village.

So no matter how hard Huo Ergou shouted, how pitiful he was, no one believed his words.

The looks they gave him were only contempt and disgust.

Seeing this, Huo Ergou cried even harder.

He pulled up his sleeve, revealing the bruises on his wrist for everyone to see.

“Uncle, all uncles, look… this is evidence… it was their family’s stinky woman who beat us…”

“Third Uncle, you can’t wrong a good man… it wasn’t me, it really wasn’t me…”

The others also shouted along, accusing Chi Wan of beating them, claiming they were the victims.

The ancestral hall became noisy.

An elder muttered, “A bunch of young and hot-headed lads, all saying that a woman beat you. If you say that, even ghosts wouldn’t believe you, aren’t you ashamed?”

They had all seen what kind of person Chi Wan was when Huo Nanchuan got married.

Her thin frame, she would fall if the wind blew.

They couldn’t even beat their own wives, let alone four men together.

Amidst the chaos,

Only Huo Nanchuan and Huo Dongzhi remained silent.

One stood straight, the other knelt motionless, their gazes fixed on the Third Uncle of the Huo family.

Then,

Bang bang bang!

The sound of a cane hitting the ground.

The sound wasn’t loud, but it made all the men in the ancestral hall instantly hush.

They didn’t even dare to breathe too loudly,

The Third Uncle of the Huo family opened his slightly closed eyes, revealing cloudy pupils, his hoarse voice slowly uttered.

“Alright, stop arguing, don’t make the ancestors laugh.”

“Since you have violated the clan rules, then you must be punished.”

“Huo Ergou and the others, thirty lashes. Huo Dongzhi, kneel in the ancestral hall for three hours.”

After the words fell,

There was a moment of silence in the ancestral hall, as if even the air stopped flowing.

Then,

Huo Ergou’s miserable cries came out.

Huo Nanchuan bowed to the Third Uncle of the Huo family and said, “Thank you, Third Uncle.”

This was the authority of the head of the clan.

He didn’t need to know all the facts, nor did he need to explain the reasons, the words he spoke were orders.

The Third Uncle of the Huo family raised his eyes and silently looked at Huo Nanchuan for a moment.

Then, with the help of others, he left the ancestral hall.

Outside the ancestral hall,

Hearing that Huo Ergou and the others had been dragged into the ancestral hall, Sun Guixiang and Liu Cuifang rushed over.

They stood outside anxiously, worried about the situation inside, but they didn’t dare to go in.

Even when they saw Chi Wan standing nearby, they didn’t have time to argue with her.

In their anxiety and confusion, they heard the Third Uncle of the Huo family say “thirty lashes”, and Sun Guixiang and Liu Cuifang’s faces turned pale.

Thirty lashes!

Those thirty lashes weren’t just bamboo strips hitting the buttocks!

They were heavy wooden sticks hitting the back.

If the person being punished tried to escape, the elders would hold their arms and force them to finish the punishment.

“Ah ah ah… Ergou… Goudan… my son…”

“Third Uncle… my son wouldn’t do such a thing…”

“My son wouldn’t hit anyone… ah ah ah… don’t hit my son… don’t hit my son…”

Sun Guixiang and Liu Cuifang cried and wailed together, jumping around in front of the ancestral hall.

Chi Wan sneered at this scene, her heart felt no sympathy, only the satisfaction of karma.

…

The day of fear finally ended peacefully.

Huo Dongzhi knelt in the ancestral hall for three hours, which was six hours in total.

When he came out, it was already evening.

The night was deep.

The Huo family was all standing outside the ancestral hall waiting for him.

Huo Nanchuan supported most of his weight, Huo Dongzhi dragged his numb legs, his face pale as he appeared in front of everyone.

He looked exhausted, but his expression was unexpectedly relaxed.

He even raised the corners of his lips, revealing a faint smile.

“Second Brother…”

Huo Chuchun couldn’t help but feel a pang in her heart, and she rushed over.

She hugged Huo Dongzhi tightly, sobbing.

Huo Dongzhi patted her head, “Silly girl, what are you crying for? Second Brother is fine.”

“It’s all because of me… you did this all for me… woo woo woo…”

Huo Chuchun muttered to herself, sobbing softly.

Zhang Yue’e watched this scene from the side, her eyes also slightly moist.

She choked back a sob and said, “Go home! Let’s go home, there’s hot food at home, let’s go home for dinner.”

Dinner that day was almost ten o’clock.

Everyone was famished, but they still waited for Huo Dongzhi to return before eating together as a family.

After dinner,

After washing up,

Chi Wan lay in bed, her mind filled with Huo Chuchun’s words.

—For her.

—Huo Dongzhi did all this for her.

Huo Dongzhi took the blame for hitting someone, not only excluding Chi Wan，but also not mentioning Huo Chuchun’s name.

Huo Ergou and the others were originally going to bully and humiliate Huo Chuchun.

That was the biggest crime they could be accused of.

But Huo Dongzhi gritted his teeth and didn’t say a word.

A girl…

Four young lads…

A secluded corner…

These scenes combined, if the matter got out, even if Huo Chuchun was the victim, she wouldn’t be able to explain herself and stop the gossip.

In this closed-off mountain village, how important a girl’s reputation was!

Rumors and gossip could really drive a person to death!

Chi Wan had experienced it firsthand.

Perhaps Huo Dongzhi had also felt this kind of harm from her.

Moreover, Huo Chuchun, because of the birthmark on her face, had been pointed at and teased and mocked since she was a child.

So Huo Dongzhi, even if he had to be punished himself, would still protect Huo Chuchun.

Then… what about Huo Nanchuan?

When he was in the forest behind the mountain, in the shortest amount of time, he immediately decided to “go to the ancestral hall”.

Who was the first person he thought of, the person he wanted to protect the most…?

In the dim room,

On the soft bed,

Chi Wan thought about these things, she couldn’t sleep at all.

She gently turned over, looking at the sleeping man beside her.

The light was dim, she could only faintly see the man’s facial contours.

His brows were sharp, his nose was high, his profile was like a sculpted perfect line.

“Even if you don’t say it, I know… you did it all for me!”

Huo Nanchuan didn’t want to involve her in this matter, so the two brothers tacitly agreed and went to the ancestral hall.

After going to the ancestral hall, no matter who was right or wrong, whoever did it would be punished.

But they were willing to bear all this.

Just to protect the person they cared about the most.

Chi Wan’s heart felt warm and fuzzy, she leaned closer to the man, her soft body pressed against his, and then closed her eyes to sleep.