Chapter 18 – Blowing Up the Outhouse

The Ji family never fully understood what Chu Xiaoqi meant when she spoke—her words were always half-understood at best, and everyone just guessed at the rest.

After the meeting ended, the family dispersed to start their tasks. Ji Jingze chased after Chu Xiaoqi, calling out:

“Big Sis! Big Sis! Let me borrow the fire striker!”

Chu Xiaoqi didn’t think much of it. She pulled the fire striker from her waistband and handed it to him, then turned and headed into the kitchen.

Ji Jingze tucked a hatchet into his waistband, then happily bounced out the door.

Meanwhile, Chu Xiaoqi finished rummaging around in the kitchen and called over Ji Jinglan, who was feeding the rabbits.

“Big Sis, what’s up?”

Chu Xiaoqi handed her a hundred copper coins. “Walk around the village and see who has wheat flour—buy some if they do. Also grab some scallions, garlic, leafy greens—whatever’s available.

Anyone selling eggs, buy a few as well.

Just get enough for the family to eat today. No need to stock up.”

“Okay!” Ji Jinglan accepted the coins, slipped them into her money pouch, and skipped off cheerfully.

Ji Father had packed up and was ready to head out with a basket on his back when Chu Xiaoqi stopped him.

“Dad, where are you going? To the mountain?”

Ji Father shook his head. “I’m heading into town to buy some mortar powder. Mixing it with clay helps seal the cracks better when we repair the house.”

Chu Xiaoqi walked up to him, drew the dagger from her leg wrap, and slipped it into his waistband before patting it.

“If anyone dares act like a bandit, just kill them. If you end up killing someone, I’ll take the blame.”

Ji Father gripped the dagger tightly and nodded, walking away with newfound determination.

Once he disappeared from view, Chu Xiaoqi went back inside, grabbed the big wooden beam they used to brace the door, and carried it out.

Ji Jingxuan spotted her and quickly trotted after her.

“Xiaoqi, where are you going?”

Chu Xiaoqi glanced at him and said calmly, “To protect your dad.”

It took Ji Jingxuan a few seconds to process that. He muttered under his breath, “Isn’t my dad your dad too?”

But he said it so quietly that Chu Xiaoqi didn’t hear him. Her full attention was locked on Ji Father, who was walking ahead of them.

Ji Father passed through the village carrying his basket. Many villagers who usually avoided him like the plague suddenly greeted him warmly today, which left him slightly confused.

Chu Xiaoqi and Ji Jingxuan silently followed him out of the village.

“Xiaoqi, Dad listens to you now. No one will dare mess with him. Let’s head back,” Ji Jingxuan said as he tugged on her sleeve.

“Tsk… what’s the rush? Let’s follow a bit longer!” Chu Xiaoqi slapped his hand away and continued tailing Ji Father.

Ji Jingxuan pouted from the slap. He was only worried she’d get tired.

But he didn’t dare argue, so he followed along without complaint.

When they reached the bridge, Chu Xiaoqi spotted Big Aunt and her son limping up the bridge from the other side, each carrying a bundle of medicinal herbs. They came face to face with Ji Father.

Ji Father’s heart gave a violent tremble the moment he saw them.

He pretended to stay calm, kept walking, and acted like he hadn’t seen them at all.

Just because Ji Father didn’t want trouble didn’t mean Big Aunt would let things go.

When she saw him trying to pass without even greeting her, she instantly erupted in anger and shouted:

“Ji Lao’er, stop right there!”

Ji Father turned back steadily. “Big Sister-in-law, what is it?”

“Oh? Ji Lao’er…

What, now that you’ve got that little bitch Chu Xiaoqi backing you, you’ve grown a spine?

How dare you disrespect me?”

Ji Father took a deep breath. “You’ve spent decades trying to destroy our branch of the family. What about you is worthy of my respect?”

That sent Big Aunt into a frenzy.

“You little bastard! If it weren’t for your big brother working outside to feed you back then, you would’ve died a long time ago!”

“You owe your big brother. For this lifetime, you must honor him!”

“Anything good to eat or use should be sent to my house first. Otherwise, I won’t let this go!”

Hidden behind a tree near the bridge, Ji Jingxuan ground his teeth in rage as he listened to Big Aunt’s arrogant words.

Unable to bear it any longer, he was about to rush out and argue with her, but Chu Xiaoqi grabbed him and pulled him back.

“Big Aunt has gone too far! I’m going to confront her!”

“Confront her? If she ever listened to reason, would your family be in such a miserable state after all these years?

Just wait—see how your father handles it.”

Ji Father gave a cold laugh. “That was all before you married into our Ji family.

Big Brother’s wages supported not just me, but also our parents.

So, according to your logic, should we dig our parents out of their graves and have them repay Big Brother for raising them?

And besides, I owe my big brother—that’s between him and me. What does that have to do with you?”

“You—you bastard!” Big Aunt shrieked. “Today, I’ll teach you a lesson on behalf of your big brother for being such an ungrateful wretch!”

She hadn’t expected Ji Father to talk back, and in her fury, she raised her hand to slap him.

But Ji Father swiftly drew the dagger from his waist and pointed it at her, stepping forward and offering up his face.

“Go ahead—try slapping me!”

Big Aunt looked down at the blade pressing against her throat, her eyes bulging in shock. She froze, not daring to even breathe.

“Wu-shi, I’ve given you too much face all these years, haven’t I?”

Ji Father gritted his teeth and pushed the dagger forward slightly. The tip was already pricking her skin—just one wrong move and there would be blood.

“Second Uncle, don’t be impulsive! Let’s talk this out!” Ji Yanyang, who had been watching from the sidelines, was suddenly terrified and rushed to intervene.

Ji Father cast him a dismissive glance. “All these years, I have talked nicely. Did any of you listen?

Since you won’t listen to words, I won’t bother saying any. We’ll do this the hard way.

Worst case—we all go down together. You die, I die.”

Big Aunt was scared out of her mind. Tears streamed down her face, and she whimpered uncontrollably.

Ji Jingxuan, afraid his father might actually stab Big Aunt in a moment of rage, stepped out again to stop things—only to be pulled back once more by Chu Xiaoqi.

“He won’t kill her,” she said calmly, eyes locked on Ji Father’s trembling body. “He knows his limits.”

“Wu-shi. Ji Yanyang,” Ji Father declared in a low voice, “I’m putting this on record today.

If either of you dares to bully my side of the family again, I will skin you both alive and rip back everything you’ve stolen from us these past decades.

Don’t believe me? Just try it.”

With that, he calmly sheathed his dagger and walked off.

As soon as he turned the corner, though, he collapsed onto the grassy slope beside the road, clutching his chest and breathing heavily.

That… scared him to death.

It took a long moment for him to recover. But deep in his heart, a wave of relief and pride surged.

For the first time in his life, Ji Father felt what it meant to truly live.

Maybe listening to his daughter-in-law really would lead to a long life.

Once his breathing steadied, he hummed a cheerful little tune and headed off toward the town.

After Ji Father left, Big Aunt plopped down onto the ground, completely stunned and shaken.

Ji Yanyang, still limping, hurried to her side and helped her up.

“See? Didn’t I tell you?

I said not to provoke Second Uncle’s family again, but you just wouldn’t listen.

From now on, when you see them, walk the other way.”

Big Aunt didn’t say a word and let herself be half-dragged home.

Just as the pair reached the bridge, they were greeted by the sight of Chu Xiaoqi standing there, holding a thick wooden club roughly the size of her arm, smiling at them with a look that was anything but friendly.

Ji Yanyang looked as if he’d seen a ghost. Clinging to Big Aunt, he began backing away, shouting in panic at Chu Xiaoqi—

“Chu Xiaoqi—you, you, what do you want?”

“We didn’t do anything to Second Uncle! Don’t go around hitting people without reason!”

Chu Xiaoqi raised her thick wooden stick toward Ji Yanyang and his mother, scaring the two of them into shrieking so loud their voices cracked.

The expected pain didn’t come. Ji Yanyang cautiously opened his eyes and realized that Chu Xiaoqi wasn’t actually going to hit them—she had only lifted the stick to rest it on her shoulder.

“You think if you two had done something, I’d just stand here and watch?”

“Keep up the good work. Stay this way.”

“But if I ever catch either of you trying to mess with our second branch again—”

Chu Xiaoqi made a slicing motion across her throat with her hand and shot Ji Yanyang a look that said you know what I mean. Then she turned and left, the heavy stick still resting on her shoulder.

Ji Jingxuan trailed happily behind her, not even sparing a glance for Big Aunt and her son.

After they left, Ji Yanyang exhaled deeply and slumped. “Damn, that she-devil is terrifying…”

Big Aunt, already nearly scared to death by Ji Father, was now so shocked by Chu Xiaoqi’s intimidation that she looked like a soulless shell, standing there blankly.

Not long after Chu Xiaoqi got home, Ji Jinglan came running back with a basket full of supplies, beaming with excitement.

“Big Sis! Big Sis! Ji Yanyang finally got what he deserved!”

Chu Xiaoqi paused from sorting herbs and looked at her in confusion. “What happened?”

Ji Jinglan dumped her basket in the yard and ran into the main room to gulp down a big bowl of water. Then she came back out and plopped onto a little stool in the yard, looking giddy.

“I just passed by Big Uncle’s house and saw a crowd gathered at the entrance—looked like a real spectacle! And it reeked to high heaven.

I couldn’t squeeze in, but Rainy Qing told me: Ji Yanyang went to use the outhouse, and the cesspit exploded!

He got covered head-to-toe in crap and was so terrified he fell right into the pit!

He’s so fat and the pit’s so slippery, he couldn’t climb out for the longest time. Just soaked in poop for ages.

It wasn’t until Big Uncle got back and heard his groaning that he fetched a rope and hauled him out.

Now he’s sitting in the yard, covered in filth, waiting for Big Uncle to boil water for a bath.

Hahahaha! Seriously, karma’s a killer…”

Chu Xiaoqi suddenly remembered Ji Jingze had asked her for the fire striker earlier that morning. Looks like this “outhouse explosion” had his fingerprints all over it.

Inside, Ji Jingxuan—who had been reading—also cracked a secret smile after hearing Ji Jinglan’s story.

Before long, Ji Jingze himself came bouncing home, empty-handed and in obviously high spirits.

“Back already?” Chu Xiaoqi stood under the eaves, arms crossed, giving him a meaningful look.

Ji Jingze immediately felt guilty—like she somehow knew exactly what he’d done.

“Where’s the firewood?”

He froze, then snapped back to reality. Crap! He had been so focused on mischief that he forgot to chop any wood!

“Uh… didn’t… didn’t manage to get any… I’ll go—this afternoon! I’ll go later…”

Chu Xiaoqi snorted softly. “That outhouse explosion at the main house—was it you?”

Ji Jingze scratched the back of his head, lowered his gaze, and nodded sheepishly.

No point denying it—she already knew.

“Spill it. What did you use to blow it up?”

“Thunder-popper. You know, the kind that makes a big boom.”

“Where’d you get a thunder-popper?”

“Bought it off Ergou for a single copper coin.”

“Hand over the fire striker.”

Obediently, Ji Jingze dug it out from his waistband and handed it back.

Chu Xiaoqi pinched it between her fingers and said, “Nicely done. But don’t do it again.”