Chapter 28: A Fight

  Looking at the large mansion, Chen Dabao reminded Chen Feng not to provoke the noble people.

  Chen Feng nodded, she would only do that if she had eaten too much.

  The two of them began to squat down and pull weeds, and Chen Feng’s movements were not as skilled as Dabao’s.

  Soon, a five-year-old boy with a sturdy build and darker skin than Dabao’s came running from outside the vegetable field. He was taller than Dabao by half a head. He is Wu’s son, nicknamed Shitou, Dabao’s good friend. He stood outside and shouted loudly, “Dabao, my mother said you are here.” He then greeted Chen Feng politely, “Auntie Feng.”

  Chen Feng smiled at Shitou and then told Dabao, “Go out and play with Shitou, I can find my way home.”

  Chen Dabao stood up and wiped his hands, feeling torn between wanting to play with Shitou and worrying about his mother.

  Chen Feng smiled again and said, “Son, don’t worry, there are many people here, nothing will happen.”

  Dabao looked around at the people coming and going and the farmers working in the fields in the distance, thinking that his mother should be safe. He said, “Mother, finish weeding and go straight home, don’t go anywhere else.” Only when he saw his mother nod did he run out to play with Shitou with peace of mind.

  After working for half an hour, all the weeds in the field were pulled out, and Chen Feng was drenched in sweat. She stood up and noticed that Er Bai, the one who had once flirted with her, was standing outside the vegetable field, staring at her with his mouth half-open, drooling. Chen Feng was infuriated, being ogled by such a disgusting person was more uncomfortable than swallowing a fly. She picked up her iron shovel and cursed angrily, “You dead lazier, if you keep looking, I’ll knock you dead.”

  The Er Bai wiped the drool from his chin and grinned, “Ah, Chen Feng, you’ve grown even prettier than the rumors say.” He added with a meaningful look, “You were a fool before, and now you’re a single parent with no one to marry into your family. Don’t you want a man, too? Hehe, I’ll do you a favor and marry you…”

  An old man happened to pass by and spat upon hearing what the Er Bai said, “Tsk, you’re actually saying that out loud? You’re really shameless. Feng is just getting better from her illness, don’t bully her.”

  The Er Bai argued back with the old man, “Old man Wang, what business is it of yours what I say to her? Who knows, maybe Feng fancies me and is willing to marry me. She’s so young, she can’t go without a man for the rest of her life, can she?”

  At this point, two young men and a middle-aged man approached, and upon hearing the Er Bai’s words, they gathered around. The middle-aged man added, “Er Bai, stop daydreaming. Even if she’s looking for a husband, she wouldn’t choose someone like you. You’re almost at the end of your life, and you still want to harm such a young woman. You’re really something.” His words sounded like they were defending Chen Feng, but in reality, they were provoking the Er Bai.

  The group burst into laughter.

  The Er Bai was not convinced and raised his voice, “What’s wrong with someone like me? If I were young and handsome, who would want to be a son-in-law for a fool? Besides, this fool hasn’t even been married yet, but she’s already raising a burden. Haha, if I marry her, at least our village will have one less widow…”

  As more people gathered, some were disdainful of the Er Bai, while others were just there to watch the excitement.

  Chen Feng was trembling with anger. If she allowed the Er Bai to bully her, more people would do the same in the future. How could she establish herself in the village, run her own household, and protect her family?

  Today, the Er Bai had to be taught a lesson, and those who looked down on or wanted to bully her needed to understand that Chen Feng was not one to be trifled with. After all, she was a fool, and as long as she didn’t kill him, she would gladly pay for any medical expenses.

  With that thought in mind, she strode straight toward the Er Bai.

  The Er Bai laughed, “Look, she’s taken a fancy to me, hasn’t she? She’s staring at my eyes. Feng, if you’re willing, I’ll have your father arrange a marriage proposal for me…”

  Before he could finish his sentence, Chen Feng lifted the small iron shovel in her hand and struck him on the head, the action swift enough for no one to react in time.

  With a loud “thud,” the Er Bai’s head suddenly throbbed with pain. He felt warm liquid trickling down his head, and when he touched it, his hand was covered in blood. After hitting the Er Bai, Chen Feng angrily shouted, “Dare to bully me, I’ll kill you!”

  She struck again, but the Er Bai managed to evade. She struck a third and fourth time, hitting his shoulder, tearing his clothes and causing a streak of blood to appear. She continued with a fifth and sixth strike, relentlessly hitting him all over.

  At this point, Chen Feng’s eyes turned red, glaring wildly, giving her an abnormal look. Not only did she frighten the Er Bai, but she also scared the people who were watching, and they dispersed in a panic.

  The Er Bai was terrified and ran, shouting as he fled, “Madwoman, please stop, I won’t dare again.”

  Others were also calling out, “Feng, stop, don’t take it too far.”

  But some were goading, “Er Bai, didn’t you want to marry her? You ran away as soon as she hit you. How will you restrain her in the future…”

  Chen Feng, however, was determined. Today, she had to subdue the Er Bai and tarnish her own image, making people see her as an incredibly fierce woman or a madwoman. She wanted to dispel any notion of being a gentle and virtuous woman and distance herself from the image of an independent woman.

  She chased the Er Bai with the small iron shovel, shouting loudly, “Dare to bully me, I’ll kill you.”

  The Er Bai, injured, didn’t get far before Chen Feng caught up to him. She lifted the iron shovel and struck him repeatedly, appearing wild but controlling her strength well. Although the iron shovel kept striking his body, it didn’t land at an angle but hit flatly, causing pain.

  The Er Bai, used to starting fights, was initially stunned by Chen Feng’s attack. When he regained his senses, he began to fight back. However, he couldn’t get close to Chen Feng with his bare hands and eventually resorted to picking up a wooden stick to fight with her.

  Chen Feng grew up in an orphanage, where children had to learn to fight to avoid being taken advantage of and to secure enough food. Having had numerous fights since she was young, she often shared her fighting experiences with others and was known as the second queen among that group of children. Therefore, she knew quite a bit about fighting, about how to preempt, how to attack, and how to dominate her opponent with her spirit.

  Her goal now was not only to scare the Er Bai but also to keep him at bay. If she allowed him to grab or touch her in a sensitive area, especially in front of so many onlookers, it would be too costly. Hence, she would rather endure a few blows to her own body while wielding the small iron shovel, making sure to prevent the Er Bai from getting close.