At the break of dawn the next day, Ye Zhoushan packed up and joined the group to head up the mountain.

Lan Qingshuang watched Ye Zhoushan leave, then helped their daughter relieve herself, fed her, and the mother and child went back to sleep.

At the village committee, Zhao Qianjin repeatedly reminded everyone: “It’s getting hot, and snakes, insects, rats, and ants are all coming out. Everyone must be careful.”

“We’re just going up the mountain to check things out. Don’t any of you cause trouble.”

“Wild boars aren’t easy to catch. Don’t let a little taste of meat make you overconfident.”

After the hundred-pound boar had been distributed, everyone had been left craving more, constantly talking about going after another one.

Every time Zhao Qianjin heard this, he couldn’t help but scold them sternly, worried that these men would risk their lives by provoking wild boars on the mountain.

If it weren’t for the need to figure out why the boar had come down and prevent it from happening again, he wouldn’t have agreed to lead them up.

A dozen or so men fiddled with their ears, annoyed by Zhao Qianjin’s nagging.

Zhao Qianjin glared at them irritably. “Alright, everyone grab your gear and follow me up the mountain. Stick close, and don’t wander off.”

“Ye, you’re the one who saw the boar’s movements, and you know the mountain well. You lead the way.”

Ye Zhoushan nodded silently and took the lead, guiding the group.

The wild boar had been acting strangely that day, charging around and destroying quite a few trees.

Even after several days, the traces were still clearly visible.

Zhao Qianjin looked at the trees broken at the trunk and felt a pang of regret. “Such good trees. Another couple of years, and they’d have been fully grown. What a waste, what a waste.”

The forest was public property, so the trees belonged to everyone. In these times, not only were food and clothing scarce, but all kinds of resources were in short supply. For people who lived off the mountain, trees and land were highly valued.

The younger men weren’t as sentimental. “What’s there to regret? We can drag them back later, dry them out, and use them as firewood. They’ll burn well.”

“Not too big, not too small—no need to even chop them.”

Zhao Qianjin was so angry he bristled, but he didn’t want to argue with these brats.

Amid laughter and banter, they followed the trail quite a distance.

The deeper they went, the more obvious the signs of destruction became.

The chaotic scene looked like a battlefield.

Even the jovial men grew cautious.

“Could there have been a fight among wild animals here?”

“So, the boar lost?” one of the younger men guessed tentatively. “Is that why it fled desperately?”

Ye Zhoushan often ventured into the mountains and was quite familiar with the terrain. Frowning, he shook his head. “No, there are only traces of the boar here, no other beasts.”

“Then… did the boars fight among themselves?” another young man ventured.

Zhao Qianjin smacked him. “Shut up.”

“Ye, what do you make of it?”

Ye Zhoushan touched the battered tree trunks. “Wild boars are social animals. Even if they fought, it wouldn’t be this intense.”

“From the looks of it, they were clearly frightened by something.” That had been his guess when he saw the boar charging wildly that day.

Zhao Qianjin frowned, puzzled. “This is the inner mountain. Few people come here.”

“What could have scared the boar so badly it fled in panic?” It had run for miles without calming down.

Ye Zhoushan didn’t know either. He glanced toward the even more chaotic depths. If they wanted answers, they had to press onward.

But ahead lay dense, impenetrable forest where no one had ever ventured—not even Ye Zhoushan.

“Should we go further in?” someone asked.

The others were nervous, whether because of the chaotic scene or the boar’s inexplicable frenzy. The unknown was the source of their fear.

Zhao Qianjin was also hesitant. He didn’t dare gamble with so many lives.

But since they were already here, they needed to get to the bottom of it, or it would remain a hidden danger.

“Let’s go a bit further, but not too deep. Just a little farther in.”

Alright.

Though nervous, everyone was curious—especially the young, spirited men.

Ye Zhoushan led the way, and they continued inward.

…

“Useless trash gave birth to a worthless burden.”

“One’s a filthy wretch, the other’s a short-lived devil.”

“The grass is green on the ground, but someone’s head is green all around.”

“Shame on you, laugh at you, clapping hands to delight in your misery.”

At the Ye household, Lan Qingshuang was roused from her drowsy sleep by familiar, mocking chants. She patted the daughter in her arms, her expression darkening.

For many days now, whenever she and her daughter were alone at home, children would run past the door, chanting these very words. Once or twice could be dismissed as childish mischief—kids partering things they’d heard from adults. But day after day? She couldn’t help but suspect someone was behind it.

What was the purpose? To humiliate her? Or to torment her mentally and emotionally?

There was no denying it was a vicious tactic. If this were happening to someone with a weaker disposition, someone prone to overthinking—especially while vulnerable postpartum and already feeling down—it could easily push them over the edge. That was likely the intention of the person behind it.

But they had miscalculated. Lan Qingshuang had spent over a decade in the Zhou family, and it had tempered her will into steel. Petty slander and insults couldn’t harm her. If they thought they could break her, they were dreaming. Once her month of confinement was over, she would find out who was behind this.

The little one in her arms smacked her lips softly, and Lan Qingshuang’s grim expression softened slightly. Thankfully, her daughter didn’t understand those words. Otherwise…

The newly repaired courtyard gate creaked faintly. Lan Qingshuang paused, thinking it might be another visitor. “Who is it? Please come in and have a seat.”

She waited, but there was no response. Perhaps it was a stray cat or something.

Before long, noises came from the kitchen. Had a stray cat gotten in? Lan Qingshuang grew worried about the food and the pheasant simmering in the pot. She hurriedly put on her clothes and went out to check.

As she reached the doorway, she came face to face with a group of unruly boys. Like a pack of little wolves, they were frantically shoving food into their mouths with their hands. Anything edible in the kitchen—raw or cooked—was being stuffed into their mouths. Half went into their mouths, the other half was wasted on the floor.

Lan Qingshuang’s eyes reddened with fury. “Whose children are you? Who said you could come in?”

The boys weren’t afraid of her at all. When they saw her, they giggled and shouted, “The loose woman is here, the loose woman is here! Eat up, let’s finish and go!”

Gnashing her teeth, Lan Qingshuang grabbed a stick and advanced toward them. Her intention was to scare them, but instead of being frightened, the boys swarmed toward her like a hive of bees.

Weak from childbirth and caught off guard, Lan Qingshuang was shoved backward. Her back hit a stone block, and the pain made her vision blur.

“Waaah! Waaah!…”

【Mom, mom, bad people!】

Hearing the cries, the boys who had been about to run away halted in their tracks. One of them said, “Lots of people brought gifts the other day. There must be good stuff inside.”

No further explanation was needed. The others immediately understood and turned to rush into the house.

Horrified, Lan Qingshuang ignored the pain and scrambled up to chase after them.

The boys had already climbed onto the kang bed and were rummaging through the cabinet on it. Little Fuman was right at their feet. None of them paid her any mind—they were too busy recklessly tossing things around, and in their carelessness, they could easily step on the infant.

Lan Qingshuang’s face turned deathly pale. “Get out! Get out of here right now!”

She picked up a broken sickle nearby and swung it fiercely at them. This time, it wasn’t just a threat—she truly wanted to strike them. No one could harm her child. But because of the little one nearby, she didn’t dare use full force, afraid that in their panic, the boys might hurt the baby.

Still, her crimson eyes and ferocious demeanor terrified them. They yelped and scrambled to flee.

The oldest boy among them, their leader, wore a vicious expression, his gaze toward Lan Qingshuang filled with malice. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Little Fuman and raised his foot to kick her.