Chapter 26: Ugly Faces

Wang Jinhe didn’t say a word. She turned around and went back into the courtyard, carrying a basin of washed vegetables. Facing the group of people, she splashed the water towards them, saying, “Next time you come to my doorstep to chatter and complain, be careful because I’ll show you something. This time it’s just the muddy water used for washing vegetables, but next time, I’ll prepare some manure water for you. Only that matches your foul mouths and those ugly faces of yours.”

“Did you really think that my family has only recently settled here? That you could simply walk in and take what you please? Did you think I’m as easy to intimidate as my grandmother and mother? Give it a try next time,” ” she said, slamming the door shut with a bang, leaving the group of people locked out.

The sound of the door closing jolted the group of people awake. They looked at their soaked clothes and felt a mixture of anger and frustration.

“Damn you, Wang Jinhe, I curse you to be a prostitute for the rest of your life. No one will want you.”

Inside the house, Wang Jinhe heard this and went to fetch the manure water. She opened the door and splashed it at them.

“Ahh!” The group screamed as they smelled the foul odor and hurriedly ran to the side.

Although they didn’t run fast enough, they still got splashed with the manure water.

Wang Jinhe mocked the fleeing group, “Did you think I was joking with you? Let me tell you, I never joke, and I don’t like joking with people like you. So, you better watch what you say next time.” Wang Jinhe looked at them coldly.

At this moment, they finally realized that Wang Jinhe was deadly serious. She could back up her words with actions, unlike the old Wang Jinhe who would take insults and abuse without retaliation.

“I am not the old Wang Jinhe, and I don’t understand what it means to passively endure. If you bully me, I will definitely fight back,” Wang Jinhe said and then closed the door, ignoring them.

The group of people was repulsed by the stench on their clothes.

“Wang Jinhe, you bastard! How dare you treat us like this? You…”

“Don’t say anything more. Do you want her to splash us again?” This time, they really messed with a hornet’s nest and ended up smelling terrible.

They left while grumbling, and the villagers who saw them gave them strange looks. Some even taunted them, “You thought you could take advantage of someone just because they had wild boars? Do you think it’s that easy to take advantage of them? You really underestimated them. The whole family doesn’t back down, huh?”

“Shut up.”

“Why should I shut up? Hey, why do you all smell so bad? Were you splashed with manure water or something?”

“You… you…”

“Who is that woman talking to such dirty things? Smelly, isn’t it? Hurry home,” a man walked out of the house and pulled the woman back inside.

The news of what happened quickly spread throughout the village, and the villagers looked at them with strange eyes.

However, Wang Jinhe didn’t care about that. After the people had left, she cleaned up the manure water at the door and then leisurely started preparing food.

Zhang Zhilin watched Wang Jinhe make dumplings and asked curiously, “Auntie, can I learn to make dumplings with you? I want to take the dumplings I make back home for my parents to eat.”

“Of course you can,” Wang Jinhe naturally wouldn’t refuse Zhang Zhilin’s request and began teaching him how to make dumplings.

Xiao Bao also started learning, but in reality, he was more interested in causing trouble.

After a few tries, Zhang Zhilin managed to make dumplings that looked nice and neat, and he even folded them beautifully.

“Your learning talent is really good. You learned it after just one lesson,” Wang Jinhe praised.

Blushing a bit from the praise, Zhang Zhilin said, “It’s because Auntie taught me seriously.”

Suddenly, Xiao Bao placed his hand in front of Wang Jinhe and asked, “does the dumplings I made  look pretty?”

Wang Jinhe looked at Xiao Bao’s creation, a dumpling that could be described as “four not-alikes,” and didn’t know whether to call it beautiful or ugly. In the end, to preserve her son’s self-esteem, she reluctantly said, “It looks pretty good.”

Zhang Zhilin looked at Xiao Bao’s “four not-alike” dumplings and couldn’t help but want to say something. However, just as he was about to speak, Xiao Bao handed the dumplings he had made to Zhang Zhilin and said, “Big brother, these are for you.” 

Zhang Zhilin smiled and said, ” Xiao Bao, you’re really amazing.”

Indeed, it was quite an achievement to make dumplings like these.

Wang Jinhe couldn’t help but suppress her laughter as she watched the two children interact. It was really quite entertaining.

After eating the dumplings, Zhang Zhilin prepared to head back home. As he left, he carried a food container with him.

“I’m back, Mom and Dad.”

“Zhang Qin, if you want to let your cousin stay here, it’s fine.” Gu Jing looked at Zhang Qin with an expressionless face.

“Jing, don’t be like this. Cousin is just staying for a few days and will leave.”

“What about me? A few days? Do you believe this nonsense? Zhang Qin, have you forgotten why Xiao Zhilin used to be such a picky eater and refused to eat anything before he met Xiao Bao? Have you already forgotten?” Gu Jing stared at Zhang Qin.

“I haven’t forgotten.”

“You haven’t forgotten? I think you’ve forgotten completely. If you haven’t forgotten, you wouldn’t have mentioned letting your cousin come here. Zhang Qin, let me tell you, I’ll make it clear today. If you bring her here, I’ll leave with Xiao Zhilin. This family can have her, but not us, and without us, there’s no place for her. You think about it yourself.”

With a loud bang, the husband and wife both turned to look and saw Zhang Zhilin standing there, his face pale, and a food container had fallen to the ground, spilling out some uncooked dumplings.

Seeing their child return, Zhang Qin panicked. ” Xiao Zhi…”

Gu Jing, who had just vented her anger, saw her son’s ashen face and lifeless eyes. She picked up her son and rushed outside.

Zhang Qin regretted it deeply and wished he could slap himself. How could he have such thoughts when his son had just returned home?

He hurriedly followed them.

Gu Jing carried her son to the herbalist’s clinic of Dr. Huang. “Dr. Huang, please come quickly and check on Xiao Zhilin.”

Huang Qi frowned as he approached. “What’s going on? Wasn’t Xiao Zhilin doing much better over the past month? How did the situation suddenly change like this?”

“Zhang Qin said he wanted his cousin to come and live here, and Xiao Zhilin overheard it,” Gu Jing explained, her anger directed at Zhang Qin.

She despised Zhang Qin now. If anything happened to her son, she wouldn’t spare Zhang Qin.

“Didn’t I tell you not to mention that person? How many times do I need to repeat this? Do you want your child’s life to be in danger?” Huang Qi scolded. The child had experienced such a traumatic incident, and now he was being pushed over the edge by the mere mention of her. If she were to actually come here, it could drive him insane.

Zhang Qin approached Huang Qi, his voice filled with anxiety. “Dr. Huang, how’s my son? Is he okay?”

“Does he look fine to you in this state? Haven’t I repeatedly warned you not to mention that woman? Yet not only did you mention her, but you also wanted her to come here. Do you want your son to die? It would be easier to just strangle him. Instead, you’re torturing him like this?” Huang Qi was exasperated. The child had wide eyes, filled with terror, and tears streamed down his face. Did that look like he was fine?

Gu Jing couldn’t bear to see her son in this state, and she turned to Zhang Qin, delivering a resounding slap across his face.