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Xie Kui laughed heartily, “If you’re really thinking about replacing me as the village head, you don’t need to come to me. Go find whoever you want to find. And for those of you who want to join Luo Shi in attempting to oust me from the position of village head, go ahead and give it a try.”
After selecting the date for Wang Lao Ye’s engagement, he asked Wang Jinhe and Su Yu to come and inform the village head. However, upon their arrival, they heard the village head uttering such words.
Luo Shi’s expression turned sour. This was the first time someone had spoken so boldly against her.
“Xie Kui, you…”
“Luo Shi, aren’t you just relying on the fact that your son is a scholar? Do you think your status as the mother of a scholar grants you the power to achieve anything, especially preventing me from remaining as the village Chief? I’ve served as the village Chief for so many years, always thinking about the welfare of the village. I’ve done what I should, but I won’t do what I shouldn’t,” the village Chief said sternly, looking at Luo Shi.
“Furthermore, let me make it clear: the village Chief is appointed by the county magistrate, and only the county magistrate has the authority to replace a village Chief. Women like you have no such power.”
Xie Kui’s words were like a slap in the face to Luo Shi. She knew perfectly well that she couldn’t accomplish such a thing. She had only meant to intimidate Xie Kui, hoping to make him go and talk to Wang Jinhe. But unexpectedly, he didn’t take her seriously at all.
“What happened, Village Chief?” Su Yu asked as he and Wang Jinhe approached.
Seeing the smiles on Wang Jinhe and Su Yu’s faces, the village Chief finally looked more relieved. “Why have you come?”
“My grandfather has set a date for our engagement, so we came here to inform the village Chief. Village Chief, what’s going on? What do these people want?” Wang Jinhe looked at Luo Shi, and the deep-seated fears from the original owner’s memories suddenly resurfaced.
Back then, aside from Jiang Shi, Luo Shi had relentlessly wished her dead and said incredibly malicious things. It had nearly driven the original owner to the brink, but the baby’s movements had sustained her.
She placed a hand over her heart, realizing that she could forgive these people and maintain a mutual non-interference, but she had no right to forgive them on behalf of the real Wang Jinhe.
From the body’s memories, Wang Jinhe could vividly imagine just how terrified and resentful the original owner had been.
“What’s wrong, Xiao He?” Su Yu noticed that Wang Jinhe’s face had turned pale, and her body seemed unsteady. He quickly reached out to support her, deeply concerned.
“I’m fine, just reminiscing about some unpleasant memories,” Wang Jinhe reassured Su Yu with a smile, trying to calm herself.
Su Yu, seeing Wang Jinhe’s condition, became even more worried. “Is it because of the people here?”
Wang Jinhe nodded, “Yes, there was someone in the past. Even when the village Chief and uncle asked us to go home, they kept insulting me at my doorstep every day. At that time, I was really close to the breaking point. I wanted to just die and spare my family the trouble. When I was considering ending it all, not wanting to burden my family any further, Xiao Bao’s fetal movements helped me persevere. Su Yu, I always thought I could avoid conflicts with them, but I realized I couldn’t reconcile with myself, and I can’t forgive those people who nearly drove me to the brink of death.”
Su Yu instinctively reached out and embraced Wang Jinhe. The thought that she had contemplated suicide in the past was deeply distressing. If it hadn’t been for Xiao Bao’s fetal movements…
Incredulously, Xie Kui looked at Wang Jinhe. “Xiao He, what happened?”
Wang Jinhe’s family used to live at the outskirts of the village, quite a distance away from the village center. Xie Kui had heard that Luo Shi had gone too far by insulting Wang Jinhe at her doorstep, but he had never imagined that the situation could be this severe, almost driving Xiao He to death.
Wang Jinhe smiled at Xie Kui and said, “Uncle, this has nothing to do with you. It’s just that some people didn’t want me to live a good life and were determined to force me to die. They always felt that my existence brought shame to their son. But now, thinking about it, I have no connection with their family at all. Why would I tarnish their son’s reputation? Their son’s ego is really something.”
Su Yu’s complexion became increasingly unpleasant, and people around them dared not look at him.
Luo Shi knew that Wang Jinhe was talking about her, and she retorted, “Did I say anything wrong? People like you, who lack self-control, should be punished severely or even die. You shouldn’t exist in this world, as your presence only brings shame to our Xie family village.”
Many years had passed, but Luo Shi still wished for Wang Jinhe’s death.
“You and that illegitimate child are not even worthy of life. If you truly want to survive, you should atone for your sins. Wang Jinhe, you should kneel in front of every household in Xie family village daily, begging for forgiveness from everyone. Let everyone punish your filthy body severely. You…”
“Ah…” Luo Shi’s words were cut off by a scream.
No one had reacted in time, and they saw Luo Shi being thrown backward.
Xie Kui looked at Su Yu, who hadn’t yet withdrawn his hand, swallowed nervously, and had already warned these people not to trouble Xiao He. They didn’t listen. He had said that Su Yu was holding a grudge, and now, did they believe it?
Su Yu walked over to Luo Shi with a stern face, lifted his foot, and kicked her, sending her crashing into the wall, spitting out blood.
“Wang Jinhe, quickly make her stop. Someone might die,” the people nearby hurriedly pleaded.
However, Wang Jinhe didn’t even glance at them. Instead, she looked at Su Yu.
She had promised Su Yu that if there was another incident, he could do whatever he wanted, and these people had brought it upon themselves.
“Village Chief…”
“Luo Shi brought this upon herself. Did she really think she was so remarkable just because she was the mother of an scholar? What ‘atonement’? Who does she think she is?”
“I’ve told you all before. Su Yu has been holding a grudge, and I warned you not to provoke him. If you didn’t believe it, don’t blame others for being too ruthless now,” Xie Kui shook his head and said.
The fear in Luo Shi’s eyes was evident. “You… my son is an scholar….
The things Luo Shi said earlier, he himself wanted to resort to violence. What’s more, Su Yu was the father of Xiao Bao and Wang Jinhe’s future husband.
Luo Shi’s eyes were filled with fear. “You… my son is an examinee, I…”
Su Yu chuckled softly, and his smile seemed eerie, sending shivers down the spines of those around.
“Yuanxu, go get the ten silver taels that belong to this young master,” Su Yu ordered coldly.
“Yes, Young Master.”
The sudden appearance of Yuanxu startled everyone present. Such a person was not commonly found in ordinary households. Who exactly was this man beside Wang Jinhe?
Su Yu reached out and grasped Luo Shi’s neck, his voice cold as he said, “Repeat the words you just said.”