Chapter 11

Jiang Tiantian tugged at her cousin-in-law’s sleeve, unable to hide her excitement as she whispered, “Cousin-in-law, how do they duel here?”

“It’s usually wrestling. It’s a tradition among the men here.”

Jiang Tiantian’s eyes lit up upon hearing this, eager to rush forward and watch the fight up close.

Her cousin-in-law, quick-eyed and quick-handed, immediately pulled her back, dragging her further into a corner. She glanced at the young girl, who was itching to watch the duel, with a complicated expression. With her slender arms and legs, she really was like a newborn calf unafraid of a tiger.

“You better not go out there and cause trouble. If Ayi Duo finds out who you are, the one dueling today might end up being the two of you instead.”

Outside the Tea Family’s Main Gate

On an open grassy field, a crowd had already formed a natural circle around the duel.

In the center stood two men of similar height, both strikingly handsome.

However, compared to Cha Jiuzhang, Atso had a noticeably larger and more robust build, making Cha Jiuzhang appear leaner and more refined in contrast.

Atso kicked off his shoes and tossed his outer robe to one of his followers. Stripping to the waist, he rolled his shoulders, running a large hand through his shoulder-length, unruly hair.

He then spread his legs apart, bent his knees, and fixed his sharp, eagle-like eyes on Cha Jiuzhang.

“Cha Jiuzhang, I’ve wanted to challenge you for a long time.”

“If you’re a real man, give it your all. Don’t make me look down on you.”

Cha Jiuzhang calmly rolled up his sleeves, neatly placed his shoes to the side, stretched his neck, loosened his shoulders, and got into position.

“Come on then,” he said.

With that, both men lunged at each other and locked into a fierce wrestling hold.

“Yo-ho-ho~”

Cheering erupted from the crowd. More and more villagers gathered, splitting into two clear factions, each supporting their own man.

Jiang Tiantian, dragging her cousin-in-law, eagerly tried to get a better view.

“Xiao Qi, are you getting this on camera?”

“Don’t worry, I’ve been recording the whole time,” a cheerful, childlike voice answered in her mind.

Her cousin-in-law, growing more anxious, tried to pull the excited girl further away from Ayi Duo, lest the two cross paths and turn the event into an even bigger mess.

Meanwhile, Cha Jiuzhang and Atso had already exchanged several rounds, neither gaining the upper hand.

The crowd’s excitement only grew.

Zuo Mingyan scanned the area and finally spotted Jiang Tiantian. She rushed over, grabbing her hand and trying to lead her inside the house.

“Tiantian, come inside with me. This is just men roughhousing. What’s so interesting about it?”

Jiang Tiantian was being pulled away, but she kept looking back, reluctant to leave.

“But, Mom, I’ve never seen men wrestle before. Just let me watch a little longer!”

Zuo Mingyan was getting a headache. She had already seen firsthand how stubborn and single-minded Ayi Duo could be over the past few years. Her biggest worry was that if Ayi Duo spotted Tiantian, it would spark even more trouble.

She never expected Ayi Duo to show up at their doorstep just one day after Jiuzhang’s wedding.

It was best to send Ayi Duo away quickly. If they waited until Jiuzhang and his wife had built a stronger bond, then even if Ayi Duo came back later, she would have no choice but to accept reality and give up.

Ayi Duo had been intently watching the duel.

Inside, she felt conflicted—she wanted Cha Jiuzhang to lose so he would leave with her, yet she also didn’t want to see him defeated, knowing how proud he was.

As the fight remained deadlocked, she happened to glance toward the Tea family’s courtyard and saw Cha Jiuzhang’s mother leading a beautiful young woman inside.

She frowned.

That girl looked unfamiliar. She had never seen her before. Judging by her clothing, she didn’t seem like a local villager either.

Ayi Duo had always been extremely sensitive to the people around Cha Jiuzhang. Without hesitation, she grabbed a nearby village woman and pointed toward the Tea family’s courtyard.

“Who’s that girl Tea Auntie is holding onto?”

The woman, thoroughly enjoying the spectacle, was caught off guard by the question. She glanced over and, without thinking, blurted out:

“Oh, that’s Jiuzhang’s new wife. She just married him yesterday.”

The moment the words left her mouth, she froze. Realizing her mistake, she covered her mouth and quickly slipped away.

“Stop!”

Ayi Duo suddenly shouted.

Atso, momentarily distracted by her outburst, let his guard down. Seizing the opportunity, Cha Jiuzhang locked onto his leg and flipped him onto the ground.

Immediately, he pinned Atso down, locking his joints in place so he couldn’t move.

“1, 2…”

The village men eagerly began counting. If Atso couldn’t break free within ten seconds, Cha Jiuzhang would win.

But before they could reach ten, Ayi Duo shoved through the crowd like a gust of wind and stormed up to Jiang Tiantian and Cha Jiuzhang’s mother.

“Ahhh!”

She let out a furious shriek, her red-rimmed eyes locked onto Jiang Tiantian.

“Who gave you permission to marry Cha Jiuzhang?!”

“He belongs to me!”

“Get out of here!”

She lunged forward, ready to grab Jiang Tiantian.

“7, 8…”

The counting continued, but before they reached ten, Cha Jiuzhang suddenly released Atso, sprang to his feet, and rushed over to shield Jiang Tiantian.

Ayi Duo glared at him, her face full of rage. Seeing him standing protectively in front of Jiang Tiantian, her eyes filled with tears.

“Why?” she demanded.

“You knew I waited for you for three years.”

“How could you do this to me?”

Cha Jiuzhang remained silent, staring at her.

He had already rejected her countless times. He didn’t know what else he could say.

Ayi Duo, furious, tried to push past him to grab Jiang Tiantian.

“You! Get out here, you little seductress! Hiding behind a man—what kind of woman are you?!”

Her insults grew harsher.

Jiang Tiantian’s expression darkened. Despite her delicate and charming features, a sharp glint appeared in her eyes.

“Step aside.”

She pushed Cha Jiuzhang aside, directly facing Ayi Duo. Ignoring her anger, she raised her voice:

“Do you dare to compete with me fairly?”

Her voice was deliberately lowered, making her sound less fragile.

“What?”

Ayi Duo looked at her in disbelief.

Jiang Tiantian pointed at the surrounding crowd.

“Like the men, let’s have a duel.”

“If you win, I’ll leave Tea Village.”

“If I win, you must promise never to bother Cha Jiuzhang again.”

Zuo Mingyan panicked and quickly grabbed Jiang Tiantian’s hand.

“Tiantian, you don’t need to do this. You are Jiuzhang’s legally wedded wife—no one can drive you away.”

Jiang Tiantian smiled and patted her mother-in-law’s arm.

“Mom, it’s fine. My man, I will protect myself. Trust me.”

Ayi Duo wiped away her tears roughly, sneered at Jiang Tiantian’s slender frame, and burned with fighting spirit.

“Fine. I accept.”