Chapter 59: Threats

“This is the only bit of food we have at home. I’m giving it to you, hoping you can take Cui Ju with you.”

“Don’t worry, Cui Ju doesn’t eat much; she eats very little and is very obedient. She can help you with work, and it will be fine. I just hope you can take her with you.”

Cui Ju, standing nearby, asked in surprise, “Mom, what are you talking about?”

At this moment, Lu Demin and Lu Jin’an originally didn’t want to get involved, but upon hearing Cui Ju’s mother say this, they both looked puzzled.

“What are you talking about? We have no intention of leaving,” Wan Qing said, frowning as she pulled Cui Ju’s mother’s hand. “The previous matters have passed; Cui Ju is your daughter, so you should take her home properly.”

Cui Ju pulled on Wan Qing’s hand, tears streaming down her face as she cried, “You don’t know how terrifying they are! If you’re caught by them today, you won’t have a peaceful life anymore. They will break into your house every day, take your things, and impose baseless punishments.”

“Especially since some of them say you are capitalists. You must leave tonight; anyone who touches that word won’t be able to survive.”

Lu Demin’s face darkened at her words; wasn’t she cursing them?

“They have no basis for their claims. I don’t believe they can act on it,” Lu Demin said angrily, sitting in his chair, holding his head. “It’s all nonsense; can they just make things up?”

Just as Cui Ju’s mother was about to say something else, the village chief hurriedly entered the yard that Lu Demin had just left open. Seeing the scene inside, he was momentarily stunned but quickly regained his composure.

“Bai An’s dad, you need to pack your things and leave quickly,” the village chief said in a panic. “Otherwise, by tomorrow, you won’t be able to escape.”

Lu Jin’an’s brows furrowed tightly at this moment. “Why?”

Wan Qing also felt a bit anxious; with everyone coming over to say this, it seemed something really was going to happen.

“Village chief, I was indeed an actress before coming to this village, but I am not a loose woman. I have lived my life with integrity; how can they say such things?”

“No, no, it’s not about that,” the village chief shook his head, slowly walking in front of them. The dim light made him look even older.

“It’s about those people from today. You fought with them, and they labeled you as capitalists. You should leave quickly; those people won’t listen to an old man like me.”

“Don’t blame me for speaking up for them today; I really can’t afford to provoke them. Several people have died at their hands in just the past few months.”

Upon hearing this, Wan Qing’s face turned pale as she glanced at Cui Ju’s mother, who also looked unwell.

Bai An furrowed her brows and asked, “How could there be deaths? We haven’t done anything wrong.”

The village chief did not answer but instead took Lu Demin’s hand and said, “In this day and age, no one will reason with you. When I arrived, I saw that someone had painted a cross in blood on your doorstep, so I knew they would come back to trouble you tomorrow.”

“I can only advise you to this extent; whether you leave or not is up to you.”

Seeing Cui Ju and her mother still kneeling nearby, the village chief then asked, “Cui Ju’s mom, what are you doing?”

“Village chief!” Cui Ju’s mother crawled to the village chief.

The village chief was startled and bent down to help her up.

Cui Ju’s mother shook her head, crying out, “Village chief, please help me, help my Cui Ju. Those people today suddenly targeted my Cui Ju, saying she did something wrong and that they would take her away tomorrow.”

“Village chief, I only have this one daughter, Cui Ju. I truly don’t know what wrong she has done!”

The village chief sighed upon hearing this.

“Your daughter helped Bai An’s family today, and they probably saw her,” he said, turning to Bai An’s family. “If you’re going to leave, see if you can take this girl with you. It’s up to you to decide what to do.”

Cui Ju sat on the ground in a daze, crying in fear.

Bai An looked incredulous, unable to believe how their family had ended up in this situation.

“What about Da Zhuang? He helped us fight them; what are we going to do about that?” Bai An asked anxiously.

The village chief thought for a moment. “Da Zhuang is fine. His mother has turned in quite a few things, but that doesn’t mean he’s completely safe. With such poor harvests this year, I don’t know if Da Zhuang’s family can make it.”

Hearing this, Bai An’s face turned pale; they hadn’t expected their friend to be hurt while helping them.

Cui Ju’s mother, watching Bai An’s family, steeled herself and began to kowtow to them one after another. “I beg you, please take Cui Ju away. I just hope she can survive.”

“Mom!” Cui Ju shouted, holding onto her mother’s hand. “Don’t bow, I’m not going!”

Wan Qing hurriedly supported Cui Ju’s mother’s head and said, “It’s also our fault that she got into this. Then she can come with us.”

Upon hearing this, Cui Ju’s mother felt tears welling in her eyes. Trembling, she stuffed a bag of food into Wan Qing’s arms, took one last look at Cui Ju, and ran outside.

“Mom!”

Bai An pulled Cui Ju, who wanted to follow her mother, and shouted, “Cui Ju, don’t go out yet!”

Seeing Cui Ju’s mother run out, the village chief sighed, as if he had completed a task, and unsteadily walked away.

“Don’t cry,” Bai An comforted the weeping Cui Ju, turning to Wan Qing with a questioning look about what to do next.

Wan Qing sighed, walked over, and gently held Cui Ju’s hand, saying softly, “Just follow us from now on. It’s also our fault that you’re in this situation. Don’t worry, although our family isn’t wealthy, as long as I have a meal to eat, you will too.”

“I… I know, but I just can’t bear to leave,” Cui Ju said, choking on her words.

Wan Qing understood that she was feeling very distressed and silently held her close.

Seeing this, Bai An felt relieved and turned to ask, “Should we start packing now?”

Lu Demin looked at Cui Ju, who was being held by Wan Qing, and said softly, “Let’s pack our things first, so we can leave the village before dawn.”

Bai An nodded, glancing at the dark night outside. “I can go out to check on Da Zhuang. After all, he helped us today, and now his family’s food is gone. I feel a bit guilty about that.”

Lu Demin frowned, placing the best food he could spare into Bai An’s hands, asking, “Can you go out alone? Do you want your brother to accompany you?”

Although it wasn’t much, Bai An knew this was the most her father could offer. After what had happened earlier, she would only take a reasonable amount of food from her space to keep in the house.

“No need, I can go by myself,” Bai An said, shaking the cloth bag in her hand, which felt quite heavy. “Is this for Da Zhuang?”

Lu Demin nodded. “This is also to thank Da Zhuang for his help back then.”