Chapter 108: Congratulations [seeking Monthly Votes]
“Sorry, not going that way. You might wait a bit longer and hitch another ride.”
Not to mention the cart was loaded with bricks; even if it weren’t, Shang Wan had no intention of giving the two a lift.
After saying that, she didn’t care how the two reacted, drove the cart away, leaving the grandmother and granddaughter staring blankly at the ox cart for a good while.
She just left like that?
On the dirt road, yellow sand flew up, and the sunlight slanting from above was a bit dazzling.
Shang Wan pulled her bamboo hat low again to block the sun, her mind repeatedly flashing back to the grandmother and granddaughter’s attire, movements, and expressions from moments ago.
Two women, one old and one young, going to visit relatives—if they didn’t know the way, the best choice was to rent a cart, not randomly stop a cart on the road and ask, after all, who knew if the person was good or bad?
Moreover, from their attire, the two didn’t look like people who couldn’t afford to rent a cart.
Her ox cart was loaded with a full cart of bricks, packed without a single gap, and the front seat was narrow—with that old lady’s build, three people simply couldn’t fit; anyone with a bit of common sense wouldn’t ask for a ride.
She couldn’t get off and pull the cart for the two as their carter, could she?
Shang Wan expanded her hearing range to the maximum, somewhat curious about what reaction the grandmother and granddaughter would have after she drove away.
Hm… basically the old woman talking, the young girl just responding.
Hm… complaining, cursing her, grumbling, complaining, cursing her, still complaining… oh, heard something useful.
This unfamiliar grandmother and granddaughter turned out to be relatives of the Lin Family; from the tone, they seemed to be Liu Shi’s family from her maternal family home.
The reason the two didn’t rent a cart was that Liu Shi had promised to pick them up with a donkey cart, but they waited in the county town without anyone showing up; the old woman was unwilling to spend money to hire a cart, so the two had walked all the way here by asking directions.
Walking the official road was fine, but this dirt road was more winding; the two momentarily forgot the way, and being tired anyway, they stopped to rest and wait to ask passing travelers.
Shang Wan secretly tsked; helping is a favor, not helping is one’s duty—who was doing the moral blackmailing?
Don’t pick roadside wildflowers, don’t casually help roadside people—who knows if you’re helping a person or a ghost.
Shang Wan hummed a tuneless melody and leisurely returned to the village.
“Xiucai Scholar’s Wife, out hauling bricks again?”
“Mm.” Shang Wan gave a simple greeting, “Aunt just came back from washing clothes by the riverside?”
“Yeah, the riverside was quite lively just now; your family probably has a happy event coming up.” Aunt said, “I’m hurrying back to hang the clothes; drop by the house when you have time.”
After saying that, she hurried off.
A question mark popped up over Shang Wan’s head—what happy event was coming up?
She drove the ox cart around the bend and hadn’t gone far when Gao Family’s widowed daughter-in-law Aunt Gui came face-to-face, beaming with uncontainable joy all over her.
“Oh, Xiucai Scholar’s Wife, I was just about to go to your house to find you—how fortuitous to run into you; it’s fate between our two families.” Aunt Gui stepped forward quickly, “First off, congratulations to the Xiucai Scholar’s Wife.”
Shang Wan was puzzled: “Where’s this joy coming from?”
Why was everyone congratulating her one after another?
“Of course it’s the marriage proposal between your family’s younger sister and my family’s Gao Qi.” Aunt Gui’s voice was loud, as if she wanted the whole village to know, “The two kids took a liking to each other and have had intimate contact; I was just on my way to your house to propose.”
Gao Qi and Xiao Huan?!
What kind of ghost story is this!!!
Shang Wan’s face suddenly darkened, her voice cold as ice, “A young lady’s reputation is vital; Aunt, don’t speak recklessly. If I hear anyone joking about my family’s younger sister’s reputation again, don’t blame me for turning hostile!”
“How do you talk like that? Who’s joking?”
Seeing Shang Wan deny it, Aunt Gui’s joyful expression faded, and she shouted: “Everyone by the riverside saw it clearly—that girl is called Xiao Huan, right? She was pulling and tugging with my Qi’er in public, clinging to my son nonstop, just short of dragging him into the reed marsh to roll around! Reputation? Saying that doesn’t make you afraid of people laughing their teeth out!”
Shang Wan furrowed her brows tightly.
“It’s just that my son took a liking to Xiao Huan; otherwise, with such a shameless hussy, my family wouldn’t want—”
“Slap slap slap!” Shang Wan raised her hand and delivered three slaps, catching Aunt Gui completely off guard.
She said coldly: “Since Aunt can’t remember, I’ll help you etch it into your memory!”
The pain slowly registered; Aunt Gui touched her swollen, aching cheek and suddenly shrieked, lunging at Shang Wan heedlessly.
“Ah! I’ll beat you to death, you little bitch!”
“A whole family of lowly bastards!”
“Saucy fox spirit!”
Shang Wan grabbed her hands in return and slapped her twice more, leaving Aunt Gui dizzy and seeing stars.
“Keep cursing; let’s see if your face hurts more or my hand does.”
“Let go! Murder! Everyone come out and see! Help!” Aunt Gui’s eyes bulged red as she struggled, opening her mouth to spit at Shang Wan’s face.
Shang Wan was quick-eyed and handy, pinching her jaw and tilting it back, making her swallow it herself.
“Say one more word, and I’ll pull out your tongue.”
Shang Wan stared into Aunt Gui’s eyes, her killing intent almost tangible, yet her tone was extremely calm, as if pulling out a tongue was the most ordinary little thing.
As if gripped by an invisible giant hand around the neck, Aunt Gui’s face turned red from holding her breath; in the end, intimidated by Shang Wan’s aura, she didn’t utter a single word.
She feared that this woman who acted without hesitation would really pull out her tongue.
Shang Wan had no time to tangle with her further; seeing her behave, she released her hands, shoved her outward, and drove the ox cart home.
When the villagers were drawn over by Aunt Gui’s earlier shouting, they only saw her slumped on the ground sobbing, both cheeks swollen like peaches and threaded with blood.
“Gao Family’s, what happened to you?”
“Who hit you?”
……
As soon as Shang Wan got home, she sensed the off atmosphere in the house.
Glancing around without seeing Xiao Huan, she jumped off the ox cart and asked urgently: “Where’s Xiao Huan?”
Shi Tou pointed toward the shed, “Changing clothes inside.”
Shang Wan listened carefully but heard no unusual sounds from the shed.
She slightly relaxed, scanned the crowd, and fixed her gaze on the grim-faced Lu Chengjing, “What exactly happened? Why did Xiao Huan get tangled up with that rogue Gao Qi?”
Lu Chengjing had just opened his mouth, not yet spoken, when Xiao Huan came out after changing clothes, looking fairly spirited.
No need for Lu Chengjing to say it; she spilled it all like pouring beans.
“That bastard tried to molest me, and I beat him up. Then he grabbed me trying to frame me, yelling that I’d long ago had relations with him and rolled who knows how many times in the reed marsh, forcing me to be his wife. Lots of villagers saw it.”
Xiao Huan gnashed her teeth hatefully: “If I’d known, I’d have carried the kitchen knife and chopped off that thing of his directly! Spare it from harming people!”
Hearing Xiao Huan hadn’t suffered any loss, Shang Wan finally set down her worried heart.
She asked: “Where’s Gao Qi?”
“Over there.” Shi Tou pointed to the bushes where he was digging to bury cow and sheep manure, “He relentlessly chased after Xiao Huan; his left leg got bitten by Xiao Hui who pounced, his right leg took an arrow from brother-in-law, then Big Brother Gao and Brother Ma teamed up to tie him up.”
Shang Wan: No wonder she heard movement from behind the bushes.
