Mrs. Qin is blind and can only see light. Although she fumbled her way outside, it was her own home where she had lived for decades, so even with her eyes closed, she wouldn't bump into anything and she didn't move slowly at all.
Mrs. Qin's hair was gray, but her body was not hunched. She held a kitchen knife, which added to her imposing presence. She stood at the doorway, one hand on her waist and the other waving the knife in the air.
"Which bastard is yelling here? Oh, it's the family from Zhang Lianqiao's house. Our Little Tian'er was harmed by Lianqiao, and we haven't even come to your door, but you've come to ours! Since you're here, it saves me a trip!"
Mrs. Qin glared with her eyes wide open. She saw silhouettes of people that she could vaguely recognize from afar, but couldn't make out those closer to her. Yet her aura was quite fierce.
"I'm not talking to an old hag like you. Get that little widow out here and let her say herself if Lianqiao pushed her or if she fell down on her own!"
The speaker was Zhang Lianqiao's elder brother, Zhang Shuncai, known in the village as Goushun, a hunter infamous for being troublesome. With so many brothers at home, no one in the village dared provoke them.
The Luo family had no men, and Beisitian was famously timid. Even if she could come out, would she dare to admit the truth?
Instead, the old hag from the Luo family was quite fierce. Even Goushun, as troublesome as he was, wouldn't dare openly lay hands on her in front of so many people. That's why he insisted on finding Beisitian, taking advantage of her timid nature, knowing she wouldn't speak up.
"Little Tian'er was pushed down the hill by Zhang Lianqiao, broke two ribs, sprained her ankle, it's swollen like a bun, and her body is covered in injuries. You're asking her to come out now, that's just bullying, my goodness, our Luo family has no one, we're orphans and widows, just being bullied like this!" Mrs. Qin suddenly burst into tears at the end.
She spotted a woman in the crowd, Jiang Hongmei, Luo Anguo's sister-in-law. Without looking, she could imagine that at this moment, Jiang Hongmei must be watching the scene with rapt interest.
Seeing one's own people being bullied and watching with great interest, Mrs. Qin almost died of rage not because of Zhang Shuncai, but because of this woman!
Jiang Hongmei's smile faded when she heard Mrs. Qin shouting about the Luo family having no one. Knowing those words were meant for her, she spat lightly when no one was looking, glared at Mrs. Qin, and turned away.
The men in her family weren't around, what could one woman do?
She went home contentedly to sleep.
Watching Jiang Hongmei sway her hips as she left, Mrs. Qin snorted coldly, glared severely at her retreating figure, then turned back to stare at Zhang Shuncai.
"Don't tell me that nonsense, get the little widow out here. Her injuries are her own doing. What did my sister ever do to deserve such grievances, losing so much weight in more than half a month? It's not easy raising a person in our family! I don't care if she doesn't come out, then pay up!"
Zhang Shuncai finally got to the point by going around in circles.
He came today to squeeze out some money. With so many brothers in the family, each needing a wife, and now that animals have become protected, they can't hunt as they please. Catching a rabbit or a muntjac just about solves hunger, how could they save up for a bride!
Mrs. Qin knew early on that he was up to no good, so this was what he was waiting for.
"Bah! You Zhang family are so shameless! Not only did you push my daughter-in-law down the mountain, but you insist on accusing the innocent and ask us for compensation. Did a dog eat your conscience!" Mrs. Qin cursed angrily.
"Old hag, don't refuse face when given! Just because we speak nicely doesn't mean we're afraid of you. Either pay up or get her out to apologize to my sister, then pay up!" Zhang Shuncai stepped forward, face showing a sinister expression, ready to make a move if unsatisfied.
Basically, all this talk is just about asking for money!
"If you want money, step over my dead body. Even if I die, I'll take someone down with me!"
Mrs. Qin's cloudy eyes bulged wide, and although she couldn't see, they seemed to emit a fierce light that made Zhang Shuncai take a step back. Realizing that he was actually frightened by an old woman, he felt embarrassed and instantly his face twisted into a ferocious look.
"Old hag, you think I dare not..."
"Dare not what!"
A voice rang from the back of the crowd, and upon hearing it, people automatically made way.
A man in his forties with a sullen face and glaring eyes walked in.
"Heh heh heh, it's the village chief. You see this old thing, her daughter-in-law made a mistake, refuses to admit it, my sister Lianqiao suffered immensely, as brothers, if we don't stand up for her, who will!" Zhang Shuncai put on a sly grin when he saw the newcomer.
Xu Youcai was the head of Kao Village, a small place with about a hundred or so households. The village had bullies on both the east and west sides, and the Zhang family was the east's tyrant, taking advantage of their many brothers to bully people in the village, but because they provided a lot of labor, the village often turned a blind eye as long as they didn't go too far.
Besides the bullies, the most disdained family in the village was the Luo family. If it weren't for a scoundrel in their household, they wouldn't have tarnished the village's reputation, causing the entire Kao Village to lift their heads.
So Xu Youcai first glared at Mrs. Qin upon entering, then looked at Zhang Shuncai, "Why all the noise? You're a grown man acting tough in front of a woman, what's the big idea?"
Zhang Shuncai grinned sheepishly. Despite having many brothers, he couldn't afford to offend an official, Xu was new in office, and going against him would mean losing his mind!
Still, he felt wronged; that blind old woman was vicious, her gaze alone, despite her blindness, was already formidable. If she could see, wouldn't she be unstoppable?
"Village chief, are you saying my sister should suffer in vain?" Zhang Shuncai gave up being aggressive and started to play the victim.
Zhang Lianqiao had always been obedient and sensible, and Xu Youcai thought well of the girl. Still, he didn't necessarily favor Beisitian either, knowing her to be timid and lacking, a personality as quiet as a mouse's, uncertain about what really happened. Only those two girls knew.
"Alright, alright, don't be so aggressive. Let that girl Little Tian'er come out and apologize to your sister in front of everyone, but don't ask for money."
A family like this couldn't afford to pay anyway!
Zhang Shuncai was very unwilling. He came mainly wanting cash; who needed that little widow's apology? Can an apology fill the belly?
Mrs. Qin wasn't happy either, what a bind. She understood her daughter-in-law's nature very well. If she came out, she'd surely be scared into apologizing all around, and that would confirm her false accusation against Zhang Lianqiao. Who knew how much trouble the Zhang brothers would stir up afterward!