Chapter 5: Going Too Far

Carrying the rabbit, Chen Jie hurried toward his home and soon returned to his thatched cottage.

Then, he discovered that his courtyard was surrounded by a crowd of people.

He was alarmed. Could it be that the Su sisters had taken advantage of his absence to commit suicide at home?

Recalling Su Yunjin’s desperation that morning, he didn't think it was impossible.

Thinking this, Chen Jie rushed toward his courtyard. Only when he got closer did he hear the voices inside.

"Listen here, you Su woman, I think you’re tired of living! How dare you run to my territory to dig for wild vegetables? If you don't give me an explanation today, I’ll skin you alive, you unloved piece of trash."

The first thing that reached his ears was a coarse, vicious female voice. Chen Jie recognized it; it was the wife of the village rogue Lu San, Lu Qin-shi. This woman was quite fierce and was a well-known shrew in the village.

Relying on her husband’s connections with the village’s fish market, she was always bullying others.

After listening to a few sentences, Chen Jie understood the cause and effect of the situation.

It turned out that as soon as he left today, Su Yunjin had taken the little one, Su Yunrui, out to dig for wild vegetables.

In these times, wild vegetables weren't everywhere, so they had gone to the edge of the East River.

That area was near the river, rich in water and grass, and had the most wild vegetables, but it had long been claimed by Lu San’s family.

Lu San’s wife, Lu Qin-shi, was the most overbearing. She had marked off an area, claiming it as her territory and forbidding anyone else from digging there.

Su Yunjin had been starving, so she took the little one to dig a few vegetables, never expecting to be discovered by Lu Qin-shi. She had then been chased all the way home, with Lu Qin-shi threatening to make this "piece of trash" Su Yunjin pay.

If she didn't make the Su woman pay a price this time, everyone would dare to dig for vegetables in her territory in the future.

That was how the current scene came to be. Chen Jie frowned slightly, and immediately after, he heard Su Yunjin’s voice from the courtyard: "Sister-in-law Lu, I dug these vegetables. I apologize this time, and I won't go there again."

"Won't go again? You think you still have a future? You piece of trash, keep dreaming! I’m telling you, you’ll return every single vegetable you dug today, and then you’ll kneel and kowtow to me in front of everyone. Only then will I spare you. Otherwise, I’ll peel your skin off!"

Hearing this, the surrounding villagers frowned slightly. This Lu woman was too overbearing. If she dug your vegetables, returning them should be enough; why make her kneel and kowtow?

This was bullying people too much.

However, no one stepped forward to speak for Su Yunjin. After all, Lu San’s family were such scoundrels, like dog-skin plasters that no one wanted to provoke.

Su Yunjin’s face was deathly pale. Coming from a scholarly family, she naturally knew about propriety, justice, integrity, and shame. But now, this Lu Qin-shi was clearly trying to trample on her dignity, and she refused to accept it.

Thinking this, Su Yunjin said, "Sister-in-law Lu, don't go too far!"

"Oh my, you still dare to talk back? Let me tear that dog mouth of yours, you unloved piece of trash!"

As she spoke, Lu Qin-shi prepared to strike. In truth, she had come today to establish her authority. Recently, everyone’s food supplies were bottoming out, and those digging for wild vegetables were becoming less disciplined; her territory was occasionally being picked by others.

However, those families had men to back them up, so she didn't dare to use force if they didn't go too far. But today, even this Su Yunjin dared to come and dig, and she was instantly enraged.

If others had men to back them up, fine, but your family’s good-for-nothing gambler doesn't even care about you. If a loser like you dares to provoke me, fine—I’ll just use you, a soft persimmon, to set an example.

As she spoke, Lu Qin-shi lunged forward. Seeing this, the surrounding villagers couldn't bear to watch. How could Su Yunjin, a young lady from a scholarly family, fight against a shrew like Lu Qin-shi? A beating was inevitable.

Su Yunjin’s face was very pale, but there was a look of determination in her eyes. She had never fought before, but she didn't want to be slaughtered like a lamb.

Inside the house, the little one was peeking out the window, her dark little hands clutching the wild vegetables tightly. Her sister had said that no matter what, she had to protect these vegetables.

But seeing her sister about to be beaten, she was terrified.

Just as Lu Qin-shi rushed in front of Su Yunjin, a voice came from outside the gate.

"What are you doing?!"

Hearing the voice, everyone looked toward the entrance. They saw Chen Jie walking in, carrying a large, fat rabbit. The crowd’s eyes immediately turned envious; that fat rabbit looked like it weighed seven or eight jin!

"Jiu Si is back."

The crowd greeted Chen Jie with smiles and made way for him at the gate.

Chen Jie walked in.

Lu Qin-shi also saw Chen Jie, and especially the fat rabbit in his hand; she couldn't help but swallow her saliva.

"Chen Jiu Si, you’ve come back just in time. Hurry up and discipline this piece of trash in your house—"

Seeing Chen Jie, Lu Qin-shi was not only unafraid but became even more arrogant, as if Chen Jie were there to back her up.

This was no surprise, as the old Chen Jiu Si was indeed a bastard. Last time, she had also blocked their door to bully Su Yunjin, even slapping her twice.

At that time, Chen Jiu Si had been inside the house, but he hadn't dared to make a peep. Later, some even said that not only did he not help his wife, but he had scolded Su Yunjin for causing him trouble.

With such a coward, who wouldn't bully you?

This had led to Su Yunjin becoming synonymous with someone easy to bully. Her own husband wouldn't help her, her maiden family was all dead—if she wasn't easy to bully, who was?

Lu Qin-shi pulled Su Yunjin in front of Chen Jie and said, "Jiu Si, you’re back just in time. Discipline this piece of trash in your house. She has no manners at all, running to my territory to dig for vegetables. You need to give me an explanation for this, or your Brother Lu San won't spare you when he gets back."

Hearing this, everyone looked at Chen Jie. Su Yunjin also glanced at him, but her eyes were full of desolation. She knew Chen Jie wouldn't help her; he only knew how to bully those at home, but was a coward outside.

Thinking this, she lowered her head, preparing to accept the humiliation and the beating.

Chen Jie glanced at Lu Qin-shi and said in a flat voice, "What kind of explanation do you want?"

Hearing this, Lu Qin-shi thought Chen Jie was afraid and was going to make concessions, so she laughed: "Heh heh... I knew Brother Jiu Si was the most reasonable. How about this, I won't bully you. I don't even want the vegetables anymore. Just have this bitch kowtow and apologize to me, and give me the rabbit in your hand, and we'll call it even. How about that?"

*Hiss~*

Hearing this, everyone around gasped. This Lu Qin-shi was truly ruthless; she was planning to extort a fat rabbit from them over a few wild vegetables. She was really bullying them to the extreme.

This young Mrs. Su was truly unlucky to have married such an incompetent thing. People were already riding on their necks and defecating, and he could still endure it.

If the man of the house isn't tough, the woman is bound to suffer a terrible fate.

The people around watched with deep emotion, feeling sorry for Su Yunjin’s tragic fate. No wonder people said that a woman marrying is like being reborn a second time.

The Su family had been a well-known scholarly family for miles around. When the old Master Su was alive, who didn't look up to them? But now that the daughter had married this good-for-nothing gambler Chen Jiu Si, she really had the worst luck in eight lifetimes...

Chen Jie didn't answer, but Lu Qin-shi threatened, "Jiu Si, Sister-in-law isn't forcing you. Give me a straight answer on whether you'll compensate me or not. It’s me talking to you now; when your Brother Lu San comes back tonight, it won't be such a polite conversation."

Hearing this, Chen Jie finally spoke.