Chapter 15: Someone is going to die!

Song Zhangping couldn't pull his second sister away, and on the other side, his younger brother started crying out: "Brother, Brother!" The sound made his head buzz with anxiety.

"Beat that jinx to death!" Little Gu Shi screamed hysterically the moment she heard Song Zhang'an's voice.

She hated this father-killer, mother-killer, this short-lived ghost who had ruined her ability to bear children. She wished she could just smash him to death.

Song La'er's face twitched with rage, his gaze vicious...

Granny Gu jumped up and down screaming, "Beat these bastards to death..."

Song Liyun gripped the military spike hidden in her sleeve.

Everyone stared only at each other, the air seemingly frozen solid, a tragedy about to unfold...

Right then, the courtyard gate was slammed open with a bang. Song Lizheng burst in aggressively, followed by a huge crowd of people.

Usually, the villagers feared Granny Gu's abusive tongue and dared not meddle in the Song family's affairs. But now, emboldened by their numbers, they all squeezed in to watch the spectacle.

The arrival of these people instantly eased the tense atmosphere in the courtyard. The blade in Song Liyun's sleeve vanished in an instant.

Song Lizheng darkened his face and roared at Song La'er: "La'er, are you trying to kill someone and end up in court? Beating a child is no different from murder. Just because they aren't yours, you have the heart to torture them like this?"

Song La'er hadn't expected the Lizheng to stay, let alone have his child-beating exposed.

He didn't feel guilty at all. Gritting his teeth, he tilted his head at Song Lizheng: "What's it to you? Since when does being the village head mean you control the heavens and the earth, and even how a family disciplines their kids behind closed doors?

This spawn dared to raise a hand to his grandmother. That's disobedience and impiety. Even if I beat him to death, the law wouldn't find me guilty."

He was right. Song La'er was the elder. As long as he claimed he was educating his own child, no one could stop him.

Song Lizheng was so angry his chest hurt. He pointed at Song La'er: "I don't care who you discipline. But if I see you beating a child again today, I'll go to the town and report you for abuse."

Old Lady Gu had been scared witless, but now she'd recovered. Hearing the Lizheng threaten to report her son for abuse, she flew into a rage out of humiliation: "Song Laohei, are you trying to take over as head of my household? If you want to be my man, just say so. I'll leave the door unlocked for you tonight. Don't humiliate my son in public like this."

As she cursed, she lunged at the Lizheng in a flash, unleashing her signature move.

No one expected Granny Gu to be this brazen, daring to assault someone in front of so many witnesses. For a moment, no one reacted.

They saw Granny Gu pounce on Song Lizheng, scratching, clawing, crying, and spitting all at once.

Song Lizheng's weathered face was instantly marred. Several deep, bloody gashes ran from his temple down to his chin.

Granny Gu's skills were profound. In the blink of an eye, she nearly gouged his eyeballs out.

On the other side, Little Gu Shi dragged out a wooden stick and rushed forward to join the assault.

Seeing the Lizheng in trouble, the crowd surged forward, pulling and dragging, rescuing him from Old Lady Gu's claws.

Old Lady Gu was fierce and savage. Several people who tried to help got scratched. Curses erupted instantly, and they started fighting back against the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law pair.

It took a huge commotion to finally separate them.

Song Lizheng touched the bloody scratches on his face, pointing at Song La'er and Old Lady Gu cursing: "Shrew, shameless trash. Like father, like son. Song La'er, you'd better accumulate some virtue. If not for yourself, then think of your children. Who in this village dares to cross your family?"

Song La'er watched his mother assault someone with cold eyes, but joy bloomed in his heart, undisguised. He sprawled casually: "Uncle Lizheng, my family matters don't need your concern. With that free time, you'd better worry about how your own bachelor son is going to find a wife."

His daughter, Song Shuirong, was pretty, and with a generous dowry coming soon, suitors in town were lining up—marriage wasn't a worry.

His son was a scholar studying at the academy, destined to pass the imperial exams and become a Xiucai.

He didn't give a damn about a mere village head's words. Besides, Song Lizheng didn't dare meddle in his family affairs anyway.

Seeing Song La'er's rogue, couldn't-care-less attitude, Song Lizheng was rendered speechless with rage.

At Song La'er's shamelessness, the people in the courtyard wore faces full of contempt, yet they were helpless.

He insisted it was family discipline. Even the authorities couldn't touch that, let alone outsiders like them.

Song Liyun didn't rush to speak to Song Zhangping. Instead, she hurried to check on the younger brother crying on the ground, her heart full of regret. Even the joy she'd felt upon first arriving in this peaceful era had faded.

Actually, she'd known the moment the brothers carried firewood into the courtyard.

She just wanted to observe the temperament of this eldest brother she'd never met, and the attitude of Song La'er's household toward the brothers. That's why she hadn't unlocked the door immediately.

At the same time, she had underestimated Granny Gu's viciousness.

She never expected that the moment they returned and set down the firewood, Granny Gu—who had clearly been waiting for an excuse—would start beating them.

What surprised Song Liyun even more was that neither of them dodged.

Song Zhang'an took the beating for his brother, and Song Zhangping defied an elder for his younger brother.

In just these few short minutes, Song Liyun saw the bond between the brothers, and she saw the blood and spirit in Eldest Brother Song Zhangping that life hadn't yet ground down.

Though this unplanned impulse could only be called recklessness. If she hadn't intervened, Song Zhangping's reckless end would surely have been a beating half to death.

But Song Liyun thought it was good. Very good!

Honestly, before meeting him, her feelings for this eldest brother were only the trace of blood-tied affection from the original body's memory. She could treat him well, but had no deeper thoughts.

But just now, right now, she saw a real, living person.

Especially when he told her to run quickly—his eyes held a concern he couldn't hide.

Though that concern was meant for the original soul, it had fallen on her now.

Song Liyun received it, accepted it, and intended to return it.

She bent down and picked up Song Zhang'an from beside the firewood pile, and her heart gave a jolt.

The ten-year-old younger brother was frighteningly light. Holding him was like holding a doll. He wasn't even a meter tall, looking more like a five or six-year-old.

His sallow, yellowish face showed signs of malnutrition. His eyes were dull, his body limp. If not for the faint sobs he was choking back, Song Liyun would have thought she was looking at one of those starvation corpses she'd seen at the beginning of the apocalypse.

Seeing Song Liyun stunned by the sight of the younger brother, Song Zhangping hurriedly took Song Zhang'an from her arms, resting him on his shoulder, soothing him in a low voice like a baby.

Neighbor Aunt Zhang came over to help: "Little An is too timid. Zhangping, you can't spoil him."

A few more people gathered, chattering away. Their words all blamed Little An for being insensible. Some even sighed: "This child is ruined!"

Song Zhangping's eyes reddened slightly. He clenched his jaw, not uttering a word, just holding Song Zhang'an tighter.

Doubts rose in Song Liyun's heart, and her mood grew heavier.

This child isn't normal!

Over there, after settling his younger brother, Song Zhangping looked up toward another part of the yard.

In the courtyard, Song Lizheng and several village elders were sternly lecturing Song Defu, one sentence after another.

Usually, when the Lizheng and elders managed village affairs, they'd go inside a house, clear out the bystanders, and give people face.

Today, he was truly furious. Decades of grievances poured out all at once. He scolded Song La'er until his face flushed red and pale by turns.

Seeing his second uncle had no attention to spare for them, Song Zhangping quickly grabbed Song Liyun's hand and whispered urgently: "Yun'er, go quickly. Don't come back!"

This was the most the siblings had spoken since meeting, and he said it again now.

(End of Chapter)