Chapter 19: Coming to Settle the Score

But what were they seeing now? Wenyao, holding a hoe almost as tall as herself, was tilling the ground bit by bit.

Her arms were so sore they felt numb—she had never expected that her former self had never done any farm work. It was truly a hardship for her, the daughter of a second-generation agricultural scientist who’d grown up at the Academy of Agricultural Sciences.

“You’re here, just in time. Help me watch over Bighead for a while. I’ll be done here soon.” Wenyao wiped the sweat from her forehead and continued laboriously swinging the hoe.

Watching the uneven patches she dug—some deep, some shallow—Wendi couldn’t bear it any longer.

“Let me do it.” Wendi stepped forward to take the hoe from her.

Looking at Wendi, who was only a few months older than herself, Wenyao gave a sheepish smile. Seeing how effortlessly Wendi crushed and smoothed out the clods of earth that had cost her so much effort to dig up, Wenyao was left only with envy.

“There’s a technique to hoeing the ground. If you keep doing it like you just did, you won’t be able to move your hands tomorrow.” Wendi explained as she demonstrated the proper way to use strength skillfully and dig efficiently.

Wenyao laughed awkwardly.

“So, are you opening up land to plant something?” Wendi asked.

“Yes, I want to open a vegetable patch in the backyard and grow some greens.” Honestly, her cheap mother had never farmed a day in her life, let alone grown vegetables. The few cabbages they still had at home had been given by the old house.

With a father like that and a mother like this, it was a wonder the original family had managed to survive at all.

However, Wenyao remembered that her mother often made embroidery to sell in town, which brought in some income. Otherwise, the family might have starved long ago.

After half a day’s hard work, Wenyao had barely cleared a patch, but Wendi soon had a three-meter by two-meter plot opened up in the backyard.

“Compost some fertilizer, and once the weather warms up a bit, you can sow seeds. What do you want to plant? I can bring you some seeds from home,” Wendi offered.

Wenyao wasn’t sure what kinds of crops people grew in this era, so she asked, “Sis, what do we have at home?”

“We have vegetable and melon seeds, and even scallion,” Wendi replied.

It sounded like she’d answered, but also as if she’d said nothing at all.

No matter—she’d just plant whatever was available. After all, she had her space, and anything she needed she could buy there.

Seeing the freshly opened plot, Wenyao waved her hand grandly. “Come on, let me make you something delicious.”

Ingredients were limited, and after recalling the hard, dry pastries they’d eaten yesterday, Wenyao decided to make something different to treat their taste buds.

She cracked eggs into a large bowl, added yeast and sugar, poured in warm water and mixed everything well. Then she added flour to make a batter and set it aside to rise.

Once the batter was ready, she brushed small bowls with oil, poured in the batter, let it rise a second time, and then steamed them for half an hour. At the end, she left them to rest for a while.

It was a pity there weren’t any dried fruits. If only she’d had some raisins, dried dates, or cranberries to sprinkle on top, and a dash of black sesame—then they would taste even better.

While they were preparing, Wenying, unable to help, took Bighead out to play. Yet by the time the steamed cakes were ready, neither had returned.

“I’ll go look for them,” Wendi said, swallowing her saliva at the aroma, but still thinking of her younger siblings.

Before she could step out, they heard Wenying’s angry voice approaching. Then Wenying and Bighead appeared, both covered in mud.

Wenyao took one look and thought, Goodness, did they roll around in the dirt? Or did someone beat them up? Bighead’s clothes were even torn.

Wenying kept cursing as she entered, her free hand waving wildly.

“If anyone calls you names, are you just going to take it? Next time they dare call you a little mute, just come get me—I’ll beat them to a pulp!”

Wenyao’s expression changed.

“You got into a fight? Are you hurt? How did your clothes get torn?” When she saw the bruise on Bighead’s hand, her last shred of adult composure vanished. She rolled up her sleeves. “Who did this?”

Bighead quickly tugged on Wenyao, shaking his head and refusing to let her go outside.

Wenying, seeing Wenyao’s reaction, became even more eager. She rolled up her sleeves too. “Second Sister, I’ll go with you. If I don’t beat them till they’re looking for their teeth on the ground, I won’t be called Wenying!”

Wendi grabbed her, scolding, “Don’t make things worse. Wenyao, ask what happened first.”

It was Wendi’s first time seeing Wenyao so fierce. Before, under their aunt’s influence, Wenyao had always been gentle and soft-spoken, rarely talking at all. When had she ever shown such a temper?

Wenyao calmed down at Wendi’s words. She crouched down, staring seriously at Bighead. “Bighead, what happened?”

She knew it was impossible, but she still harbored a sliver of hope that Bighead would speak. But he just pressed his lips together in silence, and under Wenyao’s stern gaze, his eyes began to brim with tears.

Wenying spoke up for him. “I took Bighead to the village to play. Some kids called him a little mute, an unwanted mute with no mother. I got so mad I beat them up.”

The look of grievance in Bighead’s eyes, and the tears about to fall, made Wenyao’s heart ache.

She took a deep breath, stood up, and said coldly, “Who said it?”

“Li Erhu and his gang of flunkies,” Wenying replied.

Without another word, Wenyao grabbed Bighead and headed out.

Wenying’s eyes lit up, and she hurried to catch up. “Second Sister, are we going to settle accounts? Should we bring some tools?”

Wenyao sneered. Of course they were going to settle accounts.

But she wasn’t just going after the children. If a child isn’t taught, the fault lies with the parents.

She knew that Liu’s departure had hurt Bighead deeply, and the family had become the village’s biggest laughingstock ever since. If they didn’t stand up for themselves, they’d be bullied forever.

Better to live boldly and with pride than to endure a lifetime of humiliation.

Wendi, seeing them go, hurried back to lock the kitchen and the front gate, then followed.

Wenyao, holding Bighead’s hand, marched straight to Li Erhu’s house. Seeing their gate closed, she didn’t hesitate—she started pounding on the door.

“Li Erhu, come out!” Wenyao shouted. She gauged the height of the yard wall, stepped back, picked up a stone, and tossed it inside. With pests like that, even a stone in the yard was deserved. It wasn’t big, and she didn’t throw it hard enough to hurt anyone.

Moments later, the sound of curses came from inside, followed by the creak of the gate.

A large, fierce-faced woman appeared at the door, and started cursing immediately. “Which bastard dared throw a stone into my house?” Seeing Wenyao holding Bighead’s hand, she narrowed her eyes. “Was it you, you little wretch? Hmph, your mother ran off with a man, and I can see you’re no good either, daring to throw stones at my house!”

Wenyao’s eyes darkened. She shoved Bighead into Wendi’s arms. “Look after him.” Then to Wenying, “Quick, run home and get Grandma and the others.”

Wenying turned and dashed off.

No one expected the slim, petite Wenyao to suddenly rush forward and slam straight into the woman at the door.

The villagers who’d gathered to watch the commotion saw Wenyao knock Li’s fat woman backward, sending her sprawling into the yard.

A collective gasp rang out.

Wendi inhaled sharply, eyes wide with shock.

Bighead was simply stunned.