Chapter 15: The Dispute

Qin Huiyin ran for a while, glanced back to make sure Song Ruizhe wasn’t following, then plopped down on the ground, panting heavily.

Suddenly, she saw small green fruits right in front of her.

“Wild peppers...”

Excited, she scrambled up, picked one, and popped it into her mouth. The familiar spicy taste confirmed it—she was beside herself with joy.

“So it turns out Song Ruizhe is my lucky star!”

The wild pepper plant was thriving here; letting it bloom unseen was truly a pity. Without hesitation, she uprooted it to give it a new home. Searching nearby, she found three more plants and took them all away.

As Qin Huiyin climbed a tree to collect eggs from a bird’s nest, Song Ruizhe appeared, one hand holding a rabbit, the other a pheasant. He looked up. Qin Huiyin looked down. For a moment, time seemed to stand still.

Recalling the original story, where Song Ruizhe was famed for flaying people alive, Qin Huiyin felt a chill run down her spine. She stammered, “What a coincidence, meeting you again.”

Song Ruizhe gazed at her with an inscrutable expression.

Under his stare, Qin Huiyin could feel her skin prickle.

Why wasn’t he leaving?

Did he want the bird eggs as well?

As she hesitated, wondering whether to offer the eggs to appease this future madman, a small snake suddenly slithered up the tree trunk, tongue flickering toward her.

Before she had time to think, she seized the snake by its neck and flung it away with all her might.

Song Ruizhe watched as the snake hurtled toward him. With a swift motion of his sickle—

Whack! The snake was sliced in two.

Qin Huiyin’s face turned ashen. “I’m doomed now. I’ve really offended him.”

Song Ruizhe snorted coldly and strode away.

Seeing him leave, Qin Huiyin patted her chest in relief.

She tried to recall the original host’s entanglements with Song Ruizhe. Unlike her limited interactions with the male lead, the original host had spent nearly a year with this future villain, committing countless acts that courted disaster.

“If I throw myself at him now, clutching his leg and begging for mercy, would he be magnanimous enough to let me off?” Qin Huiyin muttered to herself as she gathered the eggs.

She climbed down and headed down the mountain with her basket.

As she reached the outer edge of the mountain, she heard shouts and curses not far off.

“Today, I’m taking this bundle of firewood whether you give it up or not. Tang Yixiao, you better get this straight—someone like you, sickly and without a mother to raise you, should be grateful we even bother with you. Stop being ungrateful. Hand it over. Enough nonsense.”

Following the voices, Qin Huiyin saw a burly boy shove Tang Yixiao, who was carrying firewood, snatching it from him and kicking him several times.

There were other boys nearby, some tall, some short, all filthy and scruffy. In contrast, Tang Yixiao’s pale complexion made him look more delicate than any girl.

Tang Yixiao got up and rushed to reclaim his firewood, his pretty face twisted in anger. But before he could get close, the other boys kicked him to the ground.

“What are you doing?” Qin Huiyin shouted sternly.

The boys glanced at her dismissively.

“Mind your own business. If you piss us off, we won’t care if you’re a boy or a girl—we’ll still beat you up.”

Qin Huiyin set down her basket, rolled her sleeves, and replied coolly, “What a coincidence. I don’t care if you’re boys or girls either—if I get mad, I’ll beat anyone up.”

The boys sneered at her.

“Qin Huiyin, your mother married his father, so this sickly brat is just a burden to your family. I bet you don’t like him either, right? We’re helping you teach him a lesson—you should thank us.”

“Whatever goes on between us is our family’s business. Who gave you the right to run your mouth here?” Qin Huiyin put her hands on her hips, giving the burly boy a shove. “I’ll give you one chance. Leave now, and I’ll spare you. If you don’t, my fists won’t be so polite.”

“Sister? Ha! Qin Huiyin, are you crazy? With that little frame, you think you can take us on?”

The boys burst out laughing, as if watching a fool.

Tang Yixiao said coldly, “I don’t need your help. Get lost.”

Qin Huiyin glared at him. “Shut up! Right now, we’re on the same side. No matter what quarrels we have at home, out here we stick together, understand?”

Tang Yixiao: “...”

The burly boy, used to being a bully in the village, was incensed. Not only was Tang Yixiao defying him, but this bratty girl dared to challenge him too.

He reached out to push Qin Huiyin, but she deftly twisted his arm and pinned him with a joint lock.

“Ahhh! It hurts—let go! Qin Huiyin, you little wretch, let me go or my parents will make you pay!”

“Still acting tough?” Qin Huiyin tightened her grip.

“What are you all waiting for? Get her! Beat her until even her mother won’t recognize her!” the burly boy, nicknamed Black Ox, roared.

The other boys exchanged glances, then charged at Qin Huiyin, confident that she, a mere girl, couldn’t resist them all.

As the three boys lunged, Qin Huiyin grabbed a stick from the ground and swung it at them.

Whack! She rained blows on their backsides, scolding fiercely, “Did your parents never teach you manners? Let me give you a lesson!”

“Tang Yixiao’s mother died in childbirth bringing him into this world. She gave her life for him—don’t let me hear you say he was born but not raised by a mother again. If I do, I’ll twist your heads off and use them for footballs!”

“Heaven made you boys, not so you could use your strength to bully the weak...”

“You crazy girl, you shrew—ow! Stop! Father, mother, help...”

Tang Yixiao stared at Qin Huiyin in astonishment.

Qin Huiyin was quick and ruthless. The bullies were soon bawling from the pain.

“Stop, we give up...”

“Apologize!”

“Sorry!”

“Not to me—to Tang Yixiao.”

“Tang Yixiao, sorry...”

“Sorry, we shouldn’t have bullied you or taken your firewood...”

“Tang Yixiao, we won’t take your things anymore. Ow, it hurts, stop...”

Qin Huiyin paused and looked at Tang Yixiao. “Will you forgive them?”

Tang Yixiao hesitated, then shook his head. “No.”

“You heard him. He doesn’t forgive you. But I’ll let it go this time—if there’s a next time, I’ll make sure the whole village knows. Then everyone will know that you boys couldn’t even handle one girl. You’ll be laughed at for life, and when you grow up, you won’t even find a wife. Who would want a useless weakling?”

“You—!” Black Ox trembled with rage.

“Well, aren’t you leaving? It’ll be dark soon. If you don’t gather firewood, your parents will deal with you.”

Clutching their sore backsides, the boys left, walking awkwardly.

Qin Huiyin turned to Tang Yixiao. “Can you get up?”

Tang Yixiao stood, muttering, “Don’t think I’ll thank you.”

“You’re overthinking it. I didn’t mean to save you—you were just in my way.” She made a face at him.

Tang Yixiao: “...”

Qin Huiyin picked up Tang Yixiao’s firewood. “You carry my basket. Be careful, what’s inside is very important.”

Tang Yixiao glanced inside. There were only a few ‘weeds,’ lighter than his firewood.

As the two walked away, a figure leapt down from a tree, a handful of bird eggs in hand. Standing beneath the branches, his gaze followed the direction Qin Huiyin had gone.

Heh! She certainly treats the Tang family well.