Chapter 27: Pulling Out a Brick at the Slightest Disagreement
“Looks like all of you have heard about me, huh? How embarrassing,” Ning Xiyue said as she swept her gaze around the room — though there wasn’t a hint of embarrassment on her face, only a faint smile curling at the corners of her lips.
“Perfect. I’d actually like to hear how I look in your eyes — or rather, what kind of image Ning Xiaoxiao painted of me for you. After all, before coming down to the countryside, I had a falling out with her after collecting the money she owed me. For the sake of our future harmonious collective life, if you have anything to say, any questions to ask, or are curious about what happened between me and Ning Xiaoxiao, go ahead and speak freely. I’ll answer anything I can.”
She paused, then leaned forward with both hands on the table, looking down at Ning Xiaoxiao as she enunciated each word:
“Of course, if anything I say is wrong, feel free to challenge me.” — Let’s see if you can expose me, or if you’ll end up revealing yourself instead.
Ning Xiaoxiao put on a pitiful, wounded expression and looked at Ning Xiyue. “Xiyue, I know you don’t like me, but there’s no need to air our family’s business in front of everyone…”
“Who’s your sister? Don’t flatter yourself. Go ask my mom if she recognizes you as one,” Ning Xiyue sneered. “Besides, I think it’s very necessary. I’d really like to know what grand deed I supposedly did, that before I even arrived here, the whole village already had stories about me.”
“Alright then, let’s begin. Everyone, speak your mind — no need to hold back.” She said this casually and then sat back down.
Ning Xiaoxiao loved to say half-sentences, to mislead people, to smear her behind her back, to act innocent and pitiful to gain sympathy. Well, Ning Xiyue was going to drag everything out into the open, right here in front of everyone, and see who ended up embarrassed.
And this crowd wasn’t one that Ning Xiaoxiao could silence.
Wang Fenglan was the first to clap, laughing heartily. “I like people who speak openly and clearly like you, comrade. Bold and straightforward — unlike someone who’s always hemming and hawing. Alright then, I’ll ask the first question.”
“Go ahead,” Ning Xiyue encouraged with a nod.
“What’s the story behind that scar on your forehead? Ning Xiaoxiao said she saved you — that if not for her, you’d be dead by now. The gist of what she said was: she saved your life, but you’re ungrateful and heartless, ignoring your bond as sisters. Of course, she said it all in a very subtle, indirect way. I can’t repeat that disgusting tone of hers.”
“Is what she said actually true?”
Wang Fenglan didn’t believe Ning Xiaoxiao’s words at all — anyone who loved putting on a show like that was suspicious by nature. But some idiots did believe her and even jumped out to defend her, shouting before the person involved even said a word. It was beyond annoying.
Ning Xiaoxiao’s face darkened a shade. She really hadn’t expected Wang Fenglan to be so blunt, especially with both the old and new educated youth present.
But upon hearing the question, she wasn’t too worried. After all, she had been the one to bring that person over — even if it was only because they’d noticed the blood on her clothes when she was about to leave, forcing her to take them along. No one else knew the details, so she could still claim she’d saved Ning Xiyue.
Wang Fenglan had hit the nail on the head, and now all eyes turned toward the scar on Ning Xiyue’s forehead, waiting eagerly for her response.
The moment Ning Xiyue heard Wang Fenglan’s words, a chill swept through her entire body. Without a word, she quietly pulled a brick out of the shoulder bag slung across her body, tapped it in her hand, and in one swift motion took a long stride forward — then smack! brought it down hard on Ning Xiaoxiao’s head.
The room fell into stunned silence. Ning Xiaoxiao saw stars, her head buzzing as she sat there in a daze, unable to comprehend what had just happened.
Ning Xiyue brushed the bad luck off the brick, lightly running her fingers along its sharp corner.
“Now we’re even — consider that blow repayment for the life you tried to take from me. Next time you try to harm me, make sure you hide your tail better so I don’t find out. Otherwise, the hole on my forehead will be matched by one on yours. I’d quite like to see what this sharp corner feels like sinking into someone’s skull.
And stop claiming all the credit while dumping all the blame on others.”
“Was that answer satisfactory?” Ning Xiyue asked, arching an eyebrow at Wang Fenglan.
Wang Fenglan swallowed hard and nodded rapidly. “Satisfied. Very satisfied. Extremely satisfied.”
Holy crap, she thought. This new educated youth is fierce — pulling out a brick at the slightest disagreement. And the way she smacked Ning Xiaoxiao… so damn satisfying. The girl’s still sitting there dumbfounded. This one’s way better than my sharp tongue — I need to learn from her.
“Any more questions?” Ning Xiyue asked, scanning the dumbstruck crowd, letting her gaze linger on Wu Zhigang. “Anyone else want to ask something? Let’s hurry up, we’ve got things to do tomorrow.”
Wang Fenglan shook her head. “Nope. It’s obvious Comrade Xiyue is a straightforward, honest person — not someone who stoops to petty tricks.”
The others all shook their heads too, saying they had no questions — though they were all thinking a lot internally.
Zhao Jianshe: Great, another one who’s even harder to deal with than Wang Fenglan — and she’s got combat skills too. The educated youth dorm will be hard to manage…
Wu Guifang: See? I knew Ning Xiyue wasn’t the kind of person Ning Xiaoxiao said she was. Turns out Ning Xiaoxiao was spreading lies. Good thing I didn’t believe her.
Li Yang: Don’t provoke her. Stay far, far away.
Wang Mengmeng: Oh, dear lord — she’s terrifying. Good thing I’m not sharing a room with her.
Xia Zhipeng: Yechu is still gentler… Ning Xiyue isn’t someone any man could handle.
Yu Zhiyu: Maybe I should have Yao Yao and Yechu learn from Ning Xiyue — that way, they won’t be bullied.
Wang Jiandong: Wow… Comrade Ning is incredible.
Liu Yao: Ah! Xiyue is officially my idol now.
Chen Yechu: Hmm, looks like the grudge between Xiyue and Ning Xiaoxiao runs deep. Sure enough, Ning Xiaoxiao is not a good person.
Wu Zhigang: …So she is as vulgar as Xiaoxiao said. I’d better avoid her. I wonder how Xiaoxiao’s doing…
“Xiaoxiao, what’s wrong? Xiaoxiao, don’t scare me!” Wu Zhigang suddenly turned and saw Ning Xiaoxiao collapsing toward the ground. He quickly crouched down, half-supporting her and patting her a few times. When she didn’t respond, he pointed at Ning Xiyue and shouted:
“Ning Xiyue! Look at what you’ve done! I’m going to report this to the captain — I’m calling the police to have you arrested!”
“Xiyue… what do we do now?” Liu Yao tugged nervously at Ning Xiyue’s sleeve.
“It’s fine. Don’t worry.”
Ning Xiyue could tell immediately that Ning Xiaoxiao was faking. Her finger had even inched away to avoid touching some random blob of spit on the ground.
Besides, she knew her own brick — she had prepared it carefully. At most, it would only make Ning Xiaoxiao feel dizzy and give her a headache for a while, like accidentally bumping into a wall. She’d recover after sitting for a bit. There was no way she could really faint, let alone be unconscious.
Since Ning Xiaoxiao wanted to pretend, Ning Xiyue was happy to play along. An evil smile crept across her lips.
