Chapter 67: A Tiny Head Full of Big Confusion
“Um, Comrade Ning… I… I…” Wu Zhigang stared at the brick pressed against his chest, feeling utterly terrified. The words swirled around on the tip of his tongue but refused to come out.
“Let me tell you,” Aunt Yangliu was narrating animatedly nearby, “that wild boar wanted to charge at us again. Who would’ve thought — the moment Xiyue got angry, she swung that brick at it, and whoosh! the boar went flying far, far away, then thud! — collapsed to the ground, staring wide-eyed even in death…”
Her words drilled right into Wu Zhigang’s ears. He glanced again at the brick still pressed against his chest, and in an instant, he imagined himself as that boar. He trembled violently, his courage shattering completely. He stumbled backward several steps, shaking his hands and head frantically.
“Y-yeah… s-sorry, I didn’t mean to bother you.”
After saying that, Wu Zhigang gave Ning Xiyue a deep, respectful bow and bolted off to the side without looking back. No matter how Ning Xiaoxiao tried to pull him back or what kind of look she gave him, it was useless — he wouldn’t dare to ask again even if it killed him.
He was terrified that if he spoke the words stuck in his throat, he’d end up flying through the air just like that wild boar Aunt Yangliu had described — thud! landing ten meters away and lying flat.
Oh dear heavens! Ning Xiyue was terrifying. Just thinking about it scared him half to death!
Ning Xiyue shook the dirt off her brick and muttered, “Coward.”
Standing nearby, Wang Fenglan immediately switched into full mockery mode.
“I thought he’d finally grown a backbone, but look at that — tsk tsk — whatever little courage he had is now shattered. Pathetic. Only a man like you would get fooled by Ning Xiaoxiao.”
“Zhigang, the pork…”
Ning Xiaoxiao looked at the chunk of boar meat being rinsed of blood and then at Wu Zhigang, her eyes full of disappointment.
Wu Zhigang, already shaken by Ning Xiyue and humiliated by Wang Fenglan, was feeling terrible. And now Ning Xiaoxiao was thinking about pork? With everything that had happened over the past few days, his rose-tinted view of her had started to crack.
He exploded: “Pork! All you care about is the pork! Why don’t you care about me for once? Huh? Ning Xiaoxiao, do you even have a heart?!”
The sudden outburst shocked everyone present.
The aunties who loved gossip all turned their heads toward the commotion.
Ning Xiyue raised an eyebrow, a little surprised. What’s this? Has Wu Zhigang awakened? Has his simp nature finally been suppressed? He’s actually yelling at Ning Xiaoxiao?
Well, more drama meant more fun.
Ning Xiyue stared at the scene without even blinking.
Li Xiuxiu had somehow appeared beside her, joining her in watching the drama unfold.
Ning Xiaoxiao’s eyes filled with tears almost instantly, welling up faster than a reservoir. She looked at Wu Zhigang with pitiful eyes.
“Zhigang, how can you say that to me? I was only worried about you. I saw how hard you’ve been working during the harvest — you’ve even lost weight. That’s why… and now you blame me? I’m so sad…”
Xia Zhipeng stepped forward to defend her: “Comrade Wu Zhigang, Comrade Ning was only thinking of you. How could you speak to her so harshly? She’s still a girl, you know. You shouldn’t be so rude.”
Ning Xiyue looked at Li Xiuxiu and Chen Yechu in astonishment. “What’s going on? I’ve only been gone from the team for half a day, and Xia Zhipeng and Ning Xiaoxiao are suddenly so close? That’s quite the progress!”
Chen Yechu’s expression darkened at the mention of it and didn’t respond.
But Li Xiuxiu, known for knowing every bit of gossip in the team, of course understood what had happened. Hearing Ning Xiyue’s question, she happily began filling her in on today’s gossip lesson.
“I know, and honestly, I’m a little angry about it.”
“Oh? How so?” Ning Xiyue asked curiously.
Li Xiuxiu huffed, “Ning Xiaoxiao wanted us to harvest more rice for her. Can you believe that? Chen and I tore into her good and proper before she finally shut up.”
“What a pity I missed that. Keep going — what happened next?” Ning Xiyue shook her head regretfully. While listening to Li Xiuxiu, she noticed Wang Mengmeng had now joined the fray over there.
“Later, Xia Zhipeng got a tiny cut from a leaf while harvesting rice. Barely any blood, nothing serious. But since Ning Xiaoxiao’s such a ‘sweetheart,’ she fussed over him, gently told him to rest, even brought him water and tea. Tell me, what man can resist that?”
Li Xiuxiu shot Ning Xiyue a knowing look, then tugged her a few steps away and whispered in her ear.
“My guess is Xia Zhipeng got rejected by Chen Yechu, so when Ning Xiaoxiao suddenly started treating him like that, he couldn’t help but feel something and changed his attitude.”
“Nice, Xiuxiu. Very perceptive.” Ning Xiyue gave her a thumbs-up.
Li Xiuxiu grinned proudly. “Of course.”
Ning Xiyue was getting more and more excited. Ning Xiaoxiao has finally made her move.
She had known Ning Xiaoxiao couldn’t hold back forever. With no support from her family, unable to exploit Ning Xiyue anymore, and even losing her “cheat code,” her little stash of money and goods was only decreasing. With her personality, she was bound to stir things up eventually.
And from the looks of it, the scheming had already begun — she was seducing the female lead’s ex-husband and had even clashed with Chen Yechu a few times. The future was going to be very entertaining.
Ning Xiyue was already planning to secretly fan the flames when Chen Yechu decided to make her move.
Wang Mengmeng angrily stepped between Ning Xiaoxiao and Xia Zhipeng, forcefully pushing Ning Xiaoxiao away. “What are you doing, Ning Xiaoxiao? Don’t you already have Comrade Wu? Why are you getting so close to our Zhipeng? Back off!”
“I—I wasn’t…”
Wang Mengmeng rolled her eyes and snapped impatiently, “I don’t care what you were or weren’t doing. Just stay away.”
Xia Zhipeng, trying to smooth things over on both sides, pulled Wang Mengmeng back and spoke softly, “Mengmeng, don’t be like that. Ning Xiaoxiao did help me today.”
“Comrade Ning, don’t mind her. Let’s just say less.”
Only then did Wang Mengmeng stop talking, though she still kept a hawk’s eye on Ning Xiaoxiao, refusing to give her any opportunity.
Seeing both women quiet down at his words, Xia Zhipeng felt quite pleased with himself.
With everyone’s attention diverted elsewhere, he even found time to sidle up to Chen Yechu.
Smiling ingratiatingly, he asked, “Comrade Chen, would you like some meat? I heard wild boar meat is delicious.”
Ning Xiaoxiao and Wang Mengmeng immediately grew alert, staring at Chen Yechu with hostility.
Seeing Xia Zhipeng’s move, Ning Xiyue’s eyes widened in shock — they were as big as copper bells.
Now this is exciting!
She and Li Xiuxiu, the veteran drama-watchers, exchanged a glance and simultaneously took a few steps back, distancing themselves from the source of chaos to watch comfortably from the sidelines.
Liu Yao looked around and quietly followed their lead.
Li Xiuxiu nudged Ning Xiyue with her elbow and lifted her chin toward the brewing drama ahead. “Didn’t you say you regretted missing the earlier show? Well, here it is.”
“Perfect. Let’s enjoy it.”
Ning Xiyue stared ahead with great interest, watching Yu Zhiyu glare daggers at Xia Zhipeng with open hostility. He even deliberately interrupted, talking directly to Chen Yechu.
Liu Yao scratched her head, full of question marks. “What’s going on with my cousin? Why is he talking so much? He used to ignore me even when I tried to talk to him, called me chatty. Today, he’s acting weird.”
The two seasoned gossip-watchers, Ning Xiyue and Li Xiuxiu, exchanged knowing smiles — no words needed.
Ning Xiyue patted Liu Yao’s shoulder with a smile. “It’s not weird. You’re still young — just a pure and adorable kid.”
Li Xiuxiu added, “Don’t worry. You’ll understand one day.”
Liu Yao was even more confused now — her small head was full of big, swirling questions.
