Chapter 19: Time to Settle Accounts
But what were they seeing now? Wen Yao was holding a hoe nearly as tall as she was, digging up the ground bit by bit.
Wen Yao’s arms were already going numb. She never imagined that the original body had never done any farm work before. It was truly tormenting for her—a second-generation agricultural kid raised in the Academy of Agricultural Sciences.
“You’re here, great timing. Help me keep an eye on Datou, I’m almost done here.” Wen Yao wiped the sweat from her forehead and continued heaving the hoe with effort.
Seeing her digging unevenly—deep in one spot, shallow in another—Wen Di couldn’t bear it anymore.
“Let me do it.” Wen Di stepped forward to take the hoe.
Looking at Wen Di, who was just a few months older than her, Wen Yao gave an awkward smile and watched as she skillfully broke up the soil Wen Yao had struggled to dig and flattened it out in a few strokes. All Wen Yao could feel was envy.
“There’s a trick to hoeing. If you keep doing it like you were, your hands won’t even move tomorrow.” Wen Di taught her how to use technique rather than brute force.
Wen Yao chuckled sheepishly.
Wen Di then asked, “You’re digging this to plant something?”
“Mm, planning to open a vegetable plot in the backyard.” Honestly, her cheap original mother had never grown a single thing in her life, let alone vegetables. The few remaining cabbages at home were all given by the old house.
With such a father and a mother like that, it was a miracle this family was still alive.
But from her memories, the original mother had frequently sold embroidery work in town, so at least there had been some income. Otherwise, this family might’ve starved long ago.
Wen Yao had spent ages barely digging a small patch, but once Wen Di got started, she quickly cleared out a 3-meter-long, 2-meter-wide vegetable bed in the backyard.
“Compost a bit, and once the weather warms up, you can sow the seeds. What do you want to plant? I’ll bring you some seeds from home.” Wen Di asked.
Wen Yao wasn’t sure what this era had, so she asked, “Jie, what do you have at home?”
Wen Di replied, “We’ve got vegetable seeds and melon seeds. Scallions, too.”
That kind of sounded like an answer… and yet not really.
Whatever. She’d just plant whatever and eat whatever. After all, she had the space, and she could buy anything she wanted in there.
Looking at the freshly turned vegetable bed, Wen Yao waved her hand grandly. “Let’s go, I’ll make something tasty for you.”
Given how limited the ingredients were, and remembering the hard and cloyingly sweet pastries she’d eaten yesterday, Wen Yao decided to make something different to save their taste buds.
She cracked some eggs into a big bowl, added yeast and sugar, mixed it with warm water, then stirred in flour to make a batter and set it aside to rise.
Once it had risen, she oiled some small bowls, poured in the batter for a second round of proofing, then steamed them for about half an hour and let them sit. Done.
Too bad she didn’t have any dried fruit. Otherwise, some raisins, dried jujubes, or cranberries with a sprinkle of black sesame would’ve made it even better.
While they were preparing, Wen Ying couldn’t help, so she took Datou outside to play. But by the time the steamed cakes were ready, the two still hadn’t returned.
“I’ll go look for them,” Wen Di said. Though the aroma was making her mouth water, she couldn’t stop worrying about the younger ones.
But before she could step out, Wen Ying’s angry voice rang out from outside, followed by the two of them stumbling back in—covered in mud.
Wen Yao took one look and gasped. Had they rolled in the dirt a few times? Did someone beat them up? Datou’s clothes were even torn.
Wen Ying was still cursing under her breath, swinging her free hand as she walked in, the other hand firmly holding Datou’s.
“If someone insults you, you just let it go? Bullshit! Next time they call you a dumb mute again, you come get me. I’ll beat the crap out of them.”
Wen Yao’s face darkened instantly.
“You got into a fight? Are you hurt? Why are your clothes torn?” When she spotted the bruises on Datou’s hands, all her adult rationality flew out the window. She rolled up her sleeves. “Who did it?”
Datou hurriedly grabbed her, shaking his head furiously, tugging her to stop her from going out.
Wen Ying, seeing Wen Yao like this, got even more fired up and rolled up her sleeves too. “Second Sister, I’ll go with you! If I don’t beat them till they’re eating dirt, I’m not Wen Ying!”
Wen Di pulled her back. “Stop adding to the chaos! Wen Yao, ask what happened first.”
This was the first time Wen Di had seen Wen Yao so fierce. Back then, because of her mother’s upbringing, Wen Yao had always been soft-spoken and reserved. She’d never seen her even raise her voice.
Being called out brought Wen Yao back to her senses. She squatted down and looked seriously at Datou. “Datou, what happened?”
She knew it was unlikely, but still held onto a sliver of hope that Datou might speak. But the little guy just pursed his lips, not saying a word, and under Wen Yao’s stern expression, his eyes gradually filled with tears.
Wen Ying took over for him. “I brought Datou to play in the village. Some kids called him a mute, said he was an unwanted mute without a mom. I was so mad I beat them up.”
The aggrieved look in Datou’s eyes and those tears on the verge of falling made Wen Yao’s heart ache terribly.
She took a deep breath and stood up, voice cold. “Who said that?”
Wen Ying: “Li Erhu and his little gang.”
Wen Yao didn’t say another word. She grabbed Datou’s hand and marched outside.
Wen Ying’s eyes lit up and she followed quickly. “Second Sister, are we going to settle the score? Want to bring a stick?”
Wen Yao sneered. Oh, they were definitely settling the score.
But not just with the kids. There’s a saying: If a child isn’t taught well, it’s the parent’s fault. She understood that Liu-shi’s death had left a deep wound in Datou. It had also made their family the biggest laughingstock in the village. Even if only for the sake of not being bullied again, they couldn’t swallow this.
They couldn’t live like this forever. Better to be proud and loud than timid and ignored.
Seeing this, Wen Di quickly went back to lock up the kitchen and the main gate before following.
Wen Yao marched straight to Li Erhu’s house with Datou in tow. Seeing their door closed, she didn’t hesitate—banged on it hard.
“Li Erhu! Get out here!” Wen Yao shouted. She glanced at the height of the courtyard wall, took a few steps back, picked up a rock, and lobbed it over. For a brat with a foul mouth, a small rock wouldn’t do any real damage—and besides, it served him right.
Moments later, a burst of foul-mouthed cursing came from inside, followed by the door creaking open.
A large, heavyset woman with a fierce face appeared in the doorway, shouting, “Who the hell threw a rock at my house?!” Then her gaze fell on Wen Yao and Datou. She squinted. “Was it you, you little bitch? Hmph, your whore mother ran off with a man, and I see you’re no better—daring to throw rocks at my house.”
Wen Yao’s eyes turned icy. She shoved Datou into Wen Di’s arms. “Watch him.” Then she told Wen Ying, “Quick, go home and get Grandma and the others.”
Wen Ying turned and sprinted off.
No one expected the petite Wen Yao to suddenly rush forward and slam into the woman at the door.
Villagers who’d come out to see the commotion watched, stunned, as Wen Yao sent that fat shrew from the Li family stumbling back—straight into the courtyard.
Hiss—
Wen Di gasped, eyes wide.
Datou was completely stunned.
