Chapter 6: An Incident Occurs

Wan Shun shrugged indifferently and carried the items into the kitchen.

“Isn’t this my home? I have nowhere else to go. All these years, you know the Wan family has been wanting to get rid of me.

And you probably don’t know yet, but I just stirred up a mess at the Wan house and got thrown out. The Wan family must be grinding their teeth in hatred right now—I won’t go back there.”

Yu Yan’s heart ached. She was powerless, unable to protect Wan Shun, but staying here only made things worse.

“Xiao Shun, listen to me. They won’t dare do anything to you—murder is against the law.”

Those four words, “murder is against the law,” stabbed Yu Yan’s heart like a knife, making her think of her husband and son.

Wan Shun’s gaze darkened. She didn’t believe the Jiang father and son would kill.

Especially Jiang Yingzhi, that straight-laced, awkward boy—he’d lecture her for ruining crops by the roadside, how could he possibly commit murder?

She was determined to uncover the truth, clear the names of father and son, and change the fate of both the Jiang family and Yu Yan.

“In any case, I’m not going back. I’ll live here from now on. If you drive me out, I’ll sleep on the street.”

Yu Yan was anxious, afraid she’d bring trouble to Wan Shun, yet worried that Wan Shun would have nowhere to go if she left.

She fretted helplessly.

Wan Shun didn’t comfort her. Instead, she tidied up the chaotic kitchen, restored what the thugs had stolen, then boiled water and plucked feathers to stew chicken.

The aroma of chicken soup filled the air; at the remote foot of the mountain, no one would come, no one knew the Jiang family—tonight, they’d have chicken.

Though Yu Yan ate with sighs and furrowed brows, her heart was content. Having her child by her side was worth more than anything.

At night, Wan Shun lay on Jiang Yingzhi’s bed.

She knew this place well.

When she first came to Fu’an Village, she was three, Jiang Yingzhi seven.

When the Wan family threw her out, she ran straight to the Jiang house and slept with Jiang Yingzhi.

She kept sleeping there until she was ten.

Jiang Yingzhi was stingy; after ten, he refused to share a bed, preferring to sleep in the woodshed rather than with her, complaining she was untidy, talkative, and a restless sleeper.

Wan Shun, angered, took over his bed and his room.

Jiang Yingzhi had been locked up for two years; she hadn’t been here for two years either. Yu Yan cleaned the room daily—it was spotless.

But many things were gone, and what remained was damaged, thanks to those who smashed up the Jiang house.

Still, it was far better than Yu Yan’s room.

Probably all the Jiang family’s good things were in this room.

In this familiar place, with its familiar scent, Wan Shun felt safe and finally slept soundly—her first peaceful sleep since taking the blame, spanning lifetimes.

The next morning, the shrill cry of cicadas woke Wan Shun, the sunlight dazzling.

Yu Yan had already gone out. Aside from the cicadas, the shabby courtyard was silent.

On the crooked-legged table in the kitchen, there were two coarse grain cakes and a bowl of steamed wild chicken egg custard Wan Shun had collected yesterday.

She sniffed—no seasoning, not even oil or salt, yet it smelled delicious.

She ate quickly, and without rushing to do anything else, picked up the chipped hoe in the corner to clear the weeds in the yard.

Perhaps it was pointless, since Yu Yan, who always kept the house meticulously clean, had never tidied the courtyard.

As a result, the weeds were so thick they nearly swallowed the house.

The damp, chilly environment made the already dilapidated thatched hut even more forlorn.

The once spacious, bright three-room house had half of it collapsed.

Among the weeds lurked all sorts of rotten, foul things.

Dead rats, spoiled eggs, rotting vegetable stalks, stones, decayed fish and shrimp, heaps of dung.

All these, thrown by those who attacked Yu Yan and the Jiang family.

Over time, it became a garbage dump.

With the heat, the stench fermented, dizzying anyone who approached.

Wan Shun cleaned without expression, utterly unaffected by the smell.

In her previous life, when fleeing, she hid in a garbage heap for three days and nights—the mountain of filth was even worse than this.

Halfway through her cleaning, big, clumsy Wang Bing came running, gasping.

“Shun Sis, Aunt Jiang is being bullied to death by Zhou Zheng and his gang!”

Wan Shun’s face instantly darkened.

At the foot of the mountain.

Yu Yan trembled with pain but only gritted her teeth and endured, never resisting.

She understood that any resistance would lead to worse consequences.

By the time Wan Shun arrived, the group of children had already run off, leaving Yu Yan collapsed on the ground, blood streaming down her forehead.

“Godmother?” Wan Shun’s voice trembled, barely suppressing her rage. “Don’t be afraid, I’ll take you to the hospital.”

Yu Yan shook with pain, struggling not to go: “No, take me home, Xiao Shun, listen to me, take me home, I’m fine.”

Wan Shun felt Yu Yan’s fear and resolve and had no choice but to turn back.

She fetched clean water and carefully washed Yu Yan’s wounds.

Though her head was covered in injuries, none were deep—just chunks of scalp peeled off, terrifying to look at but not requiring medicine.

Yu Yan drifted into a dazed sleep, while Wan Shun left with a grim face.

At the crossroads, she met a few little companions.

“Shun Sis, is Aunt Jiang all right?” asked the five-year-old, timidly.

Wan Shun shook her head, “She’s fine.” Then turned to the big guy, “Was it Zhou Zheng and his crew?”

The big guy nodded, “Yes. Shun Sis, are you going to take revenge on Zhou Zheng? Let’s do it together—I can fight.”

Wan Shun raised an eyebrow—the silly boy was loyal, but learning violence from the snot-nosed kid was a bad influence.

“No fighting. Go play.”

“That’s it?” The snot-nosed kid was disappointed, almost angry. “Shun Sis, we’re here—why are you afraid of them?”

Five-year-olds, always eager for trouble—no wonder only Wan Shun’s group played together; proper children would rather watch cartoons.

“Worry less if you want to grow tall.” She ruffled the snot-nosed kid’s soft yellow hair.

The snot-nosed kid bounced like a frenzied lion dog, “Shun Sis, are we still brothers?”

Wan Shun laughed so hard she teared up.

Village committee.

In the office, a group of village officials were in a meeting.

Whatever they discussed, the village chief, Xu Hanshan, was speaking with passionate fervor.

Wan Shun strode in boldly, the lively conference room falling silent as everyone fixed their gaze on her.

She walked up to the phone, picked it up, and dialed, bellowing,

“Help, Officer, there’s been a murder…”

Everyone rushed to snatch the phone.

Wan Shun grinned, finished her report, yanked out the phone line, and ran out with the phone.

A group of people fumed, blowing their beards and glaring.

Xu Hanshan stomped his old legs and roared, “You little rascal, get back here! Is that something you can play with? Who told you to make random calls? Get back here!”

Wan Shun waved her paw, “I wasn’t playing! I really need Officer to save us, Village Chief, when the police come, remember to bring the Jiang family!”