Chapter 13: A Child Without Parents to Back Her Up

Several village aunties looked at Juanjuan and the others, unable to hold back their lecturing.

“You kids, how old are you? Already learning to fight!”

“What kind of great hatred could children possibly have against each other?”

“Hua Ni’er, I’m not trying to criticize you, but look what you’ve done to them!”

“You… how can a little girl be so fierce!”

Aunt Juan was the first to try to break up the fight. She saw clearly that Hua Ni’er and her three friends had pinned Bai Family’s Er Mao and Dachui to the ground.

Now, Dachui’s face was battered beyond recognition.

As for Bai Family’s Er Mao, he had been beaten until he passed out.

Bai Family’s Juanjuan knelt beside Er Mao, her whole body trembling with worry for her brother.

Indeed, anyone could see which side had the advantage in this fight.

On Hua Ni’er’s side were two girls and two boys, all healthy and sturdy.

On Juanjuan’s side, there were only three of them, and Dachui was the only one who could really fight.

As for four-year-old Juanjuan’s tiny frame—how could she possibly fight?

Er Mao had apparently fallen from an ox cart yesterday and was limping on his injured leg. Already hurt, he had now been beaten unconscious.

“Juanjuan, don’t be afraid! My mom and grandma will be here soon!”

Though his face was bruised purple and green, Dachui still stood protectively beside Juanjuan like a little tiger cub.

He deliberately didn’t say, “Your parents will be here soon.”

Dachui knew perfectly well that Juanjuan’s parents…

Were utterly useless!

It would be better if they didn’t come at all!

Juanjuan looked at her unconscious third brother, her heart filled with panic.

She was afraid—afraid that Third Brother might die.

Afraid that when Third Brother opened his eyes again, he would have turned back into the Third Brother from before.

Afraid that when Third Brother woke up, someone else would have taken over his body.

People are most fearful and panicked when facing the unknown.

Juanjuan couldn’t quite articulate what she was afraid of, but she was undoubtedly terrified. She wasn’t nearly strong enough to remain calm in the face of possible death.

【Heh!】

Suddenly, a satisfied and comfortable laugh rang out.

Juanjuan stiffened and looked at Third Brother lying motionless on the ground like a corpse.

It was Third Brother’s voice, but his mouth hadn’t moved. Was he pretending to be unconscious?

Though confused, Juanjuan didn’t cry out.

Having seen her father play the rogue many times at home, she understood that fainting was just another way of acting up.

【Favorability Points really did increase! Negative fifty now. The Self-Injury Strategy really works!】

【I told you—just a child. How hard could it be to win her over? Raising favourability isn’t that difficult either.】

Juanjuan lowered her head, deep in thought.

Could it be that she was wrong about Third Brother? Maybe he didn’t mean to harm her, but rather wanted to…

“Wang Dachui!”

A robust middle-aged woman’s voice rang out.

Everyone turned to see Wang Family’s matriarch and her daughter-in-law hurrying over.

Old Lady Wang was only in her early forties, still in her prime years.

Her capability was well-known throughout the village, as was her fierce protectiveness—especially toward her precious grandson, Wang Dachui.

With his backup arrived, Wang Dachui dropped the act.

His earlier calm demeanor had been purely for show!

The bruised little fatty plopped onto the ground, throwing a tantrum as he hugged his grandmother’s leg and began wailing.

“Grandma, they beat me and Juanjuan!”

“Juanjuan and I aren’t stupid—we knew we couldn’t win and didn’t want to fight! But Hua Ni’er and the others blocked our way and started hitting us!”

“Grandma, it hurts so much…”

As he spoke, Wang Dachui deliberately rolled up his sleeve to show everyone his injuries.

Old Lady Wang:…

Her precious grandson!

As if she needed to see more—his face was already battered enough.

Old Lady Wang gave Dachui a pained look, but before she could say anything, another voice called out from not far away.

“Hua Ni’er!”

Hua Ni’er’s family had arrived.

Old Lady Wang narrowed her eyes: “Be smart about this, dachui!”

Dachui’s eyes lit up as he nodded vigorously: “Okay!”

The next second.

The previously composed Old Lady Wang opened her mouth and began wailing.

“Aiyo! My dear Dachui!”

“Wang Xi’s wife, look what your Hua Ni’er has done to our Dachui!”

Old Lady Wang cried and shouted as she pulled Wang Dachui forward.

Pointing at Dachui’s face and the injuries on his arm, she alternated between wailing and scolding Hua Ni’er’s mother.

Hua Ni’er’s mother was no pushover either. She pulled Hua Ni’er forward and pointed at her daughter’s face.

“Look at our Hua Ni’er…”

But as soon as she spoke, she noticed her daughter’s face was clean except for some dust—not a single injury.

Hua Ni’er’s mother immediately changed tack: “Look at them!”

Then she saw that the three children behind Hua Ni’er also had no visible injuries.

The aunties watching the spectacle: were amused.

“What’s going on with you guys!”

Hua Ni’er’s mother hit her daughter lightly, asking urgently.

“What do you mean what’s going on? Your Hua Ni’er ganged up on our Dachui!”

“Look what they’ve done to our Dachui!”

Dachui’s mother also stepped forward to join the argument.

She wasn’t particularly good at arguing, but her own son had been hurt—how could she not be angry!

“We were fighting those two! Wang Dachui was the one who insisted on getting involved!”

Seeing things going south, Hua Ni’er immediately spoke up to defend herself.

She definitely hadn’t wanted to fight Dachui—everyone knew how protective Dachui’s grandmother and mother were.

Why would she want to fight Dachui?

The one Hua Ni’er wanted to fight was Juanjuan!

Dachui had brought it on himself by interfering!

Hua Ni’er’s mother, hearing her daughter’s words, immediately caught on.

“You can’t blame our Hua Ni’er for this. Dachui was the one who insisted on getting involved. If he’d just minded his own business, none of this would have happened.”

“Exactly! I was fighting with Juanjuan, and Dachui insisted on meddling,” Hua Ni’er chimed in.

“Who told you to bul—”

Dachui started to speak but was quickly silenced by his mother covering his mouth.

Dachui’s mother glanced down at little Juanjuan kneeling on the ground. She didn’t like this child.

She knew Juanjuan was actually a good kid, but she couldn’t stand Juanjuan’s family!

They always used the fact that Juanjuan had once saved Dachui’s life to guilt-trip her family. Gradually, that life-saving favor had been completely used up by the annoying Bai Family.

Now that her son had been beaten like this, she was truly heartbroken and didn’t want to get involved anymore.

“Dachui’s mother, I’ll bring some eggs this afternoon to check on Dachui. Let’s just let this matter rest.”

Hua Ni’er’s mother also didn’t want to sour relations between the families too much. Dachui was indeed quite injured, so she was willing to compromise. They were neighbors after all, and besides, Wang Dachui’s uncle was preparing for the Provincial Examination.

“Mother, let’s just leave it at this.”

Dachui’s mother tugged at her mother-in-law’s sleeve, whispering.

Old Lady Wang sighed inwardly. Looking at Hua Ni’er’s mother extending an olive branch, then at the unconscious Bai Family’s Er Mao lying on the ground, and little Juanjuan kneeling beside him…

To be honest, what remained was a matter between the Bai and Hua families. Their family had already extricated themselves.

But remembering how Juanjuan had sought her out privately to apologize on behalf of her parents, she felt conflicted.

Juanjuan was a good child, but her family was troublesome and difficult.

Old Lady Wang hesitated.

Hua Ni’er, however, puffed up like a victorious rooster, stuck out her tongue at Juanjuan and flaunted her triumph

Hua Ni’er’s mother smiled, her gaze toward Juanjuan full of disgust and contempt.

“So dirty. A whole family of lazy good-for-nothings, bringing shame to our Niantao Village.”

“Hua Ni’er, come with mother. Let’s go wash your hands properly with soapwort. Hitting such people really dirties your hands!”

“And that brother of hers—I think he’s just pretending! A whole family of troublemakers, don’t come trying to extort us!”

Juanjuan listened to these words, her small fists clenching tightly, but she said nothing.

She was used to it—not daring to fight back, not daring to talk back.

She had no family to protect her. If she caused trouble outside, she would only get scolded more at home.

She was indeed young, but she remembered well the pain of her father’s slap—that was a lesson she wouldn’t forget.

Hua Ni’er’s mother looked at the aunties watching the spectacle.

“You’d all better not get involved either, unless you want trouble for yourselves. Don’t forget how Bai the Third tries to extort people!”

Having said her piece, Hua Ni’er’s mother turned to leave.

【Hua Ni’er’s mother, I’ve got you! Just wait until I deal with you later!】

【Where are this Original Host’s parents! Why haven’t they shown up yet! How unreliable can they be!!】

As Yun An’s internal ranting continued…

A clear, angry voice shouted out.

“Stop right there! Who said you could leave!”