T/N: Chapter (4/8) sponsored by Madam Daim! Thank you for sponsoring!
âBangâŚ.â
The black shadow directly came to Du Xiao Liâs room and tripped on the stool placed by the door. The stool got knocked over, and the sound startled him. Sensing no movements from the person on the bed, he finally let out a long breath.
âWhere did this girl place the money?â The person circled around the room, running into a few furnitures, to the point where his leg started to hurt from the impact. While grimacing in pain, he said, âWhy is there so many things in this room!â
Du Xiao Li laid on the bed, watching that personâs every move in this room. This was a thief?! And was even the villageâs Er laizi* who liked to steal.
(*T/N: Laizi is just slang for hoodlum or delinquent; I felt just calling him hoodlum Er sounded weird so left it in pinyin since they all call him that like a nickname. Thereâs a line about him back in chapter 47 that I mistranslated but have fixed now.)
Er laizi was called Du Quan, a thirty some year old bachelor, and also can be considered Du Fu* and the others relative separated by several twists and turns. This person normally likes doing things like stealing. Whenever he sees that a certain familyâs gourd has matured, or a certain familyâs corn can be eaten, he would go pick some when no one was looking. Occasionally, he would also go to the other villages and steal some chicken, duck, and whatnot. But unexpectedly, this time, he actually came to rob her house!
(*T/N: MCâs eldest uncle; Cui-shiâs husband; so technically this thief is kinda Du Xiao Liâs distantly related relative somehow.)
Perhaps because even after getting so many bruises, he still didnât find the place where Du Xiao Li put the money, Er laizi couldnât help taking out the match. In the instant it was lit, Du Xiao Li immediately shut her eyes. This was a perfect time to train her other senses.
Ever since she started training her inner energy, not only did her vision improve, her hearing and senses all elevated quite a bit. Sheâd asked Luo Qi before, and Luo Qi said this was a normal phenomenon.
Du Quan searched around the room once, but still didnât find the money Du Xiao Li had gotten today from selling the tangerines. He looked again at the bed Du Xiao Li was sleeping on. When his gaze landed on the small satchel placed at the bedhead, his two eyes lit up. In the afternoon, heâd seen her put the money precisely inside this bag!
It was definitely in there! Du Quan carefully came to the bedside, preparing to reach into the bed to grab that bag, when Du Xiao Li suddenly opened her eyes, startling him. But before he could even react, he just felt his body go numb, and his entire person collapsed onto the bed.
Du Xiao Li, in the moment before Du Quan collapse, had the match in his hand s.n.a.t.c.hed over, and afterwards had him kicked off the bed. Then, she got down from the bed and lit up the lantern Leng Er brought over last time.
âAre you alright?â Luo Qi appeared at her doorway. Seeing the person on the ground, his handsome brows slightly frowned.
âIâm fine.â Du Xiao Li said. She knew that after Du Quan entered her room, Luo Qi had been standing guard outside the whole time. She lightly smiled, then came to Du Quanâs side and gave him a few kicks.
He actually even dared to steal her money!
If she really was just a child, encountering this kind of thing would definitely have scared her to death. Moreover, the money sheâd gone to great lengths to earn would also have been stolen too.
âActually dared to steal a childâs money!â Du Xiao Li felt that as long as he didnât steal from her, she can pretend to not see. But unexpectedly, this time, he had his sights set on her.
âWhat do you plan to do?â Luo Qi asked.
âHmph, this type of person, if he comes the first time, then heâll come a second time. Even if he doesnât steal from me, he will still steal from others. In the past, everyone already suspected him for stealing, but no one had proof. This time, to have ended up in my hands, Iâll just treat it as âridding the evil for the peopleâ. Go to the village chiefâs house. Just say someone came to my house to steal, and let the village chief come over. Along the way, also shout for someone to catch the thief.â Du Xiao Li said.
She didnât want to let Du Quan free and didnât want to have him killed or anything either. Letting the village chief handle this was the best solution.
âOkay.â Luo Qi nodded and headed down the mountain, while also shouting a few times for someone to catch the thief with a panicked voice. The lights below the mountain very quickly lit up in several places.
Just then, Silver ran in from outside the courtyard. Arriving at Du Xiao Liâs side, he called out twice.
Du Xiao Li stroked his head, and upon seeing the gra.s.s clippings on his leg, she said, âWent into the mountains again? Good thing I didnât plan on letting you watch the house. A thief has come and you donât even know.â
âAwoooââ Silver called out, seemingly feeling ashamed.
âAlright, Iâm not blaming you.â Du Xiao Li said with as laugh as she ma.s.saged Silverâs neck.
After a while, Luo Qi brought the village chief and several villagers up the mountain. Before they arrived, Du Xiao Li had already let Silver go outside, afterwards taking out the silver needle on Du Quanâs body. Very quickly, he woke up.
Du Quan shook his head, not knowing why heâd fallen on the ground. Seeing Du Xiao Li standing to the side, he knew that the matter had fallen through. He stood up and stared down Du Xiao Li with a vicious look, saying: âHand over the money from this afternoon, else Iâm gonna hack you to death!â
âNo, thatâs my money, I canât give it to you!â Du Xiao Li already had her little satchel slung over her back. Hearing Du Quanâs threat, she quickly reached up and covered the bag.
âAre you gonna give or not?â Seeing Du Xiao Liâs reaction, Du Quan was further certain that she had the money hidden inside.
âNot giving!â Du Xiao Li said, then turned around and ran out.
âStop right there, give me the money!â Du Quan chased after her.
âNot giving, this is my money!â Du Xiao Li shouted loudly, âDu Quan, you couldnât steal my money, so youâre just gonna use force, arenât you scared of getting caught?â
âCatch me? Iâve been stealing for this many years and have never been caught before.â Du Quan arrogantly said, âSince I got discovered by you today, either obediently give me the money, and then have your mouth sealed tight, or I will help you seal your mouth. That way, youâll never be able to talk again!â
âYou want to kill me?â Du Xiao Li appeared as if she was scared, motionlessly standing there at the courtyard entrance.
âHmph, donât wanna die, then hand over the money!â Du Quanâs patience seemed to have already reached its limits as he immediately pounced towards Du Xiao Li. But before he could even come near her, he was suddenly struck in the head with a rock. He loudly cried out and retreated two steps.
âWho?!â Du Quan held his head and bellowed.
âXiao Li, are you alright?â Luo Qi came into the courtyard first and hugged the âscaredâ and trembling Du Xiao Li.
At this time, Li Ming Fu and several others also entered the courtyard. Although the incident just now, they didnât see all of it, but theyâd heard it all on the mountain path. Shi Da and Shi Er ran to Du Quanâs side and had him pressed onto the ground. Another villager then found a rope and had his two hands tied behind his back. Afterwards, they had him sit on the ground.
Luo Qi carried over a stool for Li Ming Fu, and Li Ming Fu sat down, angrily saying: âWhat a good Du Quan, normally stealing this and that. And today you actually dared to set your sights on Du Xiao Li, unbelievable. She still a small child. The money she painstakingly earned, you even have the nerve to steal? Then getting discovered and even wanting to kill and loot? You sure are brilliant!â
âIâŚ..â Du Quan wanted to refute, but seeing that theyâd all heard what heâd said just now, he couldnât explain even if he wanted to. Then, thinking of his ending, he couldnât help trembling all over in fear.
Normally whenever a thief is caught in the village, they are all directly hung on a tree and beaten. Beat you for a whole night, and if you survive, count yourself lucky. The villagers will then release you. And if youâre unlucky and get beaten to death, it wouldnât be counted as homicide either.
âVillage chief, Iâm wrong. Iâm begging you, donât beat me!â Du Quan said as he kowtowed. His body wasnât well, so if he gets beaten for a whole night, heâll definitely get beaten to death!
âHmph! Now you know to be scared?â Li Ming Fu shot him a glare, saying: âWerenât you very impressive just now, wanting to kill and steal the money?â
âVillage chief, village chief, I know Iâm wrong. In the future, Iâll never do those kinds of things ever again. Please, forgive me just this one time!â Du Quan seemingly was really frightened, endlessly kowtowing at Li Ming Fu with streaming tears.
T/N: Weâre actually only a few chapters away from the end of the first arc, which is the childhood arc, last chapter of the arc is 57. Thereâs going to be a time-skip and weâll be seeing grown up Du Xiao Li soon. Gonna try to power through as many sponsored chapters as I can by Sunday.
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