Cheng Xiao Xiao’s words darkened everybody’s faces. They all knewthat An Hung niang had gone too far.The Cheng’s had done nothing to deserve her harassment. Everybody wasspeechless from her questioning.
Mrs. Cheng felt very emotional as well. Surely, most of the Willowvillagers had been nice, but there had always been a few gossipy women like AnHung niang who targeted herconstantly. She couldn’t help but to chime in, “Patriarch Liu and others, myfamily fled to this place three yeas ago. We truly appreciated that you let ussettled down here. We didn’t take up any space in the village nor did we dareuse your fields. We picked the baron land out there and, in addition, gaveeveryone one teal of silver in the hope that we will be accepted.
“In the past three years, my husband had provided help to many ofyou. He even built a few hunting tools for you. We see ourselves as part ofWillow village and thought of you all as family. But now, not only were some ofyou insulting my daughter, they even came to our house to walk over us,constantly threatening to evict us. Is it because my husband’s incident and nowthat we have no man in the household, you can just bulldoze over us?”
Everybody looked embarrassed. Everybody knew deep down inside thatthe Cheng’s had always been nice to the villagers and provided constant help.Especially Cheng Biyuan, he had helped with forging hunting tools, ploughingthe fields, fixing houses….
Mrs. Cheng was right that the Cheng’s had always treated thevillagers as part of them. They provided help whenever possible. Granted, noneof the villagers never paid much attention to the harassment from An Hung niang and her bunch.
Now, An Hung niang, hadreally crossed the line. Anyone would be upset with that kind of bullying, letalong the Cheng’s.
Cheng Biyuan had once showed Liu Sanzhen a few hunting techniquesand he had always been grateful of that. He felt very embarrassed by thebehavior of his wife and shouted at her, “What is wrong with you. Quicklyapologize to Mrs. Cheng!”\n“Liu Sanzhen, are you crazy? How dare you shout at me? You areasking for it! Just watch what I will do to you tonig—” screamed An Hung niang.
“SLAP!”
A loud slap cut off An Hung niang’shysterical scream. Everybody was shocked. Nobody expected the mild-temperamentLiu Sanzhen to strike his wife.
Even Cheng Xiao Xiao looked at Liu Sanzhen in awe. When she lookedover to An Hung niang, her fatty facemade the bright red hand print stood out even more. The bok choy sproutsdropped to the ground.
“You, you struck me?!” An Hung niangshook from anger, her eyeballs bulging out. She looked of disbelief.
Liu Sanzhen was really angry. Anything else he would have reacteddifferently, but he was an honorable man. What An Hung niang did today was objectionable and disgraceful.
“Why wouldn’t I? Do you know what you’ve done? What had BrotherCheng and Sister Cheng ever done to you? When have they ever wronged you? Lookat you? What have you done? Coming here to steal from them!”
The furious Liu Sanzhen pointed at her nose and scolded, “I don’tcare that you like to take advantages here and there. I tolerate you gossipingabout others. But now you have you turned into a thief, and not only do yourefused to admit fault, you insult others. What rights do you have to evictBrother Cheng and his family? You should be the one to leave Willow village,you are bringing disgrace upon us!”
“Liu Sanzhen, who do you think you are? You dare to me strike me?This isn’t over! I am going to go home and have my brother come beat up youbast—“
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