By now, it was pitch black outside so dark she couldn’t see her own hand in front of her face. She could make out nothing and had no choice but to hold her breath and listen carefully to any sounds outside.
After a long moment, a rustling came from the door.
A thief?
Yu Nian’an quickly ran through the layout of the room in her mind. The door opened inward, and pushing it aside created a perfect blind spot between the door and the wall. She quietly slipped to the floor, grabbed the brick that had been propping up the desk leg, held her breath, and hid in that blind spot.
The little thief seemed experienced. Using some tool she couldn’t see, he quickly pried the wooden bolt open.
Moonlight streamed in through the door, casting his shadow on the floor.
He lingered at the doorway for a moment, then quietly stepped toward the kang. When his body fully entered her line of sight, Yu Nian’an suddenly lunged out from behind the door and slammed the brick she was holding onto his back.
Due to the height difference, it only struck his shoulder.
But the sudden blow caused him to stumble. Seeing the opportunity, Yu Nian’an didn’t hesitate and struck again.
This time it hit the side of his head.
A muffled groan sounded. He clutched his head and collapsed straight to the floor.
Yu Nian’an tapped him with her toe. Seeing no reaction, she crouched down to get a better look at the intruder’s face.
But the room was too dark. Reluctantly, she turned to the kitchen and retrieved the only half-used candle in the house.
She also grabbed some hemp rope from the woodpile.
Once the candle was lit, her vision cleared. Crouching down to look, she was startled it was Yu Dingguo.
It seemed her actions earlier in the day had provoked him.
Had she not noticed him just now and let him slip in, the consequences could have been disastrous.
After confirming he was merely unconscious, Yu Nian’an tied him up with the rope and dragged him out of the house, securing him under the eaves.
Only then did she return inside and go back to sleep.
When she woke again, the sky was already dimly light with morning.
Still half-conscious, her body had already stepped out the door.
Yu Dingguo, tied up outside, had woken up early. Seeing her, his eyes widened in shock, and he kept making muffled “oo-oo” sounds.
Yu Nian’an walked over, crouched in front of him, and without any hesitation, slapped him twice across the face.
“Awake? Then tell me what exactly were you sneaking in here for in the middle of the night?”
He shook his head furiously. Yu Nian’an continued on her own, “Were you planning to make things irreversible, or were you planning to kill me and cover it up?”
Every word hit directly on Yu Dingguo’s heartbeat. Suddenly, the person in front of him seemed completely unfamiliar.
Before he could think further, Yu Nian’an stood, wiped her hands, and spat in his direction.
“Either one of those is enough to send you straight to meet the King of Hell.”
With that, she lifted her foot as if about to step outside to call someone. Panic shot through Yu Dingguo. He struggled on the ground, his legs flailing wildly, clearly terrified.
Hearing the commotion, Yu Nian’an thought the moment was just right. She wasn’t planning to make a scene anyway, so she turned back with a mock look of surprise.
“What’s the matter? Did I guess wrong? Did my cousin come here on purpose to pay me back?”
Hearing that, Yu Dingguo nodded furiously, as if pounding garlic after all, paying back the money was better than dying.
Satisfied with this answer, Yu Nian’an returned to the house. When she came out again, she was holding paper and a pen.
To prevent Yu Dingguo from cheating or backing out, she decided to write an IOU as leverage.
She kept the previous three-day deadline, wrote down the full amount owed, and then dragged his finger over to press a heavy imprint.
After tucking the IOU safely away, Yu Nian’an untied one end of the rope, dragged him to the courtyard, and only then let him go. Morning work time was approaching, and people could pass by at any moment. Besides, her earlier brick strike hadn’t been wasted she wasn’t worried he’d suddenly turn on her.
Fortunately, Yu Dingguo didn’t even glance back he bolted as if fleeing for his life.
With this problem solved, Yu Nian’an felt inexplicably relieved. Cradling the IOU in her hands, it felt as if a new kitchen and bathroom were already waving at her.
After gnawing on another raw sweet potato to stave off hunger, she headed back to the field she had worked yesterday, ready to get to work.
Constantly eating raw sweet potatoes would be hard on her stomach, and Yu Nian’an was already thinking about how to improve her meals when an auntie ahead stopped her work and walked toward her.
“Annie, coming so early, huh?”
Yu Nian’an thought that people who were overly enthusiastic were usually up to no good. But since they were from the same village, she responded generously. “Yes, Auntie, came early to earn a few more work points.”
Hearing her reply, the auntie got excited and moved closer, exaggerating, “I’ll tell you, Annie, you got that big sum of money. The rest of your life you’ll never worry about food or drink why are you still fussing about all this?”
Yu Nian’an’s eyes flicked. She understood this person was clearly eyeing that compensation money. She stopped working and waited for the woman to continue.
“Annie, look at you you’re not young anymore. Without someone to look after you, a girl can’t go on like this. Why not, while you’re still young, find a good family to marry into? It’ll be better than living alone and struggling!”
Wait, earlier she said Annie would never want for food or drink, and now it’s “struggling”?
Yu Nian’an couldn’t help a small smile. Just as she was about to politely decline, another voice interjected.
“Liu Guihua, what nonsense are you spouting? Annie hasn’t even finished her mourning period, and you’re already thinking crooked thoughts!”
Liu Guihua rolled her eyes. “Chunxing, don’t shout. What crooked thoughts? I’m just thinking about Annie’s age and talking to her about a possible match. A man in the household would make her life complete.”
The other woman rolled her eyes back at her, ready to retort, when Yu Nian’an beat her to it with a nod of approval.
“Auntie, what you said isn’t wrong. But tell me whose match are you thinking of?”
Hearing this, Liu Guihua straightened her back and grinned. “Ah, now you’re asking the right person! My family has a nephew tall, strong, full of energy. If you married him, you wouldn’t have to do any housework. You’d just enjoy life!”
Yu Nian’an played along, praising a bit, then furrowed her brows. “Auntie, is he really as good as you say?”
“Of course! Auntie never makes mistakes in judging people!” Liu Guihua replied instinctively.
“Then, Auntie, I remember you also have a daughter, right? Why not marry her into that family too? That way the match is even closer.”
Liu Guihua: “…”
Next to her, Auntie Chunxing: “…”
Yu Nian’an ignored their expressions and continued, “Auntie, as you said, I have money. I can secure my own life. Instead of marrying into someone else’s family and being a daughter-in-law under their thumb, why not find a husband to move in with me? At worst, I support him myself.”