Rumors in the Village
By morning, the entire village knew.
Nothing stayed secret in a small mountain town.
Especially not violence.
Especially not Zhao Cheng nearly beating a group of enforcers out of his home.
And especially not the strange part—
The wicked stepmother had fought beside him.
Lin Shu noticed the stares immediately when he went to the well with Zhao Mei.
Whispers followed them like smoke.
“That’s him?”
“I heard he cut someone with a knife.”
“No, no, I heard Zhao Cheng protected him like treasure.”
“Treasure? That shameless ger?”
“He used to sneak around with other men, didn’t he?”
“Maybe he bewitched Zhao Cheng…”
Zhao Mei’s shoulders stiffened beside him.
Lin Shu kept his expression calm, but inside he sighed.
Ancient village gossip truly spread faster than modern internet drama.
A few women nearby lowered their voices when they noticed him looking over.
Not subtle at all.
One older woman snorted openly.
“Some people survive one river accident and suddenly think they became saints.”
Lin Shu recognized her from memory.
Auntie Wu.
One of the original owner’s biggest enemies.
Mostly because the original Lin Shu once publicly insulted her daughter during a festival.
Honestly, past-Lin Shu deserved every enemy he got.
Lin Shu quietly filled the bucket instead of responding.
But Auntie Wu wasn’t finished.
“You should be ashamed showing your face outside,” she continued loudly.
“If my husband’s first wife died and he brought home something like you, I’d rather haunt the house myself.”
Several people gasped awkwardly.
Zhao Mei lowered her head immediately.
Lin Shu saw it.
The girl looked embarrassed.
Not for him.
For the family name.
Something sharp twisted in his chest.
Before he could respond, another voice spoke coldly behind them.
“Then perhaps your ghost would finally learn some manners.”
The well area fell silent instantly.
Lin Shu turned.
Zhao Cheng stood there carrying a bundle of rope over one shoulder.
His expression was calm.
Too calm.
Auntie Wu’s face changed immediately.
“I-I wasn’t talking to you—”
“You were speaking loudly enough for the entire village,” Zhao Cheng replied.
“Hard not to hear.”
No shouting.
No anger.
Yet the woman visibly shrank.
Lin Shu suddenly understood something important.
People weren’t just wary of Zhao Cheng because he was strong.
They feared disappointing him.
Because Zhao Cheng rarely spoke unnecessarily.
So when he did—
Every word carried weight.
Auntie Wu forced a laugh.
“I was only joking…”
Zhao Cheng looked at her for a long second.
Then said:
“My household matters are not entertainment.”
Silence.
Nobody dared continue the conversation.
Finally, Zhao Cheng walked over and took the water bucket from Lin Shu naturally.
Like it was expected.
Like they belonged to the same side.
Lin Shu blinked slightly.
The movement was simple.
But everyone around the well noticed it.
The whispers immediately changed tone.
On the walk home, Zhao Mei stayed unusually quiet.
Lin Shu thought she might be uncomfortable after earlier, so he kept silent too.
Then suddenly—
“Why?”
Lin Shu looked over.
“Hm?”
Zhao Mei hesitated before asking softly:
“Why are you different now?”
The question hit harder than expected.
Lin Shu carefully chose his words.
“Maybe…” he said slowly, “almost dying made me realize I was wasting my life.”
Zhao Mei looked down at the path.
“…You used to hate us.”
Lin Shu’s chest tightened.
The girl’s voice remained calm, but there was old hurt hidden beneath it.
“You especially hated An’er,” she continued quietly.
“Because Father spent more time taking care of him after he got sick.”
Lin Shu remembered.
The original owner had been jealous of a child.
A child.
Shame crawled through him again.
“I know,” he said softly.
Zhao Mei glanced at him carefully.
“You really don’t remember?”
Lin Shu paused.
Then answered honestly in the only way he safely could.
“I remember enough to regret it.”
The girl fell silent again.
But this time, she no longer looked at him with pure distrust.
Only confusion.
And confusion was softer than hatred.
Back at the house, Zhao Cheng repaired farming tools in the yard while Zhao Jun split wood nearby.
Lin Shu moved to help automatically.
Zhao Jun immediately frowned.
“You even know how to do that?”
“No,” Lin Shu admitted.
“…Then don’t ruin it.”
Lin Shu almost laughed.
The boy really had no filter.
But before Zhao Jun could continue complaining, Zhao Cheng spoke without looking up.
“Show him.”
Zhao Jun froze.
“What?”
“Show him properly.”
The boy looked horrified.
“You want me to teach him?”
Zhao Cheng finally glanced up once.
“Yes.”
Zhao Jun looked personally betrayed by the universe.
Lin Shu quickly said, “It’s okay, I can figure it out—”
“You’ll cut yourself,” Zhao Cheng replied calmly.
A pause.
Then he added:
“And I already have enough problems.”
Lin Shu stared at him.
Was that…
a joke?
Zhao Jun looked equally shocked.
Even Zhao Mei blinked in disbelief.
For half a second, the atmosphere in the yard shifted strangely.
Lighter.
Small.
Fragile.
But real.
And Zhao Cheng, apparently realizing what he had done, quietly looked back down at his tools like nothing happened at all.
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