Captain Liang ignored the onlookers and simply nodded at Fang Ruo.
“Captain, please hold onto the money and documents for me. I’ll come find you tomorrow to call off the engagement. Oh, and I’ll need you to write me a certificate then too.”
“Alright, I’ll keep them safe for you.”
This girl was lucky in her foolishness—falling into that well had finally cleared her head. She knew better than to keep that money on her right now.
“Fang Xing, all that’s left is for you to kneel and apologize.”
Fang Ruo’s smile was radiant, her words soft and gentle. But the gentler she was, the more it cut Fang Xing to the bone.
Apologies were common enough, but one peer kneeling to another was a rare sight. Half the village had crammed into the Fang household just to watch someone kneel.
She’d nearly cost someone their life—kneeling to apologize was actually getting off easy for Fang Xing. Aside from disgusting this family, what did Fang Ruo really gain from being knelt to?
Honestly, it was almost bad luck to have it happen.
Fang Ruo sat there quietly, like a little lord waiting for a maid to come pay her respects.
A beggar lord in tattered rags, that is.
Fang Xing was seething, her teeth grinding audibly. Throw a tantrum? Play dumb? That wouldn’t work anymore. If she didn’t kneel, she was afraid the fool would start shouting about the sugarcane field in front of everyone again—and her grandfather was right there keeping the pressure on.
Half the village was waiting for Fang Xing’s final surrender.
“Um, niece Fang Ruo, you’ve got the money now, so surely there’s no need for the kneeling?”
“That’s fine, Uncle Yong. Bring me your household register, and I’ll find some sickly fellow to marry your Fang Xing. Then you two can get a divorce, and she’ll be a divorced woman. How about that?”
“You—you, you, you—”
Fang Yong nearly choked on his own breath. Fang Xing was his only daughter, his precious jewel.
“This Fang Yong finally gets how much Fang Ruo suffered.”
“Exactly. Fang Ruo isn’t even demanding compensation for emotional damage—just a kneel is nothing.”
“Right, that kneel is worth a fortune for Fang Xing. Saves her a big payout and keeps her out of jail.”
…
“Go on!” Fang Xingguo’s old face couldn’t take any more shame. He roared at Fang Xing with everything he had.
The few steps Fang Xing took felt like walking to the executioner’s block.
Thud. She knelt.
Fang Ruo’s proud little expression carried a hint of magnanimity, as if to say, Even accepting this kneel is a loss for me, and I’d rather not, but to keep the peace, I’ll just have to sacrifice my own interests.
Many in the crowd—even those who’d never paid attention to a fool before—could see that she wasn’t stupid. Not only was she not stupid, she was a completely different person.
“What, do I need to teach you how to speak?”
Fang Ruo just stared at Fang Xing. Her eyes were innocent and lively, yet they could send a chill down your spine.
Fang Xing bit her lip until it bled, pinned by that gaze—furious, and a little afraid.
Seeing her this angry, Fang Ruo was relieved. She just hoped the woman wouldn’t die of rage too soon.
“I—I’m sorry. I apologize.”
The words were practically ground out through clenched teeth, dripping with hatred. That was fine—Fang Ruo didn’t care. From this day forward, she was no longer the fool Fang Ruo. No one was going to bully her.
Fang Xingguo’s whole family shot Fang Ruo looks so venomous they could kill.
If looks were knives, Fang Ruo would be riddled with holes right now.
“Fang Ruo, is this matter settled then?” Captain Liang asked.
Fang Ruo looked the kneeling figure up and down, as if genuinely checking whether Fang Xing was kneeling properly. It took her a moment to realize someone had spoken to her. She smiled at Captain Liang and nodded.
“The matter can be closed, but I don’t forgive.”
She could let it go, but forgive? Not possible.
The moment she heard “closed,” Fang Xing tried to scramble up.
But Fang Ruo pressed a hand on her shoulder to keep her down. “Stay kneeling. I haven’t said you can get up. You get up when I allow it.”
The onlookers muttered in admiration—being clear-headed really changed things. Ruthless.
“You’re bullying me! Waaah, waaah…”
Crying? Then kneel there and cry. Otherwise she’d never learn her lesson.
In Captain Liang’s view, dropping the matter meant it was over. And putting himself in her shoes—if anyone dared push his child into a well, he’d be satisfied just not killing them, let alone forgiving.
“Fang Xingguo, your family is in the wrong here. When Fang Ruo comes to move her things, don’t make trouble. Everyone here saw it today—from now on, Fang Ruo is her own household, no relation to the Xingguo family. Go on, disperse.”
Captain Liang picked up the cardboard box with the money, patted his backside, and limped off.
“Aunt Qi, I’ll need to trouble you to help me carry some things, or I’ll have to make several trips.”
“Sure, Auntie will help you.”
In Ping’an Village, the only one who still had some pity for her was Aunt Qi. Fang Ruo could only rely on her.
But the more she packed, the more she wanted to burn these rags. They were nothing but patches and unwashed stains, reeking of mildew…
Seeing Fang Ruo frown, Aunt Qi said, “Take them over first. Patch them up, wash them, see if they’re still wearable. Even if you don’t want them, don’t burn them—don’t do that family of wolves any favors.”
Aunt Qi hoisted a bundle of bedding and headed off first to Fang Ruo’s old house, not far away.
And this is what they call a bargain? Well, in this day and age, having something at all is already a blessing. Thinking this, Fang Ruo went to haul over the wooden crate that was hers alone, and started stuffing all sorts of odds and ends into it.
Ouch!
The back of Fang Ruo’s hand, which had been scraped raw when she blocked the stool earlier, now accidentally bumped against the edge of the crate again. The pain made her shake her hand vigorously, and the blood on the back of her hand dripped down to the ring on her middle finger.
The ring actually flashed!
The room was dim, so Fang Ruo saw it especially clearly.
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