"You little beast! Motherless mongrel! Throw one more and I'll beat you to death!"
Liu Yunzhen wanted to charge forward, but the next second she was frightened back by Shen Ning holding a firewood chopper.
Though she maintained the posture of a shrew on the surface, her tone had noticeably weakened.
"You… what do you think you're doing! You wouldn't dare kill me!"
Her hands at her sides trembled uncontrollably, "You… you wouldn't dare!"
"What wouldn't I dare!"
Shen Ning looked ready to go all out, adopting an attitude of cutting down anyone who stood in her way.
"My husband is dead, and you think we orphans and widows are easy to bully, trying to drive us to our deaths. Well, let's try it! I've got nothing left to lose – if I can take one down with me, that's one less!"
"Waaah—Niang Niang!"
Xiaohua cried even more bitterly, "I don't want Niang Niang to die! I don't want Niang Niang to die! Waaah—waaah—"
Li Jianjun also began sobbing, his eyes red, struggling to hold back his tears. Yet the more the child tried to suppress them, the less he could control them.
Stubborn as a young wolf, he glared fiercely at Li Bai and Liu Yunzhen.
"You're all bad people! Bad people!Those mediating took pity seeing the orphans and widow, and one after another tried to persuade them.
"Aiyah, we're all family here, what's there to fight about?"
"Everyone should take a step back and let it go, why make things so difficult?"
"Third Brother's wife has it hard enough, just let it be."
"Yes, Third Brother just passed away, you shouldn't make him feel cold in the underworld!"
Mentioning their prematurely deceased younger brother finally made the couple rein themselves in somewhat.
"Stop trying to scare me! Let me tell you, this is our family's land. You weren't allocated any land at all. I've tolerated those kids coming again and again to steal our firewood, but now you have the nerve to come too? Pah! I'm telling you, this isn't over!"
Liu Yunzhen's few words clarified the situation, and immediately the wind shifted direction.
Putting themselves in her shoes, anyone would want to skin someone who brought their whole family to gather firewood in their woods.
After all, every household was poor these days – even a single weed on the field ridge belonged to their family, and no one could take it.
"Who said we're here to steal? We're here to buy!"
Furious, Shen Ning went over and picked up the basket that had fallen aside. Using the basket as cover, she quickly took out that bag of Guamian from the Points Mall.
She slowly waved it before everyone's eyes, making sure all could see it clearly.
"I originally planned to use Guamian to buy firewood. Hey, who knew some people have such foul mouths, spewing nonsense the moment they open them."
She sneered contemptuously.
Proudly raising her head, she looked disdainfully at the couple, clearly seeing the greed in their eyes.
Her gaze swept over the several people present, "But since these two don't want to do business with me, I wonder if any of you have firewood to sell me a bundle? I'll exchange this bag of Guamian for it!"
"I do! I do! My family happens to have some!"
A younger man immediately stepped forward, his eyes shining as he stared at the noodles in her hand.
"Hey, my family has some too, all dried out, burns really well."
Shen Ning hesitated slightly, "Both your families have some, but I only have this one bundle of Guamian, this…"
The two men exchanged a glance and quickly reached a decision. "Firewood isn't that expensive, Uncle. How about each of our families contributes one bundle, and we split the Guamian noodles in half?"
This bundle of Guamian noodles was quite substantial. If they only exchanged it for one bundle of firewood, people would surely curse him endlessly once word got out.
But splitting it between two people made all the difference.
"Deal! I'll go home right now to get it and bring it to your place soon."
"I'll go too."
"Wait!"
Shen Ning stopped them and handed over the noodles in her hand. "Let's divide the Guamian noodles right here in front of everyone. That way, we avoid any twisted rumors later!"
As she said this, her gaze deliberately swept over the resentful couple.
The two men immediately took the noodles and evenly divided them into two portions—each family receiving a large handful of Guamian noodles.
Enough to cook about three bowls worth.
Those who missed out on this deal felt regretful and disappointed.
Why hadn't they seized this good opportunity first?
"Third Brother's wife, if you need anything else in the future, we'll help however we can," said an envious uncle.
"Alright, with your word, Uncle, that's enough. I'll likely have to trouble everyone in the future, but I won't take advantage of anyone for free!"
The group chuckled cheerfully.
But who would have thought that in the next moment, Liu Yunzhen jumped out again, blocking the two men who were about to leave.
Her eyes fixed intently on the Guamian noodles in their hands.
"These noodles are Shen Ning's compensation to us! Give them back!"
The younger Tian Wu immediately flared up. "Yours? Yours? How thick-skinned can you be! Why don't you just fly to the heavens! These are Shen Ning's payment to me for firewood. Have some shame!"
The uncle beside him also pulled a long face. "Are you trying to steal?"
Noticing the tension, Li Bai quickly pulled Liu Yunzhen aside. "No, Uncle, she didn't mean it that way."
The man addressed as Uncle snorted heavily. "Bai, you need to keep your own wife in check!"
Li Bai nodded hurriedly. "Yes, Uncle, I understand. I'll talk to her properly."
Watching the two men quickly walk away, Liu Yunzhen gritted her teeth in fury behind him.
"Li Bai, what are you doing?"
But in the next moment, Li Bai shook off her arm, his face full of impatience.
"Haven't you caused enough trouble?"
The woman, suddenly yelled at, froze in shock. Li Bai continued his outburst, "Aren't you ashamed enough? Go home! Hurry back!"
Liu Yunzhen couldn't believe it. The strong-willed woman's eyes suddenly reddened, tears falling one by one, yet she still managed to shoot a fierce glare in Shen Ning's direction.
"Li Bai, I can't live like this anymore!"
After shouting, she covered her face and dashed away in a flash.
Li Bai hadn't expected his wife to be so temperamental. He snorted heavily toward Shen Ning's direction and hurried after her.
Shen Ning: ???What???What nonsense are these two lunatics up to!They're taking their anger out on me!
She crouched down, wiped the tears from the little girl's damp cheeks, and held her in her arms, gently patting her back to comfort her.
"There, there, Xiaohua, don't cry. It's alright now."
Xiaohua gradually stopped sobbing, and when she met Shen Ning's gentle gaze, she felt a little shy.
"Thank you for protecting Niang Niang, Xiaohua!"
After saying this, she reached out and ruffled Li Jianjun's hair beside her.
With a gentle smile, she added, "And Jianjun, thank you for protecting me too!"
"But next time if it's too dangerous, when you encounter such situations, you need to protect yourselves first, understand?"