If not for heartache beyond control, Cui Shi would never have spoken such harsh words to a seven-year-old child.
Seeing that Cui Shi wasn’t joking, Zhang Cuihua panicked and hurried off to find Bai Dafu. Liu Yun still had her uses—Zhang Cuihua couldn’t let her die just like that!
The girl was pretty, and Zhang Cuihua planned to marry her off as a concubine to a wealthy family, hoping to bask in reflected glory and enjoy a life of comfort later! If Liu Yun died now, wouldn’t those six years of raising her have been in vain?
But as soon as she stepped out, she bumped into Bai Dafu. Wiping her tears hastily, Zhang Cuihua pleaded, “Village Head Bai, please go in quickly! Sister-in-law Cui wants to kill Liu Yun! She’s just a foolish child—it’d be such a waste for her to die like this!”
Bai Dafu retorted sharply, “Hu Niu is even younger than Liu Yun. Would her death not be a pity then?”
Zhang Cuihu: “…” So Village Head Bai and the Bai family were in cahoots, just as she’d thought!
Despite his words, Bai Dafu strode inside.
The crowd parted to make way as Village Head Bai approached.
Spotting him, Liu Yun felt a glimmer of hope and immediately kowtowed, begging, “Grandpa Village Head, I don’t want to die! Please, stand up for me!”
Stroking his goatee, Bai Dafu spoke with authority, “At such a tender age, you already harbor wicked intentions. If you aren’t taught a lesson today, you’ll only grow worse with time!”
He then turned to Bai Renyi and Cui Shi. “Liu Yun’s crime is unforgivable. Your family is the victim—how do you wish to deal with her?”
Before the couple could respond, Li Zhenzhu’s eyes bulged as she roared, “I want her to pay with her life!”
Tian E had cried herself breathless, while Zhao Ju, supporting her sister-in-law, collapsed into a sobbing heap. “Village Head, we beg you to ensure she pays for my sister-in-law and nephew’s lives!”
The four Keng children wailed in unison, “Pay with her life! Pay with her life!”
The onlookers were deeply moved, thinking of the adorable Little Dumpling who was now unlikely to survive. They bowed their heads, wiping away tears.
Though the men stayed silent with heads lowered, fury blazed in their eyes, their expressions screaming a desire to tear Liu Yun apart.
Zhang Cuihua panicked, dropping to her knees with a thud. “Village Head Bai, Liu Yun mustn’t die! I beg you, spare her!”
“Grandpa Village Head, I don’t want to die! I never meant to harm Hu Niu! She fell on her own! Waaah!” Liu Yun also wailed at the top of her lungs.
Bai Dafu stroked his goatee, his face stern. “Oh? Then recount exactly what happened.”
Though he disliked Liu Yun, Bai Dafu had no wish to wrong her.
Between sobs, Liu Yun explained, “I thought Hu Niu was pretty and wanted to play a prank to scare her. So I tricked Si Keng and Wu Keng into playing hide-and-seek. When they weren’t looking, I lured Hu Niu to the cliff’s edge. I never meant to push her! But she bit me first, and when I let go, she slipped and fell! Look, Grandpa Village Head—the bite marks are still on my arm! Waaah!”
As she spoke, she raised her uninjured arm, and Bai Dafu indeed saw a row of small teeth marks.
Yet her explanation only fueled the crowd’s rage: “Lying comes so naturally at her age—who knows how many she’ll harm when she grows up!”
“Our village can’t keep a child like this!”
“One piece of rotten meat ruins the whole pot—drive her out!”
Opinions flew thick and fast, the collective scorn nearly drowning Liu Yun in a sea of spit.The Bai family was even more heartbroken. Cui Shi clutched her chest: “Because of your prank, our Bai family has lost two children. Today, I will make you pay with your blood!”
“Beat her to death!”
“Pummel her to death!”
“Throw her off the cliff to feed the wolves!”
Angry roars erupted from the crowd.
Seeing Bai Dafu remain unmoved, Zhang Cuihua suddenly dragged Liu Tiezhu down to his knees beside her. “You blockhead, say something! Quickly beg Brother Bai and Village Head Bai to spare our Liu Yun!”
Liu Yun also cried out: “Father, please speak up for me!”
Liu Tiezhu knelt there, his emotions in turmoil. He resented Zhang Cuihua for being too indulgent and hated Liu Yun for her viciousness, feeling too ashamed to speak.
But after all, Liu Yun was the daughter he had raised for six years—it was impossible to claim he felt no affection for her.
After a moment of internal struggle, he finally spoke in a low voice: “Brother Bai, Village Head Bai, as the saying goes, ‘A child’s faults reflect the father’s failures.’ Liu Yun has committed an unforgivable wrong today, and I, as her father, cannot escape blame. I am willing to die in her place—I only beg you to spare her life.”
Bai Dafu looked down on Zhang Cuihua and Liu Yun, but he had a favorable impression of Liu Tiezhu. Stroking his goatee, he said, “Foolish! You can die for her today, but if she makes another mistake tomorrow, how many times can you die for her?”
Liu Tiezhu insisted, “Today, I will atone with my death. In the future, Liu Yun will surely learn her lesson and never repeat such a mistake. I only ask Village Head Bai and Brother Bai to spare her life.”
Bai Dafu knew Liu Tiezhu was as stubborn as a mule. If he didn’t agree to let him atone with death today, Liu Tiezhu would likely dash his own head against a wall.
Out of respect for Liu Tiezhu, Bai Dafu stroked his goatee thoughtfully for a moment, then turned to Bai Renyi and his wife: “Renyi, Tiger Girl’s mother, although Liu Yun is detestable, she didn’t intend to kill Tiger Girl, so her crime doesn’t warrant death. Today, Liu Tiezhu spent the day searching below the cliff to atone for her sins. For Liu Tiezhu’s sake, spare Liu Yun’s life for now. The most urgent matter is finding Da Keng and Tiger Girl. Once the two children are found, we can still send her to the authorities.”
Bai Renyi, who had been silent until now, spoke hoarsely: “Uncle, I know you judge fairly, but Da Keng and Tiger Girl have vanished without a trace—what will become of our Bai family from now on? Though Liu Yun may escape the death penalty, she cannot escape punishment!”
“What do you propose?” Bai Dafu asked.
Cui Shi took over: “I want Liu Yun to go down the cliff herself to search for Da Keng and Tiger Girl!”
Bai Dafu said gravely: “Renyi, Tiger Girl’s mother, if Liu Yun goes down, she will likely die…”
Liu Yun wailed: “I won’t go down! I’m scared! Waaah!”
Zhang Cuihua also pleaded tearfully: “There are poisonous insects and Magical Creatures below the cliff! A child as young as Liu Yun would never return alive, especially with one of her arms broken! Village Head Bai, please persuade Brother Bai and Sister-in-law Cui to spare our Liu Yun!”
Liu Tiezhu glared at her and cut her off harshly: “Shut up!”
Then he turned to Bai Dafu: “Uncle, don’t trouble yourself. Let’s do as Sister-in-law Cui says—make Liu Yun go down the cliff herself to search for the two children! If she finds them, she’s fortunate. If not, consider it her life repaid to the Bai family!”
“Father! I’m scared! Waaah!” Liu Yun tugged desperately at her father’s clothes.
Liu Tiezhu shoved her away: “Ungrateful daughter! You made this mess—now you must face the consequences! Tomorrow, you will go down the cliff to search for them!””You dead man, why are you forcing our child down a dead end!” Zhang Cuihua stretched out her claws to scratch her husband’s face.
“Shrew!” Bai Dafu roared and commanded: “Someone, come hold her down!”