Wang Ergou was a tumor in Zhao Village.
Zhang Dahu’s daughter, Zhang Jiaojiao, had part of her pocket money taken by Wang Ergou.
Wang Ergou liked Zhang Jiaojiao and knew she liked the scholar Lin Yida.
One day, Zhang Jiaojiao went to the market and bought a mandala flower hairpin, wearing a new light pink pleated skirt.
She had just reached the village entrance when she saw Wang Ergou swaggering, with a dog-tail grass in his mouth.
“Hey? Isn’t this Jiaojiao sister? Where have you been strutting around?
Dressed like this, you look even more alluring.” Wang Ergou leaned in.
“Wang Ergou, what do you want again?” Zhang Jiaojiao snapped.
“Jiaojiao sister, why talk to big brother like that? Have you forgotten how affectionate you were with me, that flirtatious vibe!”
“Shut your crow’s mouth; when was I affectionate with you? Your big mouth has no gate.
If Brother Yida hears this, he might think I’m involved with you!” Zhang Jiaojiao fumed.
Wang Ergou grinned shamelessly: “What could I have with you? I like you; you know that.
But last time, sneaking a kiss on your little mouth and fair face, big brother didn’t wash his face for three days; my mouth still had your powder on it.
Big brother’s out of money again; starving! Give me some silver quick!”
Zhang Jiaojiao flared up, eyes bulging, eyebrows almost standing on end. “That was an accident! I tripped and fell on you.
You, this dog, bit me once; when I got home, I scrubbed my mouth and face until the skin peeled.
Your mouthful of yellow teeth stunk me out; how dare you say it!”
At this moment, they were next to Feng Yiyi’s house, just as Feng Yiyi was picking vegetables.
These words all reached Feng Yiyi’s ears; she almost burst out laughing.
“Hurry, Jiaojiao, hurry and give me the silver!
Otherwise, I’ll tell Brother Yida about kissing you.
See if he still wants you after knowing.” Wang Ergou lost patience, getting angry and threatening.
“You spent all that money I gave you last time?
Didn’t you promise that was the last time you’d ask me for money?
How can you blackmail me again? Do your words count?”
Wang Ergou smirked, stomping one foot, hand on his hip.
“Sister, your big brother Ergou is talking nicely. Have you ever seen a rascal keep his word? Hand over the money, quick!”
Then, Wang Ergou stepped forward, reaching for Zhang Jiaojiao’s waist, yanking hard and grabbing the purse.
He opened it and poured the coppers into his hand. “Just this little? Not even enough to fill my teeth!”
Zhang Jiaojiao lunged to grab the purse: “Give me back the money, give it to me! How can you be like this?”
Wang Ergou held the purse to his chest; Zhang Jiaojiao pressed close, inches away.
Wang Ergou took the chance to pull her into his arms.
His thick sausage-like lips covered her cherry mouth like gnawing a big pig trotter, sucking and biting forcefully.
Feng Yiyi watched, shaking her head: This technique is too bad, too bad! Trying to flirt with a girl.
Zhang Jiaojiao pounded Wang Ergou with her cotton-like fists.
“Get off me, get off!” She pushed with all her might.
After who knows how long, as it got darker, Wang Ergou finally let go.
Now, Zhang Jiaojiao’s hair was disheveled, her clothes loose.
“You bastard, if you ask me for money again, I’ll tell my dad to beat you to death.”
Wang Ergou wiped the blood from his lip bitten by Zhang Jiaojiao, looking like a dead pig unafraid of boiling water, leering: “Your dad, haha!
Do you think I’m afraid of him? A spineless son-in-law.
Now he can’t even get out of bed; how can he beat me!
From now on, give me one tael of silver a month, or I’ll spread it everywhere that Wang Ergou had the fortune to sleep with Zhang Jiaojiao.
See if your Brother Yida cares, if he still wants you!”
“You dare! If you dare say that, I’ll ask my mom for money to hire killers in town to kill you. They do it for money.
You’re a scourge anyway; dying would be a blessing for Zhao Village!”
Zhang Jiaojiao also got tough; she found this worked.
So she continued: “Give me the money. If you ask me for money again or say one bad word about me, your death is near.
I believe then your stinking mouth will shut forever, and your eyes too!”
“Jiaojiao sister, don’t say that; it hurts feelings. Here’s the money!
Big brother was wrong; I won’t ask you for money again, won’t bother you.”
People say, fear the fierce, but even more the desperate.
Wang Ergou acted fierce in the village, threatening to fight to the death.
But if hired killers came for his life, he cherished it and feared too!
Zhang Jiaojiao smoothed her hair, straightened her clothes, looked at Feng Yiyi’s house.
Then smiled, “Are you stupid?
There’s the richest person in the village here, with such a nice house.
Eat what you want, live where you want.
You don’t go after her, cling to me. Sigh! Stupid people can’t be saved!”
Said without thought, heard with intent—this sentence woke the dreamer.
Wang Ergou looked at Feng Yiyi’s house next door, his eyes spinning, then he grinned.
“Jiaojiao sister, if you lure Feng Yiyi to the back mountain, after it’s done, I’ll buy you a pair of silver bracelets.”
Zhang Jiaojiao looked at Wang Ergou, “Feng Yiyi doesn’t get along with my family. If I lure her out, you have to buy them.
Let’s set it: tomorrow noon, in the woods by the mountain behind her house. Wait for me there.”
Zhang Jiaojiao seemed to see a pair of silver bracelets waving at her.
Zhang Jiaojiao thought: If Feng Yiyi loses her virginity, Lin Yida won’t have hopes, will give up, and Brother Yida will be mine.
Zhang Jiaojiao’s plan was perfect.
The next morning, Feng Yiyi was at home pickling vegetables.
Here, in October, the village had the habit of pickling.
Early on, some outsiders came selling cabbage, radishes, and autumn vegetables.
Feng Yiyi bought some, stored part of the cabbage fresh in the cool shed, and prepared to pickle the rest.
She first cut some smaller cabbages in half, soaked them in salt water, and added a dozen small radishes.
In two days, when pickled, she’d make Yanbian pickled spicy cabbage; the space had fish sauce, chili powder, etc.
She pickled some other cabbage into sauerkraut.
She blanched the cabbage with boiling water, rinsed with cold, put in a big vat.
Layer by layer, sprinkle salt, finally add cold water, press with a stone.
Put them in the cool shed in the yard; later make sour cabbage fish, sour cabbage pork blood sausage—that’s delicious.
By noon, Feng Yiyi was sore and tired.
Then, Zhang Jiaojiao came in.
“Yiyi, I need to tell you something! In the woods by the mountain, I found some rooted things, like herbs, I don’t recognize them. Go check; maybe you can sell them for money!”
Feng Yiyi looked at Zhang Jiaojiao, recalling her talk with Wang Ergou.
Coincidentally, she came out to pour water and overheard their conversation.
Thinking: Looks like Zhang Jiaojiao wants those silver bracelets. I mean no harm, but the tiger does. Avoid today, not tomorrow—settle it once and for all.
So, she played along, “Okay, wait for me; I’ll change and go with you!”