Lin Yida gave off the impression of a frail scholar who couldn’t even carry a load on his shoulders.
From afar, he waved excitedly at Feng Yiyi and shouted, “Yiyi! Yiyi!”
Feng Yiyi was baffled. Who are you? I don’t even know you!
She searched through her memories, but there was no trace of this person.
Keeping a cold expression, she continued walking.
When they were only steps apart, the young man lowered his voice.
“Yiyi, I heard your family is building a new house. Where have you been?”
She looked at him in confusion. “Do we know each other?”
The words hit him like a bucket of cold water.
He nervously grabbed her arm. “Feng Yiyi, I’m your Brother Lin—Lin Yida. I live at the east end of the village. Don’t you remember me?”
Yiyi gently pulled her arm free. “Sorry. I hit my head on a rock before. I’ve forgotten some things.”
With that, she walked past him without another glance.
Lin Yida stood there blankly.
Unfortunately, this entire scene was witnessed by Li Cuihua—the most notorious gossip in the village—who had just returned from visiting her parents.
Li Cuihua’s family was poor. She had only one daughter, He Bilian. Though not pretty, the girl had lofty ambitions.
Once, while gathering firewood in the mountains, He Bilian injured her leg. Limping home, she happened to run into Lin Yida, who had just returned from the academy on break.
Since they were from the same village, and she was just a young girl, Lin Yida didn’t think much of it. He carried her firewood and escorted her home.
But in Li Cuihua’s eyes, Lin Yida was the village’s only xiucai—a licentiate scholar.
He could even see the county magistrate. What if one day he passed the highest imperial exam and became a zhuangyuan?
If her daughter married him, wouldn’t that mean instant glory?
She imagined her daughter becoming the wife of the top scholar—feasting on delicacies, dressed in silk and satin…
The next day, Li Cuihua went to the Lin household to bring up the matter.
But Old Madam Lin had no intention of letting her son marry a mere village girl. Her son was destined for high office. At the very least, he should marry the county magistrate’s daughter.
She rejected the proposal outright.
Li Cuihua left fuming, spat on the ground, and cursed, “What’s so great about him? Passing the exam is still uncertain, yet they act like he’s already the top scholar!”
From then on, whenever Lin Yida spoke to any girl, she would run to inform Old Madam Lin.
If her daughter couldn’t have him, no one else would.
Now, seeing Lin Yida and Feng Yiyi on the road, Li Cuihua smiled slyly and headed toward the Lin house.
…
Early the next morning, just as Feng Yiyi was cooking breakfast, loud shouting erupted outside.
She pushed open the door and saw a stout woman in coarse blue clothing yelling in the courtyard.
“You shameless Feng Yiyi! How dare you seduce my son, Lin Yida, last night!
A wild girl of unknown background—have you looked at yourself in the mirror? A toad lusting after swan meat!
My son is destined for official success. Even if you offered a thousand taels, he wouldn’t want you!
You little vixen! Stop hiding inside. I know you’re home!
You dare seduce my son but don’t dare come out? Have you no shame?!”
Grandma Wang stepped forward. “Old Madam Lin, is there some misunderstanding? Yiyi went to the county yesterday. She wasn’t even home.”
“What do you know? If you don’t control your granddaughter, she’ll bring shame upon your household soon enough!”
Feng Yiyi calmly picked up a burning firewood stick and stepped outside.
“Where did this mad dog come from so early in the morning? Get out.”
Old Madam Lin glared. “You dare show yourself! Why did you seduce my son?
He’s going to earn academic honors. How could he want a loose woman like you?”
“Which eye of yours saw me seduce him?” Yiyi shot back.
“You dare deny it? Li Cuihua saw you on the main road, hugging and clinging to my son!
Kissing him nonstop!
Shameless fox! Let me tell you—don’t ever dream of entering the Lin family!”
Yiyi laughed in disbelief. Saying a few words had turned into hugging and kissing.
If they had truly hugged, the gossip would probably claim she was already pregnant.
And that troublemaker Li Cuihua—she would deal with her later.
“Listen carefully, Old Madam Lin. Keep your son under control.
I merely ran into him on the road. Nothing happened. If you don’t believe me, ask him yourself.
From now on, tell your son to stay far away from me.
You think your family is some grand aristocratic house that others covet? I, Feng Yiyi, do not care in the slightest.
Now get out. If you come again, I’ll break your legs.”
With that, she swung the burning stick toward Old Madam Lin’s legs.
The older woman had seen tough people before—but never someone this fierce.
Seeing the fiery stick about to strike, she turned and ran.
“Help! She’s going to kill me!”
Yiyi laughed and shouted, “Old Madam Lin, don’t run! I haven’t even hit you yet! Come back!”
As the woman fled, Yiyi casually picked up two stones and flicked them at her legs.
“Ah! Who hit me?!” Old Madam Lin cried, collapsing to her knees.
Two more pebbles struck her back.
“Who’s attacking me?!”
She looked around—no one was there.
Her bravado vanished.
Could it be… something supernatural?