“Ah! Ah! Ali, help!”
Su Qingyue screamed in fright, instinctively pushing Xu Yanli aside and curling up in the corner of the bed, clutching the covers.
Xu Yanli staggered back, now completely exposed, standing in front of the pig.
The pig’s eyes seemed to gleam, its front hooves pawing at the ground, ready to charge at any moment.
Xu Yanli nearly wet himself and shouted at the top of his lungs, “Mom! The pig from the pigpen ran out!”
The commotion was so loud that it alerted several neighbors.
The first to arrive was Wang the Cripple’s mother.
Her house was on the first floor, right across from the Ruan family’s wall.
Hearing cries for help and the pig’s noises, she didn’t think twice and rushed outside.
Seeing a mass of pale flesh, she screamed and covered her eyes while cursing.
“Ah! Damn it, Xu family’s second son, what are you doing?”
Xu Yanli kept his eyes on the pig to avoid an ambush while hastily wrapping his clothes around himself.
“Your pig knocked down my wall!”
“Ah? That’s impossible.”
Luo Guifen thought Xu Yanli was blaming someone unfairly. Without hesitation, she ran into the yard from the pigpen. “My pig is so well-behaved…”
Good heavens—it really was her big black pig!
“Why is my pig here?”
Luo Guifen, stunned, tried to herd the pig back.
By now, more people had gathered in the yard, crowding the gate to watch the commotion.
“What’s going on? Wang’s pig knocked down the Xu family’s wall?”
“Did it hurt anyone? Why do I see someone lying on the ground?”
Luo Guifen herded the pig back, then turned and saw someone sprawled on the ground.
“Oh no! If my pig killed someone, I’d have to pay everything—underwear included!”
“Who’s lying on the ground? Get up…”
She rushed over to help, but upon seeing clearly, she screamed again.
“Ah! My child!”
The person her pig had knocked unconscious was her own son!
“Which bastard did this to my child?”
Luo Guifen threw herself on Wang the Cripple, crying her heart out.
Xu Yanli stood dumbfounded, still not fully processing what was happening.
The crowd’s chatter spread.
“What happened? Wang’s pig went crazy and knocked over the Xu family’s wall—and injured Wang’s own son?”
“Tonight is Xu family’s second son and An’an’s wedding night. This crash probably ruined it all.”
“No kidding! An’an is such a delicate young lady—she must be terrified.”
“Isn’t Xu’s second son’s wedding supposed to be in the mansion? And… that person on the bed doesn’t look like An’an.”
“What nonsense! If it’s not An’an lying there, who else could it be?”
At that moment, a strong scent of perfume drifted over.
Everyone turned to see Ruan An’an, pale as paper, standing behind.
“Y-yes…”
She only said two words, raising a finger to her eye as tears welled up and she looked down.
She was beautiful to begin with—now crying, she made even the older women in the crowd feel a pang of sympathy.
“Why are you crying?”
“Don’t cry. When Professor Ruan was alive, he treated us lowly people well. If you’ve been wronged, we’ll stand up for you!”
Ruan An’an sniffled, feeling wronged. “Aunties, don’t say that. My mother always said, there are no lowly people.”
Her words instantly moved everyone present, and they all wanted to defend her.
“An’an, did that old witch from the Xu family bully you?”
“If so, we’ll make them pay!”
Xu Yanli’s eyelid twitched as he quickly threatened, “Stop talking nonsense, or I’ll tear your mouths apart!”
“You little punk! You dare threaten people?” Liu Po scolded him, then comforted Ruan An’an, her rough hand patting the back of the girl’s hand. “Nannan, whatever grievances you have, today isn’t about you—you’re supposed to be on your wedding night with this little punk, he’s just…”
“Aunt Liu… I… I don’t even have the face to live!”
Ruan An’an didn’t explain what had happened. She dropped the words and stormed toward the dark-colored Roman columns at the door.
“No, Nannan!”
Liu Po grabbed her slender waist in fright.
Used to hard labor, she was strong. Ruan An’an’s thin arms and legs were no match.
Being pulled back, Ruan An’an flopped into Liu Po’s arms and began to cry softly, playing the part.
Xu Yanli sensed something was wrong and warned sharply, “Ruan An’an, why are you crying? Hurry and get them out!”
Liu Po, carried away by righteousness, retorted, “Shut up! On your wedding day, fooling around with another woman—you still have the nerve to lecture?”
“Luo Guifen, stop screaming! Go see who’s on the bed. It must be your son making too much noise and disturbing your pig. Otherwise, how could a neutered pig suddenly go crazy?”
Her words snapped Luo Guifen out of her daze. She rushed forward, yanking the covers. “Yes! It’s your fault my son got hurt!”
“I want to see who this scumbag is. When the patrol comes, we’ll send you all in!”
“Don’t come near!”
Xu Yanli, limited by his status, couldn’t physically intervene. He just stood there, trying to stop her.
The alley was notorious for its shrews—nobody listened to him.
Ruan An’an, crying in Liu Po’s arms, peeked slyly with one eye at the side room.
The side room had two connected rooms. Logically, Xu mother Li Ying should have been the first to arrive at the scene.
Where was she?
Luo Guifen, enraged, gritted her teeth and yanked the covers.
Her son’s lower body was covered in blood; he was probably ruined.
How could the real culprit get away unpunished?
People with poor conduct, like this scumbag, deserved a lesson from the militia.
“Ah!” With a woman’s scream, the covers were violently yanked.
Inside, a woman wore a pink floral vest. The hem was flipped up, revealing a patch of snow-white stomach.
“Oh my, shameless!” Several men nearby cursed and turned their heads, yet their eyes greedily stole glances.
“Damn it!” Xu Yanli muttered, stepping forward to protect Su Qingyue. “Stop staring! Stop staring!”
“Waaah! Ali, save me!”
The woman covered her face, hair in disarray, crying loudly as she wriggled into Xu Yanli’s arms.
Through the faint light in the room, Luo Guifen caught a familiar profile and jumped back. “Living longer only makes one see more. The young uncle and his wife are at it!”
“The Xu family really has no shame!”
The crowd finally realized what was happening and refocused:
“Who? Su Qingyue? Wasn’t her husband reported dead just a few days ago? She can’t wait already?”
“Shameless!”
“What are you doing in my house?”
Li Ying, covered in dust and holding a shovel, peeked her head out. Seeing the scene, she froze.
“Wh-what are you doing? Why are you all in my house?”
“Mom, Wang the Cripple’s pig knocked down our wall!” Xu Yanli quickly signaled his mother.
Li Ying’s mind worked fast. She immediately pushed Luo Guifen, shouting, “Your pig damaged my wall! You owe compensation—at least fifty pounds of grain coupons—and fix the wall! Otherwise, don’t expect an easy time!”
“Bah!” Luo Guifen spat in Li Ying’s face. “It was clearly your son and his wife making too much noise, startling my pig. My son went to calm it, and the pig went berserk?”
“We’ll have the militia check later to see who actually owes compensation!”
Good heavens! Ruan An’an thought she was dramatic, but these two women were born liars—they just spoke as they pleased.
And here they were, still trying to “calm the pig.” How come no one mentioned that Wang the Cripple was performing postnatal care for the boar?