Gu Xiaoxiao looked calmly at Xu Cuihua.
Her gaze was sharp and piercing.
The smile on Xu Cuihua’s face instantly froze.
“X-Xiaoxiao… why are you looking at me like that?”
Gu Xiaoxiao smiled faintly before turning to Aunt Li.
“Aunt Li, what was it that you wanted to say just now?”
Xu Cuihua’s expression changed immediately.
She frowned.
Why was Gu Xiaoxiao suddenly bringing Aunt Li into this?
The Gu Xiaoxiao she knew had always listened to her obediently.
Had falling and hitting her head really changed her that much?
Or…
Had she seen it?
The possibility made Xu Cuihua’s heart skip a beat.
If the truth came out, the reputation she had spent years building would be destroyed.
No.
Absolutely not.
“Xiaoxiao, why are you ignoring me? Are you still angry with me?”
“Your health isn’t good yet. You should hurry back and rest.”
Her eagerness to send Gu Xiaoxiao away immediately raised everyone’s suspicions.
She had been trying to get Gu Xiaoxiao to leave since the beginning.
Why was she so anxious?
Even Aunt Li, who wasn’t particularly perceptive, finally felt that something was off.
“What do you mean I wanted to drive Xiaoxiao away?”
“You were the one who came to my house!”
“You told me that once Gu Xiaoxiao woke up, she’d definitely come after Da Hu for revenge.”
“You also said that keeping her in the village would only bring disaster and encouraged everyone to force her out.”
“And now somehow it’s become my fault?”
The villagers quickly came to their senses as well.
“That’s right!”
“You were the one who said Gu Xiaoxiao would ruin the whole village!”
“Exactly! Why does it sound like we’re the bad guys now?”
Xu Cuihua had never expected them to expose her so easily.
A bunch of brainless village women!
She ground her teeth in frustration.
Yet outwardly she maintained her innocent expression.
“What are you all talking about?”
She grabbed Gu Xiaoxiao’s hand, tears shimmering in her eyes.
“Xiaoxiao, I didn’t do that. You have to believe me.”
Without Gu Xiaoxiao, her life would become much harder.
Most of the clothes she wore, the food she ate, and the things she used had come from Gu Xiaoxiao.
Without her benefactor, wouldn’t she go back to being that poor girl dressed in patched rags?
Then how would she ever marry into a wealthy family?
For now, she could only swallow her pride and coax Gu Xiaoxiao back to her side.
Thinking this, she looked at Gu Xiaoxiao with a pitiful expression.
Normally, the original owner would have believed her without question.
But this Gu Xiaoxiao wasn’t the original owner.
That trick no longer worked.
She shook off Xu Cuihua’s hand and looked at her coldly, as if facing a complete stranger.
“What should I do, Cuihua?”
“I’m not sure I believe you.”
Xu Cuihua’s eyes widened.
Tears hung in her eyes but refused to fall.
The sight made several young men nearby feel sympathetic.
Meanwhile, many of the village women suddenly felt strange.
Why had they never noticed how fake Xu Cuihua seemed before?
At that moment, a young man stepped forward.
“Gu Xiaoxiao, Cuihua already said it wasn’t her. Why are you refusing to let it go?”
Gu Xiaoxiao glanced over.
It was Xu Yu.
He looked every bit the upright gentleman.
But the way he looked at Xu Cuihua was anything but innocent.
Then she looked back at Xu Cuihua.
Sure enough, the girl was staring at Xu Yu with obvious affection.
The two were practically flirting in public.
“Who are you?”
Gu Xiaoxiao asked casually.
“Are you related to Xu Cuihua?”
“What business of yours is there between me and her?”
Xu Yu was instantly rendered speechless.
Still, seeing Xu Cuihua’s pitiful appearance, he didn’t want to lose face in front of everyone.
“We’re all from the same village.”
“The way you’re pressuring her is too much.”
Gu Xiaoxiao almost laughed.
Ignoring him completely, she turned back toward Xu Cuihua.
“Tell me.”
“When I was fighting with Da Hu over that bun, weren’t you the one who pushed me from behind?”
The words struck Xu Cuihua like a bolt of lightning.
Her face instantly turned pale.
How did she know?
That couldn’t be possible.
She had made sure Gu Xiaoxiao couldn’t see her.
She must be bluffing.
The villagers were equally shocked.
Xu Cuihua had pushed her?
The Gu family reacted even more strongly.
Their eyes widened with rage.
So this girl was the one who had nearly killed their precious daughter?
Every member of the Gu family stared at Xu Cuihua as though they wanted to tear her apart.
Xu Cuihua hurriedly put on an even more aggrieved expression.
“Xiaoxiao, how could I push you?”
“We’re best friends!”
“Oh?”
Gu Xiaoxiao nodded thoughtfully.
“Is that so?”
Hope instantly appeared in Xu Cuihua’s eyes.
She thought Gu Xiaoxiao was about to forgive her.
Inside, she sneered.
Just as stupid as ever.
A few words and she’d be fooled again.
But the next second, Gu Xiaoxiao turned toward Aunt Li.
“Aunt Li, could you bring Da Hu over?”
“Let’s hear what happened directly from him.”
Then she glanced at Xu Cuihua’s increasingly panicked face.
“If Da Hu wasn’t the one who pushed me, then it’s unfair for him to carry that blame.”
“And if someone deliberately shifted that blame onto him…”
She smiled coldly.
“Then that person’s heart is truly rotten.”
By now, Aunt Li had already guessed most of the truth.
If Xu Cuihua had really pinned the blame on her son, she would never let the girl off easily.
“Fine!”
“Just wait here!”
Furious, she turned around and stormed off to fetch Da Hu.
The villagers were now completely invested.
The drama was becoming more exciting by the minute.
Not a single person left.
All that was missing were tea and melon seeds.
Meanwhile, Xu Cuihua sat on the ground looking pitiful on the surface.
But a flash of viciousness flickered through her eyes.
If Da Hu came…
Everything would be exposed.
How could she continue living in the village afterward?
Only then did Gu Xiaoxiao turn her attention back to Xu Yu.
Raising an eyebrow, she said,
“If you want to play the hero rescuing a damsel in distress, you should at least figure out the situation first.”
After saying that, she ignored him entirely.
The original owner’s memories contained quite a few disgusting things about Xu Yu as well.
It didn’t take long for Aunt Li to return with Da Hu.
The moment the boy saw the crowd—and especially when he noticed Xu Cuihua sitting there—he immediately hid behind his mother, trembling.
The villagers exchanged meaningful looks.
At this point, they understood.
If Gu Xiaoxiao’s accusations were false, why would Da Hu be so afraid of Xu Cuihua?
“You silly child.”
Aunt Li pulled him forward.
“Why are you hiding behind me?”
“Come here.”
She dragged Da Hu to the front of the crowd.
Now he stood directly facing both Gu Xiaoxiao and Xu Cuihua.