The warm scene around Lu Yao stood in stark contrast to the atmosphere where the villagers of Songyang Village had stopped to rest.
Everyone had already taken out their dry rations and was sharing them among their families. Those who had no food searched for wild vegetables or stripped bark from trees. Although winter had already arrived, there was still some greenery deep within the forest.
Earlier that morning, Song Hongsheng had informed the village chief about Lu Yao’s situation. Taking advantage of the rest break, the chief sought out Song Lizhong to discuss the matter.
“Second Brother, your second son died serving the country. No matter what, the wife and children he left behind are still part of your family line. Are you really going to stand by and watch them starve to death?”
After hearing this, Song Lizhong spat a thick wad of phlegm onto the ground.
“Elder Brother, other people may not know, but surely you do. Just look at those children—which one of them looks like they’re from our Song family? And that Lu woman only went through the marriage ceremony with my second son. She’s still a virgin. Am I supposed to raise a group of people who aren’t even related to the Song family by blood?
“You know how large my household already is. Now you’re asking me to feed several more mouths. I can’t afford it. And that Lu woman? You don’t know what she’s really like—lazy, greedy, sharp-tongued, disrespectful to her elders. She’s nothing but a troublesome shrew. We don’t dare keep someone like that in our family.”
As he spoke, he waved his hands repeatedly as though trying to ward off a plague.
Seeing that Song Lizhong had completely made up his mind to abandon Lu Yao’s family, Village Chief Song Lihuai felt disappointed. With a sigh, he returned to his own family’s resting place.
Old Madam Song noticed her husband whispering with the village chief for quite some time and grew curious.
The moment Song Lizhong returned, she immediately asked what they had been discussing.
After hearing his explanation, she instantly exploded.
This time, someone had truly touched the tiger’s tail.
She jumped to her feet and stormed toward the village chief’s camp like a gust of wind.
The chief’s family was eating lunch when Old Madam Song swept in.
The moment she saw him, she began yelling.
“What kind of village chief are you? So many people in the village are chewing on tree bark and you don’t see it, but you’re obsessed with meddling in my family’s affairs!
“You want a wife? Fine! I’ll personally decide right now to sell my second son’s wife to your third son! Don’t complain about her either—Lu is still a virgin!”
She stomped her feet as she spoke, her thin lips opening and closing nonstop.
The chief’s head buzzed with anger.
His wife, Madam Chen, had no idea what was going on. She and her eldest daughter-in-law exchanged bewildered looks.
However, Madam Chen wasn’t stupid.
After hearing Old Madam Song’s accusations and considering what she already knew about the Song family’s second branch, she immediately snapped back,
“Second Sister-in-law, did you eat manure? Why does your mouth stink so much?
“If you don’t want to support your second son’s family, then return their compensation money and let them establish their own household. Why are you standing here slandering people?”
Old Madam Song immediately erupted like a firecracker.
Charging forward, she pointed her one remaining unbroken finger directly at Madam Chen’s face.
“Who are you calling foul-mouthed? Who?
“If your husband hadn’t encouraged my old man to take back those burdens from the second branch, would I have come here? Why didn’t I go bother someone else?”
As the village chief’s wife, Madam Chen was usually treated with respect and rarely engaged in verbal fights.
Her skills in argument were no match for Old Madam Song’s.
Her chest rose and fell with anger. Her eyelids twitched.
“You… you…”
She couldn’t even finish a sentence.
The chief’s two daughters-in-law hurriedly helped her sit against a tree. One tried to calm her while the other fetched water.
The village chief finally roared toward Song Lizhong’s camp.
“Song Lizhong! Is this how you control your wife?”
Not wanting to become enemies with the village chief, Song Lizhong hurried over.
After all, everyone would be relying on the chief to lead them during the refugee journey.
He quickly grabbed Old Madam Song and began dragging her away.
Even then, she continued shouting.
“People who eat salty radishes always worry about useless things! You can’t even manage your own family, yet you want to manage mine!
“If you keep meddling, I’ll send all those burdens from the second branch to your house and let you raise them yourselves!”
Song Lizhong hissed,
“Enough! Shut up! Haven’t you embarrassed yourself enough?”
Then he forcibly dragged her away.
The village chief was so angry his chest hurt.
He kept muttering,
“What a disgrace to the family… a disgrace to the family! How did the Song clan end up marrying such a shrew?”
At that moment, Song Hongsheng returned from patrol.
Seeing his parents pale-faced and sighing heavily while his wife sat there with lowered eyes and a gloomy expression, he asked,
“Father, what’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?”
His wife, Madam Qian, explained,
“Father and Mother were angered by Second Aunt. She said we’re meddling in other people’s business and that if we continue interfering in the affairs of the second branch, she’ll dump all of them on our family to raise.”
After hearing this, Song Hongsheng immediately turned and headed toward the Song family’s camp.
The disturbance between the two families had already attracted the attention of the other villagers.
But everyone was struggling just to fill their stomachs.
Who had the energy to care about someone else’s quarrel?
The entire argument had long since reached Lu Yao’s ears.
Her senses were naturally sharp, and the forest carried sound well. Combined with Old Madam Song’s thunderous voice, it was impossible not to hear.
At first, Lu Yao had no intention of getting involved.
But then she considered the long road ahead.
If she ever brought out good food from her space, the shameless relatives from the old Song household might try to latch onto her.
Since Old Madam Song’s family had already offended the village chief, this was the perfect opportunity to sever ties with them completely.
Moreover, public opinion would likely be on her side.
She gently set down Song Ziyu and handed her to Song Zixuan.
“Zixuan, I’m going over there to deal with something. Take care of your brother and sister and don’t wander around.”
Song Zixuan had heard the commotion too.
He had even heard Old Madam Song calling them burdens.
He knew Lu Yao was going to handle matters related to them.
Part of him wanted to tell her to be careful.
But the words simply wouldn’t come out.
After giving her instructions, Lu Yao strode toward the gathering around the Song family.
At that moment, Song Hongsheng was pointing a wooden stick at Old Madam Song’s face while being restrained by Song Hongshuo.
At first, Old Madam Song had been intimidated by his imposing manner.
But seeing her son supporting her, she became even more arrogant.
Leaning on her eldest daughter-in-law, she stood up like a proud rooster, chin raised high.
“You dare hit me? Try it!
“If you do, I’ll make sure your younger brother can’t continue studying! I’ll spread word everywhere that your family is unfilial and beats its elders!”
Song Hongsheng trembled with anger.
Slowly, he lowered the stick in his hand.
Just as it was about to touch the ground, a slender hand caught it effortlessly.
With a casual twist, the stick changed direction and landed in Lu Yao’s hand.
Old Madam Song saw Lu Yao lightly tapping the stick against her palm while wearing a smile that sent chills down one’s spine.
Suddenly, her broken finger seemed to hurt even more.
She retreated behind her eldest daughter-in-law, revealing only half her head.
“What… what are you trying to do?”
With every tap of the stick, Lu Yao took one slow step forward.
The eerie smile never left her face.
In a calm voice, she said,
“I’m here to see who’s acting so arrogant.
“Who’s being so unreasonable.
“And who’s calling my children burdens.”
Old Madam Song swallowed hard and nervously shouted,
“Song Hongshuo! Are you a wooden post? Can’t you see this bitch is trying to bully your mother? Are you blind? Hurry and stop her!”
Song Hongshuo stepped forward with a dark expression.
“Second Sister-in-law, why are you frightening Mother like this? She’s your elder. If you disrespect your elders, Heaven will punish you.”
Lu Yao smiled faintly.
A chilling coldness flashed through her eyes.
Suddenly, she spun one hundred and eighty degrees in place.
Balancing on one foot, she bent her slender waist and swept the stick forcefully at Song Hongshuo’s legs.
Completely unprepared, Song Hongshuo never saw it coming.
Everyone present froze.
The next moment, he performed a spectacular face-first fall.
His mouth landed directly in the mud.
He ended up with a mouthful of dirt.
Straightening up, Lu Yao slowly lowered her raised leg and brushed the dust from her trousers.
That signature smile remained on her face.
The sight was enough to make every member of the Song family instinctively retreat.
With that single move, Lu Yao had displayed her martial skills.
Everyone now understood that she knew how to fight.
From now on, few would dare casually bully her or the children.
Old Madam Song finally recovered from her shock.
With a shriek, she prepared to lunge at Lu Yao.
Lu Yao casually waved the stick.
Old Madam Song’s scream cut off instantly.
Her mouth remained hanging open.
Satisfied by the sudden silence, Lu Yao finally turned to Song Hongsheng.
“Brother Hongsheng, thank you. My affairs have caused your family a lot of trouble.
“Since things have already come to this, let’s settle everything in front of the entire village today.
“Could you please invite the village chief over?”
Song Hongsheng had never imagined that the delicate-looking young woman, barely of marriageable age, possessed such hidden abilities.
He was both shocked and impressed.
After giving Lu Yao a nod, he turned and went to fetch his father.