Miao Qing sized up the good-for-nothing. He wasn’t tall or strong—much skinnier and weaker than the able-bodied laborers in the brigade—but he was still a grown man. If it turned into a physical struggle, she’d definitely be at a disadvantage.
She needed to take him down in one strike, and without exposing her secret.
That meant getting close enough, catching him completely off guard, and striking swiftly.
Miao Qing was just figuring out the best angle to swing from when the good-for-nothing lost patience and reached for the pheasant in her hand.
He gave it a hard yank!
Huh—it didn’t budge.
“Would you look at that—you’re stronger than you look.
I’m telling you, you’d be better off saving that strength for somewhere else. Why be so stubborn with your Old Uncle?
Don’t worry, my lips are sealed. As long as you hand over your stuff, I won’t breathe a word about you sneaking around with some man…”
The good-for-nothing was convinced that the pheasant and persimmons had been given to her by some lover. There was no way he’d believe that a skinny city girl like Miao Qing, thin as a bamboo pole, could have hunted a pheasant on the mountain.
Miao Qing suddenly smiled.
“If you don’t let go, I’ll report you for hooliganism.”
This was her final warning. If he still didn’t know when to back off, then don’t blame her for getting ruthless.
To be honest, knocking someone unconscious in the dead of winter—Miao Qing was a little worried about accidentally killing him.
But some people just insisted on courting death. When the good-for-nothing heard her say that, not only was he unafraid, he let out a grating, arrogant laugh.
“Go ahead, shout! Scream! Call everyone over and see how I’m a hooligan.
When they get here, I’ll tell them you were the one who lured me here—that you were trying to seduce me!
Haha! I’ve been needing a wife anyway…”
Miao Qing didn’t hesitate for a second. She yanked hard, pulling the good-for-nothing—who was still clutching her pheasant—right up to her, while simultaneously swinging the energy brick condensed in her left hand and slamming it hard against his head.
Not a sound escaped, but the good-for-nothing felt a sharp pain in his skull.
His vision went spotty, his body swayed, and he was about to collapse.
But he didn’t fall. He clung stubbornly to the pheasant, using Miao Qing’s pull to steady himself.
Miao Qing was a bit stunned. She’d thought one brick would be enough to bring him down.
She’d been wrong. Clearly, she hadn’t hit enough people in her life.
She seriously lacked combat experience.
She decisively let go of the pheasant. The good-for-nothing grabbed it and staggered to his knees.
Miao Qing didn’t hesitate—she kicked him square in the chest. He scrambled and rolled to dodge, then started screaming for help.
“Help my ass! Not even the Heavenly King himself could save you now!
You bastard—you dared to rob your own auntie? You must be tired of living.
Go to hell!”
Miao Qing’s fury took over. She chased him, kicking and swinging with all her might. The ferocious display left Li Youzhang, watching from the slope in the distance, utterly dumbfounded.
He’d been hesitating about whether to go over and help—the good-for-nothing was a real piece of trash, robbing a young girl like that.
But he’d come this time only to quietly check on Sanluzi’s family. He didn’t want to draw attention or cause unnecessary trouble by exposing his presence.
That’s why he’d taken this rarely used path—and never expected to stumble upon this scene.
Even more unexpected was how that small, skinny girl suddenly turned the tables so dramatically.
Not only did she not get bullied by the good-for-nothing—she beat him until he was on his knees begging for mercy, scared out of his wits.
Li Youzhang scratched his head. He’d been lurking around here for nearly two years and knew the village fairly well.
How had he never heard anyone mention such a formidable girl?
And what had she used to knock the good-for-nothing down?
With his sniper’s eyesight, how could he have seen nothing at all?
Miao Qing, completely unaware that her beating had been witnessed, was consumed by rage.
She was so well-behaved—cultivating every day, never causing trouble—and yet she still got robbed on the road.
Robbed was one thing—but he’d threatened her and even tried to make her his wife.
He should take a look at himself in the mirror!
If she didn’t beat this turtle bastard so badly that he couldn’t find his own teeth and would cross the street to avoid her from now on, then her name wasn’t Miao Qing!
Thump-thump-thump!
Bang-bang-bang!
Slap-slap-slap!
Exhausted from the beating, Miao Qing kicked the unconscious good-for-nothing—his face swollen and bruised beyond recognition—into the corn stalk pile, planted her hands on her hips, and caught her breath.
Beating someone up was hard work, but damn, it felt good.
Picking up the pheasant and hoisting her backpack, Miao Qing strode boldly toward the village, head held high.
A good fight had cleared her mind—even carrying such a heavy load, walking didn’t feel so tiring anymore.
After Miao Qing had gone far enough, Li Youzhang silently slipped into the threshing ground.
He pulled apart the corn stalks and looked at the unconscious good-for-nothing, running his hand over his head.
Finding a noticeable lump on the back of his skull, Li Youzhang’s heart sank.
Such a big lump—there was no way it could have been caused by bare fists or feet.
But he was certain that her left hand had been empty at the time.
So what had done it?
That girl was hiding something!
But this good-for-nothing was indeed a piece of trash.
After a moment’s thought, Li Youzhang grabbed the good-for-nothing’s right ankle and twisted it hard.
“AH—”
The ankle was forced out of joint, the pain jolting the good-for-nothing awake.
But before he could even open his eyes, he felt a sharp pain at the back of his neck, and then everything went black.
Li Youzhang dragged the good-for-nothing to the roadside at the village entrance, a spot where people often passed by, before making his way toward Sanluzi’s house.
Meanwhile, Miao Qing was following behind Tietui, heading home.
Tietui carried the backpack and the pheasant, muttering nonstop as he walked.
“Sis, if you wanted to go up the mountain, why didn’t you call me?
How could you go alone?
There are wolves up there—lots of them. They eat people. It’s so dangerous for you to go by yourself.
Do you have any idea how long I’ve been searching around the village?
You nearly scared me to death. If I hadn’t found you, I would’ve had to go get Sixth Uncle to organize a search party.
It’s not cold when it snows, but it’s freezing when it melts. Once the snow stops, it gets even colder. What if you’d frozen out there all alone? You wouldn’t even have anyone to cry to…”
Miao Qing kind of missed the old, quiet, taciturn Tietui. The kid had been chattering the whole way, and her ears were starting to ache.
She wondered if pheasant stew would taste good. Maybe stir-frying it would be better—with some potatoes and vermicelli.
Too bad there were no mushrooms. Logically, with mountains, water, and forests, there should be mushrooms around.
But it was winter now, too cold. Maybe next time she went to the supply and marketing cooperative, she could ask if they had any for sale…
Just thinking about food made her stomach growl.
Hearing her stomach rumble, Tietui walked even faster.
Thankfully, he’d had Taohua roast some potatoes—his sister could eat as soon as they got back.
The two of them had just climbed the slope and were about to reach home when they spotted a man in leather clothes and hat, carrying a bow and arrows, wrapped up like a bear—tall and sturdy—pacing around their yard gate.
Miao Qing immediately grew alert. Could this be someone coming to settle scores?
But the good-for-nothing was the only one left in his family, wasn’t he?
She hadn’t heard of him having any other siblings.
Besides, there’d been no one around when she beat him. As long as she didn’t admit it, he had no proof.
So what was there to be afraid of?
Just as Miao Qing straightened her back, Tietui cautiously and tentatively called out,
“Uncle Yuan?”
The man turned swiftly, glanced at Tietui, his gaze freezing on Miao Qing for a split second, then strode over in big steps.
That one look made Miao Qing’s back go cold, her hair standing on end.
She couldn’t help but wonder—who was this man? How could his eyes be so cold and sharp?
Like a wild beast—terrifying.