Just as the crowd outside the courtyard fell into a brief chaos, shouting in anger over the sudden “urine attack,” a cold and steady voice suddenly rang out from the edge of the crowd:
“What are you all doing in front of my house?”
Startled, everyone turned in unison.
There stood Chen Zhiwei, her sharp gaze slowly sweeping over each face present, finally settling on the soaked villager cursing under his breath and the aggressive Tie Dan’s mother.
Remembering how Chen Zhiwei had previously swung at someone, many instinctively avoided her gaze.
“Wei… Wei girl, you’re back just in time!” Tie Dan’s mother was the first to react.
She yanked Tie Dan, still sobbing, and pointed at his nose. “Look at what your idiot has done! He’s beaten my Tie Dan like this! His nose is nearly broken! What are you going to do about it?”
Liao Jinfeng immediately chimed in, her voice sharp: “What else can she do? Pay compensation! Treat the injury! And hurry up and kick that idiot you picked up out of the village before he ruins our village’s morals!”
Wang’s wife quickly added: “Shameful! You’ve brought dishonor to our Lao Chen family! Hand that man over immediately!”
Chen Zhiwei didn’t respond to their shouting right away. Instead, she first observed Wang You, who had come out when he heard her return.
“Sister, they hit me first,” Wang You clutched a corner of Chen Zhiwei’s clothes, looking both wronged and worried.
“I believe you!” Chen Zhiwei’s gentle voice soothed Wang You’s panic.
Seeing so many people shouting at him for scolding his sister and trying to chase him out of the village, he was afraid—afraid of being driven away, afraid of getting his sister into trouble.
Having quickly pieced together the sequence of events in her mind, Chen Zhiwei turned to the few children who had been playing nearby and were now hiding behind the adults: “Tie Zhu, Gou Sheng, you’re usually good kids. Tell me, what happened just now? Who threw the first clod of dirt?”
The two named children shrank back in fear. Under their parents’ urging and Chen Zhiwei’s calm yet intimidating gaze, they stammered out the truth: “It… it was Tie Dan who threw first… at that idiot… and then he threw back…”
The truth was revealed.
Chen Zhiwei’s lips curved into a cold smile internally, though her face remained composed. She looked at Tie Dan’s mother, whose face had gone pale and flushed alternately. “Tie Dan’s mother, you heard that. Tie Dan started the provocation. Wang You only defended himself after being hit. He’s strong and accidentally struck harder, that’s a fact. I’ll take responsibility for the child’s injury. Hospital bills, medicine—every penny will be covered. But—”
Her tone shifted sharply, her voice rising with authority: “A group of people gathered at my door, shouting and threatening, trying to barge into a private home—what kind of behavior is this?”
“Next time anyone comes to my house to make a scene, I’ll go smash their door first,” Chen Zhiwei threatened, stomping on a stone on the ground.
The crowd fell completely silent. Those who had just been shouting angrily seemed as if their throats had been squeezed, and gradually trickled away in small groups.
Watching the crowd disperse, Chen Zhiwei gently patted Wang You’s back, her voice returning to its usual softness: “It’s okay, Wang You. It’s all over now. As long as I’m here, no one can drive you away.”
Wang You tilted his face up, tears still in his large eyes, looking at her with trust, and nodded firmly: “Yes! With you here, I’m not afraid!”
By evening, Chen Zhiyi returned from school. As soon as he entered the village, he sensed something was off. Several usually kind aunts avoided his gaze, and children whispered while pointing toward their house.
“Sis, the villagers are talking… they’re saying Wang You hit someone? What happened?” Chen Zhiyi asked urgently as he set down his schoolbag.
Chen Zhiwei sighed and recounted the events of the afternoon.
Chen Zhiyi’s face turned red with anger as he listened: “Tie Dan deserved it! Who told him to bully someone first!” He walked up to Wang You and patted his arm like a responsible older brother: “Well done. Don’t back down when something happens. If you can win, fight; if not, run.”
Although he usually scolded Wang You for being “dumb” and “clingy to you,” he couldn’t stand by and let him be bullied in their own home.
The incident of the fight was resolved, but rumors about the man hidden in Chen Zhiwei’s house continued.
“Village chief, it’s not that we’re meddling, but… that girl Zhiwei has a man with no clear background living in her house. This isn’t sustainable!”
“Exactly. Today it was a child; next time, what if he goes crazy and hurts an adult?”
“I heard that man sticks to Zhiwei all the time, coming and going together. If word gets out, what about our village girls’ reputation?”
“We need a solution. Either send him away, or give him a proper status, can’t leave it so ambiguous!”
These whispers gradually reached Chen Zhiwei and her brother.
They couldn’t force others to shut up—after all, this was the way of the times.
That evening, Chen Zhiyi didn’t go to his room to study as usual but sat by the stove, watching the dancing flames, his little face tight with both anger and hesitation.
“Sis,” he finally spoke after struggling.
“Hm? What’s wrong, Zhiyi?” Chen Zhiwei asked, looking up from tidying the dishes.
Chen Zhiyi lifted his head, eyes serious as he looked at his sister: “Sis, let Wang You… be your husband!”
“Pfft—cough cough cough…” Chen Zhiwei was nearly choked by her own spit in shock, staring at her brother in disbelief. “Zhiyi, what nonsense are you talking about?”
“I’m not!” Chen Zhiyi stood, extremely earnest. “Sis, I’ve thought about this for days! It’s the best solution! See, the villagers gossip because Wang You is staying in our house without any status.
If he became my brother-in-law, then he’s family.
Who could say anything? Even the village chief and elders couldn’t argue!
Wang You is good-hearted, though a bit slow, but he listens to you and won’t bully you. And… this way, he will always be part of our family. No one can drive him away!”
He grew more passionate as he spoke, his face red: “And Wang You is handsome! Any nephews we have will be good-looking too. Wang You is simple-minded and will only treat you well! Sis, just think of him as… an older brother who can work and accompany you. Isn’t that okay?”
Chen Zhiwei was completely stunned.
She looked at her brother’s serious expression—she never expected Zhiyi to have this idea, and… it actually made a certain amount of sense.
Finding a husband for her, silencing the gossip, giving Wang You a legitimate identity—this did seem like the most “convenient” solution for now. But… marriage is not a matter to be taken lightly, especially with someone whose mind is like a child’s.