Su Xiaoqi was prepared. After hitting the person, she flashed away to dodge her attack.
Using the wooden basin for cover, she lifted her right leg and tripped Liu Cuixiang, who was squawking loudly, face-first into the Yuanbao River.
"Hahaha..." Laughter, unreserved and unrestrained, erupted from the onlookers on the bank.
"Ah, you, you darn sluts, I'll curse your ancestors, you whores, you bitches, shut your mouths until... cough cough... Help! Help!"
In the eyes of the spectators, Su Xiaoqi, the adulterous woman who stole men, was indeed detestable.
However, Liu Cuixiang, who bit anyone like a mad dog, was no better.
They had suffered at her hands many times before. It was rare to see her get what she deserved, so naturally, they took pleasure in her misfortune.
Su Xiaoqi stood on the shallow riverbank, watching the spectacle.
The stones were covered in slippery moss. She thought to herself, praying she wouldn't slip, or all her previous effort would be in vain.
But with her jinx-like attribute, whatever she thought of would come true. Her left leg slipped, and she tilted towards the riverbank.
She cried out, thinking how unlucky her jinx-like mouth was.
She shouldn't have thought that. Closing her eyes, she prepared to fall into the river. Unexpectedly, a strong arm pulled her back mid-way.
She opened her eyes to see Shen Yun. He had arrived.
"She's unpopular, and she tripped on her own. You don't need to fake a fall; I'll handle everything," Shen Yun whispered into her ear, his arm around her waist.
Su Xiaoqi's eyes widened, and she shook her head repeatedly.
She hadn't faked a fall; she was a jinx, and her words came true.
Unfortunately, she couldn't say this to Shen Yun, as she couldn't explain it.
Glancing sideways, she saw several imposing youths approaching on the river embankment.
Two of them jumped into the river and rescued Liu Cuixiang, who was flailing. The other two were pointing at her and shouting at her.
Her heart trembled. These were the four sons of Liu Cuixiang, the pillars of her arrogance and domineering behavior in the village.
She decided to feign unconsciousness in Shen Yun's arms. Hadn't he just said he would handle everything? Then let him!
Shen Yun held her, fully aware of her calculations.
However, his mother and Erdan still needed her medical skills, so he had to protect her even if he didn't want to.
Shen Yun made a decisive move, acting before the village elder arrived, listing the various disputes Liu Cuixiang had caused in the village over the years.
He then mentioned her inexplicable verbal assault on Su Xiaoqi and how she had accidentally fallen into the river while trying to push Su Xiaoqi in.
He cleanly shifted all the blame onto Liu Cuixiang.
Combined with the testimony of the crowd by the river, the village elder made a relatively fair judgment.
The incident was entirely caused by Liu Cuixiang. She deserved to fall into the river and was forbidden from pursuing the matter further.
After everyone dispersed, Shen Yun bowed to the village elder and took Su Xiaoqi home.
As soon as she lay down, Su Xiaoqi blinked her eyes appropriately.
Before she could decide whether to wake up or not, she heard Shen Yun say sternly in her ear, "If you're awake, you don't need to pretend anymore."
Su Xiaoqi lowered her head and stuck out her tongue.
She asked why he had returned when he was supposed to be in town.
Shen Yun replied, "As soon as I left, I heard you had beaten someone. I asked my uncle to deliver the books for me."
Hearing this, Su Xiaoqi's peach-blossom eyes turned towards Shen Yun's handsome face, and a mischievous thought arose. She lightly touched the back of his hand:
"You care about me?"
Shen Yun's eyes deepened. He looked at her without speaking.
Su Xiaoqi chuckled, "Afraid that something would happen to me, and no one would be left to treat your mother and Erdan."
Their fingers touched. Shen Yun saw through her teasing completely. He was annoyed by her casualness.
Then, thinking of her being too close to other men, his heart turned cold. He pushed her away and stood up to leave.
"Hey..." Su Xiaoqi was about to thank him, but his coldness struck her.
Alas, Shen Yun's appearance was truly remarkable. Even when angry, he drew appreciative glances.
However, she still preferred the gentle demeanor he had unintentionally revealed earlier.