The veins around Er Hei's temples throbbed, his anger reaching its peak. A young boy's pride is particularly sensitive. He had intended to make Qi Zhenzhen a laughingstock, but now the tables were turned, and he was being mocked by the very audience he had brought. For Er Hei, this was an unbearable humiliation.
The numbness in his legs receded. Er Hei pushed himself up from the ground, his arms spread wide as he lunged at Qi Zhenzhen.
He spewed vulgarities, his words filthy and unbearable. "You slut, how dare you play me for a fool? I'll pin you down now and see how arrogant you can be."
Qi Zhenzhen frowned, surprised that a village boy could be so depraved.
With the bully practically upon her, Qi Zhenzhen decided not to hold back. She had plenty of ways to ensure this boy would never utter such filth again.
Before Qi Zhenzhen could make a move, Er Hei was sent flying backward. Qi Zhenzhen turned her head and saw Zhang Xiaoniu rolling up his sleeves. "Bah! You snot-nosed brat, not learning anything good, just like your useless brother, bullying girls. Your Grandpa Niu will teach you a lesson today."
With that, he pounced on Er Hei, straddling his stomach and raining blows down on his face.
Er Hei, having been kicked hard, landed heavily. Now pinned and beaten by Zhang Xiaoniu, he couldn't break free or fight back, only crying out in pain.
The few boys who had been watching scattered like birds and beasts, fleeing far away.
"Are you going to keep causing trouble? Are you going to keep bullying girls?" Zhang Xiaoniu asked, looking down at Er Hei after he had finished his beating.
Er Hei's face was swollen like a pig's head, blood trickling from his mouth. He couldn't speak, only shaking his head frantically, his eyes wide with fear.
Zhang Xiaoniu stood up, satisfied, and clapped his hands. "Then scram."
Er Hei scrambled away, casting a resentful glare at Qi Zhenzhen before he left.
Qi Zhenzhen gave a wry smile, realizing this matter might not be so easily settled. The four Zhang brothers were untouchable, and they, a mother and her children, were naturally seen as easy targets by others.
Zhang Xiaoniu, oblivious to this, and not having seen Er Hei's hateful stare, approached Qi Zhenzhen with a fawning expression. "How was that? Am I strong? Don't worry, my second brother promised to protect you, and I will too. If any of these brats bully you again, just mention my name."
Under Zhang Xiaoniu's expectant gaze, Qi Zhenzhen nodded helplessly and thanked him again.
Zhang Xiaoniu grinned foolishly, leaving Qi Zhenzhen somewhat bewildered.
"What do Er Hei's brothers do?" Qi Zhenzhen asked. Knowing your enemy is the key to victory. She had a premonition that this wouldn't end so easily.
Zhang Xiaoniu scratched the back of his head, blinking a few times. "He's a good-for-nothing, a real scoundrel! My second brother said Da Hei has harmed several girls, but he denies it. He wasn't caught when he did it, and the families of the victims felt too ashamed to speak up. So Da Hei acts like nothing happened!"
Qi Zhenzhen raised an eyebrow. Were there such wicked people in the countryside?
As for the victims' families' reluctance to speak out, Qi Zhenzhen could understand.
It wasn't just in this ancient era, so hostile towards women; even in later times, not everyone had the courage to come forward after such an ordeal.
If they remained silent, the perpetrators would go unpunished. If they spoke out, the victims might not be able to bear the judgmental stares of those around them. There was no perfect solution.
"Go back and tell your second brother to keep an eye on Da Hei," Qi Zhenzhen instructed Zhang Xiaoniu.
Zhang Xiaoniu looked puzzled. "Why should he pay attention to him?"
"Just tell your second brother. If he has questions, he can ask me. Make sure you remember to tell him about what happened today."
Zhang Xiaoniu nodded. "I understand. Come on, I'll walk you home."
Qi Zhenzhen refused, but Zhang Xiaoniu was stubborn. Unable to dissuade him, she let him follow.
Upon arriving home, Zhang Xiaoniu looked at Qi Zhenzhen expectantly. "I walked you all the way back. Aren't you going to invite me in for some water?"
Even if Qi Zhenzhen were more obtuse, she understood Zhang Xiaoniu's hidden intentions. Had he taken a liking to her? Was he trying to show off and seize an opportunity to get closer? Zhang Xiaoniu was only fourteen or fifteen, wasn't he? Was he picking out a wife for himself?
To avoid any misunderstanding, Qi Zhenzhen frowned and said displeasedly, "Boys and girls of seven should not sit together. Although customs in the countryside are not so strict, I am still a young lady. If you linger like this, it could ruin my reputation."
Zhang Xiaoniu puffed out his chest. "Who would dare to speak nonsense? Even if your reputation were ruined, I... I wouldn't mind."
After saying this, the boy who had just heroically beaten someone else turned and ran away, his face flushed red.
Was this... a confession?
Qi Zhenzhen felt a mix of amusement and exasperation. First, it was Zhang Da Niu with ill intentions towards her mother, and now Zhang Xiaoniu had taken a liking to her. Were the Zhang brothers planning to confront their family?
Shaking her head, she dismissed the thought. Young love was not something that could be stopped with a few words; she would just have to be more cautious in the future. What she needed to do now was far more important: find a bricklayer to build a sturdy wall and a solid gate as soon as possible.
If not for the incident with Er Hei, Qi Zhenzhen wouldn't have been so anxious. Now that she had attracted attention, she couldn't just wait to be attacked.
Qi Zhenzhen took the pumpkin to the kitchen. Hearing the movement, Qi Yi also came over.
"Big sister, where did you get the pumpkin?" Qi Yi asked curiously.
"Aunt Mo planted quite a few in her yard. She gave it to me," Qi Zhenzhen replied. "I want to go to town tomorrow. Can you stay home and keep mother company?"
Qi Yi nodded obediently. "Yes, I can."
Qi Zhenzhen paused, feeling it might not be wise. She had just clashed with Er Hei today, and her mother was still ill. If she left them alone, what if Er Hei and his older brother came looking for trouble?
After some thought, Qi Zhenzhen recounted the encounter with Er Hei. Since she had decided to let Qi Yi grow, she couldn't hide everything from him. Not only that, but Qi Zhenzhen also told him everything Zhang Xiaoniu had said.
Qi Yi's expression turned grim. After taking a few deep breaths, he said with disgust,
"That Er Hei is a scoundrel. I've seen him bullying village girls several times, and he even said I look like a girl..."
Huh? She didn't recall this from her memories. It seemed Qi Yi had never mentioned this to the original owner before.
To say Qi Yi looked like a girl was truly malicious. This was the age when one's worldview was forming. If such words constantly surrounded Qi Yi, they would plant a seed of impression in his subconscious. The more he heard it, the more he would believe he looked like a girl. For a man to subconsciously accept that he looked like a girl... one could only imagine what his future would hold.
Qi Zhenzhen was protective of her own. She had initially intended to let the matter go if Er Hei and his companions dropped it. Now, she had changed her mind. If he liked calling others girls so much, perhaps he should become a girl himself.