"Yi'er, step aside, don't get any blood on you," Qi Zhenzhen said slowly.
Zhang Daniu burst into laughter. Had he heard correctly? Was this girl out of her mind? Blood splattered on him? Was she looking down on him, Zhang Daniu, or overestimating herself?
His laughter abruptly stopped. Zhang Daniu's mouth gaped open, disbelief etched on his face as he looked down at the rolling pin pressed against his stomach. It wasn't just resting there; the force was so great it made his teeth ache and his mouth clamp shut.
Once.
The rolling pin retracted, then struck Zhang Daniu's waist.
Twice.
The retracted rolling pin swung again towards Zhang Daniu's shoulder blade.
Thrice.
Qi Zhenzhen withdrew the rolling pin. It wasn't that she wouldn't continue, but this person was simply too fragile. He was already kneeling, clutching his stomach.
Qi Yi watched from the side, dumbfounded. Was he hallucinating? Big Sister had made Zhang Daniu kneel? Big Sister had only hit him three times, and it was that painful?
"Aow—" Zhang Daniu's voice cracked as he yelped.
"Never come to my house again. If you don't listen, I'll beat you every time you come. Next time, it won't be this easy," Qi Zhenzhen said coldly. "Also, once you leave this door, think carefully about what you say and what you don't. If I hear any ill talk, don't blame me for showing no mercy."
Zhang Daniu was covered in cold sweat, nodding tremblingly. He was a rough fellow and had fought many times, but he had never been so humiliated. Not only did he have no chance to retaliate, but the pain was also incomparable to any fight he had experienced before.
"If you can stand, hurry up and leave," Qi Zhenzhen said, then turned and went into the kitchen. She still had dough to prepare.
Qi Yi followed her like a little tail, his mouth opening and closing. Big Sister was too formidable, but how had she suddenly become so powerful?
Qi Zhenzhen saw the little fellow's inner turmoil but paid him no mind, focusing on kneading the dough.
"Big Sister, why are you so strong?" Curiosity got the better of Qi Yi, and he couldn't help but ask.
Qi Zhenzhen meticulously rubbed the dough off her fingers and said slowly, "Because Big Sister wants to protect you and Mother. Yi'er, you must remember, when you have someone you want to protect in your heart, you won't flinch when facing difficulties. You will strive to become stronger, and you will truly become stronger."
Qi Yi pondered her words, his hands under his sleeves clenching tightly. Big Sister was right; having someone to protect made one brave. He was the only man in the family, and he had to become strong in the future to shield Mother and Big Sister from the wind and rain.
Qi Zhenzhen placed the basin of dough into the pot. The weather was getting a bit cold, so to make the dough rise faster, it needed to be kept warm in the pot. Warming dough also required skill; the temperature in the pot couldn't be too high, or the dough would be scalded and become tough, resulting in steamed buns that weren't fluffy.
She added two handfuls of wood to the stove, tested the water temperature to ensure it was just right, and then covered the pot. At this temperature, the dough would be ready in about an hour.
Qi Zhenzhen found a broom in a corner of the yard and began tidying up with nimble movements.
Although the house they were currently living in was a bit dilapidated, it occupied a considerable area, especially the large yard. Qi Zhenzhen took a full fifteen minutes to sweep the entire yard. Weeds were pulled, and clutter was organized, making the yard look refreshed and much more pleasant. Later, she would repair the house, replace the wooden fence with stone walls, and get a sturdy main gate. Only then would it be safe to live there. In the spring, she would plant some flowers and fruit trees, and cultivate a vegetable patch. A life like a paradise, wasn't that the life she yearned for in her previous life?
"You, Yun Shi, you are truly ungrateful!"
A rough voice pulled Qi Zhenzhen's thoughts back. She looked up and saw four tall, sturdy men standing at the entrance.
The man leading them was even more robust than Zhang Daniu, with a broad back and a bear-like build. A ferocious scar marred his face, enough to frighten anyone with a timid disposition. Qi Zhenzhen knew who it was; it was Zhang Daniu's younger brother, Zhang Erniu.
The Zhang family had four brothers: Zhang Daniu, Zhang Erniu, Zhang Sanniu, and Zhang Xiaoniu. Among them, Zhang Erniu was the most boorish and domineering, a village bully of sorts.
The scene the four Zhang brothers had imagined did not materialize. The young girl regarded them with composure, her face devoid of any fear. In fact, they saw mockery in her eyes.
"Did you get beaten and then come to complain?" Qi Zhenzhen said casually.
Zhang Daniu's face turned crimson. "I didn't complain. Although I, Zhang Daniu, am a rough fellow, I am also a man."
"Whether you complained or not, your brothers have arrived," Qi Zhenzhen said sarcastically. "Don't tell me they're not here to back you up. Are they perhaps here for a tour?"
"Stop your glib talk. What if we're here? You, you little brat, injured my brother, and we're not allowed to seek justice?" Zhang Sanniu shouted.
Zhang Sanniu's words made Zhang Daniu's face even more unpleasant. It was already embarrassing enough for a man nearing thirty to be bested by a young girl, and now his brothers had come to seek justice. Was there anything more humiliating in the world? His brothers were all of a wild disposition, and he had tried to stop them, but to no avail.
"Do you want to go one by one, or all at once?" Qi Zhenzhen pulled a thin bamboo strip from the broom, casting a glance at the four men.
"Let's not say we're bullying you. I'm enough on my own," Zhang Erniu said, tearing off his shirt to reveal his well-built chest. Like his face, his chest also bore several scars. Judging by their shape, they appeared to be knife wounds. Who knew how a country bumpkin had acquired such injuries?
"Second brother, take it easy. After all, she's just a little girl," Zhang Daniu cautioned.
Zhang Erniu thumped his chest, making a resounding sound. "Don't worry, elder brother. I just want this brat to know her place. So they, mother and daughter, don't look down on us brothers. A widow with children, and she still wants to be picky and ungrateful."
Qi Zhenzhen was almost amused to the point of laughter. So, the Zhang brothers thought that because they fancied her mother, they should be eternally grateful? What peculiar logic.
"Let's make one thing clear. What if you can't beat me?" Qi Zhenzhen asked. "You have four brothers. If they come looking for trouble one by one, it will be endlessly annoying."
Zhang Erniu spat. "If I can't beat you, my brothers and I will be at your disposal. If you lose, your mother must marry my elder brother."
Qi Zhenzhen sneered, "I'm afraid you'll be disappointed."
As soon as she finished speaking, Qi Zhenzhen flicked her wrist, and the bamboo strip straightened, its tip piercing directly towards Zhang Erniu's eyes with incredible speed!