The Exiled Life of the Noble Girl

As dusk approached, Dong Shan carried two children and appeared at the entrance of the town. Someone immediately waved at him and shouted loudly: “Big Brother Dong, Big Brother Dong!”

“Yun Sister?”

Dong Shan had a bad premonition that something must have happened at home. Those little bastards must still be eyeing his sister’s things.

Seeing him holding a child in each hand, sweaty all over, Yun Sister quickly reached out to take Xiao Yan: “Big Brother Dong, when you were away yesterday, Shi Tou climbed into your yard and got his leg caught in your trap, losing quite some blood. We took him to the medicine shop overnight. The doctor said the injury was quite severe.”

Dong Shan threw Dong Lei onto the ground, furious: “Good! Taking advantage when I’m not home, aren’t you? See how I will deal with you.”

He strode away angrily. Yun Sister looked at Dong Lei squatting on the ground, not knowing whether to chase or not.

“Shi Tou, get the hell out here! What were you trying to do sneaking into my house in the middle of the night!”

“What, you dare to do it but don’t dare to own up to it. Everyone saw it, you can’t get away.”

“Get out here! If you don’t, I’ll report to the officials tomorrow and have you arrested like Wu Dong, go do hard labor!”

Hearing the constant beating and scolding outside, and imagining Dong Shan’s burly figure, Shi Tou shrank his neck and decided to play dead as a turtle, refusing to go out even if beaten to death.

“Are you coming out or not? If not, I’ll smash down this door!”

Dong Shan waited for half a day without any movement. But knowing his injured foot, Shi Tou probably couldn’t go far either, so he kept shouting at the door.

“I’ll count to three. If you still don’t come out, don’t expect to have this door! I’ll compensate you for a new one even if I have to put you in jail.”

He didn’t want to go to jail!

“Three!”

“Two!”

Slap! The door opened.

Dong Shan strode forward, grabbed Shi Tou’s collar, his eyes as fierce as a tiger coming down the mountain. Shi Tou shuddered and pleaded: “Brother, I was possessed for a moment. Look, my foot is injured too. Just let me go.”

“You have an injured foot. What does that have to do with me? My trap was in my own yard, perfectly fine until you decided to step on it!”

Although he scolded harshly, Dong Shan still let him go after taking a look at his tightly bandaged leg, and lightly kicked Shi Tou’s other uninjured leg.

“Besides you, who else was there last night?”

He knew they always hung out together.

Hiding in the crowd, those who had participated in last night’s incident immediately tensed up. If Shi Tou gave their names, they would be done for.

Without any hesitation, Shi Tou reported several names - the bastards who had left him behind to run last night. How could he not take revenge?

Dong Shan turned his head and met the eyes of one of them. Pushing through the crowd, he took three big steps forward to grab the one who was just trying to escape, and lifted him into the air.

The man grabbed Dong Shan’s arm in panic, struggling desperately, scared out of his wits.

Dong Shan shouted loudly: “Everyone stand still! You think you can get away?”

Those who had run quite far heard his threat and couldn’t help but stop in their tracks. There was no escape now, even if they ran away Dong Shan would still know where their families lived!

“Get back here!”

Exposing yourself to attack whether you move or not, the few looked at each other and reluctantly went back, looking at their companion in Dong Shan’s hand like frightened partridges, trying their best to shrink into their shells.

“Brother Dong.”

Dong Shan threw the man in his hand at their feet. “What did you guys steal from my house last night?”

“Nothing, nothing.” They quickly denied any involvement: “Brother Dong, none of us went in, only Shi Tou went inside.”

Shi Tou shrank back to avoid Dong Shan’s eyes. “Brother, I didn’t either. I injured my leg as soon as I went in.”

Among the onlookers was someone who was at the scene last night. He said: “He’s probably telling the truth this time. Aunt Meng let us in together yesterday. Your house didn’t look tossed over, but you’ll have to go back and see if anything’s missing.”

Dong Shan had clearly just returned, covered in dust. He probably came to settle scores as soon as he got the news, and hadn’t had time to check carefully.

“That’s right, he was just sitting in that corner with his injured leg, could barely move. We were the ones who carried him out.”

Shi Tou was rather moved that someone was willing to speak for him, and almost shed tears. “Brother, you see, they all saw it. I couldn’t even get into the house.”

“Fine.”

Dong Shan reluctantly believed him, then warned the others: “No second chance. If I catch you again, I really will send you to the officials.”

“Yes, yes, we absolutely won’t dare anymore.”

They really didn’t want to jump in, one foot per trap. Too scary!

Taking advantage of the situation, someone suggested: “Next time any of us goes out with no one home, let’s all go ask Dong Shan for a trap! Catch them red-handed for sure.”

Dong Shan smiled and shook his head. “Can’t abuse those either. You guys aren’t skilled with them, might injure yourselves, not good.”

He cupped his hands together. “Thanks again everyone for yesterday. It’s easier for things to happen with no one home. Everyone should still be more vigilant.”

“What’s there to thank between friends? Of course we’ll come help when something happens in any family.”

“We should, we should.”

After thanking everyone and exchanging some polite words, Dong Shan dragged his exhausted body back home where Yun Sister had already taken the two kids inside. She handed the key to Dong Shan.

“Big Brother Dong, this is the key Older Sister Chunhua gave me to return to you now that you’re back.”

“Thanks for the trouble.”

“No trouble at all.”

Seeing only the three of them, Yun Sister asked about Li Mingwei and the others. Knowing they would be back by the 6th at the latest, she breathed a sigh of relief: “That’s good. If they don’t come back soon, they might miss my wedding feast.”

“Wedding feast?” Dong Shan frowned. He remembered Yun Sister still had about a month before her wedding. It was only the third day after New Year, how could it be too late already?

“Moved up?”

“Yes.” Yun Sister lowered her eyes, smiling, but Dong Shan felt it was sadder than crying.

She invited: “Big Brother Dong must come drink at the wedding on the eighth.”

“So rushed?” fr𝚎𝗲𝐰ebnov𝐞𝐥.𝐜o𝗺

“Yes. He is ill...”

Yun Sister’s betrothed had been sick the previous year. His side was anxious to have her marry over to bring luck. They had sent someone over long ago to discuss it, but unfortunately the road from the county town was blocked then. Their people still managed to take a big detour to come.

When the time came, Yun Sister would probably have to take that roundabout road to get there too.

“What illness? Is it serious?”

“Don’t know. They didn’t say, only wanting me to marry over sooner. I asked the messenger, he said the groom looks decent too and is easy to talk to, just a little unhealthy.”

“I think it’s pretty good. I’m not young anymore either. More delay would be meaningless.”

Dong Shan...