"Mother already went and spoke to them. Everyone said they believed her, but who knows what they're actually thinking behind her back?"
Xia Yuan's lips were pouted so far out they could hold a bottle of sesame oil, and his eyes were red and swollen. Xia Xian didn't believe for a second that Chu Sheng and his mother weren't fanning the flames. There had barely been anyone around that morning; how else could such gossip have spread? It seemed she had to get to the root of the problem.
"I know, Xiaoyuan. I'll take care of it. Next time Dad says anything, just pretend you don't hear him. That way, you won't get beaten again."
Xia Xian quickly identified the people who needed to be dealt with. Calming down, she patted her younger brother's head and instructed him gently.
"How are you going to deal with it, Sis? Let me help you!"
Xia Xian had initially wanted to refuse, but seeing his sparkling, expectant eyes, she suddenly couldn't bring herself to do it. In her previous life, the reason their mother had fallen into depression and passed away so quickly wasn't just because of what happened to her; it was also because of this younger brother. He was hot-tempered and impulsive. When he found out that Chu Sheng had been bullying her and carrying on an ambiguous affair with his "white moonlight," Bai Lian, the sixteen-year-old had gotten himself drunk to build up his courage. He grabbed a knife and went to settle the score with Chu Sheng, swearing he would chop him to pieces. But he couldn't hold his liquor; two drinks in, he was already too drunk. He tripped into a ditch before he even reached the Chu family home and drowned.
Her brother was the pain she had been most afraid to touch upon in her past life. He was only sixteen—his life had barely begun, and yet...
As she thought about it, tears began to spill from her eyes again.
"Sis, why are you crying? If you don't want me to go, then I won't! Don't cry!"
Xia Yuan stomped his feet in a panic. Not knowing what was wrong with his sister, he could only offer clumsy comfort and promises. Xia Xian squatted down, gripping his shoulders tightly, and emphasized through her tears:
"Xiaoyuan, listen to me. No matter what happens in the future, you must never be impulsive, okay?"
"Okay, okay, okay! I'll listen to you! Don't cry anymore. Sis, you're so pretty—you'll get ugly if you cry too much."
Xia Yuan wiped her tears away with his clumsy hands, his simple, sincere words warming her heart.
"And no drinking in the future... never mind. I'll train your tolerance myself later so that you can drink a thousand cups and never get drunk!"
Xia Xian had almost blurted out the truth, but she bit her tongue and changed her mind. Rather than avoiding alcohol, it was better to ensure he could stay clear-headed even after drinking, so he wouldn't be as prone to accidents.
"Oh, as long as you're happy, Sis, whatever you say goes! I'll listen to you!" Xia Yuan grinned and continued to wipe the tears from her face.
Xia Xian was pleased by his obedience and was about to take out some money to reward him when she noticed the dried rice stuck to his fingers and his grimy, black fingernails. The touch of sentimentality instantly vanished. Her mouth twitched as she recoiled.
"Xia Xiaoyuan! Can you wash your hands? How long has it been since you cleaned under your nails? Did you go digging through someone's coal ash again?"
Xia Xian pinched his ear, scolding him in frustration, her almond-shaped eyes glaring at him.
"Hehe, I won't do it next time, I promise! I'll go wash my hands right now!"
Xia Yuan tucked his hands behind his back and gave her a fawning smile. Both of them shared the same pair of watery, beautiful, almond-shaped "puppy eyes." When Xia Yuan smiled, he had a faint, dimpled smile that made him look even cuter. Since he was still young and had a bit of baby fat, he looked almost like a little girl. Xia Xian couldn't bear to be harsh toward her brother as he acted cute and played the innocent, so she just gave his ear another pinch and let it go.
"Don't let it happen again. If you're a good boy, I'll buy you some candy."
"Okay! But Sis, do you have any money?"
"Don't worry, I’ll be very rich in the future. I have enough right now to buy you all the candy you can eat!"
"Oh, Sis, I wouldn't look down on you even if you didn't brag."
With the moon hanging on the tree branches, the hazy, veil-like moonlight spilled down, stretching the shadows of the pair, one large and one small, holding hands, into the distance.
The next day, early in the morning, Xia Xian took Xia Yuan to knock on a door. The person who opened it was Auntie Feng, the woman who had gossiped right in front of her father.
"Xia Xian? Why are you here? What is it?"
Seeing Xia Xian, Auntie Feng felt a momentary pang of guilt and hurriedly blocked the doorway, refusing to let her in.
"Who is it?"
Auntie Feng's husband, Chen San, hadn't gone to work yet. Hearing the noise, he rolled up his sleeves and stepped out. Xia Xian’s expression remained blank as she whispered to Auntie Feng:
"If you dare to spread gossip and ruin my reputation again, I promise I will make your life far more miserable than today!"
Immediately after, her expression shifted. She pressed a hand to her chest, brimming with tears, and cried out weakly toward Chen San:
"Uncle Chen! I finally got to see you, *sob*..."
"I'm sorry, Uncle Chen, but there’s something I’ve kept inside for a long time. I didn't want to tell you and ruin your family harmony, but I never expected that Auntie Feng would try to force me to my death just to silence me!"
"Just because I'm a widow, she said I brought bad luck to my husband, and now she’s spreading rumors that I’m having an affair! My father beat me half to death when he got home! Does she think I'm like her—unable to endure loneliness? The moment you leave the house, she goes looking for other men! Granny Chen told me about this years ago, but I was just a kid and didn't dare to speak up. Uncle Chen, you must forgive me! I didn't mean to keep this from you for so many years..."
Xia Xian stood at the door, crying as if she were a flower in the rain, but her clear, loud voice carried far enough for almost everyone in the entire tube-shaped apartment building to hear. Chen San and Auntie Feng’s expressions changed drastically! Auntie Feng jumped up and pointed at Xia Xian, screaming insults.
"What kind of nonsense are you spouting! How can you just open your mouth and slander me! You little wench, do you want to die?"
"Old Chen, don't listen to her! Our children are already this big..."
She was visibly panicked. With the old scandals being dug up, she was terrified. Chen San shoved her aside, not caring as she hit the doorframe. With a face ashen with rage, he asked Xia Xian, "Where did you see her with some wild man!"
"By the factory warehouse! I was playing there with Xiaoyuan and saw them... I even saw them come out with their clothes in disarray... Oh! Why did I say that!"
"No, that's not it! Uncle Chen, I didn't see it with my own eyes! I shouldn't have gotten involved in your family affairs! I'm sorry, I was just talking nonsense. I don't want to destroy your family—I should go!"
Xia Xian covered her mouth, frowning in regret, and pulled Xia Xiaoyuan to leave. But Xia Xiaoyuan clung to the wall and shouted loudly:
"My sister isn't talking nonsense! She's just too kind! Uncle Chen, you really have to teach Auntie Feng a lesson! She’s the one having an affair, but she framed my sister. She must be so used to it because she’s done it herself! If you don't handle her, she’s going to bring a wild man home!"
"Xiaoyuan, Auntie Feng and Uncle Chen are getting on in years; it's not bad for them to just get by together. They’re company, at least. Stop talking. I’m sure Auntie Feng won't do such things again." Xia Xian sighed, appearing torn, then offered a weak word of comfort to Chen San. "Uncle Chen, it’s all in the past. Let it go."
How could any man let such a thing go? With the old secrets dragged out into the harsh light of day, Chen San’s face turned a shade of green that matched his head. He grabbed Auntie Feng by the hair and slammed the door shut with a heavy *bang*.
"Feng Xiaofen! You bitch, you actually dared to cheat on me behind my back!"
"I didn't! Ah! I won't gossip anymore! That little girl is just taking revenge on me! Old Chen, calm down!"
"Ah!"
The thick door couldn't muffle the screams. Xia Xian listened with a look of indifference, no longer needing to play the part. Auntie Feng deserved it; she really had been having affairs, and since she had opened her mouth to spread vicious rumors about her, she wouldn't change unless she was taught a lesson.
Xia Xian’s cold eyes swept over the people crowding the landings to watch the spectacle. She offered a warning, neither loud nor soft:
"If anyone else dares to go to my family and talk nonsense, I won't have a good time, and none of you will either!"
Having killed the chicken to warn the monkeys, she didn't care about the reactions of the onlookers. She took Xia Yuan’s hand and walked away from the scene of the trouble without looking back.
They still had their next battle to fight, and they needed to finish it before ten o'clock!
The main event was still to come!