"Uncle Dasheng, thank you for making this trip today. I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to come back in half a month, though," Mo Yufei said to Zhang Dasheng.
"Don't mention it. Your uncle would just be lying around at home anyway. I just wish I could have done more to help," Wang Yanhong said apologetically.
"Aunt, you had better use this half-month to calculate things properly. When the time comes, I expect every last cent that belongs to me. Don't even think about welching. If you dare to deny the debt, I will report you for attempted murder. I have the witnesses and the evidence, and if you end up behind bars, don't blame me."
Just then, Mo Yufei caught a glimpse of a bulging pocket on Li Da'ai, with the corner of an envelope poking out.
With lightning speed, she snatched it right out of Li Da'ai’s pocket. "This must be the living expenses my brother sent home this month. I'll be holding onto this for now; we can settle the rest when we officially divide the family assets."
Li Da'ai tried to snatch it back, but she had just returned from the county town without a drop to drink, and after a long, exhausting fuss where she had been throwing punches, she was completely drained. With no energy left to fight, she could only watch helplessly as the prize she had considered hers was tucked into Mo Yufei’s pocket. She stomped her feet in fury.
Mo Yufei cleared her throat behind a clenched fist, then turned to the neighbors watching the spectacle. "My apologies, everyone. I’m sorry for the scene."
Despite her words, the onlookers had no intention of leaving and continued to crowd around the yard.
Since they had very little money and were afraid of an emergency should they try to rent a place in the county town, they had no choice but to ask Zhang Dasheng to find them an old village house to stay in for the time being. Mo Yufei had no intention of living here long-term, which was exactly why she had insisted on turning the house into cash—otherwise, by the time they left, the property might have ended up in Li Da'ai’s hands.
"Xiaoqing, Xiaolin, wait here for me while I pack our things. Then we’ll head over to the house Uncle Dasheng found for us," Mo Yufei said, beginning to move their belongings.
If Li Da'ai had been straightforward about the separation and the money, they might have already been on their way to the county town by now. But since she insisted on stalling, they had to pack; they couldn't just move out empty-handed.
When Mo Yufei announced they were moving out, Mo Yuqing and Mo Yuflin were stunned for a moment, but seeing her start to pack, they suddenly felt their aches vanish and joined in the effort.
Mo Yufei went straight to the kitchen, stuffing pots, pans, and bowls into a burlap sack. These essentials were necessary for their new start.
Seeing the three of them hauling things out, Li Da'ai was livid. She grabbed a hoe and rushed over to block Mo Yufei’s path.
"You little brat, are you a thief? Put those things back right now, or I’ll split your head open with this hoe!" She raised the tool as if to strike.
Mo Yufei dropped the sack and snatched the hoe from Li Da'ai’s hands. Bracing it against her leg, she exerted force with both hands.
*Snap!*
The wooden handle broke in two. Mo Yufei stepped toward Li Da'ai, her voice chilling. "Li Da'ai, do you still want to hit me? If there’s a next time, I’ll drag you all down to hell with me."
Li Da'ai stood frozen, terrified to even move. The look in the girl’s eyes was like that of a vengeful demon crawled up from the depths of hell. She didn't realize that Mo Yufei had, in a sense, done just that. In this life, she would never let Li Da'ai bully them again. If she dared to mistreat them, she had better be prepared for the retaliation.
The onlookers were equally stunned. The handle was as thick as a child’s arm; even a grown man would have struggled to snap it. Mo Yufei had done it with a single motion—her strength was beyond that of an average person.
In truth, Mo Yufei regretted the display the moment it was over. She didn't know where that strength had come from in the heat of the moment. Perhaps the wood had simply rotted over time. Her own leg was now trembling with pain, undoubtedly bruised, but she forced herself to endure it. It was a pyrrhic victory; Li Da'ai had been shouting loudly, but she was still full of vigor, meaning her "injury" was likely just superficial.
Once they had packed most of their things, Li Da'ai finally snapped out of her trance. She jumped up and down, pointing at Mo Yufei and cursing. "You little mongrel! We haven't split the family yet! Those things belong to my house—put them back!"
"Right, we haven't split yet. Do you want me to kick you out right now? I’ve already taken a step back—what else do you want?" Mo Yufei said, her voice icy. She kicked the broken handle toward Li Da'ai’s feet.
Li Da'ai stepped back, lost her balance, and landed hard on her backside with a dull thud.
Immediately, she let out a piercing shriek like a slaughtered pig. "Ah! You little harlot, you ungrateful wretch, you curse of a—" A torrent of filth poured from her mouth.
Mo Yufei calmly picked up a clump of dirt and shoved it firmly into Li Da'ai’s mouth.
"If your mouth is so dirty, go wash it out." Since the facade had already crumbled, she had nothing to lose. Li Da'ai had started the insults, and this was just a normal counterattack.
Li Da'ai gagged, desperately clawing at her mouth. It was only then that she noticed the stench of chicken droppings on the clump of dirt. She felt so nauseated that her eyes reddened, but she couldn't spit it out. She scrambled to her feet and ran off to the side, struggling to clear her mouth.
Mo Yufei felt much better as she continued to move their things. It wasn't much—just a few cheap, essential items—but she was limited by her strength and the fact that Xiaoqing and Xiaolin were still nursing their own injuries.
With the sack on her back and the others carrying all they could, Mo Yufei said softly, "Let's go."
The three of them followed the village head toward the vacant house. Once they were out of the yard, Zhang Dasheng shouted to the crowd, "What are you all staring at? Is your own housework finished?"
Seeing no more drama to be had, the crowd dispersed in small groups. They felt no sympathy for Li Da'ai, only *schadenfreude*. It was a classic case of reaping what you sow; Li Da'ai had brought this upon herself.
When Mo Yufei had grabbed that clump of dirt, the neighbors standing nearby had seen the fresh chicken dropping stuck to it. But since Li Da'ai was so detestable, not a single person bothered to warn her.