Chapter 27: Confrontation

  Erni took Mutian and rushed out of the door, where they saw Li Dazhuang at the waist of the mountain.

  Li Dazhuang continued walking up the mountain.

  Mù Tiān had gone ahead along the small path and was now slowly making his way up the mountain. He couldn't help but stifle a laugh, but was immediately glared at by èr Nī and quickly retreated back.

  "Great, I was just about to come find you two. How's life on the mountain for you both?"

  Li Dazhuang seemed to care a lot, which made Mu Tian stunned for a moment, unable to react. This didn't seem like his usual self, did he know something? He became guarded.

  Li Dazhuang's eyes were busy darting back and forth between Erni and Mutian, gazing at their brand new clothes.

  He made a special effort to come early today, as recent rumors in the village have been unfavorable to him.

  A few days ago, because of his own little thoughts, he was discovered by the wife of the family and quarreled endlessly, attracting many idle villagers to gather around, pointing at him non-stop, making a joke out of himself.

  Some people brought up what they had done before as a couple and talked about it, suddenly pushing him to the forefront of public attention.

  Especially in this village, people were originally still waiting with a probing attitude, waiting to see how Xiaozhi would harm the two children. However, disappointingly, seeing that the two children and Xiaozhi lived on the mountain without any incident, not only was there no trouble, but the two children also frequently ran down the mountain, looking very busy, it seems that their lives were all going well.

  The Lian family raised the two children, and when villagers saw that they were well-fed and well-dressed, and had even put on weight, rumors began to spread like wildfire.

  The villagers have opinions and dislikes about Li Dazhuang, now they have some criticisms. After all, it was Li Dazhuang who drove the two children out of the house.

  His predicament made him feel uneasy in the village, so he wanted to calm down this wave of rumors first and talk about it later, so he rushed here early today.

  He smiled and stared at Erni and Mutian, "Hehe, long time no see, you guys are living a good life, huh."

  Erni got up with a cold smile, glanced at him who was obviously not well-rested, and faintly said in a distant tone:

  "Whether I live a good or bad life has nothing to do with you anymore, just take a rest, I'm not used to seeing you like this."

  Mù Tiān stood beside èr Nī, nodding in agreement with what his sister said, but still didn't know why he came up today.

  "It's nothing much, you two are doing well, I'll be happy for you." Li Dazhuang narrowed his eyes and sized them up.

  "No matter what, we still have some kind of relationship, right? Hehe..."

  Li Dazhuang lowered his head and forced a smile, secretly glancing around the surroundings before leaning in close and whispering: "You've been living here for some time now, have you heard anything?"

  It's as if it were a familiar thing, and yet I've never done anything like sending these two little ones out of the house before.

  "What do you mean?!" Erni guarded against him with a straight gaze.

  Li Dazhuang stroked his chin, puckered his lips, and looked at the two people with a probing gaze.

  "Is this still a question? You live on this mountain, and they treat you well with good food and drink. Look at how fat you've become."

  Li Dazhuang glanced around and changed the subject, paused for a moment, put down his hand on his chin, bent over and leaned forward, took another glance around, and spoke in a low, mysterious tone:

  "Liu Jian's family has made a fortune or something, how did they suddenly have a lot of money? Didn't you guys notice anything?"

  Li Dazhuang spoke a lot and finally expressed the intention of coming up the mountain today. He also stared at them, not missing a subtle expression on their faces.

  It turns out that they were suspicious of this kind of person, and Erni and Mutian didn't want to have anything to do with them again, but some people's faces are not ordinary thick.

  "You stinky girl, what's with the look that could eat people? Is it true or not? You'd better tell me clearly, otherwise don't blame me for making you two regret it." Li Dazhuang was irritated by Erni's glare and spoke menacingly.

  Erni was surprised, but couldn't help bursting out laughing.

  "You can make us regret again, what's the point? My brother and I have nothing to do with you anymore. You said it yourself that day, don't tell me you're still an insincere person."

  Erni didn't go answer what he was dying to know.

  Li Dazhuang listened to Erni's words, curled up his mouth and revealed a full set of yellow teeth with a smile, leaned in and lowered his voice to say: "That's not necessarily true, after all, it's still my call."

  "I can take you back home, it's all for your own good, isn't it better than staying on the mountain with a jinx waiting for something to happen?" Li Daizhuang said with apparent concern.

  Erni ignored his fanciful ideas.

  The house at the foot of the mountain was built with the bride price money, but is it possible to live there again?

  Erni was well aware that she wouldn't indulge in such unrealistic thoughts, now thinking of bringing her and her brother back, presumably having heard some recent rumors from the village, still wanting to press them for information, trying to get something out of them, just like his father had calculated her mother's dowry.

  "Hey, you guys have grown wings now, haven't you? I'll take you back, it's all because of your mother's past favors." Li Daizhuang spoke with a threatening tone, but his words sounded grand and dignified.

  Erni pulled back Mu Tian who was about to rush forward impulsively, "What's the hurry, we're also leaving because of my mother?"

  Another burst of laughter came from her mouth, Erni raised her head, coldly staring at him, and then said in a stern tone:

  "You're thinking of those tricks, no need to say, I'm already very clear, are you still trying to trick us, so that we can be sold for some money to spend, hehe..."

  Erni burst out laughing, gazing at him with a cold anger, her smile carrying a chill that didn't belong to someone of her age.

  It was her mother who made a mistake, and she married into this family. They ended up in such a miserable state, often with people coming to take advantage of them. Now they are even planning to sell her and her brother away to threaten themselves. How did they end up like this?

  In that distant place, her father is living a good life, and they can't do anything about it now. But as for Li Daizong in front of her, she can still handle him. What's the worst that could happen? Even if she were to be driven to desperation and things ended in mutual destruction, she would still have to protect this innocent younger brother of hers.

  She had known all along that Li Dazhuang was not the kind of person who would just talk and do nothing, so on that morning, she did not resist too much, fearing...

  Does he still want to use this trick on them? It's a bit late for that.

  Li Dazhuang was caught off guard by Erni's words, and his mind was a bit unsettled. He was even more annoyed by her sarcastic remarks. Looking at this girl carefully, she didn't seem like the same person who used to live at the foot of the mountain, her words were sharp and piercing, refusing to back down.

  The chill emanating from his eyes made him take a step back.

  Li Dazhuang's face turned red with anger, staring at her, suddenly unable to accept that this usually obedient girl had suddenly changed into a different person. Had he misjudged her before or was she always like this?

  "That's right, you don't have to pretend anymore, your fake face has been exposed by us, we won't be fooled by you. From now on, you'd better not come and provoke me and my sister again, or I'll show no mercy to you, humph." Mu Tian angrily interrupted, clenching his fist at Li Da Zhuang.

  He stood facing Li Dazhuang with a fierce expression, looking like a small but mighty figure. Li Dazhuang was so angry that his teeth were chattering nonstop and he was humming through his nose.

  How could it be that just a few months of not seeing each other made them no longer afraid of him? Was it the doing of Shan Shanglan's family, whispering something in their ears? He thought to himself with hatred, secretly harboring doubts.

  Erni looked at him and thought he still wanted to find trouble with them, with an expression of not giving up, she glanced at his angry face and said lightly:

  "I advise you to take a rest and stop having any crooked ideas about us, also stop thinking about scheming against our family's affairs. You're worrying too much." Erni said sarcastically in the end.

  Turning around, too lazy to care about him anymore, Mu Tian pulled along Li Da Zhuang who was still using his small fist to threaten him. Turning around and walking back, he still wouldn't give up. What else could he do? Take himself back and make his recent bad reputation in the village even worse?

  Erni shook her head with a smile, according to his personality, he would only advance and not retreat, but how long could he persist, and in the end, wouldn't they be driven out of the house.

  Li Dazhuang thought about what he could do to them again, but he still had no standing.

  As long as he doesn't come to harass them again and they can live in peace, everyone can temporarily get along. If not, she won't mind fighting with him again. Since she left that family, she won't think about going back. He keeps pushing himself and his brother's last way of survival, what else is there to be afraid of?

  ……