Chapter 2: That Good-for-Nothing Fellow

When Aunt Hua heard her name, she felt a momentary flash of awkwardness; being caught gossiping behind someone’s back is always a bit unnatural. But upon reflection, she reasoned that if the person involved wasn't ashamed, why should she be? She puffed out her chest and said, "That’s right, and that Sun Erlang was following right behind you."

"Then may I ask, Aunt Hua, exactly when did you see me?"

"Down—down at sunset," Aunt Hua replied, puzzled by Ji Ling’s question.

"Oh, I see," Ji Ling let out a sharp, mocking laugh. "Everyone knows it takes at least two hours to get from school to my home. I left school late this afternoon, so pray tell, did I grow wings and fly? Aunt Hua, you swear you saw it with your own eyes, but I truly don’t understand why you are slandering me so. How much did the Sun family pay you to ruin my reputation like this?"

As she spoke, Ji Ling’s throat tightened. Her eyes reddened, and tears welled up, shimmering but refusing to fall, a sight that naturally stirred sympathy in those watching.

"I—I didn't take anything!" Aunt Hua, feeling the sting of Ji Ling’s words, stammered in rebuttal. "I—I just saw you! You were being dragged in by him, and then a while later, you came out, and he was chasing after you."

"Aunt, can you explain how I could have possibly arrived home before sunset? If you have no proof, and are just making empty claims, can I not say that it was actually you who went into the woods with him, took his bribe, and then tried to strike first to deflect blame when I discovered you?"

"You're spouting nonsense! I didn't!" Aunt Hua, stung by the accusation, flew into a rage and lunged at her.

Ji Ling quickly stepped aside and bowed her head, wiping away the tears that finally spilled over. "Aunt Hua, please don't take what I just said to heart. But you see, this is the pain of being slandered."

"Aunt Hua, uncles, and elders, if anyone else were spreading these lies, I would certainly insist on going to the police station. But Aunt Hua watched me grow up; she knows my character. I believe she must have just been misled by someone else’s nonsense. Isn't that right, Aunt Hua?"

"Wife of the second brother, how long do you intend to keep making a scene? Do you not understand how important a young girl’s reputation is? Or have you been craving a lesson from your husband lately?" Just then, Village Chief Hua pushed through the crowd, puffing on his pipe, his bronze face etched with irritation. "I’ll make the call on this today: Second Aunt will apologize to young Ling and provide ten yuan in compensation. From now on, no one is to mention this again. If this happens once more, the offender will be cast out of the village, and in severe cases, I’ll have their ancestral graves moved, too!"

Day after day, they had nothing better to do than stir up trouble! He had only stepped away to use the latrine, and they’d caused such a ruckus! A bunch of hopeless fools.

Faced with the Village Chief’s threat, the crowd that had been watching the spectacle quickly dispersed like startled birds.

Upon hearing the mention of ten yuan, Aunt Hua had opened her mouth to protest, but a single glare from the Village Chief silenced her. That woman—did she really think this young girl was afraid of her? She’d even mentioned the police station; the woman was too dense to realize that this was a classic case of retreating to advance.

Village Chief Hua took a drag of his tobacco and looked at Ji Ling apologetically. "Girl, don't take it to heart. That woman just has a mouth like a manure bucket." He then turned toward Old Man Ji, who had been standing to the side, too furious to speak. "Old Third, we all know what kind of character the girl has. This isn't the sort of trouble she would cause. Hurry and help her mother inside; don't let her get so worked up that she falls ill."

Old Third Ji glanced at Ji Ling before helping Mother Ji toward the house, muttering under his breath, "Chief, my little Ling said she wanted to call the police, so let’s call the police. My girl is not someone others can just bully."

The Village Chief was momentarily choked by this but turned to Ji Ling, the one calling the shots. "Your father hasn't been well lately. We’re short a tally clerk. You’re on break now—are you interested?"

The Village Chief didn't mention Li Mao. He didn't think much of that boy anyway—he was good for nothing. But then again, who knew what a refined, educated girl might fancy?