CHAPTER 24: CHAPTER 23: COMPLETELY AFRAID TO MOVE

This uneasy feeling began the moment I entered the village and met the first group of villagers.

They were initially surprised to see the abundance of goods on her cart, but since they weren’t very familiar with her, they didn’t speak up.

However, their hesitant behavior gave Qin Yao a sense of foreboding.

As they passed by the village well, during the leisurely pre-meal time, it was surprisingly empty.

Sister-in-law Zhou came along from the northern field, carrying a basket of freshly picked vegetables. Upon seeing Qin Yao, she was first startled, then called out to her:

"Sister-in-law, where have you been these days? Where did you get this full cart of grain? Anyway, you should hurry home and have a look, Liu Laosan is back!"

Liu Laosan is back?

Did he return alive or dead?

Qin Yao almost asked this out loud, but realized it wasn’t appropriate. She nodded to Sister-in-law Zhou and urged the driver to go faster, striding quickly towards home.

Before reaching home, just as she got to the riverbank and was about to cross the bridge, she saw a crowd gathered in front of the thatched cottage on the hillside.

Among them were people from the Liu Family’s old house; Old Liu and his two brothers were talking to someone, and phrases like "Please give us a few more days" and "We’ll definitely find a way to pay you back" drifted over.

Qin Yao felt a sudden pang in her heart, with an impulse to turn and walk away.

However, it was too late, as Sister-in-law He spotted her immediately and shouted with joy:

"Sister-in-law, you finally came back!"

The circle of people at the door all turned in unison to look towards the bridge.

The crowd parted to reveal the familiar face of Lin Erbao.

Qin Yao tightened her grip on the knife in her hand, telling the driver not to be afraid and to wait there, as she walked forward, angrily questioning:

"Why are you here again?"

Her tone was murderous, seemingly displeased that Lin Erbao had actually brought Liu Ji back alive.

Yes, Liu Ji was still alive.

But he was half-dead, wrapped in tattered sackcloth, bruised all over, lying on the ground, barely conscious.

His once proud handsome face was now dreadful to behold.

Da Lang and his three siblings gathered around him, trying to wake him. Seeing Qin Yao, their eyes lit up, and they instinctively ran towards her, abandoning Liu Ji.

"Mother!"

"Auntie."

The siblings came to her side, looked at her new outfit, then at the fully loaded ox cart on the bridge, and knew she must have hunted some prey, feeling thrilled.

Facing the four children, Qin Yao softened slightly, patted their heads one by one, and gently instructed, "Da Lang and Second Lang, lead your younger siblings inside."

The siblings hesitated, looking at the man lying on the ground, but Qin Yao repeated, "Go inside, I’ll handle this."

Da Lang gave Qin Yao a deep look, as if to ensure she would deal with the man on the ground, paused for a few seconds, then obediently led his siblings into the house.

Once the four siblings shut the door, Qin Yao swiftly raised her knife, faster than the wind, and held it to Lin Erbao’s neck.

"Hah!"

The onlooking villagers and the Liu family gasped in shock at this unexpected action.

Lin Erbao’s men also raised their weapons immediately, surrounding Qin Yao, ready to attack.

"If anyone moves, I’ll kill him!" Qin Yao shouted.

The blade against his neck sent chills down Lin Erbao’s spine, the scent of blood on the handle in his nose, giving him goosebumps. He quickly yelled:

"Everyone, stop! Don’t move!"

Then he glared coldly at Qin Yao, "Miss Qin, what do you mean by this?"

Qin Yao glanced at the half-dead man on the ground, "I should be asking you that."

We agreed he wouldn’t be sent back alive, so what’s this?

Lin Erbao was also a bit angry, "Liu Laosan was right, you truly are a venomous woman. I kindly sent the man back alive, and not only are you ungrateful, you even want to kill me!"

"Heh~" Qin Yao laughed, "You sent him back, but what about the debt? Is it going to be written off?"

"Of course not!" Lin Erbao responded harshly without a thought.

Qin Yao’s eyes narrowed dangerously, filled with murderous intent, truly wanting to take the lives of Lin Erbao and his men.

Lin Erbao felt a chill under her gaze, never imagining Liu Laosan’s family had such a fierce woman.

Last time he saw Qin Yao, he thought she was just a strong, shrewish woman. But today, he realized this woman had an unusual background and was highly skilled in martial arts.

If he had known earlier, he wouldn’t have come personally this time.

Just as he considered persuading Qin Yao to calm down, she unexpectedly withdrew her knife and extended her hand.

Lin Erbao was baffled, instinctively touching his neck—still intact and bloodless. Relieved, he asked in confusion, "What for?"

"The IOU."

Lin Erbao waved off his men who were eager to take the opportunity to attack Qin Yao. They didn’t even consider their pitiful skills against this fierce woman.

Many kept glancing at Qin Yao as he slowly took out the IOU he had shown Old Liu and the others earlier.

The IOU was scribbled with two lines in Liu Ji’s handwriting.

As a child, Old Liu thought the schoolteacher could educate this rebellious son, and the whole family tightened their belts to send him to school for two years, where he learned some chicken-scratch writing.

It stated Liu Ji borrowed twenty taels of silver from Lin Erbao, promising to repay twenty-two taels with interest in two months. If overdue, an additional tael of interest would accrue per day.

The signing date was the thirtieth of July.

Now it was the twenty-eighth of October, already 28 days past due, requiring a total repayment of fifty taels.

Seeing this number, Qin Yao couldn’t help but curse, "Damn!"

It was just the same as the fifty taels she had saved and didn’t want to touch. Seriously?

Old Liu’s family worked hard from year’s start to year’s end, saving up two or three taels at most from their harvests and the women’s weaving.

This debt was an astronomical and unimaginable number for any Liu Family Village villager.

If Liu Ji weren’t already lying on the ground bruised, Old Liu would have kicked this unfilial son to death himself.

Qin Yao was no exception, her fists clenched tightly, loosened, and clenched again, her molars grinding audibly, sounding incredibly menacing.

Lin Erbao quickly snatched back the IOU, took two steps back, and said helplessly:

"Our money doesn’t grow on trees. My brothers and I have elderly parents and wives and children to support. This money is crucial for us."

The way he said it made it seem like Qin Yao was bullying him instead.

Sister-in-law He and Sister-in-law Qiu looked at the fully loaded ox cart on the bridge, wondering if Qin Yao had a bountiful harvest in the mountains and could use it to pay the debt.

But before they could ask, they were stared back by Old Liu and Mrs. Zhang.

Qin Yao took a deep breath, unable to calm herself, and kicked the man lying on the ground hard!

The man trembled slightly, eyes shut, not daring to move, completely not daring to move!