kingnovel Chapter 300 Gap
Chapter 300 Gap
Erbao is still just a child under five years old; how could he possibly explain what happened?
But at that moment, the piercing wailing had already penetrated the front yard and clearly reached Li Xiaonuan's ears.
Among those cries, besides Song Dalang's hoarse howls, there were also women's curses and sobs.
Her good mood was completely ruined, and Li Xiaonuan couldn't help but sigh and rub her forehead. Why did these unpleasant things keep happening to her?
Li Xiaonuan picked up Erbao, feeling a surge of relief. Erbao had been doing well at the Li family's house these past few months, and had even gained weight. He was quite heavy.
As they walked, Erbao kept saying childish things: "Sister, why do my parents cry and fuss even more than me? Are they never going to grow up? My brother is only seven years old, and he doesn't cry and fuss anymore."
Li Xiaonuan really wanted to tell Erbao: Your parents are being unreasonable and trying to harass you three.
But Erbao definitely wouldn't understand if she said it that way. So, Li Xiaonuan said, "Erbao, your parents are very sensible. That's why they cry and make a fuss in front of others, so that they can make up with you again. In the future, you'll have to earn money for them to spend."
Erbao glanced at Li Xiaonuan with a bewildered look, and those big, watery eyes melted Li Xiaonuan's heart.
Then, seeing the single, playful teardrop clinging to Erbao's long eyelashes, Li Xiaonuan finally couldn't resist reaching out and touching those eyelashes.
Erbao held her finger up to her eyes, and instinctively blinked. Her long eyelashes, like brushes, brushed against Li Xiaonuan's finger.
Looking at the teardrops on her fingers, Li Xiaonuan felt a rare sense of determination in her heart.
From now on, she will be in charge of protecting these two children, Da Bao and Er Bao.
Outside the gate, a large circle of villagers had gathered. In front of them was Song Dalang, performing a traditional opera. Beside Song Dalang was a middle-aged woman kneeling and embracing Erbao's mother. Next to the middle-aged woman were a mother and her child.
At this moment, Song Dalang was kowtowing to Old Song without any regard for the consequences, and loudly proclaiming that Old Song and his two grandsons had been cheated by the Li family.
The other three were even more direct. They surrounded Erbao's mother, repeatedly saying that she was forced into that state by the Li family.
Da Bao clenched his fists, gritted his teeth, and stood on the steps watching the group of people make a scene with bloodshot eyes.
Li Xiaonuan stepped forward and put Erbao down. She was slightly out of breath. It seemed that building such a large yard had its downsides.
"Dabao, don't be angry. It's not good to get angry with those irrelevant people and ruin your health." Li Xiaonuan patted Dabao's head and reached out to smooth the bulging veins on his neck.
Da Bao looked back at Li Xiaonuan, whose rapid breathing, like that of an enraged calf, made Da Bao's small nostrils flare open and close.
Li Xiaonuan couldn't help but sigh, feeling sorry for the child's precociousness and experiences.
“Dabao, you take Erbao inside. Leave things here to me and Xiaoyang. Look, your grandpa's here too, he definitely won't let those people bully us.” Li Xiaonuan pulled Dabao into her arms and gently patted his back as she spoke.
Da Bao took a long time to calm down. He lifted his head from Li Xiaonuan's arms and said, "Sister Xiaonuan, my mother... she didn't actually... didn't want to do those bad things. It was all... it was all my father and my maternal grandparents who forced her. My uncle and my aunt also scolded her."
After saying that, Da Bao began to cry silently.
Li Xiaonuan cupped Da Bao's face in her hands and said to him very seriously, "Don't worry, Da Bao, I will definitely not let anything happen to your mother. Trust your sister, okay?"
Da Bao sniffed and nodded with a very dependent look.
Li Xiaonuan saw in Da Bao's eyes his longing for maternal love.
Looking back at her second child, who was still clinging to her clothes, Li Xiaonuan was overcome with maternal love once again.
But ultimately, she wasn't the biological mother of Da Bao and Er Bao, and couldn't give them the affection they craved. Li Xiaonuan thought to herself.
After sending the two children away, Li Xiaonuan did not go down the steps, but stood in front of Erbao's mother.
Erbao's mother lay there lifelessly, her lips bluish-purple. But from the slight rise and fall of her chest, one could tell that she still had a sliver of life in her.
“Princess, as a princess, you can’t persecute us like this. Look, you’ve only just returned and my poor daughter has already taken poison. You will be punished by heaven for treating my daughter and son-in-law like this.” The woman squatting in front of Erbao’s mother cried out with her eyes closed when she saw Li Xiaonuan.
Li Xiaonuan looked at the woman who made all the noise but never brought anything down, and felt even more disgusted.
The woman didn't come when she falsely accused their whole family of being spies last time; only the old man, his son, and his daughter-in-law came.
Today is strange; the old man didn't come, but the old woman did.
"Princess, please have mercy and give my father and my two sons back to us. If you don't agree, I'll take poison too. Even if you become a princess, you shouldn't force my father and my two sons to sell themselves into slavery." As soon as Song Dalang saw Li Xiaonuan, he abandoned Old Song and crawled towards her.
Li Xiaonuan gave Song Dalang a cold look, thinking that such a person was truly polluting society. But he didn't deserve to die, which made him all the more annoying.
Fortunately, the head guard and his men were stationed outside the door. Otherwise, Song Dalang would have really pounced on Li Xiaonuan.
The guards were led by a man surnamed Tian, who was personally selected by the emperor from the Imperial Guard.
Therefore, Chief Tian looked down on Li Xiaonuan's behavior. But that didn't mean that Chief Tian was not fulfilling his duties.
"Princess, what do you want to do with these people?" Chief Tian privately believed that Li Xiaonuan had every right to wipe out these scumbags.
Li Xiaonuan knew exactly what Chief Tian was thinking. But this was a rural area with simple and honest customs. If Chief Tian were to act decisively, the Li family would have no chance of staying here any longer.
"Chief Tian, could you please send two people to the government office to report this, and also go to the Cangbaicao Medical Clinic to fetch a doctor?" Li Xiaonuan still wanted to follow the proper legal channels.
The leader of the Tian clan glared at Li Xiaonuan with a hint of annoyance before reluctantly pointing out two people and giving them instructions.
Li Xiaonuan also asked Li Shuhua, who was watching the commotion, to help her find her way.
And so, Song Dalang and the others fell silent, staring blankly at the departing three. Then, as if suddenly realizing something, they burst into tears and screams, accusing Li Xiaonuan of abusing her status to drive people to their deaths.
Li Xiaonuan didn't say anything to them and went back up the steps.
Old Song stood with his head down at the bottom of the steps, apologizing to Li Xiaonuan with great shame.
“Grandpa Song, I knew this would happen when I agreed to your request. Don’t worry too much, let’s resolve all the issues this time. That way they won’t bother you three again.” Li Xiaonuan spoke up to stop Old Song from kneeling down.
“Grandpa Song, I’ve already said it, you are my teacher. Shouldn’t it be my duty as a disciple to do something for you?” Xiao Yang said, supporting the old man.
Perhaps life has improved these past few months, and Old Song's mind has become much more at ease. As a result, his previous hunchback is not as noticeable.
"Fellow villagers, what do you think? If I drive these people out of the village and never let them in again, is that alright? Also, although I don't have any real power, my status as a princess is not fake. They are forcing and framing me like this, can I punish them with a rod?" Li Xiaonuan was actually testing whether everyone would support her.
To be honest, Li Xiaonuan was genuinely worried that returning with this new identity would alienate her from the villagers. The disparity in their social status could easily cause psychological distress among the simple and honest villagers.
Perhaps they really think that Li Xiaonuan's status is different now, and that what she does is similar to those bullies who rely on their power to oppress others.
Sure enough, after Li Xiaonuan finished speaking, some villagers actually started pleading for Song Dalang and the others.