Wolf-Raised Cub with a Space: Surviving the Disaster Years
Chapter 167: Xie Mingxu Is Going to Search Xiangyun Village?
Wang Qiao’er’s smile stiffened. "Village Chief, you can’t be this unreasonable. I’m an official concubine of the Ba Family now, so Fugui is naturally Ba Deshun’s son."
"When we’re talking business, we shouldn’t drag the child into it. Let’s keep things separate, wouldn’t you say?"
Village Chief Deng grew angry and slammed his hand on the table. "How dare you! What kind of mother are you? Back then, you took advantage of the Deng Family’s lack of power and influence, ran off with your son, and made him acknowledge another man as his father."
"If you don’t agree today, then you can forget about ever coming back to Xiangyun Village. I’m telling you, as long as I’m alive, none of you will lay a finger on this village!"
Wang Qiao’er grew agitated and stood up. "Old Master, you..."
"Out! Get out!" Village Chief Deng refused to listen and started to drive Wang Qiao’er out the door.
Just as Shen Ningning arrived outside Village Chief Deng’s home, she saw the two of them arguing.
She had brought some food with her, intending to visit Granny Chen and the mad scholar.
But she never expected to stumble upon such a scene.
The little one blinked her big, round eyes, watching Wang Qiao’er and Village Chief Deng quarrel. From their words, she slowly began to piece together what was happening.
’Wang Qiao’er hadn’t expected Village Chief Deng, that old coot, to be so difficult.’
She turned, saw Shen Ningning standing in the doorway, and her face lit up. "Ningning, I’ve finally managed to catch you."
Seeing the greedy glint in Wang Qiao’er’s eyes, as if she were looking at a pile of gold, the little one cautiously took half a step back.
The Black Wolf King stepped forward. Wang Qiao’er met its fierce, cold gaze and instantly froze in her tracks.
Village Chief Deng shouted, "Ningning, pay her no mind! This Wang Qiao’er is up to no good. The Deng Family has a feud with her, and I will absolutely never do business with her!"
Wang Qiao’er clicked her tongue. "Now, now, Old Master, don’t be so hasty. Ningning has always been a sensible girl; she knows how to be reasonable. Ningning, listen to your auntie. Here’s what’s going on..."
Before she could finish, Shen Ningning cut her off in a soft but firm voice. "I don’t want to hear it."
Wang Qiao’er frowned.
The little one’s round, rosy cheeks were adorable, but her expression was firm. "When Qin Fangmei wanted to return to the village, Grandpa Village Chief and the others stopped her."
"He sided with me back then, so today, I’m siding with Grandpa Village Chief without asking why. No matter what you say, if he says he won’t talk to you, then I won’t listen."
Village Chief Deng was deeply moved, his eyes welling up. He even felt a pang of shame.
In the beginning, he had made Shen Ningning pay back the silver the Qin Family owed. Even when he helped her later, it was only because he didn’t want the Qin Family returning and causing more trouble.
’But he’d never expected it. This child... she would repay a drop of kindness with a gushing spring.’
Wang Qiao’er could no longer keep up her smiling facade.
She whipped her head around to face Village Chief Deng and sneered, "Every last one of you is so petty. You’ve got a mountain of silver right in front of your eyes, and you refuse to take it. What a bunch of idiots!"
These were Wang Qiao’er’s true colors.
Shen Ningning remained perfectly composed, placing her little hands on her hips. "How much silver are we talking about? Is it more than what my Uncle Emperor gave me?"
Wang Qiao’er’s face went white.
’In her anger, she’d almost forgotten. Shen Ningning wasn’t just the little girl who hung around the Crown Prince; she was a favorite of the Emperor himself!’
Wang Qiao’er could only vent all her frustration on Village Chief Deng.
She pointed at Village Chief Deng and began to curse. "You old relic! You’ve already got one foot in the grave, but you still insist on my son staying here to perform your funeral rites? Take a good look at yourself! Are you even worthy?"
"My son is the young master of the Ba Family now. He has a new name: Ba Le."
"Your Deng Family is dirt-poor. What right do you have to demand my son come back and acknowledge his father and grandfather?"
Livid, Village Chief Deng snatched a broom leaning against the wall and started swinging it at her. "Get out! Get out!"
Shen Ningning gave a wave of her small hand. "Langlang, chase this troublemaker out of the village."
The Black Wolf King lunged fiercely. Wang Qiao’er shrieked in terror and scrambled to get away.
Just then, Deng Fugui, who had been brought back by Uncle Deng, saw what was happening and rushed over. "Mother! Little Wolf Sister, don’t hurt my mother!"
Shen Ningning glanced at him, a flicker of disappointment in her eyes, and called the Black Wolf King back.
Deng Fugui ran to Wang Qiao’er’s side, shielding her with his body as he stared fearfully at the Black Wolf King.
"My mother was wrong in the past, but she’s changed now. You can’t bully her like this." He looked at Shen Ningning as he spoke.
A look of astonishment flashed across the little one’s round, fair face.
’How could Deng Fugui think that of her? Am I really the kind of person who throws my weight around to bully others?’
Shen Ningning immediately retorted, "Fugui, your mother was insulting Grandpa Village Chief. Of course I was going to have her chased away."
Wang Qiao’er covered her face and began to sob. "Oh, Fugui, your grandfather won’t forgive us! Your mother even knelt before him, but he still tried to beat me out with a broom. I don’t dare come back ever again. If I get eaten by that wolf, who will I even be able to complain to?"
Shen Ningning cried out, her soft voice filled with indignation, "How can you twist the story around like that!"
Village Chief Deng’s face was grim. "Fugui, do you believe her? If I made you choose, me or your mother, you can only pick one. Who will you live with?"
Deng Fugui bit his lip, conflicted. Uncle Deng stepped forward, his expression complex. "Father, Fugui is still just a child."
"Quiet!" Village Chief Deng snapped. "Let Fugui answer for himself. We’re settling this today." Uncle Deng could only fall silent and watch his son.
Deng Fugui glanced back at the wailing Wang Qiao’er, then turned his gaze, with great difficulty, to Village Chief Deng. "Grandfather, I choose my mother."
"You have the whole village and my father to look after you. If I leave my mother, she’ll have no one to back her up in the Ba Family."
Utterly disappointed, Village Chief Deng said, "She brought all of that on herself!"
"But she’s my mother," Deng Fugui said, helping Wang Qiao’er to her feet. "Mother, let’s go."
Tears of anger in his eyes, Village Chief Deng slammed his cane on the ground. "If you walk out that door, don’t you ever come back! From this day forward, I will no longer acknowledge you as my grandson!"
Deng Fugui faltered for a moment, but ultimately, he left with Wang Qiao’er without looking back.
Village Chief Deng shook his head and broke down crying. "What sin did our Deng Family commit to deserve this?"
Fearing his elderly father would collapse from overwhelming grief, Uncle Deng quickly helped him back inside the house.
Shen Ningning sighed and stroked the Black Wolf King’s fur. "Langlang, let’s go to the carriage and get the food to bring to Granny Chen, okay?"
As she reached the village entrance, she saw a large contingent of men on horseback approaching in the distance, kicking up a great cloud of dust.
Wang Qiao’er, who was just about to board her carriage, also stopped, narrowing her eyes to watch.
A moment later, Xie Mingxu rode up and stopped his horse in front of Shen Ningning. A number of official soldiers were with him.
The little one asked in surprise, "Brother Xie, what are you doing here?"
Xie Mingxu wore dark cyan robes that made his handsome face appear even more stoic.
He swung himself off his horse and gave Shen Ningning a slight smile. "I’m here on official business. Xiangyun Village is on our list of places to investigate. Since you’re here, this is perfect. I won’t have to enter the village; I can just ask you."
"In the last three months, have any of the villagers here gotten sick? For instance, developing scars or pockmarks on their bodies, or perhaps someone who doesn’t leave their house much and acts secretively?"
Shen Ningning’s heart skipped a beat. ’It seems Chen Ye was right. Xie Mingxu really is here to investigate this.’
Just as she was wondering how to answer, Wang Qiao’er rushed over from the side. "Yes, there is! Officer, the Chen Family in Xiangyun Village has a son who came back from the border! At first, he was hiding furtively in his house and didn’t dare let anyone see him. He has terrifying scars on his body, too."
Xie Mingxu’s eyes glinted, and his demeanor turned severe. "Are you certain?"
Wang Qiao’er nodded emphatically. "I’m positive. Their house is right here in the village. You can go search it for yourself. The man’s name is Chen Ye."