When the group of people arrived at Dongshan Village, the fiery sun was gradually approaching the West Mountain, which wreathed the top of the mountain in a glittering, golden halo. The vast majority of villagers had just finished eating dinner, and many elderly men and women were congregated under the old elm tree at the mouth of the village. Some were playing chess while others were chatting genially. 

Among them was a fat and plump woman, who was garrulously talking to other people while drops of spittle emitted from her mouth. This person was Xiaocao’s eldest paternal aunt, Li Guihua. She had a bunch of roasted melon seeds in her pocket, and her lips flapped swiftly as the husks from the melon seeds flew away. Her beady eyes, which resembled a thief’s, furiously roved around. No one knew who she was planning to slander next.

Next to her was Madam Xiong, who used an elbow to poke at her. She pouted towards the entrance of the village and said, “Guihua, look over there! Isn’t that your younger brother-in-law and his precious little daughter? I heard that the day before yesterday they went with Hunter Zhao and his son to the prefectural city! Tsk tsk, I’ve been living for a long time and I’ve never been to the prefectural city. Your younger brother-in-law takes that silly girl Xiaocao as a treasure, ah, and takes her around everywhere!”

“Psh, what kind of treasure are you talking about?! In the end, isn’t she...