Between Scandals and Secrets

Chapter 1

It was infuriating to find myself in this new world, instantly framed for luring men left and right. From the village's old, ugly scoundrel to my cousin's fiancé, it seemed like any man was fair game for gossip. Seriously, was I, a mere seventeen-year-old girl, really that desperate? If I didn't clear the original owner's name, how would I survive in this society?
Xiaoru led the way to Erlaizi's house, with a young boy trailing behind her. Many villagers followed the sibling pair, curiosity driving them forth.
Living in the countryside leaves little room for entertainment; the juiciest scandals can captivate a crowd. Skipping lunch was forgivable, but not missing out on the drama unfolding.
Old Lin and his wife hesitated, but Guiflower was full of confidence. She called out loudly, “Mom! Dad! Let’s go check it out! After all, what you heard with your own ears can’t possibly be false. We can't just stand by while Xiaoru keeps messing up. The whole town is gossiping about her scandal with Erlaizi. We need to put an end to any ties between them and steer Xiaoru back on the right path.”
Those in front shared whispers upon hearing Guiflower's words.
Someone remarked, “Who knows, that little hussy might just be play-acting. They say flies don’t buzz around a sound egg; if Xiaoru was upstanding, there wouldn't be such rumors about her. First, it's Erlaizi, then she’s supposedly seducing her cousin's fiancé.”
A voice chimed in, “True, Erlaizi is old and unattractive, but haven’t we heard from Guiflower that Xiaoru has a bit of a sweet tooth? Hot off the pan or not, she was gobbling it down in the kitchen. If Erlaizi dangles a few peanuts and dried sweet potatoes in front of her, she’d probably agree to anything.”
Another lamented, “Sigh, with a mother like that, how could the daughter be any better?”
There were dissenting opinions too: “Xiaoru's cravings likely stem from hunger; look how skinny and short she is. Her parents are not short at all.”
Xiaoru walked ahead, silently absorbing the gossip, indifferent. The young boy clutched her hand tightly, his little face scrunched with anger. "Sister, they’re talking nonsense."
Xiaoru gently pressed his palm with her thumb. “They don’t know the truth. Once they do, they won’t speak so recklessly.”
Erlaizi, a scruffy man in his forties, was a lazy recluse living in utter poverty, and no woman dared marry him. After years of being single, he would let his imagination run wild even at the sight of a passing sow.
Right now, he lounged in the shade of a jujube tree his parents had planted, engrossed in a magazine he scrounged up from town. The article featured a stunning woman sentenced for her crimes—oh, her beauty was striking, and it was a shame that she'd been executed. How he wished for just a chance like hers.
As he drooled over the glossy pages, off in his daydreams, he was suddenly startled by a group bursting through.
Just as he was about to shout at them for interrupting his peace, the first person to break through was Xiaoru, her expression stone-cold as she called out his nickname. “Erlaizi! It’s the period of crackdowns, and you dare to have ambiguous dealings with a seventeen-year-old girl? Watch out or someone might report you and you’ll end up with serious consequences!”
Erlaizi jumped up, suddenly terrified. “Don’t you dare spread lies, or I'll smack you!”
During these crackdowns, the motto was simple: “Arrest everyone who can be caught; punish everyone who could be judged; kill everyone whose crime seems serious enough.”
In fact, he had just read about a woman executed simply for having an affair with her boss. Another story told of a divorced woman who loved entertaining and hosted private dances in her home, only to be arrested and charged as the head of a dangrous criminal gang involved in unsavory acts.
If someone reported him for anything with that girl, he’d likely face the firing squad himself. It was only natural he was scared.
Xiaoru smiled calmly. “Lies? You’re the one boasting everywhere that you have ‘fun’ with me. That’s tangible proof.”

Chapter 2

In the bustling village square, Autumn hid among the crowd, her eyes darting anxiously towards Little Ru. A wave of panic washed over her as she realized for the first time that Little Ru was fearless—willing to risk everything for revenge.
Edmund Chen and Lila Lin were completely flustered, their earlier words nothing but a hasty fabrication. What would they do if they were publicly exposed? They tried to slip away unnoticed, but a few eager villagers stopped them in their tracks. “Edmund, Lila, stick around and enjoy the show!”
Automatically, Benedict Bull glanced behind Little Ru at Autumn, noticing her pale face as she subtly gestured for him to stay calm.
Swallowing hard, he feigned composure and stammered, “I… I didn’t mean it like that. We’re not connected in any way.”
The crowd erupted in gasps, many stepping up to defend Little Ru. “Benedict, that’s not fair! She’s just an unmarried girl, and you’re tarnishing her reputation. How can she find a suitor after this? You need to apologize formally.”
Though Little Ru appreciated the villagers’ concern, she knew that merely apologizing wouldn’t restore her damaged reputation. With unwavering resolve, she declared, “Thank you, everyone—grandpas, grandmas, uncles, aunts—but this insult can’t be undone with words. I have to report this to the police and seek justice.”
Benedict immediately panicked. “Wait, Little Ru! I was just joking. There’s no need to involve the police.”
Several villagers responded with anger, “You might think it’s a joke, but her reputation is ruined! What right do you have to say she shouldn’t report it? You need to face consequences!”
Little Ru raised her voice confidently. “Is there any kind-hearted uncle, brother, or neighbor willing to take me to the constable’s office?”
“I’ll go!”
“Count me in!”
Numerous voices chimed in at once.
Autumn could no longer hold her composure. “Come on, we’re all from the same village. Benedict didn’t mean anything by it; let’s give him a break.”
As Little Ru’s aunt, her plea caused hesitation among the young villagers who had volunteered to help.
Little Ru bit her lip and exclaimed dramatically, “Oh, so Benedict ruins my dear aunt’s granddaughter’s reputation, and you still call him ‘Benedict, my dear brother’? Don’t you feel disgusted? I’m covered in goosebumps!”
Just because Benedict didn’t intend to harm her didn’t mean it should be overlooked. If he was spreading rumors about having been with both girls, would they still let it slide? They would probably be ready to confront him.
Fuming with embarrassment and rage, Autumn pointed an accusatory finger at Little Ru. “How can you say such terrible things at your age?”
Little Ru suddenly swatted her hand away. “I’m just speaking my mind! Benedict is slandering me, but you want to let him off the hook? Are you protecting him because you have something going on?”
Autumn was nearly apoplectic as she shouted, “You’re out of line! You’re spreading lies!”
Seeing her flustered state filled Little Ru with a sense of victory. She taunted, “I’m lying? Then explain to me, why are you so eager to defend Benedict? Is he your father or something?”

Chapter 3

Cecilia Gold felt a wave of unease, as if a storm was brewing.
Laughter erupted from the crowd, all eyes turning toward her, expecting an explanation. Cecilia was at a loss; all she could muster was a stubborn insistence that she merely wanted to let Little Brave off the hook because they were from the same village—after all, they’d seen each other enough times.
"How can she let this slide? It’s about a girl's reputation!" the villagers whispered among themselves. "There must be something more to it."
Edmund Chen, Cecilia’s uncle, and Hugo Zane, her other uncle, had rushed back from the fields. They listened, feeling as if they’d stepped into a minefield. If Lin Dunn's name was dragged through the mud, the village would turn on them, each villager eager to launch their own accusations.
But to Cecilia, it didn’t really matter. As a woman, her heart was often cast as narrow. It was almost acceptable, even expected, for her to scheme against Lila Lin without raising any suspicions.
In a village where few women could stand tall and proud, vowing they had never once acted with malice behind closed doors, Cecilia’s guilt was palpable. She clenched her fists until her nails dug into her palms, relishing the wish to tear Little Brave apart limb from limb. Steeling herself, she addressed the villagers with a bravado she didn’t truly feel, "Stop speculating! What could I possibly have to gain? I’m just worried that if I report this, it’ll hurt Lila Lin."
Lila chuckled coldly. "How funny, Aunt. Suddenly you’re so nice to me. Just last week, you were telling everyone I’m a glutton, stealing food from my own home. When did I ever take anything? You keep setting me up with Granny Grey pricking my scalp with needles, saying it was for my own good. Even when I cried out for help, no one believed me. You just dismissed Little Brave’s ruin of my reputation as a mere petty act, yet now you pretend to care. Is there some malice behind it?"
Gasps of shock rippled through the crowd. They had never imagined Cecilia Gold could harbor such vindictiveness. She had always put on a show of kindness toward Lila and her siblings.
Fuming with fury, Cecilia snapped, "You shouldn’t take everything from me, girl! I can’t believe you frame me like that."
"I’m framing you?” Lila shot back, a twisted smirk on her face. She turned to the pale-faced Little Brave, saying, “You tarnished my name, so believe me, I’m calling the cops. Prepare yourself for jail or worse.” With that, she started heading out.
Little Brave’s fear transformed into desperation as he sprinted after her, grabbing her arm. "Don’t blame me! It was you, it was you," he yelped, disregarding Cecilia’s threatening glare. "Your aunt paid me to do this."
The realization dawned on several villagers, their faces lighting up in understanding. "Oh, so that’s why you’ve been living large lately!" They leaned closer, intrigued by the unfolding drama.
Although Edmund Chen had no idea his wife was behind this vicious scheme, he had always disliked how Cecilia took all the credit for Lin Dunn’s accomplishments. His frustration boiled over, and he sneered, "So it’s you two plotting against Lila Lin, huh? That’s low even for family. Lila Lin is your niece too."
Edmund's family had established a solid reputation in the village; now that mask was ripped away, revealing the true colors beneath. Enraged, Edmund lunged at Little Brave and began to beat him. "How dare you spread lies! I’ll teach you a lesson!"
As Little Brave defended his head, he squealed, "I didn’t spread any lies! Your wife said if I ruined Lila Lin’s reputation, no one else would want her, and she’d have to marry me! I wouldn't dare do that on my own, I swear!"
Lila hastily approached Granny Grey. "Grandma, the truth has come out. It was Aunt who conspired with others to slander me. Just a moment ago, you said you overheard I was meeting with Little Brave—are you part of this smear campaign too?"
Granny Grey opened her mouth to defend herself, but Lila braced herself, cutting her off sharply. "No need to explain; you’re talking to no fools here. Who would still fall for your ruse?"

Chapter 4

Lady Lin's face went pale, but she was unwilling to take the blame. Desperately, she tried to explain to the villagers that she had not participated in the slandering of Little Brave. “What I said earlier was just off the cuff! I only wanted to provoke Little Brave’s anger. You don’t understand how out of control that kid is at home.”
Though the villagers remained silent, they exchanged knowing smirks and disdainful looks, clearly not believing her. Lady Lin was left without a counterargument.
Little Brave cast a disdainful glance at the bruised and battered Benny, who had been beaten up by Hugo Zane. “You actually believe my aunt's words? She paid you a couple of coins to tarnish my reputation, trying to persuade my grandparents to marry me off to a wealthy old bachelor in the county town, all for a hefty dowry to send her daughter to college. You really think my aunt is going to let go of someone like me, who could bring in money? Dream on.”
Little Brave’s words shifted the villagers’ perception of Cecilia Gold yet again.
Someone scoffed, “How could there be such a heartless and selfish person in the world, trying to sell her own niece just to fund her daughter's education?”
“It makes sense why that rich old man was always coming around recently; he was probably trying to buy Little Brave. Whenever I asked Cecilia about him, she just pretended he was a distant relative. What a performance!”
Old Grey puffed up his face and confronted Cecilia Gold, “Tell me, did you instruct Benny to deliberately tarnish Little Brave's reputation to make me dislike her? Did you want me to feel embarrassed enough about her to agree to marry her off?”
With Benny’s words as damning evidence, Cecilia Gold couldn’t deny it any longer, but her sharp wit led her to dodge the main issue, stirring up trouble instead. “Little Brave's mom stole our family’s life savings three years ago. Benny’s been too busy in the city to help; he only sends a pittance every month for living expenses. How can that cover her and her sisters going to school and eating?”
“Our family is poor! It’s tough for all of us, and that’s why I tried to find a decent match for Little Brave. Don’t you see I want her to have a better life? How could it turn into me selling her off in that little ingrate’s eyes? If I’d known better, I wouldn’t have bothered in the first place.”
Little Brave retorted sharply, “You talk a good game, but if it’s such a great match, why don’t you keep it for your younger daughter?”
Cecilia Gold’s expression turned awkward at the mention of that.
Whenever Lady Lin brought up how Little Brave’s mother had vanished years ago with all their savings, she couldn't help but feel infuriated. “Come on, Old Grey! Cecilia Gold is right to marry off Little Brave. If we don’t, how else can we afford tuition for Young Warrior and Little Cub? What girl in our village doesn’t help out her brothers? What’s wrong with Little Brave doing her part?”
Old Grey hesitated; of course, his grandsons took precedence over his granddaughter.
Little Brave scoffed, “Grandpa, don’t let Grandma confuse you. The dowry money won’t go to my brothers but instead to Aunt for her elder daughter.”
Old Grey snapped back to reality but chose to remain silent.
In 1983, getting into college was no small feat, and it was harder still for rural students. In a ten-mile radius, only Lila Lin, Lady Lin’s eldest granddaughter, had made it to college. Old Grey was willing to spend that money on her.
The cost of her college education is not trivial. If she had to drop out because of insufficient funds, what a tragedy that would be.
Besides, since Little Brave was so dismissive of him, why keep her at home? Marrying her off would clear up the household.

Chapter 5

Cecilia Gold smiled sweetly, "Your sister desperately needs money right now. Could you lend her your dowry funds for a while? I promise to return it slowly, and it will go towards your brother and little brother."
Xiaoru gave a cold laugh. "What goes in won’t come back out, huh? Do you think I’m a fool?" She took Young Squire by the hand and walked out of the dilapidated yard, heading towards the Lin Estate.
The Lin family exchanged glances, filled with contempt for Xiaoru's fierce demeanor, feeling utterly outmatched by her.
Ever since Xiaoru had been brutally struck by Cecilia three days ago, the conflict between the Sebastian Chen siblings and the Lin family had escalated into an all-out brawl. They fought intensely, neither side giving in. Finally, Xiaoru woke up feeling different—no longer the timid girl she once was. Now, as she looked at her brother and little brother, everyone from the Lin family seemed unworthy of her consideration, and she faced them without fear.
Especially today, Xiaoru had skillfully exposed the Lin family's disgraceful behavior to the townsfolk, leaving Cecilia and the others feeling inexplicably intimidated; no one dared to provoke her anymore.
Juxiang, the third daughter-in-law, had not only prepared lunch with her five children but they had already eaten it as well.
With the land contract system established just a few years ago, most rural families hadn’t divided their holdings yet, the Lin family being no exception.
Old Man Lin, steeped in tradition, was certainly opposed to the idea of dividing the family estate. The oldest and the third had their own plans.
The eldest couldn't wait to break away, eager to use the entire Lin family's resources to educate his two children.
The third, with a large family and numerous lands—too much to manage single-handedly—had been counting on Xiaoru and her siblings to help with the farming during the busy summer months.
Typically, Grandma Lin wouldn’t allow Juxiang into the kitchen. Should she manage to cook, the moment her children got hold of food, there wouldn't be enough left for the rest of the family, leaving them with only plain rice.
Today, Juxiang's family took advantage of being alone at home, seizing the opportunity to whip up lunch, cracking more than a dozen eggs in a single go. The eager children quickly devoured them all, along with most of the vegetables.
Grandma Lin was furious. She and her husband hadn't even touched their lunch, while Juxiang and her children stuffed themselves to the brim. In a fit of rage, she reprimanded Juxiang harshly.
Juxiang defended herself, standing in the yard. "Those eggs weren’t just for me; they were for your grandchildren too. There was nothing to scold me for."
Seeing that Xiaoru was no longer as sharp-tongued as before, Cecilia decided to appease her: "Xiaoru, I’ll go make a dish of scrambled eggs with scallions just for you and your brother."
Xiaoru replied coldly, "If you genuinely want me to marry smoothly, then you must treat my brother and little brother well. Give me all the eggs from the house, and I’ll take them to my brother and little Chu."
She glanced at Young Squire's hopeful eyes beside her. "You guys go and kill a chicken and get half a pound of pig liver. I’ll whip up a couple of dishes for Young Squire and me to share."
Cecilia and her husband couldn’t bring themselves to trust Xiaoru. They thought about the way she had just laid bare the Lin family's wrongdoings. Surely, she wouldn’t settle for just a few small benefits.
Cecilia and her husband looked towards Old Man Lin, who gave a solemn nod.
He had his own thoughts. No matter how much noise Xiaoru made, she was still just a seventeen-year-old girl; even if she refused to marry, she was far from having the ability to rebel against them.
Their village was nestled deep in the mountains with rugged roads and poor transportation, leading to pervasive poverty. Many families traded their daughters for dowry money to get sons married off or even exchanged daughters for sisters-in-law, simply to secure their sons a bride.
However, it was rare for families to use their nieces’ dowry funds for their own children’s benefit.

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