Chapter 12 Retribution is Inescapable

Yue Jiandong was suddenly startled. Could it be that the third brother became angrier as he thought about it last night, and really went to confront Wang Jinshun today?

But with his slight frame, who could he even beat?

"Uncle Wei, could you please explain in detail what happened?"

"Aiyah, it's too much to explain in a sentence or two, just come with me quickly."

Jiandong hurried to the riverside, where a throng of people had already formed a crowd.

"Excuse me, please let me through."

Upon seeing Jiandong, the onlookers parted way to make a path.

Under the large willow tree on the riverbank, Yue Jiannan was clenching his fists tightly and panting heavily like a little calf.

Wang Jinshun stood before him with a crooked smile, deliberately leaning in and pointing at his own face.

"Come on, you wanted to hit me, right? Well, strike me then."

Yue Jiannan trembled all over, his fists making a cracking sound as he strained with all his might not to throw a punch.

Seeing this, Wang Jinshun became even more arrogant and spat on Yue Jiannan's face.

"Coward, weakling!"

"Just like your dad, a coward, you may well be a short-lived ghost too."

A roar erupted from Yue Jiannan's chest, and his fist fiercely smashed towards Wang Jinshun's face.

Halfway through, however, it was grasped by a hand as large as a fan.

"Third brother, he's doing this on purpose to provoke you."

Seeing Yue Jiandong, Yue Jiannan's eyes reddened, and he explained in a hoarse voice.

"Big brother, I listened to you guys; I didn't go looking for trouble with him, it was him who came after me."

"I was fishing by the river in the morning, and he came over and kicked my fishing rod away, cursing at me non-stop. I ignored him, but then he started insulting our mom, our dad; he…"

Yue Jiandong immediately understood Wang Jinshun's intentions.

In the past, no one cared when villagers fought; often they would even call their brothers to join in, and broken legs and arms were common.

But two years ago, the state initiated a severe crackdown and started to sentence such incidents heavily.

Women fighting in the village was overlooked, but if men were to fight, the consequences would be unpredictable.

Last year, a family in the village had a fight with their neighbors over a water well and, unable to swallow the defeat, called the police.

In the end, the family that started the fight was made an example of and shockingly received a ten-year sentence.

Yue Jiannan was young, with shallow judgment.

If he had let Wang Jinshun provoke him into a fight, he definitely would have ended up in jail.

"Third brother, if you had fought today, the cops would come to take you away immediately afterward."

Yue Jiannan was no fool, and it dawned on him quickly, causing him to tremble uncontrollably.

If he were sentenced, even if his mother were made of iron, she would collapse.

Wang Jinshun's heart was truly venomous.

Seeing the most level-headed eldest of the Yue family appear, Wang Jinshun knew his plan for the day wouldn't work, but he still wanted to make a last-ditch attempt.

"Yue Jiandong, you really are something, not even able to produce a son, and you brought from the outside a worthless, good-for-nothing daughter. Your lineage is finished, isn't it?"

The onlookers immediately gasped.

The harshest insult in the village was to be called a 'finished household'. Surely the eldest of the Yue family wouldn't actually fight him to the death over this.

Some people saw Wang Jinshun's intentions and whispered among themselves.

"Wang Jinshun was also saved by Yue Dashan. Why does he hate the Yue family so much?"

The clever ones replied, "It's like owing a debt. At first, you feel guilty for owing money to someone. But once you realize you can't pay it back, you start wishing the creditor would just drop dead."

"These years have been peaceful enough. But yesterday, Widow Lin exposed Wang Jinshun in front of so many people; he must hate the Yue family to the core."

"Tss, no wonder he cursed them with 'finished household.' The eldest of the Yue family won't actually hit him, will he?"

Yue Jiandong stood unflinchingly, took hold of his brother's sleeve, and said in a deep voice,

"Let's go. Don't stoop to arguing with a rat."

Seeing Wang Jinshun's thin, rat-like face, the crowd couldn't help but burst into laughter.

Wang Jinshun, furious and exasperated, chased after their departing figures with insults.

"The whole Yue family is a bunch of weaklings, none with true grit. Widow Lin is a born calamity star; the Yue family deserves to be poor for generations!"

In his zeal to curse them, he failed to notice the path under his feet.

The ancient willow tree, with its gnarled, thick roots buried in the soil, jutted out in relief.

Wang Jinshun tripped over it fiercely, his body went limp, and he rolled into the river.

With a splash, water flew in all directions.

The crowd stood dumbfounded.