Six

The outhouse was further away from the main house.

The small house had only five rooms. One belonged to Dong Mei and another to the chief and his wife. The other room was used as a living room where the family spent time together, ate and conversed. Of the two rooms left, one was smaller and was occupied by the maid while the last was left for guests.

The compound had only one large tree in the middle and was curved off by a circle of short hedges.

"Young Mang, it's getting late, speak quickly," The village chief urged.

Cang Mang didn't mince words, "the little girl took Miss Li to the forest pretending to want to read fortunes. The intention was to abandon Miss Li in the forest."

He didn't say the rest because he felt it was quite obvious.

Where Li Hua was, Bai Yangwei's shadow would also appear.

Bai Yangwei would go to the forest to try finding Li Hua. If Cang Mang followed, Dong Mei would use the excuse of him being a man to look in a separate direction while she looked in another direction with Bai Yangwei.

In those few minutes, no matter how much of a stone Bai Yangwei was, Dong Mang would find a method.

"You're still so bold? What makes you think my daughter is so vicious?" Father Dong didn't want to listen.

"If the chief wants, this one can bring witnesses. There are many people that saw the little girl leading Miss Li to the forest. It's just out of respect that Miss Li doesn't pursue the matter."

As soon as Cang Mang said those words, the courtyard was filled with silence.

"It's that dead brained Li girl that is stupid to take my Mei'er to the forest. Who knows what her intentions were?" Mother Dong mumbled loud enough for everyone to hear. Clearly she was trying to disperse the blame.

"What makes you so sure that my daughter wanted to leave Miss Li there?" The chief asked.

Cang Mang smiled brilliantly, "she told me herself. She said that if I don't knock her out, she would really do it. Also, she said if you ask her, she will deny it."

Father Dong's face screwed over. Mother Dong's face became stif.

Where couldn't they see that something was not right?

"Seeing that you agree, let the little girl stay at home for some time. That way, the good fellow Bai should not grow thinner," Cang Mang said.

Mother and Father Dong could not laugh. Who in the village didn't know that where Li Hua was, three shadows would also be in place? Bai Yangwei's, Cang Mang's and Dong Mei's presence would not be missed.

Dong Mei's interest for Bai Yangwei had been laid out to her parents in every corner they visited. That, as well as his lack of interest in her. They had tried to deter her but, she would not stop.

Thinking about that, they could clearly see their daughter taking Li Hua to the forest and even killing her from there.

Mother Dong sighed, "Xiao Dong is only willful."

How could Cang Mang let her go simply because of that?

"Even then, it would be wrong to simply let the child go without learning from their mistakes. So two months at home should do her good?" Cang Mang went ahead to generously decide what kind of punishment Dong Mei deserved.

Mother Dong; ....

Father Dong: ....?

Not only that, he also arranged activities besides housework that she would start on for the next days of spring. That would have her settled at home for a good time.

Most of them consisted of embroidery. It was a skill that Dong Mei had never managed to perfect. And since she was of marrying age, her parents 'agreed' with Cang Mang that it was best for her to learn in case times got rough or to save a bit of money or pass the time instead of running after people's sons.

As a result, Dong Mei ended up with pricked bloody fingers for the first few days. That was until she learnt to tie cloth over her fingers as she sowed.

"That imbecile! Is he so stupid? Where did he throw that sense that God gave him? In the stars? Even then, where did he get so much sense to throw away? He must have been originally made with no sense!" Dong Mang curse as she looked at the bloodied stitches she had made.

She had been trying to make a mandarin to send to Bai Yangwei since she couldnt live the house. But instead it turned into a mud puddle with bright yellow and green swiggly lines.

Ever since Cang Mang showed up. It had been like that. She would go after brother Bai and later get punished but nothing had been as torturous.

Dong Mei felt her anger simmer as she looked at the poor excuse for an embroidery.

She was just trying to find a perfect husband. Why was Cang Mang being such a cork block?

"Cang Mang, may your nuts dry up," she shouted the curse.

Everyone in the courtyard heard and only Mother Dong laughed.

Father Dong looked at his wife with an amused expression, "it seems your creative tongue will travel through generations."

The two were in the living room, enjoying each other's company. Father Dong directly attributed Dong Mei's vulgarity to her mother.

Mother Dong only sneered at his words before going back to her sowing, intending to give it to Dong Mei to soothe her.

"ACHEI!" Cang Mang sneezed loudly. He was in his study at home, scribbling away on a piece of paper.

He had spent his spring sneezing his nose away because of all the times Dong Mei cursed his name. He was quite sure it was her.

Out of intuition, his hand hovered over his groin protectively. He sat alert for a few minutes before relaxing and putting his hands away.

"Tsk! Petty! That old witch even dares to attack my descendants," he said, referring to Dong Mei as the old witch