[Volume 1]Chapter 9-Bullying

Soon, her eyes fell upon the river, and a frown creased her face. "Damn it, I completely forgot about the water problem," she muttered under her breath.

'If this continues for another month or two, there will be no water left to drink,' Jiho rubbed her head in frustration as she clenched her teeth while peering at the river.

Recalling from the original owner's memories, she remembered that the village chief had warned the villagers about the drought a month earlier, urging them to store food.

Despite this, they all had a well every three houses, leading them not to take the drought seriously, believing there was enough water for everyone.

As she turned around frustratedly, her eyes shone as she looked in front of her, and a smirk formed on her face.

'Oh, how could I forget about these imposing mountains?'.

With her mood slightly lifted by the mountain's presence, Jiho made her way back to her house. As she pushed open the courtyard gate, a mischievous smirk spread across her face, and she rubbed her hands together.

"Hehe," she chuckled softly, stepping inside and surveying the clean courtyard before hastening to the backyard.

Crash

BAM

"Now everything is ready. Let's wait and watch," Jiho said as she clapped her hands, releasing dust off her clothes and looked at front of her with a proud expression .

"Now let's eat something", as she hopped toward the kitchen after eating and cleaning the house a little jiho went to bed as she lay down and closed her .

"Oh, I forgot about makeup," she suddenly sitted and walked out of bed and walked towards the drawer.

"Lalalala, hmm ...what about..this ..and this".

After fifteen minutes "hah, finally done ",as she look her reflection in water a satisfactory smile formed on her face.

jiho looked at the sky outside and then rushed toward bed "Oh it's late goona sleep", as she lay on bed and closed her eyes.

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"Coo-k-doo," as soon as rooster shouted, many people uninvited guest was walked toward Jiho's house with strong force making themselves obvious.

Jiho who was silently meditating heard footsteps she slowly opened her eyes and a smrik formed on her face . Illustration

"Looks like fish is here", as jiho looked out of window.

On the other side of the village, Aunt Cheng's voice echoed through the air, filled with a mix of anger and desperation.

"Village chief, you have to do justice today!" she shouted, her words carrying a weight of urgency.

The village chief, accustomed to such outbursts but still irritated, muttered under his breath with a deepening frown, 'Damn, why does this family not let me have any rest?'

He begrudgingly made his way towards Jiho's house, his steps heavy with the burden of dealing with yet another dispute.

During the morning breakfast, the Cheng family summoned all the villagers to their house, creating a tense atmosphere as they demanded justice.

"Village chief, this Jiho is becoming more and more evil. She beat my wife and son. Please punish her and chase her out," Uncle Cheng pleaded with a mix of anger and desperation in his voice.

The village chief, trying to maintain a sense of fairness, responded, "I will do you justice, but first, let me ask Jiho about this matter."

Before he could continue, Aunt Cheng, her eyes blazing with indignation, interrupted sharply, "Village chief, do you not believe us? We have suffered enough at the hands of that woman!" Her words carried a weight of accusation and frustration.

"It's not about believing or not, but we have to hear both parties, so we don't wrong anyone," the village chief replied firmly, his gaze shifting from Aunt Cheng to the assembled villagers, emphasizing the importance of fair judgment.

"You are right, village chief!" a villager affirmed, echoing the sentiment, and they began to make their way towards Jiho's house.

Despite the accusations, Jiho's status as a scholar demanded respect, and the villagers were determined to uncover the truth.

"Jiho, come out!" Uncle Cheng's voice rang out, commanding attention. Soon, the door to the main room creaked open, revealing Jiho's figure as she limped into the courtyard, her expression a mix of pain and confusion.

As she staggered and knelt before the villagers, her eyes red and brimming with tears, she questioned with a quivering voice.

"Village chief, is this your justice?" Her words carried a weight of disbelief and hurt, challenging the fairness of the situation.

"Child, stop crying and tell me what happened. Who injured you like this?" the village chief asked, his voice gentle yet firm, as he looked towards the Cheng family for an explanation.

"Don't worry and tell us the truth. Don't be scared; we are here," some villagers shouted in support of Jiho, their disdain for the Cheng family's actions evident in their voices.

"What do you mean by that? It's this woman that beat us!" Aunt Cheng, her anger unabated, lashed out at the villagers, refusing to accept any blame.

The village chief, refocusing on the purpose of his visit, adopted a stern tone as he addressed Jiho directly, "Scholar Li , is it true that you hit Cheng's mother and son?" His gaze held a mixture of concern and expectation, awaiting Jiho's response.

The villagers, who had momentarily lost their focus, regained their attention and stared intently at Jiho, waiting for her response.

Internally, Jiho couldn't help but smirk, thinking, 'Hah, I know this village is just full of trash. They don't care who is right and who is wrong; they just care about their entertainment.' However, outwardly, she maintained a facade of being wronged, looking at the villagers with a pained expression.

As Jiho's gaze met theirs, the villagers felt a twinge of guilt, unsure of why they were suddenly feeling uneasy under her scrutiny.

Suddenly, Jiho kneeled once again, and after a moment of tense silence, she spoke,

"Yes, I did." Her admission hung in the air, shocking the villagers and causing a ripple of murmurs among them.

Beating an elder was considered a shameful act, especially for a scholar like Jiho, as it could hinder their future prospects. The village chief's frown deepened as he looked at Jiho, ready to address the seriousness of the situation.

Before he could speak, Jiho interrupted him, her voice cutting through the tension, "But I did all this in self-defense!", Her words hung in the air, shocking everyone once again.

The villagers were dumbfounded, their expressions reflecting a mix of disbelief and confusion.

'What? Self-defense?' their thoughts echoed in unison, struggling to reconcile Jiho's claim with the accusations against her.

[A/n: I hope you like it and comment to let me know your opinions (´(ｪ)｀）].