MAKING TROUBLE ? COME ON

The front courtyard.

Grandma Xu hobbled from the back courtyard to the front, her mind preoccupied with what to do about the dead pig. 

As she lifted her gaze, she was greeted by the sight of three large white geese lying motionless on the ground, in the exact state as the two hens from yesterday!

Grandma Xu was utterly stupefied. 

"What on earth happened? These were the white geese we bought from the town! Five taels of silver they cost us! What's going on?!"

Her voice was hoarse with anger, and her eyes, wide with shock, seemed as though they might pop out of her head.

"Grandma! The geese are dead! It was Auntie who killed them!" Xu Juncheng and Xu Junming, of course, wouldn't admit the truth. 

The last time they accidentally broke a goose egg, Grandma had given them a severe scolding. 

Though they were her most beloved grandsons, killing the geese was no small matter, and neither wanted to face punishment.

"Tell the truth! Don't spew nonsense!" Grandma Xu erupted in fury.

Moments ago, she had rushed out, focused only on the pigsty in the back, paying no mind to the three geese. 

And in just a quarter of an hour, these birds had died too!

"Grandma, we fell down, and the geese snatched our fruit. We tried to take it back, and the geese bit us!" 

Xu Junming, being younger, couldn't help but tell the truth.

"Grandma, Auntie saw us being attacked by the geese and just stood there laughing at us!"

Xu Juncheng recalled how Song Xiangyu had doubled over with laughter, offering no help. His hatred for her swelled.

"That's right! Grandma, Auntie wanted the geese to bite us to death!" Xu Junming, catching his brother's signal, also began to vilify Song Xiangyu.

"Song Xiangyu, you wretched woman! Have you grown tired of living?" Grandma Xu tossed aside the kitchen knife and snatched up a nearby stick.

If she didn't beat that shameless woman within an inch of her life today, she'd at least strip off her skin!

On the other side, Song Xiangyu had just managed to drag her unconscious daughter from the mud pit, exhausted from the effort. 

But as she reached the front courtyard, she saw Grandma Xu charging toward her, stick raised and filled with rage.

"You vile old hag! Not only did you kill my pig, but now you've caused the death of three geese!"

"And this ungrateful brat of yours, she's the curse of our Xu family!"

"Heavens above, what did our family ever do to deserve such calamities?!"

Grandma Xu screamed and sobbed, hitting Song Xiangyu with every ounce of her strength. 

Xu Jinfeng, who had just regained consciousness from her earlier beating, was roused again by the blows. 

As she took in the scene—the people around her, her mother being beaten, and the sight of Xu Fubao smiling in the crowd—her hatred burned deep.

"You old shrew! That pig went mad; it wasn't us who killed it!" Xu Jinfeng's repressed fury burst forth. 

Old shrew?

That word was Grandma Xu's greatest trigger. She had been called that in her youth, ruining her reputation and leading her to marry into the Xu family.

Now, after enduring for years and finally taking control of the household, someone dared to insult her again!

"You ungrateful brat! I've fed and clothed you, and this is how you repay me? I'll beat you to death!" 

In her rage, Grandma Xu relentlessly lashed out with the stick, striking Xu Jinfeng over and over.

"Mother, this is all Xu Fubao's doing! She's the real curse!" Song Xiangyu shielded her daughter, clutching onto the idea she had just concocted.

Grandma Xu paused, glaring at her. "What do you mean by that?"

She had long suspected that there was something off about Xu Fubao, but with Old Lady Wu's backing, she hadn't dared to act. 

But if Song Xiangyu was the one to say it, then she could deal with the girl without fear of repercussions.

Xu Fubao, entirely indifferent to the chaos, calmly walked over to the apricot tree and sat down, swinging her short legs.

This body was too weak—just running a few rounds had left her exhausted. She'd have to start nourishing it soon.

Humans—so clueless, yet always stirring up trouble.

Song Xiangyu had already made up her mind. 

Since this village girl could no longer pave the way for her eldest daughter, Jinfeng, she might as well extract her final worth. 

Selling this child would bring in enough silver for her to return to the capital with Jinfeng.

This life of hardship was something she could no longer bear!

The idea, combined with Grandma Xu's earlier beating, had enraged her to the point of no return.

She had originally planned to act slowly, but now she couldn't wait any longer.

"Mother, haven't you noticed? Xu Fubao has been possessed by a demon!"

"Yesterday, after she coughed a few times, the hens attacked Jinfeng!"

"And today, after she sneezed, Juncheng and Junming fell down, and the geese started biting them!"

"And then she laughed, and not long after, our pig went mad and died!"

Song Xiangyu wasn't a fool. Back when she was in the capital, she had a knack for reading people's expressions, which had helped her climb her way up and give birth to Jinfeng.

Xu Fubao's strange behavior had long aroused her suspicion, but she hadn't had the chance to voice it—until now, when her very life depended on it!

As soon as she finished speaking, the entire Xu family turned to look at the small girl sitting beneath the apricot tree.

In the past, no one had ever paid much attention to Xu Fubao. She was just a mute, unremarkable, and often hung her head low—who would bother to look at her?

But now, as they observed her, she seemed more confident, more spirited.

Her large almond-shaped eyes sparkled, and her smile curved like the crescent moon. 

She didn't look like a demon at all.

Seeing the hesitation in their eyes, Song Xiangyu pointed at Xu Fubao and began to shout.

"Xu Fubao! Who... who are you, really? Why are you bringing harm to the Xu family?!"

"In less than two days, you've caused the deaths of our hens, geese, and pig!"

"Why are you trying to hurt Jinfeng? She's your own sister! You're a demon—you've cursed our precious Fubao!"

She continued to fan the flames, convinced that Grandma Xu would grow suspicious.

Xu Fubao tilted her head, her expression adorably clueless.

"Mother, I am Fubao. I may have been mute before, but I've always known a lot of things."

"Don't believe me? Let me tell you. That day, when Jinfeng took me to the river, she pushed me in on purpose. And when you found out, you warned her not to tell anyone, or you'd both be thrown out."

"Every month on the fifteenth, you dress up and secretly go to town. You come back so happy, saying that one day you'll leave the Xu family and take Jinfeng to the capital, where she'll become empress."

"Last month on the sixteenth, Grandma lost five copper coins. You found them but didn't say a word, hiding them in your shoe."

"You've also cursed my father, saying he's nothing but a lowly hunter, unworthy of you. You've despised me for being a village girl, wishing I would die. Shall I say more?"

Xu Fubao's voice was soft, but every word was clear enough for the Xu family to hear—and for the figure standing at the front gate to understand.

Xu Jinfeng was utterly shocked. How could the mute girl know so many secrets? She should have drowned long ago!

Song Xiangyu's face turned ashen. So many of her secrets had been exposed by this village girl, all laid bare!

What use was there in keeping Xu Fubao alive?

"You demon! How dare you spout such lies! Give me back my daughter, I'll kill you!"

Song Xiangyu, maddened, picked up the kitchen knife from the ground and charged at Xu Fubao, intent on slaying her.

No matter what, Xu Fubao had to be a demon. She had to die!

If not, before Song Xiangyu could leave this place, Grandma Xu would surely take her life.

Xu Fubao remained seated, motionless, as though paralyzed with fear.

But then...

"You wretched woman, get out of here!"

At that critical moment, Xu Dahai burst through the door, delivering a powerful kick that sent Song Xiangyu flying.