*Whoosh—!*

The sharp whistle of a projectile slicing through the air shattered the courtyard.

Old Madam Zhao froze mid-step.

Her face was drained of color.

A bamboo bolt had buried itself in the dirt directly in front of her foot.

Not even half a step closer. And it would have hit her.

The washboard in her hand suddenly felt a lot less intimidating.

Across the yard, Ruan Mingzi stood smiling.

The plump rabbit she'd been carrying had already been set down by her feet. Between her fingers, another bamboo bolt gleamed in the sunlight as she calmly loaded it into her crossbow.

Her thin, undernourished face should have looked frail. Yet at that moment, there was something almost dazzling about her.

For the first time, Old Madam Zhao felt genuinely intimidated.

Then her shock gave way to fury.

" You little bitch!c" she screeched.

" How dare you point that thing at your own Grandmother?! "

Spittle flew from her mouth as she cursed.

"BYou wretched, unfilial brat! I should've drowned you in the slop bucket the day you were born! Your father died young because he had no fortune to speak of, and he left behind a jinx like you! You bring disaster wherever you go! First your parents, now the rest of us! "

The more she shouted, the more agitated she became.

" And you still dare threaten your own Grandmother? Ruan Laoda, open your eyes in the afterlife and look at the daughter you've left behind! Not only has she cut off your family line, she's trying to kill her own Grandmother! "

As she cursed, she took another step forward.

*Whoosh!*

A second bolt flew.

This one struck the ground so close to her shoe that it practically grazed the tip.

Old Madam Zhao could almost feel the force of it passing by.

Her face turned ghostly white.

The hand she was pointing with trembled violently.

Half from rage.

Half from fear.

Even Village Chief Zhou was left staring, speechless.

Meanwhile, Ruan Mingzi remained all smiles.

Her oversized apricot eyes curved pleasantly, as though they weren't discussing life and death at all.

" Grandmother. " she said sweetly,

" Crossbows don't have eyes. "

She lightly tapped the stock.

" If you keep saying outrageous things like that, and my hand happens to slip… "

Her smile deepened.

" It'd be unfortunate if I accidentally shot you. "

Old Madam Zhao nearly passed out from anger. If fury could kill, she'd have died on the spot.

Recovering herself, she immediately slapped her thigh and wailed toward Village Chief Zhou.

" Chief Zhou! Did you see that?! This unfilial little beast wants to murder me! "

She began crying dramatically.

" She's rebelling against her elders! She's utterly shameless! "

Village Chief Zhou's white beard twitched. His head was beginning to ache.

Not only because of the mess before him, but because Old Madam Zhao's shrill voice was drilling straight into his ears.

She sounded like a crow being strangled. It was unbearable.

" Girl Zi..." he said helplessly.

" Why don't you put the crossbow down first? "

Fortunately, Ruan Mingzi was willing to give him face. Without argument, she lowered the weapon.

Village Chief Zhou secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Then he turned toward Old Madam Zhao.

" Madam Zhao, you should also stop hurling insults at the child. Mingzi has had a difficult life… "

" A difficult life? "

Old Madam Zhao immediately exploded again.

" She's a disaster star! "

" A curse! "

" She killed her parents and now she's trying to ruin the rest of us! "

Then she abruptly changed tactics.

" Fine. Let's not talk about that. "

She thrust out her hand.

" Last night she beat her Third Uncle black and blue. Medical treatment costs money. One string of copper coins. Pay up! "

Ruan Mingzi remained perfectly calm.

" If Grandmother insists on discussing compensation, then let's discuss everything properly. "

Her voice was steady and unhurried.

" Last night, Third Uncle sneaked into my house in the middle of the night. As for what he intended to do, I can't say. "

She glanced toward the neighboring houses.

" All the uncles and aunties nearby can testify to that. "

Then she smiled.

" If Grandmother truly wants to argue over a string of coins, then I suppose I'll have to make a trip to the county yamen and report Third Uncle for unlawful entry and suspicious intentions. "

The moment she mentioned the county yamen, Old Madam Zhao's expression changed dramatically.

Red.

White.

Green.

Practically every color imaginable.

Who knew Ruan Angui better than his own mother?

If the matter reached the magistrate's office, all the petty thefts and shady things her third son had done over the years would inevitably come to light.

Once the authorities got involved, he'd be lucky to walk out with his skin intact.

" He's your Third Uncle! " she shouted.

But the force behind her words was noticeably weaker now.

" How can you be so heartless? "

" It was just a misunderstanding! "

" Is there really any need to drag things all the way to the county yamen? "

She pointed accusingly at Ruan Mingzi.

" You're rotten to the core! Your heart is black! "

A moment ago she'd been demanding compensation.

Now she was suddenly calling it a misunderstanding.

Not another word was mentioned about the string of copper coins.

Village Chief Zhou hurriedly stepped in to mediate.

After a few more exchanges, Old Madam Zhao finally left, still muttering curses under her breath as she stomped away clutching her washboard.

But no one was fooled.

Everyone present could see exactly what had happened.

She had come charging in like a storm, looking to settle accounts.

Yet after only a few words from a teenage girl, she'd tucked her tail between her legs and fled.

Old Madam Zhao had actually suffered a defeat.

What a rare sight.

The men repairing the fence exchanged meaningful glances.

Once they got home, they would definitely be telling their wives about this. Whether they befriended Ruan Mingzi or not was another matter.

But one thing was certain:

They absolutely should not make an enemy of her.

If you weren't in the right, trying to argue with that girl was a good way to end up humiliated.

---

Once the matter was settled, Ruan Mingzi carried the rabbit into the kitchen.

She quickly lit the stove and tossed several pieces of licorice root—herbs she'd dug up in the mountains earlier—into a large pot of water.

Before long, a pleasant fragrance drifted through the air.

She filled a bamboo cup and personally brought it to Village Chief Zhou.

" Grandpa Zhou, you've worked hard today. Have some water and rest for a bit.b"

She smiled warmly.

" Autumn is dry. Licorice water is good for the lungs. "

Village Chief Zhou accepted the cup, touched by her thoughtfulness.

The more he looked at the girl, the more he liked her.

" Mingzi is a careful and sensible child. "

Ruan Mingzi smiled and thanked him.

Then she and Ruan Mingyan carried bamboo cups filled with licorice water to the workers repairing the fence.

To be honest, most of the men had arrived feeling somewhat awkward.

After all, their own children had been involved in bullying two orphaned sisters.

But now?

They had watched Ruan Mingzi calmly drive away the ferocious Old Madam Zhao. And despite everything, she still treated them politely, serving them water with a smile.

Compared to Old Madam Zhao's behavior, the difference was night and day. Without realizing it, the last traces of discomfort disappeared from their hearts.

The men worked with renewed enthusiasm. Soon the fence stood firm and sturdy.

Village Chief Zhou nodded repeatedly in satisfaction.

Before sunset, the repairs were complete.

Ruan Mingzi and Ruan Mingyan thanked everyone again and again, making the workers feel rather embarrassed.

After all, the damage had originally been caused by their own children.

Gangzi's father rubbed the back of his head awkwardly.

" My boy was the one who caused this trouble. "

"BIf anything happens to the fence in the future, come find me directly. I'll come repair it myself. "

The others quickly echoed the sentiment.

The sisters thanked them once more before the men gathered their tools and headed home.

Village Chief Zhou also had matters to attend to and left shortly afterward.

---

After drawing water from the well, Ruan Mingzi slaughtered the gray mountain rabbit. At first, she worried her younger sister might be frightened and suggested she go play by the gate.

To her surprise, Ruan Mingyan shook her head seriously. Not only was she unafraid, she even helped draw water and boil it.

Seeing that her sister truly wasn't bothered, Ruan Mingzi let her stay.

The rabbit turned out exceptionally well.

She carefully removed the entire pelt in one piece before chopping the meat into chunks.

Then she added a handful of wild mushrooms gathered from the forest and let everything simmer beneath a covered pot for nearly half an hour.

By the end, the kitchen was filled with the rich aroma of rabbit and mushroom soup.

Ruan Mingyan buried her face in her bowl and ate happily.

Not once did she ask the sort of question some people did—

" The bunny is so cute. How could you eat it? "

Ruan Mingzi couldn't help laughing.

Then she picked up her own bamboo bowl, heaped high with meat and broth, and joined her sister.

The meal was so hearty that nearly half a pot remained for the next day.

The newly repaired fence was solid and secure.

The workers had even reinforced another section that hadn't been damaged while they were at it.

Looking at it now, Ruan Mingzi finally felt a sense of safety.

If she needed to leave home in the future, she wouldn't have to worry constantly about her sister being left behind.

A quiet breath escaped her lips. She lifted her head.

Above her, stars peeked through the branches, scattered across the night sky like silver sparks.

A small smile appeared on her face.

Life would get better.

Little by little.

It definitely would.

This series has advanced chapters, you can check out my Kofi!