novelraw Chapter 46 One forward slap, one reverse slap, and then a big shove.
Chapter 46 One forward slap, one reverse slap, and then a big shove.
"You silly girl, how can you put things in front of someone's grave? That would be like offering sacrifices! We're not their filial sons and grandsons, so put them behind the grave from now on!" The older generation still has these customs.
"Is that a custom? Then I'll put it behind his grave next time."
When people talk about cemeteries, they are not afraid at all. Hardship has worn away their affectation and arrogance. They don't know what could be more frightening than the unpredictability of human nature.
At 5:30 the next day, the Tong family girls got up on time and ran around the woods. There was a small clearing in the woods where they practiced their martial arts.
"Today, I will teach you a family-inherited internal martial arts technique. Remember, this must never be revealed to outsiders. Just like how we pretend not to know our maternal grandfather and uncles in front of outsiders, these are our family secrets!"
"Got it!" the sisters answered in unison.
"Big sister, if we master this, will we be able to defeat all the bad guys?" Yuqi asked curiously.
"Of course! Just like Big Sister did yesterday, we beat those thugs and hooligans to a pulp!" Linglong and Xiaowu's eyes lit up; they wanted to be heroes the most.
So Tong Yuheng, relying on his own experience, guided them to do the most basic breathing exercises and had them memorize the ancient martial arts manual.
She had already learned a set of boxing techniques from the space and was teaching her younger sisters step by step. She had originally wanted to invite Yu Chen to practice with her, but then she worried about being discovered, so she decided to wait until the wall was repaired.
When the women finished their boxing practice and returned home for breakfast, the villagers were still asleep. It wasn't until around eight o'clock in the morning that they were seen getting up to make breakfast.
If it's before the children's holiday, families with school-aged children can get up early to cook, but families with only elderly people get up even later, and don't even get out of bed after waking up.
This is a unique characteristic of Northeast China—hibernating in winter.
Sometimes, when it snows heavily, the snow can be a foot or two deep on the ground. In this icy and snowy environment, there's not much you can do, so hibernating can save on food.
When they arrived in the village yesterday, it was already dark, and the villagers didn't come to join the commotion. They didn't display all the things they brought, not wanting to attract envy.
This morning, after breakfast, villagers came over in twos and threes to see what was going on, curious to know who else lived in the house of the pretty girl from a few days ago. Standing in the yard and looking out, wow! There was such a large crowd gathered!
The older women and young wives would exchange a few words with them, while the men would just watch from a distance outside the wall and leave after a while. It was still because it was too cold!
The people of Northeast China are relatively open-minded. There are not many taboos between men and women here. It is common for married couples to joke around with each other.
Unmarried men and women work together in groups, and if they chat a bit, there's no gossip or idle chatter. The idea of someone falling into the water and then trying to claim responsibility for their rescue is out of the question here. The girls here wouldn't stoop to such tactics to pursue men!
If a woman takes a liking to a young man, she will tell her family. Her family will then ask around to find out what the other person thinks. If they both like each other, they will find a matchmaker to arrange the marriage, set an engagement, and get married. If they don't like each other, they will find an excuse to politely decline, without hurting anyone's feelings or holding a grudge. Everyone will act as if nothing happened and treat each other as ordinary villagers.
Some bold girls, when they meet clueless guys, will just confess their feelings directly, asking for a straight answer: it's not like they absolutely need you!
Most of the girls here are straightforward and capable, and passionate about love. Once they fall in love with a boy, they will treat him with all their heart.
But if a man has an affair and does something inhuman, then he'd better wait and see what happens!
He will be subjected to a barrage of attacks from the girl herself, her parents, brothers, and even her cousins! Not only will they beat him senseless, but their house might even be demolished!
While there is still male chauvinism here, it's not as pronounced as elsewhere. The common perception is that one's daughter shouldn't be taken advantage of. In many families, women are the ones who make the decisions; women in Northeast China still hold a relatively high status.
Tong Jiahui was not used to being watched like this, so she made an excuse that her house was not ready and she could not entertain everyone, so she did not invite anyone into the house.
Just then, a sharp voice rang out. Tong Yuheng looked up and exclaimed, "Holy crap! It really is that old hag I met on the train!"
"Oh my! I thought you were some big shot, turns out you're just someone sent down from the countryside! You should be living in the cowshed! Why are you living in our village house!"
Everyone looked up and saw Lin Dalaba, who had gone to the neighboring county to help her youngest daughter-in-law with her postpartum care. How could she offend someone so easily? Did this family have a grudge against her?
The crowd became interested and stood outside the house, refusing to leave, to watch the spectacle!
"Oh dear! Isn't this the old lady who bullied the little girl on the train, stole her seat, and even swore at her? What's wrong? Trying to set a good example for your grandson today?"
Yuyao immediately explained their grievances, revealing that they were in the wrong by labeling them as "black five categories" sent to the countryside, deliberately arousing everyone's suspicion.
"What is your name, ma'am? We are proud educated youth who came to support the construction of new rural areas in response to the national call. What? You're accusing us of being sent down to the countryside and being dissatisfied with national policies?"
"You're talking nonsense! Why isn't your family enjoying a good life in the city? You must have done something wrong! You all look like vixens. Did your mother have an affair and couldn't stay in the city anymore?"
The old woman jumped up and down, shouting and yelling, wanting revenge for the slap she received on the train.
"Slap! Slap slap!" Tong Yuheng stepped onto the low wall and jumped out, delivering a front slap, a back slap, and then a big slap to the buttocks, making the old woman Lin stagger back a few steps.
She never expected that this brat would dare to hit her in front of the villagers, and even the villagers never expected her to be so fierce.
"Someone's been killed! That wild, uncivilized outsider is bullying us! Is there no justice in this world?!"
Old Mrs. Lin sat on the ground and wailed, deliberately escalating the conflict to the level of outsiders versus villagers.
Although the villagers didn't like Old Woman Lin, they didn't want their people to be bullied! Their expressions turned grim.
"Fellow villagers, we're new here, and this Aunt Lin is already falsely accusing us. I ask you all, who would want their mother to be slandered and accused of adultery? I apologize to her right now!"
Tong Yuheng's words were firm and resounding, and everyone fell silent. This old woman Lin was indeed foul-mouthed, accusing someone of having an affair without any evidence, which was a very serious matter.
"We didn't have any deep-seated hatred, it was just a little unpleasantness on the train, but now you're making personal attacks and spreading rumors, we won't let it go!" Tong Jiahui also stepped forward, her face cold.
"My husband was a war hero who sacrificed his life for the country and the collective. We are the families of martyrs, and our status is not in question!"