Chapter 43: Turning the Tables

“Girl, you’re just too easygoing. If it were me, I’d have taken the meat right back.”
All the way home, Ruan Xiaotian was still fuming.
“Brother Ruan, do you really think reasoning with someone like her will work? Even if I kept pressing about where she got the piglets’ meat, what good would it do? She’d just keep making a scene. Let’s just consider it spending money to ward off disaster. I don’t really care about Liu Xiuying, but there are still three children involved.”
Xia Yan was speaking honestly. She had no desire to play the saint; she simply thought that arguing with someone like Liu Xiuying was a waste of breath. She’d rather spend that time on her own affairs.
“The matter’s settled now, isn’t it? At least we can relax.”
Seeing her cheerful face, Ruan Xiaotian could only sigh to himself. “I guess that’s all we can do. But what about the piglets in the sty?”
“Burn them all. Otherwise, there’ll be more people like Liu Xiuying. That would be nothing but trouble.”
“But the real culprit who poisoned the pigs hasn’t been found yet. If we burn the evidence…”
Ruan Xiaotian understood what Xia Yan meant, but he still felt a pang of injustice on her behalf.
“It’s just a precaution. We can’t stand guard over those pigs forever, can we?”
Xia Yan had her own plans. Suffering a loss can be a blessing, but if you suffer every loss, you’re just a fool.
Seeing that Xia Yan, the one most affected, had already let it go, Ruan Xiaotian could only do as she wished.
Black smoke soon billowed from the backyard, and the aroma of roast pork drifted through the whole courtyard. Many people came to watch, and more than a few had thoughts similar to Liu Xiuying’s.
“Miss, isn’t it a waste just to burn those pigs? You could have shared the meat with everyone instead.”
“That’s right! Pork is so expensive these days, and you’re just throwing it away.”
“Ladies, it’s not that I’m stingy,” Xia Yan called out to the crowd. “These pigs were poisoned—there must be toxins in the meat. If I gave it to you, wouldn’t I be harming you?”
“Tell you what: if you want pork, when I raise pigs again, come the New Year, anyone who wants some can come to my house. Each family can have a pound for free—if you want more, you’ll have to pay.”
Her words drew a round of applause from the crowd. “But, ladies, I do have one favor to ask.”
“Say it, girl. If I can help, I absolutely will.”
“Me too!”
At the mention of free pork for New Year’s, everyone’s enthusiasm soared.
“If you all want free pork, we need pigs, right? I’m planning to go down the mountain tomorrow and buy twenty more piglets.”
Everyone was stunned, even Ruan Xiaotian, who hadn’t expected Xia Yan to go so far—twenty piglets?
Wang Guilan couldn’t help grabbing her arm. “Xia Yan, what are you doing? Haven’t you suffered enough this time? And you still want to raise more?”
“Why not? I already promised them pork—how can I back out now?”
“But…”
“Aunt Wang, I know what you’re worried about. I have my ways, don’t worry. I’ll show you who this so-called ‘Mountain Spirit’ really is!”
Xia Yan patted Wang Guilan’s hand lightly and turned back to the crowd. “Ladies, I have three children at home and I’m often busy taking care of them. So I’d like to ask those of you who are always bustling about in the backyard to help keep an eye on my piglets.”
“I thought it was something big! That’s nothing. Of course we’ll help keep watch, girl, don’t worry.”
“Yes, it’s just a matter of glancing over now and then. Don’t worry, if anyone tries anything, we’ll catch them and hand them over to the group.”
Xia Yan had brokered goodwill countless times in her previous life. When the incentives are right, even enemies can become friends.
Just as Xia Yan thought the piglet fiasco had finally blown over—
That night, after coaxing Lin Nuannuan to sleep and about to check the boys’ homework, there was a violent bang at the door.
Zhao Ming stormed in, not bothering with pleasantries, and pointed at Xia Yan, shouting, “Why did you harm my children?”
Lin You rushed in after him, grabbing his arm. “Zhao Ming, calm down!”
“Calm down? How can I calm down, Lin You? My three kids are still lying in the hospital!”
Zhao Ming’s face was twisted with rage. Xia Yan frowned. “Instructor Zhao, I don’t know what you mean. Your three children are in the hospital—what does that have to do with me?”
“Don’t deny it! Xiuying said it was after eating your pork that my kids ended up in the hospital. Doctor Zhang said it was poisoning!”
Xia Yan understood at once. She’d paid Liu Xiuying, but the greedy woman must have kept some of the pork for herself.
“Xia Yan, I know you and Xiuying have your differences, but you can’t take it out on the children!”
“Instructor Zhao, I can say with total certainty this has nothing to do with me. I admit the piglets were mine, but after they were poisoned, Liu Xiuying stole them and I had to pay thirty-five yuan to buy the cooked meat back!”
Lin You, hearing this, let go of Zhao Ming and pulled Xia Yan aside. “Xia Yan, what’s going on? How did the piglets get poisoned?”
“This is what happened…”
Xia Yan recounted the day’s events in front of both men. “So, Instructor Zhao, your three children were harmed by Liu Xiuying herself! And now she has the nerve to blame me. I know you’re upset right now, but I have to say—Liu Xiuying has no shame at all.”
Zhao Ming’s face turned from pale to red and back again as he listened.
“I can vouch for what Xia Yan said,” came Ruan Xiaotian’s voice from the doorway. Xia Yan glanced at the two behind him—Lin Hongzhuo was grinning at her, apparently having slipped out to fetch Ruan Xiaotian during the commotion.
Smart kid, she thought.
Zhao Ming, shamed, muttered curses under his breath as he hurried out.
“Are you alright?”
“What do you mean?” Xia Yan looked at the travel-worn Lin You. “Actually, I was about to ask how you’re back so soon.”
“This afternoon, Liu Xiuying took her three kids to the clinic. They were vomiting and had diarrhea, and Gou Sheng even passed out. Zhu Yan realized how serious it was and sent someone up the mountain to find Zhao Ming.”
“That bad?” The mere thought made Xia Yan’s blood run cold. “And now?”
“Liu Xiuying ate the least and has recovered, but Gou Sheng is still unconscious. They’ve already called the army hospital, and a car is on its way.”
Hearing this, Xia Yan cursed, “Liu Xiuying is truly despicable! She doesn’t deserve to be a mother. I told her the pork was poisoned, but she still fed it to her children. Why didn’t she just eat it all herself?”
After venting her anger at Liu Xiuying, Xia Yan turned to Lin You. “But never mind Zhao Ming—why did you come back?”
“I was worried about you.”