Chapter 31: Like Calls to Like

The educated youths’ expressions shifted instantly; they were merely educated youths sent to the countryside, so how could they possibly wield such authority?

"Xu Linlin, apologize," Xiao Heng commanded, his face darkened.

"Why shou—" Before she could finish the word, Xu Linlin was met with the furious glares of every other educated youth in the room.

"I will speak to the village head tomorrow to have her teaching position revoked. Does that seem like an acceptable solution to you?" Xiao Heng turned to meet Fu Xiaoxiao’s gaze, offering the suggestion himself.

"Looking at her reaction, do you think she’ll agree to that so easily?" Fu Xiaoxiao glanced at the defiant Xu Linlin, who was currently staring at her as if she wanted to kill her. If looks could kill, Fu Xiaoxiao felt she would have been sliced to ribbons by now.

"Whether she agrees or not, it will be done." Xiao Heng nodded, decisively sealing Xu Linlin’s fate.

"Fine," Fu Xiaoxiao said, retracting her sharp claws upon seeing Xiao Heng’s firm stance.

"Little Fu, it’s settled, let’s go! Don’t let us disturb their meal." The four aunts who had been watching the spectacle from the sidelines stepped forward at the right moment, cheerfully ushering Fu Xiaoxiao away from the educated youth quarters.

They hadn't even cleared the compound when a piercing shriek erupted from behind them.

"She has no evidence! How can you decide it’s my fault just because of her word? I refuse to accept this!" Xu Linlin gritted her teeth. She had worked so hard to secure this job; why should it be taken away because of one sentence from Fu Xiaoxiao?

"It’s not just her; there have been several others!" Xiao Heng’s icy voice cut through the air. "The village head previously reported to me that several villagers complained about you intentionally punishing students during class—making them stand, hitting their palms, and verbally abusing them. You called them trash and 'pig-brained,' telling them they’d never amount to anything in their lives. Are you going to say none of that happened?"

"They’re just framing me on purpose! They were disobedient, acting up in class and not paying attention. Wasn't I right to discipline them? I did nothing wrong!" Xu Linlin retorted stubbornly. "Besides, Zhao Qing hits palms too, so why is all the blame on me?"

"You have no idea what you’ve done wrong," Xiao Heng said, seeing that Xu Linlin lacked any self-awareness and deciding it was a waste of breath to continue. "Wu Shucheng, you take over her classes starting tomorrow. I’ll go see the village head shortly to explain."

"No! I don’t agree! You can’t treat me like this!" Xu Linlin grabbed Xiao Heng’s arm, desperate.

"Let go!" Xiao Heng’s face turned black.

"Are you trying to force me to my death? Fine, I’ll just die and show you!" Xu Linlin threatened, spiraling into a hysterical tantrum.

***

Leaning against the wall, Fu Xiaoxiao and the aunts had been listening and snacking on sunflower seeds with great interest.

"I told you! That Xu girl is a pro at this—crying, making a scene, and threatening suicide to force people to compromise," Auntie Wang said, chuckling with disdain as she cracked a seed.

"It’s no wonder the village head doesn't want to deal with her! This Xu Linlin has clearly mastered the techniques of that woman from the Old Li family," Auntie Zhang the Second added, shaking her head in disbelief.

"Do you think they’ll give in to her?" Auntie Zhang the Third asked, curious.

The four women looked at her and shrugged in unison. Seeing the silence from within—perhaps they had finally managed to restrain Xu Linlin—Fu Xiaoxiao and the aunts prepared to leave.

The women rubbed their legs, which had gone numb from standing, and Fu Xiaoxiao helped them out. As they emerged from behind the haystack, they ran straight into Xiao Heng, who was walking out.

The five of them froze, caught in the act.

"Would you believe us if I said we were just in there looking for something?" Fu Xiaoxiao asked, awkwardly scratching her nose with a sheepish grin.

Xiao Heng’s eyes swept over her. She was a striking beauty, with long, ink-black hair cascading like a waterfall to her waist. Her oval face was soft, and her eyes held a spark of intelligence, clear and bright, with starlight shimmering in their depths. Her lips were naturally red, like cherries in spring, and the slight upturn of her mouth added an inherent, charming playfulness.

"...Yes," Xiao Heng replied, deciding to take her word for it.

"Cough, well, we won’t bother you anymore, we’re off," Fu Xiaoxiao said, gently pushing the four aunts to make a quick escape.

Auntie Wang and the others watched the whole time. Looking back, they saw Xiao Heng still standing there, staring in the direction they had left. They didn't think for a moment he was watching four old women; their eyes fell on Fu Xiaoxiao, and they exchanged knowing, mischievous glances. Watching others fall in love was far more entertaining than anything else.

When Fu Xiaoxiao returned to the school, she saw Lu Chen and Lu Lin playing happily with Niuwa and the others.

The children were playing "Eagle Catches the Chick." Lu Lin was acting as the mother hen, shielding the children behind her, while Lu Chen was at the very end of the line. Niuwa, playing the eagle, tried every trick to catch Lu Chen, only to be blocked by Lu Lin each time.

Niuwa refused to give up, trying to find a tricky angle to snatch Lu Chen. Lu Chen, the target, wasn't afraid at all; instead, he was having the time of his life.

Fu Xiaoxiao didn't rush them to leave. She leaned against the wall, watching them play while chatting with the aunts.

"Girl, those two aren't yours, are they?" Auntie Wang asked, taking a look at Fu Xiaoxiao’s slender waist.

"You can really tell?" Fu Xiaoxiao looked down at her waist, feeling curious. Was there some sort of X-ray vision involved?

"Hahaha, isn't it obvious? Which young wife could keep a waist like that after having two children?" Auntie Zhang the Second laughed, patting Fu Xiaoxiao.

"You're right, I’m not their biological mother. They were adopted by my husband. Their biological mother was coaxed back to her natal home and sold off to another marriage," Fu Xiaoxiao admitted, not hiding the truth.

"That mother of theirs must have been weak-willed. Her natal family is nothing but trouble, tricking her back just to sell her again!" Auntie Zhang the Third frowned. As older women, they immediately understood the situation.

"The children were poor and had no one to look after them. They say they wandered the streets for a while until my husband found out and decided to adopt them," Fu Xiaoxiao said softly.

"Oh, you poor things!" Auntie Wang was the most sensitive to such stories. For children that small to be wandering—how could they have survived? The outside world was a cruel place that would devour them whole.

"So, why would you agree to be a stepmother? If you were my daughter, I certainly wouldn't let you marry into a role like that. Being a stepmother is no easy task..." Auntie Zhang the Third looked Fu Xiaoxiao over. With her looks and condition, it wasn't like she couldn't find a respectable man who had never been married.

Fu Xiaoxiao nodded; she couldn't argue with that. If she really considered her current circumstances, she could marry almost anyone she wanted. It was just a pity the original owner of this body hadn't had the luxury of time to be so selective.

"Well... it's a long story... just like them, I only found out I wasn't their biological child right before I left home." Fu Xiaoxiao recounted how the original owner had been treated by the Fu family, and the four aunts looked at her with eyes full of pity, as if she were a fragile, wilting cabbage.