As dusk approached, a carriage entered Wozi Village Entrance. It was a rare sight to see even an ox cart in the village on ordinary days, so the appearance of a horse-drawn carriage naturally made the villagers poke their heads out to look. When they saw the pretty lad sitting on the shafts, they were all taken aback.
Such a pretty lad, wasn’t he the very Liu Jin who caused a fight and stirred up trouble not too long ago?
"Miss, we’re in the village," Liu Jin lifted the carriage curtain and called into the compartment.
Wufu yawned as she sat up in the carriage, pounding her sore back from being jostled around. If she ever bought a carriage in the future, she’d definitely need to add a few more shock-absorbing springs— it was too bumpy.
After stretching, Wufu sat in the carriage and spaced out for a while, then tidied up her somewhat messy braids.
Liu Jin pointed out the way from the outside of the shafts while the carriage ostentatiously made its way through the village, attracting many curious glances.
"Boss, it’s that kid," as the carriage passed by Banyan Tree Head, where several teenagers were sitting or squatting under the tree, chewing on foxtail grass.
The one called ’Boss’, Baozi, half-opened his eyes and his expression changed slightly when he saw Liu Jin. He smacked the head of the person who had alerted him and cursed, "It’s just the kid, no need for such a fuss."
"I was just giving you a heads up, wasn’t I?" the youth said with a sheepish smile, rubbing his head.
Baozi felt bitter inside. Since being soundly beaten by Wufu, his influence had waned significantly, yet he was helpless because he couldn’t defeat Wufu, nor was he more ruthless than her.
Following that fight, Wufu’s fearsome reputation soared. It wasn’t just Baozi who didn’t dare to provoke her lightly, even the other youths dared not trouble her, fearing they might catch the eye of the ’tigress’ and get bitten for no reason.
Wufu, hearing noise, poked her head out. When she saw Baozi, she curled her lips slightly and waved her hand at him a couple of times as a greeting.
Baozi was stunned, staring at her as if he had seen a ghost, his heart hammering. What did that wave mean?
"Boss, that damned girl is provoking you," the youth who had just alerted Baozi said, glaring.
Baozi slapped him again, "Shut your damn mouth. Did you see her provoke me with your dog eyes?"
The kid went off to a corner muttering. If it’s not a provocation, could it be a friendly greeting?
Baozi was also hesitant and couldn’t figure out what Wufu was up to.
For the moment, he lost the appetite to stick around and stood up, "Let’s go, let’s go home for dinner."
He left first, with the others dispersing gradually. The kid who had been hit earlier asked someone beside him, "Do you think our boss has been beaten into submission?" "What nonsense are you talking about?"
"Then why’s he so easygoing all of a sudden? In the past, he would have hit out by now." "What do you know, the boss is... that what..." The kid thought hard for a long time, then said, "Avoiding hazards and seeking advantages, that’s the right saying, isn’t it?"
The first kid who was beaten sneered. Indeed, everyone had turned silly, even started biting pens, eh? Is it impossible to act the overlord any more? What dull days these are.
Wufu, of course, was oblivious to her growing infamy. The carriage stopped at the doorstep of her home. Hearing the commotion, Hongyu ran out and saw Liu Jin sitting on the shafts, then shouted into the house, "Madam, the young miss and the others are back."
Wufu jumped down from the carriage, listening to the sound of light running from inside, her mouth corners lifting into a smile.
"Wufu, you really are back." Madam Zhou stepped to the doorway and her eyes reddened at the sight of her daughter.
She walked out quickly, grabbed Wufu’s hand, and patted it a few times, tears falling drop by drop: "You wretched girl, if you didn’t come back, I would’ve had to come looking for you."