The boy who had been tasked with the errand quickly ran off, leaving the remaining men staring at Yue Qingqing.
They clicked their tongues in amazement, "She’s so pretty, no wonder Wang Biao is so fixated on her."
A person beside them added, "Looks are secondary, the key point is she’s Yue Jiandong’s daughter, think of the dowry she’ll bring! It would reduce the need to struggle for at least twenty years. Even if she weren’t pretty, many would still be willing."
After all, she was as beautiful as a celestial being. Not to mention Daye Village, even none of the surrounding villages had anyone who could compare.
A few men drooled, but they could only fantasize; they didn’t dare make a move.
After all, Wang Biao and the Yue Family were related by marriage, and if they did something bad and got caught, they might be forgiven.
If it were them, getting skinned would be the least of their worries.
"Let’s go, follow her," the leader said, and they stealthily made their way towards the direction Yue Qingqing had gone.
Yue Qingqing walked slowly, looking around as if waiting for someone.
Yue Xingxing and Yue Xiaohu hadn’t noticed her intentions, thinking she was just enjoying the scenery.
"Qingqing, do you remember that plum tree? When Xiaohu was little, he even climbed up to pick some fruit to eat," Yue Xingxing reminisced.
Yue Xiaohu wrinkled his nose, "You were so mean, just watching me from below. It was so sour and astringent that I almost broke my teeth, and there you were, laughing your heads off."
Yue Xingxing giggled, "That’s because you were foolish. Think about it, if the fruits were good, they would have been picked clean already; it wouldn’t have been your turn."
Yue Qingqing couldn’t help but laugh too, remembering how often her dad had teased her with sour fruits when she was little.
The three siblings were happily chatting when, unbeknownst to them, a group of hoodlums had surrounded them.
The men looked shabby, with their hair half-grown-out.
Yue Xingxing felt something was off. "Qingqing, Xiaohu, look behind us."
Yue Xiaohu turned around and saw a group of strangers.
"Who are you guys with?" he asked.
Most of these people were outsiders Wang Biao had brought from other villages, unfamiliar faces not likely to raise suspicion.
The leading man smiled maliciously, clearly singling out Yue Qingqing as he walked towards her.
"Pretty girl, why don’t you join us for some fun?"
Wang Biao’s tactic was very cliché, nothing more than the old hero-saving-the-beauty routine.
In his view, Yue Qingqing was just a teenage girl, in the prime of her romantic youth, typically fond of idol dramas.
If he "rescued" her from danger, Yue Qingqing would surely be overwhelmingly grateful to him.
What was that saying again?
"A life-saving grace, repaid with one’s body."
Wang Biao hid in a dark corner, just waiting for a cry for help to arise.
Yue Qingqing showed little emotion, merely watching as the men approached step by step.
Yue Xingxing stood protectively in front of Yue Qingqing, "Don’t come any closer, or we’ll call the police."
The hoodlums, as if hearing something hilarious, burst out laughing in unison.
"Call the police? Do you think we’re easily frightened? Do you know where the nearest phone booth is?"
"The police manage heaven and earth, but are they really going to interfere while we invite someone for dinner and drinks? Don’t be unappreciative, we haven’t done anything wrong, what’s wrong with having a little fun together?"
They completely disregarded Yue Xingxing’s empty threats.
Yue Xingxing, anxious, spoke quietly to Qingqing, "If I say run, we run, they might not be able to catch up."
Yue Qingqing just smiled, "It’s okay."
She turned to Yue Xiaohu, "We’ve practiced for so long, the time to test it has come."
Yue Xingxing then noticed her brother’s face, a mix of excitement and nervousness.
His body trembling non-stop.
The lead hoodlum followed Yue Qingqing’s gaze, scoffing as he moved closer to Yue Xiaohu.
"Look at you, scared out of your wits, you weakling. Today, I’ll teach you what it means to be a man."
Before he could finish his last word, Yue Xiaohu had struck preemptively, throwing a fierce punch.