23: Chapter 23 Hanging 23: Chapter 23 Hanging An Hao said this as she grabbed a coil of rope and pushed through the crowd, striding out vigorously.
Immediately, a burst of discussion erupted among the crowd, “Look at An Hao, she must have suffered a great injustice!
Otherwise, she wouldn’t go as far as to hang herself!”
“Exactly, did you hear how excessive Yang Erdan’s words were?
An Hao’s mother is already dead; why drag her into this?”
It might well be that they’re deliberately bullying An Hao.”
Public opinion began to shift, and Yang Yonghua started to feel afraid.
In truth, she had seen An Hao enter and then leave the grove – the whole affair took no more than five minutes; five minutes was just enough time to walk in and walk out, not enough to do anything else.
It was out of jealousy that An Hao hadn’t given her the headdress, coupled with the longstanding grudge between their families, that she had deliberately acted this way.
Now, seeing that the villagers were starting to speak up for An Hao, she began to feel uneasy.
Fear deepened as she looked at An Hao, who seemed determined to die.
“An Hao, where are you going?” Yang Yonghua shouted at the top of her lungs, her plump body twisting as she chased after her.
An Ping and An Shuchao also ran out after her.
An Hao kept walking, hearing them calling out from behind but without turning her head, she said, “No need for anyone to stop me!
If I die, we’ll all have peace.”
“Sister, what nonsense are you talking about!” An Ping, taking a few quick steps, caught hold of An Hao’s arm.
An Hao turned her head to look at him and winked at the gradually catching up crowd and An Ping, “An Ping, don’t stop sister, I won’t really die!”
this is a trap…” An Ping was stunned, as An Hao was not the kind of person he remembered having such cunning.
An Hao shook her head and whispered, “Why would I want to die?
Things got to this point because of everything that’s been said, so that’s why I’m doing this!
To deal with such a mean person, you must be even more unreasonable and outrageous than her to make her shut up.
‘The bold are fearful of the reckless, and the reckless are fearful of those who have nothing to lose!’ Don’t worry, I won’t die!
Seeing you fight for me and dad defend me made me really happy!
I must get the upper hand over loudmouth Yang this time; she can’t be allowed to push us around anymore!”
While they were talking, the villagers who had come to watch the commotion caught up.
“An Ping, don’t pull me!
If I live, I’ll just have people poking my spine in the future, better to prove my innocence with death!
If I die, I can see our mom beneath the ground.
Poor dad is full of ailments; when he grows old, you must be filial in my stead!” An Hao put on a face of deep sorrow as she acted.
An Ping suddenly hugged An Hao’s arm tightly, shouting, “Mom, Mom!
Can you see this from heaven?
This is how a child without a mother gets bullied!”
An Hao, seeing her brother actually start to play along, wanted to laugh but she knew she couldn’t in this situation and made a face as if in extreme agony, pushing An Ping away, and turned to keep walking.
“An Hao, where are you going to hang yourself?
Where are you going!” Yang Yonghua huffed and puffed as she ran.
An Hao ignored her and quickened her pace towards the west end of her village, where Yang Yonghua’s house was located.
By the time a large group had followed her there, An Hao began tying a rope around the crooked neck tree outside her home, shouting, “Aunt Yang, there are limits to how much you can bully someone.
Since you’re leaving me no way out, I might as well die at your doorstep!
Even if I become a ghost, I will come to your house to claim my debts!”
You cannot hang yourself at my door!” Yang Yonghua hit her thigh and called out to her people, “Fellow villagers, please help me out!”
Seeing the situation escalate, the villagers stepped forward to persuade An Hao, “An Hao, it’s not worth it!
It’s not worth losing your life over this!”
“Who says it’s not worth it!
This matter concerns my innocence.” An Hao snatched the rope from Yang Yonghua’s grip and glared at her, asking, “Aunt Yang, you better explain clearly what this is all about.
Otherwise, I’m going to die at your house today.
If I don’t live, you won’t have any peace either!”