After sprinting for quite a while, Dong Huiying’s breathing became a bit unstable.
She steadied herself, only to find that she had arrived in a strange village.
Some people saw her and suddenly exclaimed in horror, "Dong Dong Dong, Dong Dabao? Oh, the calamity Dong has come, everyone run for it!"
The crowd scattered like birds and beasts, vanishing almost in an instant.
She scratched her head, thinking to herself that this man was really strange, with limbs so thin, yet sporting a belly like a big pot strapped on; could it be some bizarre illness?
Continuing forward, she caught up with a slower individual and, under their terrified gaze, she inquired about Zhu Xingfang’s address. Afterwards, she thanked the person, who looked back at her as if they had seen a ghost, leaving her somewhat perplexed.
Dong Huiying had assumed that a slovenly woman like Zhu Xingfang would surely have a dirty home.
However, in reality, the Zhu family’s home was many times cleaner than she had imagined.
She charged into the courtyard, knocked on the door, and suddenly, with a creak, the wooden door was pushed open from the inside.
Behind the door stood a youth, slender and pale, with a timid look in his eyes. His thin lips turned white from pressing them together too tightly.
How old was he? Perhaps around fifteen, he appeared to be underage.
"Who are you looking for?" the youth stammered, with a hint of timidity and wariness in his eyes.
He quickly glanced at her, then lowered his head and said softly, "Wi... No! Is Lady Zhu... Does she not live here?"
Dong Huiying glanced around, then picked up a large stone, tossing it lightly in her hand before suddenly applying force.
Dust scattered as the hard stone crumbled to rubble in her palm.
The youth was dumbstruck.
She revealed an innocuous smile and asked cheerily, "Can you lead me to Zhu Xingfang?"
Fear was written all over the youth’s face, and he hesitated greatly. But glancing at the stone shards on the ground, he shivered again, obviously terrified.
Suddenly, something seemed to flash through his startled eyes, and he asked dryly, "Are... Are you a Dong?"
"Yes," she said, lifting her chin slightly.
The youth clenched his teeth and said, "Follow me!"
Thus, the youth stepped aside to let her in, then walked towards the room on the left. The room was very clean and neat, with a wooden board in the middle of the floor.
The youth muttered in a low voice, "She’s in the cellar."
She gave the youth a fist salute, then lifted the wooden board and slid down the ladder.
Inside the cellar, the oil lamp was dim, and the air was chilling.
Zhu Xingfang was pinning Liang Yixuan to the ground, tearing at his clothes while cursing viciously, "Being coveted by Old Lady, that’s the fortune of eight hundred lifetimes you’ve cultivated, and yet you don’t appreciate it?"
Yixuan’s voice trembled, "Lady Zhu, Yixuan is already betrothed."
Zhu Xingfang’s expression was full of contempt, "Liang Yixuan, Dong Dabao is a scoundrel. I, Zhu Xingfang, am originally from Qingfeng Prefecture, and only moved to Taihang Mountain not long ago, but I’m well informed. How she treats you brothers usually, is there any village within ten miles that doesn’t know?"
Yixuan was at a loss for words.