The Peasant Wife: The Prime Minister's Beloved

Chapter 30: Nature is hard to change

Seeing that the atmosphere around them was tense and they might suffer physical pain again at any time, the two men were like frightened birds. They quickly kowtowed and begged for mercy, their eyes full of panic and regret.

Chen Xi glanced coldly at the two shivering figures, and he had already seen through everything in his heart - these two must have been rampant in the village on weekdays, relying on their numbers to bully the weak, and when they met a tough opponent, they immediately became dogs that had lost their homes.

It was indeed their misfortune that they were unexpectedly caught in the hands of a seemingly weak woman like her today.

"Humph, you used to rely on your numbers to bully others, thinking that a woman like me is easy to bully, right? You thought you could get away with it and do whatever you want. Unfortunately, today you have bad luck and have to run into me. I will tie up the two of you lawless people and personally take them to see the county magistrate and let the government teach them a lesson. Let's see if they dare to be lawless in the future!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the blood color on their faces instantly faded, and their eyes were filled with despair.

They are habitual thieves who just escaped from a dark and damp prison not long ago. They have not yet tasted enough of freedom, so how could they be willing to fall into that place where there is no light of day again?

"Auntie, you are so broad-minded and kind-hearted. Just treat us as blind and ignorant this time. We beg you to be merciful and spare us this time. We promise to turn over a new leaf from now on. If you need anything, we are willing to go through fire and water for you, even if it means going through fire and water!"

The two of them spoke incoherently, almost crying and begging, their voices filled with helplessness and pleading.

"Yes, auntie, this is just the last time. I will never dare to cross the line again."

In a panic, Wang Er's younger brother slammed his knees heavily on the ground. The mud and gravel made a slight friction sound under his knees. His tone was full of sincerity and fear. The fine beads of sweat on his forehead sparkled in the weak sunlight, reflecting his panic at the moment.

"Let you go? Are you going to harm innocent people again if I let you go today? I've heard a lot about collecting protection fees and bullying people in the market. These activities are bad for one's virtue."

Although Chen Xi's words were light, each one was like a hammer, striking at the luck in the hearts of Wang Er and his group.

"We won't do it again. We really won't do it again. We swear to turn over a new leaf and never do anything that is against the will of heaven or earth again. We will definitely be good people who abide by the law."

Wang Er and his little brother looked at Chen Xi eagerly, with real regret flashing in their eyes, and put their hands together as if they were swearing to the sky.

Seeing the sincerity on their faces, Chen Xi's heart softened slightly. In fact, she didn't really want to send them to the government. She just wanted to teach them a lesson and let them know that there is still justice in the world that cannot be violated.

"Okay, I'll forgive you today, but this forgiveness is not bottomless. If I know you make the same mistake again, I will never be so lenient again."

After he finished speaking, Chen Xi's eyes revealed an unquestionable determination.

After being pardoned, Wang Er and the other man felt like they were reborn. They stood up abruptly, without even brushing off the dust, and ran away as fast as rabbits. Their backs showed panic, as if they were afraid that Chen Xi would regret it in the next second.

On the way of escaping, the two could not help but whispered: "We are so unlucky. That seemingly insignificant little girl actually has such skills. If we had checked the almanac before going out today, we would have been reminded to avoid this disaster."

Although Wang Er spoke toughly, the embarrassment of kneeling just now had left an indelible mark in his heart, and he had completely forgotten how he had humbly begged for mercy.

As the saying goes, "It is easy to change the country but difficult to change one's nature", this sentence has been verified in their case. Even in fear, Wang Er's character is still difficult to completely restrain.

Chen Xi watched the two of them walk away, shook his head slightly, and then tidied up his clothes which were a little messy due to the conflict just now.

The sunlight shone on her through the gaps in the leaves, appearing particularly soft.

Thinking of the ingredients she purchased today, a smile appeared on her lips. It was time to go home and use these fresh ingredients to prepare a sumptuous dinner for her family, letting love and warmth flow on the table.

The sky on the other side was gradually dyed with the color of dusk. After Song Zhipeng and others passed through the tightly closed door of Wanyu Medical Clinic, their enthusiasm seemed to be blown away by the autumn wind.

They did not give up, but dragged their tired steps through the winding alleys of Xianghe Village and visited several medical clinics in succession, but they were all met with the same cold reception.

All the shopkeepers and doctors looked down upon the herbs they had carefully collected, saying that they were nothing more than worthless weeds that could be found everywhere and were not even as good as the dust in front of the door.

A wave of bitterness suddenly rose in the hearts of several people. They exchanged glances with each other, and their thoughts were self-evident.

Recalling Chen Xi's frail figure, moving lightly through the mountains, it seemed that what she collected were just those inconspicuous weeds in the backpack, but why was it that when it came into her hands, all of this could miraculously turn into white silver?

Could it be that everyone was really deceived by Chen Xi's seemingly innocent appearance and fell into an unknown trap?

As soon as this thought came to my mind, it was like being drenched by a summer afternoon thunderstorm, and dissatisfaction and indignation began to boil in my chest.

They were originally fellow villagers who drank from the same well, but now they felt that they had been severely tricked. It would be fine if they did not help, but how could they lead everyone to a path that seemed full of hope but was actually full of thorns?

So, in that narrow alley, complaints and suspicions were buzzing like mosquitoes before nightfall, one after another.

Aunt Yuan, who was well-known in Xianghe Village for being picky and difficult to deal with, was the first to break the silence, her voice tinged with resentment and sarcasm.

"Look at that girl Chen Xi, she's really infuriating! We live under the same blue sky, and it's only right that we share happiness and difficulties together. But she's the one who keeps all the benefits to herself and has offended us. How can she have a good life in the village in the future?"

Upon hearing this, Mrs. Xiong curled up the corner of her mouth into a barely perceptible smile, and it was obvious that she had her own views on this complicated neighborhood relationship.

"I think we can't confront this head-on. Although Chen Xi is young, she is very thoughtful. If we can change our approach and use some tricks, maybe a few nice words and some care can make her willingly take us to share a piece of the pie. After all, everyone has a heart made of flesh and blood."

Mrs. Xiong's words revealed a wisdom that came from a deep understanding of human nature. Obviously, she knew how to grasp the subtleties of people's hearts, which made everyone present secretly admire her.