Disaster Apocalypse: Farming, Family, and My Hidden Secret Space-Chapter 15. Proof

Those words might deceive children, but they definitely can't fool these adults.

Though it doesn't look good for two adults to pressure a child to speak, when it involves Jin'er and his mother, they don't care about it being a child.

"Wuu... Village chief granny, I really don't know, I'm... just a child, I can't think of so much... village chief granny, I was wrong, I shouldn't have focused only on work and ignored the outside world, but I really didn't do it on purpose, I really can't remember that day's events, wuu... village chief granny, you can punish me however you like, but I really hold no malice, Jin'er is so good to me, how could I possibly do that, I... I was wrong earlier, no matter how anxious I was, I shouldn't have said Jin'er deliberately wronged me, I shouldn't have said that, village chief granny, you've watched me grow up, you know I don't even dare to speak loudly, I really didn't... never would I hurt Jin'er... wuuu..."

Hua Xiaocao sobbed her words falteringly, being pulled up only to kneel again, hugging the village chief's wife's leg, tears flowing freely.

Crying and crawling next to Qi Shi, "Aunt... I know you care for me, I've kept it all in my heart, please believe I truly haven't done anything, how could I hold ill intent toward Jin'er... wuuu... aunt..."

The sobbing was pitiful, though the village chief's wife and Qi Shi were suspicious of Hua Xiaocao, they had no hard evidence, and since Hua Xiaocao didn't admit, they couldn't really do anything to her.

Especially as this child's crying was so miserable, a few onlooking villagers cast their gaze differently upon the two women.

Like they were adults bullying a child.

"Alright... just because someone cries doesn't mean they're right," Hua Jin said impatiently, looking at Hua Xiaocao, "Didn't you say you didn't do it? Prove it to us."

Just in this moment, a bit of memory surged in Hua Jin's mind.

Then, without looking at Hua Xiaocao's annoying face, he turned to the aunts and women watching, "Ladies, do you remember what the weather was like the day I got into trouble?"

Everyone looked at each other, and soon a woman spoke up, from the Hua family clan, who also had a good relationship with Qi Shi.

"I remember it seemed to have rained the night before," Liu Shi said.

As she spoke, many there recalled.

"Indeed, it rained quite heavily that night."

"Auntie is right, it indeed rained early that morning the day of my accident, that's why I went up the mountain, thinking there'd be more wild mushrooms after the rain."

Updat𝓮d from frёewebnoѵēl.com.

Everyone nodded, it was true, wild mushrooms and greens do grow faster after rain. Even the adults would take time to pick some by the mountainside, whether to sell or keep to improve their meals.

"Because it was my grandfather's birthday in a few days, I wanted to surprise him, so I thought of picking some wild mushrooms to sell at the market and didn't tell my family, who knew I'd accidentally fall off a slope."

Hua Jin's words made the village chief's wife ache with heartache!

She said this child, why did she go up the mountain alone? Turns out it was for this reason!

"Child, why celebrate your grandfather's birthday at his age, don't do this next time!"

One such incident was quite enough, it nearly scared them to death.

Hua Jin understood that his injury scared his family, so he quickly nodded obediently.

"But what's it got to do with Xiaocao!" a woman couldn't help but ask.

"The rain indeed has nothing to do with Xiaocao, but who made her slip up? Clearly saw me but said to others she didn't, even hid the fact that she went up the mountain herself, don't you find that very abnormal? Do the aunts truly believe Xiaocao was too hungry or busy to remember? Anyway, I don't believe it, regardless of whether my accident had anything to do with her, I suspect her for acting so out of character, if not her, who else would I suspect?"

"I remember the place I fell was quite secluded, found it by accident, usually no one would go there, I just can't figure out how Xiaocao also happened to be there, and that place is a bit up the mountain, Hua Xiaocao, with all your daily chores, where would you find time to climb so high, isn't this abnormal?"

"Most importantly, I'd already said I didn't remember, but she wasn't reassured and asked me again if I really didn't remember, if that's not guilty conscience, then what is it? As for whether I've wronged her... going up the mountain would reveal the truth, if I indeed wronged her, Hua Jin knows how to apologize, truly if mistaken I will apologize, just don't know if Hua Xiaocao dares to go up the mountain with me again."

Hua Jin looked steadily at Hua Xiaocao, eyes full of confidence, making Hua Xiaocao very uneasy, searching that day's events in her mind, confirming no one was around, and she didn't slip up.

As for whether she dared, obviously she didn't, saying over and over that she did it on impulse, though she thought she hadn't slipped up, to be safe.

"I... I don't have time, it's already been a long delay, if I go up the mountain and my house's chores get delayed my parents will beat me to death..."

"No need to worry about that, I'll go home with you, your parents won't beat you to death." The village chief's wife immediately blocked Hua Xiaocao's excuse.

Regardless, as the village chief's wife she had some face, even if Hua Xiaocao's parents and grandparents wanted nothing to do with it, they couldn't not give her this face.

"Village chief granny..."

"Enough, let's go, the more time wasted here, the worse it will be when your parents hit you when you get back."

Saying this, the village chief's wife took Hua Xiaocao's hand and started towards the mountain.

Qi Shi seeing this quickly came forward and grabbed Hua Xiaocao's other hand, "Mother, I'll hold her, you and Jin'er along with Xiaosi go together."

She didn't trust her mother-in-law to hold Hua Xiaocao, she'd misjudged before, this girl's mind was quite deep, and her mother-in-law, after all, was older, not as quick to react as she was.

Having long been working, the child in her early teens still had a good bit of strength.

"I..."

Being tightly held, no matter if Hua Xiaocao wanted to break free, but how could she break free from a young woman's grip, thus being dragged up the mountain.

Hua Xiaomao and a few children couldn't understand how picking wild mushrooms turned into this, but they quickly followed.

The women watching wouldn't miss such a juicy gossip opportunity, ignoring picking wild mushrooms and produce, they quickly followed as well.

And so, the route of the group immediately changed, following Hua Jin and the village chief's wife towards another direction.

Actually, it wasn't very high, compared to where everyone usually only dared to pick produce at the foot of the mountain, it was indeed a bit higher and indeed a bit more off the beaten path,

Furthermore, there was a dense locust grove, once people entered it was indeed difficult to find them, most important was this type of locust tree was covered in thorns, very annoying, upon seeing these trees most would keep their distance.

Indeed, as Hua Jin said, they really hadn't come to this place before.

On the day of the incident, if not the entire village mobilizing, and someone looking this direction and finding Hua Jin on the slope, she'd likely have been in great danger.

Precisely because everyone came here with Hua Jin, they wondered why Hua Xiaocao would also come to this place, with all Hua Xiaocao's endless chores, how could she waste time walking so far, and at this moment everyone sort of understood why Hua Jin suspected Hua Xiaocao, even they felt it was out of character for Hua Xiaocao, causing their gaze towards her to grow increasingly strange.