Ten minutes later, the sound of footsteps echoed, and a crowd appeared quickly at the small path with men and women, old and young, and even people carrying children, clearly there to watch the commotion. Leading them was a man who resembled Chen Junxiao a little. This man was called Chen Hu, the uncle of the little girl, while her father was Chen Long, just the two brothers. After their parents passed away, she was left to Chen Hu to care for.

Chen Hu, around 1.75 meters tall, is considered tall among typical Southern men. While he didn’t particularly like or dislike his niece, the family conditions weren’t too bad, and adding one more mouth to feed wouldn’t be too hard, even for school expenses. With his brother and sister-in-law gone, he felt obligated to care for his niece. However, he happened to be afraid of his wife. When he married early on, Chen Hu was determined about this woman, thinking she was beautiful and had a strong personality, eventually marrying her despite opposition.

This woman was called Xie Aifen, and before marriage, she seemed pretty good, but once at home, she became domineering and unreasonable, didn’t work, controlled the finances, and even quarreled often with Chen Junxiao’s mother. She was a village bully, hurling curses across the village over small disputes.

Initially, Chen Hu found it unacceptable, but after a few times, he backed down. Over the years, he just went along.

So, regarding taking care of Chen Junxiao, Chen Hu had no say, as all authority was in Xie Aifen’s hands. If it weren’t for the house, farmland, and a bit of savings left by Chen Junxiao’s parents, Xie Aifen might have completely neglected Chen Junxiao.

She took those possessions but refused to take care of Chen Junxiao and initially cared about the neighbors’ opinions. Her approach was to let Chen Junxiao live elsewhere but come home for meals. This lasted for a short while before she changed. For instance, she would cook early, and once the family finished, by the time Chen Junxiao came to eat at her usual time, she’d find no food, and sometimes no one at home, forcing the little girl to go hungry or simply denying her meals entirely, scolding her with some excuse.

Were it not for the neighbors showing pity, often giving her something to eat, the little girl might not have survived until now.

During a chat with Li Yifei, he heard there was once when the little girl drank dirty water, suffered from stomach pain, and got acute enteritis, her small body curled up at the village entrance. It was already nighttime then, and neither Xie Aifen nor Chen Hu cared for her. If it weren’t for the granny from the family with a motorcycle seeing her and taking her to the clinic for treatment and injections, she might not have made it through that ordeal.

At first, Xie Aifen and Chen Hu cared about others’ opinions, but later, they had no scruples, losing all face. If it weren’t for the elders with some reputation in the village asking Chen Hu to care for Chen Junxiao, he might not even have given her that little bit of grain each month.

Li Yifei learned about these things and felt a stifling sensation in his heart. He, too, once had no one to rely on, but the aunts of his family treated him decently. People often say pitiful people have hateful traits, but for a little girl like Chen Junxiao, what’s there to hate? Is it her fault for being born into this world?

Looking at the growing crowd, several men held weapons, and Chen Hu had a machete in his hand, leading the way with a malicious gaze. Meanwhile, Xie Aifen, who had been slapped and kicked by Li Yifei, walked beside Chen Hu, muttering in dialect about Li Yifei’s and Chen Junxiao’s ’crimes,’ her eyes filled with hatred, wishing to tear Li Yifei apart and beat Chen Junxiao to death to avoid future troubles.

"How dare you hit my wife?" Chen Hu approached from the slope, holding the machete while staring at Li Yifei.

"Second Uncle, it’s not like that, it was Auntie..." Chen Junxiao emerged from behind Li Yifei, trying to explain.

Chen Hu glared, cursing, "Shut up, damn you. Your parents are dead, and I kindly raised you, and now you’ve found a punk, and you’re acting tough?"

"Chen Hu, right!" Li Yifei smiled, saying, "Do you have the nerve to mention the word ’raise’? Now in front of the villagers, do you dare bring up those two words? Everyone has a conscience, do you know how much you and your wife have embezzled from Chen Junxiao’s family property over the years? How much have you spent helping to care for her? Don’t you know in your heart? And yet, you still have the nerve to come over."

"Pah, what the hell are you talking about." Chen Hu said with a guilty conscience.

Li Yifei glanced at the villagers, each showing different expressions, and continued, "Since you’ve all come here, I’ll explain today’s situation so you understand the truth. The day before yesterday, I went to the sea and caught some fish, and even a lobster. I borrowed a motorcycle from Aunt Wang’s place, took them to town, sold them, and bought some daily necessities and food to bring back. I put the remaining few hundred yuan under my pillow. Yesterday, this woman came over, not only stole the things I bought but even took the money I hid under the pillow. What, in your village, are thieves always so brazen?"

As soon as Li Yifei arrived, he took the initiative to tell the story. Coincidentally, while he was speaking, both Chen Hu and Xie Aifen wanted to interrupt him, to refute him, but they couldn’t find the words, as if they were being silenced. When Li Yifei finished speaking, they could finally speak. Chen Hu stuttered in urgency, while Xie Afang spat and said to the surrounding villagers, "Don’t listen to him. This punk is full of lies. He even hit me just now, look at the handprint on my face, it’s swollen this much. Fellow villagers, this outsider dares to hit people, I beg you to help me!"

Many people saw the slap mark on Xie Afang’s face. In their hearts, not only did they not feel sympathetic, but some were even glad, thinking that she deserved to be hit. Of course, most of them outwardly still condemned Li Yifei.

Faced with the condemnation, Li Yifei merely smiled contemptuously, pointed at the two people opposite him, and said, "I am surprised you two have the audacity to speak. Even animals know to repay kindness. Chen Junxiao’s parents were your eldest brother and sister-in-law. Both unfortunately passed away, but didn’t your elder brother help support you? When you were first married and times were tough, if it weren’t for your elder brother and sister-in-law’s help, would you have turned your life around so quickly? Why did I hit you just now? Because you deserve it. If a person doesn’t know shame, how can they survive?"

Before Xie Afang could refute, Li Yifei snorted heavily and said, "Everyone is here, let me ask you, how is the house left behind by Chen Junxiao’s parents now?"

These people immediately looked towards Xie Afang and Chen Hu. From the same village, how could they not know the fate of that house? It was swallowed up by these two.

"Let me ask another question; your child, at about ten years old, living by himself—no food, no shelter, no utilities, no electricity, often starving, staying in a shabby stone house outside of the village, surviving each day by collecting sea goods to sell for a few yuan. Do you feel any pain?" Li Yifei shouted aloud, his voice carrying far. Some villagers who were arriving heard it too, and knowing Chen Junxiao’s living situation, naturally felt uncomfortable, many bowing their heads, unable to say a word.

Li Yifei continued, "The reason people are human is because they have bottom lines, ethics, and know right from wrong, knowing what should and shouldn’t be done, and knowing gratitude. You treat me well, I treat you well, or even if I can’t treat you well, at least I don’t harm you. Never have I seen someone like this; their own siblings treat them so well, and after their elder brother passed away leaving orphans, yet they treated those orphans so poorly. Are you even worthy to be called human? Can a kid eating one meal make you poor? Moreover, you still took so much money, money that was rightfully Chen Junxiao’s!"

"Pah, you two are even worthy to be called human!" Li Yifei spat, holding Chen Junxiao’s hand. The little girl was already crying, covering her face and sobbing.

"And you, you dare help such people come and attack me? Pah, do you have any shame?" Li Yifei looked at those who came with weapons, speaking with equal contempt.

Those he cursed at felt indignant, their faces turning extremely sour, but lacked the courage to act, knowing they were in the wrong, and besides, Chen Hu hadn’t acted yet, so they wondered what the rush was. Chen Hu’s face was very grim, Li Yifei’s words stabbing at his heart, exposing his guilt in front of the entire village, making him feel he could no longer hold his head high.

But some things are such that, if one wants others not to know them, one must not do them oneself. Chen Hu lowered his head, his face showing uncertainty, his grip tightened then loosened, his breathing grew rough, while beside him, Xie Afang, who was known as a local expert at arguments, held her breath for a while, then pushed her chest out, revealing her face with red handprints, and said, "You’re talking nonsense, what you said are all lies. Am I not treating her well? Damn it, when she’s sick, I take care of her, provide meals, and what’s the result? Instead of thanking me, she stays disobedient. For such an ungrateful troublemaker, what use do I have for her? Even if she’s staying out, am I not still sending things every month to keep her alive? You don’t thank me but turn around and blame me; this is truly unjust!"

"Justice? You talk to me about justice? Do you think anyone believes what you say? Heh, I know you brought people over because you wanted to start something, so feel free to come at me. I’ll see who remains standing today and who ends up losing." Li Yifei waved his hand, pointing at the people below, saying, "Come, all of you join in too. I initially didn’t want to deal with you, as Chen Junxiao pleaded with me, since you did take care of her somewhat, but given your two’s performance today, you’ve disappointed me. To live as people like this, what’s the point? Are you even worthy of being human?"

Li Yifei’s words were like two heavy hammers, pounding at the hearts of these two people.