Volume 1, Chapter 16: I Knew This Would Happen!

The villagers shouted themselves hoarse, each one clenching their fists and raising their hands fiercely, their rhythm surprisingly unified.

Zhong Zhicheng ignored Zhang Jun’s trembling. He nodded to Luo Bin with a flash of satisfaction on his face.

For a moment, Luo Bin didn’t know how to react.

A polite smile? Somehow, that didn’t seem quite appropriate for this occasion.

So, Luo Bin froze slightly.

“Village chief… Xiaoling is innocent… can you release her?” Gu Ya hurriedly approached Zhong Zhicheng’s side, a trace of pleading in her eyes.

Zhong Zhicheng nodded, then stepped onto the platform and walked toward Zhang Yunling, who was tied up at the other end.

Bathed in sunlight, Zhang Yunling’s face appeared as pale as gold paper. She was naturally beautiful, and now her expression made her look even more fragile.

“Xiaoshan, go help your sister Xiaoling down. Let’s take her home,” Gu Ya called out.

Only then did Luo Bin come to his senses and followed Zhong Zhicheng to Zhang Yunling’s side.

Zhong Zhicheng untied the ropes binding Zhang Yunling. When she stepped down from the wooden stake, her legs wobbled, and she nearly collapsed into Luo Bin’s arms.

The scent of fragrance wafted over, and Luo Bin quickly steadied her.

“Sister Xiaoling… are you okay?” Luo Bin asked softly.

The last time, she knew him but he didn’t know her. This time, with so much information exchanged, there was no chance of slipping up. Especially after the village chief’s approving nod in front of so many, the possibility of exposure was minimal.

“I’m… fine… just weak in the legs,” Zhang Yunling bit her lip lightly, a flush coloring her cheeks.

It wasn’t shyness, but fear.

There was a step down from the inner side of the platform. Zhong Zhicheng gestured for Luo Bin and Zhang Yunling to descend from there.

Supporting her down, Luo Bin found Gu Ya waiting on that side.

Before leaving, Zhong Zhicheng reminded, “Luo Shan, go back to the Mountain God Temple quickly. Keep an eye on the outsiders. If nothing unexpected happens tonight, you’ll be able to return home.”

“Alright, village chief,” Luo Bin replied.

Then, Gu Ya helped Zhang Yunling from the other side, and mother and son left the crowd with her.

Once on the village road, the noisy commotion vanished completely. The street was empty, and everything grew utterly silent.

“Aunt Gu, you should go back. You need to call Uncle Luo to come and see Zhang Jun get his just deserts! Don’t let him miss it,” Zhang Yunling said, seeming to regain some strength as she gently withdrew her arm.

“Well…” Gu Ya hesitated for a moment.

Indeed, Zhang Jun was going to be dealt with, which was a resolution to last night’s events and something she had to tell her husband.

Especially since everything had come to light so quickly, and it was their son Luo Shan who had exposed it!

This made it all the more important for Luo Feng to see and hear it, to really think about whether his behavior in recent days had been right or lacking in judgment.

“I’m fine, Aunt Gu. I won’t blame you all. After all, such a big matter almost caused trouble for you, the village chief, and everyone. The village chief had to investigate thoroughly. See? This cleared my name, didn’t it?” Zhang Yunling smiled sweetly, as if sweeping away all the gloom with a single gesture.

Gu Ya let out a small breath.

“Xiao Shan, take Sister Xiaoling home. Don’t upset her, or I’ll be angry,” her tone clearly grew firmer.

“I know, Mom,” Luo Bin nodded in response.

---

He called her “Mom” more naturally now.

Having been bedridden for years, he had become adept at reading between the lines.

Had the original Luo Bin ever offended Zhang Yunling?

Looking at her now, it didn’t seem so. She appeared rather kind to him, with little guard.

“After you send Xiaoling off, hurry back to watch the outsiders. I’ll explain about the lamp oil,” Gu Ya reminded again.

Then she hurried off in another direction.

Luo Bin had intended to let go of her hand.

After all, Zhang Yunling had previously broken free from Gu Ya’s grasp herself.

But now, when he relaxed, she leaned closer to him, seeming even more fragile.

Luo Bin exerted a little effort, steadying her so she stood firm.

Zhang Yunling glanced at him briefly, stepping forward while still leaning on him.

Luo Bin breathed a slight sigh of relief. He deliberately fell back a half step, letting her lead the way.

“Thank you,” Zhang Yunling whispered. “If you hadn’t come, I wouldn’t have known what to do.”

“The village chief will see through everything,” Luo Bin replied seriously.

“Mhm.” Zhang Yunling nodded.

Then silence.

Luo Bin was preoccupied with remembering the route and sorting through the information he had just gained.

But Zhang Yunling was deep in thought.

The young man in front of her seemed strange.

Before, he had called her “sister,” purposely keeping a distance.

Now, when she needed to lean on him, he avoided her.

Was this still Luo Shan?

This serious demeanor was a stark contrast to his previous playful, persistent behavior toward her.

She had never felt much affection for Luo Shan, but because Gu Ya and Luo Feng treated her well, she had sometimes turned a blind eye to Luo Shan’s overly familiar looks or sneaking into her house.

But now, she clearly sensed something different about him.

Zhang Yunling stopped.

Her home was just ahead, not directly on the cement road but behind several villagers’ courtyards. This courtyard was smaller than the Luo family’s.

“Come in and rest a while,” she said softly.

“I have to get back quickly,” Luo Bin said, quietly withdrawing his hand. Zhang Yunling didn’t lean on him any more.

“All right.” Zhang Yunling gently pushed open the door and stepped inside.

When she turned back, Luo Bin had already vanished.

Closing the door, Zhang Yunling shed her earlier fragility and quickened her pace into the main room.

---

The room was clean and tidy, spotless almost.

The next moment, her face paled considerably, and she spoke with fear and unease: “Something’s wrong… what should I do?”

But there was no one else in the room.

Who was she talking to?

Then, Zhang Yunling carefully pulled something from her bosom.

It was a crooked, misshapen cloth doll, its face badly sewn, the stitching crude.

“Are you there?”

Zhang Yunling shook the doll gently twice.

“I didn’t mean it… I really didn’t know the village chief would react so quickly. It’s not fair…”

“What should I do now? Is there no chance left?”

Tears welled in her eyes.

The doll’s head drooped with no response at all.

It was just an ordinary, utterly ordinary cloth doll.

Suddenly, Zhang Yunling straightened the doll and stared at its ugly stitched face.

She smiled—an exaggerated curve of her lips, eyes wide open, every blood vessel distinctly visible.

…

Luo Bin returned to the small wooden hut.

All the morning’s turmoil had left his stomach empty.

He took out the bundle containing the flatbread and realized it had been turned over.

And the water bottle was missing?

Looking towards the gate of the Mountain God Temple across the way, Luo Bin’s expression changed drastically.

He jumped to his feet suddenly, nearly overturning the table with a loud clang. The table shook twice, then completely shifted position!

The morning had been chaotic, and after learning the situation at home, he was furious at Zhang Jun. Then Gu Ya’s instructions and Zhang Yunling’s odd closeness had kept his mind racing.

Especially on the way back, he kept wondering about the public humiliation parade—what on earth was that?

But now, a more severe realization struck him!

What happened last night—he had known it would happen!

No, someone had told him it would happen!

Gu Ya had already said it.

“The window wasn’t closed!”