Chapter 36: Jinyu’s Might

After a full dinner, Su Jinyu’s family felt so stuffed that they had to step out of the cave to walk off their meal.

"Grandma, I think I ate too much and my stomach is upset. I’m going to relieve myself!" Su Jinyu announced loudly, clutching her stomach.

"Go on then, but don't go too far," Wang Qiahui replied.

As Su Jinyu walked away, she caught the eye of the Li family members, who understood immediately that she was setting a trap. Rather than waiting for their hidden enemies to strike, she had decided to draw them out. As the saying goes, a true hunter often appears as the prey.

Wang Dagui, who had been watching them closely, heard her and decided to follow her stealthily. Liu Qionghua also saw the two of them leave and followed suit; she wouldn't be at ease until she saw that wretched girl done away with.

Su Jinyu headed toward the bushes in the woods. Seeing the two figures trailing behind her, she curled her lips into a smile. The fish had taken the bait.

She wove through the thicket, and soon Wang Dagui realized he had lost her. "Brother Dagui, where did that girl go?" Liu Qionghua asked anxiously.

Wang Dagui’s face darkened. "I saw her come this way, but she vanished in the blink of an eye. That girl is as slippery as a ghost. Let’s keep our voices down so we don’t get exposed."

High above them, hidden in the dense foliage of a tree, Su Jinyu watched the two of them searching frantically below. She took out a small vial of aphrodisiac powder and, just as they stood directly beneath her branch, dropped the glass bottle. It shattered on the ground, and the colorless, odorless powder dispersed instantly into the air.

Wang Dagui and Liu Qionghua heard a faint "snap" and looked around, wondering what had made the sound. Suddenly, they felt dizzy, their eyes grew hazy, and a flush began to rise on their faces.

"Qionghua, why are you so beautiful? When will you finally be my wife in the eyes of the world?"

"Brother Dagui, you are so much more interesting than that blockhead Zheng Dali. I want to marry you soon, too."

Watching the two below embrace and kiss, Su Jinyu covered her mouth to stifle a giggle and slipped away into the woods.

She couldn't let herself be the only audience for such a grand performance.

"Grandpa Yang! Something’s wrong! Something’s wrong!" Su Jinyu shouted as she returned to the cave, feigning panic.

"Jinyu, child, don’t rush. Tell me slowly, what happened?"

"I went to the woods to relieve myself and heard someone screaming for help. The voice sounded familiar, but I couldn't tell who it was. Could it be someone from our village? Maybe they encountered a wild beast! It’s not far from the cave; we must go save them! If we’re too late, they might be dead!"

Village Chief Yang looked grave. He scanned the cave; many people were out walking or relieving themselves, and it would be hard to determine who was missing. But the situation was urgent. "Eldest and Second, grab your tools and take a few men with you! Follow Jinyu! Everyone else, stay inside and don't wander off!"

Zheng Dali, whose injuries had mostly healed, joined the group as well. Su Jinyu thought to herself, *Uncle Zheng, you should have stayed here to rest—don't come crying when you see what's waiting for you.*

Li Tianhe, though not from the village, grabbed an axe and volunteered. He wanted to see the spectacle his niece had orchestrated.

The group ran as fast as they could, fearing the victims would be devoured by beasts if they arrived late.

"It’s right there! I heard the sounds coming from that direction!" Su Jinyu pointed toward the bushes.

As darkness had fallen, the men carried torches, and they could hear rustling in the grass ahead. Yang the Eldest signaled for the men to flank the area, while he and his brother led the charge. Su Jinyu pulled her uncle back to watch from behind.

The waist-high grass was parted. Yang the Eldest raised his axe, ready to fight a wild beast to the death. Instead, he was met with a scandalous sight.

A man and a woman were in disarray, their clothes half-off. The torchlight illuminated their faces. Yang the Eldest quickly covered his eyes and stepped back, yet curiosity compelled him to peek again.

"Wang Dagui?"

The other villagers were bewildered. Wang Dagui was a bachelor; who was this woman with him?

Wang Dagui and Liu Qionghua, caught in the heat of passion, suddenly found themselves surrounded by a crowd of people holding torches.

"Oh my, Aunt Liu, why are you here?" Su Jinyu exclaimed from the back, feigning shock.

The crowd stared in disbelief as the woman on the ground was revealed to be Liu Qionghua. Every eye turned toward Zheng Dali, a silent, heavy understanding passing between them. The air was deathly still for a few seconds.

"Liu Qionghua!" Zheng Dali roared, punching a nearby tree. The tree, as thick as a man's ankle, snapped instantly. He was so furious he nearly fainted, his chest heaving as he stumbled. A man nearby caught him just in time.

Only then did Liu Qionghua realize what was happening. She scrambled to cover herself with her clothes, while Wang Dagui looked around, confused as to why so many people had appeared.

"Dali, no! It’s not what you think..."

Zheng Dali’s face was livid. He gritted his teeth and glared at her. "Liu Qionghua, don't try to lie to me! The truth is right in front of my eyes. You have no shame! To think you’d dare cheat on me—I cannot live with a woman like you. I am divorcing you! From this moment on, you have nothing to do with the Zheng family!"

With that, he stormed off in a rage.

The other men, who had come thinking they were on a rescue mission, were quickly ushered back to the cave by the Chief. Su Jinyu and her uncle exchanged a look before leaving as well. Li Tianhe, fearing the young girl might be picking up bad habits, quickly pulled her away.

"How did it turn into this? Why did the whole village come? Wang Dagui, I have lost all dignity as a woman! This is all your fault!" Liu Qionghua shrieked, pummeling Wang Dagui’s chest with her fists.

Wang Dagui was just as furious. Being beaten by the woman, he pushed her away. "How was I supposed to know! Weren't you the one who started it? I was just going along with you—who knew we’d be so unlucky as to be caught?"

"Could that wretched girl Su Jinyu have been behind this?" Liu Qionghua suddenly wondered.

They had come to this patch of grass specifically to find Su Jinyu, but after all this time, they hadn't found her, and instead, they had ended up in this shameful disgrace.