Village Belle Chapter 111
Translated by Digitalian (ko-fi)
Chapter 111: Someone Was Trying To Snatch Milksop From Her
The others burst into laughter at the two red-capped figures as soon as they entered the class. Su Tao didn't bother to pay attention to them, and Xie Yuntang would pay even less attention to them.
Suddenly, Su Tao noticed that there was another girl in the classroom. Su Tao took a few more glances and then asked Zheng Duoyin, "Whose girl is that? Why haven't I seen her in the village?"
"She's from the Wei family. She doesn't like to go out to play. You haven't seen her, and I've only seen her a few times."
After taking a few glances, Zheng Duoyin said with a look of a young boy in love, "Hehe, Big Sister, she looks pretty, right?"
Su Tao, "..."
She glanced at him from top to bottom. "She’s pretty, but you don't deserve her."
Zheng Duoyin, "..."
He pouted unhappily. "How am I not worthy?"
"You’re ugly and you think too highly of yourself."
Su Tao ignored him after saying this and turned to meet Xie Yuntang's gaze.
She thought that he was looking at that girl, so she reached out and turned his head, whispering, "Don't look at her. You’re still young, don't let your imagination run wild. Hold your thoughts until you grow up. Grown-up girls are prettier."
Xie Yuntang understood what she meant, and his cheeks flushed. He explained softly, "I wasn't looking at her, I was looking at you."
He was really looking at Sister Taozi.
He just liked looking at Sister Taozi.
Su Tao didn't think much about his words. She reached out and flicked his forehead. "That's more like it. Study hard, you still have to take the prefecture exam in April."
If he could pass the prefecture imperial examination, Milksop would become a young scholar with promising prospects.
Xie Yuntang read his book obediently.
After a while, the girl, Wei Yan, came over and shyly handed a pancake to Xie Yuntang. "Brother Yuntang, this is for you."
Su Tao’s family had built a big house now, and their two children were schooling. Of course, others were jealous of their good life.
Hence, the Wei family decided to let the prettiest girl in their family come to study. She was about the same age as Xie Yuntang.
If the two children hit it off, the Xie family would help the Wei family in the future. If they were lucky, Xie Yuntang might fall in love with Wei Yan in a few years, which would be a great blessing for them.
Su Tao gave her a wary look. She must have some ulterior motive, otherwise why would she offer Milksop a pancake?
Not every family had pancakes to eat like the Xie family.
"He doesn't want to eat it. You can eat it yourself."
Milksop was simple and gullible, so she had to keep an eye on him.
If he was deceived, she wouldn’t be able to go home.
Xie Yuntang glanced at Su Tao and said nothing. Apparently, he did whatever she said.
It was getting late, and Wei Yan, fearing the teacher's arrival, placed the pancake on the table and ran back to her seat.
Su Tao saw Xie Yuntang glance at the pancake, and she felt a sense of crisis. What if Xie Yuntang and Wei Yan became close friends and didn't treat her well in the future?
She would have nothing to eat.
With this thought in mind, she snapped at Milksop, "Don't look at it." Then she tossed the pancake to Su Zhi in front of her.
Su Zhi, delighted, buried his head in the pancake and began to nibble.
Su Tao rolled her eyes at him, then leaned in closer, staring at Xie Yuntang intently, much like she'd looked at a meat bun. Xie Yuntang leaned back uncomfortably.
She whispered a warning, "Milksop, you're not allowed to eat anything given to you by girls. You also can't accept anything else from them, or talk to them, okay?"
She didn’t like the feeling of having someone covet the precious Milksop. He was hers alone, and no one else could snatch him away.
She would fight anyone who tried to snatch him away.
Xie Yuntang didn't understand why she said that, but he listened to everything Sister Taozi said. "Okay."
"That's more like it." Su Tao touched his head with a smile.
However, Wei Yan was relentless. After lunch, she insisted on going back with them.
"Brother Yuntang, what do you like to eat? I'll ask my mother to make it for you."
Wei Yan walked on the left side of Xie Yuntang. Her round eyes were like black grapes, and looked adorable.
Xie Yuntang tilted his shoulders slightly. After glancing at Su Tao, he shook his head, and then walked to the other side of Su Tao. "Sister Taozi, let's go back quickly."
Su Tao was unhappy to see that Wei Yan was about to lean on Xie Yuntang again. She grabbed Wei Yan and said, "You aren’t allowed to talk to him, otherwise don't blame me for hitting him."
"Big Sister, don't do that. Let's play together." Zheng Duoyin hurried over to separate the two.
Su Tao rolled her eyes at him and pulled Xie Yuntang away. "If you want to play, play by yourselves. Don't drag Xie Yuntang into it, or else don't blame me for being nasty."
Wei Yan was still a little afraid of her, and whispered unhappily, "Su Tao, Brother Yuntang didn't say anything. Why are you bullying me?"
"I’m not bullying you. I’m just voicing his thoughts for him. Milksop, am I right?" Su Tao nudged Xie Yuntang's shoulder.
Xie Yuntang nodded. "I only play with Sister Taozi. Don't approach me, I won't play with you." He spoke without even looking at Wei Yan.
Since Sister Taozi told him not to look at Wei Yan, he obeyed her.
Wei Yan's eyes welled up with tears at his words. After all, children were shy, and she ran away.
……
When Wei Yan's mother saw her daughter return, she quickly grabbed her and asked, whispering, "How are you getting along with Yuntang?"
"Su Tao wouldn't let him play with me, and she even said she was going to beat me."
Wei Yan hugged her aggrievedly, and added, "Mom, Su Tao is so annoying. I'm afraid of her."
"Huh? That wretched girl Su Tao is out of line. Does she think Yuntang is hers? Just you wait. I'll get your brothers to intimidate her. By then, she won't dare to bully you."
Wei Yan's mother thought Su Tao was just a child, and a little intimidation would be enough.
At Su Tao's house.
The teacher hadn't assigned any homework today, so Zheng Duoyin came to ask them out to play. Su Tao and Xie Yuntang followed him out.
As for that fool Su Zhi, he was only fit to stay home to study.
Some children were already throwing sandbags around the dam. Su Tao had already become familiar with them, so naturally they started playing together.
After a while, four or five children from the Wei family came to play. The other children were easy-going, and happily let the children from the Wei family join them.
After playing for a while, Su Tao felt that the Wei family’s children were deliberately bullying her. The sandbags that they threw hit her hard. She rubbed her shoulder.
Xie Yuntang naturally noticed it, looked at her shoulder, and said worriedly, "Sister Taozi, does it hurt? Let's not play anymore."
"Of course we have to play. I'm going to hit them hard. Milksop, hit them as hard as you can later. Use more force."
After saying that, Su Tao turned around and whispered something to Zheng Duoyin and the others.
Zheng Duoyin and the others nodded.
Soon, their team was losing. Su Tao took the sandbag, weighed it in her hand twice, and suddenly shouted, "Look, it's going to rain!"
Immediately, the group of people looked up at the sky. Su Tao threw the sandbag hard at the plumpest child in the Wei family. Wei Dawa immediately clutched his chest in pain. "Su Tao! You cheated!"
"I didn't cross the line to hit you! It's not cheating!" Su Tao went to pick up the sandbag guiltlessly, then raised her hand and pretended to throw it. When they dodged, she threw it hard again.
The fourth child of the Wei family covered his forehead, tears welling up in his eyes. He glared at Su Tao fiercely and then left the boundary.
Su Tao rolled his eyes at him. Wretched rascals, just you wait. I’m going to hit you hard.
