"I don't know about that," Yun Jianzhou said, scratching his head. He plopped down on the ground, casually pulled out a blade of grass and put it in his mouth. Grinning, he continued, "It'd be better if he never comes back. I think we should just replace the village head with someone who can actually get things done. He's taken so many bribes over the years, right? Who knows how much he's embezzled, both openly and secretly. He deserves whatever's coming to him!"
"Keep your mouth shut," Yun Fujin scolded in a low voice. "If you speak any louder, the whole village will hear. Our family's already having a hard enough time. Can't you just watch what you say?"
"I'm just telling the truth," Yun Jianzhou said, spreading his hands. "Hey, look over there."
He pointed behind Yun Fujin. "Here they come."
Yun Que'er quietly peeked out from behind Yun Fujin's shoulder. A thin, gaunt woman was leading three or four sturdy men towards them. It looked like they were on their way to a neighboring village.
The woman's face was streaked with tears, and who knew what kind of powder she'd been wearing, because there were white streaks all over her face. It was quite an unappealing sight.
In the original owner's memory, the village head's wife was no angel. She took advantage of her husband's position as the village head to extort things from people. Anyone who passed by their house had to empty their pockets for her.
Whether it was a piece of candy or a corn pancake, she'd find a way to take something.
Yun Que'er pursed her lips and silently cursed her. Served her right.
But it was really strange that the village head hadn't come home all night.
How could his shrew of a wife be so patient? Where could he have gone?
Yun Que'er thought for a moment, and then her eyes lit up. Could the village head have gone to the back mountain to look for treasure?
A greedy man like him would never pass up a chance to make a quick buck. Since they'd said the sweet potato was found on the back mountain, maybe the village head had wanted to strike it rich, too.
"Brother," Yun Que'er whispered, tugging on Yun Fujin's clothes. "I might know where the village head is."
"How could you know?" Yun Fujin ruffled Yun Que'er's hair. "Did you hit your head last night?"
They hadn't left the yard since they got home yesterday. There was no way Yun Que'er could know.
But Yun Jianzhou jumped to his feet. "Brother, why don't you trust our little sister? She was right about the sickle this morning. What if she really knows?"
Yun Yi looked up from her work. "Second brother, stop spoiling her. Do you really think she's a little goddess?"
"Get out of here. Don't cause trouble," Yun Jianzhou said. He was too excited to be bothered. He grabbed Yun Que'er's chubby hand and kept asking, "Where do you think he is? Are you sure? You're not kidding us, are you?"
Yun Que'er was getting a headache from all the noise. She buried her head in Yun Fujin's neck.
"If you don't trust me, then don't ask."
"Oh, my little princess," Yun Jianzhou said, trying to soothe her. "I didn't mean it like that. Stop beating around the bush. Where do you think the village head is?"
Yun Que'er's big eyes sparkled. She pretended to be mysterious.
"A greedy man like the village head. Where else could he go?"
Yun Jianzhou blinked blankly. How was he supposed to guess from that vague answer?
Yun Jianzhou ran his fingers through his hair and squatted down on the ground.
"Greedy... Where... Hey!"
Yun Jianzhou suddenly had an idea. "Little sister, do you mean the back mountain?"
Yun Que'er giggled. "Why don't you go and find out, second brother?"
"Hey, you little rascal," Yun Jianzhou said, laughing. "You just like to boss me around, don't you? How could I go without you?"
Yun Jianzhou snatched Yun Que'er from Yun Fujin's arms and ran off with her.
Watching Yun Que'er's two braids flying in the wind, Yun Fujin chased after them.
"Hey, slow down. Don't let her fall!"
Yun Yi, who'd been left behind, blinked blankly. Then she grabbed her sickle and ran after them.
"So I'm the only one who has to work, right? You better stop! No one's leaving until we've cut enough pigweed!"
The four of them bickered and played all the way to the back mountain.
Hardly anyone came to this part of the mountain. It used to be a bandit's den, and after they'd ransacked the place, everyone thought it was bad luck. The land was barren, and there was no way to grow crops. So over time, rumors started to spread that the mountain was haunted.
That's why hardly anyone ever came here, day or night.
The Yun family didn't believe in such things. They'd only come here because Yun Que'er had said she'd found treasure on the mountain.
But the village head was superstitious. It was said that when his son got sick a few years ago, he didn't take him to a doctor. Instead, he'd hired a shaman.
If he wasn't so greedy for treasure, he would never have come here.
The four siblings searched the back mountain, but there was no sign of the village head. Yun Jianzhou craned his neck, looking in every direction. It looked like this trip was going to be a waste of time.
"I just realized something," he said, slapping his forehead. "Why are we even looking for him?"
Yun Fujin and Yun Yi both stopped in their tracks. Why were they doing this, anyway?
Yun Yi was out of breath. She sat down on the ground and started scolding Yun Jianzhou.
"It's all your fault for running off with little sister. Otherwise, we wouldn't be here."
Yun Yi brushed the dirt off her hands. "We've wasted so much time. We could have gotten so much work done by now. The village head can go wherever he wants. It's none of our business. I'm going home!"
But Yun Que'er had a different idea. If they could find the village head on the back mountain, wouldn't he and his family be grateful to them?
Maybe the village head would think twice before giving them any more trouble.
"Third sister, don't go," Yun Que'er called out. "It's still early. We'll definitely be able to cut enough pigweed today."
Yun Yi was too tired to keep looking. She just said,
"You can look for him if you want. Don't drag me into it!"
She kicked a stone out of her way. "I must be crazy to have come here with you guys!"
"Can't you watch where you're going?"
Yun Yi heard a scolding voice above her. She looked up and saw Liu Kui standing in front of her.
Liu Kui was tall and burly. He'd been a butcher for years, and there was always a faint smell of blood on him.
With so many "murders" on his hands, Yun Yi was scared of him. Even though she was brave, she couldn't help but take a step back when she saw him.
Yun Jianzhou pulled Yun Yi behind him. "My third sister didn't mean to. Why are you scolding her?"
Liu Kui was still angry about not getting Yun Que'er. When he heard Yun Jianzhou talking back to him, his temper flared up.
"You think you're so tough now, huh? Did you strike it rich or something? I gave your family food stamps, meat stamps, and money. Where's the girl I asked for? Where is she?!"
Liu Kui showed them his shoe, which had a hole in it and his toes were sticking out.
"Your third sister kicked my shoe. How are you going to compensate me?"