Ye Zhinan didn't want to argue anymore. She just hung her head and took a few steps back.
There were several ridges of fields separating her from the crowd. At this moment, it seemed more like a clear - cut demarcation line.
She turned around dejectedly and left everyone's sight.
The whispers erupted immediately behind her, mixed with Wei Shishi's shrill sarcasm.
In a deserted corner, Ye Zhinan relaxed her straight back.
She squatted on the ground, letting her tears blur her vision.
"Nan Nan, don't mind them. They're all heartless gossips. They talk nonsense without knowing the truth," Han Xiangmei arrived late and happened to run into Ye Zhinan hiding in the corner.
After hearing what had happened, she sent Ye Zhinan home and then went straight to the fields to scold at the top of her voice.
How dare they bully her daughter?
She would fight for justice for her daughter even if it cost her half her life.
"Mom, I'm just so angry. I did everything for their own good..." Ye Zhinan said as big teardrops fell again.
She buried her head in Han Xiangmei's arms, letting her tears soak the clothes.
"Then stop helping them. We'll just take care of our own business and show them what we're really capable of," Han Xiangmei said.
Ye Zhinan sniffed and lifted her little face out of her mother's arms.
Her doe - like eyes were glistening, as if a new fighting spirit had been rekindled.
Her mother was right. She would show those people who was really capable.
She wiped the tears on her face hard. The stinging pain from the coarse cloth refreshed her.
In just two hours, Ye Zhinan had set up the greenhouse right in front of everyone's eyes.
The mother - daughter duo stood there with their hands on their hips, looking at their masterpiece with great satisfaction.
"Mom, what if it gets damaged?" Ye Zhinan asked.
"Damaged? That means someone with a bad intention is deliberately causing trouble. Karma will come around. Their fields won't yield any crops either," Han Xiangmei shouted at the top of her voice. Although she was answering Ye Zhinan's question, she meant for everyone to hear.
She just wanted to scare them with her tough words and see who would dare to cause trouble on the Ye family's territory.
"You're cursing others out of thin air. Aren't you afraid of retribution?" Wei Shishi stepped forward, her face flushed with anger.
She glared round - eyed, as if she was about to attack at any moment.
Ye Zhinan wasn't afraid at all. She even took a step forward.
"A clear conscience fears no accusation. Do you plan to sabotage our greenhouse?" There was a provocative smile on her face as she scanned the crowd.
It was like a warning, but also like the pride after taking revenge.
"Don't mind her. Her family are all crazy. Do you really want to argue with crazy people?" someone said.
Ye Zhinan wiped the smile off her face and suddenly took out a delicate knife from her waist.
She took a few steps forward, and the people in front of her stepped back in horror, as if they had seen the King of Hell.
She played with the knife carefully in her hand and suddenly threw it out.
The tip of the knife landed firmly at Wei Shishi's feet, scaring her so much that she trembled.
"According to the laws of our dynasty, a crazy person isn't held accountable for killing someone. Do you want to give it a try?" There was a glint of killing intent in her eyes, and it didn't seem to be fake.
Wei Shishi let out a scream and ran home as fast as she could, leaving the others looking at each other in dismay.
When it came to matters of life and death, the so - called "big tree" had fallen. How interesting.
Ye Zhinan slightly raised her hand, and the knife flew back into her hand.
She took a deep look at the people in front of her and then turned around to go back to Han Xiangmei.
The mother and daughter couldn't help laughing. They went into the greenhouse, turned the soil again, and tied a bell to the door before leaving.
"The bell won't ring in the wind. It will only ring when someone opens the door from the outside. It's a warning for us," Han Xiangmei said.
The bell was left by her father.
Back then, in order to prevent her from secretly meeting Ye Shenyan, her father had tied a bell to the window.
In the distance, there came the sound of footsteps. Han Xiangmei looked over sharply, and her face immediately darkened.
"Let's go home!" Han Xiangmei snorted and turned around to leave.
Qin Yihuai had wanted to bow and then go up to greet Ye Zhinan.
But when he looked up again, they were already out of sight.
"While you were bowing, they left. It seems that Mrs. Ye isn't very satisfied with you," Chen Zhenhai hesitated for a moment before speaking. As soon as he finished speaking, he felt a sharp look from Qin Yihuai.
He shut his mouth awkwardly and just sighed inwardly that his boss still had a long way to go.
After what had just happened, Ye Zhinan was so proud on the way home that she seemed to be walking on air.
"Mom, do you think I was cool when I used the knife?" She touched the knife on her waist, feeling grateful to Ye Yingfeng.
This knife was a gift for her coming - of - age ceremony and also a trophy of Ye Yingfeng's.
He had told her that this knife had once belonged to the King of Xiliang.
It was not only small and delicate but also extremely sharp.
It could kill someone without a single drop of blood.
"You've only learned a little from Yingfeng. Don't show off easily in the future," Han Xiangmei said. Besides being happy, she was more worried about Ye Zhinan.
What good would it do if she got hurt while taking revenge?
Ye Zhinan pouted and moved closer to Han Xiangmei, showing a flattering smile.
"I know. I'll practice hard with big brother later. I won't let you down," Ye Zhinan said.
Han Xiangmei looked a bit embarrassed.
It seemed that Ye Zhinan had misunderstood her meaning.
She shook her head and smiled helplessly.
Her daughter was really not an ordinary person.
Before Ye Zhinan even entered the house, she heard the conversation between her father and brother in the yard.
She listened for a while at the door and found that the topic was about Qin Yihuai.
"Anyone who can be praised by my big brother must be extraordinary and someone who shares his ideals," Ye Zhinan said as she walked over. Looking at the battle plan on the table, she was stunned for a few seconds.
So war was such a sophisticated thing.
The drawing in front of her was worlds apart from the one she had drawn for the greenhouse.
"Don't just think he's a book - worm. He actually knows a lot about military strategy, and his ideas are quite unique," Ye Yingfeng kept praising, with wrinkles forming at the corners of his eyes.
Ye Shenyan also nodded in agreement.
"From the moment he first came to our house to the many times he took care of us later, I could tell that he has some real skills," Ye Shenyan said.
Ye Zhinan hugged her knees and sat obediently listening.
Suddenly, she remembered what had happened in the yamen and sat up straight.
"Then how capable do you think he is that even the county magistrate treats him with courtesy?" Ye Zhinan asked.
After hearing Ye Zhinan's recollection, Ye Shenyan stroked his beard and thought for a while.
Qin Yihuai did bear some resemblance to someone he used to know.
Calculating their ages, they should be about the same.
"Either he has something on the county magistrate, or he has a higher - level backing," Ye Shenyan said. Having been in the officialdom for a long time, he was well - aware of the scruples among officials.
He had once handled a case in the northern border. The prefect of this place might be a cunning person who pretended to be weak but was actually very powerful.
He seemed gentle and easy to be taken advantage of, but in fact, he was like warm water that could kill without a trace.
"If he has a higher - level backing, why doesn't he use his connections to get a better official position?" Ye Zhinan asked.