Living like a widow? My rough neighbor is coaxing me to have a baby every night.

Xianglian suddenly woke up with a start, and the hairs on her body stood on end.

"Who?!" she shouted sharply, grabbing the wood-chopping knife and standing up abruptly. The wooden bed beneath her creaked loudly from the force of her movement.

No one answered.

The only sound was the wind rustling the leaves.

Could she have misheard? Xianglian held her breath, staring intently at the dark cornfield.

Just then, a dark figure suddenly darted out from the side, carrying a nauseating stench of sweat and cheap tobacco, and pounced on Xianglian!

"ah--!"

Xianglian screamed and instinctively swung the wood-chopping knife in her hand.

The man was clearly not expecting that this seemingly frail young widow would actually be holding a weapon. He was so frightened that he dodged to the side, and the machete grazed his arm, making a tearing sound as it ripped his clothes.

"Damn! This woman's pretty hot!"

The man steadied himself, cursing, and in the dim light, Xianglian could see his lewd and vulgar face.

Chen Dagui!

He was a notorious good-for-nothing in the village, always idling around, stealing chickens and dogs, and a lecherous scoundrel.

Xianglian's heart sank to the bottom in an instant.

She recalled Aunt Zhao's unusual "kindness" earlier that day and instantly understood everything.

This isn't guarding the melons, it's clearly a trap!

"Chen Dagui! What are you doing!" Xianglian's hand holding the machete was trembling. She leaned against the pillar of the melon shed, with nowhere to retreat.

"Hehe, little lady, what do you think I'm going to do?" Chen Dagui rubbed his hands together, his triangular eyes greedily roaming over Xianglian's body, drool practically dripping from his mouth. "It's late at night, a lone man and a lone woman, what else can we do besides that kind of thing? Your mother-in-law gave you to me, that's doing you a favor!"

"You're talking nonsense!" Xianglian trembled with rage. "Don't come any closer! Or I... I'll kill you!"

"Kill me? Would you really do that?" Chen Dagui leered as he approached. "Your mother-in-law already told me that you're still a virgin, aren't you? It's no fun being a widow with that spineless coward Zhao Gang. Tonight, I'll give you a good time, I guarantee you'll be in ecstasy, and you'll be begging to live with me!"

As he spoke, he pounced like a wolf and grabbed Xianglian's wrist, which was holding the knife.

The man was stronger after all. Xianglian felt a sharp pain in her wrist, and the wood-chopping knife clattered to the ground.

Despair overwhelmed her in an instant.

"Let me go! Help! Help—!"

Xianglian struggled desperately, scratching several bloody marks on Chen Dagui's face with her fingernails.

"Scream all you want! No one will come to save you no matter how loud you scream!"

Chen Dagui, his hand bleeding from the scratch, flew into a rage and slapped Xianglian hard across the face. "You filthy bitch! You don't know what's good for you! Tonight, you have no choice but to comply!"

The slap was extremely heavy, making Xianglian's ears ring, blood seep from the corner of her mouth, and half of her face swell up instantly.

Chen Dagui grinned maliciously and grabbed Xianglian by the collar. The faded old jacket made a crisp "rip" sound, revealing a patched pink undergarment underneath.

"So white..." Chen Dagui's eyes turned red, his breathing was heavy as a bull, and he pouted his stinky mouth, about to bite Xianglian's neck.

Xianglian closed her eyes in despair, tears streaming down her cheeks.

It’s over.

Is this how my life ends?

Schemed against by her in-laws and humiliated by thugs, she was forever branded a slut, living a life worse than death...

Just as that nauseating smell was about to touch her skin—

"Bang!"

A deafening roar, like a thunderclap from a clear sky.

The already dilapidated roof of the melon shed was suddenly crushed by someone stepping on it!

Thatch and sawdust rained down on them.

Before Chen Dagui could react, a large foot wearing a liberation shoe, like a boulder falling from the sky, kicked him hard in the back of the head with tremendous force!

"Awooo—!"

Chen Dagui let out a pig-like scream and flew out like a tattered sack, crashing heavily into a watermelon patch several meters away. He smashed several ripe watermelons, splattering red flesh all over himself, a horrifying sight.

"Who? Which bastard dares to ruin my good time?!" Chen Dagui winced in pain, clutching his waist and rolling on the ground, cursing all the while.

"I'm your ancestor!"

A loud shout rang out in the night sky, carrying a chilling murderous aura.

Xianglian suddenly opened her eyes, and through her teary vision, she saw that familiar tall figure standing in front of her.

The moon peeked out from behind the clouds, its pale light bathing him.

Qin Rushan!

He carried the axe he usually used for chopping wood, its blade gleaming coldly in the moonlight.

That face, which was usually fierce and menacing, was now filled with boundless rage. The scar, engorged with blood, looked particularly grotesque, like a demon crawling out of hell.

Every muscle in his body was taut, like a furious lion ready to tear its prey to shreds at any moment.

"Like...like a mountain..."

Upon seeing this man, Xianglian's taut nerve finally snapped. She could no longer hold on; her body went limp, and she slid down the pillar to the ground, bursting into tears.

Qin Rushan trembled slightly upon hearing the crying.

He didn't turn around, but stood with his back to Xianglian, his voice terribly hoarse, yet carrying a reassuring firmness:

"Sister-in-law, close your eyes. Don't look, it's dirty."

After saying that, he picked up the axe and walked step by step toward Chen Dagui lying on the ground. Each heavy footstep felt like it was pounding on Chen Dagui's heart.

When Chen Dagui saw who it was, he was so frightened that his crotch was instantly soaked, and a strong smell of urine filled the air.

"Master Qin...Master Qin! Ancestor Qin! I was wrong! I really didn't know you were protecting me!"

Ignoring the pain, Chen Dagui crawled backward on all fours, his voice trembling, "It was all Aunt Zhao's fault! That old hag sent me! She said this woman is shameless and told me to ruin her! I was just out of my mind for a moment..."

"Bewitched?"

Qin Rushan sneered, a laugh colder than the night wind, "Then I'll send you to meet the King of Hell today, so you can have your fill of seduction!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than he raised the axe in his hand and chopped it down hard between Chen Dagui's legs!

"ah--!"

Chen Dagui was so frightened that his eyes rolled back and he almost fainted.

"Duh!"

A muffled thud.

The sharp axe blade grazed Chen Dagui's crotch, carving deep into the soil, just a hair's breadth away from that thing that would carry on the family line.

Chen Dagui felt a chill in his groin, followed by a violent tremor, as if he had been pulled out of the water.

"This axe blow is a warning."

Qin Rushan crouched down, grabbed Chen Dagui by the collar, and lifted him up like a dead dog. His dark eyes were fixed on him. "Go back and tell that old hag from the Zhao family, and your foul mouth. If you dare to let out a single word about tonight's events, or if you ever dare to make a move on her again..."

He patted Chen Dagui's deathly pale face, his voice soft yet chilling, "Next time, this axe won't just be chopping mud. I heard the stray dogs over at the mass grave are starving lately, do you want to go feed them?"

"No... I won't dare again! I'll never dare again!" Chen Dagui shook his head vigorously, tears streaming down his face. "I'll leave right now! I'll leave right now!"

Qin Rushan loosened his grip, and Chen Dagui scrambled into the cornfield. He was truly scrambling and running faster than a rabbit, afraid that if he was even a step too slow, the axe would fall on his head.

As Qin Rushan watched the direction Chen Dagui disappeared in, the hostility in his eyes slowly dissipated.

He took a deep breath, turned around, and walked back to the melon shed.

Seeing Xianglian huddled in the corner, shivering and with her clothes torn, his heart felt as if it had been ripped open, and he felt a sharp pain.

He took off his military green vest, which, though smelling of sweat, was still burning hot.

Qin Rushan walked over, knelt on one knee in front of Xianglian, and clumsily but gently wrapped her in his vest, covering her dazzling pink and snow-white skin.

"It's alright now." He pulled Xianglian's trembling body into his arms, gently patting her back as if comforting a frightened child. "I'm here, no one can hurt you."

Xianglian gripped his bare arm tightly, her nails almost digging into his flesh, sobbing uncontrollably, "Rushan... I'm scared... I'm so scared..."

"Don't be afraid." Qin Rushan lowered his head, resting his chin on the top of her head, his voice incredibly gentle. "Since that old hag is so shameless, we're leaving the Zhao family."