After becoming a widow, I became the apple of a rough man's eye.

He paused, lowering his voice slightly.

"A broken leg can be set, but a grudge is formed. Li Ergou, that kind of rat from the gutter, holds grudges the most. He can't beat Second Brother, but he can't he deal with you? When your brothers aren't around, he throws dead rats into your well, steals your clothes that you hang out to dry, and even..."

Jiang He's fingers slid down her waistline and stopped at a dangerous spot.

"They might even drag you into the cornfield under the cover of darkness. Then you'll be left helpless, with no one to turn to. Even if your second brother kills him afterward, you... will be ruined."

Lin Qingqing's heart tightened, and her fingernails dug into her palms.

Jiang He's description was so realistic, so real, that it sent chills down her spine. She thought of the mad widow Wang at the east end of the village, who, because of people... couldn't bear the gossip and jumped into a well, right?

Fear surged up like a tide.

"Then...what should we do?" Lin Qingqing's voice trembled. "Xiao He, I don't know what else to do..."

Jiang He curled the corners of his lips, a glint of triumph flashing in his eyes.

Just be afraid.

Only fear makes her obedient. Only when she realizes that her muscular brothers can't protect her will she understand who she truly needs.

"Don't be afraid, sister, I have a way."

Jiang He turned Lin Qingqing's shoulder, making her turn to lie on her side so he could face her. In the dim moonlight streaming in from the window, he could see Lin Qingqing's watery eyes, looking at him with a mixture of fear and anticipation.

it's beautiful.

He kissed her forehead. "You can't beat this mad dog. He knows that murder is illegal, and my brother won't really do anything to him. But you have to make him afraid, so that he'll avoid you for the rest of his life."

"How...how do I do it?"

"To kill someone, you must destroy their spirit."

Jiang He took her hand and placed it on his heart.

"Sister, you're too soft. In this world, weakness is like handing someone a knife. You need to learn to use your strengths."

"Advantages?" Lin Qingqing asked blankly.

"Your biggest advantage is your face." Jiang He's fingers gently traced her face. "If Li Ergou wants to take advantage, then give him the chance."

Lin Qingqing's eyes widened suddenly, and she instinctively tried to shrink back: "No! I don't want to..."

"Shh—let me finish." Jiang He pressed her down firmly, his strength leaving no room for doubt. "It's not about letting him take advantage of you. It's about learning how to fish."

"Next time he comes up to you, don't rush to dodge or yell at him. You need to learn to guide him, to make a big fuss, but not to make it a big fuss on your own initiative."

The villagers aren't on your side because he didn't do anything substantial, but you definitely ran away.

"You need to let the whole village see that Li Ergou is shameless. You can't just cry; you need to make those women who usually watch the drama feel sorry for you, and make those self-righteous men think Li Ergou is a scoundrel."

Lin Qingqing was stunned.

She had never considered such convoluted thoughts.

In her upbringing, she was taught to avoid bad people, and if she couldn't avoid them, to endure it and try not to cause trouble.

"Just crying isn't enough," Jiang He continued. "You also need to learn how to use others to do your dirty work. The village secretary is most concerned about his reputation, and Wang Dazui loves to gossip. If people find out that Li Ergou was peeping at the village secretary's daughter-in-law taking a bath..."

"Really?" Lin Qingqing exclaimed in surprise. "He really saw it?"

"Whether it's true or not doesn't matter. Even if he hasn't seen it, we can find a way to make him see it." Jiang He smiled innocently. "Then, you won't even need to lift a finger; the village secretary will have Li Ergou completely under his thumb."

Lin Qingqing felt her head buzzing.

This...this is a setup.