Everyone froze. Taking a closer look, they realized it was Mo Xiaosu.
Lin Liuping said, "Little Su, that twenty cents was Xiao Man’s change. Why did you take her money? Hurry up and give it back!"
Mo Linghui and Guan Ailan chid in, telling Mo Xiaosu, "Give it back to Xiao Man! That’s her money!"
Mo Xiaosu snorted. She shot Liang Xiaoju a vicious eye-roll, then glared at Xiao Man. "Her money? Bullshit! This money ca from my Grandpa, so it should be mine! Grandpa and Grandma used to live with my family. They’re *my* grandpa and grandma! They always loved best and saved everything for . When there was a movie, Grandpa only ever gave money to ! It’s all because of this Mo Xiaoman. I don’t know what kind of dirty tricks she pulled to fool Grandpa and Grandma into abandoning and doting on a bastard like her instead! Mo Xiaoman, you shaless bastard! The whole village knows you’re a bastard! What gives you the right to be so cocky?"
Xiao Man was taken aback. This version of Mo Xiaosu was a complete surprise. In her previous life, Mo Xiaosu had enjoyed playing pranks on her, but she’d never had such a vicious tongue. Later, she had spent all her ti at school, and whenever she returned for vacation, she put on a refined, arrogant air. She even started wearing glasses, looking all prim and proper while looking down her nose at everyone. She was so aloof she wouldn’t even acknowledge you if you said hello, let alone curse at soone.
But in this life, she was screaming like a fishwife at such a young age. Xiao Man was truly caught off guard, completely stunned.
Her friends, however, reacted much faster. Mo Linghui jabbed a finger into Mo Xiaosu’s chest and yelled, "Xiao Man grew up in your family’s courtyard! How co you never called her a bastard back then? Why is she suddenly a bastard now? Who told you that?"
Mo Xiaosu slapped Mo Linghui’s hand away. "My uncle and aunt said so! The whole village knows!"
"You’re full of it!" Guan Ailan spat in Mo Xiaosu’s direction. "My mom always says, ’like mother, like daughter.’ You’re just like your foul-mouthed mom—never a nice word to say, but you can spew insults by the dozen!"
Behind the counter, Lin Liuping let out a snort of laughter. Xiao Man broke into a sweat. ’Guan Ailan, can we please not drag other people’s parents into this? Do you realize you just made an enemy for your own mom?’
Just as expected, hearing her mom called out made Mo Xiaosu furious. She raised her hands like claws and lunged at Guan Ailan, but Mo Shuixia, who was a head taller, blocked her way. Without a word, Mo Shuixia pinned Mo Xiaosu with one hand and searched her pockets with the other. She quickly found the twenty cents, which she handed back to Xiao Man.
Once released, Mo Xiaosu stood stunned for a second before bursting into loud sobs.
Mo Linghui roared at her, "What are you crying for? You’ve got so nerve!"
"Look at that, the thief is playing the victim," Guan Ailan said with a dry chuckle.
"Aren’t you the real villains? Everyone just saw it clear as day: you grabbed Mo Xiaosu, searched her, and stole her money. You’re the villains!" a voice drifted over from the corner.
Xiao Man glanced over. She had already noticed them: three girls about ten years old with their hair down, probably having just washed it for the night. Two of them were even running combs through their hair. They were Mo Xiaosu’s cronies: Chen Yujiao, Chen Fangfang, and Lin ilian. These girls were known as the most fashionable and haughtiest in the village. In her past life, they had also been Mo Xiaosu’s good friends. But later, Mo Xiaosu transferred to the county middle school while these girls failed to continue their studies and returned ho to farm. Whenever Mo Xiaosu ca back to the village to visit family, she acted as if she didn’t know them, walking right past without so much as a hello.
Guan Ailan shot a contemptuous look in their direction. She then raised her chin and called out to the crowd of girls watching, "Who’s that making sly comnts from the shadows? Can’t you sll the stink?"
A voice from the corner imdiately shot back, "Who are you calling stinky?"
"Whoever’s answering, that’s who!"
"Guan Ailan! Don’t think you’re so great just because your dad’s the production team leader! It doesn’t give you the right to insult people!"
"My dad *is* the production team leader, and that *is* great, so what? If you’ve got a problem, tell your dad to beco one! And get your facts straight. Who did I, Guan Ailan, insult?"
"You insulted us! You said we were making sneaky, foul remarks!"
"Hiding in a corner and making snide comnts like that isn’t the sa as being sneaky and foul? If you have any guts, why don’t you step out into the light and say it to our faces?"
"Fine by ! You think I’m scared of you?" Lin ilian said, about to step forward. But Chen Fangfang pulled her back and whispered sothing in her ear, and Lin ilian froze.
Guan Ailan snorted. "What’s wrong? Not coming out anymore? Scared of , are you?"
"Scared of you, my ass! Searching soone’s body is wrong! How is that any different from being a bandit?" Lin ilian retorted stubbornly.
Mo Shuixia spoke up. "Having the guts to steal soone’s money—*that’s* what a real bandit does! So what if we searched her? She insulted Xiao Man, too. We don’t have ti to deal with her tonight because of the movie, otherwise I’d have already given her a couple of slaps! If you want to help her, then co on. I’ll take all of you on by myself!"
Mo Linghui quickly stepped forward. "No way! If we’re fighting, we fight together! They’ve got a few people, so we’ll use a few people. We can’t let them have the advantage!"
Guan Ailan added, "That’s right! We’re not afraid of them! My sister’s out, Xiao Man’s in. Four-on-four! We’ve got Shuixia, so we can’t lose!"
Xiao Man: ...
’Are we really about to get into a group fight?’
Thinking back, this was exactly what her childhood was like. The village kids could coexist peacefully most of the ti, but on special occasions, they would form gangs with clear battle lines. For instance, they’d argue about whose production team was better, or the kids from the east end of the village would ’negotiate’ with the kids from the west end. The slightest disagreent would lead to a fight. Sotis it was bare-fisted, other tis they’d use bamboo poles and wooden sticks. Xiao Man rembered once helping Mo Xiaosu and Mo Xiaofeng fight so other group, only to be beaten all the way ho with bamboo poles. The other side’s leader had even warned her not to leave her house for a full day, or she’d face the consequences.
’So, is Mo Shuixia throwing down the gauntlet now?’
Xiao Man felt a little thrill of excitent...
Unexpectedly, the other side refused to accept the challenge. Chen Yujiao, the tallest of the three girls, said calmly, "This is a family matter between Mo Xiaosu and Mo Xiaoman. Why should we get involved?"
"Not getting involved? Then why were you making those stinking comnts earlier?" Guan Ailan’s tongue was sharp, her only flaw being her vulgar choice of words.
"You’re the one spouting nonsense!" Chen Yujiao glared at Guan Ailan, then pulled Chen Fangfang along and said to Lin ilian, "We’re not talking to people with filthy mouths. Co on, let’s go watch the movie!"
Seeing her friends about to abandon her, Mo Xiaosu grew anxious. She grabbed Chen Fangfang’s arm. "Don’t go! You promised you’d help !"
"Help you with what?" Chen Fangfang shook her hand off. "They already took the money back! Now there are no sunflower seeds to eat!"
"The money’s in Xiao Man’s hands, and there’s also that Liang Xiaoju... We can just snatch it back later!" Mo Xiaosu refused to give up.
Xiao Man was close enough to hear Chen Yujiao say in a low voice, "Mo Shuixia is strong and Guan Ailan has a sharp tongue. With them here, we’ll definitely lose. We’d just be making a fool of ourselves in front of everyone. Let’s wait for another ti!"
The four of them were pulling at each other and about to leave when Lin ilian, who had already reached the doorway, suddenly turned and ran back to the counter. She yelled at Lin Liuping inside, "It’s getting late! The movie’s about to start! Aren’t you going to give so sweet biscuits and sunflower seeds?"
Lin Liuping didn’t even glance at her, continuing with her work. "Anyone else buying sothing? Hurry up! I have to close up and leave soon!" she called out.
Furious, Lin ilian pounded the counter and shrieked, "Lin Liuping! You rember this: From this day on, I don’t have a sister nad you! If I ever call you ’sister’ again, I’ll change my last na!"
With that, under the surprised but knowing gazes of the crowd, Lin ilian ran out.
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