The Butcher's Little Husband - Chapter 113

That day, a conflict broke out between the villagers and the refugees from outside.

The cause was the well beneath the old tree in the village. With so many people using the water, the water level in the well had become increasingly shallow. 

There were only four wells in Willow Tree Slope. The other three had been dug by the villagers themselves, but this one was shared by everyone, with the costs covered by their own contributions.

The weather was getting drier and drier, and the river had dried up. 

Li Wenxuan had once gone to the source to see the lake where he and Tian Xiaoman used to catch crabs, only to find it left with shallow water, and dried fish and shrimp carcasses scattered everywhere.

Once the river’s water dried up, the villagers had no choice but to rely on the water from the well to survive.

Those with good relationships and living nearby could sometimes go to their neighbors for a few buckets, while others depended on the old well.

Everyone feared the well would run dry, so they dug for water day and night. Even if their water tanks at home were full, they had to keep more water in buckets. 

When a refugee came to fetch water again, a young man stopped him.

“You’ve already taken water five times, haven’t you?” the man said, stopping him from putting the bucket down. “Isn’t that enough? Do you really need to take so much water in one day?”

“What’s it to you? This isn’t your well,” the refugee waved the man off and lowered the bucket again.

The young man grabbed the rope. “If you take all the water, what will others drink? This isn’t just my well, it’s the well for our village!”

“Oh, I’ve only heard of people carrying firewood from thousands of miles away, but never of people carrying water from thousands of miles. Everyone is struggling. What’s wrong with getting some water? Don’t be so stingy, young man,” the refugee said, acting like an elder disappointed in his actions.

The young man snorted. People were used to taking only a few buckets of water a day, never more than ten, and they knew their limits. “We just can’t take it anymore, what’s the big deal?”

“Are you going to fight?” the refugee sneered. “The elders in your village haven’t said anything. Who are you to speak up?” 

He pushed the young man roughly, then grabbed a bucket and was about to pour it into his own. But the young man grabbed his arm, exerted force, and the bucket fell, spilling water everywhere.

“Do you want to fight?” the refugee shouted, rushing at the young man.

Word quickly spread to Li Wenxuan and Father Li, who heard that the refugees had blocked the road at the entrance of the village and were confronting the villagers of Willow Tree Slope.

 Jin Zhu rushed to the Li household in panic, telling them what had happened.

Li Wenxuan and Father Li were among the strongest in the village, skilled in martial arts. They weren’t ones to back down. If they did, it might encourage more problems, like food theft in the future.

Li Wenxuan immediately told Tian Xiaoman and the others to close the gates and the windows. If a fight broke out, it would be dangerous if anyone broke into their yard.

Tian Xiaoman, frightened by the situation, followed Li Wenxuan’s instructions. He quickly closed the gate and locked the room doors, then waited with Li Am.

Little Tuanzi, almost one year old, still couldn’t walk but could speak clearly. 

He and Le Ge’er sat on the bed, playing. When they grew tired and wanted to sleep, they patted the bed, calling out in a baby voice, “Amu, go to sleep!”

Tian Xiaoman was in a daze, unable to focus. He waved at Tuanzi, saying, “Tuanzi, be good. Go to sleep now.”

“Amu, go to sleep!” Tuanzi protested. He was used to being coaxed to sleep every night and wasn’t willing to sleep alone today. “Amu, come!”

“No!” Tian Xiaoman didn’t have the patience to coax him this time. 

He was too worried about the situation. Li Wenxuan and Father Li were facing tall, strong men. What if something happened to them?

Tuanzi pouted and was about to cry when he was picked up by a pair of large hands. 

He looked up and saw, “Gramu!”

“Yes. Gramu,will hold you to sleep,” Li Amu said gently. 

He understood Tian Xiaoman’s worry. As a child, he too had felt the same anxiety every time his father went up the mountain.

Little Tuanzi looked at Li Amu with sad eyes, still wanting Tian Xiaoman to coax him. He whimpered and cried a little.

Annoyed, Tian Xiaoman took him in his arms and patted his little bottom. “Alright, can you sleep now? If you cry again, I’ll give you a spanking!” 

Although his words were harsh, his hand was light as he patted him.

Li Amu smiled softly from the side. Xiaoman had always been tough on the outside but soft on the inside. 

As Tuanzi fell asleep, Le Ge’er felt sleepy too. He climbed off the bed and into Li Amu’s arms, quickly dozing off.

By the time Li Wenxuan and Father Li arrived, tensions had escalated. Both sides were on edge, the atmosphere thick with hostility.

“Hand over the one who struck him, and today’s incident will be forgiven. Otherwise…” The leader of the refugees, Wei Wu, stood tall, looking imposing.

“He started it first. We just pushed him a little, I didn’t even beat him!” The young man from earlier shouted, but was quickly silenced by his elders.

“Humph, how could he have been injured so badly if I didn’t strike him? I heard he came to get water, and you refused, leading to the conflict!”

“This is our village’s water! Why should we give it to you?” The young man yelled, his face flushed red with anger. The atmosphere immediately darkened.

Wei Wu scoffed. “So, everyone thinks this way?” He surveyed the villagers. “In the past, each village had its own rules, but now it’s different. If you don’t let us drink, you’re condemning us. We don’t need to be polite anymore.”

The village chief quickly intervened, “Young people are ignorant. Don’t pay attention to him. Of course, we’ll let you drink the water.”

“Well, then hand over the man who beat us, or else,” Wei Wu’s tone turned threatening, “we’ll demand 500 kilograms of grain as compensation.”

The villagers gasped. 500 kilograms of grain? That could have been a hefty sum in peaceful years, but now, in a time of famine, it was enough to cost them their lives.

The village chief’s face darkened. He realized that Wei Wu wasn’t here for justice, but to take advantage of the situation to extort the villagers. If he refused, what would happen? Wei Wu had brought so many people with him—was he planning to rob the village?

Just as the village chief was about to give in, he saw Li Wenxuan and his father approaching. It was as if he had found his backbone again. With a friendly tone, he called out, “Wenxuan, you’re here!”