The Butcher's Little Husband - Chapter 116

When Li Wenxuan returns home, Little Tuanzi, Le Ge’er, and Liu Xilin are sitting in a row, eating something in their hands. A closer look reveals that they’re rice balls.

Li Wenxuan goes silent. His Little Tuanzi really was born in a tough time. In the past, how could they have fallen to the point where rice balls were their only snacks?

Most food shops in the county are closed. Only grain shops remain open, but their prices are far beyond what the locals can afford. The Li family doesn’t lack grain, but they’re short on other kinds of food. And now, even with money, they can’t buy anything.

He calms himself and walks over to call Little Tuanzi. 

Little Tuanzi is sitting on the doorstep. When he sees Li Wenxuan, his face lights up. “Father!” He carefully climbs down the step and runs to him.

“What’s Little Tuanzi eating?”

“Rice!” Little Tuanzi refuses to be called “Rice balls” because it sounds too much like his own name. His Amu has deliberately called him that many times in front of him, successfully making him puff up with anger.

“Rice Tuanzi, give Father a bite.” Li Wenxuan says it casually, not understanding the issue.

Little Tuanzi’s smile vanishes immediately. His face stiffens, and he turns around to present his backside to Li Wenxuan.

Li Wenxuan is puzzled. What did he do to offend this brat? So stingy!

Le Ge’er laughs joyfully beside them and offers a bite to Li Wenxuan instead. 

He takes it and finds that it’s a glutinous rice dumpling stuffed with bits of bacon—surprisingly delicious.

“Xiaoman, do you have any more? Give me one too!” he says, noticing Little Tuanzi starting to eat faster, as if he’s trying to finish in time for another one when his Amu comes out.

Tian Xiaoman comes out, holding a big rice ball, and hands it to him. 

Little Tuanzi wipes his hands on his apron a few times, then looks at Tian Xiaoman flatteringly. “Amu~” His cheeks are stuffed, and the last bite is still in his mouth.

Tian Xiaoman glares. “No more eating!”

“Amu~”

“No. That’s already three!” He’s eaten faster than his cousin. He turns to Le Ge’er and Liu Xilin. “There are more in the kitchen. You can have another one later.”

Little Tuanzi is unhappy when he hears this. But he knows he can’t throw a tantrum at his Amu, or he’ll get his butt smacked. So he sets his sights on his father instead and looks up at him expectantly.

Li Wenxuan is also petty. Since Little Tuanzi didn’t give him food earlier, he pretends not to notice him now, loudly chewing in front of the hopeful little face.

Little Tuanzi rubs his belly, licks his lips, and walks over. “Father~ Father~ Father~”

Li Wenxuan is softened by the sweet little voice. He finally hands over the rice ball under Little Tuanzi’s sparkling eyes and spreads his hands in surrender.

Little Tuanzi is stunned to realize he’s been tricked—and then his mouth opens wide, ready to cry.

“Wow! Why do you have so many things!” Tian Xiaoman exclaims as he opens Li Wenxuan’s backpack. Inside, he finds four pheasants, a nest of pheasant eggs, two white melons, and a bunch of wild vegetables.

Little Tuanzi is immediately distracted by the shout and runs over to look. He reaches out and plucks the most eye-catching red feather from the pheasant’s butt.

He’s never eaten white melon before, nor has he seen it, so he goes straight for a chicken feather. But Le Ge’er and Liu Xilin have had it before. “Wow, white melon!”

Tian Xiaoman happily picks up the melon and draws water from the well to soak it. He doesn’t plan to cut it yet—after all, they’ve just eaten rice balls.

Le Ge’er collects a lot of chicken feathers to make a shuttlecock. 

Liu Xilin helps him pluck them, which causes Little Tuanzi to scream…

Li Yiran, following the imperial escort, is nearly at Anyang County. Along the way, they distribute many supplies and see many thin, elderly people and children. He’s afraid he’ll see the same thing when he gets home.

But on second thought, that shouldn’t be the case. With Father and Wenxuan there, they shouldn’t be starving. At worst, they’re just eating simply. It’s okay—he’ll be home soon.

Recently, refugees have been wandering near the village. After tasting the sweetness of robbing food last time, they’re back. 

The villagers are wary now—no one leaves home without leaving someone behind.

This time, the target is Old Man Wang’s home. He, his son, and son-in-law go to work the fields early. Their land is near the lake, and after the locusts devoured everything, they planted seedlings and carried lake water in buckets. That’s how they’ve managed to survive. They dare not slack off for even a day.

Because of the heat, they leave before dawn to finish early. 

At home are Old Lady Wang, his young ger Wang Ning, and grandson Wang Pang. The refugees see the men have left and break into the house, looting everything. Before leaving, one tries to rape Wang Ning. He fights back, and they struggle for a long time. Fortunately, people start passing by outside, and the leader decides not to make trouble, calling it off.

They tie the three to stools, gag them, then climb over the wall and escape.

When Wang Lao Han and the others return, they find the gate locked and panic. Wang Tiezhu borrows a ladder from a neighbor and climbs over the wall. Inside is a mess. He rushes to the main room and sees his Amu, brother, and son tied up, faces bruised and beaten.

He quickly unties them and asks what happened, but they just cry, unable to speak. Wang Lao Han urges them from outside. Tiezhu opens the gate.

Once everyone calms down a bit, they explain what happened. 

Wang Tiezhu is furious and grabs a hoe to seek revenge, but Wang Lao Han stops him. “Go find the village chief!”

The village chief is home. When he sees them coming angrily, he thinks he’s done something wrong. Hearing what happened, he immediately strikes the gong at his door, summoning everyone.

When nearly everyone gathers, the village chief explains what happened. 

The crowd is outraged. Last time it was at night—now it’s during the day. This time they beat people—will they kill next?

The villagers storm toward the refugee camp again. The refugees still deny everything. During the tense standoff, Wang Ge’er steps forward, eyes red and swollen from crying.

“Village chief, uncles, when those bad guys robbed our house, one tried to molest me. When I struggled, I saw a red birthmark on his hand, about the size of a copper coin.”

Old Lady Wang immediately pulls him back. “Don’t say that! If word gets out, who will marry you?”

Wang Ge’er doesn’t care. What happened was too frightening. He’d rather ruin his reputation than let those people go unpunished.

Li Wenxuan notices someone in the refugee crowd cover his wrist and step back awkwardly. He charges forward, grabs the man, and pins him down.

“What are you doing?” Wei Wu shouts.

“I want to check if he has that red mark.” Li Wenxuan lifts the man’s sleeve—his left wrist is clean, but the right has the birthmark Wang Ge’er described.

“Still want to deny it?” the village chief asks sharply.

Wei Wu quickly tries to shift blame. “It’s summer—people wear short sleeves. Anyone could’ve seen it. That kid said I tried to molest him—think about it, everyone. How strong is a man? If I really wanted to, would he still be standing here? I think he’s just making up a scapegoat!”

The crowd is stunned by his shamelessness. Li Wenxuan suppresses his anger, releases the man, and asks Wang Ge’er what else he remembers.

Wang Ge’er wipes his tears. “I think I scratched his neck.”

Before the man can retreat, Li Wenxuan grabs him again, pulls down his collar, and sneers. “Now what do you have to say?”

Wei Wu’s face darkens. He narrows his eyes and then laughs coldly. “I didn’t want to go this far—but you forced me! Everyone, grab your weapons! Erzi, if you win, I’ll give you the kid!”

The Willow Tree Slope villagers aren’t prepared—they came to reason, but Wei Wu attacks the moment he finishes talking.

A chaotic fight breaks out. Both sides go red-eyed. 

Li Wenxuan kicks away a man trying to sneak up on his father, snatches a stick from someone else, and starts swinging.

Most of the refugees are young men. Willow Tree Slope has middle-aged men and elders. To protect the elders, the young villagers take more hits.

The tide starts turning against Willow Tree Slope. Even Li Wenxuan gets hit a few times while shielding others.

He grows desperate. This can’t go on—they’ll lose. Not only will they not get justice, the village gers and boys will suffer.

Catch the leader first! He knocks down several attackers, then charges at Wei Wu. 

The thug rolls on the ground, dodging the blow.

Li Wenxuan raises his stick again. Wei Wu draws a knife. After exchanging dozens of moves, Li Wenxuan gains the upper hand, kicking away the blade. He twists his hand, catches the falling knife, and presses it to Wei Wu’s throat.

“Stop! I’ve caught him! If anyone moves, I’ll kill him!”

The refugees hesitate. 

Then Sun Lao’er shouts, “It’s already come to this! If we surrender, they’ll hand us over to the officials! We’ll all die! They don’t dare kill him—we’ll save Wuzi later!”

The attack grows fiercer. Li Wenxuan smiles bitterly. This strategy only works in the army—it’s useless against these ignorant people. 

Wei Wu looks stunned. He didn’t expect them to abandon him so easily.

More and more villagers are knocked down. Just then, the village gers charge in with kitchen knives and machetes.

The men shouldn’t be fighting out front while the gers hide at home.

Li Wenxuan spots Tian Xiaoman in the lead, bravely rushing in with two kitchen knives. Fearing he’ll get hurt, he knocks Wei Wu unconscious with a blow to the neck, tosses him aside, and runs to him.

With the women joining, the tide starts to turn. 

Just when the fight becomes evenly matched, a voice rings out—“Stop! What are you all doing!”