I’m a Cute Little Koi [16]

The charge was incitement.

Dragged out by their ears along with Yin Yue was Qin Mao, because according to the child’s account, the gift was brought by Yin Yue but indeed in the name of her husband, Qin Mao.

As they watched the gang fights and violent scenes on the screen, the adults were initially fascinated. Some even unconsciously crossed their legs, and when they saw the pool scenes featuring scantily clad actresses, the conservative villagers nearly had their eyeballs fall out. It took a while for the adults to snap out of it, and when they noticed the little one next to them had brought a small stool, his big, shiny eyes seemed to be enchanted as well. The adults only woke up after a considerable time, realizing the potential impact of such blood-soaked movies on children. Even they could be influenced, let alone children who were less worldly.

The charges against Yin Yue, the one who brought these movies, were quite significant. She was grabbed by her hair and scolded relentlessly by Grandma Luo. Grandma Luo questioned, “What do you mean by showing these things to Xiao Bao? Are you trying to incite him into becoming a brawler like those second-rate troublemakers in the village?” Her usually obedient and calm grandson, who wouldn’t even rush if the sky were falling, had unexpectedly developed a liking for killing chickens after watching a few of Yin Yue’s films. He wanted to see how blood splattered, just like in the movies.

Was he going to start killing people as he got older? Would he end up like those ruffians in the village, idling around, getting into fights, going to the police station several times, and then getting released again?

These speculations nearly made Grandma Luo faint. After choking back her anger and waking up, she immediately grabbed a rattan whip and headed to the Qin family to drag the still-sleeping couple out.

Upon learning the origins of this group, Qin Mao first looked bewildered and confused, then widened his eyes in shock. He glanced at Xiao Bao, protected by family members, and then at his wife, who couldn’t speak due to guilt. Qin Mao took a deep breath. He never expected that a few words praising Xiao Bao would attract the ill intentions of his wife. Moreover, to put the blame on him was something he couldn’t fathom. The members of the Yin family glared at the couple with resentment.

Especially the young master from the city, holding Xiao Bao in his arms, lazily lifted his phoenix eyes and coldly explained the nature of the situation. He said, “These tapes are rented at video stores for those above eighteen. It’s not allowed for teenagers and children below that age to watch them. You must be aware of this.” In other words, deliberately showing adult movies to a child, especially in such quantities, clearly indicated premeditation and harmful intent towards Xiao Bao, intending to corrupt him after watching.

This couple was utterly wicked! A good beating wouldn’t extinguish the anger directed towards them.

Qin Mao was unjustly implicated in this unwarranted disaster, and he felt fearful. He quickly defended himself, saying, “I didn’t rent these tapes, and I never had the intention to harm Xiao Bao.” On the contrary, he liked Xiao Bao, that lovable child, so why would he want to harm him? Moreover, he kept meticulous records in his little notebook, noting debts owed to Wang Shan and Zhang Shener in the village. Every detail was clear, and he simply didn’t have the money to rent videotapes. If he had any money, wouldn’t he use it to repay his debts instead of intentionally harming a child?

However, the Yin family paid no attention to Qin Mao’s defense. In their eyes, as a married couple, if one of them did something wrong, both bore the blame and suffered discrimination together. Other villagers who stood for justice and couldn’t tolerate such behavior sided with Grandma Luo, leaving Qin Mao to face the accusations from all sides. He was utterly frustrated and couldn’t defend himself in the face of a thousand accusations.

The couple from the main household also remained silent. They felt that what Yin Yue did was excessive. Xiao Bao was fine, so why did she go to such lengths to harm him? Even her own blood brother was harmed. Was she still human? The wife from the main household was saddened by her daughter’s actions and secretly relieved that she hadn’t helped Yin Yue get a job in the factory. Who knew what calamity she might have caused? Regardless of Yin Yue’s pleas, the wife from the main household remained firm.

In the end, the two families severed all ties. If Yin Yue and Qin Mao dared to visit in the future, they would be immediately kicked out. The rest of the villagers treated the couple as pariahs, and their reputation was completely tarnished.

After the chaos caused by the Yin family subsided, Yin Yue, holding her swollen face, cursed vehemently in her heart. She hadn’t expected that after just one night of watching a movie, Xiao Bao would start imitating and learning. The revelation about her giving Xiao Bao the videotapes happened in less than a day, and her well-thought-out plan completely fell apart.

Seeing her husband sitting on the ground covered in injuries, burying his face in his hands, muttering to himself, “I’m ruined, my reputation is completely destroyed…”

Yin Yue, feeling a bit guilty, thought about going up to comfort him. At the same time, she casually advised, “Oh, it’s just the people from the village. They are all jealous and love to favor the rich. When you have money in the future, they won’t dare to criticize you. They’ll be fawning over you. You’re a man, don’t feel down about such trivial matters.” In any case, she did not admit any wrongdoing. Yin Yue had long regarded Qin Mao as her possession and never considered the consequences of blaming him for everything, causing him to endure the criticism, disdain, and strange looks from the entire village.

Yin Yue added, “If you don’t want to stay in Wenshui Village, we can go to another city.” In her view, Wenshui Village was like a beginner’s village. Ambitious people wouldn’t stay here forever; sooner or later, they would leave the poor and backward village to establish themselves in a city. Therefore, the trees, friends, and family in this village were not worth cherishing. Moving to the city offered the opportunity to make new connections. To Yin Yue, with her superficial attachment to her hometown, even the impoverished place of origin seemed like a burden.

But Qin Mao was different. Despite his family’s poverty and his somewhat strained relationships with the villagers, he had generations of ancestors rooted in this place. Growing up in this land from a young age, he had always interacted with the people of the village, valuing the community ties dearly. Even though his relationships with the villagers were not the best due to his family’s financial situation, he had a strong attachment to the village, as it had been his home for generations. Unlike Yin Yue, who saw her hometown as a stepping stone, Qin Mao cherished the local connections and traditions.

Feeling the weight of his tarnished reputation and enduring the disdain of the villagers, Qin Mao couldn’t accept the situation. Even the village chief, whom he had always respected, shook his head and sighed in disappointment when he saw Qin Mao, as if lamenting the moral downfall of a once-respected figure. This was an unbearable reality for him.

Qin Mao had thoughts of ending his life.

Yin Yue’s care fell on deaf ears, and Qin Mao was reminded of how he owed everything today to Yin Yue’s actions. Thinking about this, he released her grip, lifted his head, and coldly questioned, “Why did you incite Xiao Bao? He is your cousin. What benefit do you gain from corrupting him and tarnishing his reputation?”

Qin Mao brought up past grievances, highlighting the family’s preference for Xiao Bao over Yin Yue. He pointed out how they had limited her opportunities for survival, treating her worse than a dog. Yin Yue silently fumed at the unfairness, knowing that voicing her reasons would only invite mockery. Swallowing her frustration, she chose to remain silent.

In Qin Mao’s eyes, Yin Yue’s silence was an admission of guilt, a tacit acknowledgment of her wrongdoing. He continued to air their grievances, questioning why she spent money on renting videotapes instead of repaying their debts to the village. He emphasized the importance of maintaining a good reputation in the community, expressing concerns about their ability to stand firm in the village if they were perceived as unreliable and indebted.

He couldn’t fathom why Yin Yue, who seemingly had the means to repay their debts, chose to spend money on renting videotapes instead. To him, it seemed like she had misplaced priorities and perhaps even a flawed understanding of responsibility.

Faced with this long string of questions, Yin Yue stuttered and couldn’t find words to respond. She refrained from speaking out because, in her mind, the debts were owed to fellow villagers, and in close-knit communities, people were less likely to resort to physical violence when dealing with such matters. Over time, she believed, the issue of debt would fade away. Since there were no formal loan agreements and no legal consequences, she felt no obligation to repay the debts immediately. She thought she could repay them at her convenience once she became prosperous. As for reputation, she dismissed its significance, considering it something intangible and of little value. She believed that when she returned to the village in wealth and prosperity, the villagers would overlook any past tarnished reputation.

Seeing her like this, Qin Mao felt deeply disappointed. He said, “You know we’re poor, we’ve been to the city for half a year and still haven’t earned much. Why do you have to pretend we’re rich and tell everyone we’ve made money?” He was particularly upset about her giving out red envelopes to those children. Even though the amount was small, she claimed it was because he controlled the money and didn’t let her spend more. Moreover, she said that when he needed money, he could use her reputation to get it.

“Because we will earn money sooner or later!” Yin Yue asserted confidently. “You don’t understand how detestable those gossiping women in the village are. If I don’t present myself this way, they will definitely mock us behind our backs!” Her strong sense of pride, developed after her rebirth, couldn’t tolerate the unfettered ridicule from the gossipmongers in the village.

With just such a reason, his wife kept pretending to be wealthy outside, and Qin Mao couldn’t help but laugh in exasperation. In his view, Yin Yue had no clear understanding of herself. She always wanted to stand out in any situation, as if people’s attention and admiration would bring her happiness. For this, she didn’t hesitate to show off and glorify herself.

He said, “It’s not shameful not to have the ability. In this village, everyone is just ordinary. I don’t see many who can make it big in the city. We should live a good life, keep a calm mindset, admit that we don’t have much money, and naturally, no one will make fun of us.” Acting like you’re rich when you’re not, then denying it when the truth comes out – that’s what makes people laugh. It not only makes her the subject of ridicule but also drags him into the mockery. They both become the target of collective teasing.

Qin Mao admitted that before going to the city, he had some fantasies about striking it rich there, influenced by Yin Yue’s strong brainwashing. However, after half a year of experiencing the harsh realities of society, he had become more grounded. He felt that if he were to return to the city, he might do better than six months ago, provided Yin Yue didn’t come up with one scheme after another and start dictating things again.

However, Yin Yue didn’t see it that way. She thought Qin Mao was taking advantage of the leverage he had over her to educate her, restore marital norms, and she didn’t want to hear it. She interrupted him directly, “Who said we don’t have the ability?” As someone who had been reborn, chosen by the heavens for a reason, she was sure to do better than in her previous life. Moreover, Qin Mao was a successful businessman in his past life. How could their union not be promising? What nonsense was Qin Mao talking about?

With confidence in her tone, she asserted, “In the next six months when we go to the city again, following my advice, you’ll definitely make big money. Maybe you’ll be driving a small car in two or three months, and in half a year, you might even buy a house. I believe in you.”

Here she went again, with her inexplicable confidence in him and her own unwarranted self-assurance.

Frustrated by today’s events, Qin Mao held back his breath, his lips parted, and he finally uttered, “Yue, let’s get a divorce!”

Upon hearing this, Yin Yue’s heart skipped a beat, thinking she must have misheard. She instinctively exclaimed, “What did you say? Divorce? Why do you want a divorce?”

Appearing resolute, Qin Mao remained calm in the face of the woman’s questioning. He repeated, “I said, let’s get a divorce. It’s been half a year, and many things have proven that we’re not suitable for each other. You can go back to your parents’ home. If you don’t want to, then I’ll leave. The house in the Qin family will be left to you, considering it as the end of our marriage.”

He had been thinking about divorce for a long time. Today’s incident was just the last straw, causing him to lose many things and making him realize that his wife seemed to have some mental issues. Her thoughts and actions were different from those of a normal person. All he wanted was a child, but casually mentioning Xiao Bao as an example made her influence him, and she even used adult videos as a subtle way to corrupt him. To make matters worse, she falsely accused him, her husband, of being involved. The maliciousness of her thoughts chilled him. After all, Xiao Bao was her blood relative—a nine-year-old child. What kind of resentment could drive this woman to harm him at any cost? Moreover, they had only been married for less than half a year.

“Where aren’t we suitable? Do you only want to have a son? What’s wrong Xiao Bao? Or is it that you’ve changed your mind?” Yin Yue, in a fit of hysteria, had a darkened expression. Otherwise, why would Qin Mao suddenly bring up divorce out of nowhere? She recalled the young girls in the crowd today, including the village belles with puzzled faces, her indignant elder sister Yin Yujiao, and other young girls searching for suspicious individuals. She didn’t consider that the reason for divorce might be within herself.

“It’s not about having a child or not. If you’re willing, keep the house. I’ll sleep at my brother’s place tonight.” The next morning, he left Wenshui Village early to strive in the city. Since his reputation, which he cared about, had already been damaged by Yin Yue, everyone thought he had become corrupt in his intentions. He couldn’t stay in the village for the time being, so leaving was his only choice.

After saying this, Qin Mao silently began to pack his things in the house. Soon, he had bundled up a typical nylon bag used by rural people when going to the city.

He had truly made up his mind; otherwise, he didn’t know what else might happen if he continued to live with this woman. With this thought, he carried the nylon bag and was about to leave. Yin Yue didn’t let him go and went crazy, rushing forward to tear and beat him. “What right do you, this useless person, have to divorce me? Why? We are legally married. Can you just decide to divorce whenever you want? Leaving an old house with nothing in it, thinking of it as alimony and compensation for youth? Huh, you’re dreaming!”

The villagers at the door all saw it, witnessing Yin Yue ruthlessly beating the tall Qin Mao, who didn’t resist. Considering the recent incident, everyone started gossiping.

“What else do you want then? My reputation has been completely ruined by you. In half a year, I didn’t save much money. Besides the house, what else do you want? We haven’t registered our marriage; you can leave anytime you want. I can also leave anytime. I can’t give you the success you desire, and maybe I won’t achieve anything in the future either.” Blood flowed down his face as Qin Mao spoke, breaking the jar since he had nothing to lose.

After speaking, Qin Mao continued to carry the nylon bag and walked out amidst the ongoing discussions. He was truly fed up.

Yin Yue, in extreme anger, stood in place and cursed loudly, using extremely offensive language that left onlookers astonished.

Soon, the news of the divorce and Yin Yue being abandoned spread throughout the entire village. Many men at the drinking tables sighed, “Qin Mao finally divorced his wife. I always thought that woman wasn’t well-behaved. She always puts the blame on this honest man.” 

“Look, Qin Mao had to run to the city overnight; it’s probably to escape from his wife.” 

“Yes, yes, even her own cousin got harmed. Whoever marries this woman is unlucky. Divorce is a good thing. In the future, when marrying a wife, you really need to open your eyes. A damaged reputation is a small matter, so as not to be dragged down and end up eating prison food together.”

The mention of eating prison food was just a casual remark at the drinking table, but it turned out to be surprisingly accurate.

Generally, after divorce, women would return to their parents’ home.

However, due to Yin Yue’s actions, her family temporarily harbored intense hatred towards her. There was no way they would allow her to return, so despite Yin Yue’s strong disdain for the dilapidated old house of the Qin family, she had no choice but to stay. She also had to deal with constant verbal abuse from the elderly couple in the Qin family, who blamed her for everything. Their son had run away, and they didn’t know when he would return. After marrying her, everything went wrong. The unfortunate turn of events made Yin Yue seem like a jinx, causing the entire village’s youth to steer clear of her.

Feeling extremely annoyed, Yin Yue, after finding the property deed, unceremoniously mortgaged one of the old brick houses of the Qin family, earning a small sum of money. She then left with the money, claiming to be going to the city to make a living. She vowed to return in half a year, shining brightly, proving wrong all those who had underestimated her. Amidst her departure, she did not hold back numerous curses and ill words aimed at Qin Mao.

Upon hearing this news, the villagers shook their heads and sighed, thinking they finally understood why this couple had a divorce dispute. With just over a hundred yuan from mortgaging the house, what could she possibly achieve? Going to the city to start a small business was hardly enough. They thought she would be better off sleeping with a higher pillow at night.

As expected, not even half a year later, Yin Yue returned in a sorry state, complaining to the villagers. She claimed to have joined a business venture with others, invested in some shares, expecting to get rich. However, she was deceived, and she lamented how unfortunate she was.

Amidst her pitiful words, the villagers showed no sympathy. Some even questioned her, saying, “You spent over a hundred yuan in half a year? Nothing left?” Even the group of creditors, who could no longer endure the situation, came knocking on her door again, demanding to know when she would repay the debt.

Yin Yue remained silent and fled once more. The brick house that Qin Mao had left for her as part of the Qin family was mortgaged, making it impossible for her to return. Unable to go back to her parents’ home, she could only run to the Qingshui School in the town.

Inside Qingshui Elementary School:

The entrance echoed with the melodious sound of reading, “For the rise of China, we study diligently—” The children, each with a spirited demeanor, wore red scarves around their necks. Though their textbooks were worn and torn, every page was filled with writing, displaying their earnest dedication to learning.

In recent years, thanks to continuous calls from higher authorities, the idea that knowledge changes destiny had penetrated into every household in the village. As long as families were not struggling severely, they bit the bullet and sent their children to school.

Yin Minglu studies in this elementary school. He is the most popular child in the whole school. Every time during the flag-raising ceremony, the principal always gives him special recognition, praising his excellent grades and commending him as an exemplary student. Because of his presence, there is a higher level of trust in Qingshui Elementary School, and there is great respect for the entire school community of teachers and students. After all, even child stars study here; how could this school not be good? It receives more social charity donations than other schools, and the school environment is gradually improving. New teaching buildings and a running track are also under construction, and all the good days are on the rise.

Due to Yin Minglu’s fame and popularity, his likes, dislikes, family details, and other aspects are well-known among his classmates.

Even the gatekeeper recognizes him. As a security guard, he only knows the young master from the capital who usually comes to pick up the little guy for filming, the black-clad bodyguard, or Yin Yujiao, who rides a bicycle and delivers meals every day.

Seeing Yin Yue at the door, the gatekeeper, who didn’t recognize her, claimed to be Yin Minglu’s sister with a familiar tone but an unfamiliar face. The gatekeeper became somewhat cautious, thinking, “You claim to be the little star’s sister, but you don’t look like him at all. That little star looks so good, and you look very ordinary. Of course, I’m not judging by appearances, but his real sister, Yin Yujiao, is stunning. She dresses like the leading actress in a TV drama, while Yin Yue dresses like a village woman. Not only does her face not resemble, but her dressing has no convincing power. It’s hard for the gatekeeper to believe her.

In any case, he didn’t let her in, and his fingers were even about to dial the landline phone.

Don’t blame him for being overly cautious; he also reads newspapers in town. Nowadays, there are many child traffickers, and they particularly like those tender and fair-skinned children because they are easy to sell. Traffickers often use young-looking women to approach people, claiming to be the child’s relatives and shedding a few tears to gain sympathy. People tend to sympathize with the vulnerable, making it easy for them to let their guard down when it comes to young women.

These characteristics matched the disheveled woman standing before him! The gatekeeper couldn’t be sure if the documents were forged; these days, there were too many fake IDs, and checking them wasn’t foolproof. The gatekeeper suspiciously examined the documents, pondered for a moment, and ultimately decided to dial the landline number.

Unaware that she was being mistaken for a human trafficker, Yin Yue, despite her endless explanations, couldn’t get the door to open. Eventually, she was considered a suspicious person and, with the diligent scrutiny of the police, was asked to accompany them to the police station for further investigation.

Feeling on the verge of spitting blood, she understood that once inside the police station, her reputation would be irreparably damaged. So, taking advantage of a moment when the police were momentarily distracted, she quickly made her escape.

The police were shocked. The officer, who had been somewhat skeptical, now fully believed that the woman was indeed part of a human trafficking group. Why else would she resist the investigation so vehemently? The officer immediately called for backup and, addressing the school’s gatekeeper, said, “Thank you, sir, for your valuable report. This woman might assist us in cracking down on a new human trafficking operation. Could you please help us recall her age and appearance later? We will post her image all over the streets.”

The gatekeeper was also taken aback. Was she really a human trafficker? He felt a shiver down his spine at the thought. Little did he expect that their elementary school, filled with young kids, had become a target for human traffickers. Naturally, he agreed to help.

On that day, news that “human traffickers were planning to abduct Yin Xiao Bao” spread throughout the entire school, creating a commotion. Teachers and students were both excited and scared, commenting on the situation, “It’s human traffickers, so terrifying! They even lied about being his sister, shameless!”

“Why would they kidnap Xiao Bao?”

“Probably because they think Xiao Bao is valuable.”

“Xiao Bao, don’t worry. After school, we’ll protect you! If the traffickers dare to come again, we’ll report them!”

“Okay.” The little guy blinked and nodded in agreement.

So, after school, a group of older kids surrounded Xiao Bao like protective eagles guarding a chick. They tightly secured the innermost circle, preventing anyone from getting close. Observing from a distance, Yin Yue couldn’t approach at all. She was almost treated as a suspicious person. The vigilant children even took out “water guns” with chili water inside. Before Yin Yue could say anything, she was sprayed to tears.

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