Chapter 1511 - 678: Accident
She patted Xiuxiu’s head and said, "Be more careful when you walk in the future."
Xiuxiu nodded and murmured an agreement.
Yu Zhiyang was indeed a young boy, eating three bowls of rice in one go, like a whirlwind.
No need to worry about him getting fat; with his build, he’s lean and not a trace of excess fat.
Zhou Yun was happy to see the fish she made wiped out.
The joy of cooking.
After dinner, Yi Zhe and Jiang Zilin were about to head back to town.
Unlike Zhou Yun and Yu Zhiyang, they didn’t find a farmhouse to stay at here.
"Well, we’re off then, see you tomorrow," Yi Zhe said.
After sending them off, Zhou Yun glanced at Yu Zhiyang and said, "You should head back early too, don’t keep people waiting."
In the countryside, people generally go to bed early.
Some even close their eyes as early as eight or nine o’clock.
Zhou Yun had gotten used to this schedule, and after getting used to it, she felt very comfortable.
Yu Zhiyang walked off, holding a flashlight.
Zhou Yun stood at the doorway watching, seeing him gradually fade into the vast darkness, until only a distant light remained.
Xiuxiu’s mother called out to her, "The water is boiling."
Zhou Yun responded with a smile, taking Xiuxiu to wash their face and brush teeth, then wash their feet.
Xiuxiu looked a little uneasy, the after-fear setting in.
Zhou Yun asked, "Do you want Aunt Xiao Yun to sleep with you tonight?"
Xiuxiu softly said, "I’ll sleep with Mom."
Zhou Yun nodded, "Alright, if you’re scared, just tell Mom."
Xiuxiu’s eyes, as clear as lakes, glanced at Zhou Yun and said, "Aunt Xiao Yun, today I didn’t accidentally fall into the fish pond."
"Hm?" Zhou Yun was stunned, a bit surprised, "What do you mean?"
Xiuxiu whispered, "It was Li Qimiao who pushed me down."
She looked anxiously at Zhou Yun, twisting her hands.
Zhou Yun felt as if a rock had sunk her heart into a lake, causing a massive splash.
"Who is Li Qimiao?" she asked.
Xiuxiu said, "She’s my classmate."
...
Because of what Xiuxiu told her, Zhou Yun had a restless night, unusually sleepless.
According to Xiuxiu, Li Qimiao was her classmate and also her good friend. Today, they had planned to do homework together, and afterward, they went out to play.
But they had a little disagreement.
Li Qimiao said Xiuxiu’s brother was a thief; Xiuxiu said he wasn’t. Li Qimiao then accused Xiuxiu’s brother of stealing her sister’s belongings, and Xiuxiu angrily called her a liar.
They argued, and in a fit of anger, Li Qimiao pushed Xiuxiu, causing her to fall into the pond.
Before Yu Zhiyang saw this, Li Qimiao had already fled in fear.
If it weren’t for Xiuxiu’s near drowning, it would have been just a trivial matter.
A quarrel between two little girls is quite normal.
But Li Qimiao’s push put Xiuxiu in danger, which was unacceptable to Zhou Yun.
The worst part was that after accidentally pushing Xiuxiu into the pond, Li Qimiao ran off without calling for help.
Zhou Yun felt some resistance and dislike towards this girl she had never met.
But what should she do about it?
Zhou Yun hadn’t figured it out yet.
Although Li Qimiao and Xiuxiu were just children, they were the ones who belonged to this village, while she was just an outsider.
Xiuxiu confided in her because she was an outsider; she didn’t dare tell her mother for fear of angering her.
Zhou Yun wasn’t sure if she should intervene in the matter between the two girls.
She hesitated the entire night, and early the next morning, after brisk walking in the mountains for nearly an hour, she made up her mind.
In any case, she had to meet the girl named Li Qimiao.
She knew about the incident and couldn’t pretend as though nothing had happened.
Xiuxiu, being a young girl, might not understand the severity of Li Qimiao’s actions, but Zhou Yun did.
She was unsure if she should immediately inform Xiuxiu’s mother—as per Xiuxiu’s description, it was just an accident, not intentional by Li Qimiao.
Moreover, as the incident didn’t lead to severe consequences, Zhou Yun was uncertain about letting it go.
So, Zhou Yun went to Xiuxiu’s school.
She had expected to encounter Li Qimiao at school, but to her surprise, Li Qimiao hadn’t shown up that day.
Why?
Was she scared?
From the schoolteacher, Zhou Yun found out where Li Qimiao’s home was and hired a local villager to take her there.
Upon reaching Li Qimiao’s house, Zhou Yun heard a middle-aged woman scolding loudly, "What the hell are you throwing a tantrum about, refusing to go to school?"
Soon after, she heard the sound of a girl crying.
"I don’t want to go, I don’t want to go, I’m not feeling well!"
The distinct characteristic of these standalone rural houses is that their doors are generally open during the day.
From the doorway, Zhou Yun saw a small girl sprawled on the ground.
Beside her stood a middle-aged woman trying to pull her up.
But she clung to the woman’s leg, stubbornly refusing to rise from the floor.