Disaster Apocalypse: Farming, Family, and My Hidden Secret Space-Chapter 25. Disgusting person

"Dad, bring the two of us to keep watch," Hua Yunao added.

So there was no way not to go.

Knowing the nature of his two sons, Hua Chengtian glanced at them and said no more. Not wanting to waste time, he gestured to the boys and the three of them blended into the night, carrying their gear.

At this time, there were already few people in the village, but it wasn’t too late, and there were still some families that hadn’t gone to bed.

Hua Chengtian led his sons to stop by the fence outside Hua Xiaodan’s house, which was less than a person’s height.

In the village, there weren’t many households with high courtyard walls like theirs, most used bamboo or wooden fences. While they weren’t very secure, they did block the view and keep the livestock from running out.

The three of them hid behind a haystack not far from the gate, observing the yard through the fence.

Except for the faint moonlight, the entire yard was empty. The rooms were pitch-black, indicating everyone was asleep.

Hua Chengtian signaled with his eyes for his eldest son to knock on the door.

If they wanted to vent their anger, they had to lure someone out first.

Hua Yunao deliberately lightened his steps as he approached the makeshift door made of a few wooden boards. He reached out and knocked heavily a few times, the sound echoing loudly in the silent night.

It seemed everyone was asleep. After waiting a moment, there was no movement from the yard.

So Hua Yunao knocked heavily a few more times, and this time there was a response.

He heard several coughs from the main room, followed by a robust old woman’s voice.

"Is everyone in the house dead asleep? Get up and see who’s knocking! Are you waiting for your father and me to get up? You’re all raised for nothing, making me speak up."

"Mom, I heard it," Hua Xiaodan quickly responded from the east wing, his voice sharp.

As for Hua’s other two brothers, whether they heard it or not, they pretended they hadn’t.

No one got up. Hua Xiaodan, though angry inside, had no choice. Who else could his parents order around but him, the eldest?

Despite his reluctance, he got up quickly and walked out of the room, calling out, "Who is it?"

He was puzzled as to who would come at this hour, yet apart from his voice, there was nothing but the sound of the autumn wind shaking the leaves.

"Who is it?" Hua Xiaodan called again, still getting no reply, feeling a bit baffled.

"Could it have been some cat from a neighboring house by accident?" Hua Xiaodan muttered to himself.

Despite this thought, to be sure, he opened the door to take a look.

Curiosity indeed killed the cat!

The three waiting outside were just expecting him to step out.

In a flash, Hua Chengtian, his face covered, clamped his hand over Hua Xiaodan’s mouth as he peeked out, shoving a rag into his mouth swiftly. Before Hua Xiaodan could figure out what was happening, a burlap sack was thrown over his head, and his body was bound tightly, terrified to the point of wetting himself.

He wanted to scream for help but no sound came, wanting to struggle but was bound so tightly that he nearly fainted from fear. He only felt himself being dragged a distance and then met with a flurry of kicks and punches, the pain making stars dance before his eyes until he knew nothing.

After venting their anger, seeing the person at their feet still, Hua Chengtian signaled his sons to stop.

They needed to vent their anger but couldn’t afford to commit murder, so even as they beat him, they exercised moderation.

"Dad, what do we do with him?" Hua Yunao pointed at the heap on the ground.

"Leave him. Let’s go home," he replied, considering it generous enough not to have kicked him one more time since the cold wouldn’t kill him.

Relieved, Hua Chengtian indeed felt much better, leaving with his two sons into the night before Hua Xiaodan’s family realized it, not forgetting to take the hemp rope, burlap sack, and rag from his mouth with them as they left.

They had barely returned home, washed up, and gone to bed when chaos broke out in Hua Xiaodan’s household.

Hua Xiaocao’s mother grew worried when she didn’t see her husband return, and ventured out to look for him. She discovered the front door wide open, feeling an ominous dread rising; panicked, she quickly knocked on the in-laws’ door, which certainly came with some scolding, but at least woke the household.

Under the moonlight, they discovered Hua Xiaodan lying near the haystack, beaten black and blue. Mrs. Li immediately burst into tears and loud cries.

The mother-in-law, filled with rage, slapped her across the face: "Are you wailing funeral songs? Your husband is alive. Hurry up and take your husband back inside."

With help from the second and third brothers, Hua Xiaodan was carried into the room, where in the midst of Zhao’s scolding, the only oil lamp in the house was lit.

Everyone gasped; under the lamp, Hua Xiaodan’s face was battered beyond recognition, so hideous it was heart-wrenching.

Even Zhao, normally dissatisfied with her son, couldn’t help but feel her heart ache at the sight, cursing the heartless scoundrel who had done this.

Hua Xiaodan, waking amidst his mother’s complaints, felt such agony he wished he could faint again, drenched in cold sweat, unable to muster the strength to answer his family about who had beaten him—besides, he hadn’t seen anything.

The entire night was a nightmare for Hua Xiaodan’s family, with Mrs. Zhao cursing far into the night.

In truth, though they suspected someone, even if they didn’t suspect, what could they do? As long as they lived in this village, they dared not offend the village chief; this loss had to be quietly borne.

A loss indeed, but Mrs. Zhao wouldn’t just swallow it. At daybreak, she dragged her husband and their battered eldest son to the village chief’s house.

Not for anything else; though swallowing the loss without bothering the village chief’s family was unavoidable, village affairs should concern the village chief. At the very least, Mrs. Zhao wanted to embarrass someone; otherwise, her pent-up indignation would be unbearable.

Before they even reached the village chief’s house, her wailing echoed far and wide, drawing everyone to drop their work and follow the sound.

"Village chief, you have to do justice for our family. Our eldest was ambushed at our doorstep last night."

The performance was flawless as Old Zhao sprawled at the door of the village chief’s house, snot and tears everywhere. If they weren’t all from the same village, who wouldn’t believe the old woman truly loved her eldest son?

In reality... heh.

Inside the courtyard, Hua’s wife’s good mood was thoroughly ruined by the surprise outpouring of wails at the gate.

Who on earth comes crying at someone’s door so early, stirring up trouble?

The old hag did it on purpose, retaliating for the previous afternoon’s incident.

Hua’s wife threw her rag aside, ready to suppress the old woman’s complaint, but the next words of old Zhao held her in place.

So it was her eldest who had been beaten, no wonder she came wailing at their door at dawn. Hua’s wife’s previously ruined mood instantly lifted.

How could he have been beaten though?

Her eyes involuntarily drifted to her son, who was drawn by the commotion from the backyard to the front.

No one knows a son better than his mother. Seeing the flicker in his gaze as she stared at him made everything clear.

In that case, no wonder.

Yesterday afternoon, she and her daughter-in-law had gone to stir things up at their place, and by nightfall, Hua Xiaocao’s father got beaten. Anyone with a bit of sense would think of their family, but alas, there was no evidence.

Giving her son a knowingly approving look, Hua’s wife headed towards the gate, at long last fully vented.