Chapter 31: Someone Is Watching

Jiang Yao tilted her head and pondered, "Who is the most capable person in our village?"

The little boy who claimed to know everything spoke up first: "I know! It’s Brother Zhuzi. He knows how to read and calculate; even the village chief has praised him for being smart!"

She nodded and, true to her word, gave him a piece of candy. The boy treated it like a precious treasure.

"Then let me ask you another question: are there any places we aren't allowed to go?"

The boy was the quickest to answer again: "The back mountain! Mom said there are wolves in there!"

The other children nodded in succession: "Yeah, it’s super scary!"

A thoughtful look flashed in Jiang Yao’s eyes; this matched what the village chief had said.

Her eyes flickered, and she pointed toward a house in the distance: "Then do you know why there is a madwoman in that house?"

The boy was stumped, unable to come up with an answer for a moment.

Just then, a dirty little girl spoke up timidly: "I know."

Jiang Yao turned to look and saw that she had clear, bright black eyes. She smiled slightly: "Can you tell me?"

The girl gathered her courage and said, "My mom said that woman was beaten into madness by Uncle Li Gen."

Everyone was shocked. This was not what the village chief had said!

The boy stood up to refute: "Zhaodi, you’re lying! Uncle Li Gen is so kind, how could he hit anyone? He even gave me candy last time!"

The girl looked unconvinced, clenching her fists: "I'm not lying! That's what my mom said!"

The boy pouted: "How can someone be beaten into madness? My dad hits my mom, and she's still perfectly fine, isn't she?"

The girl’s face flushed red, and she couldn't say another word.

These unintentional remarks from the two children left the group stunned.

"So this village has a tradition of domestic violence?" Ji Yuanyuan’s face turned red with anger. "What kind of achievement is it for a man to hit a woman?"

Duan Yiren mused, "I felt that the village chief’s daughter-in-law was too timid earlier. Now that I think about it, it’s very likely she’s just used to being beaten."

Xiang Yu frowned: "Domestic violence laws are not well-established to begin with; even if you take it to the police station, it’s considered a family dispute at most. Besides, with the conditions here... I'm afraid no one would take it seriously."

Jiang Yao handed out the candy to the children: "Alright, go play now."

She stood up and looked at the rolling mountains in the distance.

Things were likely not that simple.

***

Night fell, and everyone returned to their lodgings to have dinner.

When Jiang Yao and Duan Yiren returned to their place, they saw smoke rising from the chimney. Upon entering the kitchen, they saw the old woman busy around the stove.

The two felt a pang of guilt that someone of her advanced age still had to prepare dinner for them.

Duan Yiren took over the task of tending the fire, while Jiang Yao volunteered to chop vegetables. Both of them knew how to cook, so how could they let the elderly woman do all the work?

"Grandma, leave it to us!"

The old woman nodded with a smile: "Back from playing? How was it?"

Duan Yiren got along quite well with the old woman and replied cheerfully, "The scenery here is quite lovely, and the people are warm."

The old woman was clearly pleased: "I can't see much, but as for the scenery, it’s all the same everywhere! As for the people, they are indeed good. You'll know once you've stayed here longer."

Jiang Yao paused in her chopping and looked up: "Longer?"

Duan Yiren was also taken aback, then smiled: "Grandma, we’re only staying for a few days; we won't be bothering you for too long!"

The old woman had a sudden realization: "Look at my memory. It makes no difference anyway. I meant for the next few days!"

Duan Yiren continued chatting with the old woman, while Jiang Yao remained somewhat silent.

The meal was simple, but since they were hungry, they didn't complain.

There was no nightlife in the rural area, and it was pitch black by the time they finished dinner.

Considering they had to hike the next day, everyone decided to rest early to adjust their states.

There were no water heaters here, so they had to boil their own bathwater. The old woman had already gone to rest. While waiting for the water to heat up, Jiang Yao stood under the eaves, staring at the dark fields, lost in thought.

Duan Yiren walked up from behind and looked at her curiously: "You seem burdened with thoughts. What are you thinking about?"

"Why do you think the system brought us here? And without telling us any information?" Jiang Yao hugged her arms; the village was chilly at night, and she could still feel the cold through her jacket.

Duan Yiren thought for a moment: "I can't figure that out for now. Come to think of it, I still haven't understood why the system exists in the first place. It’s not quite like the apocalyptic novels I used to read."

Jiang Yao looked at her with some surprise: "You like reading novels too?"

"I do. It’s the spiritual food for modern young people." Duan Yiren smiled, her eyes curving, before quickly returning to the topic. "I always feel this system is a bit strange."

"Strange how?" Jiang Yao asked casually.

"Do you ever get the feeling that it doesn't hold much malice toward us? On the contrary, it seems more like it’s training us?" She shrugged. "I discussed this with others before, and they all thought I was crazy."

Turning the world into this hellish place and causing so many deaths—how could it not have malice toward them?

Jiang Yao turned to look at her and curved her lips: "I agree with your view."

"Really?" She was clearly surprised.

"It’s a matter of intuition, I suppose. After all, it gave us the ability to survive, didn't it?" Jiang Yao shrugged and looked toward the kitchen. "The water is boiling. I'm going to fetch it."

The two discussed it and decided not to shower that night, settling for a simple wash of their faces and feet.

***

Meanwhile, on Ji Yuanyuan’s side.

Ji Yuanyuan was standing in a pigsty, on the verge of tears: "I never thought in my life I’d end up bathing in a pigsty! And with two pigs watching from the side!"

This family was a middle-aged couple with a son in his early teens.

Their outhouse and pigsty were adjacent, separated only by a wall half the height of a person.

For the pampered Ji Yuanyuan, this was undoubtedly a huge challenge.

Zhao Xiaoting stood to the side, gloating: "I’m telling you, milady, just make do! The pigs aren't even complaining that it’s an eyesore!"

"Zhao Xiaoting!" Seeing that the young lady was about to lose her temper, Zhao Xiaoting quickly raised her hands in surrender: "Alright, alright! I’ll stop talking! Hurry up and wash; I’ll keep watch at the door for you!"

The pigsty door was made of wooden planks and couldn't be locked, so it was safer to have someone on guard.

"Don't you dare leave; I'm scared alone!" Ji Yuanyuan urged uneasily.

"Alright, alright!"

Ji Yuanyuan frowned and looked at the outhouse floor, which had nowhere to step. She closed her eyes and steeled herself—fine, whatever!

She began to take off her clothes. She removed her windbreaker, revealing a camisole underneath. Just as she was about to take that off, she suddenly felt a chill on her back.

The feeling of being watched was intensely strong. Ji Yuanyuan looked up, scanning her surroundings, and spotted an eye peeking through a crack in the stones. She let out an instinctive scream!

"Ah!"