Cai Luan’s face changed dramatically. Qin Yunyun quickly gave some instructions, and Cai Luan said loudly: “No, no…”

But who would have thought that several people at the back of the crowd were pushing those in front while shouting loudly, drowning out Cai Luan’s voice so that no one could hear what she was saying.

Someone said: “Yao Niang, Aunt Zhang worked so hard to raise you. Although you were a child bride, she never treated you harshly. When Da Lang died, you became like a daughter to Mother Zhang. How can you be so heartless? Now that you’ve attached yourself to wealthy people, you’ve forgotten Mother Zhang? Now you’re standing right before us, yet you still dare to deceive us—you’re too cruel!”

The voices of agreement grew from one or two to over ten, and finally, except for the woman, the child, and the few people at the front, almost everyone was echoing these sentiments.

Everyone was discussing animatedly, clearly very familiar with the matter of Yao Niang and Mother Zhang.

This Mother Zhang’s family did live on the street, and indeed as that person said, they had bought Yao Niang to be their eldest son’s wife. Later, when the eldest son died, Yao Niang had disappeared. Mother Zhang had been looking for Yao Niang for years—everyone on the street knew this.

The woman and Boss Zhang exchanged glances, and Cai Luan’s voice was drowned in the crowd’s excited roars and discussions.

Xu Peiwei was already so frightened she couldn’t say a word, her legs trembling as she tightly gripped Qin Yunyun’s hand, nearly crying aloud.

“What do we do, what do we do, cousin…”

Qin Yunyun wasn’t much better off than her. How would she know what to do? How had things developed to this point?

After all, Madam Xu had more experience than them. Though afraid, she had to steel herself and say: “Everyone, please listen to me…”

But people were discussing noisily. Except for the few people standing at the front who vaguely heard her words, no one behind could hear what she was saying.

Madam Xu was frantic. Her family had brought only about ten guards, but the other side had several hundred people. She only had maids and matrons by her side—how could they match so many people?

“Neighbors, the young lady wearing the veiled hat must be Yao Niang. Let’s lift it up and see! Come on, come on…”

With these words, the crowd surged, those behind pushing those in front. The scene immediately became chaotic, with several loafers shouting: “Yao Niang, let’s see if it’s really Yao Niang…”

Qin Yunyun felt that her entire lifetime combined hadn’t been as terrifying as this moment.

She watched helplessly as three or four men’s hands reached toward her. Someone lifted her veiled hat, someone took the opportunity to grope her chest, someone took the opportunity to pull at her arms…

“Get away, get away…”

Qin Yunyun screamed shrilly, punching and kicking, trying to resist.

But their lecherous faces, delighted gazes, dirty hands shamelessly looked her up and down, touching her all over… Her resistance was as powerless as a child fighting against a strong man.

“Help me…”

Xu Peiwei suffered the same treatment. She was so frightened she lost control of her bladder, and a foul smell wafted from under her skirt, causing the crowd to burst into laughter.

“Zhang Er Lang, is this Yao Niang?”

A loafer pointed at Qin Yunyun and asked the child.

The child seemed stunned, looking at Qin Yunyun, at a loss.

Qin Yunyun had long lost any trace of a noble lady’s demeanor. Tears and snot covered her face, her hair was disheveled, and she shrieked like a madwoman: “Don’t touch me, don’t touch me! Get away…”

Like a lunatic!

The child stood dazed, not knowing what would be appropriate to say. Just then, someone in the chaotic crowd bumped into him, and his head lowered.

The loafer then said: “So it really is Yao Niang! Fellow neighbors, Yao Niang has been found, found! Let’s help take her back to the Zhang family! Aunt Liu, Granny Wu, Aunt Zhao… come over here, take Yao Niang back to the Zhao family…”

Several enthusiastic aunts came forward and looked at Qin Yunyun. They felt she didn’t quite look like the Yao Niang they remembered, but there was some resemblance. After all, she was eating well and dressing well now!

Moreover, three years had passed, and these three years were precisely when young women grew and developed—it wasn’t strange for there to be changes.

Although tears and snot had considerably diminished the beauty of her delicate face, it should be Yao Niang—Zhang Er Lang had nodded after all.

Several enthusiastic aunts pushed and dragged Qin Yunyun away. Qin Yunyun resisted desperately, and Madam Xu also had her maids try to stop them, but how could they match so many people?

Soon, Qin Yunyun was delivered by several enthusiastic aunts to the Zhang family in the middle of the street.

Someone locked her in a room and said sourly: “Just behave yourself! Can’t you see? You actually have such ability—you can even catch the eye of wealthy people and become a young lady?”

Another aunt also disapproved of her behavior: “Clearly just a chicken trying to be a phoenix, looking down on us neighbors, not even recognizing people anymore. Ptui!”

Qin Yunyun had nearly been scared senseless earlier. Now with only a few women glaring at her coldly, her fear lessened somewhat. Coming to her senses, she cried and pleaded: “I really am not Yao Niang, really not. Please, mothers, call Zhang Er Lang to speak and you’ll know. Please, mothers…”

One aunt said: “You even know Er Lang, yet you still say you’re not Yao Niang? You really think you’re a young lady? Don’t worry, Er Lang will come shortly.”

One aunt’s face showed vicious intent. They most despised these pretentious young women who, thinking they had some beauty, wanted to trample all men underfoot. Some even openly seduced men—her own husband had been seduced by a vixen who got all the silver he earned stuffed into her mouth.

“Are you so impatient for a man? Er Lang is only ten years old, and you can’t wait? Da Lang is dead, and the Zhang family can’t afford to marry a wife now, so you must be for Er Lang. Even if you can consummate marriage now, isn’t Er Lang too young? You’re so impatient?”

“Really shameless! I thought you were decent before, but I never expected you to dare run away! Now you even openly want men… Ptui!”

“I’ll tell Mother Zhang later to just sell her to a brothel. Look how delicate and tender she’s grown—she could fetch a good price! Should be able to get three or four hundred taels of silver! With three or four hundred taels, wouldn’t it be better to marry Er Lang another wife?”

“Exactly, exactly! Since she wants men, let her have her fill…”

…

The talk was filthy and completely unbearable to hear.

Qin Yunyun wanted to explain, but these women were talking excitedly—who cared what she said?

Qin Yunyun was speechless with grief. Thinking that her reputation was ruined today and she might be sold to a brothel by these lawless shrews, her eyes rolled back and she fainted.

The women outside spat: “Ptui! Playing dead!”

No one paid her any more attention. With a stream of filthy language and discussion, the women walked out of the courtyard.

Naturally, a large crowd blocked the courtyard entrance. People discussed excitedly, thrilled that Yao Niang, who had been missing for three years, had been found today. No one noticed that Mother Zhang and her son Zhang Er Lang hadn’t followed over.