Chapter 2 — A Pigsty Cleaner Than the Ancestral Home

Grandmother’s whispered warning inside the suffocating gloom of the pigsty suddenly echoed in my mind with terrifying clarity. My heart hammered wildly against my ribs, each beat deafeningly loud. Before we could even begin to process the implications of what lay beneath our feet, heavy, deliberate footsteps crunched against the gravel outside the dilapidated structure. Uncle Three stepped into the entrance, swinging a heavy-duty flashlight directly into our eyes.

Oh, so the two of you actually decided to spend the night here? he sneered.

Trailing closely behind him were two laborers hired from the fish farm, their broad shoulders bearing iron sledgehammers and sturdy wooden stakes. Shen Nien instantly stood up, stepping protectively in front of me.

Uncle Three, what could you possibly need at this hour of the night? Shen Nien demanded.

Without answering, Uncle Three swept the blinding beam of the flashlight back and forth across my face. Road maintenance. The fish transport trucks have to pass through this exact spot tomorrow morning. I am simply afraid that the two of you have encroached upon the right-of-way, so I am here to drive the boundary markers in advance.

He gestured dismissively toward the barren patch of dirt directly in front of the pigsty threshold. Everything from this exact point outward by two meters belongs to the fish farm access road.

I tightened my jaw, my voice dropping to a freezing chill. The property ownership certificate clearly outlines the legal boundaries. By what authority are you altering them now?

Uncle Three let out a harsh, mocking laugh. By the authority that I am the one who built and maintains this road. If you are not satisfied, go ahead and hire surveyors to measure it yourselves.

At his command, the laborers raised their sledgehammers high, preparing to drive the heavy stakes deep into the earth. The designated spot would precisely block the entrance to the pigsty. Once those stakes were driven into the ground, even entering or leaving our shelter would require navigating a treacherous, muddy detour along the edge of the fish pond. Shen Nien lunged forward to stop them, but one of the burly workers shoved him forcefully aside.

Do not obstruct our work, the man barked.

Shen Nien’s boots slipped on the damp ground, and his back crashed hard against the rotting wooden railing of the pigsty, causing the aged timber to splinter loudly. I rushed to his side to steady him. Uncle Three’s eyes flicked toward the cracked railing, a sinister glint of calculation shifting across his features.

This pigsty is far too dilapidated, completely structurally unsafe, he declared loudly. If it collapses and crushes someone, who takes the responsibility?

He exchanged a sharp, knowing look with the laborers. Demolish the whole thing while we are at it. It will save us the trouble later.

Hot, blinding rage rushed to my head. This is my legally acquired private property!

Uncle Three impatiently dug his finger into his ear. An outsider like you is given a shred of common decency, and immediately you forget your place? I am merely dismantling a hazardous structure for the safety of the entire village.

The instant the first sledgehammer came crashing down, the rim of the ancient concrete feeding trough shuddered violently, dislodging a thick crust of dry mud. The dried earth crumbled away right beside my boots, exposing a narrow, pitch-black gap between the foundation bricks. Wedged deeply inside that crevice was a strand of faded red thread. It was identical to the thread woven into the fabric of the old quilt. I dropped to my knees, reaching out to retrieve it, when the booming voice of Eldest Uncle echoed from outside.

Old Three, do not smash it too quickly, Eldest Uncle commanded, stepping into the dim light. First, we must see what she has hidden inside.

A dozen flashlight beams instantly converged on the feeding trough. In that single fraction of a second, the avaricious eyes of every person present locked onto the trough with predatory intensity. Eldest Uncle strode inside, wearing a coat thrown hastily over his shoulders, his face twisted with the irritation of being abruptly woken from his sleep. Right behind him hurried Qin Manman and the Eldest Aunt. The moment Qin Manman’s gaze landed on the stray red thread on the ground, her eyes lit up with malicious triumph.

I told you all she was a thief! she shrieked, pointing a trembling finger accusingly at me. Grandmother must have hidden her life savings inside the pigsty, and this scavenger found it!

Shen Nien laughed coldly, his expression full of disdain. Only a moment ago, you insisted that there was nothing inside this pigsty except manure.

Qin Manman choked on her words for a fraction of a second, but quickly recovered, her voice rising to a shrill shriek. Even if that is true, whatever is here belongs to the Qin family! She is nothing but an outsider, what right does she have to take it?

Eldest Uncle squatted down beside the feeding trough, thrusting his hand forward to claw at the red thread. I threw myself over the opening, pinning his hands down with my own body. The property deed clearly states that this pigsty belongs to me. Whatever is found inside must be handled by my attorney.

Eldest Uncle shoved me violently away. Do not wave your lawyers around to frighten me. My mother suffered from senile dementia and was manipulated by you into writing a fraudulent will. If we truly press charges, you will not even be able to keep this wretched pigsty.

Hearing those words, I froze in shock. It was true that Grandmother had once suffered a minor stroke, but her mind had remained remarkably sharp, a fact thoroughly documented in her official medical records. When the will was formally executed, the attorney had even played a video recording capturing the entire lucid process. Eldest Uncle knew all of this perfectly well; he was simply manufacturing a shameless pretext to rob me blind.

Uncle Three was far more blunt. Stop wasting time talking to her. Smash it open!

The heavy iron hammer was hoisted into the air once more. Shen Nien lunged forward, throwing his arms around the wooden handle. If any of you dare to strike that trough, I will call the police this very second!

Eldest Aunt planted her hands firmly on her hips and collapsed dramatically onto the ground. Go ahead and call them! Let the police see for themselves how a woman with a different surname harassed an old woman to death, only to crawl back like a vulture to plunder her ancestral estate!

She began to wail at the top of her lungs, her voice sharp and piercing like a steel drill. Mother, look upon this ungrateful wretch whom you favored so dearly! Your own son is barely cold in his grave, and already she is trying to dig up the very foundations of your home!

The mountain village at night was profoundly quiet. The moment her shrieks shattered the stillness, the lights in neighboring houses flickered on one by one. Curious figures wrapped in heavy coats stepped out into the night air to watch the spectacle.

What on earth is happening now?

The Qin family is fighting over the inheritance again, looking utterly disgraceful.

Did Le Le not legally inherit the pigsty? What are they still fighting over?

Qin Manman immediately pointed her finger straight at me. She stole the money Grandmother had hidden away! We caught her red-handed in the act!

Countless hostile, prying eyes converged upon me, sharp and piercing as needles. Shen Nien pulled out his phone to dial the authorities, but Uncle Three leaped forward, snatched the device from his grip, and hurled it violently against the concrete floor, shattering the screen into a spiderweb of cracks. Shen Nien lunged forward, grabbing Uncle Three by the collar. The hired laborers instantly swarmed around them, fists raised. The confrontation teetered violently on the brink of an all-out brawl until the authoritative voice of village secretary Qin Huaiqing cut through the chaos. This time, he was flanked by the village accountant and two stern-faced young cadres.

Enough!

Qin Huaiqing’s face was dark with suppressed fury. Whoever dares to throw another punch will find themselves explaining it to the police station right now, because their car is already on its way up the hill.

Eldest Uncle offered a cold, humorless sneer. Secretary, do not sit there and show blatant favoritism. If there is indeed money hidden inside my mother’s old feeding trough, it rightfully belongs to her own flesh and blood.

Qin Huaiqing slowly turned his heavy gaze away from them, finally looking directly down at me.