Chapter 564: Seeking Justice

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Gu Zi observed the crowd, recognizing many faces from Chen Village. Their expressions were cold and sour, giving her an instinctive feeling that their presence spelled trouble. She quickly descended the stairs, the dawn barely breaking, the chill of the early morning not yet dissipated. Pulling her coat tighter around herself, she sought to ward off the cold.

Just as Gu Zi stepped into the courtyard, she hadn’t even opened the gate when she was spotted by the crowd outside. Among them was the gossipy woman from Chen Village, a character Gu Zi had become acquainted with during a previous temple ceremony. The woman’s reputation for stirring up trouble and her knack for manipulation had left a deep impression on Gu Zi.

Previously, Gu Zi had asked Aunt Zhang to keep an eye on this woman. Aunt Zhang discovered that the gossipy woman was attempting to manipulate Su Jing in order to secure a partnership with Su Shen. The woman was relentless in her pursuit, but to her dismay, Su Jing had left Daqing Village before they could exploit her, leaving them frustrated.

From Aunt Zhang, Gu Zi had also learned crucial information. The gossipy woman’s husband was one of the key members of the cunning group from Chen Village. They were eager to strike a deal and skim off some profits from the pig farm. The gossipy woman, eager to earn merit with her husband, was left bitterly scolded when Su Jing left, causing her status at home to plummet.

Upon seeing Gu Zi, the woman shouted loudly, drawing everyone’s attention to her. It seemed as if she believed this confrontation could help her regain some ground. “The Su family can’t hide forever. Someone has finally come out. We must demand an explanation from her. Don’t you all agree?”

Several villagers from Chen Village echoed the woman’s sentiment, their gazes fixed on Gu Zi with ill intent. Others simply watched, waiting to see what would unfold. Gu Zi, unsure of what explanation the woman sought, approached the gate to better understand the situation. At that moment, Aunt Zhang burst from the crowd, pointing accusingly at the gossipy woman and defending Gu Zi.

“You troublesome hag, always picking on others! What does the village’s power outage have to do with the Su family? You’re like a wild dog, always barking nonsense. You tried to sow discord between Su Jing and Gu Zi at the temple, and now you’re blaming the power outage on the Su family. What other lies do you have up your sleeve? Now that everyone’s here, why don’t you spill them all at once? Let’s see what kind of wild dog you really are!”

Aunt Zhang’s fierce defense seemed to deflate the gossipy woman’s momentum, but she was merely feigning defeat. She turned to her fellow villagers and said, “Look, they’re even biting back. It’s clear that the Su family is using their power to bully others. Their pig farm consumes so much electricity, and now our three villages are without power. We don’t even know when we’ll have electricity again.

“All we want is justice, and yet we’re being scolded so harshly. Aunt Zhang, we’ve heard from your fellow villagers that you often receive benefits from the Su family, so naturally, you’d defend them. But we three villages are like brothers. How could you insult us like this?”

Many nodded in agreement, feeling that Aunt Zhang was in the wrong. Even some from Daqing Village felt that Aunt Zhang’s scolding was excessive.

However, Gu Zi understood the situation clearly. Aunt Zhang was simply suffering for her straightforwardness. Such people often appeared unlikable, just like now. Aunt Zhang was so angry because she had been closely watching the gossipy woman and her group, aware of their true colors.

But the power outage in the village was news to Gu Zi. She stepped forward, standing beside Aunt Zhang, and asked in a calm voice, “Aunt Zhang, what happened with the power?”

Those outside the gate noticed the large yellow dog tied in the courtyard, pacing back and forth within its reach like a guard dog, as if warning them to behave or risk being bitten.

Aunt Zhang, seeing Gu Zi had come out, finally lowered her hands from her hips and pulled Gu Zi aside. “You just woke up, didn’t you? Let me tell you, for some unknown reason, our three villages lost power last night. I came to find you but couldn’t wake you. I even ran into Su Shen, who was worried about you. He came to check on you and even went inside your house. He left for the city afterward.”

Listening to Aunt Zhang, Gu Zi finally understood the magnitude of the events that had transpired the previous night. She had rushed out earlier, still clutching the flashlight Su Shen had left for her. The warmth from the flashlight made her realize that he had indeed made a special trip back to leave it for her, probably fearing she would be scared if she woke up in the middle of the night.

A warm feeling spread through Gu Zi’s heart, causing a slight flutter. But on the surface, she maintained her calm demeanor and asked Aunt Zhang, “Did he go to the city to deal with this issue?”

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