Chapter 190: line with translation of chapter title

Hearing Gu Youfu's words, everyone threw caution to the wind, their eyes burning red as they brandished farm tools and charged forward.

This time they adopted a desperate, fight‑to‑the‑death stance.

Seeing they could not hold, Chen Dafu and the other hired workers escorted Qin Dasao and her husband, as well as the Village Chief and his wife, backward.

Because Gu Xixi had already informed them when she returned earlier that she had a solution, she only needed to buy a little more time.

So there was no need to clash head‑on with the opposition; with the summer harvest approaching, any injury now would be more trouble than it's worth.

Chen Dafu and the others slowly retreated, joining up with Gu Xixi and her group.

They formed a human circle, pointing their weapons outward, switching to full defense.

He Jinglan's palms sweated with nervousness, yet she felt a faint excitement, asking, "Can we hold them off? If a fight breaks out later, what will I do without a weapon?"

Shitou lowered his head for a moment, then picked up two stones, each about the size of an adult man's fist.

He happily handed one of them to He Jinglan, saying, "Jing Lan sis, take this."

"If they dare to rush in later, we'll hoist these stones and smash them hard into their bodies!"

He Jinglan's eyes lit up, and she wholeheartedly agreed, "What a great idea!"

She imagined herself hoisting a stone and smashing the heads of the bad guys, and she laughed happily.

Gu Xixi glanced at the two laughing foolishly and said helplessly, "You'd better hope An Qinghe returns quickly; otherwise, with just these two stones, can we withstand those lunatics ahead?"

Gu Xixi said this while raising her hand and pointing.

He Jinglan and Shitou followed her gaze and were both stunned.

Those people's faces were twisted, like evil spirits, as they frenziedly attacked those defending the outer circle.

Even though Village Chief Lao Qian was among them, those blood‑red‑eyed attackers could no longer care about that.

Seeing Qin Dasao and Qian Damen struggling to hold their ground, Gu Xixi grabbed a hoe and pushed her way into their midst.

Qin Dasao knocked a man over, then caught her breath and said, "Xixi, you're not as strong as us; be careful not to get hurt—you'd better stay back and look after Miss He and Shitou."

Gu Xixi had no intention of retreating, saying, "You're all trapped here because of me; how could I hide in the back and just watch?"

As she spoke, her eyes sharp, she seized the moment, thrusting and sweeping the hoe forward; one man was struck squarely in the back of the knee, pitching forward flat on his face in the mud.

Qin Dasao and Qian Damen had not expected Gu Xixi's move to be so effective, and they looked at her in delighted surprise.

Gu Xixi said, "Don't lose focus; every bit of extra strength lets us hold out a little longer."

Even if she wasn't strong, she could still use some clever technique.

As the two sides stalemated, Gu Youfu and his group pressed forward step by step, while Gu Xixi's side slowly retreated.

Gradually, He Jinglan's foot reached the edge of the wheat field.

She called out, "Xixi…"

Gu Xixi glanced back, gritting her teeth, and swung the hoe again, tripping another person.

At this moment, their protective circle was shrinking, with enemies surrounding them on all sides.

The villagers who had come to watch the spectacle, fearing collateral damage, had already fled far away.

Shitou looked this way and that, his little face flushed with anxiety.

He suddenly stamped his foot and darted out from beside He Jinglan.

"I'll smash you to death, you bastard!"

Shitou raised his hand and brought the stone down, painfully striking a leg that had just thrust forward.

Being young and short, this striking angle happened to be just right.

Before Gu Xixi could grab Shitou, she heard a crisp "crack."

Then a burly man on the opposite side screamed, hopping on one leg; he first collided with several companions, and when he finally fell backward he knocked over a whole group.

The adults stared agape—this kid was incredibly strong; just one blow had toppled several of them!

Gu Youfu was among those struck.

He strained to shove the person off him, climbed to his feet, rubbing the back of his head, and glared at Gu Xixi, snarling, "We're about to win; today we'll destroy her wheat field no matter what, even if we do win!"

Thanks to Shitou's blow, they gained a brief respite.

He Jinglan also had a sudden inspiration and shouted, "You're all being used by him!"

She pointed at Gu Youfu, "He! I know he bears a grudge against Gu Xixi! He said he wanted to destroy her wheat field to settle a personal score—he certainly didn't tell you that, did he?"

The agitated crowd fell silent for a moment.

Gu Youfu's eyes flashed with panic as he strained his throat and shouted, "You're going to believe an outsider's words? Come on, attack!"

He Jinglan naturally would not back down, "What grudge do you have against Gu Xixi in the past? None, right?"

"You follow Gu Youfu, working yourselves to the bone, getting injured, and afterward no one will cover your medical bills—you might even end up in jail; what are you really after?"

"Even if you end up destroying this wheat field, think about yourselves—what could you possibly gain?"

The Gu clan relatives gradually stopped their attack.

They looked at one another, each showing a hesitant expression.

That's right; they had come seeking Gu Xixi's secret method for growing grain.

Now Gu Xixi still refuses to hand over the secret, yet they keep obeying Gu Youfu's orders, fighting and wounding themselves, then going to the trouble of Fei Lao Da's efforts to wreck things—what's the point?

He Jinglan took in the shifting expressions of these people and, striking while the iron was hot, said, "So, you're putting in effort for no gain, harming others without benefiting yourselves—doing this, don't you feel you're wasting the breakfast you ate this morning?"

"Hey, does Gu Youfu provide you with meals or reimburse your medical expenses?"

No need to wait for an answer—of course not.

The Gu clan relatives looked at each other, their wavering growing stronger.

No matter how embarrassed or furious Gu Youfu became, howling, no one responded or moved.

Actually, right now everyone just needs a way to back down; after all, we came together, and nobody feels comfortable being the first to say give up.

At that moment, a shout came from not far away — An Qinghe's voice: 'I've brought the instigator who was hiding at home!'

"Today's great chaos in your village is all because of his instigation!"

Everyone turned to look.

Gu Youfu turned pale with shock, "Father?!"

He saw An Qinghe holding a thick hemp rope, the other half wrapped around Gu Daye's body.

An Qinghe laughed happily as he pulled Gu Daye over here, like leading a sheep or walking a dog, full of high spirits.

Gu Daye's face was livid, unwilling and reluctant, staggering.

Gu Youfu flew into a rage, "Surname An! Considering you're a Hu person, I haven't moved against you today—why did you break into my house and even tie up my father?!"

An Qinghe had already led Gu Daye forward.

He sneered and said, "Then let everyone know what wicked deeds you father and son have done!"

"Qing Tian Xiancheng, Boss Zhao, you should be familiar with it, right?"

Gu Youfu, upon hearing that, was like a cat whose tail had been stepped on; he suddenly sprang up and lunged at An Qinghe.

"I don't know what you're talking about, release my father!"