"We ruined the ghost marriage. I don't know if that matchmaker will get beaten like us. You're thinking too much if you expect her to give you food." This was said by someone named Qian Nan.
As the number of people decreased, their screen time increased.
Zhu Yilian looked at Ning Wei, "Then what should we do?"
"Don't worry, if it comes to it, I'll take you to steal from the village," Ning Wei replied.
Ning Wei's words were so righteous that everyone was stunned for a moment.
It was only later that Zhu Yilian whispered to Wang Jing, "Is stealing illegal here?"
Wang Jing looked at her innocent face and said, "Burying a bride alive for a ghost marriage isn't illegal, so do you think stealing is a big deal?"
However, they hadn't reached the point of stealing yet.
Before, to appease Yuan Yuan, the blood-colored bride, matchmaker Zhang had brought a lot of things here.
Ning Wei and the others hadn't eaten much to begin with, so they had always left some behind.
Mei Nan was indeed a man who knew how to manage household affairs. He stored the surplus food, though he himself never expected a day would come when it would be useful.
Everyone was determined not to leave the courtyard, keeping watch on each other to ensure Young Master Zhou wouldn't have a chance to interfere.
But Ning Wei and the others couldn't control what happened.
After lunch, Ning Wei went out.
No one dared to ask about her whereabouts; they were all squatting in the courtyard, bored to the point of counting ants.
Ning Wei sneaked up to matchmaker Zhang's house. Her door was tightly shut, and the chickens in the yard were clucking with hunger, with several having already flown into the vegetable patch to wreak havoc.
Normally, one could hear her scolding from a distance, but today it was unusually quiet. Had Young Master Zhou really dealt with her?
No wonder he didn't have time to indulge his concubines last night; he had been busy beating people all night.
One had to admit that young masters in feudal society would do such things, resorting to violence at the slightest disagreement, treating the villagers like their own servants.
Thinking of servants, Ning Wei immediately thought of that boy named Zhou Wei.
He wore ragged clothes, bore marks of being beaten, and slept in a kennel that even dogs wouldn't lie in.
He also had the surname Zhou. Could he be a descendant of Young Master Zhou?
However, Yin Yin had said that Old Master Zhou only had one son, the Young Master Zhou who died young of consumption.
As for why the Zhou family still existed, it was because Old Master Zhou had cultivated a successor. It was likely that this successor had continued to pass down the line, allowing the family to endure until now.
After observing matchmaker Zhang's house, Ning Wei moved on.
She arrived outside the village chief's house. The courtyard gate was ajar, and the village chief was sleeping in a rocking chair.
Her figure flashed by in front. However, the sharp-eyed Zhou Wei still spotted her.
Ning Wei circled to the back of the yard, intending to sneak in while the village chief was sunbathing in the front.
Just as she was about to climb the wall, her clothes were grabbed.
Ning Wei turned around and saw it was Zhou Wei.
There was no one around. This was the back wall of the Zhou family's property, and people rarely came here, making it a good place to talk.
She had been too hasty in her escape that morning, and Ning Wei had several questions she hadn't asked.
"Don't go in, you'll be discovered," Zhou Wei warned her before she could speak.
"I know, aren't I already discovered by you?" Ning Wei's nonchalant attitude annoyed Zhou Wei.
"It's different! I won't kill you, but the village chief will!"
Ning Wei looked into Zhou Wei's eyes and said word by word, "Aren't you family?"
Zhou Wei hesitated, unsure whether to speak.
Seeing his hesitation, Ning Wei clapped her hands, ready to continue climbing the wall.
Zhou Wei, in a panic, grabbed her clothes, "I told you not to go in!"
"Then tell me, what is your relationship with the village chief?"
Zhou Wei pursed his lips, "He's my grandfather."
"Your biological grandfather?"
Zhou Wei glared at Ning Wei, remaining silent.
It was no wonder Ning Wei asked. What biological grandfather would treat his grandson like this, worse than a dog?
Perhaps because Ning Wei had witnessed his predicament, Zhou Wei, in his anger, wanted to leave.
Ning Wei, quick as lightning, pulled him back, "Alright, alright, it was my fault this time."
Having finally persuaded the awkward boy, Ning Wei pressed her advantage and asked, "Does your family have some secret? Otherwise, why would you say I'd die if I went in?"
Zhou Wei was reluctant to speak, only telling Ning Wei, "In any case, you'll die if you're discovered."
"I'm very skilled, I won't be discovered."
Zhou Wei looked into Ning Wei's eyes with disdain, as if to say, am I blind?
Ning Wei couldn't handle this boy.
At that moment, the village chief's voice rang out, "Zhou Wei! Where the hell are you!"
Zhou Wei flinched in fear, then ran back into the courtyard.
Ning Wei slowly followed. Through the wall, she heard a muffled thud – the sound of a walking stick hitting Zhou Wei.
So the bruises on his body came from his own biological grandfather. Ning Wei wondered if Zhou Wei harbored any resentment.
Ning Wei took a look and turned away.
Matchmaker Zhang didn't appear all day. Mei Nan and the others found it somewhat unsettling, not out of fear of starvation, but out of concern that she might secretly concoct some new scheme.
Young Master Zhou beating them in his dreams had terrified this group. If Ning Wei hadn't saved them, they would have been buried in the earth by now.
When night fell, not a single person intended to go inside to sleep. They all gathered around the bonfire.
"Are you planning to stay up all night?" Ning Wei asked curiously.
"It's not that we don't want to sleep, it's that we're afraid to!" Zhu Yilian couldn't help but yawn.
This yawn seemed contagious. Starting with Zhu Yilian, others began to yawn one after another.
They couldn't afford to stay awake, as Ning Wei still had things to do.
"Don't worry, nothing will happen tonight. Go to sleep quickly. Staying here all night won't freeze you to death."
The group remained hesitant.
Ning Wei was forced to endure with them for a long time, until Zhu Yilian, overcome by sleepiness, let her head fall onto Wang Jing's shoulder.
She woke up abruptly, cursing softly in annoyance.
Even if they couldn't sleep, it was particularly cold here at night. Even sitting by the fire, their backs felt freezing.
Not only was she angry, but the others were also uncomfortable.
Ning Wei's eyes darted around, "How about this: you all go to sleep first, and I'll be the last one to sleep. If anything seems wrong, you can wake me up immediately. Will that do?"
Everyone naturally trusted her unconditionally, "It's just that you'll be inconvenienced."
"It's fine, I'll catch up on sleep tomorrow during the day."
The group agreed to this plan, stood up, stretched, and then returned to their rooms.
Lying on the comfortable beds, sleepiness struck again, and they quickly fell asleep.
Although Ning Wei had other things to do, she kept her promise.
She waited by the bonfire for half an hour, then patrolled each room. After confirming there were no issues, she closed their doors for them.