You didn't need to walk into the courtyard to hear the grunts of pigs eating their slop.
Ning Wei had excellent hearing. Amidst the pig sounds, she detected the desperate gulping of another person.
She told Song Zhi and Fu Chengwei about it. They couldn't hear it, so Fu Chengwei suggested they go inside to investigate.
As soon as he stepped into the yard, a basin of water was thrown at him.
Fortunately, Fu Chengwei dodged it in time, or he would have been soaked.
An old woman with a fierce face stood at the entrance, one hand on her hip, the other holding a plastic basin. "What are you doing here! This is my house! Who let you in!" she yelled.
Song Zhi pulled Fu Chengwei back and stepped forward to explain. "We are history students. We arranged with the village head's son, Wang Shunli, to come and study the local history and culture. We just wanted to inquire if you had any old buildings or relics. We just want to look, we promise no other intentions."
The old woman looked impatient. "I don't care about your village head. This is my home. It's small, and there's nothing valuable here. Hurry up and leave!"
Ning Wei stood behind Song Zhi, using him as a shield. She saw the pigsty and the woman who was fighting with the pigs for food, just as Yuan Yuan had described.
The woman was barely clothed, her hair a mess like a bird's nest. She wore a tattered shirt with several buttons missing, exposing her most private parts to the air. Her body was covered in dirt.
What made Ning Wei even more furious was the thick chain around the woman's neck, one end fastened to her and the other attached to a roof beam.
The chain was made of iron, rusted in places. Although the woman's neck was dark, Ning Wei could see that it was raw and scabbed in some areas, indicating she had been confined there for a long time.
Song Zhi continued to patiently talk to the old woman, buying Ning Wei more time.
After observing, Ning Wei subtly pinched Song Zhi.
Receiving the signal, Song Zhi changed his tone. "Since you mind, I will tell the students later not to disturb you."
Despite Song Zhi's good-natured demeanor, the old woman remained unreasonable.
"Go, go."
Song Zhi and the other two walked away. The old woman was still cursing, "Where did these ill-bred people come from, claiming to be teachers, humph!"
Song Zhi looked helpless.
Suddenly, a cough came from the pigsty. Ning Wei stopped, and Song Zhi and Fu Chengwei followed suit.
The old woman grabbed a firewood stick as thick as a baby's arm and went to the pigsty. She first hit the pigs a few times to vent her anger, then cruelly beat the woman who was fighting for food with them.
"I'll let you eat! You glutton! You just eat and can't lay eggs! What's the point of keeping you!"
The old woman was cursing in the local dialect. Song Zhi and Fu Chengwei couldn't understand the words, but they knew it wasn't anything good.
However, Ning Wei heard something unusual in her words.
After venting her frustration, the old woman threw down the stick and used a ladle to scoop a basin of pig slop from a pot into the trough. "Eat up, eat up. Eat more and grow fatter, so you can help my son find a woman who can lay eggs."
The old woman muttered to the pigs for a while. The woman, frightened by her beating, dared not rush to snatch the food from the trough. She hid in a corner, tears welling up in her eyes.
Once the pigs finished eating, the old woman, satisfied, carried the bucket back to the kitchen.
However, she didn't notice the discarded firewood stick. Her foot slipped, and she fell.
With a thud, she began to groan, "Aiyo, aiyo."
Song Zhi and the others had already reached outside the courtyard. Looking through the holes in the wall, Fu Chengwei laughed heartily and said gloatingly, "That old woman's on her back like a turtle, she can't get up."
Ning Wei, on the other hand, strode into the courtyard and slowly helped the old woman to her feet. She asked with concern, "Are you alright? Do you want me to call a doctor?"
Seeing the beautiful Ning Wei, the old woman dropped her harsh demeanor. "I'm fine. Just help me inside to lie down."
Ning Wei obediently helped the old woman into the house and, at her direction, found a bottle of liniment for bruises.
The bottle was dark amber. When opened, it released an unpleasant smell, making it impossible to tell what was inside.
"This bottle, bring it here and rub it for me." The old woman was already lying on her side on the bed, her clothes pulled up slightly to reveal a large bruise on her waist.
Ning Wei expressed some doubt. "Is this expired? I don't see a production date."
The old woman glared at her. "Girls from the city are so pampered. This is top-quality medicinal wine, you can't buy it in the city. It's very effective. Pour some into your palm, rub your hands together, and when they're warm, help me break up the bruises."
Although Ning Wei was suspicious of the medicine, she worked efficiently, showing no signs of disgust.
She lowered her head, carefully poured the medicine into her palm, and then rubbed her hands together slowly. Her fair fingers moved like lotus flowers, captivating the old woman.
"I've never met a girl as kind as you."
Ning Wei smiled and said, "You're exaggerating."
Song Zhi and Fu Chengwei stood outside, faintly hearing the laughter from inside. Fu Chengwei gave a thumbs-up and grinned, "As expected of Ning Wei, she can handle anyone, no matter their age."
While Ning Wei was occupied with the old woman, the two men slowly moved to the outside of the pigsty. Fortunately, they were tall enough to see inside by standing on tiptoe.
There were three large, fat pigs in the sty, and in the corner, the woman without freedom.
Fu Chengwei made a "tsk tsk" sound, trying to get the woman's attention.
But she seemed not to hear, her eyes fixed on the pig trough.
As expected, she ran towards it the next second.
The three fat pigs had finished eating and were huddled together, fast asleep.
Seizing this opportunity, the woman found two pieces of sweet potato, about the size of her palm, in the trough and devoured them quickly, licking her fingers with lingering satisfaction.
Still not full, she lay down on the trough, her hands rummaging inside, and the sound of her swallowing could be heard from time to time.
Fu Chengwei felt nauseous watching her. He put a hand on Song Zhi's shoulder, tilted his head, and took deep breaths to the side.
Song Zhi picked up a small stone from the ground and tossed it through a hole, hitting the woman on the head. The surprise attack made her cry out softly.
The woman clutched her head and looked back. It was then that Song Zhi got a clear look at her face.