Within a day, the news that Zhang Lanlan had been touched by dozens of men spread quickly throughout Huangsha Village and even to several nearby villages.
While Huang Xiaoyan did not harm people physically, he knew how to damage their reputation. For Zhang Jiawang, having an unmarried older daughter was a form of torment.
Zhang Lanlan dared not go out casually. Being kicked out of the county magistrate's family banquet had already severed her path to marrying into the county town. Now, her reputation in the village was also ruined, and she feared no one would be willing to marry her.
However, it would be inaccurate to say no one was willing to marry her, because Lu Dagang was very willing.
Lu Dagang was overjoyed that Zhang Lanlan's reputation was completely ruined, as it meant no one else would compete with him for her. After finishing work, he confidently walked into the Zhang family's house.
When Zhang Jiawang and Xue Shi heard that he wanted to propose to Zhang Lanlan, they were so angry that they grabbed sticks to strike him. Unexpectedly, they were stopped by the Zhang clan elder. Now, the clan elder looked at his precious granddaughter with deep disgust. Because of her, the entire Zhang clan had completely declined.
In the past, although he doted on her, it was because she had not yet affected the family's interests. But now, he truly felt that his granddaughter was a jinx who could not accomplish anything but ruin everything, causing chaos in the entire family.
Now that her reputation was ruined, good families would naturally not be willing to marry her. Lu Dagang had always treated her well, and did not dislike her even after her reputation was tarnished. Marrying her to Lu Dagang might be the best option.
Just as the Zhang clan elder finished telling Lu Dagang that he could consider it, Zhang Lanlan rushed out of the room, pointing at Lu Dagang and yelling, "You ugly toad, trying to eat swan meat! Get out! I'd rather die than marry you! Get out! Hurry up and get out!"
Lu Dagang was stunned. Although Zhang Lanlan had been cold to him before, she had never cursed him so explicitly. Perhaps it was because she had been bullied and was too frustrated, so she was venting her anger on him. Thinking this, Lu Dagang stopped being angry.
"Presumptuous! Nonsense!" The Zhang clan elder was so angry that he kept slapping the table. The table had already been smashed to pieces by Huang Xiaoyan and others. It had been clumsily repaired, only to be smashed to pieces again by his slapping.
Scolded by her grandfather, Zhang Lanlan dared not throw a tantrum anymore. She covered her face and squatted on the ground, crying incessantly.
The Zhang clan elder said impatiently to Zhang Jiawang and his wife, "Tell her to get back into the room. Don't come out and embarrass us!"
Xue Shi stepped forward, hugged Zhang Lanlan, and took her into the room.
"Mom, I'd rather die than marry Lu Dagang. He's ugly and poor, and he's not worthy of me!" Zhang Lanlan cried loudly while hugging Xue Shi.
Xue Shi wiped away a tear and sighed helplessly, "But now, your reputation is ruined. Even if a good family wants you, you'll have no status after marrying them, and you'll be suppressed and looked down upon everywhere. Although Lu Dagang is a bit ugly and poor, he is genuinely good to you. Moreover, he lives in our village, so your father and I can keep an eye on things."
"No, I won't marry him! I'd rather die than marry him!" Zhang Lanlan stamped her feet.
If she continued to live in Huangsha Village, she definitely couldn't marry him. If Lu Ye and his low-born wife saw her marrying Lu Dagang, wouldn't they laugh her to death?
Xue Shi sighed with a pensive expression, "Alas, perhaps we shouldn't have opposed Lu Ye's family in the first place. I always feel that many things are strange. The more we provoke their family, the more unlucky we become. It feels like heaven itself is helping them."
Zhang Lanlan stopped her wailing, raised her head, and said through gritted teeth, "This is all the fault of Lu Ye's low-born wife. She's the jinx, and my nemesis. Mom, I will never let her off easily."
"Don't talk nonsense! Forget these thoughts. No matter what happened before, we can't afford to offend Lu Ye's family now. It's best to stay far away from them. Lanlan, listen to your mother and don't provoke them anymore." Xue Shi didn't want her daughter to continue to pester them.
A deep hatred flashed in Zhang Lanlan's eyes, "Mom, are you just going to give up like this? Our family is so unlucky now, and it's all because of Lu Ye's low-born wife. How can we be content just letting them go? One day, I will make that low-born woman kneel and beg me! I will stomp on her and crush her to death!" She said the last two words through clenched teeth.
Xue Shi looked at her daughter, her face showing unconcealed disappointment, "If you continue like this, and something happens later, don't blame me for not protecting you!"
After saying that, she stood up and walked out of the room with a displeased expression.
Zhang Lanlan sat by the bed, holding the handkerchief wet with tears.
She was not as weak as her parents and grandfather. She didn't believe that the low-born woman could make a name for herself in Red Tree Slope if she, Zhang Lanlan, couldn't.
Zhang Lanlan suddenly thought of someone, Li Xuanyi, who had always liked her since childhood.
Li Xuanyi lived in the martial arts academy in town year-round. As a student of the academy, he could participate in the martial arts examinations and become a martial arts scholar. With some connections later, he would have a promising future in officialdom.
In the past, Li Xuanyi often returned to see her, but in the last six months, he had come less and less frequently.
Zhang Lanlan felt that she had always been too indifferent to Li Xuanyi, which made him hesitate. As long as she showed a little favor, Li Xuanyi would be captivated by her again.
Two days later, Zhang Lanlan took a ox cart to town alone and waited for Li Xuanyi at the entrance of the martial arts academy.
A few fellow students who came out with Li Xuanyi saw a young woman looking for him and started teasing them together.
Li Xuanyi sternly stopped them, saying that this girl was just a fellow villager, and he had no relation to her. He asked them not to joke around, lest they tarnish the girl's reputation.
Hearing this, Zhang Lanlan froze on the spot. She remembered that in the past, Li Xuanyi really liked it when people teased him and her. He was always very happy then, but why had he changed like this now? It must be because she had always refused him, hurting her Xuanyi brother's feelings.
Li Xuanyi walked over, and Zhang Lanlan smiled charmingly, "Brother Xuanyi, long time no see. I came to town to do something and happened to see you. Here, I bought you some fresh meat buns."
Li Xuanyi looked at the two meat buns in her hand, but did not reach out to take them. Instead, he said indifferently, "Thank you, but no need. I just had lunch and am very full. By the way, what do you need me for?"
Zhang Lanlan was stunned again. At this moment, Li Xuanyi was too indifferent to her, more indifferent than ever before, and she found it difficult to adapt.
After quickly regaining her composure, Zhang Lanlan said shyly, "It's nothing, I just came to see you. But, Brother Xuanyi, you... you said before that no matter what, you would always... always like me, is that true?"
A hint of disgust crossed Li Xuanyi's face. For some reason, after seeing Lu Ye's wife looked many times more beautiful than Zhang Lanlan, he had lost all interest in Zhang Lanlan.
Due to the indulgence of the Zhang family, Zhang Lanlan never did heavy labor. She was indeed the most beautiful flower in the village and stood out in several nearby villages.