Reputation Is About to Be Ruined

Lucky clenched his fists so hard they creaked, and shouted, "You're lying! My wife has always been with me!"

Mrs. Thompson curled her lip and cursed, "Tsk, just as I thought, you're a fool who can't tell right from wrong."

More and more villagers gathered to watch the commotion. Lily Evans said, "The wild game at our house was hunted by me and my husband. How did it suddenly become someone else's gift? Which eye of yours saw Mark Hunter give me meat!?"

Mrs. Thompson said, "Do I even need to see it? Mark Hunter's the only one in the village who can hunt. If you have wild rabbit and pheasant, who else could've given it to you?"

"My wife and I caught them ourselves on the mountain!" Lucky said through gritted teeth, furious.

"A woman and a fool, hunting? You expect a three-year-old to believe that!" Mrs. Thompson scoffed, completely unconvinced.

The villagers nearby didn't believe Lily Evans and Lucky could hunt either. Hunting might look easy, but there's a lot more to it than meets the eye. Most folks could spend days on the mountain and not even touch a single pheasant feather.

Just then, Mark Hunter appeared, his face dark. He strode over and said, "What nonsense are you all spreading! Lily Evans and Lucky hunted their own game—stop dragging me into everything!"

Mrs. Thompson sneered, her voice dripping with sarcasm, "Oh my, Mark Hunter jumps out so quickly to defend Lily Evans. Can't bear to see your little sweetheart suffer, huh?"

Mark Hunter kicked over Mrs. Thompson's washbasin. "Cut the crap! You think just because you're a woman, I won't hit you?"

Mrs. Thompson started to make a scene, thrusting herself toward Mark Hunter and shouting, "Go on, hit me if you dare! Touch me and I'll have the Village Chief settle this. If you don't pay ten taels of silver for medical expenses, this won't be over!"

Mrs. Thompson curled her lip and said sarcastically, "Ten taels of silver? Why don't you just rob me instead!"

Mrs. Thompson saw Mark Hunter hesitate and grew even bolder: "Mark Hunter and Lily Evans are having an affair, everyone saw it!"

The commotion grew, catching the Village Chief's attention. He came over and frowned at Lily Evans, "Why is it always you causing trouble? If you can't prove your innocence, you'll be dunked in the pig cage!"

Lily Evans responded confidently, "Yesterday, Lucky and I went up the mountain and hunted some wild game to eat. But Mrs. Thompson insists on slandering me, saying Mark Hunter gave me the meat, and now she's shouting all over the village that I'm having an affair with him. Village Chief, my reputation means everything—how can I let Mrs. Thompson ruin it with baseless gossip!?"

The Village Chief glanced at Mrs. Thompson. "Did you see Mark Hunter give Lily Evans the game with your own eyes?"

Mrs. Thompson went red in the face, but she stubbornly retorted, "Do I have to see it to know? Everyone knows Mark Hunter is always circling around Lily Evans!"

Lily Evans pressed, "So you didn't see it yourself. You just heard gossip and decided to ruin my name. Village Chief, I ask you to judge fairly!"

The Village Chief nodded gravely. "If you can't produce evidence, then it's just slander."

Mrs. Thompson was unwilling to back down. "Fine! If Lily Evans can prove her innocence, I'll pay her ten taels of silver. But if she can't, she must be driven out of Clearwater Village!"

Lily Evans met Mrs. Thompson's eyes, unafraid. "Deal. If I prove my innocence, you pay up. If not, I'll leave the village myself!"

The villagers buzzed with excitement, all eager to see how this drama would unfold.

Lucky stepped forward, standing protectively in front of Lily Evans. "No one will drive my wife out!" he declared, voice trembling but determined.

The Village Chief looked around at the crowd. "Everyone heard it—if Mrs. Thompson can't prove her accusations, she pays ten taels of silver. If Lily Evans can't prove her innocence, she leaves Clearwater Village. No one is to interfere!"