Free Web NovelChapter 462: Chapter 458: Kneeling
The crowd was just there for the spectacle. They loved the drama and started clamoring for more.
Keeping one’s word was a matter of basic integrity. Joking around was one thing, but if you made a bet in front of a crowd and didn’t honor it, that meant you had a character problem. No one wanted to associate with someone like that.
The Sun family had already lost enough face for one day.
If this piled on top of it, they would truly become a laughingstock.
Sun Yecheng mulled it over for a moment before turning to Sun Yeshu. "Sister, just kneel."
Sun Yeshu’s eyes widened, and she looked like she wanted to argue.
But under the circumstances, kneeling was the best option.
She had considered backing out of it, but if she did, her reputation would take a hit every time someone brought it up in the future. She wasn’t married yet—what would she do with a ruined name?
Kneeling would also damage her reputation, but at least she would be seen as keeping her promise.
With that in mind, Sun Yeshu dropped to her knees right in front of Gu Jiaojiao.
"I’m sorry. I was in the wrong before."
Gu Jiaojiao sat on the small stool, her back perfectly straight, exuding a certain grace. Her small face seemed to glow in the sunlight, making her look just like the young lady of a wealthy, distinguished family.
In contrast, Sun Yeshu, in her garish, floral-padded jacket and braided pigtails, looked just like a head maidservant kneeling before Gu Jiaojiao.
The scene looked for all the world like a maidservant attending to her young mistress.
Sun Yeshu performed the hasty apology, scrambled back to her feet, and ran off in tears.
She was mortified. This was a complete and utter humiliation.
Seeing her like this, the crowd burst into laughter.
Gu Jiaojiao was speechless. ’If you’re going to cry, at least wait until you’re away from the crowd. The kneeling was just embarrassing, but crying in front of everyone? Aren’t you just giving them more gossip fodder?’
She liked it, though. This was a classic case of the more miserable the villain, the happier everyone else is.
Seeing his sister run off, Sun Yecheng hurriedly gathered his things and left as well.
Once the members of the Sun family had departed, the farce came to an end.
The crowd dispersed in twos and threes.
Ordinarily, they might have stayed to show some concern, but Gu Jiaojiao was an educated youth and didn’t know the villagers well. With nothing to say to her, they naturally drifted away.
In no time, only the group of ice fishers remained on the frozen river.
A few of the men who had listened to Leng Yuan’s explanation earlier gave him a nod, then hurried back to their own ice holes to put his advice into practice.
Leng Yuan had been very detailed. They started by patiently observing, then lowered their nets into the water, tossed in the bait, and waited.
These initial steps weren’t much different from what they usually did. The crucial part came next.
Their fish always used to get away when they pulled up the net; that’s why they always failed.
This time, they did as Leng Yuan had said. The instant a fish opened its mouth to take the bait, they yanked the net tight, and the greedy creature was hauled out of the water.
The man stared at the fish in his net, not quite able to process what had happened.
It wasn’t until the man next to him spoke up in envy, "Hey, when did you get so good? You actually caught a fish that big!"
The man finally snapped out of it, his voice filled with excitement.
"Brother Leng, I caught a fish! I did it just like you said, I really caught one!"
The man was actually older than Leng Yuan, but the address slipped out unconsciously.
He felt his face flush a little after shouting it, but when he saw the shocked and envious looks from the others, he puffed out his chest.
He turned to the men who had been watching Sun Yecheng fish earlier. "Brother Leng just taught me this while he was fishing. I can’t believe it worked on the first try! Pretty impressive, huh?"
He’d been envious of them for getting to watch Sun Yecheng before, but now he was just glad he’d ended up with Leng Yuan.
The men who had been watching Sun Yecheng gnashed their teeth and cursed inwardly, ’Damn show-off.’
