She's skilled in medicine, martial arts, and even understands animal language—the abandoned dau

The next day, Shen Man went to the clinic early in the morning to help out, as usual. Lan Xiang, on the other hand, took Granny Fang and Fu Ling to the village to pick mulberry leaves to feed the silkworms.

Around noon, the scorching sun poured down on every corner of the village, as if draping the entire village in a golden veil.

Just then, a man walked in from the village entrance. His face was covered in dirt, making it impossible to recognize his original appearance.

His hair looked like it hadn't been washed in a long time, all tangled up in a mess, like a pile of weeds.

His clothes were tattered, with several holes in his shirt and trousers, some even worn through, revealing the dark lining underneath.

He stopped under the big camphor tree and sat down against it.

He sat there blankly, like a statue, motionless, as if isolated from the noisy world.

His appearance was like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, immediately attracting the attention of the villagers.

Everyone looked at each other, their eyes filled with doubt and curiosity.

Everyone was secretly wondering: Who is this person? Where did he come from? What does he want to do in our village?

Unable to contain his curiosity, someone mustered his courage and stepped forward to ask, his voice tinged with wariness: "Brother, who are you? Why have you come to our Xiaoyao Village?"

However, the person seemed not to hear, remaining silent and staring straight ahead with an empty and confused look in their eyes.

Seeing this, the villagers shook their heads helplessly, exchanged glances, and could see disappointment and confusion in each other's eyes.

Finally, having no other option, they had to inform the village head of the situation.

Upon hearing this, the village head immediately put down his work and hurried to the village entrance.

He approached the man and squinted, scrutinizing him for a long time.

In the sunlight, the person's figure appeared somewhat blurry, yet it subtly revealed a sense of familiarity.

Suddenly, the village head's gaze fell on a large black mole on the right side of the man's neck. The mole was about the size of an adult's fingernail and was particularly conspicuous.

In an instant, a flash of inspiration struck the village head, and he immediately recognized the person.

"You are... Sun Ergou?" The village head's tone was a mixture of shock and doubt.

Upon hearing this, the villagers swarmed around Sun Ergou like a tide.

They all stared wide-eyed at the man who had disappeared many years ago.

After observing for a long time, they finally confirmed that this person was indeed Sun Ergou, who had stolen from Lanxiang's house ten years ago and was driven out of the village by the village head.

"Sun Ergou, what are you doing back here?"

The village head angrily questioned him loudly, his eyes flashing with rage.

He originally thought that Sun Ergou had reformed and would never return to the village to cause trouble again, but he never expected that he would appear in front of him again.

Sun Ergou lowered his head, a look of guilt on his face, and slowly said, "Village head, I know I was wrong. I have suffered a lot these past years and have come to understand many things. I regret what I did back then and hope to be forgiven by the villagers."

His voice was low and hoarse, as if it were a confession from the depths of his heart.

Looking at Sun Ergou's disheveled appearance, the village head couldn't help but feel a surge of pity.

But as the village head, he knew he couldn't easily forgive Sun Ergou's mistakes; he had to make him understand the consequences of his errors.

So the village head said sternly, "Sun Ergou, now that you know you're wrong, you should reflect on your behavior and not do anything to hurt the villagers again. If you can correct your mistakes and start anew, perhaps the villagers will give you another chance."

Sun Ergou nodded repeatedly, his eyes shining with gratitude: "Thank you, village head. If the villagers give me another chance, I will definitely remember your teachings and be a good person."

After saying that, he knelt down directly in front of the inner front, his forehead hitting the ground heavily, as if he wanted to bury all his guilt and regret into the soil.

The villagers felt a mix of emotions upon seeing this.

Many of them had grown up with Sun Ergou and had some affection for him. Seeing him in such a miserable state, they quickly felt pity for him.

"Village head, let's give him another chance!"

"Yes, we are all of the same clan and lineage. We are doing well now, but he is living like this. It's really upsetting to see him like this."

"Yes, there's plenty of work to be done in the village now. He's able-bodied, so supporting himself shouldn't be a problem..."

The villagers were all talking at once, and what they were implying was that they wanted the village head to give Sun Ergou a chance.

After a moment of silence, the village headman said, "Since everyone is pleading for you, I will give you another chance. However, you must promise everyone that you will never do anything to harm your neighbors again."

Sun Ergou raised his head, looking firmly at the village head and villagers. "I, Sun Ergou, hereby swear that if I ever violate the village rules again, I am willing to accept severe punishment!"

Then, the village head made Sun Ergou stand up and admonished him to prove his repentance with practical actions.

Sun Ergou thanked the village head and the villagers, and hurried home.

His dilapidated thatched hut, after years of exposure to wind and sun, was no longer habitable.

Kind villagers gave him their unused old houses to live in, and also provided him with rice, bedding, and other necessities.

However, while Sun Ergou outwardly expressed gratitude and kept saying thankful words, his heart was filled with jealousy and resentment.

Weren't these people once just like him, living a life of hunger and uncertainty?

Now, they all live in brand-new buildings, eat white flour every day, and live a prosperous life.

As for him, he has been traveling around and wandering all these years, enduring all kinds of hardships and suffering the trials of the world.

Sun Ergou felt that all the suffering he had endured over the years was brought upon him by Lanxiang and her daughter, as well as the village head.

He blamed all his misfortunes on them, and the resentment in his heart was like a volcano about to erupt.

He secretly vowed to repay them properly, to let them taste the bitterness he had endured, and to let them feel the pain and torment he had experienced.

He actually returned to the village with a special mission.

He intends to use his actions to win the position of second-in-command at Tiger Stronghold and realize his revenge plan. He wants to make those who once mocked and bullied him pay the price.

"A place protected by the mountain god? What a joke! It's just that little girl Man'er knows a bit of animal language and can command animals. You can fool others, but you can't fool me, Sun Ergou!"