Chapter 18.3

The commotion was caused by a new bride from the village, who was currently being beaten by her husband. A crowd had gathered, but no one was intervening. In those days, domestic violence was common, and people preferred to watch rather than get involved. Over generations, it became understood that meddling in marital affairs was a dangerous game—if the couple reconciled, you’d end up being caught in the middle.

Luo Lan, however, didn’t understand this. With her youthful enthusiasm and limited experience, she couldn’t stand to see such an uneven fight. If it were an outsider, people would have stepped in, but since it was a marital issue, no one was willing to intervene.

“Stop it, don’t hit her anymore,” she said, trying to pull the man away and give the nearly-collapsed bride a chance to catch her breath.

“Mind your own business. This is between us, it’s got nothing to do with you.”

“But what did she do that’s worth such a beating? She’s your wife.”

“Just because she’s my wife doesn’t mean I can’t discipline her properly,” the man said, temporarily releasing his grip. His tone was arrogant, as if beating his wife was a righteous act, and he was in the right.

“Is that so? She’s not a piece of property, she’s your wife. You think you’re some kind of old feudal landlord? This is a new society, where people are the masters. Men and women are equal, and no one has the right to decide over another’s body and life.”

The man was momentarily stunned by Luo Lan’s words. Though he was a year older than her, his difficult childhood and lack of education had left him ill-prepared for such arguments. He’d heard similar things from the team’s meetings, and Luo Lan’s words struck a chord. Perhaps he was indeed in the wrong. He couldn’t bear the thought of being likened to an old landlord, a symbol of oppression and exploitation.

“I haven’t…” He tried to justify himself but couldn’t escape the label. “It’s common for men to hit their wives. If this makes me like a landlord, then which man in our village hasn’t hit someone?”

“Don’t drag others into this. Right now, you’re the one hitting your wife in public. Look at how hard you’re hitting; she can’t even lift her arm. If we hadn’t come, who knows what state she’d be in.”

The wife, who had been smart enough to avoid getting too hurt, cried as she held her arm. “I can’t live like this anymore.”

When a woman said that, it usually meant she was about to sit down, but she didn’t. Instead, she approached Luo Lan.

“Always getting beaten. The men in their family are all violent. If I had known, I would have remained single for life. Now that I have children, how am I supposed to endure this?”

Everyone in the village knew the men from the Huang family had a reputation for violence. Hearing her plight, people began to sympathize and offer advice.

“Old Huang, it’s wrong to be so violent. If your wife has made mistakes, you should talk it out. Violence isn’t the answer.”

“Exactly. Women are physically weaker. Beating her like this could really hurt her.”

“Your uncle’s wife was beaten and ran away. What, do you want to drive your wife away too?”

Old Huang stubbornly replied, “Hmph, where can she go? Her family doesn’t have a place for her, and without an introduction letter, she can’t go anywhere. She thinks this is still the old days when people could just run away.”

It was indeed difficult to escape in those times. The system, which was typically eager for gossip, seemed to take this seriously and gave Luo Lan a small weapon.

Luo Lan: What’s this?

System: A mini stun gun.

Luo Lan: It’s so small?

System: Don’t underestimate it. It’s small but powerful. It won’t kill but is very discreet.

Luo Lan: Didn’t expect you to be so righteous.

System (with a touch of pride): Of course. Since you can’t escape, you need to subdue him.

Luo Lan: I appreciate that.

After a brief exchange, Luo Lan received a small stun gun, about the size of a large needle for quilting. She noticed the wife was quietly asking her about the needle she had previously lent to another villager.

“Do you still have that needle?”

“Yes.” Luo Lan took the opportunity to hand over the stun gun. “Use it on any part of his body, pressing the small button. Return it to me afterward.”

“Got it.” With the weapon in hand, the bride began her act. “You bastard, you think you can beat me senseless and leave me with no way out? You dog, if I can’t live, I’ll drag you down with me.”

“Ah!”

Seeing the wife approach, the man instinctively tried to push her away. But as soon as he touched her, he felt a sudden numbness, which drained his strength. It was more effective than a nerve pinch, instantly incapacitating him.

“You’ve hit me in the nerves,” he stammered.

The woman quickly discovered the power of the device. A simple touch rendered the man powerless. Normally, he would have easily thrown her far away with a single swipe of his arm; this man was incredibly strong. Instead of using his strength for productive work, he directed it all towards bullying her.

“Let’s both perish together. I’m not living another day.”

The woman said this and charged at him again, hiding the small device in her sleeve so no one could see it. She pressed the button and applied the device to him, regardless of which part of his body she touched, as long as it made contact.

“Ah, my muscles are going numb!”

“Feel numb, feel numb!”

The woman took the initiative. The man, being shocked, lost all strength and was enraged but powerless to retaliate. Realizing his predicament, he tried to escape and headed towards the direction of Luo Lan, who was among the onlookers.

“Hey, be careful.” Luo Lan shouted out with apparent concern but actually pushed him back towards his wife. Seizing the opportunity, the woman, unfamiliar with the device, was determined to teach him a lesson and prevent him from escaping. She stepped forward, grabbed him, and held him tight.

However, the device’s effects also affected her due to her close proximity. Feeling her own body go numb, she realized that the device had a range, one could not be too close.

“Let go, quickly let go.”

Lu Lan warned her, and the woman quickly released the button. The electric current stopped, but her body continued to twitch for a moment. This device was indeed powerful, capable of making someone feel completely numb and powerless.

Understanding the device’s effects, the woman released the button. The man, momentarily free from the shock, attempted to retaliate, but the woman had already gotten up and moved to grab his wrist. Whatever she was holding made him not only lose strength but also uncontrollably twitch.

“Let go, let go,” he stuttered, unable to control his tongue. “Mother, ah…”

“You even know to call for your mother now?” The woman, seeing him in such a state, felt a sense of relief. His ability to speak meant he wasn’t dead. As long as no one died, no one could interfere in their domestic affairs. Her courage grew, and she continued to use the device on him.

“So you know how it feels now, do you? You know pain, right? You bully me every day and hit me at every turn. Bastard, if I’m going to die, I’ll drag you down with me. You’ll suffer well.”

“Ah, ah…”

After being shocked for too long, the man could no longer speak and could only plead with his eyes. His gaze was filled with desperation, and the arrogance he had during his attacks was gone.

“Do you still dare to hit me?”

Unable to speak, the man could only shake his head. The onlookers, unable to see the device, were puzzled by the situation. How could just a gentle pressure on his arm cause such uncontrollable twitching, as if he was possessed?

“What’s going on, Old Huang’s wife?”

“Will he die from this?”

“Hey, Old Huang seems to be rolling his eyes.”

“Hey, will he really die? Quickly go inform the team leader.”

“Forget the team leader; go find the village head. This might lead to a death.”

With the commotion around her, Luo Lan noticed that Old Huang indeed had signs of rolling eyes. She crouched beside the woman. Realizing the situation, the woman knew she had to stop, so she quickly released the button and slipped the device into Luo Lan’s sleeve.

System: “The Domestic violence has been recorded. You’ve earned melon-eating points. Please check your account.”

Lu Lan: “Earning money while eating melon, this device is really useful. Can I keep it?”

System: “This is the latest model of the needle-sized stun gun, and it’s certainly effective.”

Lu Lan: “So?”

System: “I can sell it to you at a discount.”