Chapter 96

That night, Lin Daguo’s family huddled together in the living room, anxiously keeping watch. Anyone who felt drowsy was pinched by Li Aifeng to keep them awake, fearing that Wang Honghua might wake up and cause more trouble, with their home lacking a helper.

By the time the rooster crowed three times the next morning, Li Aifeng washed up quickly, and the family locked the big door before marching angrily to Wang Shanpao’s home.

Lin Daguo, being somewhat shrewd, decided not to confront Wang Shanpao directly. Instead, they visited a distant relative in Wangjia village. Lin Daguo had to call the elderly man there his great-uncle. Li Aifeng, reluctantly, gave the old man a tobacco pipe and some good tobacco, while Lin Hongwu skillfully extracted information without leaving a trace.

Wang Honghua had been purchased with money and wasn’t properly married, which was not respectable in any era.

So Li Aifeng only showed off in her own village and never said a word in Wangjia village. The villagers of Wangjia village only knew that Wang Shanpao’s daughter was “bought” by someone, but they had no idea that it was Lin’s family who paid for her.

“Ah, you mean Wang Shanpao’s daughter? She’s not fit to marry!”

“Great-uncle, why is that?”

“Why? The girl from the Wang family is a lunatic! Alas, this child is quite unfortunate. Her madness is hereditary. Wang Shanpao’s father came to our Wangjia village as a refugee. Just think, a beggar with no house or land, how could he easily find a wife? Locals aren’t fools, they want their daughters to marry into a well-off family.

Wang Shanpao’s father remained single until he was in his thirties. One year, while selling grain at the market, he came across some local hooligans bullying a beggar girl. Wang Shanpao’s father, being kind-hearted, rescued the girl. She came back to his home and cleaned up nicely. The two poor souls ended up together, and after two years, Wang Shanpao was born.”

Though Wang Shanpao’s mother would occasionally go mad, she lived a long life, reaching seventy-eight before passing away last year.

After the old lady’s death, Wang Honghua’s madness began. Despite being usually quiet and obedient at home, with a pleasing appearance, Wang Honghua’s condition deteriorated. Before her illness, there were many suitors for her.

Wang Shanpao initially took pride and demanded a high bride price to marry off his daughter.

One night, as everyone in the village was sleeping, Wang Honghua suddenly ran out to the yard, singing and dancing. She accused Wang Shanpao of being an ungrateful son, and with a broom, she beat him. Wang Shanpao’s wife also received a few blows. The couple, overwhelmed, fled in panic, realizing their daughter was indeed mad.

With Wang Honghua’s insanity, her status in the Wang family plummeted.

Wang Shanpao and his wife desperately sought a gullible buyer to marry off their mad daughter.

Unexpectedly, Lin Daguo’s family showed up, spending a significant amount of money to buy Wang Honghua. Li Aifeng also smartly included a letter severing their ties.

Lin Daguo cast a dark look at Li Aifeng, grinding his teeth. His foolish wife had walked right into their trap.

Li Aifeng, feeling guilty, blamed Wang Shanpao’s cunning family for making fools of the Lin family.

This matter couldn’t be made public. If it was, Wang Shanpao’s family would only suffer a bad reputation for selling their daughter, while the Lin family would face worse consequences. Wang Shanpao’s family had offloaded a hot potato, received the money, and had the severance letter signed.

The Lin family’s reputation in the village could not be further tarnished, and with the strict prohibition against buying and selling marriages, the Lin family risked being sent to labor camp if the issue was exposed.

Speaking of labor camp, Li Aifeng was distraught, remembering her grueling half-year. The labor camp was a nightmare.

The quarry was filled with labor camp prisoners, including some vicious criminals. Li Aifeng, who was initially arrogant, was soon beaten and forced to carry heavy burdens from dawn till dusk. She had to carry twenty loads of stones a day, and if she didn’t finish the work, she would have no food.

At the beginning, Li Aifeng could still howl a bit, but later on she was so tired that she didn’t even have time to cry!

The Lin family, wanting to avoid the labor camp, had no choice but to swallow this bitter pill.

*

Monday was a clear, sunny day. Rows of spirited young men from Yunshui County, with their bags packed, boarded military trucks.

This rural training exercise was not only for the annual drills but also to serve as a strong warning to certain troublemakers.

Recently, the number of enemy agents operating in the provincial capital had increased. The provincial public security bureau had already uncovered several organized terror attacks, including one where an enemy agent, carrying a bomb, planned to disguise himself and infiltrate the military factory to blow it up.

If it weren’t for the swift actions of the comrades from the provincial public security bureau, the military factory in the provincial city would now be nothing but ruins.

In these special times, one must always remain on high alert.

Every major factory in Yunshui County has established its own militia unit. As soon as work begins in the workshops each day, the militia soldiers remain vigilant, closely monitoring the factory’s security to prevent any sabotage, leaving no room for negligence.

At the county public security bureau, with just one command from Gu Shi’an, the young officers of the bureau, like wild horses unleashed, grabbed their gear and swiftly darted into the alleys, jumping onto the army-green trucks.

Gu Shidong, holding the red cherry wood knife given to him by his elder brother, yelled out in envy.

The little rascal jumped up and down, shouting that he wanted to be a soldier when he grew up.

The boy often had these outbursts, but the Gu family was too used to it to pay him any mind.

Before heading out in the morning, Lin Yao double-checked Deputy Director Gu’s luggage, ensuring nothing was missing—food, drinks, and medicine for injuries were all packed.

Lin Yao, holding their chubby son, saw Deputy Director Gu off at the door.

Gu Shi’an was wearing camouflage today, which highlighted his broad shoulders, narrow waist, and long legs. As he stood there, though his face wasn’t stern, he exuded an unapproachable aura.

Gu Doudou, blowing spit bubbles, wriggled to get into his father’s arms.

“Daddy! Horsey ride, horsey ride!”

The little chubby boy loved riding on his father’s back. Gu Shi’an’s lips curved into a smile as he grabbed the boy’s playful hands and gave him a couple of laps on his shoulders. Gu Doudou, with his two newly grown front teeth, grinned like a little rabbit.

After coaxing his son, Gu Shi’an was about to put the boy down and say a few words to his wife.

Unexpectedly, Gu Doudou, not yet satisfied, tugged on his father’s ears with his chubby hands, drooling and shouting.

“No!”

Deputy Director Gu’s handsome face was soon covered in his son’s drool.

“…”

It took the whole family quite an effort to get the stubborn little chubby boy to let go.

Zhang Cuilan and Gu Mancang took the boy aside to practice walking. Doudou, who had worn a thick cotton coat all winter, was now relaxed in his open-crotch pants.

The little guy took a couple of steps forward with his chubby legs before falling flat on the ground.

Gu Mancang, worried, wanted to pick him up, but Zhang Cuilan held him back.

“Where are you going, old man?”

“Doudou fell, I’ll go and comfort him.”

“Comfort him for what? Jade needs to be carved to be useful. Have you forgotten how our children grew up?”

Gu Mancang was still hesitating when Doudou, lying on the ground, kicked his legs. Realizing no one was coming to pick him up, he quickly got up by himself, continued walking, and happily ran into Zhang Cuilan’s arms.

“Grandma!”

“Oh my, my little Doudou is so brave.” Zhang Cuilan laughed as she brushed the dirt off him, stood up, and held his chubby hand. Gu Mancang, smiling, followed closely behind.

Lin Yao, seeing how someone had been worn out by the little boy, stifled a laugh as she wiped Gu Shi’an’s face.

“It’s just your son’s drool, it’s not dirty.”

“Old Gu, it’s getting late. You should go now. The old director said, even if you’re constipated, you can’t delay training!”

Da Tou Brother’s voice suddenly rang out from behind, ruining the moment.

Deputy Director Gu, who was just about to play the victim and ask for a kiss from his wife: “…”

*

After Gu Shi’an left, life at the Gu family’s house returned to its usual peace. There had been a lot of rain in the courtyard these past few days, and every morning, the yard would be covered in fallen leaves.

Even though Gu Mancang swept twice a day, it still wasn’t enough. By noon, Dongzi hadn’t yet returned from school, Lin Yao had taken Doudou to the post office to send a package, and the yard, which had been swept clean in the morning, was once again littered with leaves. Aunt Dafu, frustrated, swept the yard while grumbling, “These damn fruit trees, all they do is bloom year after year without bearing fruit. Next year, I’m getting someone to chop you down!”

By noon, every household in the courtyard was cooking, with a few even emitting the rich aroma of pork fat—it seemed they were treating themselves to something nice today.

Gu Shidong’s stomach was already growling. Sniffing the delicious smells wafting through the alley, he ran home with his school bag bouncing on his back, shouting before he even reached the door, “Mom, Sister-in-law, I’m hungry!”

Lin Yao responded, “There are vegetable buns in the kitchen.”

“Vegetable buns!”

Gu Shidong’s eyes lit up, and without even taking off his school bag, he dashed towards the kitchen, shouting with joy. Before Zhang Cuilan could remind him to wash his hands, the little rascal suddenly remembered something, turned, and ran to the courtyard to wash his hands.

He even knew to carefully wash his dirty little hands with soap.

Zhang Cuilan laughed, seeing that the rascal was afraid of being scolded by Yao Yao.

Ever since school started this year, Lin Yao had stopped spoiling the rascal as much as before. She had established some rules, such as table manners and other etiquettes: no picking and choosing food, washing hands before meals and rinsing mouth afterward, taking only what you can eat, no smacking lips, and cherishing food. Both Dongzi and Doudou gradually developed good habits under her influence.

The Gu family was having lunch, unaware that someone had followed Gu Shidong all the way home.

In a narrow alley, just one street away from the big courtyard, a short woman sat cross-legged on a narrow bed, rolling tobacco as she hid in the shadows, her face obscured.

“Did you find out everything?”

“I found out that everyone in the Yunshui County Public Security Bureau had left, and the Gu family was full of old, weak, and sick people.”