Chapter 17

Song Wanyue’s tone turned sharp:

“Chen Jiefang, let me put it this way—Zhou Shanshan is toying with you like a dog. You’re nothing more than a pawn she’s using. Look at us female educated youths—has anyone ever spoken a good word about her? She puts on an act, pretends to be pitiful. It doesn’t just fool men, it fooled me too. The only difference is that I’ve woken up.”

So, Zhou Shanshan still wasn’t being honest.

Time to give her something stronger.

Chen Jiefang’s face flushed red with anger.
“I’m not! Shanshan is so pitiful. You just can’t stand to see her doing well. She’s just a weak woman, how could she possibly threaten you? You’re all just slandering her.”

Yang Tao patted Chen Jiefang on the shoulder.
“Jiefang, calm down. They’re not wrong. Zhou Shanshan isn’t some simple character. Stop trailing after her. She’s a married woman with a child—you should know your place. Don’t make us educated youths lose face in the village.”

“Exactly. Chen Jiefang, you’re a grown man—chasing after a married woman? Do you not want a wife of your own anymore?” This time it was Yang Liu speaking.

When she first came down to the countryside, she’d fallen for Chen Jiefang at first sight. Unfortunately, the goddess was willing, but the man wasn’t.

Song Wanyue looked at Yang Liu and thought: Another girl about to be deceived by a man.

Chen Jiefang, with his scholarly look and glasses, was actually quite popular in the village.

“Ding—Scumbag Chen Jiefang detected. Help Yang Liu see his true face and prevent them from marrying.”

In her mind, Song Wanyue asked,
“Liu Liu, what—he even goes as far as murder for money?”

Liu Liu replied,
“Mm. In the previous life, his looks gave him an edge. Yang Liu was blinded by them, and with Zhou Shanshan’s persuasion, Chen Jiefang got together with Yang Liu. They returned to the capital together.

Because Zhou Shanshan went back to the city, Chen Jiefang wanted to settle there to stay close to her. Following her suggestion, he married Yang Liu. Later, when Zhou Shanshan was betrayed by Gu Dahai, she sought Chen Jiefang out for an affair.

One day, Yang Liu discovered lipstick and a dress that Chen Jiefang had bought but never gave to her. That’s when she realized he had another woman. She followed him and caught him happily cycling out to the suburbs with Zhou Shanshan. Unable to stand it, she confronted them.

That night, it was late and the road was empty. Yang Liu fought with them, and Zhou Shanshan shoved her off a hillside—dead on the spot. Afraid the death would be traced back to them, the two buried her body deep in the mountains.

When he returned home, Chen Jiefang acted as if nothing had happened and continued his affair with Zhou Shanshan.”

Song Wanyue felt sick just looking at Chen Jiefang’s face. Disgusting.
So Yang Liu’s fate was just like hers—both unlucky enough to fall for the wrong man.

Well then, the simplest way to break Yang Liu’s hopes was to push Chen Jiefang and Zhou Shanshan together.

Chen Jiefang was softer than Gu Dahai. Breaking this “canon couple” wasn’t such a big deal.

“I know,” Chen Jiefang hesitated, “but I can’t control my feelings. And as for marriage—if I can’t marry the one I love, then what’s the point?”

Hearing that, Song Wanyue was even more convinced. This would be her angle for the mission.

She just needed a helper. Jiang Ze would do—the big shot’s promise was about to come in handy.

Yang Liu’s large, watery eyes filled with tears. She knew it—Chen Jiefang still liked Zhou Shanshan.

Even though she had met him first, Zhou Shanshan came later and still took him away. Was this really what it meant to be fated but not destined?

Song Wanyue cleared her throat.
“Let me state once again—I didn’t do that. Chen Jiefang, why don’t you ask Zhou Shanshan who she offended? Who in the village or the Gu family might be holding grudges?”

No way she’d be foolish enough to admit anything.

So he liked Zhou Shanshan? Fine—she’d grant him his wish.

She’d play matchmaker this time.

Surely Chen Jiefang wouldn’t mind that Zhou Shanshan had a child.

But this time, she needed a different witness.

Song Wanyue asked,
“Liu Liu, the system sells medicines, right? Then you must have aphrodisiacs? What about poisons? You said anything that exists in this world can be bought. Do you have something that can cause a stroke or leave someone paralyzed in bed?”

Liu Liu:
“Yes, of course. Poison too. You’re planning to deal with Zhang Shufen, aren’t you? If she suddenly had brain problems after hitting her head, that’d be perfectly normal.”

The logic was sound.

When dealing with enemies, one had to be ruthless, like sweeping leaves in autumn.

Song Wanyue:
“Exactly. In the previous life, didn’t Gu Weimin cheat with Zhou Lanhua? Zhang Shufen refused to divorce. In this era, a divorced woman usually had to leave her husband’s family, but Zhang Shufen didn’t want that. She took out all her resentment on the original me.

She often made me massage her—an hour at a time. When she was sick, I had to care for her personally. If anything wasn’t done right, she’d make me kneel as punishment.

I can almost feel the depression. With a daughter-in-law around, the whole family could bully me, and the husband wouldn’t speak up. To Gu Dahai, everyone but me was family—I was the outsider.

In the dead of winter, she made me wash clothes and vegetables with cold water. I did all the housework. Worst of all, after my parents died, they bullied me even harder. Gu Dahai’s attitude toward me was inconsistent.

Whenever conflicts arose, he’d say it was because I hadn’t borne children yet, that I had to show my worth through chores. But Gu Dahai knew everything—he was a ‘phoenix man.’ It was terrifying how completely they bled me dry.

I think Gu Dahai was scared too. He and Zhou Shanshan had already plotted to seize the Song family property. They were never going to let me live long.”

Liu Liu sighed.
“The original host was crushed under that pressure. Later, she vaguely suspected Gu Dahai was cheating, but by then it was too late. In this era, a woman married five years without children—imagine the faces of her in-laws and husband.

Wanyue, I do have something: ‘Stretch-Legs Staring-Pills.’ As the name suggests, the victim can only lie there, stretch their legs, and stare—they can’t move anything else. Five yuan each.

They’re poison, developed by Imperial Physician Zhang Xian of the previous dynasty.”

Song Wanyue nodded.
“Impressive. I’ll take some. And some aphrodisiac too—the kind you just blow lightly into a room and everyone inside loses their senses. I’ll need it tonight.

But wow, I haven’t even completed a task yet and I’ve already spent half my money. Is this what you call an ‘early investment’?”

She’d already spent twenty or thirty yuan on pots, food, and now these drugs.

Liu Liu encouraged her.
“It’s fine, Wanyue. You’ll earn it back once you complete a mission. The first one’s easy, the second isn’t too hard either.

The medicines are already stored in your warehouse, ready for use.”

Chen Jiefang’s gloomy gaze bore into Song Wanyue, but she wasn’t afraid.

She hadn’t even flinched in her shop back when she faced robbers—why would she now? At worst, it was just her life. She’d fight.

Chen Jiefang frowned.
“You’d better be telling the truth.”

Wang Dabing spoke up:
“Chen Jiefang, don’t go too far. Threatening a female educated youth—does that make you a man? Alright, Wanyue, go rest. I’ll deal with him.”

As the leader of the educated youth point, he had no choice but to intervene.

Back in her room, Song Wanyue took out a book and studied with the others.

They had agreed to review together each night, helping each other out. They studied until midnight before heading to bed.

She set an alarm and woke up at 2 a.m.

She ordered a set of black tight-fitting clothes and a flashlight. The old flashlight was too bright, so she replaced it. She also got oversized shoes and gloves before heading out.

Arriving outside the Gu family’s home, she blew powder into each room, dosing them heavily to make sure no one woke halfway through.

She went first to Zhang Shufen’s room—the one who had beaten and scolded the original host most.

Zhang Shufen’s head wound still looked nasty; the woman was reckless with herself.

Song Wanyue pried her mouth open and fed her the Stretch-Legs Staring Pill.

“Zhang Shufen, best of luck. A long illness will test filial piety—let’s see who will willingly care for you without complaint.”