Chapter 10: Following the Army

The only daughter-in-law? Come to think of it, Old Madam Gu’s attitude toward the eldest couple was indeed puzzling, and on her deathbed, she chose to hand over that significant pension directly into Su Niannian’s care. All this made Su Niannian even more determined to break free from this family. After burying the bank book safely, it was nearly two hours later when she finally made it back home. Inside and outside — even their small plot of land — had been turned upside down by Ma Hongmei, yet there was nothing to show for it. At that time, ordinary families’ annual expenses barely exceeded ten yuan, but this pension was nearly a thousand — enough to drive anyone mad with temptation. Even Gu Shutong, who normally kept up a gentle facade, was sitting under the eaves with a sullen expression, smoking a dry pipe.

Dinner was a leftover bowl of stewed cabbage from the wake. Su Niannian rushed through a few bites, locked her room, and kept away from Ma Hongmei’s piercing stare. All she could do was wish for Su Jianshan’s earliest return — then the world would be vast, and the birds would fly free. Clinging to that beautiful hope, after two tiring days, Su Niannian fell into a heavy sleep.

In a half-dream state, she heard movement at the locked doorway. Su Niannian sprang up, grabbed the sickle hidden by her pillow, swallowed nervousness, and said casually, as if still half-asleep, “Zhiye… Is that you? Didn’t you say you’d be back the day after tomorrow…?”

She whispered quietly, and after a moment, everything fell silent outside the door. Su Niannian remained sitting up all night in her clothes, not resting even for a moment. She had a faint suspicion in her heart as to why Old Madam Gu had insisted that she leave Lotus Village.

The following morning, two sour wild vegetable dumplings were placed on the table — the leftovers that Ma Hongmei had kept from the feast. Inside the main room, Ma Hongmei was turning everything over, looking for something. Su Niannian drank a cup of warm water and forced down half a dry pancake, expressionless.

When Gu Shutong came out of the stove room, he noticed the woman’s delicate, graceful form — from her fingertips to her wrist — its softness and fairness, a marked contrast to the women in the countryside. Her eyes glimmered with a slight wetness, much like a clear crescent, misty and charming — fueling an unmistakable attraction within him. This was meant to be his wife, if he hadn’t been disabled…

“That’s big brother’s care for you.” His voice was heavy with sinister intent, sending goosebumps up Su Niannian’s skin.
Ma Hongmei was just a wall away. Without changing her expression, Su Niannian stood up and then suddenly tossed the bowl of warm porridge directly into Gu Shutong’s face. “Thank you for your kindness.”

Su Niannian’s strong spirit made Gu Shutong even more obsessed.
That afternoon, she went out for a while and came back at sunset. The table was set with food, alongside a plate of dried preserved pork. Without a word, Su Niannian entered her room, closed the door — just at that moment, a pair of callused hands stopped her.

“Niannian, you haven’t eaten yet…”
“You and sister-in-law can eat. I’m fine.”
“Your sister-in-law… went back to her parental home…”
Gu Shutong’s voice was poison-like — dripping a sinister intent.

Su Niannian’s pupils tightened. In a moment of shock, Gu Shutong forced his way into her room. His iron-like grip grabbed her arm, and he babbled, “Niannian, from the first moment I saw you, I regretted it… I shouldn’t have let Zhiye, that bastard, come and take you. He’s a soldier. Marrying him means living as a widowed wife. But it’s fine — big brother will care for you… big brother will treat you as a treasure…”

Su Niannian’s arm ached under his grip, but the meeting time hadn’t yet come. She forced down her disgust and rebuked him: “Violating a military marriage is a crime! Do you dare…?”

“It’s all in the Gu family. Niannian, you’re still too naïve. Zhiye is a reasonable man — he’s a soldier, but he’s not a fool. Between your purity and the Gu family’s reputation, he’ll make a clear choice. Do you really think you’re that important to him? It was his mother who forced him to bring you back. Otherwise, he would have gone much faster without you…”

Slap! — Su Niannian struck him across the face. “What if… you aren’t even a real Gu? Do you think Gu Zhiye would care about your life or death… or whether the family’s reputation is destroyed by you?”

“What… what do you mean?”
“Say it! What do you mean by that?!”
Stimulated by something, Gu Shutong began to shake her shoulders, his expression turning savage — a far cry from his normally placid demeanor.
Su Niannian fell to the ground but quickly got up and darted toward the outside. Gu Shutong, belatedly realizing that she was stalling, decided not to wait anymore.
He was a man blinded by lust — under a peony bush, he was willing to become a ghost in service of that passion. His claws reached toward Su Niannian, but in the very next moment, a silhouette darted in through the doorway. A heavy fist fell upon him, causing him to stagger with a sickening crack of bone.

Su Niannian darted aside.
Su Jianshan rushed forward, grabbed him, and dragged him into the courtyard, raining down blows while cursing, “Bastard! Bastard! Bastard!”

Su Niannian almost cried with relief. “Brother, you’re cursing the wrong person…!”

Su Jianshan turned back and saw her red-rimmed eyes. Furious, he punched Gu Shutong again and roared, “Bastard! Bastard! Who let you steal my sister’s things?!”

The team led by Song Aiguo, who had arrived just outside, fell silent in shock, only able to watch as Gu Shutong was beaten until he was a bloody mess. Gu Shutong kept begging for mercy: “No… I didn’t… I didn’t…”
“That you turned the place upside down and still deny it? I’ll smash your mouth, and if you ever look at my sister again, I’ll break you to pieces…”
Su Jianshan disregarded all pleas — even Song Aiguo, who tried to separate them, was punched in the process.
Song Aiguo stomped his foot in frustration. “Brother Su, calm down!”
“Calm down? How can I calm down! You’re all a nest of snakes! All you care about is helping that bastard, while my poor sister stands all alone, suffering…”
“What if I told you I’m here to bring a letter of introduction… about Comrade Su Niannian following her husband to the Northwest…?”