Chapter 6: Beating Up the Scumbag

Su Zhewen touched his forehead and asked, “Second Brother, are you sure this is going to work?”

He recalled how, right before bed last night, Su Zhewu had pulled on his arm and mumbled a whole plan to him.

“I need to hurry back or else Maomao won’t find me when he gets up to pee.”

“Don’t worry, Big Bro, we’ll be quick.”

Su Zhewu held a filthy, smelly burlap sack he had secretly snatched from the village beggar’s place the day before, pinching his nose in disgust.

The two of them hurried along the road out of the village.

Because Zhang Wenliang was preparing for university exams, he had taken on a tutor.

The tutor was a former educated youth who had been sent down to Yushui Village and had recently returned to the city.

So now, every Tuesday and Thursday, Zhang Wenliang had to travel to town to study.

Back when he was still technically their brother-in-law, Second Brother Su would sometimes give him a ride when heading out to work.

But after what happened yesterday—Zhang Wenliang bullying their sister like that—they couldn’t let it slide.

Su Zhewu had tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep from the anger.

So the brothers came up with a plan to teach Zhang Wenliang a lesson.

At dawn, they brought the sack and laid in ambush on the road to town.

There were no oxcarts this early, so Zhang Wenliang would be traveling on foot.

Sure enough, around 4 a.m., just as the sky was beginning to lighten, Zhang Wenliang appeared on the road.

He walked quickly, a troubled look on his face—still shaken, perhaps, from the scare the other day.

He hadn’t felt much reaction down there these past two mornings, so he was planning to visit a doctor in town today.

As he walked, he suddenly heard a noise behind him.

Before he could react, a sack was thrown over his head.

And then came the blows—fists landing hard and fast like rain on his body.

“Who—who is it?!”

The Su brothers didn’t speak a word, just kept beating him silently and fiercely.

Zhang Wenliang tried to fight back, but couldn’t land a single hit.

After ten solid minutes of pummeling, the two looked down at the now-unconscious Zhang Wenliang.

“Tch, what a weakling. With that skinny body, he’s bound to be a total pushover.”

“What now, Second Brother?”

“Big Bro, strip him.”

They quickly undressed Zhang Wenliang and even took the money from his pockets.

Then they dumped him in the middle of the road.

Snatching the sack back, they slipped away through the mountain path and headed home.

From the shadows, Qin Xiaoyun watched the brothers sneak off like a couple of thieves before stepping forward.

He looked at the beaten, naked, unconscious Zhang Wenliang and couldn’t help but frown.

Was ambush-beating people with sacks a Su family tradition?

But then again, Zhang Wenliang wasn’t any good himself.

He had been sneaking around the reed marsh with Lu Jiajia doing unspeakable things—and Qin had seen it all.

On top of that, he nearly got that little girl killed.

Thinking of this, Qin’s sharp eyes flashed with murderous intent.

With a heavy thud, he kicked Zhang Wenliang hard between the legs.

Hmph.

It wasn’t until dawn, when an oxcart full of aunties and young wives was headed to town from Yushui Village, that they discovered Zhang Wenliang—beaten to a pulp, swollen like a pig, and lying naked in the road.

By that time, the Su brothers were already home, had changed clothes, and were back in bed.

Little Maomao rubbed his sleepy eyes and mumbled, “Dad, why are you dressed?”

Su Zhewen smiled and gently held his little bottom.
“Need to pee? Daddy will take you.”

“Hold it steady now, don’t pee sideways.”

After Maomao finished peeing and gave a little shiver, Su Zhewen carried him back and tucked him into bed again.

Later that morning, Maomao woke up to see his grandma cooking in the kitchen.

Maomao, get up and go to the tofu shop and buy me some tofu. I’ll make some tofu soup for your aunt today.” Maomao instantly perked up.

He grabbed a bowl and dashed out like a little whirlwind.

Wang Guifang couldn’t help but chuckle.

Maomao wasn’t even Su family by blood—she had found him abandoned and brought him home.

She remembered going to town on a snowy day and seeing the poor child wrapped in rags, lying in the snow, his whole body purple from the cold, barely breathing.

How could she just leave him there? Without hesitation, she scooped him up and brought him back.

Her eldest son was kindhearted—he cradled the boy and warmed him with his own body for two days straight, saving his life.

Even Zhizhi had given up her own ginseng root for the boy.

But because of that, Zhizhi had almost died that winter without her medicine.

Still, the boy had a strong will—once he made it through, he never got sick again.

Their family was terribly poor. Her eldest son was already over twenty and still hadn’t found a wife.

Poverty was one thing, but who would willingly marry in and instantly become a stepmother?

Her eldest was stubborn, too—he insisted he would only marry someone who could accept Maomao.

This made Wang Guifang anxious.

Every time she brought it up, Su Zhewen would just say, “Mom, I’ve got Maomao to take care of me in old age. Focus on finding someone for Second Brother.”

Second Brother would say, “What’s the rush? Big Bro hasn’t even settled down yet.”

Third Brother? Forget it. He was off who knows where, beyond anyone’s reach.

Still fretting while feeding firewood into the stove, Wang Guifang suddenly heard little Maomao come running in with his bowl, all excited.

His eyes sparkled with juicy gossip.

“Grandma, Grandma! I heard something fun while I was out buying tofu!”

“What is it?” Wang Guifang took the tofu and set it on the counter.

“I heard the villagers say Zhang Wenliang got beat up on his way to town this morning!”

“What? Really?” Wang Guifang immediately put down her spatula. “Tell Grandma everything!”

Maomao lifted his little hand. “Grandma, they said Grandpa Li found him. He was heading to town with his oxcart and saw a naked man lying in the middle of the road. Turned out to be Zhang Wenliang! They said his face looked like a pig’s head and even his little weenie got kicked and smashed.”

Wang Guifang’s heart clenched. Could it have been the work of her two sons?

She thought back to last night, when the two of them had been whispering in the living room, and she knew instantly.

Those two barely had to move a muscle before she could tell they were up to no good.

Would they have left behind any evidence?

“Grandma? What are you daydreaming about? I heard they took him to the hospital. Grandpa Tofu said he might be ruined. But everyone kept saying ‘small’—Grandma, what does that mean?”

Wang Guifang, already an old woman, blushed a bit at that.

“Maybe it means he was weak, so he couldn’t fight back.”

“Yeah! If it were me, I’d beat the other guy till he cried!”

“Maomao, Mom, what are you two talking about?” Su Nianzhi poked her head in with a yawn.

“Oh my little darling, why aren’t you sleeping more? You need extra rest with your health.”

Su Nianzhi smiled. “Mom, I’ve had enough sleep. I want to walk around the foothills today. Didn’t that old doctor say I should try moving around more?”

Wang Guifang nodded. That had been said.

“Alright then, I’ll have Maomao go with you. Just be careful, and come back if you get tired. I’ll get your breakfast ready.”

Su Nianzhi sat on a stool and looked at Maomao, whose little eyes sparkled like stars, practically begging her to ask him something.

She couldn’t help but laugh.

“Maomao, do you have something to tell Auntie?”