Chapter 8: Memories and the Mastermind

Just as Yu Meijuan and her daughter were growing impatient, Shen Jianguo stormed out of the house, visibly angry. Reluctantly, he handed a box to Yu Meijuan.

Yu Meijuan accepted it and carefully inspected the box. Finding no signs of tampering, the corners of her mouth lifted slightly.

When Shen Jianguo had first demanded this box from her, she already knew it wasn’t something ordinary people could open.

If the Yu family’s heirloom could be so easily unlocked, it wouldn’t bear the legacy of the Yu clan, renowned as masters of Qimen Dunjia—the mystical art of geomancy and strategy.

But Shen Jianguo, refusing to believe in such things, insisted on taking it anyway.

In truth, this box was the very thing Yu Meijuan was most concerned about. After all, it was deeply tied to her family’s heritage.

“Hmph. So what if you took it? You still couldn’t open it. I thought you were more capable than that,” Yu Meijuan taunted, her tone laced with mockery. Her sole goal now was to make Shen Jianguo as frustrated as possible. Watching his face turn red with anger gave her immense satisfaction.

Shen Jianguo noticed the disdain on Yu Meijuan’s face and felt his anger flare. Her words, aimed directly at his pride, made him grit his teeth in frustration. The expression he had struggled to maintain cracked under the pressure.

“Don’t get too full of yourself. Do you think you’ll have a good life without me? Hah!”

Yu Meijuan cut him off mid-sentence, unimpressed by his attempts at intimidation. Those threats no longer held any power over her.

“And the rest of my things? You didn’t just take this, did you? Tomorrow, make sure to bring everything back. Since we’ll be heading to town, who knows if I’ll be able to hold my tongue or not,” she said, her gaze sharp as she stared at Shen Jianguo’s now coal-black expression.

With that, she turned and left with Shen Zihan.

As he watched their figures disappear into the distance, Shen Jianguo fell into deep thought. Memories of the past rushed into his mind, one after another.

Yu Meijuan had been one of the educated youths sent to Shanghe Village. Like the others, she had been assigned there due to various reasons during the movement to send city dwellers to the countryside. Back then, while Yu Meijuan had been beautiful, Shen Jianguo had no particular intentions toward her.

At that time, he was already the team leader of the village. His only ambition had been to ensure the city girls remained safe and didn’t cause any trouble while they were there.

Just as one fears the worst, disaster struck a month later. The villagers and the educated youths were working together to repair a dike when an unexpected accident occurred. For reasons unknown, a massive boulder on the hill above suddenly loosened and rolled straight toward Yu Meijuan.

The sight of the enormous rock hurtling down left everyone stunned. They froze in place, watching helplessly as it barreled toward her.

Yu Meijuan, quick-witted as she was, immediately dove under a nearby smaller rock for cover. When the massive boulder struck the smaller rock shielding her, its momentum was significantly reduced, dispersing most of the force.

Even so, Yu Meijuan wasn’t entirely unscathed; her head was grazed by the boulder.

Had that small rock not been there, Yu Meijuan would have been crushed to death beneath the giant stone.

However, the collision left Yu Meijuan with a head injury that caused amnesia. She could no longer remember anything from before the accident.

Fortunately, no lives were lost in the incident, and Shen Jianguo, the village team leader, avoided being held accountable by the higher-ups.

Believing the matter settled, Shen Jianguo didn’t give it much thought afterward. Yu Meijuan’s amnesia hadn’t impaired her physically; she could still work, earn labor credits, and sustain herself.

From this incident, Shen Jianguo learned a valuable lesson. While the educated youths might not excel at physical labor, their intelligence and quick thinking set them apart. Managing them required a different approach than dealing with the villagers.

But then, a month after the accident, an unexpected visitor arrived at the brigade office while Shen Jianguo was working.

The woman who came to see him had her face obscured by a hat and scarf, leaving her features entirely concealed. He couldn’t make out her appearance, but her presence was commanding, and her voice was melodious yet firm.

“There’s an educated youth in your brigade named Yu Meijuan,” the woman began. “She’s the daughter of a big capitalist, with a questionable background. However, she carries many valuable treasures. If you handle this properly, those treasures could ensure your family’s wealth for generations.

“One more thing: she’s already three months pregnant. Her emotional state is unstable, and there’s a risk she might take her own life.

“Lastly, if you find a purple wooden box on her, make sure to keep it safe. When the time comes, I’ll return and offer you a price you won’t believe to purchase it. Remember, you must not breathe a word of this to anyone.”

To this day, Shen Jianguo could recall the woman’s words with perfect clarity, as if they had been etched into his memory.

After the woman left, Shen Jianguo pondered deeply. He was convinced that the woman must be an enemy of Yu Meijuan and that the “accident” that had nearly killed Yu Meijuan was undoubtedly her doing. Yu Meijuan’s survival was likely due to her memory loss.

Realizing he was already entangled in this mess, Shen Jianguo decided it would be a waste if he didn’t seize some benefit for himself.

After much deliberation, he came up with a plan:
When Yu Meijuan attempted to take her own life, he would “rescue” her, then marry her. Once they were husband and wife, everything she owned would belong to him.

The primary reason he married her was to claim her possessions.

At the time, he already had a fiancée—Li Cuihua—and they had even consummated their relationship. But when he heard that Yu Meijuan possessed enough wealth to ensure generations of prosperity, he was tempted.

Greed is a powerful motivator. Shen Jianguo justified his betrayal with this reasoning: no one could resist such temptation.

And so, he saved Yu Meijuan. But she wasn’t the meek, fragile woman he had imagined. She quickly saw through his intentions—he hadn’t married her out of love.

Ironically, Shen Jianguo found himself increasingly drawn to Yu Meijuan. Her fair skin, curvaceous figure, and beautiful face stirred feelings he hadn’t anticipated.

On their wedding night, as he gazed at her, he thought, This woman is my wife now. Not only will I have such a stunning wife, but I’ll also gain unimaginable wealth. My life is complete.

But Yu Meijuan wouldn’t let him touch her. She even confronted him, exposing his vile intentions to his face.

From that moment, Shen Jianguo realized that, despite her amnesia, Yu Meijuan was neither foolish nor easily controlled.

But so what? In those days, as the village leader, Shen Jianguo’s authority was absolute. If he couldn’t have her love, he would take what he could by extorting her.

Yu Meijuan, understanding her precarious position, endured his relentless greed for the sake of her daughter. She repeatedly gave in to his demands for money and valuables.

When Shen Jianguo couldn’t find comfort in Yu Meijuan, he turned to Li Cuihua. Thus began his life of running between the two women.

As his children with Li Cuihua grew older, Shen Jianguo became increasingly eager to legitimize them. This led to his sinister scheme: he instructed Er Laizi to assault Yu Meijuan, planning to use the incident as an excuse to cast her out of the Shen family.

But his plan backfired. Not only did it fail, but it also exposed his relationship with Li Cuihua to the public ahead of schedule.

Feeling cornered, Shen Jianguo underestimated Yu Meijuan’s intelligence. He believed he could still control her in the future.

“Keep staring, why don’t you? Don’t think I don’t know what you’re plotting!” Li Cuihua’s shrill voice snapped Shen Jianguo out of his thoughts.

“If you’ve got nothing nice to say, just shut up,” Shen Jianguo retorted impatiently. His day had been nothing but a string of misfortunes, and even Li Cuihua, who usually pleased him, was now an annoyance.

That night, as Shen Jianguo lay on the kang, he thought about how Yu Meijuan, his long-time adversary, was about to divorce him. For reasons he couldn’t explain, an uneasy feeling crept over him. It felt as though something precious he once owned was slipping away forever.

His instincts were correct. Yu Meijuan wasn’t just planning to divorce him—she was preparing to give him an unforgettable parting gift.