Chapter 21: Ruthlessness

“Lin Lin, don’t be impulsive, don’t be impulsive, just put the knife down quickly.”

At this moment, Hu Yingying ran back, saw Li Lin holding a knife with anger written all over her face, and quickly rushed over to persuade her to put the knife down.

“Yes, Li Zhiqing, don’t be impulsive, there’s no need to hurt yourself over a few people.”

Seeing someone approach, Zhu Liyan also tried to comfort her and didn’t forget to give a knowing glance to Yi Ge, who was following behind Li Zhiqing.

“Speak, who sent you here?” Li Lin stood beside a few ruffians, lowering her head and asking in a deep voice.

She knew that the people before her were definitely sent by someone; otherwise, they wouldn’t have been cornered after coming here for several days—it was too coincidental.

Upon hearing this, the ruffians’ eyes narrowed, but they still firmly shut their mouths.

After all, they belonged to the same commune, and these young people couldn’t do anything to them.

Fang Mingyi noticed the expressions of the few and narrowed his eyes, knowing they were indeed being manipulated.

But he remained silent, waiting for Li Zhiqing to handle it.

“Not going to speak, huh? Well, I hope you’re all this tough in a little while.”

After Li Lin said this, she took a deep breath, raised the knife, and stabbed one of the ruffians in the arm.

“Ah··········”

“Ugh·········”

“Wait, Li Zhiqing, we’re all from the same commune. Shouldn’t I go find the commune leader to handle this?”

The aunt who felt sorry for Li Lin didn’t expect her to be this ruthless, paused for a moment, and finally spoke up to persuade her.

“Then please help me call the commune leader over,” Li Lin smiled at the aunt as she spoke.

“Alright, alright, I’ll go right now, just don’t act rashly,” the aunt promised before running outside.

Seeing the aunt run out, Li Lin looked down at the ruffians and asked, “So, what now? Still not going to say?”

The ruffians were scared, but when they saw the aunt going to find the commune leader, they held back their fear and remained silent.

“Wow, you really have some guts, huh.”

Li Lin, at this moment, recklessly wanted to uncover the instigator and stabbed the knife into another ruffian’s thigh.

“Ah·········· I’ll talk, I’ll talk, it was···········”

“Li Zhiqing, your methods are too cruel. Aren’t you afraid their parents will come looking for trouble with you soon?” 

At this moment, Zhao Li rushed over, her voice sharp as she looked at Li Lin and questioned her.

However, this single sentence interrupted the ruffian’s attempt to speak.

Li Lin glanced at the ruffian on the ground, then looked at Zhao Li and smiled, “If I were afraid, I wouldn’t be standing here right now.”

“Uh··········”

Zhao Li was momentarily stumped by her words, but she still wanted to say something to dissuade her.

“Zhao Zhiqing, please don’t speak; you’re delaying my questioning,” Li Lin said while looking at Zhao Li, then lowered her head to ask again, “What? Seeing someone come, you got more courage? Don’t feel like talking anymore, huh?”

Hearing this, Zhao Li’s heart skipped a beat, and she asked, “What do you mean by that, Li Zhiqing?”

“Hmm? What do I mean? Do you think too much, Zhao Zhiqing? Are you thinking I’m talking about you?”

Seeing Zhao Li pose the question, Li Lin couldn’t help but laugh.

“No,” Zhao Li shook her head.

“Alright, since no one’s speaking up, then let me choose. Who’s up next?”

Seeing Zhao Li shake her head, Li Lin sneered internally and then looked at the few ruffians with a smile.

The ruffians were scared out of their wits, their eyes darting towards Zhao Li.

Noticing this, Zhao Li quickly turned around to pretend she didn’t see.

“It’s you,” Li Lin’s words barely finished before she swiftly and accurately thrust the knife toward one of the ruffians.

“Stop··········”

“I said···········”

*”Why didn’t you say so earlier? It would have saved us the trouble of getting hurt.”* Li Lin sneered and put away the dagger.

*”Girl, leave the rest to me. I’ll make sure they spill the names of the people behind this, and I won’t let them off the hook, not even a little bit.”* Zhang Jun ran up to Li Lin, panting heavily.

*”Squad leader, someone’s ready to talk. Let’s listen to what they have to say.”* Li Lin pointed at a hooligan and said to the squad leader.

*”Alright, I’ll listen. Let’s see who broke the rules of the squad. I hope it’s not from our own squad, otherwise…”*

Zhang Jun scanned the crowd and his gaze lingered on Zhao Li, whose eyes were full of panic. He emphasized the last part of his sentence.

*”Squad leader, it’s Li Di Lai. She paid us to come here, saying she wants to teach Li Lin and Hu Yingying a lesson.”*

*”I didn’t! It wasn’t me!”* As soon as Li Di Lai heard this, she waved her hands frantically, denying her involvement.

The hooligan stared at Li Di Lai and said firmly, *”It was you. Two days ago, you came to us with five yuan.”*

*”Hah, charge for hooliganism and instigation—if this goes to the police station, they’ll probably send you to labor reform for ten to twenty years, right?”* Li Lin coldly threatened as she watched the scene unfold.

*”Twenty years. The authorities are cracking down on hooliganism right now.”* Fang Mingyi chimed in.

*”No, no! I don’t want to go to labor reform! It was Zhao Zhiqing and Zheng Zhiqing. They gave us five yuan and said that if the matter came out, they’d say it was Li Di Lai who made us do it.”*

Hearing about labor reform for twenty years made the hooligan panic, and he revealed the truth.

Zhao Li, upon hearing this, collapsed to the ground, her eyes vacant.

*”Squad leader, I’m going to the police station, and no one can change that.”* Li Lin looked at the squad leader seriously.

*”You can’t! My Huzi can’t go to the police station. He’s the only heir in our family. You have to think of something!”* A middle-aged woman with graying hair rushed up before Zhang Jun could speak, crying loudly.

*”Where were you all this time? And now you come crying? Aren’t you ashamed?”* Zhang Jun’s face darkened when he heard the woman try to play the family card.

*”He’s my nephew! You’ve got to do something for Huzi. He’s the only one left in our family!”*

The woman ignored Zhang Jun’s words and cried even harder.

*”Li Zhiqing, what about this…?”* Zhang Jun hesitated, looking at Li Lin.

*”Squad leader, I have to go to the police station.”* Li Lin’s tone was firm and serious.

Seeing how serious she was, Zhang Jun knew she was not backing down but still tried to persuade her:

*”Li Zhiqing, think about it. These hooligans’ families are not easy to deal with. If you’re going to live in this squad in the future, it’s better to think it through.”*

*”Squad leader, if I give in this time, won’t it make others think I’m easy to bully?”* Li Lin understood that Zhang Jun was trying to help, but she refused to compromise.

*”Do as you wish.”* Zhang Jun sighed and turned away.

Zhao Li, seeing that even the squad leader couldn’t persuade Li Lin, completely panicked. She crawled up to Li Lin, begging:

*”Li Zhiqing, I beg you, don’t go to the police station. I’ll compensate you. Whatever you want, I’ll make it happen. Just don’t go to the police, please.”*

*”Zhao Zhiqing, I’ve only been in the countryside for less than half a month, and I don’t even know how I offended you so badly that you had someone try to ruin me.”* Li Lin’s eyes were full of hatred as she looked at Zhao Li, her voice cold as she spoke:

*”Zhao Zhiqing, don’t worry. Not only will I go to the police station, but I’ll also find out your home address and tell the neighbors everything you’ve done.”*

*”No! No! You can’t do this!”* Zhao Li was so terrified she shook her head frantically.