Chapter 41: Throw Her to Death!

Jiang Yiyi slept well and woke up feeling refreshed.

After getting dressed and collecting her things to go wash up, Gu Yunze walked in from the courtyard. He must have been out jogging; his army green vest was soaked, and beads of sweat glistened on his wheat-colored skin under the morning sun.

Jiang Yiyi felt like whistling, but she couldn’t. Even if she could, she wouldn’t dare. Gu Yunze had spared her last night, and if she dared to whistle now, he might unleash his beastly nature and prevent her from leaving the house today.

She still needed to find Zhang Mei today; she had a feeling something had happened to Zhang Mei and her son.

Naturally, Gu Yunze accompanied her.

…

Zhang Mei’s house was still locked tight.

Jiang Yiyi knocked on the door of the older sister she had met yesterday. Seeing them, the older sister quickly said, “The reason I didn’t follow yesterday was to tell Qin Gang so he could go to the hospital.”

She had indeed told Qin Gang, but his reaction was unexpected. He simply said “I know” and closed the door, showing no intention of going to the hospital.

“That’s not what I’m here for. I want to ask if you know where Zhang Mei’s family lives.”

“I don’t know that, but I know where the relative who lent her the house lives.”

“Can you tell us?”

“I’ll take you there.”

Zhang Mei’s relative was her cousin. She was the one who had introduced Zhang Mei to Zhang Yan, thinking that since he was a soldier, Zhang Mei’s life wouldn’t be hard. Unexpectedly, Zhang Yan died, and Zhang’s family kicked Zhang Mei and her children out. Feeling guilty, she had given them her house.

Hearing that Zhang Mei and her children hadn’t been home for several days, she assumed they had gone back to their family home and gave Jiang Yiyi the address.

Zhang Mei’s family lived near the county town, only three li away. The two women inquired along the way and quickly found the place.

Two dilapidated houses, without even a courtyard wall, the windows patched with paper, some torn, the white paper fluttering in the breeze.

As soon as they reached the house, a man ran out. He was bald, wearing ragged clothes, and seemed mentally unstable. He ran to them, grinning, “What are you doing?”

An older woman quickly followed, fearing her son might hurt them, pulling him away. “Don’t be afraid, he doesn’t usually hurt people.”

“Is this Zhang Mei’s home?”

Before the woman could answer, the man clapped his hands, “Sister, sister.”

It was undoubtedly Zhang Mei’s home.

Instead of saying she was looking for Zhang Mei, she said,

“I’m her friend. She’s very busy lately and can’t come home, so she asked me to bring back five yuan.”

She took out the money and handed it to the old woman.

The old woman didn’t take it. “Mei is not easy, raising her children alone. We old couple can’t help much. Take this money back to her, let her buy something nice for the children.”

Jiang Yiyi pressed the money into her hand. “She said this money must be given to you, no matter what. Please accept it.”

The old woman clutched the money tightly, thanking them repeatedly.

Leaving Zhang Mei’s house, Jiang Yiyi felt heavy-hearted, both for the Zhang family’s situation and for Zhang Mei’s whereabouts.

“We can start with the Zhang family.”

Gu Yunze said.

Since she wasn’t at her parents’ home, the Zhang family must have hidden her.

Jiang Yiyi thought the same.

She wasn’t good at this kind of thing. “Do you have any good ideas?”

“We can set a bait for the Zhang family.”

Time was of the essence. After returning to the county, they went to find Zhang Mei’s relative again, got the Zhang family’s address, and went there.

Gu Yunze waited in hiding while Jiang Yiyi went to knock on the door.

“Who is it?”

An impatient voice came from inside, Zhang Yong’s wife.

Footsteps approached the door, which opened. Seeing Jiang Yiyi, the woman immediately frowned, hands on her hips, seemingly about to scold her, but then thought better of it, lowering her hands and calling into the house, “Zhang Yong.”

Zhang Yong came out in three quick strides. Seeing Jiang Yiyi, his face broke into a smile. “Please come in.”

“The workshop is very busy, so I’ll be brief. You can sell the liangpi, but have Zhang Mei write a statement saying she voluntarily gave it to you to avoid future trouble. If you write it today, you can start selling.”

“That’s easy. I’ll go find my sister-in-law right away and have her write it.”

Jiang Yiyi nodded and turned to leave.

Behind her, the door slammed shut. Zhang Yong’s wife put on an act. “She says I can sell it, so I should? I won’t! I’ll make her mad!”

“Oh, my wife, that’s several yuan a day! Why would we refuse money?”

“We already grabbed dozens of yuan. We don’t need a day or two. Look at how anxious she was just now. She definitely needs someone. If I don’t control her, she’ll trip me up later!”

Zhang Yong always obeyed her. “My wife is right. We’ll do whatever you say.”

…

Jiang Yiyi and Gu Yunze waited not far from the Zhang family’s door until noon, but Zhang Yong and his wife didn’t come out.

“I’ll stay here. You go back to the workshop to eat, then bring me some.”

Gu Yunze said.

That was all they could do. Jiang Yiyi rode her bicycle to the workshop, quickly ate a portion of liangpi, filled an enamel mug with some for Gu Yunze, took two steamed buns, and hurried back to give the mug to Gu Yunze, telling him to eat while she kept watch.

Gu Yunze had only eaten a few bites when the Zhang family’s door opened. Zhang Yong hummed a tune, pushing his bicycle out, closing the door behind him, and riding away down the alley. Gu Yunze gave the mug to Jiang Yiyi and followed him after he had gone more than a hundred meters down the alley.

But he soon returned; Zhang Yong had only gone to the state-run restaurant to buy some vegetables.

It wasn’t until nightfall that Zhang Yong left again, riding his bicycle through winding streets to a dilapidated house outside the city before stopping and knocking. “Mother, it’s me.”

The door opened, Zhang Yong pushed his bicycle inside and closed the door behind him.

Inside the dilapidated house, Zhang Mei was tied to the bed, her exposed skin bruised and battered.

Next to her lay a thin boy, his face unnaturally flushed, his eyes fixed on them with hatred.

Beside him was the little girl Jiang Yiyi had seen, her mouth bleeding, her small face swollen beyond recognition.

“What are you looking at? I’ll gouge your eyes out!”

Zhang Yong spat at the boy. If he wasn’t afraid of killing someone, he would have thrown this little brat to his death long ago. He had cost the Zhang family so much money over the years.

Zhang Mei struggled to shield her son.

Zhang Yong took out paper and pen. “Write a statement saying you voluntarily gave us the right to sell the liangpi. If you dare to shout…”

He pointed at the little girl, “I’ll throw her to death!”