Chapter 11

Before Gu Shi’an returned, something major happened in Yunshui County.

What was usually a peaceful and quiet place suddenly had a robbery case involving a pregnant woman!

It was said that the pregnant woman worked as a ticket seller at the county cinema. In those days, anyone who worked at the cinema was likely from a good family, usually the children of cadres. They were well-off and attractive, so it was no surprise that they married well. This particular pregnant woman was a fashionable young wife in her twenties. She spent her time selling movie tickets, collecting money, and when she had free time, she would either eat sunflower seeds or put on lipstick in front of a mirror. Her hair was styled in trendy little curls, and when she went out, she wore floral dresses or leather sandals, always with an umbrella. She looked like someone from a wealthy family, with no shortage of money!

Of course, if she had money, it was fine. After all, the most fashionable things at the time were bragi (a type of dress) and cheongsams. In the big cities, Western-style buildings lined the streets, and fashionable women dressed in a similar manner. It was common to see such women, and this was the style of the time.

However, in a few years, such behavior would be criticized as bourgeois decadence.

Back when the country was first established, Yunshui County’s public order wasn’t great. At the time, there were soldiers from the Nationalist army, bandits, and enemy agents, with various forces entwined.

Many of the soldiers who had been part of the guerrilla forces returned to their hometowns and became part of the public security forces. They, along with the local militia, would go up the mountains to fight bandits, arrest enemy agents, and restore public order. After 1953, Yunshui County’s social atmosphere improved significantly. Though small thefts still happened, the thieves were quickly caught.

The people of Yunshui County lived in peace, and it was common for young girls to walk around alone in the evenings without fear.

The pregnant woman never expected that, after working late on a rainy day, she would walk down a secluded alley on her way home, only to be suddenly grabbed by a man from behind. He covered her mouth and snatched her handbag, dragging her into a corner of the alley.

But the pregnant woman was brave and quick-thinking. She bit down hard on the man’s arm, and as he winced in pain and let go, she grabbed the umbrella she had with her and began swinging it at him. She hit the strong man repeatedly and then turned and ran for her life.

Luckily, there was a bus stop nearby, and she had grown up in the area, so she knew where to run. She screamed for help, and the man limped after her. The bus driver and a few passengers heard her cries and rushed to help, saving her from danger. Seeing the situation, the robber quickly fled, disappearing into the rain.

This robbery case caused a huge stir in Yunshui County.

With a population of tens of thousands, almost every household had daughters, soon-to-be brides, or school-aged girls. In the past, parents had no fear letting their daughters roam outside. But now, just a few years after liberation, who would expect that such a violent criminal would appear again?

What if the criminal comes back and harms someone again?

It’s always better to be cautious than sorry.

Soon, panic spread through Yunshui County. Parents kept their daughters inside, and even street vendors were fewer in number.

The county committee director, a former senior official, was furious. He couldn’t tolerate any criminals harming the people and was enraged.

The county police immediately went on high alert, searching for suspects in the rain, overwhelmed and exhausted.

*

When Zhang Cuilan heard the news, she nearly jumped out of her skin.

She was terrified!

What kind of world was this? The people were supposed to be in charge, yet bandits were still robbing on the streets!

Their family had two daughters!

From now on, she would have to be extra careful.

When she got home, Zhang Cuilan solemnly announced to the family, “The streets aren’t safe lately. Yao Yao, Chunmei, you girls stay at home and don’t wander around. And you too, Dongzi. Stay home and do your homework. If I catch you sneaking out, I’ll break your legs!”

Lin Yao nodded with a smile. The weather had been wild lately, with heavy rainstorms almost every other day. The storms came quickly and left just as fast, but when they hit, they were like a curtain of pearls, relentless. The old courtyard hadn’t been repaired in years, and the roof began leaking.

The Lin family had just replaced their roof tiles, so they didn’t have to worry about leaks.

But the other families in the courtyard weren’t so lucky, especially the Zheng family in the front yard. When they renovated their house, Zheng Dacheng’s wife had cut corners to save money.

Now, with the heavy rain, the Zheng family’s house had turned into a waterfall, with water pouring into every corner. Zheng Dacheng was angrily slapping his soaked shoes as he yelled at his wife.

“You useless woman! Look what you’ve done. You’ve made me, the chef in the canteen, lose face…”

Zheng Dacheng’s wife wasn’t one to back down either. When Zheng Dacheng tried to hit her, she made such a scene in the courtyard that even the factory leadership heard about it.

At home, Lin Yao spent her days lounging and eating melons while avoiding the rain. She enjoyed a peaceful time indoors. Late at night, the pitter-patter of rain began, blowing down a carpet of crabapple blossoms. Wrapped in her quilt, she peacefully closed her eyes and indulged in a lazy nap on the cool, rainy day.

Gu Shidong was dumbfounded. “Mom, are you going to lock me in the small dark room?”

Gu Chunmei scoffed, “What nonsense are you spouting? We live in a shared courtyard. Where would we find a small dark room?”

Gu Shidong pouted, looking like a little old man. “If you’re keeping me stuck at home, isn’t that the same as locking me in a small dark room?”

Zhang Cuilan, however, paid no attention to her noisy son. Her words were final—if the little rascal dared disobey, she wouldn’t hesitate to use a stick on his backside!

Seeing this, Gu Shidong wilted, sulking in a corner without making a sound.

Suddenly, Lin Yao remembered something. “Auntie, it’s not safe outside. How will Sister Chunmei go to and from work?”

Gu Chunmei usually rode a bicycle to work, passing through a grove of elm trees. That area used to be a residential area, but coal mining had caused cracks in the houses, forcing residents to relocate. Now, the place was desolate and filled with broken-down buildings.

That spot had an eerie atmosphere at night, and even the most mischievous kids avoided it.

If there wasn’t only that one way to get to work, Gu Chunmei wouldn’t want to pass through the elm grove either.

Zhang Cuilan paused for a moment before realizing the problem. Her daughter still needed to commute to work, but it does not matter—she decided that her husband would escort their daughter every day. After all, who would take care of her if not her own father?

Gu Mancang nodded quickly. He was worried about his daughter too.

Gu Shidong’s eyes gleamed as he volunteered to accompany his father as a “bodyguard” for his second sister.

His mother, however, looked down on him. “You little rascal, you’re not even taller than a bicycle wheel. What can you do? You’re a clueless fool, just like… well, who knows who you take after!”

Gu Shidong: “…”

Gu Mancang, feeling targeted: “…”

In the evening, thunder rumbled across the sky, and the rain that had subsided for a while started pouring again.

It was raining outside, so fewer members went to the commune canteen to eat. Most of them went to the canteen with umbrellas to get food and then took it home to eat.

With everyone at home busy, Lin Yao grabbed an umbrella and a lunchbox to fetch meals from the canteen.

The canteen was serving stewed pork and preserved mustard greens in sesame flatbreads that day. The mustard greens were a specialty snack from the Jiangsu-Zhejiang region, and Chef Xiao Zheng from Zhejiang prepared them with unmatched skill.

The flatbreads were fragrant and glossy with a rich sauce. The pork belly, infused with the aroma of mustard greens, was tender and flavorful without being greasy—a perfect bite.

Lin Yao’s appetite was small, and she felt full after eating just one. Gu Chunmei managed to eat two, Zhang Cuilan had one and a half, and Gu Mancang wasn’t eating at home. The rest went straight to Gu Shidong’s bottomless stomach.

Later that afternoon, Da Tou Brother stopped by the courtyard, drenched in rain despite wearing a raincoat. He brought with him a large green watermelon and a bag of yellow peach-flavored canned syrup, which happened to be Sister Chunmei’s favorite.

Seeing this, Lin Yao winked at Gu Chunmei teasingly.

“Oh my, Da Tou Brother is so considerate!”

Gu Chunmei was now open and honest. She opened a can of sugar water and started eating with a spoon. “You’re terrible. Wait until my brother gets back; he’ll definitely outdo someone in thoughtfulness.”

Lin Yao, thick-skinned as ever, didn’t blush at the remark. Instead, she playfully retorted, “Not necessarily! Who could be more thoughtful than Da Tou Brother?”

Zhang Cuilan, delighted by her son-in-law’s visit, beamed as she gently pulled Da Tou Brother aside. “Xiangqian, have you been sleeping well? Your eyes are so red, like a rabbit’s! Your health is important. Why come out in this rain? Are you cold? Come inside and warm up. Let’s chat until the rain stops.”

Da Tou Brother was eager to sit and chat since he hadn’t seen Gu Chunmei in days. However, the ungrateful girl was too busy enjoying her canned sugar water to pay him any mind.

Moreover, the public security bureau had been swamped lately. They were investigating robberies, handling daily cases, and adjusting to the arrival of a new deputy director after the old one’s recent retirement.

As Da Tou Brother left reluctantly, Zhang Cuilan called Gu Chunmei to escort him out.

Gu Chunmei agreed and happily strolled down the alley with her fiancé, sweet and loving.

Gu Shidong, annoyed, dragged out two small stools from the kitchen. He and Lin Yao each took one, sat down, and he started complaining with a stalk of foxtail grass in his mouth.

“Sister-in-law, I just don’t think my sister and that public security guy are a match. Policemen are so sharp, and my brother-in-law is sharp too, though not as clever as me. My sister, though, she’s a bit dull. What if she suffers after marriage? Sure, he’s nice to her now, but that doesn’t mean he’ll stay nice forever. Men are all the same—they love the new and get tired of the old…”

He babbled on like a little monk reciting scriptures, while Lin Yao, too lazy to move after eating, leaned on her stool and occasionally hummed in agreement.

After a while, the chatter suddenly stopped.

“Sister-in-law, am I dreaming? I think I saw my big brother!”

The little rascal must have missed his brother so much he was seeing things.

Outside, the sound of raindrops hitting the plants grew louder, making it even harder to get up. Lin Yao kept her eyes closed, dismissing him. “You’re probably sleepy. If you’re tired, go to bed.”

“No, sister-in-law, it’s really my big brother!”

Gu Shidong grabbed Lin Yao’s hand and shook it wildly.

Annoyed, Lin Yao opened her eyes, only to see him pointing speechlessly toward the courtyard. She looked up and saw, through the misty rain, a tall figure in a military-green uniform.

The man looked to be in his late twenties, standing straight and imposing in his uniform. His sharp features, deep black eyes, and cold gaze carried an intimidating aura, as if he were a blade unsheathed.

Her heart skipped a beat. It was over. Her cheap husband really came back.