Chapter 8

Gu Shan’s expression froze for a moment in panic, then he quickly said:
“Wh–what are you talking about! I just didn’t sleep well, that’s why I’m swollen! If you can’t bear to give up this fish, then forget it! I won’t tell your sister-in-law!”

As he spoke, he turned to leave.

But Gu Chi’s iron-like hand clamped down on Gu Shan’s shoulder!

Gu Shan wasn’t short—he was about 1.8 meters tall.

But Gu Chi stood a full 1.88 meters, with solid muscle all over. Even after lying in bed for a month, his strength was still enough to make Gu Shan afraid.

Gu Shan’s eyes flickered nervously as he forced a dry laugh. “Second Brother… what’s wrong with you?”

Gu Chi fixed him with his dark gaze. “Big Brother, have I ever treated you badly?”

Gu Shan hurriedly said, “We’re brothers—what’s this talk about treating badly or not? When you were little, I treated you well too, didn’t I?”

To be fair, before Gu Shan got married, he really had been good to both Gu Chi and Gu Tiantian.

Back then, Tiantian wasn’t the silent girl she would later become—she was still lively and clever, a very sweet little thing.

But after Gu Shan married, everything changed.

When Gu Chi stayed silent, Gu Shan stepped forward to break free of his grip. “Your sister-in-law’s pregnant and alone at home. I need to get back to cook dinner for her!”

But Gu Chi didn’t let him go. His voice dropped low and heavy:
“That wild boar weighed at least three hundred jin. Just selling it on the black market would bring at least two hundred yuan. How much did you sell it for? Don’t tell me you got ripped off.”

Gu Shan froze. “What? That guy only gave me a hundred and thir—”

The moment he spoke, he realized he’d slipped up!

His heart went cold, and he tried to bolt—but this time Gu Chi kicked him to the ground!

With a loud thud, Gu Shan slammed to the dirt, his hoe flying from his hand!

Before he could explain, Gu Chi’s fists were already raining down.

He didn’t go for the kill, but every blow landed solidly. After just a few punches, Gu Shan spat out a mouthful of blood, curling up on the ground in agony.

Gu Chi pinned him down, his eyes sharp as ice. “Talk!”

Terrified, Gu Shan shook all over.
“Second Brother, I—I’m your big brother! That day—it was an accident! It was the village butcher Ma who saw you catch that boar in the mountains. He hit you from behind and knocked you out… then he came to me… I carried you home, and we sold the boar to him… he gave me a hundred and thirty yuan…”

As he spoke, tears streamed down his face.
“Second Brother! Your sister-in-law was pregnant back then—she wanted meat so badly she threatened to divorce me! I thought you’d just bump your head and recover in a few days… I never expected you’d be in a coma for a whole month!

“When you were a kid and got into fights, I stood up for you! When you had a fever, I stayed up all night with you! When you couldn’t afford school, I sold blood to pay your tuition…”

Gu Chi’s fists slowly came to a stop.

Gu Shan’s face was deathly pale. “Second Brother… please… spare me…”

Gu Chi gritted his teeth. “Where’s the money?”

Gu Shan struggled to crawl toward his house. “Eighty yuan left… I’ll… I’ll get it for you!”

Panicked, he staggered inside, fetched the money, and handed it over.

Gu Chi took it and looked at him coldly.

“You say you’ve been good to me. Have I not been good to you? Think carefully—why do people call me a thug? Think about what our family sacrificed for your wedding! When we divided the family property, do you really not remember how it went?

“Big Brother—do you deserve that title? As for Ma the butcher, I won’t let him off. As for you… from today on, we’re no longer brothers!”

Gu Shan felt his heart turn icy cold.

He admitted, during the whole month Gu Chi lay unconscious— even through the wedding meant to ‘ward off misfortune’—he hadn’t gone to visit once.

But he had his own difficulties. His wife Zhao Xique was strict—whenever he mentioned visiting his parents, she would scream, threaten, even use the baby in her belly to control him.

Did he have it easy, stuck in the middle?

Yet seeing Gu Chi so decisive, cutting ties without hesitation, tears welled up in Gu Shan’s eyes.

He smacked himself on the head. “Fine, fine! It’s all my fault! But are you all blameless? Xique’s my wife—so what if our family gives her a little leeway? You’ve pushed me into this corner! I didn’t visit you or Father and Mother, but I still care! Someday, you’ll understand what it’s like when your wife and your mother both force you to choose!”

Gu Chi ignored him and walked off with the money.

Gu Shan sat miserably on the ground, his whole body aching, blood on his mouth. A grown man, sobbing like a child.

But then he thought—if his wife left him, he really wouldn’t get her back.

Parents and siblings, though—you could never truly sever those ties.

Gu Chi was just angry now. He’d cool off tomorrow.

Once the baby was born, everything would be easier to handle.

Gu Shan sighed heavily and went home.

Not long after, his wife Zhao Xique came bustling in from a neighbor’s place.

She was sewing a shoe sole, humming a tune, and came in grinning.
“Gu Shan, guess what funny thing I just heard? That bride Gu Chi married to ‘ward off misfortune’ ran to her own parents’ house, threatened to jump in the river, and managed to extort over four hundred yuan from the Sun family!

“Tsk, tsk, what a shameless little vixen! Just like Gu Chi! You’ll see—your parents won’t have an easy time of it. Sooner or later, they’ll realize I’m the one they need to rely on!”

Then she looked closer and saw the bruises on Gu Shan’s face. She panicked. “What happened to you?!”

Gu Shan lowered his head in shame.
“Today… I ran into Gu Chi. Somehow he found out about the wild boar… he beat me up and said he’s cutting ties with me…”

Zhao Xique’s eyes widened. “What?! He’s always listened to you—how dare he hit his own big brother? Shameless! Coward! What about the money? Don’t tell me you gave him money?!”

Gu Shan didn’t know what to say. Zhao Xique rushed to check the drawer where they kept their cash—one look and she nearly fainted!

She collapsed on the bed, crying loudly.
“Gu Shan, you heartless fool! Go get that money back! If you don’t, I’ll divorce you! I’ll abort this baby! I’ll make sure your Gu family has no descendants!”