“Mom, I’ve made dinner at home. Xingping wanted to come over, but I told her not to. You should go home for dinner too. You don’t need to come tonight; Dad and I can take turns staying here. There’s a lot to do at home, so you should go back to the village tomorrow.”
“Alright, if anything happens, just call home anytime.” Li Xiulan thought about it and agreed, seeing the sense in what her daughter said.
After seeing Li Xiulan off, Chen Lishu first handed the lunchbox to Chen Mandun, telling him to eat at the table, and then picked up the thermos to pour some chicken soup for Wu Chunmei.
“I can’t eat,” Wu Chunmei said, her eyes stinging as she looked at the chicken soup, tears falling again.
“Mom, please eat a little. Your health is important. If you fall apart, what will happen to Dad, me, and your other daughters?” Chen Lishu patiently coaxed her in a gentle tone.
“That’s right, dear. Eat something,” Chen Mandun said. He couldn’t stomach anything himself at that moment, but if he collapsed, the burden would fall entirely on Chen Lishu.
“It’s all my fault. I couldn’t even keep a child. I took the medicine, and this time it was definitely going to be a son. It was already over three months, my son…”
“Mom, the doctor said you had a hemorrhage due to consuming safflower. Liu Guafu’s words are completely untrustworthy. I know you’re heartbroken about losing the baby, but don’t you still have me and Liyuan?”
“But you’re not sons.” Wu Chunmei cried even more sorrowfully at the thought of her lost son.
Seeing that no amount of persuasion was working, Chen Lishu grew impatient with her crying and her voice deepened slightly, “Mom, you’re always thinking about sons, sons, but what can sons really do? Aren’t my sisters and I also flesh of your flesh, or were we blown here by the wind? Mom, you’re already forty. Before this child, weren’t we living just fine? Mom, when are you going to stop crying? Do you want to get sick and have Dad do nothing but stay home and take care of you?”
Wu Chunmei looked up, “I…”
“Eldest sister, I think your daughter is right,” an elderly woman in the next bed couldn’t help but interject.
“Look, you at least have your husband and daughters with you when you’re sick. When I was young and injured myself giving birth to my son, he was my only child, and I cherished him like my own eye. Later, my husband passed away early, and my son married a shrew who treated me as a burden and wished I would die sooner. When I got sick, he didn’t want me to come to the hospital. Fortunately, I still had some money left. Look, now there isn’t even anyone to visit me. Are they still angry with me?”
The woman sighed after speaking, her expression filled with loneliness.
Hearing her words and seeing that no one had appeared by her bedside for so long, Wu Chunmei felt a stir of emotion.
After a moment’s hesitation, she accepted the bowl from Chen Lishu and slowly began to drink the chicken soup.
“Auntie, you haven’t eaten yet, have you? I made a lot of this chicken soup, would you like a bowl?” Chen Lishu said, looking at the woman’s thin figure, and got up to serve her a bowl.
“That would be wonderful. Thank you, dear,” the woman replied, her spirits lifting, and a smile returned to her face.
That night, Chen Lishu asked Chen Mandun to sleep in another empty bed in the same room. She would take the first half of the night watch, and Chen Mandun would take the latter half.
The next day, finding it troublesome to go home for breakfast, Chen Lishu bought some from the nearby state-run restaurant, and also brought a portion for the auntie in the next bed.
Perhaps out of empathy or some other reason, Wu Chunmei found herself able to talk easily with the auntie. After her guidance the previous night, Wu Chunmei’s spirits had improved considerably.
After two more days in the hospital, the doctor finally said she could be discharged and recuperate at home. Chen Lishu and Chen Mandun both let out a collective sigh of relief.
The following day, after completing the discharge procedures for Wu Chunmei and bidding farewell to the auntie in the next bed, Chen Lishu and Chen Mandun wheeled Wu Chunmei home on a bicycle.
After settling Wu Chunmei in and giving her a few careful instructions, Chen Lishu finally returned to the Gu family home.
Now she finally had the time to properly deal with Liu Guafu.
However, she knew that she couldn't punish Liu Guafu properly on her own, so Chen Lishu decided to seek help from Gu Xingye first.
Chen Lishu roughly explained her plan. Seeing that Gu Xingye was willing to help, she then expressed her concern, “I’m just worried that Liu’s brothers will interfere.”
Gu Xingye chuckled when he heard her words. “Third sister-in-law, this is simple. I’ll go tell my second brother in a moment. As soon as those two worthless things hear about gambling, they won’t even go home for one night, let alone two.”
After Gu Xingye finished speaking, he turned to find Gu Xingmin. Upon hearing about the matter, Gu Xingmin agreed without a second thought.
Chen Lishu then made some preparations. After dinner, seeing Gu Xingmin heading out, she and Gu Xingye also went to the neighboring village.
Although she knew Zhang Laiwang and Liu Guafu would still be in contact, she didn’t have time to wait around. So, she seized the opportunity to knock them unconscious, tie them up, and take them to Liu’s house.
As time passed, the sky gradually darkened. Fortunately, the moon hid behind the clouds.
There was no electricity in the countryside, and to save kerosene, every household had extinguished their lights early and gone to bed. Liu Guafu had also taken off her clothes and lay down.
Just as she was drifting off to sleep, the door suddenly creaked open. Her two sons had gone out after dinner, and she thought they were back. Liu Guafu cursed under her breath, reluctantly put on her clothes, and got up to open the door. As soon as she opened it, a dark figure rushed in. Before she could even scream, Liu Guafu felt a sharp pain in her head, her vision went black, and she collapsed to the ground with a thud.
“Third sister-in-law, did you hit him a bit too hard?” Gu Xingye said, carrying Zhang Laiwang over his shoulder. Although he couldn’t see clearly, judging by the sound, the force of the brick was considerable.
“It’s fine. My aim is true, as long as he doesn’t die,” Chen Lishu said, turning on her flashlight. She told Gu Xingye to place Zhang Laiwang on the kang first, and then together they moved Liu Guafu onto the kang to lie beside Zhang Laiwang.
After placing them, Chen Lishu went to the table and lit the kerosene lamp, instantly brightening the room.
With everything arranged, Chen Lishu took out the camera she had borrowed from Ding Chen from her bag and instructed Gu Xingye to strip Liu Guafu and Zhang Laiwang.
She stopped them when they were only left with their underwear, then Chen Lishu moved closer to pose them in an intimate position.
“Fourth brother, after I finish taking the pictures, tie them to the stools. It will save trouble if they wake up,” Chen Lishu instructed. Holding the camera, she aimed it at the two, and finding the light too dim to see clearly, she asked Gu Xingye to help prop up the flashlight.
Since film was quite expensive, Chen Lishu didn’t intend to waste time on the two. After taking two shots, she had Gu Xingye tie them to the stools.
Zhang Laiwang woke up before Liu Guafu. The moment he saw his surroundings, he opened his mouth to scream. Chen Lishu grabbed a piece of rag and stuffed it into his mouth.