Ma Sufen’s little scheme worked perfectly. Wang Lihua, who hated her to the core, was indeed diverted.
“Tell me, who exactly threatened you?” Wang Lihua demanded sharply.
Ma Sufen glanced over the Gu family crowd. “Let’s wait until Brother Gu comes back. We can settle everything with him together.”
Her words were skillfully delivered, quietly planting a hook in everyone’s minds.
Wang Lihua was so provoked she nearly went mad. “What do you mean? Are you saying that rotten excuse of a man, Gu Shizhu, has more than just you outside?”
Old Gu’s heart sank. Frowning, he said, “Eldest daughter-in-law, calm down first. Wait until your husband comes back and confront him properly. Don’t let your imagination run wild.”
Ruan Hongmei also tried patiently to soothe Wang Lihua.
Mother Gu, however, stood in a corner, coldly watching Old Gu with sarcasm in her eyes.
Serves him right. When the upper beam is not straight, the lower ones will be crooked.
Meanwhile, Lin Baozhu was in a good mood. She secretly took Gu Shicheng out to the state-run restaurant and ordered a private meal. After dinner, the two of them leisurely made their way back to the Qingshan Production Brigade.
She was calculating in her mind that by the time they got back, Ma Sufen would have already driven Wang Lihua completely insane.
Let’s see how that arrogant eldest sister-in-law will still dare to act superior in front of her.
Just as they left the commune street, they saw a tractor driving past them.
Very few production brigades owned tractors, and the Qingshan Production Brigade happened to be one of them.
Gu Shicheng looked up and immediately recognized it.
Because he had just secretly eaten out with Lin Baozhu, he felt an immediate wave of guilt and his heart sank.
Lin Baozhu grabbed his arm. “Acheng, what’s wrong?”
Gu Shicheng said, “That tractor looks like it’s Third Brother and Second Brother.”
Hearing this, Lin Baozhu’s heart also skipped a beat. She looked up and saw the tractor heading toward the county direction.
“What are they going to the county for at this time?”
Could it be that Ma Sufen had failed?
Damn it, that woman had been so good at manipulating men before, how could she be so useless now?
Lin Baozhu suddenly became anxious. “Acheng, I just remembered something. I’m not going back today. I need to go to my parents’ home.”
Gu Shicheng said, “I’ll go with you.”
Lin Baozhu shook her head. “You should go back first. I don’t want your parents worrying.”
She still needed Gu Shicheng to return and help her observe the situation in the Gu family. She could not let him stay.
But Gu Shicheng suddenly grabbed her hand tightly.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
Gu Shicheng said, “Is your younger brother still gambling again? Did your parents call you back to borrow money?”
He could no longer tolerate the idea of being tied to such a useless burden of a brother-in-law in the future.
Lin Baozhu stared at him in shock. “You heard that the day you came to propose?”
Gu Shicheng nodded. “Baozhu, as the saying goes, poverty doesn’t come from eating or wearing less, but from gambling. Let’s stay away from your gambling brother in the future, alright?”
“Acheng, you’re wrong. My brother is not like that.”
Thinking of what had happened in the Gu household today, Lin Baozhu realized she would eventually need Gu Shicheng to back her up without question. Otherwise, as a daughter-in-law, she would be easily suppressed.
She decided to fully reveal the dream she had been hiding.
After hearing everything, Gu Shicheng stood frozen in shock.
Lin Baozhu grabbed his hand again. “Acheng, you must always trust me. We are the most perfectly matched destined couple in this world. I am your lucky wife. Now that we know all these secrets, our future will only get better and better.”
Gu Shicheng caught the key point immediately. “But we still haven’t obtained that jade pendant.”
Lin Baozhu replied, “Take it slow. It will eventually fall into our hands.”
She was the world’s lucky wife. Soon she would find another opportunity, digging up a century-old ginseng in the mountains. She would prove her worth and make the Gu family cherish her again.
Only then did Gu Shicheng feel reassured, and the two separated. He headed back, preparing to help his wife shift the blame.
But neither of them expected that Gu Shiye and Gu Shinian had already arrived in the county and were blocking Gu Shizhu at the entrance of his dormitory compound.
Seeing his two younger brothers appear in front of him, Gu Shizhu panicked instantly. His legs weakened and he almost turned to run.
Gu Shiye gave a look, and Gu Shinian immediately chased after him and pinned him down.
“Big brother, don’t run. That woman named Ma Sufen has already come to our house!”
“What, what did you say?!” Gu Shizhu was so frightened that he wet himself on the spot, his legs trembling uncontrollably.
At that moment, the same old lady who had been asked for directions earlier that morning walked over with her grandson.
She tilted her head and looked at Gu Shizhu. “Comrade Gu, your family is really lively today. This morning someone came looking for your wife, and now these two are here looking for you.”
In front of his brothers, Gu Shizhu lowered his head in shame, wishing he could disappear into the ground.
Gu Shiye took out a photo he had prepared. “Auntie, may I ask, is this the woman who came this morning?”
The white-haired old lady examined it carefully and nodded firmly. “Yes, that’s her. She even called Ma Sufen aside to talk privately.”
Gu Shizhu gritted his teeth in anger. “Third Brother, give me that photo. I want to see who it is!”
Gu Shinian said, “It’s Fourth Sister-in-law. Big brother, you’ve really been busy outside. Don’t you even know that Fourth Sister-in-law and the little sister are the ones who don’t get along with Eldest Sister-in-law?”
Gu Shizhu quickly covered Gu Shinian’s mouth in panic when he noticed the old lady and child were still watching.
Gu Shiye turned and said, “Get on the tractor. We’re going back first.”
On the way back, Gu Shiye stopped the tractor.
Gu Shizhu and Gu Shinian then headed straight toward the Lin family.
As expected, after asking neighbors, they confirmed that Lin Baozhu had gone back to her parents’ home that night.
When they reached the Lin family gate, Gu Shinian was about to knock, but Gu Shizhu had already lost all patience. He kicked the door open.
The courtyard door slammed open, and the Lin family stepped out.