He gritted his teeth for a moment and said, “I have the most powerful intelligence network in the village.”
“The old uncles and aunts at the village entrance?” Fu Yunzhu really wanted to ask if this guy also browsed Douyin in his past life how did he even use that joke? But in the end, she held back.
Gu Yu didn’t deny it. Instead, he said, “Fu Yunzhu, do you even realize how long I’ve been preparing to collect these chips that could put me on equal footing with the village chief, and yet you didn’t even cherish them?”
“So, aren’t you useless then?”
Gu Yu took a deep breath. “I am useless, but he knows I have leverage over him. He will inevitably tell his family, and then we’ll both be on the same line of defense. Originally, the enemy was in the open, while I was in the dark, got it?”
“You’re in opposing camps?”
“Of course. I’d just started doing business when his fourth uncle came to extort me.”
Fu Yunzhu didn’t say anything. It seemed that this young capitalist had already suffered quite a bit since arriving here.
For someone who had never known what it meant to lower his head, this would have been a humiliation indeed.
Gu Yu accompanied Fu Yunzhu to the door and then turned to go back.
When he got home, he took a shower, lay down, and closed his eyes. His mind was filled with the terrified expression on Fu Yunzhu’s face when Huang Hui had pushed her to the ground. After an unknown amount of time, that expression of fear merged with the image of his wife.
In a daze, he saw her retreat into the corner, both wronged and angry, saying, “Gu Yu, can you let me go?”
He stepped closer. “How can I let you go?”
“Let’s get a divorce.”
Hearing that, his chest heaved violently. He completely lost his rational mind and blurted out, “Fine. But let me remind you: thanks to the trust of your father and brothers, they’ve already entrusted people under my control to manage the company. They’re enjoying massive profits while traveling the world.
“Even your cousin the one you were arranging to marry is also under my control.
“If you’re not afraid that they’ll send you back to me, then go ahead and leave.”
The moment the words left his mouth, he saw her eyes, filled with extreme terror, and her bone-deep cold expression. It was like a dagger, instantly piercing through his consciousness.
This was the trap he had set for her years ago. He had thought he would never need to use it on her but now he was.
“You are a devil. I trusted you so completely, devoted myself to you, and now you not only deceive me, but have also covertly taken control of my maternal family’s assets and relatives,” she accused him with a heart-wrenching cry.
He approached her, his voice gentle as he tried to soothe her, “If you behave, I’ll ensure that the Fu family and my Gu family share equal wealth.”
“Go away!” She refused to let him near.
He disliked the cold, resolute way she was treating him. He stepped forward a few times, but she darted toward the dressing table, trembling as she pulled scissors from a drawer, tears in her eyes, like an angry wildcat. “Don’t come any closer, or… or…”
He ignored her threat and walked straight toward her, standing still and staring. “If you feel better this way, then stab me.”
He watched her shaking hand holding the scissors and continued advancing, but she was so scared that she dropped the scissors.
He wrapped her trembling body in his arms, gently soothing, “It’s okay, don’t make a fuss.”
Everything he had ever wanted, he could obtain, because everyone ultimately succumbed to his control including her. As long as she didn’t care about his initial motives for marrying her and treated him like she had when they first married, he would give her the very best the world could offer.
But the scene suddenly shifted. He saw her standing at the edge of a cliff. His blood raced to his head; his mind went blank. He didn’t dare take a step forward and shouted at her, “Fu Yunzhu, come back!”
Why could everyone else submit, but not her?
She gave him a cold glance, turned, and jumped.
“Fu Yunzhu!” He was terrified, instantly jolting awake and sitting up in bed.
He sat frozen for a long while, then murmured softly to himself, “You’re coming back for revenge, right?”
He closed his eyes again, leaning against the headboard to calm himself, but he couldn’t find any peace. He got up, pulled open the curtains, and saw that daylight had already arrived.
He had spent the entire night dreaming.
Gu Yu quickly washed up and was about to leave when the old Gu patriarch called him, “Breakfast is ready for you in the pot.”
“I’m not eating.” Right now, he urgently wanted to see that facenthe one identical to his wife’s.
When he arrived at the Fu family’s door, he saw Huang Xiuxiang sitting on the ground, crying and wailing.
Fu Weidong crouched with his head in his hands, letting Huang Xiuxiang curse him.
He Cuihua stomped her feet, cursing, but there was no sign of Fu Yunzhu.
A crowd had gathered around.
“Damn Fu Yunzhu! That wretched girl no breakfast made, and while we were out, she probably drove off all the chickens, ducks, and pigs. We searched inside and outside the village, couldn’t find her she’s dangerous!”
“Should’ve sold her long ago.”
After cursing Fu Yunzhu, Huang Xiuxiang turned on Fu Weidong, “Look what you gave birth to this family is doomed because of you.”
He Cuihua cursed as well, “This crippled girl isn’t afraid of being struck by lightning! I told you, we should’ve married her off early.”
After cursing, she grabbed Fu Weidong to go search for the girl, shouting, “Go find that brat and see where she drove off the chickens, ducks, and pigs!”
Fu Weidong’s head was still buzzing. He raised his hand to block He Cuihua’s incoming fist.
He couldn’t believe that this girl had such guts, and he never imagined that his obedient, easily fooled daughter would take revenge.
It was just one slap before; when he was annoyed, he had hit her too. She would cry, but never resist. Afterwards, she’d say a few kind words and obediently work again.
Seeing He Cuihua lunging again and his mother crying loudly, Fu Weidong’s irritation reached its peak.
“It’s all because of that damn curse child, Yun Zhu! Go find her. With her cowardly nature, she won’t get far, and she’s still driving off those animals!” He Cuihua yelled.
At that moment, a neighbor stepped forward and said, “I heard your pigs squealing. I came to check and saw Yun Zhu driving the pigs onto a cart. I asked what she was doing, and she said her father told her to take advantage of the good market these days and sell the family’s goods to prepare for Yufen’s college expenses.”
He Yanyan was still carrying a cage of chickens and ducks.
Fu Weidong immediately denied it. “Nonsense! I never told her to sell these things. Just wait until I find her I’ll beat her to death!”
He was furious, face red and neck swollen, wishing he could immediately find Fu Yunzhu and beat her mercilessly.
At that moment, Huang Hui came running over, out of breath.