As Lin Qiao looked over, Lin Heng was sizing up the young girl in front of him.
She wore a plain gray cloth outfit, her features delicate, but the way her eyes darted around ruined the fragile, pitiful image completely.
Where exactly was she staring at with her head down?
Lin Heng’s expression darkened. Calmly, he draped his jacket over himself.
Lin Qiao, smiling cheerfully, spoke up: “I’m the daughter of the Su family next door. My mother asked me to bring some food to Aunt Lin.”
“Leave it there. My mother caught a chill and has already gone to rest,” Lin Heng said, pointing to the stone table nearby.
Lin Qiao obediently placed the bowls on the table. “We don’t have many bowls, so remember to send them back later.”
Seeing Lin Heng’s impatient wave, she added, “Comrade, I don’t even know your name yet.”
Lin Heng’s face darkened further. What did this girl want? Out of courtesy for Aunt Lin, he spoke coldly: “Lin Heng.”
Lin Qiao squinted with a mischievous smile. “Nice name! Heng… as in ‘lying in heaps on the battlefield,’ or ‘a sudden misfortune’?”
Lin Heng’s face went even darker, and he turned away, ignoring her. This girl was far too sharp-tongued. If not for fear of disturbing his mother asleep inside, he would have thrown her out immediately.
Ignoring his cold expression, Lin Qiao continued fearlessly: “Comrade Heng, don’t forget—return the bowls when you’re done.”
Without waiting for him to shoo her, she hopped away.
Exactly! She did it on purpose—who is she trying to show attitude to? She came to deliver food, not beg for it!
“Did you deliver the food?” Su Peilan’s mood was light. Over the years, their family had received a lot from the Lin household; it was nice to finally send something back, thanks to her daughter.
Lin Qiao pouted. “Aunt Lin has gone to bed, and the ‘dog’ in the house took it.”
“What dog?” Su Peilan was confused. She hadn’t heard of the Lin family keeping a dog.
“Lin Heng,” Lin Qiao said. “He put it on the table for me.”
Seeing her daughter’s pouting, Su Peilan realized and shot a mock scolding glance: “Don’t talk nonsense!”
“In the first few years, it was just me and your brother at home. The old and young couldn’t handle heavy labor. If Lin Heng hadn’t come occasionally to help, we would have starved long ago.
Lin Heng is a good boy. Thanks to his hunting trips, our family benefited a lot. He’s truly our family’s benefactor!”
Lin Qiao touched her nose. She hadn’t expected her mother to think so highly of him—if she had known, she wouldn’t have teased him earlier.
Under Lin Qiao’s occasional supervision, Su Peilan finally added a bit more oil to the cooking. For the first time in years, the Su family had a proper feast: stir-fried vegetables, braised rabbit, sautéed mountain chicken, and steaming white rice. Lin Xuan ate until his face was glistening with oil.
Worried he’d overeat, Su Peilan kept reminding him, “Xiao Xuan, eat slowly!”
Lin Qiao kept serving her mother. “Mother, eat more too.”
If her mother didn’t replenish her health properly, her weakened body wouldn’t last long.
Of course, Lin Qiao herself enjoyed the meal as well. This body had long suffered from malnutrition—it was finally time for a proper meal, especially meat!
Su Peilan’s cooking was far superior, the meal rich in color, aroma, and taste.
After eating, Lin Qiao asked her mother and brother in detail about life in Dongshan Village and about the troublemakers who had come earlier.
Su Peilan was concerned. Initially, she hadn’t understood how Zhao Jianjun got hurt, but now she did. Her daughter’s bravery astonished her.
Outwardly, she showed no fear of Zhao Jianjun coming to cause trouble; she couldn’t let her daughter worry.
Lin Qiao, however, was thinking only of how to give Zhao Jianjun a hard time.
The village captain treated the village as his own fief—did he really think he was a local emperor?
If you refuse to do your duty, then forget it!
Dongshan Village wasn’t a monolith; Su Peilan knew several households were at odds with the village head.
Lin Qiao picked three families strategically.
The Zhang family in the western village: Zhang San’s wife, Ge Hongxia, was the village women’s committee head—fiery and uncompromising. Her husband lost the village captain election to Zhao Shizhong by three votes two years ago, but still served as the village transport captain. Their eldest son was a junior leader at the county steel mill. The Zhangs were influential in the village, and the election left a lasting grudge with the Zhao family. Zhao Shizhong maintained a friendly public image, never provoking the Zhangs, much to Ge Hongxia’s frustration.
The second family was Xu Tiezhu’s. Xu had long been at odds with Zhao Shizhong over a woman they both liked. Though Zhao won her hand, Xu never got along with him. His wife, far from simple, secretly undermined Zhao Shizhong’s family, especially after knowing her husband had once liked Zhao Shizhong’s wife. Until Zhao became captain, her tricks caused Zhao’s wife many setbacks.
The third was Sun Laonian’s household. Laonian was quiet and honest, but his formidable wife ran the house. Though the Suns had no grudge against the Zhaos, Zhao Jianjun set his sights on their daughter, Sun Xiaofang, who was still in high school. Though Zhao was militia captain, her mother despised his reckless ways and had witnessed him whip Su Peilan. She was determined her daughter would never fall for such a rotten character.
With Ge Hongxia, Xu’s wife, and Sun Xiaofang’s mother, Lin Qiao’s plan was foolproof. In fact, Ge Hongxia alone had enough strength, but Lin Qiao needed two more to back her up.
Lin Qiao instructed Su Peilan and Lin Xuan not to wait up for her that night.
She had a plan—tonight, she would deliver a “big gift” to the Zhao family.
Time was tight. After returning home to spend a little time with her husband, she’d have to come back to deal with these scoundrels.
This was a lawful society—killing was illegal. Besides, Lin Qiao didn’t need a knife to handle anyone.
By now, every household in the village had finished dinner.
Lin Qiao first went to the village health clinic.
Near the clinic, by a large tree, she saw the same group of young men who had visited the Su household earlier.
Zhao Jianjun’s head injury had been treated and now wrapped in a thick bandage.
His eyes were bloodshot, full of ferocity. “If I find out who did this, I’ll kill them!”
“Captain Zhao, someone is clearly targeting you!” one lackey said.
Zhao Jianjun glared at him. “I don’t need you to tell me.”
“Captain, could it have anything to do with the Su family?”
Zhao Jianjun spat sharply, eyes icy: “Even if it has nothing to do with the Sus, I got injured at their doorstep. They won’t get off easy.”
“Once I recover, we’ll see how I handle them!”
Lin Qiao thought to herself: I was far too gentle last time.