“Ouch!” Old Madam Gu felt a sharp jab in her chest. The pain was so intense that she collapsed onto the ground, wailing loudly. “Look at this! Look at this! This is the vicious woman Gu Zhao wants to marry!”
“She’s trying to murder her own grandmother!” Old Madam Gu howled. Seeing that none of the sons she brought stepped forward, she climbed up from the ground, braced herself, pushed aside Shu Ning’s stick, and charged at her like a mad bull.
“…” Shu Ning frowned. Was this old woman really not afraid of death?
“Ahhh—who’s lifting me—?!”
Old Madam Gu felt like she was about to reach Shu Ning, but suddenly her feet left the ground. Her collar tightened around her neck, making it hard to breathe.
Struggling, she turned her head—and saw Gu Zhao behind her, looking like the King of Hell himself, his face cold and terrifying.
He had grabbed her by the collar and lifted her into the air.
The man before her had sharp, resolute features, his brows cold, his whole body carrying the chill of morning dew. His stance was steady, and the arm holding her was strong and firm.
Seeing Gu Zhao’s decisive attitude, Shu Ning instantly relaxed.
When Gu Kai and Gu Yao saw Gu Zhao return, the tension they had been holding finally broke. They burst into tears.
“Brother, she said she was going to smash our house!”
“And she said she’d sell me and Kai-Kai!” Gu Yao sobbed uncontrollably.
“You’ve got some nerve, old woman!” Gu Zhao sneered, his smile like frost in late autumn—piercingly cold.
Old Madam Gu trembled in fear, her legs dangling in the air, shaking uncontrollably. “Gu… Gu Zhao… what are you trying to do?”
Gu Zhao glanced coldly at the two uncles standing behind her, too afraid to move. He grabbed a rope and, without hesitation, tied Old Madam Gu to a big tree outside the yard. Then he turned to Ergouzi and said, “Ergouzi, go to the police station and call the officers. Tell them we’ve caught a child trafficker.”
“…” Old Madam Gu stared at him in shock. “You wouldn’t dare!”
Gu Zhao remained fearless, letting out a cold chuckle. “Whether I dare or not—you’ll see.”
Old Madam Gu knew Gu Zhao’s temper very well.
This little wolf cub meant what he said. If something could be solved with action, he would never waste time talking.
His follower Ergouzi had already run several hundred meters away—he really intended to send her to the police!
“Gu Zhao, she’s your grandmother after all, and she’s old. Isn’t it inappropriate to tie her up like this?”
Gu Dajiang, Old Madam Gu’s second son, glanced improperly at Shu Ning standing in the yard.
This educated youth was truly beautiful—her long black hair flowing slightly, her skin fair, her eyes like autumn water, full of tenderness.
This brat Gu Zhao had nothing, yet his luck with women wasn’t bad at all!
When he noticed Shu Ning looking over, he quickly withdrew his gaze and spoke awkwardly to Gu Zhao.
Gu Zhao sharply sensed something off about Gu Dajiang’s gaze. He stepped in front of Shu Ning, completely blocking her, then raised his eyes and sneered, “Tying her up isn’t good? Then how about tying you up instead?”
“When the officers arrive, she’ll be the main culprit for child trafficking, and you’ll be accomplices. None of you will escape!”
As he spoke, he swung the long grass rope hard onto the ground, sending dust flying several feet into the air.
Seeing his imposing stance, Gu Dajiang immediately lost his nerve.
Old Madam Gu, tied to the tree, was even more terrified.
Her grandsons Gu Qiang and Gu Fu had already been beaten down by Gu Zhao yesterday and were still bedridden.
If her two sons were injured as well, the Gu family would have no one left to work. How would they earn work points? How would they survive?
Their wives would surely curse her for ruining both their sons and husbands.
“Dajiang, Dahai! Don’t worry about me. Take our iron pot and go back first! No matter what Gu Zhao does to me!” After weighing everything, Old Madam Gu, for the first time, chose to sacrifice herself for her children.
“Hurry! Go quickly!” she urged anxiously, afraid Gu Zhao would act at any moment.
As soon as Gu Dajiang heard this, he quickly picked up the iron pot. “Th-then, Mom, we’ll head back first.”
Seeing his second brother leave, Gu Dahai followed behind. He was naturally timid and didn’t want to get involved. Although Gu Zhao was his nephew, he was still afraid of this reckless wolf cub who could even kill wild boars.
“Mom, we’ll… we’ll go get the village head…”
“….” Watching her two sons actually leave, Old Madam Gu’s expression turned cold and resentful. Those ungrateful brats! I told you to go and you really left? You actually abandoned your own mother here?!
Gu Zhao watched their retreating backs, a smirk curling on his lips as he looked at Old Madam Gu with dark eyes. “Sons are sons, but Gu Dajiang and Gu Dahai really are your favorites.”
His own father must have been picked up from somewhere!
“…” Old Madam Gu was speechless.
Gu Zhao clapped his hands, quickly suppressing his emotions, and chuckled lightly. “It’s good to cherish your favorites. Otherwise, when you’re in jail, there won’t even be anyone to bring you food.”
“Gu Zhao, you wretched brat! Are you cursing me to go to jail? You’re the one who’ll end up there!”
Gu Zhao ignored her vicious insults and walked into the yard.
Under the eaves, Shu Ning held Gu Yao with one hand and Gu Kai with the other, pulling both children close to her.
Their faces were still streaked with tears. When they saw Gu Zhao, their suppressed fear and grievance overflowed again.
Perhaps afraid that their crying would annoy him, the two little ones bit their lips tightly, silently shedding tears, only letting out muffled sobs.
It made one’s heart ache.
Gu Zhao frowned, patted Gu Kai’s head, and wiped under his nose. “Oh? Turned into a snotty kid again? We should dry your snot and make noodles out of it.”
Gu Kai had been very upset, but hearing this, he widened his teary eyes in indignation. He touched his nose and stubbornly retorted, “I’m not a snotty kid! I cried, but I didn’t have a runny nose!”
Gu Zhao clicked his tongue and said bluntly, “But you were scared.”
“I wasn’t…” Gu Kai puffed up his little chest, though a bit guilty. His face scrunched up as he muttered, “Next time, I won’t be scared.”
Gu Yao, who had been crying hard, suddenly laughed at his words.
Shu Ning couldn’t help but smile as well.
The heavy, aggrieved atmosphere in the room instantly disappeared under Gu Zhao’s influence.
“Oh? These noodles on the table look pretty good. Gu Yao, you—” Gu Zhao turned and saw the noodles on the table. At first, he thought Gu Yao made them.
But one look told him otherwise.
They never bothered with ingredients like scallions or ginger when cooking.
Yet the four bowls of noodles before him were delicate and smooth, topped with minced meat and black fungus, with green onions sprinkled neatly on the sides—better-looking than noodles sold in town.
Gu Zhao turned to Shu Ning. Something in his heart seemed to stir. “You made these?”
Shu Ning looked at him with clear eyes and nodded openly. “Yes, I did.”
“Why did you come to my house to make all this?” Gu Zhao frowned slightly, his tone unreadable.
“You saved me yesterday. You helped me last night. I offered you money, but you refused. So I could only come and make breakfast for Gu Yao and Gu Kai,” Shu Ning said matter-of-factly.
“They wouldn’t eat without you here,” she added, glancing at the two children. “Call them to eat.”
Gu Zhao paused. He hadn’t expected Shu Ning to come cook for them.
This way of repaying him made his feelings a bit complicated.
But food was food.
What was the point of being polite?
Eat while there’s food!
If the girl left, there might be nothing to eat later!
He waved at the two kids. “You two, come eat.”
With their brother’s permission, the two little ones quickly climbed to the table. Just like when they ate chicken yesterday, they initially picked at the noodles with reluctance.
Gu Zhao frowned, annoyed.
Picky again!
Didn’t like chicken, now didn’t like noodles either!
At this rate, they might as well starve!
But to his surprise, after just one bite, the two suddenly started devouring the noodles.
Like starving little pigs, they buried their heads in their bowls and slurped noisily.
In no time, Gu Kai had nearly finished his bowl. Without hesitation, he gulped down the soup.
Gu Yao, usually more refined, also abandoned all restraint, slurping and eating big mouthfuls.
“…” Gu Zhao had never seen them eat like this. He was full of curiosity.
Were these noodles really that good?
He casually picked up some noodles—but the moment they entered his mouth, all his taste buds were awakened. His mouth filled with an unprecedented sense of satisfaction.
Even the broth was rich and delicious.
It was truly good.
The educated youths in the commune had always said Shu Ning was good at cooking. He had scoffed at that before—how could such a delicate girl know how to cook?
But after one bowl, he realized just how shallow he had been.
This wasn’t just “good.” It was exceptional.