After Shu Ning left the dormitory,
she woke Mao Kaiyuan, a male educated youth who had just arrived from a neighboring commune to help out and hadn’t gone out to catch loaches that day. She told him to run to Team Leader Lei Zhenxing’s house in half an hour and inform him that something big had happened at the end of the village.
Mao Kaiyuan was confused, but he didn’t hesitate to follow Shu Ning’s instructions.
After arranging this, Shu Ning sprinted down the commune road like the wind.
When she reached Chen Daming’s house, she stopped, took out the flour she had been carrying, and smeared it across her face. Her originally rosy complexion instantly turned deathly pale—so pale it was frightening.
“Coo… coo… coo…” Shu Ning imitated a cuckoo bird twice at Chen Daming’s door.
Inside, Chen Daming, who had been holding the two ten-yuan notes Zhu Qiulan had given him earlier, immediately perked up when he heard the sound.
This was their agreed signal.
Could it be that Zhu Qiulan had another task for him?
Working for Zhu Qiulan was easy.
She gave five yuan upfront.
Another five upon completion.
And if things weren’t perfect but she needed him to keep quiet, she’d give another five.
He had earned fifteen yuan just like that—money he and his mother would need a whole month to make.
The “coo coo” sound was like a call to action. Chen Daming jumped out of bed, slipped on his straw sandals, and rushed to open the courtyard door.
The moment he opened it, before he could speak, he saw a woman standing before him—hair disheveled, face deathly pale, illuminated by a beam of light that made her expression shift eerily. Her eyes were cold, filled with despair and terror.
Chen Daming collapsed to the ground instantly, trembling all over, his voice shaking. “G-ghost… ghost…”
Shu Ning was very satisfied with his reaction.
In rural areas of this era, even though old beliefs had been officially rejected, people still feared ghosts deeply.
If someone died, people would be too scared to go out at night for a long time, afraid of encountering spirits.
And in front of ghosts, no one dared to lie.
“I… I’m not a ghost. I’m Shu Ning…” Shu Ning spoke slowly, her voice long and thin, like a summons from the underworld.
“S-Shu… Comrade Shu… you… what happened to you?” Chen Daming’s scalp tingled. Hadn’t Gu Zhao already saved her?
“I’m going to die… I can’t breathe… I just want to ask you—what grudge do I have against you? Why did you push me into the river?”
Not dead yet, but her soul wandering?
Could it be a living spirit?
Chen Daming gasped, staring at Shu Ning in shock.
He had heard that some people who were rescued from drowning would still die that night.
Could Shu Ning be like that?
Otherwise, how would she know it was him who pushed her?
Only he and Zhu Qiulan knew about it.
That meant only Shu Ning—about to become a ghost—knew!
“I died unwillingly… I just want to know why you wanted to kill me. If you don’t tell the truth, I’ll take you with me…” Shu Ning raised the small flashlight in her palm, shining it on her face again.
Terrified by the flickering light, Chen Daming dropped to his knees, kowtowing repeatedly.
“It wasn’t me who wanted to kill you! It was Zhu Qiulan! Don’t take me with you! I’ve told you the truth—go quickly!”
“Please go! Every word I said is true!”
“After you die, I’ll burn you lots of spirit money!”
“It really wasn’t my idea! I have no grudge against you—I didn’t want to kill you!”
Shu Ning stared at him coldly.
Although she had suspected Zhu Qiulan, hearing the truth directly was far more shocking.
Zhu Qiulan!
“You said this was Zhu Qiulan’s idea. Do you have proof?”
“Yes! The money—she gave me money! Look—five yuan, five yuan, and another five yuan. Fifteen yuan total!” Chen Daming pulled the money from his pocket and showed her.
Not far away, Gu Zhao, who had been hiding behind a tree, heard this and was furious.
He rushed forward and started beating Chen Daming mercilessly.
“Chen Daming, you’re beyond rotten—utterly vicious! This is murder! If I hadn’t passed by, Comrade Shu would be dead!”
“You bastard! You actually intended to kill! You harmed someone behind their back!”
“It wasn’t me! I really didn’t want to kill her—it was Zhu Qiulan! Don’t beat me! Don’t take me away…”
“It was Zhu Qiulan! She told me to do it!”
“She said to make Shu Ning fall into the river—best if she drowned. I just pushed her… I only pushed her… it has nothing to do with me…”
By the time Lei Zhenxing arrived with Mao Kaiyuan, he saw Chen Daming kneeling before Shu Ning, constantly kowtowing and repeating these words.
“What’s going on? Comrade Shu, why are you here?”
Hearing footsteps behind her, Shu Ning quickly wiped her face with a damp towel she had prepared and tied up her hair.
Then she turned and said, “Team Leader, everyone went out to catch loaches. I had nothing to do in the dorm, so I came out for a walk. When I reached Chen Daming’s house, he suddenly knelt and kowtowed, saying he didn’t mean to push me. He said Zhu Qiulan paid him to do it—to make me drown.”
“If you have a guilty conscience, you fear ghosts knocking at your door. He thought I was a ghost and confessed everything out of fear.”
Gu Zhao and Ergouzi, standing nearby, were stunned.
Shu Ning’s transformation—from ghost to normal educated youth in seconds—was incredible.
And her explanation was flawless.
Absolutely brilliant.
After hearing her explanation and seeing Chen Daming’s pitiful state, Lei Zhenxing was furious.
Hongqi Commune had always had a good reputation—its members were united, hardworking, and kind.
Many girls from other communes wanted to marry into theirs.
He never expected such a vicious person to exist in the commune!
Attempting murder right under his nose!
If Gu Zhao hadn’t saved Shu Ning, there would already be a corpse.
The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. As Gu Zhao nearly finished beating Chen Daming, Lei Zhenxing stepped in and kicked him hard.
“Chen Daming, you bastard! Gu Zhao, Ergouzi—go bring Zhu Qiulan to the team office! We’ll settle this tonight!”
“Got it!”
Gu Zhao and Ergouzi immediately headed to the dormitory.
But they saw Shu Ning already far ahead of them.
She ran all the way back.
The dormitory was dark.
Shu Ning placed the flashlight on the table, illuminating Zhu Qiulan.
Zhu Qiulan was sleeping soundly, a faint smile on her lips—as if she had accomplished something she was proud of.
The same expression she had when she pulled out Shu Ning’s oxygen tube in her previous life.
Shu Ning sneered.
Without even taking off her shoes, she stepped onto the bed, sat on Zhu Qiulan, and began slapping her wildly.
“Zhu Qiulan, you vicious woman!”
“I’ll beat you to death!”
After her palms went numb, she switched to punching.
Zhu Qiulan, half-asleep, felt intense pain. When she opened her eyes and tried to resist, she found herself completely powerless—like a lump of mud.
At the doorway, Ergouzi watched in shock and asked Gu Zhao, “Brother Zhao… should we…”
“Wait.”
Was he supposed to break it up?
No way.
Whenever Shu Ning finished venting, that’s when they would take Zhu Qiulan away.
“Shu—”
“Don’t call me Shu Ning! Your filthy mouth isn’t worthy of saying my name!”
Her car accident, her crippled leg, the oxygen tube being pulled—Zhu Qiulan was behind it all.
And Gu Zhao had been killed because of them.
All the hatred from her previous life surged in her mind.
Shu Ning was furious—until she was completely exhausted.
Zhu Qiulan lay on the ground like a lifeless heap.
Gu Zhao picked up the bruised and battered Zhu Qiulan and threw her onto a cart. Ergouzi quickly pulled it away.
“Comrade Shu, can you still walk?” Gu Zhao frowned, seeing Shu Ning stumbling behind them.
“I can’t… can you carry me?” Shu Ning’s eyes instantly reddened.
“…” Gu Zhao looked at her.
She was truly angry.
Fierce—but also somehow admirable.
This was exactly how one should deal with someone who tried to kill them.
“As for carrying you… I have the strength. Given the situation… it’s not impossible,” he said in a low voice.
“Gu Zhao… thank you…”
His deep, steady voice made her feel safe.
Shu Ning rushed into his arms and hugged him tightly.
Like an injured kitten, she cried uncontrollably in his embrace.
Gu Zhao, stiff as a stick at first, hesitated, then finally raised his hand and gently patted her back.
For the first time in his life, he comforted a girl.
“Don’t cry. The team leader and the police will handle this fairly.”
“Then… hold me a little longer.”
“…” Gu Zhao.