Li Lan's eyes were red too as she charged forward, scratching wildly. When she couldn't reach, she kicked at Li Jiaojiao's chest—she'd definitely inherited her mother's techniques.
Li Jiaojiao was terrified out of her wits, struggling desperately.
"Who are you people? Help! Mom, save me!"
Wang Yun and Li Hongyuan hurried to break it up, but the neighbors outside, who couldn't wait to watch the drama, had already rushed in.
"Oh dear, family should talk things out nicely."
"Oh dear, no need for violence."
Somehow, Li Hongyuan was "persuaded" to the side, while Wang Yun ended up dragged into the fray…
Just as dawn was breaking, Wang Yun urged Li Hongyuan to hurry and borrow a car to go into town to withdraw money.
Wu Guihua was very diligent, making several bowls of malted milk, and even "kindly" included one for Wang Yun.
Wang Yun sipped it tremblingly—it was more bitter than coptis root.
But she didn't dare say a word!
The moment Li Hongyuan honked the horn downstairs, the pig-faced mother and daughter fled out the door like their lives depended on it.
Money could be saved up again!
As long as she won over Li Hongyuan, she and her children would have good days ahead.
But if she didn't get rid of Wu Guihua…
They wouldn't live to see tomorrow!
Wu Guihua leisurely finished her malted milk with her daughter, then stuffed a whopping five mao into her son's hands.
Li Xiaojun immediately bolted out the door, running off to the service center to buy snacks.
Li Lan watched the door while Wu Guihua did a quick "tidying up" inside, and then mother and daughter headed downstairs.
Quite a few elderly women were sitting in the courtyard in sunny, wind-sheltered spots, mending clothes and socks.
Wu Guihua took the initiative to strike up conversation and was soon chatting away merrily with them.
Li Hongyuan and Wang Yun returned with the money, having also invited Commissar Huang to bear witness.
As they entered the courtyard, they heard Wu Guihua shaking her head and sighing with a thousand regrets.
"The bed in the master bedroom is too small—all these years, my Hongyuan and sister-in-law have really been put out. But the weather here is cold, so squeezing together to sleep keeps you warmer…"
Li Hongyuan's head nearly exploded. He charged over and stuffed a stack of ten-yuan bills into Wu Guihua's mouth—no, her hands.
Wu Guihua smacked her lips with lingering satisfaction, then concluded her secret-sharing session with her new circle of old sisters.
"Li Hongyuan, Lanzi and I are heading back now. You and sister-in-law need to take good care of Xiaojun. He's frail—if you're not careful with him, he'll get sick."
She said that last sentence especially loudly.
Wang Yun wished she would vanish on the spot. She just kept nodding, completely unable to discern any hidden meaning.
Wu Guihua tucked the money into her bosom—actually sending it into the Spatial Dimension—then leisurely made her way toward the gate with her daughter.
Wang Yun breathed a sigh of relief and wobbled home on weak legs, wanting to lie down.
But when she pushed open the door, a scream pierced the sky!
Li Hongyuan and Commissar Huang rushed upstairs after her and were immediately dumbfounded.
The once-full living room was completely empty.
The table was gone, the sofa was gone, the thermos and teacups were gone, the washbasin stand was gone, and the cabinet storing grain and oil was bare!
They checked the two bedrooms—the beds, wardrobes, bedding and clothes, books and notebooks—all gone!
Only the chubby baby New Year picture remained on the wall, grinning away…
Wu Guihua dawdled her way to the military compound gate, finally spotting Wang Yun and Li Hongyuan chasing after her, followed by a string of old and young from the family quarters.
Wang Yun was truly panicked. She dropped to her knees with a thud and clung desperately to Wu Guihua's leg.
"Wuwu, Guihua! I know you're misunderstanding and angry—it's all my fault, you can hit me or scold me! But how could you strip our house bare? How are we supposed to live?
"Please, have mercy—give back Jiaojiao's father's pension, won't you? Wuwu, that's Jiaojiao's dowry, and Pengyu's bride price!
"I'm useless, I couldn't protect their father's hard-earned money! Wuwu, I don't want to live anymore, I've failed my two children!"
Li Hongyuan's face was livid as he grabbed Wu Guihua's arm.
"Wu Guihua, I gave you the money—what more do you want! Hand over the things right now, or I won't be polite!"
Wu Guihua shook off Li Hongyuan with one yank and kicked Wang Yun face-first into the dirt!
"Are you two out of your minds? What madness are you spouting at this hour? Who stole your things? Say it clearly!
"I just couldn't survive anymore, so I brought my kids to beg for medical money!
If you begrudge the money and want it back, fine—but don't go dumping shit on my head!"
Wu Guihua was equally aggrieved. She grabbed the thoroughly embarrassed Commissar Huang.
"Commissar, you be the judge! Yesterday I said I didn't want to go to their house, afraid they'd pull something, but they begged and pleaded for me to come. They were making eyes at each other right in front of me, disgusted me so much I went home early to give them space—is that a crime too?"
Commissar Huang winced in pain and quickly tried to explain.
"Comrade Wu, please calm down. Battalion Commander Li's house has been cleaned out—nothing left. They're frantic! And just now, you were the only ones home…"
"Cleaned out? Nothing left?"
Wu Guihua burst out laughing, clapping her hands in delight.
"When the road is rough, someone will tread on it! Which righteous hero did this? They must have known how that dog couple wronged me and came to get even on my behalf!"
"Wu Guihua, watch your mouth!" Li Hongyuan moved to strike her again. "Hand over the things right now!"
Wu Guihua was utterly unafraid, hands on her hips, cursing loudly.
"Are you out of your mind? Your house was cleaned out—furniture, clothes, bedding, all gone, right?"
"Yeah!" Li Hongyuan's head buzzed at the memory of the empty two-room apartment.
Wu Guihua patted her own and her daughter's skinny frames. "You dimwit! Do you think I could hide a wardrobe or clothes and bedding on these two bodies of ours?"
Li Hongyuan was struck speechless, and Wang Yun even forgot to cry.
Commissar Huang's face flushed with embarrassment.
They had only remembered that Wu Guihua and her daughter were the last to leave the house, but had forgotten that they had left empty-handed…
Wang Yun refused to give up, pointing at the bundle on Wu Guihua's arm.
"The pension for Jiaojiao's father…"
Wu Guihua had been waiting for this moment. She untied the bundle and flung it out.
From within two tattered shirts covered in patch upon patch, a large handful of colorful slips scattered across the ground.
Many were curious and bent down to pick them up.
Hospital payment receipts!
Blood donation slips!
Chinese medicine prescriptions!
IOUs for grain borrowed from the village!
Wu Guihua grabbed Li Hongyuan by the collar and forced him down toward the ground.
"Open your damn eyes and look—do these look like things I stole from you?
"I secretly sold my blood to pay for your son's medical treatment.
"I secretly went hunting in the mountains, risking my life against bears, to keep your mother fed and comfortable!
"I even secretly begged the village leaders, just to borrow some grain, because your mother had mailed all the family's food to you!
"I've stolen plenty of times, and I admit it all! But I never stole so much as a single thread or a grain of rice from your godforsaken nest!
"Because I find it filthy—I find it filthy!"
A blood donation slip stuck to Li Hongyuan's face, and he couldn't utter a word.
Wang Yun's mind raced, but aside from crying and playing the victim, she had no other tricks.
An elderly woman from the family compound couldn't bear to watch any longer.
"Teacher Wang, you've already taken someone else's husband and live a comfortable life without worries. Don't bully the battalion commander's wife to death!"
"That's right," another sister-in-law chimed in as a witness. "I saw with my own eyes the battalion commander's wife come downstairs, carrying nothing but this shabby bundle in her hands."
"I saw it too! Teacher Wang, we can't be so heartless in this life!"
"Exactly—there's no bullying like this. Heaven is watching."