After working hard all morning, the two of them were about to head home for lunch. They had just stepped inside and closed the door when a loud bang came from behind.
“Bang!” Everyone in the house jumped and looked toward the front door. There stood Gu Rou, squinting, holding a kitchen knife in one hand. Seeing her like this, everyone instinctively took a step back.
Gu Li’s face changed dramatically when she saw the glaring knife, realizing that Gu Rou was definitely coming for trouble. She immediately tried to hide behind Zhang Nian. Zhang Nian frowned, stepping aside slightly and biting her lip tightly to keep from saying something unpleasant.
People had always said Gu Li was a venomous, petty person—and it turned out to be true. Now, with a knife in front of her, Gu Rou was pushing her forward. Was she trying to make Zhang Nian take the blow meant for Gu Li? Zhang Nian grew angrier and angrier. This ungrateful, selfish cousin—after all the help she had given her to gain advantage with Gu Rou—was now putting her in danger.
“If you don’t want me to live, then you won’t get off easy either.” This one move had enraged Zhang Nian. She recalled all the times she had helped Gu Li with clever schemes, only for Gu Li to take advantage. Originally, she thought Gu Li was cunning but at least obedient, slightly smarter and prettier than the average rural girl, which reflected well on her own superiority.
“Cousin, isn’t it you? Weren’t you supposed to be recovering in the hospital? Why are you out now?” Zhang Nian struggled and stepped aside a bit. To avoid Gu Rou targeting her, she spoke in a gentle tone. Zhang Nian appeared calm, while Gu Li’s face was pale as soil, her body sweating profusely, looking as if she were facing a mortal enemy.
“Who’s your cousin? Shut your mouth!” Gu Rou slowly stepped forward with the knife. She was about 163 cm tall—slightly short for northern China—but her presence was no less imposing than the 165 cm tall people in front of her.
“Yesterday it was my cousin who was too scared, that’s why it happened. She realized her mistake as soon as she got back. Today we’re apologizing again!”
“A coincidence?” Gu Rou looked at Zhang Nian as if she were a fool, swinging the knife forward. The blade was about to slice across Zhang Nian’s face, and screams erupted around them. Zhang Nian closed her eyes tightly, trembling all over—if she hadn’t just been to the bathroom, she probably would have peed herself on the spot.
“Oh, I didn’t hold the knife properly just now. I didn’t do it on purpose, it was all a coincidence.” Gu Rou said expressionlessly.
Over the past week, Gu Rou had been drinking Lingquan water and her body had almost fully recovered. The pale complexion she showed was purely for appearances. Her current combat strength was far greater than that of the average man.
After watching Gu Li and Gu Jiandang’s fear, the next moment, the knife cut precisely across Zhang Nian’s arm.
“Ah—” Zhang Nian screamed as she saw the wound. Before anyone could react, Gu Rou kicked her to the ground and hammered the knife handle into her chest repeatedly.
“Bang! Bang! Bang!”
It looked like she was putting tremendous force into each strike. Zhang Cuihua and Gu Jiandang tried to rush forward to stop her, but the knife immediately blocked their path.
“You little bitch, playing innocent in front of me! Where’s the notice? Hand it over!”
“If you want to take advantage of me, think carefully—are your bones strong enough?” Gu Rou said as she continued her movements. Zhang Nian didn’t even have a chance to speak.
“If you don’t give it back, none of you will get off easy today!” Gu Rou never cared what outsiders thought—elders or not, immoral people deserved a harsh lesson, and reputation didn’t matter.
“What notice?!”
“There’s no such thing!”
“Gu Rou, you’re just looking for revenge, trying to make up an excuse!” Zhang Cuihua’s head hurt hearing about a notice they didn’t even have. Gu Jiandang also asked, confused: “Stop, Xiao Rou. Let’s talk it out. What notice? We don’t know anything about it. Where did you hear this?”
“I… I didn’t take it…” Zhang Nian tried to explain, but two of her teeth had been knocked out, blood gushing from her mouth. She could only mumble incoherently.
“Still saying you didn’t?! My notice was taken by you! You ruined my reputation and now you want to destroy my future!”
Slap! Slap! Slap! Gu Rou struck Zhang Nian hard several times before stopping. Hitting people required strength, and she needed to pause to rest briefly.
Seeing this, Gu Jiandang gave Zhang Cuihua a look, signaling her to fetch reinforcements immediately. Given what had happened, he didn’t believe anyone could stop her.
Zhang Cuihua, catching the signal, ran straight for the door. Gu Rou saw this but didn’t stop her.
At this time, many villagers were also preparing to finish work. The team leader, Gu Jianguo, and Li Xiufang were on the way. Seeing the team leader, Zhang Cuihua ran over, shouting sharply: “It’s serious! Gu Rou’s attacking people with a knife!”
Li Xiufang, worried sick about her daughter, immediately headed toward the second branch’s house. The team leader, realizing the seriousness, quickly called others to join.
Nearby villagers, who had been thinking about going home for lunch, also stopped, wanting to see the commotion. Some had finished eating and, carrying bowls, followed along behind.
Just a few days ago, Gu Rou had beaten people and even enforced family discipline. By rights, it should have been over—but now she had a knife. How had they not noticed she was this fierce?
“Xiao Rou, put down the knife!” Seeing the blood on the floor coming from Zhang Nian’s mouth, the team leader’s head ached. Despite his dislike of the family, he still valued basic justice.
“Team Leader, I’m not here to make trouble for no reason. They took my vocational school admission notice!” Gu Rou said. “I went to get it back, but they refused. How can I just let that slide?! Vocational school is my future!”
In those days, being admitted to a vocational school was as valuable as being admitted to a work-and-peasant university. Either way, graduation guaranteed a formal job and food rations. If someone took the admission notice, it could completely ruin a person’s future.