Su Jianjun gritted his teeth.
“Dad, this Secretary Huang is simply going too far!”
Never mind that they had just arrived in the village and didn’t even know where to fetch water.
The most infuriating part was that Secretary Huang could clearly see that his father was so exhausted from overwork that he could barely walk steadily.
Yet he still insisted that his father carry water! Wasn’t this deliberate bullying?
Young and hot-blooded, Su Jianjun clenched one hand tightly into a fist at his side. “I’m going to confront him—”
Shen Fujuan quickly grabbed Su Jianjun and shot a meaningful glance at Su Jiaxuan.
Their younger son, Su Jianjun, had always been impulsive and overly righteous. In their past life, he had offended Huang Wenqiang and suffered countless setbacks as a result.
Su Jianjun widened his eyes. “Mom, are you really going to carry water for him?”
If they let themselves be pushed around today, tomorrow there would be endless tasks forced upon their family!
Su Jianjun refused to accept Huang Wenqiang’s bandit-like logic.
He rolled up his sleeves and prepared to march forward.
A warm, damp hand pressed down on Su Jianjun’s. Su Jiaxuan merely furrowed his brow slightly and dragged his blistered, aching feet forward.
It was just after work, and all the youths sent down to the village were on the road.
The number of people assigned to Heihe Village wasn’t large, but the rural paths were narrow, leaving only a limited space for passage. As a result, they were surrounded by people coming and going.
Others had also suffered under Huang Wenqiang’s bullying.
To put it bluntly, Huang Wenqiang aimed to establish his authority by picking on newcomers.
Shen Fujuan supported Su Jiaxuan, her heart aching as they limped ahead of the lackey.
The lackey was about to flash a smug smile and point toward his own home.
“We’re not going,” Su Jiaxuan refused, his tone firm.
This statement was like pouring a ladle of boiling water into a sizzling oil pan.
The lackey’s face instantly darkened, and the young people passing by were startled.
There had been attempts to resist Huang Wenqiang before.
The outcome… was a life of uncertainty, never knowing where the next meal would come from.
They couldn’t help but feel sympathy for these newcomers.
They looked delicate and tender-skinned—unfortunately, they were about to fall victim to Secretary Huang’s cruelty.
The lackey, Zhou the Lame, put on a stern, menacing expression. “Do you know what you’re saying?”
Su Jiaxuan frowned slightly but remained silent, standing resolutely with his family opposite him.
The lackey sneered, “Stinking Ninth! Showing your true colors so soon? If you won’t even do a little work like this, who’ll believe you’re capable of reformation by the people?”
Having spent so much time with Huang Wenqiang, he had learned his master’s tricks, spouting the words fluently as if rehearsed countless times.
Su Jiaxuan showed no intention of backing down, though his body stiffened slightly.
He wasn’t skilled at arguing with others.
Years of marital tacit understanding
“You’re talking nonsense! Bossing people around is a habit only you capitalists have, don’t pin that filth on me!”
Zhou the Lame was clearly frightened, his words becoming incoherent and stammering as he spoke.
They were arguing loudly on the main road when Huang Wenqiang was also called over.
As soon as Zhou the Lame saw him, he regained his confidence: “You’re done for, Secretary, it’s these few who don’t know the rules—”
Huang Wenqiang raised his hand and slapped Zhou the Lame across the face, instantly stunning him.
His two thin mustaches trembled with anger as Huang Wenqiang, thoroughly enraged, demanded, “Who told you to come and order them to work?”
Zhou the Lame was dumbfounded. “Isn’t that the commune’s rule?”
Huang Wenqiang glared at him fiercely. “Get lost! Don’t show your face again without my orders!”
The group left, grumbling and cursing.
Su Jiaxuan turned his head to look at Shen Fujuan, his gaze probing. “What did you say to them just now?”
Shen Fujuan was taken aback, then smiled. “I hadn’t even said anything yet, but some people already had guilty consciences.”
“Thanks to the two of us cooperating well just now, we managed to chase off those who were bullying us!”
Even at a time like this, Shen Fujuan didn’t hesitate to praise her family.
A faint blush spread across Su Jiaxuan’s face. At Shen Fujuan’s words, the corners of his lips curved slightly, like winter snow melting in the warmth.
Shen Fujuan quickly took Zhao Xiaorou’s hand and waved to the others. “You go back first. Xiaorou and I will go get the food!”
After a long day of work, Shen Fujuan couldn’t bear to see them continue to suffer.
The food in Heihe Village was far worse than what they had at home.
Not only was there no meat in sight, but even cabbage and vermicelli were scarce in the large pot. Mostly, it was a thin soup with a faint layer of oil floating on top.
The staple food provided to them was black cornbread, hard as a rock in hand, the kind that would make a sound if dropped on the ground.
Looking at these things, Shen Fujuan couldn’t help but feel troubled.
The adults could endure it, but if things continued like this, Xiaorou’s child might not survive…
On the way home, Shen Fujuan kept thinking about how to find a way to nourish Xiaorou.
So much so that she didn’t notice the longing gaze fixed on her as they passed the farmland.
It wasn’t until they were about to leave that a voice cried out loudly behind them.
“Mom! Mom, come look at me! It’s me, Lina!”
The voice was heart-wrenching, as if crying out after enduring too much suffering.
In just a few days, Su Lina’s voice had become so hoarse and raspy it no longer sounded like her own.
Shen Fujuan instinctively turned to look.
With just one glance, Shen Fujuan was somewhat frightened.
Su Lina was wearing a thick, bulky gray cotton jacket patched in many places. She struggled desperately, trying to break free from the person restraining her behind and run toward Shen Fujuan.
The person behind her only tightened their grip. Seeing that they couldn’t hold her back, they kicked Su Lina hard in the back of the knee.
Su Lina let out a scream and collapsed onto the ridge of the field, unable to get up. The person behind her then stepped on her hand, grinding it underfoot.
“What are you yelling for? Stay away from these Stinking Ninths! If you drag our family down one day, do you even want to live?!”
The person raised their hand, and only then did Shen Fujuan see they were holding a short horsewhip, lashing it heavily onto Su Lina’s body.
The whipping sent Su Lina writhing on the ground in unbearable agony, her eyes fixed desperately on Shen Fujuan, waiting for her to come to the rescue.
However, Shen Fujuan merely glanced at her before taking Zhao Xiaorou by the hand and hurrying away.
As if she hadn’t seen her at all.
The feeling of being ignored pierced Su Lina’s heart like needles, quickly giving way to a hatred that wanted to destroy everything.
All she wanted was to live a good life—what had she done wrong?
Why did they have to treat her like this?!
As Su Lina wailed in pain, a seed of vengeance took deep root in her heart, her gaze locked on the direction where Shen Fujuan had disappeared.
She would never let these people who abandoned her get away with it!
Clutching the weeds and clumps of dirt from the ground, Su Lina suppressed the hatred burning within her.
She would make them pay!