Guo Youning quickly stepped back, barely avoiding them. These old ladies and young wives were truly annoying, lacking any sense of boundaries. Not only were they gossipy busybodies, but they were always trying to take advantage of others.
The original owner of this body used to be quiet, and they never missed an opportunity to whisper behind her back.
Guo Youning swept a disgusted glance over the crowd, secretly storing the two pounds of pork belly in her space before uncovering the cloth to show everyone.
She said flatly, "It's just some pig offal that others didn't want. Don't go spreading rumors."
The old ladies and young wives looked and then retreated with disdainful smirks.
Only the annoying Third Grandma continued to make her presence known, sneering, "With four people in your family working, you're still this shabby. Even I wouldn't want these stinky intestines for free. Only a miser like you would treasure them."
Damn it! They think I'm a pushover just because I don't show my temper? Picking on me like this—even a clay statue has its limits!
Guo Youning glared at Third Grandma, her face cold as she said, "Do you live by the sea? Mind your own business! If pig innards aren't good enough to eat, it seems your family must feast on delicacies every day. This capitalist pleasure-seeking mentality is unacceptable!"
"And as for Educated Youth going to the countryside, we're responding to the nation's call. The Chairman sent us to rural areas to contribute our knowledge. Are you saying he was wrong?"
"What 'mud-legged peasants'? It hasn't been that long since you came to the city yourself. Where do you get this sense of superiority?"Your behavior—spreading false rumors about national policies, obstructing the rural movement, looking down on peasants, and only seeking pleasure—needs correction. Let's go to the educated youth office or the revolutionary committee and settle this!"
Third Grandma trembled at the mention of the revolutionary committee. With the charges Guo Erniu had listed, she'd surely be arrested and severely criticized!
She couldn't understand how the usually meek and malleable girl had suddenly become so sharp-tongued.
Her face pale but unwilling to admit defeat, she retorted, "You wretched girl, don't you know how to respect your elders? Making a fuss over such a trivial matter—who do you think you are? No one would take you seriously!"
Guo Youning wasn't about to indulge her. If she didn't intimidate her now, she'd cause more trouble later.
With a fake smile, she said, "Who dares say this is trivial? Today, we must take this to the organization and clarify things, to correct your mistaken thinking. Second Grandma, Aunt Huang… you're all witnesses. Come with us."
After saying this, Guo Youning stepped forward, grabbed Third Grandma's sleeve, and pretended to drag her toward the revolutionary committee.
Third Grandma struggled free with force and retreated two meters. The others, afraid of getting involved, waved their hands repeatedly, making excuses about being busy, and scattered like frightened birds.
Used to being domineering, Third Grandma refused to back down, even though the situation was against her.
She spat in Guo Youning's direction, "You little witch, who do you think you're scaring? Just wait—you'll end up like Xiao Fang from the neighboring compound, worn down to death in the countryside!"
Guo Youning had originally only intended to scare Third Grandma. She was in a hurry to get to the black market and had no time to deal with this.
But hearing such a malicious curse ignited her anger. This was also a sore point for the original owner. Just then, a red armband auntie happened to be walking toward them.
She pinched her thigh hard, forcing out a few tears, and cried out with feigned grief and indignation, "Third Grandma, how can you curse us Educated Youth to die suffering in the countryside? Aren't you ashamed?"
"Or is it because no one from your family has been sent to the countryside that you dare threaten us so brazenly? Only counter-revolutionaries and hostile elements would say such things!"
The red armband auntie, who had been frustrated at not catching any typical examples that day, perked up at Guo Youning's words like a hungry cat smelling fish. She rushed over quickly.
While still several meters away, she shouted, "Where are the counter-revolutionaries and hostile elements?"
Third Grandma felt a chill in her heart at the sight of the red armband auntie. Seeing the political accusation looming over her, she flusteredly waved her hands, "No, absolutely not! That girl doesn’t know any better and is just making wild accusations. Please don’t take her seriously."
The red armband auntie glanced at Third Grandma’s sharp-featured face, then turned her gaze to Guo Youning, who stood there with red-rimmed eyes like a delicate, bullied flower.
She said gently, "You tell me, girl. There’s a reward for reporting!"
Guo Youning repeated Third Grandma’s words. Upon hearing them, the red armband auntie was furious.
Coincidentally, she had a son and daughter who had just been sent to the countryside, and she worried about them every day. Regardless of anything else, the phrase "worn down to death in the countryside" felt like a stab to her heart!
She declared righteously, "Comrade, your behavior—undermining urban-rural unity, obstructing Educated Youth from going to the countryside, and corrupting social morals—is utterly deplorable. Come with me to the revolutionary committee. You must undergo re-education."
With that, she blew the whistle hanging on her chest with all her might.
The commotion and the whistle attracted a crowd of onlookers.
In the residential compound, Third Grandma had offended countless people with her sharp tongue, and everyone was delighted to see her get her comeuppance.
Some even stirred the pot, airing all her usual misdeeds:
How she encouraged other mothers-in-law to beat their daughters-in-law, causing turmoil in their households;
How she favored sons over daughters, mistreating her own daughter-in-law and granddaughter at home;
How she borrowed things and never returned them;
…
Before long, a group of red armbands arrived and forcibly dragged away a still-protesting Third Grandma.
With the spectacle over, the crowd dispersed. Guo Youning walked home with a light step. Evil has its own retribution—a few days in detention would surely tame her.
She placed her basket on the kitchen counter and rummaged through a box of discarded items, pulling out a set of tattered, patched-up blue work clothes, which she stored in her space.
Then she found a blue gauze scarf full of holes. With that, her gear was complete.
Slinging her army-green book bag over her shoulder, she locked the door and hurried out of the residential compound. Finding a deserted dead-end alley, she slipped into her space.
Sitting at the vanity, she applied a layer of dark foundation to her face, dotted a few dark spots, thickened her eyebrows, put on the shabby clothes, rolled up her sleeves and pant legs, and wrapped the blue scarf around her head and face.
Once dressed, Guo Youning twirled in front of the full-length mirror, quite pleased. Even her parents wouldn’t recognize her.
She hurried out of the space and dashed toward the back wall of the People’s Hospital.
When she reached the spot where she was supposed to meet Deng Xiaojun, she saw someone dressed just as shabbily as her, squatting by the wall, idly drawing circles in the dirt.
The multitude of circles, large and small, showed he had been waiting for quite some time. Guo Youning cursed inwardly—it was all that wretched Third Grandma’s fault for making her late. Was Deng Xiaojun drawing circles to curse her?
She walked slowly up to him, cleared her throat twice, and said, "Xiaojun-ge, sorry I’m late."
Deng Xiaojun looked up at her, studied her for a long moment, and then burst out laughing.
He tentatively called out, "Guo Youning, is that you?"
She shot him a disdainful glare. "Who else would it be? What are you laughing at? Take a look at yourself—you’re no better! Only someone with sharp eyes like me could recognize you in that beggar’s getup. Let’s go, we’ve got work to do."
Deng Xiaojun obediently stood up and led the way, his shoulders shaking, telling Guo Youning he was still chuckling.
Admittedly, the disguise might have been a bit over the top, but to avoid trouble, she could handle a little laughter. If she wasn’t embarrassed, then the embarrassment belonged to someone else.
Before long, they arrived at the entrance of a dilapidated alley two blocks away from the hospital, where Deng Xiaojun finally returned to normal.
After walking inward for two minutes, they spotted a person squatting at a fork in the alley. A faint voice drifted over, "Admission fee: five cents."