My Mother-in-Law is Reborn [Seventies]-Chapter 212

Old Cai kept walking and running through the sewer, not knowing how long it had been or how far he had gone, until he finally saw a glimmer of light again.

Only after being trapped did he realize how much he longed for light.

He used all his strength to climb out. This time, it was much smoother than the previous two attempts. Shivering, he crawled out, cold, hungry, and in pain.

But the joy of escaping made him almost forget all that. He felt as if his life had been elevated.

He had finally made it out.

It was already evening, past the usual time for people to return home from work. The sun had set, and the sky was filled with the glow of dusk. Even though it wasn’t very bright, Old Cai burst into tears, feeling both aggrieved and relieved, excited and happy. “I’m out, I’m really out. Heaven has eyes!”

He was covered in mud from head to toe. Struggling to his feet, he looked around and began stumbling toward his home. His appearance was a mess, and he staggered weakly. Fortunately, there weren’t many people around at this time, so he dragged his exhausted body home.

It turned out he had been trapped for a full day and night.

No wonder it felt like an eternity, as if he had endured endless darkness.

Wuwuwu!

He had suffered so much.

This ordeal had truly tested his mind and body. He must be destined for great things.

As he walked home alone, though there weren’t many people on the road, those who passed by stared at him strangely, covering their noses. The stench from the sewer was no different from that of a cesspool. It was utterly revolting.

At a glance, most people couldn’t tell whether he had fallen into a cesspool or crawled out of a sewer. But his mud-covered body and the overwhelming stench were enough to make people avoid him, wishing they could take a detour.

The smell was unbearable.

He was utterly disgusting.

Old Cai cried as he walked, completely ignoring the pointing and whispering of others. After all, no one could recognize him in this state, so he didn’t care. He felt that the day and night he had endured were the worst suffering of his life. He had never been so unlucky before, even though he had experienced many things. None of them could compare to this.

Absolutely incomparable!

Old Cai cried as he walked home. He didn’t know how long it took, but he finally saw the residential compound. He was so weak from hunger and cold that he could barely drag himself upstairs. As he climbed, he heard voices from other households in the building.

“What’s that smell? Who’s doing something so disgusting at home?”

“Ugh, it’s revolting. Who’s cooking poop?”

“This isn’t the smell of cooking poop. It’s way worse.”

“Who knows?”

“Whoever it is, they’re cursed. Someone’s going to die.”

Someone opened a window and started cursing.

Ignoring the comments, Old Cai banged on his door. After knocking for a while, no one answered.

He shouted angrily, “Open the door! Open the door! I know someone’s home!”

Though he was furious, his voice was weak and strained.

“Open the door!”

Jiang Baohong had a cold and was in a daze. She hadn’t eaten all day and was too weak to move. She had been sleeping at home all day and had just woken up. She struggled to get up and went to open the door. As soon as she opened it, she screamed, “Ahhh!”

She fainted on the spot.

She had seen a ghost!

A real, living ghost.

Jiang Baohong’s screams alerted the neighbors, who quickly opened their doors to look. When they saw Old Cai, they also screamed, “Ah!”

“Who… who are you? I’m warning you, this is a modern society. Ghosts and demons can’t come out to cause trouble!”

Old Cai snapped, “What are you screaming for? It’s me, Old Cai!”

He thought these people were making a fuss over nothing. He had endured so much suffering without screaming, yet they were the ones making such a racket. He looked at his neighbors with disdain, feeling they lacked class. Anyone with a bit of decency wouldn’t act like this.

He stormed into his house and slammed the door shut.

“What the hell happened to that old man? How did he end up like that? It’s disgusting!”

“No wonder the whole building stinks. It’s all because of him, that bastard.”

“Let’s go confront him…”

“Yeah, let’s go.”

Everyone gathered at the Cai family’s door and started knocking. They all lived in the same building, and no one had ever done something like this before. It was outrageous! They banged on the door, and Old Cai, hearing the noise, kicked Jiang Baohong twice. Jiang Baohong groaned and slowly woke up. “Ah…”

She screamed again.

Old Cai scolded her, “It’s me, you idiot! What are you screaming for? Do you want me dead?” He kicked her again, though he was too weak from being trapped for a day and night to do much damage. Jiang Baohong managed to sit up.

Knock, knock, knock.

The neighbors were still pounding on the door. Old Cai, annoyed, said, “Go open the door.”

These people had no sense of timing. Couldn’t they see how miserable he was? What were they doing at his house now?

Jiang Baohong struggled to open the door. “What do you want?”

“Aunt Jiang, what happened to your husband? The smell is so bad it’s filling the whole building. Shouldn’t he go take a bath?”

“Yeah, how are we supposed to live like this?”

Someone peeked inside and saw Old Cai slumped on the sofa, looking half-dead.

“Aunt Jiang, your husband really needs to clean up. If he doesn’t, the whole building will stink. You…”

Jiang Baohong cut them off, shouting, “What’s it to you? Is this building yours? It’s a public space. We can do whatever we want in our own home. Mind your own business! Get out of here, all of you!”

“Hey, that’s not fair. How can you be so unreasonable?”

Jiang Baohong put her hands on her hips. “This is who I am. If you don’t like it, hit me. I’ll just lie down in front of your door. How dare you bully an old person? Don’t you know how to respect your elders?”

“You… you!”

Jiang Baohong sneered, “If you don’t back off, I’ll pour dirty water all over your doorstep.”

She gloated, “Go ahead, hit me if you dare.”

“You’re shameless!”

“How can you be so despicable?”

“Hey, how can you act like this…”

The neighbors were trembling with anger. They had never seen someone so shameless.

Everyone was speechless. No wonder Zhang Lanhua had left with her children as soon as her in-laws arrived. Living with someone like this would drive anyone insane. This woman was a lunatic, utterly shameless.

“We won’t stoop to your level.”

“I won’t stoop to yours either.”

She proudly put her hands on her hips, finally understanding the twisted joy of Guan Guiling’s troublemaking.

“Enough dawdling. Hurry up and make me some food. And heat water for a bath. Do you want me to starve or freeze to death?” Old Cai barked impatiently.

Jiang Baohong replied, “Coming.”

She slammed the door shut.

The neighbors outside were shaking with anger, unable to believe how shameless and unreasonable these people were. To think they had to live next to such vile individuals—it was truly a stroke of bad luck. They had never encountered such despicable people before.

“Forget it, this family is just shameless and impossible to reason with.”

“Yeah, it stinks. Let’s just leave.”

Despite being sick, Jiang Baohong was diligent in serving her husband. Though she was miserable, she managed to make a pot of porridge and heat water for Old Cai’s bath. Thankfully, the hot water helped loosen the mud. Old Cai didn’t care about anything else at this point. He gulped down the porridge, finally feeling the burning hunger in his stomach subside. He was freezing, so he turned the water as hot as he could and poured it over himself—ah, what a relief!

He felt better, but the hot water hitting the mud only intensified the stench in the building.

The foul odor, combined with the heat, became even more unbearable.

Many households sealed their windows and doors. Even a decade-old sewer couldn’t produce such a smell.

Little ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‍did they know, Old Cai had just crawled out of a sewer.

Some children in the building were crying, “Stinky, stinky…”

“I’m going to stay at my parents’ house tonight.”

“I’ll come with you.”

“If it’s too bad, maybe we can stay with relatives for the night. This smell is like a poison gas attack!”

“It’s disgusting. That damned Cai family deserves to be struck by lightning. They’ve brought nothing but trouble.”

“What a curse.”

Everyone was furious but helpless. What could they do against such shameless people?

After Old Cai took a hot shower, it became clear that he was covered in injuries—bruises from being beaten, scrapes from falling, and even some frostbite in certain areas. Jiang Baohong's heart ached as tears streamed down her face: "What on earth happened to you? Who did this to you? Tell me, and I'll go after them!"

Old Cai awkwardly replied, "They mistook me for a manhole cover thief. In my panic, I fell into the sewer."

Of course, he wouldn't admit that he had been lurking around a public restroom. He coughed and put on a stern face, saying, "Why are you prying so much? What about you? I was gone for a whole day and night, and you didn’t even bother to look for me. How unlucky am I to have ended up with such a heartless woman? Don’t you care about me at all? If you had searched for me earlier, I wouldn’t have suffered so much!"

The more he spoke, the angrier he became, and in a fit of rage, he slapped Jiang Baohong, sending her tumbling to the side.

Jiang Baohong covered her face, sobbing, "I wasn’t feeling well, so I didn’t go out. But our son went looking for you last night and again today. He hasn’t come back yet. Oh no, where did he go to look for you?"

Old Cai snorted, "At least he has some conscience. They say raising a son ensures support in old age. I guess I didn’t raise him for nothing."

"But our son still isn’t back…"

Old Cai waved her off, "He’s a grown man; he’ll find his way back. I’m exhausted. I need to rest."

After the ordeal he had been through over the past day and night, all he wanted was to recover.

Jiang Baohong hesitated, "But…"

"Get out!"

Jiang Baohong’s eyes reddened with grievance, but she understood that her husband was injured. She asked with concern, "Shouldn’t we take you to the hospital? Your injuries are serious. Staying home isn’t a good idea."

"No need!" How could he explain his injuries at the hospital?

He snapped viciously, "Stop bothering me. I need to sleep."

Exhausted, he headed straight to his room and added, "Bring me our son’s blanket too."

Jiang Baohong nodded, "Alright."

He needed two blankets to keep warm.

As for their son?

Who cared?

He wouldn’t get lost.

Old Cai couldn’t be bothered.

Jiang Baohong sat in the living room, sighing. Now that the father was back, the son was missing. It was like a set of Russian nesting dolls—one comes back, and the other disappears.

Would their grand scheme to make money ever succeed?

She leaned back on the sofa, feeling her headache worsen.

Her life was truly more bitter than Coptis chinensis.

While her life was filled with bitterness, the people in the courtyard house were enjoying their sweet and lively days.

Everyone had gathered to watch TV together. Since Zhuang Zhixi’s family owned a color TV, all the children were there. Yuanyuan was chattering excitedly to her mother, Ming Mei, about how she had noticed something suspicious. She said, "My eyes are so sharp! I spotted something wrong right away. There were bad guys down there, but the adults made us go to school, so we didn’t see how it ended."

Ming Mei replied, "They probably didn’t catch them."

"What a shame."

Ming Mei added, "Those kinds of people will get caught eventually. But if you ever encounter bad guys, don’t chase after them. It’s not safe down there."

"I know that," Yuanyuan said confidently.

Ming Mei smiled, "Good. We don’t need to show off."

Although Ming Mei had been a daring little girl herself, she didn’t want her children to be the same. After all, they were still young. She said cheerfully, "You’re so well-behaved. Should I get you some treats?"

Yuanyuan’s eyes lit up, "Yes! What do you have?"

Ming Mei chuckled, "I bought some sugar-coated snowballs today."

She pulled out a bag and said, "Here, everyone can have some."

The children cheered, overjoyed. No child could resist snacks, especially something sweet and tangy like sugar snowballs.

Li Zhenzhen chimed in, "I’ve seen sugar-coated hawthorn being sold on the streets. I think sugar-coated hawthorn is just as good as sugar snowballs."

Though both were made of hawthorn coated in sugar, there was a slight difference.

Yuanyuan said, "Grandma mentioned that she likes yam bean candy, but I’ve never seen it before."

"Me neither."

"Same here."

Even Ming Mei shook her head, "I don’t know where your grandma found that. I’ve never tried it either." Now that they mentioned it, she felt a little craving. Ming Mei said, "Next time I see it, I’ll buy some for everyone to try."

Tuantuan and Yuanyuan exclaimed, "Mom, you’re the best!"

Li Zhenzhen added, "Auntie, I like you the most!"

"Me too!"

The children’s flattery was pure and genuine.

Ming Mei beamed with joy. Who didn’t love hearing compliments?

Zhao Guihua came over to watch TV and, hearing the commotion at the door, asked, "What are you all talking about?"

Ming Mei explained, "We were discussing yam bean candied hawthorn. I wonder what it tastes like."

Zhao Guihua said, "That’s easy. I’ll find some yam beans and make it for you. It’s not that hard."

Older folks like her knew how to make all kinds of snacks.

“Grandma, I love you the most!” Yuanyuan immediately started acting cute.

Ming Mei teased, "Oh, look at you, switching sides so quickly."

Yuanyuan, noticing her mother’s expression, quickly added, "I love you too, Mom."

Ming Mei smiled, "That’s more like it."

Zhao Guihua shot her a look, "Aren’t you a bit old to be jealous?"

Ming Mei laughed, "You’re never too old for that."

Zhao Guihua suggested, "While we’re at it, let’s buy some hawthorn and make more snacks to share with everyone."

Ming Mei agreed, "Sure."

She suddenly remembered something and said, "There used to be an old man near the bus station who sold hawthorn. He was really good. I’ll go check tomorrow. If he’s there, I’ll buy a lot. We can even make hawthorn cake. Actually… oh, oh!"

Ming Mei paused, her eyes widening, "I just remembered!"

She was so excited, "I finally remembered who that woman was!"

Zhao Guihua asked, "Who?"

Ming Mei said, "I thought the woman I saw that day looked familiar. It was Jiang Baohong!"

If it hadn’t been for the mention of the bus station, she wouldn’t have remembered. But now it clicked. She said, "The female thug I saw near the restroom the other day was her."

Zhao Guihua was startled, "Her? I thought she left the city. Did she come back? What’s she doing here? She must be up to no good." She quickly added, "No wonder she covered her face and ran. She was afraid you’d recognize her. That woman is definitely scheming something."

It wasn’t that Zhao Guihua was being overly suspicious, but Jiang Baohong’s behavior was just too strange. No one would believe she didn’t have ulterior motives.

Ming Mei shared the same sentiment. She said, "I’ll look into her situation. If she’s planning to cause trouble here, she’s in for a rude awakening. This isn’t a place for her to mess around."

Zhao Guihua asked, "Do you think she’s here to scout the area?"

"What for?"

Zhao Guihua replied, "There are plenty of things she could be after. Who knows? Jiang Baohong isn’t a good person."

Ming Mei nodded, "She’s definitely no saint."

"Absolutely."

Zhao Guihua grew more concerned, "I’ll warn everyone to be on guard. We can’t afford to be caught off guard. There are plenty of people in this courtyard who don’t get along with her."

For example, Ming Mei and Jiang Baohong merely disliked each other, which was minor compared to others.

There were real feuds, like with Wang Xiangxiu, Bai Fendou, and Zheng Huimin.

Zhao Guihua went around the courtyard, and soon everyone knew that the recent female troublemaker was Jiang Baohong. They gathered in the courtyard to discuss. Tonglai suggested, "Should we call the police?"

Zhao Guihua shook her head, "Ming Mei only recognized her. We didn’t catch her in the act. She could just deny it."

That was true.

Li Weiwei gritted his teeth, "That pervert not only peeked at me but also stole my underwear. If she dares to come back, I won’t let her off easy."

He was still furious about his underwear being stolen.

Thankfully, Hutou was back at school. If he had been home, he would have made similar bold declarations.

The hearts of young men were easily wounded.

Zheng Huimin said, "My mom used to extort her. She probably hates my mom. I wonder if she’ll come looking for trouble."

Although Guan Guiling hadn’t treated them well, Zheng Huimin still remembered that she was her biological mother. Now that her mother had gone mad, it wasn’t right to hold a grudge against someone who was mentally ill.

“It probably won’t come to that.”

“Who knows?”

Zheng Huimin felt uneasy and said, “I’ll go see my mom tomorrow and remind them not to let just anyone visit her.”

Guan Hong: “Are you going alone?”

The mental hospital where Guan Guiling was staying wasn’t nearby; it was in the suburbs. So Guan Hong couldn’t help but remind her. Not that she cared about Zheng Huimin or anything—definitely not—she just didn’t want anything bad to happen. Just a reminder, that’s all.

Just a reminder!

Zheng Huimin pursed her lips: “I…”

She glanced at Li Junjun and decisively made her move: “Brother Junjun, are you free tomorrow? Could you accompany me to the mental hospital? I won’t take up too much of your time—just visit my mom and then we’ll come back.”

She twisted her hands together and added, “I’m just really worried. I’m afraid of running into bad people. Otherwise, I wouldn’t trouble you.”

Li Junjun hesitated for a moment but then nodded: “Alright, I’ll go with you.”

Zheng Huimin immediately beamed: “Great, thank you so much!”

Li Junjun: “No problem.”

Guan Hong: “!!!”

She widened her eyes and said, “This is so infuriating!”

If she had known this would happen, she wouldn’t have reminded her. Now, not only did Zheng Huimin take the opportunity, but she also managed to get Li Junjun to go with her. How annoying! How could something like this happen? She had spoken too much! She puffed out her cheeks like a fish.

Seeing Guan Hong so angry, Li Weiwei quietly took a step back.

This was exactly why he kept his distance from women.

They were just too unpredictable.

All these subtle exchanges among the young people didn’t escape Zhao Guihua’s notice. She shook her head silently, thinking that Li Junjun was a good kid, but he was too much of a pushover. Thinking back to his past life, it was the same—his overly kind nature had caused quite a few misunderstandings. Not that he was a bad person—he was genuinely sincere and never refused anyone who asked for help.

But precisely because of this, his wife had been deeply unhappy.

Zhao Guihua glanced over again and saw Zheng Huimin happily saying, “Let’s leave early tomorrow. We can stop by Qianmen Street first—I’ll buy some pastries to bring to my mom.”

“Sure,” Li Junjun agreed.

Li Weiwei shook his head again on the side. He thought his brother was nothing like him—not as shrewd. Nowadays, men as sharp as him were rare. Look at his brother—the moment a woman showed a bit of vulnerability, he rushed to help. He’d be trapped sooner or later.

He couldn’t help but glance at Xiao Yanzi, who was standing with her arms crossed, completely ignoring Li Junjun and Zheng Huimin. Instead, she was mumbling to herself, reciting something like a spell. He quietly moved closer and realized she was actually reciting classical literature!

Li Weiwei: “!!!”

What a weirdo!

No wonder Xiao Yanzi was such a good student!

The way a top student thought was completely different from a slacker’s. Looking at his brother again, he felt even more convinced that his brother and Xiao Yanzi were not a good match. His brother would probably fall asleep while reciting, but Xiao Yanzi was full of energy.

There was just no comparison.

Li Weiwei felt he was the most clear-headed one here.

His gaze accidentally met Zhao Guihua’s, and he straightened up proudly, giving her a confident smile.

He was the epitome of clarity.

Zhao Guihua: “…”

What an idiot.

He’d be the worst at finding a wife.

But at least it seemed like he was different from his past self.

Everyone had their own little dramas going on. Bai Qingqing came running out to use the bathroom, and He Lan accompanied her daughter. Although most families used chamber pots at night, it wasn’t too late yet, and everyone was still in the yard, so the little girl naturally refused.

He Lan took her daughter out to the bathroom, while Zhao Guihua remembered something and said, “Fendou, you’ve had some issues with Jiang Baohong before. If they can’t get to you, they might target the kids. Keep an eye on them.”

Bai Fendou immediately widened his eyes like a bull: “If they dare lay a finger on my kids, I’ll beat them to death!”

Zhao Guihua: “Better safe than sorry. I’ll also remind the kids to stick together and not wander off alone.”

She shrugged: “Maybe nothing will happen, and we’re just overthinking it.”

Aunt Zhou couldn’t agree with that.

She said, “That person doesn’t even live around here. If she’s sneaking around, no one would believe she’s up to any good.”

“Exactly, I think so too,” Aunt Wang chimed in.

The kids were inside watching TV, but Tuantuan had opened the window, so they could hear the adults talking in the yard. He multitasked, saying, “We’ll stick together and make sure we don’t get taken advantage of.”

The other kids nodded.

Erlin asked curiously, “Who is that person?”

Tuantuan: “Definitely not a good person.”

Erlin nodded seriously.

Tuantuan: “That bad person might be trying to get revenge, so we need to be careful.”

“Right.”

Xing’er chimed in, “I know about this kind of thing. In our village, someone got revenge, and their house was burned down. It was really scary.”

Li Zhenzhen: “Oh my, that’s terrifying.”

She tilted her head and asked, “Xing’er, will you go back?”

Xing’er shook her head: “I’m not going back.”

Although her parents hadn’t explicitly told the kids, this little girl was sharp and had overheard their conversations. She said, “My parents said they want to save up money to buy a house here so we can stay. My mom also said she’s trying to see if we can get our household registration moved back. That way, it’ll be easier for us to go to school.”

The little girl continued, “My mom also said that my grandparents and Elder Uncle’s family back home aren’t good people, so we won’t go back or have anything to do with them. My dad even wrote a letter to Village Head Uncle—we’ve rented out our land.”

Everyone nodded in understanding. Yuanyuan said, “We don’t have any land.”

“That’s because you’re city folk. Of course, you don’t. But farming doesn’t make much money. My parents worked so hard every year, and it was exhausting, especially around this time. The harvest season had just ended, and it was even busier afterward. The crops had to be threshed and processed, which took a long time. We also had to gather firewood and dig for vegetables. We didn’t have coal to buy. My mom said even if we did, we couldn’t afford it. Everyone was so busy, and we were so tired, but we hardly had any money left—not even enough to pay for Erlin’s medical bills.”

The little girl kept chattering, and the other kids listened with wide eyes.

Even though they were smart kids, they were still city children who didn’t know much about rural life. They had never seen it before. If Zhao Guihua had been there, she would’ve sighed at how big the gap between urban and rural areas was in the 1980s.

“You had such a hard life,” one of the kids said.

Xing’er nodded: “Yes, I helped out at home too. The only one who didn’t work was my eldest cousin. My nasty Elder Uncle’s Wife said my cousin needed to stay fair-skinned so she could marry into a good family.”

The kids couldn’t help but ask, “How old is your cousin? Was she the one who scratched your face?”

Xing’er: “She’s sixteen now.”

Yuanyuan: “That’s so old! And she still bullied a kid? How awful.”

Xing’er had come here last year when she was eight, and her cousin was fifteen at the time. Fifteen was already quite old, and yet she had deliberately scratched her younger cousin’s face out of jealousy. It showed just how cruel she was.

“People like that will definitely get their comeuppance.”

“Absolutely.”

Whether Xing’er’s cousin would face retribution was still up in the air, but Little Cai was already suffering. He was crawling through the sewer, but no matter how much he crawled, he couldn’t find a way out. He couldn’t help but share the same thought as his father: Who had sealed the manhole cover so tightly?

It was a real nightmare.

He couldn't find a way out and felt as if rats were "chasing" him. He felt as though all his strength was being drained away, and he thought he might be done for. How could someone suffer so much? He had never endured such hardship since he was a child.

He sobbed, cursing his parents in his heart. Those two old fools didn’t even bother to come looking for him, did they? Didn’t they realize their son hadn’t come home?

What a cold-hearted couple! He wouldn’t count on them in the future, nor would he take care of them when they were old. No way, absolutely not!

This time, when he escaped, he wouldn’t take them with him. Once he got the money, he’d run far away alone. Let his parents and Fan Debiao stay behind and take the fall for him. If Zheng Yufeng could do it, so could he.

He could do even better than Zheng Yufeng.

He could!

"Damn them all. If they don’t treat me well, don’t expect me to treat them well either."

He kept walking, unsure how long he had been walking or whether it was day or night outside. He reached out, feeling around above him, hoping to find a manhole cover. Wuwuwu, he was so miserable.

Little Cai felt utterly wretched. At the same time, Fan Debiao was also feeling miserable.

To put it bluntly, Fan Debiao was a petty man. Although he had compensated quickly earlier, deep down, he was seething with resentment. How could he not be? He had lost so much money for no reason and even spent a year in jail. The anger inside him was bubbling up like flames.

He had been in jail for a year, and with the time wasted before and after, it had been over a year. By the time he got out, the money-making opportunities he once had were already taken by others. Now, he had no money and no allies.

So, when Little Cai approached him, he was quickly tempted. But being tempted was one thing; trusting Little Cai was another. He wasn’t someone who could easily be trusted. What if he turned around and betrayed him?

Fan Debiao was also afraid of being used as a pawn. He even considered going solo but knew he couldn’t gather people to follow him. In the past, he had been arrogant, and people only gathered around him for money. Now that he had none, no one would follow him.

Besides, this year’s crackdown had sent many in the underworld to jail, and those who remained were lying low. Even if he tried to lure them with benefits, they might not join him. Not everyone was willing to take such risks.

He pursed his lips, thinking, "Do I really have to team up with Little Cai?"

He was sure Little Cai wasn’t acting alone.

Fan Debiao tossed and turned, unable to sleep. After a long while, he suddenly sat up, punched the bed, and shouted, "Let’s do it! At worst, I’ll go back to jail! It’s not like I haven’t been there before! What’s there to fear? Once we get the money, we’ll flee abroad. I refuse to believe there’s no way out!"

Compared to living a mediocre life, he missed the days of luxury.

Who, after getting used to a good life, would want to live a bad one?

Fan Debiao got up and silently left the house. Little Cai had left him an address, so he headed straight there. As soon as he left, someone in the courtyard spat at his back.

They weren’t fools. The person who had escaped earlier was his friend, and he had come looking for Fan Debiao that day. Since they hadn’t caught the fugitive, they naturally turned to Fan Debiao, but he had firmly denied any involvement.

The people in the courtyard were thoroughly disgusted with him.

Fan Debiao walked alone, hands tucked into his sleeves, to the Cai family’s place. As he approached the building, he was hit by a pungent smell that almost knocked him over. He hesitated, about to step inside, but the stench was unbearable. He took a deep breath—ugh!

Don’t breathe in!

He quickly backed away, staring at the "pleasant"-smelling residential building. After some thought, he convinced himself, "It’s not urgent. I’ll come back tomorrow."

After a pause, worried the smell wouldn’t disappear, he muttered, "Maybe I’ll wait a couple more days."

With that, he hurried away.

That smell—he couldn’t handle it!

He retreated quickly, not realizing that Jiang Baohong had seen him. Of course, she didn’t recognize Fan Debiao. She stood by the window, watching for her son. She looked left and right but didn’t see him. She sighed worriedly.

Where had he gone?

Had he gone to scout the area?

Jiang Baohong thought it was quite possible. Her son was very capable, smarter and more resourceful than most. If it weren’t for that incident years ago, he could have been a leader by now.

At the very least, he’d be a minor official.

It was their fault for holding him back.

Jiang Baohong waited and waited, but her son didn’t return. She hesitated, glancing back at the door. Her husband was still asleep. Should she go out and look? Jiang Baohong believed her son was more reliable than her husband.

Though she had a headache from her cold, she could still manage.

Jiang Baohong covered her nose, thinking it was a good excuse to leave since she couldn’t stand the smell.

Clearly, Jiang Baohong couldn’t handle it either.

If it had been like last night, she wouldn’t have bothered searching. But tonight, going out wasn’t a bad idea. With that in mind, Jiang Baohong put on a thick coat, grabbed a flashlight, and headed out. She wandered alone, making her way to Xing'er Lane.

Her son must have gone to Xing'er Lane to scout. She was sure she’d find him there.

It was the dead of night, pitch black with no moon in sight. As Jiang Baohong walked, she felt the place was unlucky, bringing her no good fortune. She had been here twice before, and nothing good had come of it.

Halfway there, she stopped.

This place wasn’t good for her. The night was heavy with a dark aura. What if something happened?

For a moment, she was at a loss.

She stood there, unsure whether to go forward or turn back, filled with worry. But soon, she recognized a familiar spot. This area wasn’t far from her old workplace, the bus station. There was an alley nearby where she and Guan Guiling had almost been abducted once.

She looked at the alley, remembering the days when she worked there. Back then, even though Old Cai had already left, her life was still better than it was now. If it weren’t for Guan Guiling meddling, her life would have been decent.

Her life had taken a turn for the worse after leaving the capital.

If it weren’t for Guan Guiling, she wouldn’t have had to leave the capital. It was all Guan Guiling’s fault. The more she thought about it, the angrier she got. She turned around and headed in the direction of Guan Guiling’s house.

Xing'er Lane was too unlucky for her. She’d go to Guan Guiling’s place instead. She had heard Guan Guiling had gone mad, but she hadn’t seen what a madwoman looked like. It wouldn’t hurt to mock her a little. She felt she needed to vent her anger on Guan Guiling.

Besides, she didn’t want to go home and smell that stench.

Jiang Baohong arrived at Guan Guiling’s place in the middle of the night. Every household had their doors tightly shut.

Guan Guiling, without any hesitation, banged on the door loudly: "Guan Guiling! Guan Guiling, are you home?"

She shouted, "Guan Guiling!"

Her yelling quickly woke up the neighbors, who started cursing.

"Who is it? What idiot is causing trouble at this hour?"

"Are you trying to die? It’s the middle of the night!"

"Damn it, it’s 1:30 AM! Who’s being such a jerk?"

This was a crowded courtyard, so knocking on the main gate woke up almost everyone. A burly man came out shirtless, furious: "Who the hell is it?"

He opened the courtyard gate and roared, "Are you insane? If you’re sick, go take your medicine! Don’t disturb people here. What’s wrong with you, banging on doors in the middle of the night? Do you want to die? I’ll beat you to death!"

Jiang Baohong was startled. Seeing how big and intimidating the man was, she quickly backed away, stammering, "I-I-I didn’t mean to… I’m looking for Guan Guiling."

She knew she couldn’t win against him.

Her earlier boldness had vanished.

"You’re looking for who? Guan Guiling?"

Jiang Baohong nodded. "Yes, I’m looking for Guan Guiling."

She took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. "I want to find Guan Guiling."

The big man looked her up and down and said, "Guan Guiling doesn't live here anymore. Her family sold the house, and now she lives in the psychiatric hospital in the south of the city."

"What?!"

Jiang Baohong exclaimed in shock. She had thought Guan Guiling was being kept at home after going mad.

"Go away!" The big man slammed the door shut, then opened it again and cursed, "I'm telling you, if you disturb people's sleep again, I'll beat you to death."

Bang!

The door was closed, and curses echoed from the yard—not aimed at the man who closed the door, but at Jiang Baohong.

Jiang Baohong's face turned pale and then flushed red.

She hesitated for a moment, wondering if she should go see Guan Guiling.

She glanced at the weather. Since she had nothing else to do, why not go now?

She had slept all day because she felt unwell, so she was quite energetic at night. She didn’t want to smell the stench anyway, so this was perfect. She had thought Guan Guiling was locked up at home, but now that she knew she was in a psychiatric hospital, she felt even more compelled to see her.

She wanted to witness Guan Guiling's misery.

Let her keep showing off, let her cheat me—now she’s finished, isn’t she?

Serves her right!

Jiang Baohong had plenty of time to spare. Late at night, she headed straight for the outskirts of the city. She knew where the psychiatric hospital was. She walked all the way there, undeterred by the cold or fatigue. The thought of seeing Guan Guiling in pain filled her with joy.

Driven by this thought, Jiang Baohong kept walking until she reached the psychiatric hospital at dawn. She had no sense of time and went straight to knock on the door.

"Is anyone there? Is anyone there? I’m here to visit a patient."

She knocked for a long time before someone finally opened the door. The old gatekeeper looked at her as if she were the one who belonged in the psychiatric hospital.

"Who are you here to visit?"

Jiang Baohong immediately said, "I’m here to see Guan Guiling."

The old man muttered, "Why are you coming at this hour?"

His tone was far from friendly.

Jiang Baohong forced an awkward smile. In the past, she would have cursed him out—how dare a mere gatekeeper talk to her like that? But over the years, she had learned her lesson. She knew she couldn’t act too boldly anymore. Her connections were gone, and no one would give her face now.

She smiled awkwardly and said, "I’m an old colleague of Guan Guiling’s. I’d like to see her."

The gatekeeper said, "Wait here. Visiting hours start at 7:30. Come back then, register, and you can go in."

This wasn’t a regular hospital. There were strict visiting hours.

"What? I came all this way, can’t you just let me see her now?" She was genuinely frustrated. "It’s still so early. I’ll have to wait forever. I’m already here—can’t you make an exception?"

"No."

"You!" Jiang Baohong was furious. How dare this old man refuse her? She shouted, "You’re just a gatekeeper! How dare you disrespect me? Do you even know who I am? You don’t know how powerful I am!"

Bang!

The door was slammed shut again.

Jiang Baohong yelled, "Open the door! Open the door, you—"

"If you cause any more trouble, I’ll call security. This is a psychiatric hospital, not a place for you to make a scene. If you can’t control yourself, maybe you should get checked for mental illness too."

The old man pulled open a small window in the door and spoke coldly.

Jiang Baohong shouted, "You—!"

She felt deeply wronged. Why were people treating her like this?

But Jiang Baohong knew that times had changed. She wasn’t who she used to be. All she could do was wait. She sat down at the entrance. This area was quiet, with few visitors. A long time passed before the gate finally opened.

Jiang Baohong’s legs were numb from sitting. She stumbled to her feet and said, "Can I visit now?"

The gatekeeper said, "Write down your name, ID, address, and relationship to the patient."

The old man didn’t hold a grudge. He thought this woman wasn’t quite right in the head either. After all, he dealt with mentally ill people every day, so he had some tolerance.

Jiang Baohong quickly filled out the form. Once she was done, a nurse led her inside. It was her first time in such a place, and it didn’t seem any less oppressive than a prison. The surrounding walls were topped with barbed wire.

It looked eerie.

She followed the nurse inside. The nurse said, "Wait here."

This was the visitation room. Anyone visiting a patient would be brought here.

Jiang Baohong sat down, feeling a mix of excitement. She felt she could finally look down on Guan Guiling. Thinking back, the only reason Guan Guiling had always been able to outdo her was because Guan was willing to go to extremes.

If it weren’t for that, Jiang Baohong wouldn’t have suffered so much.

She had been too kind.

Her excitement grew as the nurse brought in Guan Guiling, who now had short hair.

To be honest, Guan Guiling looked better than before.

In the past, her face had been sallow, like a ghost, and her features had been sharp and harsh. But now, her cheeks had filled out a bit. Considering this was a psychiatric hospital, it was clear how terrible her life with Zheng Yufeng had been.

It was worse than being in a psychiatric hospital.

Guan Guiling had gone mad after witnessing Zheng Yufeng’s death. Her entire life had revolved around him. She had done everything for him and couldn’t bear his loss.

She had forgotten most of her memories, as if everything had stopped at the time of her marriage. She only remembered those early days.

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Back then, she and Zheng Yufeng had been happy. He had been a bus driver, and she had stayed home to take care of their child. Since their firstborn was a son, she had been very proud. Those were her happiest days.

Perhaps because that period was the best in her life, her memories now lingered there. The later years were a blur, though certain triggers would remind her of Zheng Yufeng’s betrayal and death.

And Fan Debiao.

Every time she remembered, she wished she could kill Fan Debiao, tear him apart, and drink his blood!

But at this moment, she wasn’t having an episode. She wore a gentle smile and seemed quite friendly.

The nurse said, "This is an old colleague of yours. She came all the way from out of town to see you."

Since Jiang Baohong had left the city long ago, her household registration had been moved. The nurse assumed she was from out of town.

Jiang Baohong looked at Guan Guiling and felt a surge of anger.

Why?

How could she be doing so well?

Guan Guiling’s smile was like a thorn in her eye.

Guan Guiling said softly, "An old colleague? Thank you for coming all this way to see me."

Jiang Baohong: "!!!"

She found Guan Guiling’s gentle smile even more irritating.

She forced herself to say, "Can we talk alone for a moment?"

The nurse glanced at Guan Guiling, who seemed stable enough. After all, this was a psychiatric hospital, not a prison. She nodded, "Sure."

Once the nurse left, Jiang Baohong’s expression changed.

She had come to see Guan Guiling in agony, not living a peaceful life. She was furious and lashed out, "Guan Guiling, I never thought you’d end up like this. Serves you right! You deserve it!"

Guan Guiling: "???"

Jiang Baohong spat venomously, "Tsk tsk, look at you, you’re such trash. No wonder your man ran off with someone else. A woman like you deserves to end up like this. I always knew you’d get your comeuppance. That scoundrel, hahaha, didn’t you love him so much? I heard he had someone else. He never wanted to stay with you. He used you. And he left you. Hahaha, he died and still left you."

She grew more excited, gesticulating wildly. "You’re such a failure. A complete failure."

She poked Guan Guiling’s forehead. Guan Guiling said, "You..."

She bit her lip, tears falling. "Why are you saying this?"

"Loving your man won’t change anything. He’s dead, hahaha, good riddance. He left you. I heard your son’s running off too? Look at you, such a failure! You’re nothing!"

"Ah!"

She was in the middle of a furious tirade when Guan Guiling suddenly couldn't take it anymore. Guan Guiling was the type of person who couldn't handle being provoked, and Jiang Baohong was pushing all the wrong buttons. In an instant, Guan Guiling snapped. She let out a piercing scream and lunged at Jiang Baohong, grabbing her hair and yanking hard. "Fan Debiao, I knew it was you! You're the one who ruined my Yufeng, you!"

Jiang Baohong: "Huh?"

Guan Guiling's eyes were bloodshot as she clung to Jiang Baohong, slapping her repeatedly. Jiang Baohong stammered, "You... you..."

Guan Guiling dragged Jiang Baohong to the wall and slammed her against it, screaming, "Fan Debiao, you killed my Yufeng! This time, I'll make you pay with your blood! You deserve to die!"

Jiang Baohong was dazed from the impact, but she still managed to shout back, "Guan Guiling, you wretched woman! No wonder your husband left you. No one would want a harpy like you! You deserve to go mad. It's karma!"

Just then, a nurse rushed in, alarmed by the commotion. "Don't provoke her!" she warned.

How could Jiang Baohong be so reckless? She was already in Guan Guiling's grasp, yet she still had the audacity to insult her.

Sure enough, Guan Guiling, upon hearing Jiang Baohong's words, unleashed a flurry of scratches and slaps, slamming Jiang Baohong into the wall several more times.

The nurse was on the verge of fainting from panic. She quickly pressed the emergency button installed to handle such situations, which was used several times a year. She didn't dare to intervene directly, so she could only watch as Guan Guiling continued to pummel Jiang Baohong, screaming, "Fan Debiao, you deserve to die! Give me back my man! Give him back!"

Jiang Baohong finally started to panic. "Oh, my god! Let me go! I'm not Fan Debiao, I'm Jiang Baohong!"

Now she was truly scared. How could this madwoman be so strong?

"I'm Jiang Baohong!"

"Jiang Baohong? I don't know any Jiang Baohong. You're Fan Debiao! You deserve to die!"

Guan Guiling slapped Jiang Baohong repeatedly, yanking at her clothes. "Don't try to fool me! You think growing your hair long makes you a woman? No way! I won't fall for it!"

She tugged at Jiang Baohong's hair. "Take off that wig!"

Jiang Baohong was in tears, her face a mess of snot and blood.

"Please, let me go! I shouldn't have come to provoke you, shouldn't have come to laugh at you!"

She never expected that even when Guan Guiling was sickly, she couldn't beat her. Now that Guan Guiling was a madwoman, she was even more unstoppable. It was just unfair.

Jiang Baohong screamed in agony.

Guan Guiling showed no mercy, pinching, hitting, and slamming Jiang Baohong's head into the wall repeatedly. Jiang Baohong felt like she was about to pass out.

"Help! Help!"

It felt like an eternity before security finally rushed in and separated the two. A doctor quickly arrived and restrained Guan Guiling, administering a sedative. Guan Guiling, still struggling, glared at Jiang Baohong and muttered, "Give me back my man... give him back..."

Jiang Baohong, now collapsed on the floor, spat out, "Your man is dead! He's dead, and it serves you right! Even if he were alive, he'd be disgusted by you! It's karma! Karma!"

Despite being restrained, Guan Guiling managed to bite Jiang Baohong's wrist.

"Ahh!" Jiang Baohong screamed.

"Let go! Let go!"

Everyone scrambled to pull Guan Guiling away. Jiang Baohong wailed, "Ahhh! She bit through my wrist!"

She sobbed uncontrollably, but with the combined efforts of the staff and the sedative taking effect, Guan Guiling slowly loosened her grip and closed her eyes.

Jiang Baohong was in a pitiful state. Her hair was torn out in patches, making her look like she had alopecia. Blood streamed from her forehead and mouth, and her clothes were ripped to shreds. Her wrist was bleeding profusely.

"Quick, get her treated!"

Jiang Baohong shouted, "Stay away!"

The doctor insisted, "Your wounds need attention..."

Jiang Baohong cried, "I shouldn't have come here to stir up trouble!"

Despite her severe injuries, she could still speak. She wailed, "I shouldn't have come to mock her. She's a lunatic!"

She cried even harder. "I just wanted to come and laugh at her, to provoke her and get revenge for the past. Who knew she'd be this terrifying? Waaah!"

The nurse was furious. "I told you not to provoke her! She's a madwoman, not a normal person! Look at what you've done to yourself!"

Jiang Baohong whimpered, "I didn't know it would turn out like this."

How could a madwoman be so terrifying?

Everyone looked at Jiang Baohong disapprovingly. She had brought this upon herself.

The doctor said, "You have quite a few injuries. Let me contact the patient's family to discuss compensation..."

"No!" Jiang Baohong suddenly screamed, "No compensation! I don't want to see the family!"

If she met with Guan Guiling's family, they might uncover something suspicious. They still had a big plan in motion.

If she got involved with the Zheng family's daughter and they caught wind of it, their scheme would be ruined. That was their grand plan.

She couldn't risk it!

Jiang Baohong insisted, "No! Absolutely not!"

Despite her severe injuries, she only allowed minimal treatment before saying, "I need to leave. I have to go."

The staff exchanged suspicious glances. Why was she so afraid of meeting the family?

"What's going on? Even if you provoked her first, she injured you. At the very least, she should cover your medical expenses..."

Jiang Baohong blustered, "What's there to explain? I won't stoop to her level. She's like this, so why should I hold a grudge? I'm being magnanimous! I need to leave!"

She couldn't let the Zheng family see her.

After all, it was said that the Zheng family's eldest daughter lived in Xing'er Lane. If they were planning to target Xing'er Lane, they couldn't afford to raise any suspicions. It was best if no one knew they were back.

That way, if anything happened, it wouldn't be traced back to them.

Gritting her teeth, Jiang Baohong struggled to her feet, swaying unsteadily. "All of you, move aside! Don't try to stop me!"

Suddenly, she bolted out the door, running faster than a madwoman.

Everyone was stunned. Honestly, they were used to dealing with unstable people, but this woman seemed just as unhinged.

"What the...?"

"Should we chase her?"

"Do you think she'll cause trouble outside?"

"Come on, she's not a madwoman. What trouble could she cause?"

"But she looks like one. Who runs off with injuries like that without seeking compensation? If she's not crazy, she's definitely up to no good and afraid of being seen."

The leader hesitated, then said, "Forget it. Don't chase her. But mark my words, someone like her might end up back here sooner or later..."

Jiang Baohong had no idea what they were saying. She ran as fast as she could, feeling a wave of relief. "Thank goodness!"

She was in pain, but she was determined. "The plan comes first!"