My Mother-in-Law is Reborn [Seventies]

Chapter 109

Hu Huihui was scared.

Because everyone worked in the Revolutionary Committee, she knew how ruthless Yu Baoshan could be. The fact that he didn't even bother to hide his actions now just showed how furious he was. Who wouldn't be afraid of that? In these times, the bold were afraid of those who were reckless, and that was an eternal truth. She shivered and said, "This... maybe we should go to the police station right away?"

"You don't need to be afraid. This has nothing to do with you, and you don't even know him," Wang Xiangxiu casually remarked. Hu Huihui became even quieter. She tried her best to appear calm and hurried into the house.

Zhuang Zhixi turned his head and saw her frightened state. He raised an eyebrow, guessing the reason for Hu Huihui's fear, but soon, he didn't think much more about it. He said, "Let's lock the front door tonight."

During the time when thieves were roaming the streets, they had locked their doors, but over time, they had become less cautious. However, now they were a bit worried, and everyone nodded in agreement. Zhuang Zhixi continued, "Also, stay alert while sleeping at home. Even though... this probably doesn't concern us directly, if something happens and everyone looks for him, he might dare to come home. Who knows if he might break into someone else's house just to find something to eat? Caution is always wise."

Several aunties nodded repeatedly, agreeing that this was the right thing to do.

"This is so scary."

"That Yu kid from the Yu family is just no good. I've always said he has terrible character. Look at how he treated his sister... tsk tsk, now he's even worse."

"Well... you can't completely blame the Yu kid. He's childless, after all."

Men, after all, always empathize deeply with such matters.

However, Zhuang Zhixi said, "Let's not worry about why he's doing this. This matter definitely needs to be reported to the police station. We should just be careful ourselves."

"That's true."

Even Aunt Su didn't dare to speak much at this moment. She looked deeply worried. If anything happened to Old Man Bai, she would be in trouble, as he was the one who usually helped her out. But if she had to go to the hospital to check on him, she absolutely wouldn't do it. What if something happened to her there? Everyone was chatting when they felt a gust of wind. The children were shouting, "So cool!"

Zhuang Zhixi looked up and said, "Why is the dark cloud coming up?"

It looked like it was going to rain. Zhuang Zhixi glanced at the Bai family's window. Their luck this time wasn't as bad as last time. Last time, everything had been a complete mess. But this time, it was better. The glass had been installed during the day, and now it was cloudy at night. If it really rained, it would be a lucky coincidence.

"Hey, you know what? Bai Fendou has some luck."

"Yeah, if they hadn't installed the glass, they would have been caught in the rain again."

"I wonder if it will really rain."

"The sky is already dark and the wind is picking up, so it probably will... Oh my!"

A gust of wind suddenly blew up a piece of clothing, and the person talking quickly grabbed it, saying, "Whew, almost got blown away. Whose is this?"

Wang Xiangxiu immediately said, "Mine, mine. It's Jinlai's pants..."

"It's going to rain, let's hurry up and take in the clothes and stuff."

"Right."

Everyone quickly dispersed. Although Old Man Bai was miserably hospitalized, it wasn't as important as taking in the clothes, which concerned everyone. Zhuang Zhixi also brought in everything from outside his house.

Zhao Guihua said, "Finally, it's raining and cooler. It's been unbearably hot recently, it's really uncomfortable."

Since that heavy rain in June, there hadn't been any significant rainfall, just a few small showers that didn't feel cool at all. But this evening, the wind suddenly picked up, and a sense of coolness could be felt.

She said, "Don't open the windows when you sleep tonight. Don't sleep too deeply and let the rainwater in."

"Got it."

Both the first and second houses responded and went back to their rooms. Ming Mei looked at the weather and said, "I wonder if this rain will be heavy."

Zhuang Zhixi: "Who knows?"

He felt that his wife was a bit uneasy. Zhuang Zhixi squatted down and held Ming Mei's hand, saying, "How do you feel?"

Ming Mei: "Pretty good."

She blinked and smiled at Zhuang Zhixi, then leaned her head on his shoulder, saying, "Anyway, tonight we can sleep well."

Although it was windy and rainy, the weather was cooler. It had been really hot recently, and she hadn't been feeling well, with a poor appetite. She hadn't been sleeping well at night, waking up several times from the heat, but tonight was much better.

The young couple quickly lay down. After closing the windows, the room was a bit stuffy, but it was still better than the scorching days. The couple cuddled together. Ming Mei didn't speak, but she still seemed a bit restless.

"You don't need to be afraid. Yu Baoshan won't come looking for us. We have no connection with him."

Ming Mei hummed in agreement. In fact, she wasn't worried about Yu Baoshan. What she was worried about was tomorrow. She remembered that in her dream, something happened to her on a very hot summer day when it was raining heavily. That day, the bus had to brake suddenly to avoid a pedestrian, causing her to be thrown forward.

Ming Mei didn't know which day it was, but if it rained heavily tomorrow, it could very well be that day.

Ming Mei felt a bit uneasy, but fortunately, she wasn't driving anymore.

Suddenly, a thunderclap rang out, and the window outside made a clattering sound. It seemed the rain had started. This was truly a sudden downpour.

"What are you thinking about?"

Ming Mei: "About the rainy day. Rainy days can be quite unsafe on the road."

Zhuang Zhixi nodded and agreed, "That's for sure. Don't rush home after work. I'll pick you up, and we'll go together."

Ming Mei gave him a playful glare and said, "You already pick me up every day."

Zhuang Zhixi: "That's true."

He laughed.

Zhuang Zhixi gently stroked Ming Mei's back, and she gradually calmed down. The couple quickly became entangled... Although Ming Mei was pregnant, there were always ways to find some joy.

The temperature in the room quickly rose, and sweat began to drip... The room was filled with creaking sounds, thanks to the new bed's good quality. Outside, the wind and rain raged, while inside, the storm continued.

After an unknown amount of time, Zhuang Zhixi and Ming Mei lay on the bed like two salted fish, gasping for breath.

Ming Mei mumbled, "It's hot..."

Indeed, sometimes intense activity was the best way to calm the mind. She had been feeling uneasy before, but after the "exercise," she couldn't think of her anxieties anymore. Instead, she felt completely at ease, with a sense of satisfaction. She lifted her foot and kicked Zhuang Zhixi, saying, "Open the window a bit."

She was so hot.

Zhuang Zhixi: "Alright."

He said, "Just for a little while."

He pulled the blanket over Ming Mei, but she said, "It's hot."

Zhuang Zhixi: "I'll open the window."

He got up and opened the window without even putting on clothes. It was late at night, and with the dark clouds, no lights were on, so nothing could be seen. Zhuang Zhixi went to the window and opened it directly. The window, once opened, was immediately blown wide open by the strong wind.

Ming Mei: "Mmm."

She comfortably raised her eyebrows, and Zhuang Zhixi stood by the window, sighing, "It's already smoking up."

Mingmei: "Generally, a sudden heavy rain doesn't last long."

Zhuang Zhixi said, "That may not be the case; with the dark clouds and such low pressure, it's definitely going to rain for a while."

He stepped forward and hugged Mingmei, saying, "Isn't this much more comfortable?"

Mingmei said softly and sweetly, "Wait a moment and close the window, okay?"

Zhuang Zhiyi smiled: "I know this."

If they don't close the window, his family will be the second Bai Fendou family.

The couple opened the window, unaware that someone else had also opened a window—Zhao Guihua. Zhao Guihua got up to open her window and looked outside at the strong wind accompanied by heavy rain. She also thought of something.

To explain, beautiful dreams only involve matters related to her. She might dream about people who are very important to her or situations that are significant or dangerous. However, all of this is predicated on the fact that it relates to Ming Mei herself.

If it doesn't involve her, no matter how big the event, she won't dream about it.

Moreover, as she grows older, her character becomes more resolute, and she dreams less. Even for ordinary major events, she doesn't dream about them anymore, only for extremely significant ones.

When she was young, she used to dream every other day, with all sorts of chaotic dreams.

But now, she dreams at most two or three times a year, sometimes only once or twice, so even though Ming Mei does dream, she's not omniscient. Most things, she doesn't know. But Zhao Guihua is different.

Zhao Guihua is a reincarnated person. Some events from her previous life might happen again in this life, or they might not due to the butterfly effect. However, she knows that some things remain unchanged, like the weather.

Zhao Guihua watched the sudden heavy rain, initially not thinking much about it, but after lying down, she unexpectedly thought of this rain. A person's life is filled with countless rain and snowstorms, and those that Zhao Guihua can remember must have a reason.

She remembered that in her previous life, Ming Mei had an accident.

In her previous life, Ming Mei had an accident while traveling in the rain, almost getting into serious trouble, but fortunately, she was unharmed.

When she was reborn, she didn't think of these things at first, but it was only when Ming Mei mentioned transferring jobs that she remembered. However, since Ming Mei has transferred, there's no need to worry about that. In her previous life, she was a bus conductor, but this life is clearly different.

There's no need to worry about that, but it made her think of other things.

This rain lasted for a week, starting with heavy rain, then turning into intermittent light rain. In total, it rained heavily or lightly without stopping for a week. For those living in the city, it wasn't a big deal, just a bit inconvenient, but this rain was nationwide.

The whole country was experiencing heavy rain, which affected the harvest of crops.

The most direct consequence of this rain was a poor harvest in the autumn. The entire country was short of food. Although they were urban residents and workers, they didn't go hungry, but the supply decreased.

And the price slightly increased with restricted purchases.

Many families could only eat six or seven full meals, and their savings were spent quite a bit. After all, if you don't want to go hungry, you have to find a way. Normally, everyone avoids the black market, but when you're hungry, you have to go there.

Only the black market can buy food.

The black market isn't cheap.

Zhao Guihua pursed her lips, standing by the window looking outside.

Old Man Zhuang turned over, not seeing his wife, and sat up: "What's wrong with you?"

Zhao Guihua: "I can't sleep."

Old Man Zhuang didn't know why, so he said: "Nothing's happened recently."

He thought for a moment, lowering his voice: "Are you worried about Yu Baoshan..."

Before he could finish, Zhao Guihua interrupted: "I'm not worried about that. He doesn't know."

In fact, it's easy to hide things these days. As long as she stays still, there won't be any problems. And she didn't plan to take anything out before the reform and opening up.

"Then what's wrong with you?"

Zhao Guihua: "I'm thinking, this heavy rain also affects the crops."

Old Man Zhuang hadn't done much farming, and Zhao Guihua hadn't either. So Old Man Zhuang didn't take it to heart, just laughing and saying: "If you're not at ease, just buy more food and store it at home. It won't go bad in the short term."

His casual remark made Zhao Guihua suddenly turn around and look at Old Man Zhuang, saying: "You're right."

Old Man Zhuang: "Huh?"

Zhao Guihua clapped her hands: "Your idea is right. Worrying won't help; I can't farm and don't have land. But we can buy some food and store it at home. Having more insurance is good."

Old Man Zhuang: "..."

He was just saying that casually.

"Old man, you're really shrewd," Zhao Guihua laughed, saying: "You know, I sometimes think too narrowly. It's simple, but you're quicker in thinking."

Old Man Zhuang: "................"

Zhao Guihua: "I'm sometimes blinded by one leaf. I'm glad you reminded me."

Old Man Zhuang: "...................."

He was just blabbering.

But soon, he was happy. Who doesn't like being praised for being smart? Old Man Zhuang is no exception. He scratched his head, saying: "I don't know much either. We don't know much, so it's not bad to be careful."

"Right."

The couple agreed, and Zhao Guihua felt relieved.

Yes, if there's a shortage of food, just buy some in advance.

Why make herself unhappy? There's no need for that.

"Alright, my mind is at ease now. Let's sleep."

Old Man Zhuang: "Okay."

Zhao Guihua thought about it. This matter won't erupt until autumn, so they don't need to go out and buy in the rain in a few days. But after the rain stops, she still needs to go to the black market. To buy more food, she has to go there.

Zhao Guihua had sold fish at the black market before, so she wasn't unfamiliar with it, but it had been a long time since she last went, so mentioning it made her a bit nervous. However, most likely, nothing would happen.

Of course, she still needs to be cautious. If you're not careful, you'll eventually fail.

Although she's heard many stories about the era when the female lead goes to the black market, Zhao Guihua doesn't dare to be careless. The young and beautiful ones are the female leads, but she, an old lady reborn, isn't even a villain, just a passerby.

Passerby A can't be reckless.

Being reckless will definitely lead to failure.

Zhao Guihua muttered to herself in her heart, feeling a bit down. Even if she were reborn to a younger age, she wouldn't be the protagonist. What's the first requirement for a protagonist? It's good looks!

She, Zhao Guihua, was a skinny, yellow-haired girl when she was young, unremarkable, completely nondescript.

Not good-looking and still want to be the female lead?

Dreaming is faster.

So, she has to be careful.

That's the black market. Although the transmigration party can get rich through this, she dare not be careless. Zhao Guihua was muddle-headed, thinking about these random things, and eventually fell asleep quickly.

The Zhuang family also closed the windows and went to sleep, and the courtyard fell into silence.

But there are those who can't sleep, like Hu Huihui, who tossed and turned, only worried about Yu Baoshan taking revenge on her. His injury was indeed caused by Bai Fendou and his father, but if they hadn't forcibly taken him back and neglected him, not finding a doctor or changing the dressing, he might not have faced this outcome.

She knows that this person is vengeful. As long as he has the opportunity, he will definitely retaliate.

This kind of mood is really quite depressing.

"Why aren't you sleeping?" Wang Xiangxiu asked, as Hu Huihui's tossing and turning affected her sleep.

Hu Huihui: "I'm just scared. How can I have seen such a thing?"

Wang Xiangxiu: "You're overreacting. Besides, you've seen it before."

"Uh..."

Wang Xiangxiu: "You'd better sleep quickly. Don't affect my rest. I still have to go to work tomorrow. It's different from your temporary job."

Gurgle.

Wang Xiangxiu's stomach suddenly felt uncomfortable.

She pursed her lips, very worried. She really didn't want to go to the toilet in the middle of the night, especially since the toilet was outside the courtyard. She said helplessly: "I want to go to the toilet. Come with me."

Hu Huihui shook her head like a rattle drum, saying: "I definitely won't go out with you."

At night, she absolutely won't go out.

"What's wrong with you? Is this how you treat your cousin? If it weren't for me, you wouldn't even have a place to stay. Accompanying me to the toilet is nothing."

"Anyway, I won't go."

"You."

Hu Huihui was firm: "Even if you kill me, I won't go. Whoever doesn't go, doesn't go. There's no room for negotiation."

"You heartless scoundrel," she said, pulling at Hu Huihui with force, but Hu Huihui stood firm, unmoving. Wang Xiangxiu was furious, her anger almost enough to curse her to death, but she was afraid of waking the children, so she said, "You can leave tomorrow. I won't take you in anymore. What kind of person are you?"

Hu Huihui remained resolute; nothing was more important than her life.

That Uncle Bai had been attacked while going to the bathroom, and she was determined never to go there herself.

Wang Xiangxiu felt distressed, but there was nothing she could do.

If it were a minor issue, she would have dealt with it at home, but this was... definitely due to yesterday's leftover food, which had made her feel unwell today. Wang Xiangxiu got up, holding her stomach, and put on her raincoat. Aunt Su pretended to be asleep, but the moment these two cousins started chatting, she was already awake.

She just wanted to see what these two were talking about.

Of course, she couldn't make a sound now. Going to the bathroom on a rainy night was already a miserable ordeal, let alone the fact that Yu Baoshan was still at large, and who knew if they might run into him. Aunt Su pretended to be asleep, staying perfectly still.

Wang Xiangxiu had to go out alone, feeling melancholy. The rain was heavy tonight, and the wind was strong. She held onto her raincoat and ran toward the bathroom. Since the bathroom had been rebuilt, the old rumors had disappeared.

However, new rumors had started to circulate, with many people claiming that the bathroom was haunted by ghosts, which was why it had been demolished and rebuilt. The original wooden structure had been burned to ashes, supposedly to destroy the ghost.

It was... as if people had turned this bathroom into the setting for a hundred-episode drama.

Wang Xiangxiu arrived at the bathroom alone. Just as she reached the entrance, someone grabbed her. Wang Xiangxiu: "Mmm!"

She tried to scream, but her mouth was covered.

A man's breath approached, and Wang Xiangxiu's hairs stood on end.

The man's voice was dark and cold: "You're not allowed to scream. If you do, I'll kill you. You know, as a woman, you can't outrun me..."

Wang Xiangxiu: "Mmm."

The man gripped her chin and said, "Don't scream, do you understand?"

Wang Xiangxiu nodded: "Mmm."

The man quickly pinned her against the wall and began to pull at her clothes... Sometimes, certain activities can relieve stress, and this was no empty claim. At least, that's what the man was thinking now.

Wang Xiangxiu: "Ah..."

"Slap! Don't scream."

Wang Xiangxiu: "You... who are you? Are you Yu Baoshan? Are you Yu Baoshan?"

She hadn't expected that Yu Baoshan hadn't escaped and was hiding in the bathroom. This was too terrifying.

"I... I don't have money, I really don't..."

She didn't dare raise her voice, fearing he might hit her again, so she pleaded desperately.

The man said, "Don't make a sound."

He groped around and said, "No wonder you can seduce so many men. You're quite well-endowed."

These days, people didn't like skinny women or those who looked like sticks. Wang Xiangxiu's voluptuous figure was the mainstream preference. A little extra flesh showed that one was living well.

"I... I don't..."

"Stop pretending. I know what kind of person you are."

Wang Xiangxiu wasn't actually worried about this. She said, "Don't kill me. I don't have money. If you like me..."

"Hmph, who would like you? Are you dreaming? I just want to have some fun. Who cares about liking or not liking? I just want to relieve some stress."

Wang Xiangxiu: "As long as you let me go..."

As long as it wasn't about money, things could be negotiated.

Soon, some rustling sounds came from the bathroom. Fortunately, on such a rainy night, no one would notice.

The two quickly finished. Yu Baoshan was definitely more capable than Zhou Qun. Wang Xiangxiu no longer felt the need to use the bathroom. She gathered her clothes and leaned against the wall, not caring about the dirt. Yu Baoshan: "Has Bai Fendou returned from the hospital?"

Wang Xiangxiu's heart skipped a beat.

Yu Baoshan: "I'm asking you a question."

Wang Xiangxiu: "No."

Uncle Bai had been injured on the head, so Bai Fendou would definitely be staying with him. She said, "He hasn't come back. Can you let him go? Can you..."

"Slap!" Another slap landed, and Yu Baoshan said coldly, "Who do you think you are, trying to tell me what to do? Do you believe I'll kill you?"

Wang Xiangxiu fell silent.

Yu Baoshan sneered and looked down at her, saying, "If you spread what happened tonight, I'll deal with your son."

Wang Xiangxiu's face changed, and she quickly said, "No, please don't. I'll listen to you. Just don't hurt my son. You want to know about the Bai family, right? I'll tell you. I'll tell you where Bai Fendou is in the hospital. You can go find him directly..."

At this moment, Wang Xiangxiu did not hesitate to betray Bai Fendou.

Bai Fendou was a good source of support, but no support was worth her life, let alone her son's life. If it came to that, she would not hesitate to betray Bai Fendou.

After all, she didn't love Bai Fendou.

"You help me lure Bai Fendou out," Yu Baoshan said, his voice filled with hatred.

Truthfully, he had been waiting here specifically for Wang Xiangxiu today. If he didn't catch her today, he would try tomorrow, and if not tomorrow, then the day after. He was determined to catch Wang Xiangxiu. Fortunately, his luck was good, and he caught her on the first night. Bai Fendou had caused him so much suffering, and he had snatched the woman Bai Fendou coveted. Wasn't that the normal course of action?

If it were anyone else, he might not have been interested.

After all, who could be in the mood for such things after finding out they might never have children? He wasn't that heartless. He just wanted revenge, to avenge the harm Bai Fendou had caused him. He would first deal with the Bai father and son, then those who had locked him up, and finally, he would stay nearby to find his hidden treasures.

Damn it, he had killed for those treasures, and now someone had stolen them from him. Did they think Yu Baoshan was easy to bully? He had even calculated against his own parents and siblings, so what were others to him? Anyone who stood in his way would be dealt with mercilessly.

No one would stop him from living well and getting rich.

In fact, Yu Baoshan's parents had always favored him the most, treating him exceptionally well. But Yu Baoshan was never satisfied. He resented his parents for not being capable enough. If only they had been braver and fought the enemy, maybe they could have been leaders. Then he could have been a well-off child of a compound.

He dreamed of being born into wealth, but his parents, these old fools, didn't know how to strive for anything. His brothers and sisters-in-law were the same, always calculating with him, never trying to make a better life.

He hated the Yu family deeply. Since the Yu family couldn't be relied on, he had to rely on himself.

So these treasures had to be his.

He leaned against the wall, his face dark, and asked, "Has anyone in your neighborhood suddenly gotten rich recently?"

Wang Xiangxiu was stunned. She suddenly felt this question was familiar, as if someone else had asked it. But she quickly dismissed these thoughts and said, "I don't think so. I haven't seen anyone's life suddenly improve."

Yu Baoshan stared coldly at Wang Xiangxiu. Wang Xiangxiu trembled and quickly said, "Really, really... I'm not lying. I go to work and don't stay at home much, so I don't know much, but among those I know, no one has suddenly gotten rich."

Yu Baoshan chuckled and said, "No one, huh..."

"Really."

Wang Xiangxiu actually thought for a moment about making up a name, choosing someone she didn't like, but she quickly realized that Yu Baoshan was a madman who was capable of killing.

Wang Xiangxiu didn't care if others lived or died, but she was afraid that if Yu Baoshan found out she was lying, he would come back for her.

She could deal with anything, but she had three sons.

This was something she couldn't be careless about.

She quickly said, "I'm not lying. If I made something up, wouldn't that mislead you more?"

Yu Baoshan looked at Wang Xiangxiu, and her heart beat even faster. Finally, Yu Baoshan nodded and said, "You do have a point."

He then said, "Now, come with me to the hospital and lure Bai Fendou out."

Wang Xiangxiu: "Ah?"

She looked at Yu Baoshan in surprise and stammered, "I... I can't..."

"Slap!"

Yu Baoshan slapped her again and said, "You can't do it? I say you can, and you must! How dare you tell me you can't? Let me make this clear: I'm not asking for your opinion, I'm telling you. If you don't get Bai Fendou out for me, I'll kill your son. Let's see what you can do about that."

As he said this, he couldn't help but let out a cold laugh, adding, "Right, I won't have a son to take care of me in my old age, so why should you? Let's all be childless together!"

Wang Xiangxiu: "..."

She was trembling with fear, her entire body collapsing to the ground. "I... I can't, I really can't. Please, I beg you, spare my son... I'll do anything you want, anything at all, just spare my son. I'll even sleep with you if that's what you want!"

Yu Baoshan sneered with disgust. "Don't even think about trying to take advantage of me. Sleep with you? I'd be the one losing out, a young man like me getting involved with an old woman like you! If it weren't for the fact that Bai Fendou has a thing for me, do you think I'd even consider it? But, heh, Bai Fendou's taste is just as bad as I thought."

Wang Xiangxiu looked up in shock, disbelief written all over her face.

She hadn't expected that her current predicament was all because of Bai Fendou. This whole mess was his doing.

If it weren't for Bai Fendou provoking Yu Baoshan and breaking his heart, Yu Baoshan wouldn't be here seeking revenge now.

Suddenly, a wave of resentment surged through her. Yes, it was Bai Fendou. It was this man who had brought trouble into her life. If anything happened to her son, she wouldn't be able to go on living. Taking a deep breath, she said, "I'll help you lure Bai Fendou out, but if things go wrong, you absolutely cannot tell anyone it was me..."

Yu Baoshan stared at Wang Xiangxiu, then suddenly burst out laughing. "The most venomous creature is a woman's heart. I always said, women are untrustworthy. And look, here we are. Even a married couple are like birds in the same forest—when disaster strikes, they fly off in different directions. You're really something, aren't you?"

Wang Xiangxiu put on a pitiful expression, but still said, "I'm not his wife. My husband is dead, and my son is my life. Nothing else matters. My son cannot be harmed."

Yu Baoshan: "Bai Fendou is such a pitiful wretch."

Wang Xiangxiu bit her lip, not saying a word. If she could, she wouldn't want to harm Bai Fendou, but what choice did she have? She was just a weak woman, what could she do?

As the two were talking, the unluckiest man in the world also happened to be coming out in the rain to use the restroom. Yes, this unlucky man was Zhuang Zhixi. Zhuang Zhixi felt he must have caught a chill from standing by the window, otherwise, how could he be feeling this way?

Rubbing his stomach, he headed towards the restroom.

The wind and rain were fierce that night, and Zhuang Zhixi ran over, not caring about the noise he was making. Even though his footsteps were heavy, they weren't heard over the storm. As he ran, he was just a few steps away from the restroom when he saw a man and a woman emerge from the women's restroom, walking side by side.

Their six eyes met in an instant, and just then, a flash of lightning—BOOM!

The thunder roared, and Zhuang Zhixi recognized the two people in front of him: Yu Baoshan and Wang Xiangxiu.

Wang Xiangxiu's face changed, and she knew instantly that everything was ruined.

Zhuang Zhixi, seeing this, also realized the situation was dire. If these two were together, Yu Baoshan would surely try to kill him to cover it up.

Without a second thought, he turned and ran, screaming at the top of his lungs, "Help! Yu Baoshan is out! Help!"

Yu Baoshan, startled by the shouting, reflexively chased after him...

Zhuang Zhixi fled in panic, screaming, "Help! Somebody help!"

The rain made things difficult; the wind and rain were so loud that his cries weren't very noticeable. On a normal night, such screams in the dead of night would be very obvious, but not tonight.

Zhuang Zhixi: "Help!"

Yu Baoshan pulled out a knife. Although he had used a big rock to attack Bai Fendou's father, he now had a knife. He raised it and chased after Zhuang Zhixi, who was screaming and running as fast as he could.

Just as he was about to enter the courtyard, THWACK!

The knife struck the door, barely missing Zhuang Zhixi, who stumbled and fell in the opposite direction. Yu Baoshan raised the knife to strike again, but Zhuang Zhixi kicked out with his foot, causing Yu Baoshan to fall.

Zhuang Zhixi scrambled to his feet and continued running, shouting, "Help! Yu Baoshan is killing people! Somebody help!"

He couldn't enter the courtyard; Yu Baoshan's fall had blocked the entrance. Zhuang Zhixi ran towards Wang Xiangxiu, hoping to lead Yu Baoshan away. It was an instinctive decision in that moment of crisis.

Yu Baoshan, now completely out of control, brandished his knife and slashed at Zhuang Zhixi. His family lived in the front courtyard, and his parents or older brother would likely come out to investigate first, or maybe even Ming Mei.

He couldn't let things escalate to that point. He couldn't let his wife get hurt. Although Ming Mei was strong, she was four months pregnant, and he couldn't take the risk. Zhuang Zhixi ran towards the end of the alley, while Wang Xiangxiu sat on the ground, trembling with fear. Seeing Zhuang Zhixi run back towards her, she also screamed, "Help! He's killing people!"

She didn't want to die either!

She practically crawled to her feet and followed Zhuang Zhixi, the two of them running for their lives as Yu Baoshan chased them with his knife. Their desperate cries finally woke up the neighbors.

Zhuang Zhixi's prediction was correct; the first to come out was Zhao Guihua. Being older, she slept lightly and was the first to wake up and respond. She heard her son's voice.

Hu Huihui, however, hadn't slept either. Wang Xiangxiu hadn't returned, so she hadn't dared to sleep. She had heard the commotion early on but didn't dare to move. If it meant risking her life to help others, she was absolutely unwilling to do so.

Zhao Guihua and Old Man Zhuang came out with sticks in hand, not even bothering to put on raincoats.

Zhuang Zhiyuan also came out, and Zhao Guihua shouted, "Stay and guard the house."

They couldn't leave the women and children unprotected.

They rushed out and saw someone being chased and attacked with a knife. Zhao Guihua shouted, "Yu Baoshan, you madman!"

Seeing more people coming out, Yu Baoshan's anger grew even more. He was always a ruthless person who left no room for retreat; otherwise, he wouldn't have killed for money and jewels. But now, he was impulsive, his anger boiling over, wanting to kill anyone who dared to ruin his plans.

Anyone who stood in his way would be eliminated, their lives taken, so they wouldn't dare oppose him again.

If it were the old Yu Baoshan, he would have carefully planned and schemed, but since losing his... dignity, he had become extremely irritable and emotionally unstable, unable to think rationally.

However, Zhuang Zhixi ran like a rabbit, and Wang Xiangxiu also showed incredible stamina, both of them fleeing. Soon, more people came out, but seeing Yu Baoshan's frenzy, they quickly shut their doors, not daring to intervene.

Zhuang Zhixi cursed, "You cowards!"

Abandoning them to their fate!

Zhao Guihua and the others rushed over, but Zhuang Zhixi realized this wasn't going to work. He glanced at the restroom, which had been rebuilt. Even if he wanted to lead Yu Baoshan into a pit of filth, it wasn't possible. The rebuilt restroom was much sturdier.

Seeing that there was still some distance between them, Zhuang Zhixi quickly climbed up the wall.

Yu Baoshan slashed upward, but missed!

He could have continued chasing Wang Xiangxiu, but he remembered that she had betrayed Bai Fendou, so he chose Zhuang Zhixi instead. Wang Xiangxiu might still be useful in the future. He could use her to take care of Bai Fendou if he escaped.

Zhuang Zhixi picked up a tile and threw it at Yu Baoshan's head!

At that moment, Old Man Zhuang and Zhao Guihua were also approaching, and Zhuang Zhixi shouted, "Mom and Dad, get out of here!"

BOOM!

Another flash of lightning lit up the sky, followed by thunder.

Zhuang Zhixi saw his wife, Ming Mei, running out, and his heart nearly stopped. "Ming Mei, go back!"

But Ming Mei didn't listen to Zhuang Zhixi. The most capable fighter in their family was her. If she didn't step in, no one else would help, and Zhuang Zhixi would be in trouble. Moreover, if they didn't catch this man, he would come back for revenge. They had to stop him.

Ming Mei had heard plenty of gossip in the courtyard and knew exactly what kind of ruthless person Yu Baoshan was.

She couldn't stand by and do nothing.

Ming Mei grabbed a broom from the yard and ran over.

"You damned woman!"

Ming Mei was farther away than Zhao Guihua and the others, but seeing that they were already close, and Yu Baoshan was about to swing his knife to attack, Ming Mei suddenly threw the broom in her hand. She put all her strength into it, and the broom slammed heavily onto Yu Baoshan. He dodged, but just as he was about to raise his knife again, a tile hit him.

"Zhuang Zhixi, you damned fool, come down!"

With a powerful slash, he swung his knife upwards.

Clang!

In the blink of an eye, a sudden flash of lightning struck~

A bolt of light gathered on the knife—Boom!

Bang!

Yu Baoshan's head started smoking, and he collapsed to the ground, convulsing...

"Holy cow, what happened to him?"

"Don't move!" Zhao Guihua quickly stopped Old Man Zhuang: "Don't touch him!"

Zhuang Zhixi shouted, "Yu Baoshan got struck by lightning!"

"What? No way!"

"Seriously? That thunder was really loud. Is this karma?"

"Should we go out and take a look?"

"Probably not. Look, Zhuang Zhixi isn't moving. He's frozen."

"Yeah."

Zhuang Zhixi stood on the courtyard wall. From there, he could see everything. The commotion they caused had alerted many people, but no one dared to come out and help. If it were something minor, maybe someone would have stepped in, but Yu Baoshan was different.

Yu Baoshan was armed with a knife, and his identity was... well, not someone to mess with.

People were reluctant to get involved with some "association" or other, fearing that any intervention would only bring trouble. So, no one dared to step outside. But now that things had quieted down, people began to open their doors and peek outside.

Seeing there was no danger, they gathered outside, completely ignoring the rain.

Zhuang Zhixi quickly jumped down from the wall and rushed to Ming Mei's side. She wasn't wearing a raincoat, so Zhuang Zhixi quickly took off his own and draped it over her, wrapping his arms around her. "Honey, are you okay? Why didn't you listen to me? I told you not to come out."

Ming Mei said seriously, "You're my man. Others might not save you, but I have to."

Zhuang Zhixi's eyes reddened.

Indeed, in this world, how many people would risk their lives for you? Out of all these people, only his parents and his wife had come out for him. He forced a smile and asked, "How do you feel? Is the baby okay? Any discomfort?"

Ming Mei shook her head. "They're fine. They know their mom is saving their dad."

Zhuang Zhixi gently stroked Ming Mei's cold cheeks.

Since Yu Baoshan had been struck by lightning and possibly electrocuted, no one dared to approach him.

After all, you can't just touch someone who's been electrocuted. His condition was even more uncertain.

"I'll go call the police station."

"Okay, go ahead."

"Everyone, don't move."

"Don't touch anything on the ground either..."

Before they could finish, another flash of lightning struck—Boom!

Crack!

Everyone watched in horror as another bolt of lightning struck Yu Baoshan directly. This time, he wasn't just smoking—he was completely charred.

Everyone stood frozen, too scared to move.

"Oh my god... Run home!"

"This is too scary! Hurry, go back inside!"

"What kind of sins did he commit to get struck by lightning like that?"

"Is he dead?"

"I don't know. Let's get out of here!"

Zhuang Zhixi ushered Ming Mei and his parents back inside. "Let's go in first. I'll stand by the door and keep an eye out until the police arrive."

"Alright!"

"Hurry!"

No one dared to stay outside in such a thunderstorm.

The crowd dispersed quickly, everyone rushing back to their homes without hesitation.

Safety first.

Zhuang Zhixi said, "Mom, take care of Ming Mei. I'll wait here for the police and explain what happened."

"Okay."

Everyone went back to their homes. Ming Mei's face was pale. Zhao Guihua quickly said, "I'll make some ginger tea. Ming Mei, sit down. If you feel unwell, let me know. Otherwise, we might need to go to the hospital."

Ming Mei replied, "I'll be fine after a rest. I just ran too fast."

She hadn't done anything, just ran out in a hurry.

Seeing that Ming Mei was soaked from the rain, Zhao Guihua said, "Meifen, bring the hot water kettle from your room. Ming Mei, go back to your room and take a hot shower to warm up."

Liang Meifen immediately got to work. She had woken up upon hearing the commotion. Her husband, Zhuang Zhiyuan, had wanted to go out but was stopped by Zhao Guihua. Zhuang Zhiyuan was anxious, pacing back and forth, but he couldn't leave. There were two kids, his wife, and his pregnant sister-in-law at home. Who knew what was happening outside? If someone barged in, Liang Meifen alone wouldn't be able to protect everyone.

So, despite his worry, Zhuang Zhiyuan didn't go out.

Liang Meifen was also scared out of her wits.

But Ming Mei had rushed out without hesitation.

She didn't know what was happening and didn't dare to ask too many questions. She helped Ming Mei back to her room. "Sister-in-law, you go out. I'll just take a quick shower."

Ming Mei was also worried about catching a cold, which wouldn't be good for the babies. She didn't refuse her mother-in-law's kindness and took a hot shower, washing her hair and body. Afterward, she felt the chill leave her body.

Even though it was a hot day, Ming Mei didn't dare take any risks.

After putting on a long-sleeve shirt, she returned to the main house. Zhao Guihua had already prepared some ginger tea. "Drink some."

Ming Mei softly replied, "Mm-hmm."

Zhao Guihua added, "You don't have to go to work tomorrow. And the day after too. Take a few days off to rest at home."

Ming Mei agreed, "Okay."

By this time, a few neighbors had come over. Aunt Wang had gone out to help Zhuang Zhixi deal with the situation. Li Fang and Jiang Lu also arrived. Over the past few months, the pregnant women had often gathered to share experiences. Things were different from before.

"Ming Mei, how do you feel? Any discomfort? If you're not feeling well, we should go to the hospital. Don't take any chances."

"Yeah, you were so brave to rush out like that."

Ming Mei smiled softly. "If I didn't go out, who would? He's my man."

"I heard someone got struck by lightning and died?"

Many people had seen it, and even those who hadn't gone out had quickly heard about it.

Ming Mei replied, "I don't know if he's dead. He got struck twice."

Li Fang and Jiang Lu both sighed. "He must have done so many bad things to get struck by lightning like that."

Ming Mei nodded. "Exactly."

She looked up and said, "Mom, Dad, you should take a shower too."

Zhao Guihua replied, "We'll take care of that. Don't worry. I'll just heat up some water and feel much better."

She said, "You rest here. I'll go out and see what's going on."

As soon as she stepped outside, she saw Aunt Su helping Wang Xiangxiu, who looked half-dead.

"What happened to her?"

Zhao Guihua suddenly remembered that Wang Xiangxiu had also been outside.

"Should we take her to the hospital?"

Aunt Su replied, "She's just weak from running. She'll be fine after a rest."

Hospital?

That would cost money.

Did Wang Xiangxiu deserve to spend money on medical care?

Aunt Su decided to just take her to the factory clinic the next day for some cheap medicine.

But she didn't say that out loud. Instead, she said with concern, "I was just telling her to go to the hospital, but she refused. She wants to wait until the investigation is over. She's such a kind-hearted person."

At that moment, the police arrived. Due to the thunderstorm, they didn't approach the unfortunate man immediately. After checking, they confirmed that he was dead beyond doubt.

It seemed everyone was right—he had indeed been struck by lightning and killed.

Since the man was already dead, they didn't move him, fearing another lightning strike.

The lead officer, Lao Wang, recognized Zhuang Zhixi and asked, "Hey, where's your wife?"

Lao Wang had been trying for years to persuade Ming Mei to work for the police department. Before Zhuang Zhixi could answer, someone else with Lao Wang asked curiously, "His wife?"

"Yeah, the 'Bus Tigress.' Heard of her?"

"Oh, oh, oh. Yeah, I've heard of her."

Looking at Zhuang Zhixi, they thought, "You can't judge a book by its cover. He sure married a tough one."

"My wife is pregnant, and I was in such a hurry earlier that I was afraid she might have hurt the baby, so I told her to go back," he said with a wry smile. "You know, I think I'm just cursed. Why did I have to come out in the rain to use the bathroom..."

Lao Wang patted his shoulder and said, "Tell me the specifics."

Zhuang Zhixi was very detailed, as he was innocent in this matter and saw no reason to hold back.

"I knew something was wrong when I saw him with Wang Xiangxiu. I thought he might kill me to cover it up. After all, this guy had already smashed a brick into Uncle Bai's head earlier today, so I ran for my life. The more I ran, the harder he chased..."

Zhuang Zhixi led everyone to recreate the scene. A few more people arrived, including some from the neighborhood committee and the revolutionary committee.

No one said much; they just followed Zhuang Zhixi as he recounted his escape route. "See, I climbed over this wall here. He tried to cut me a few times. Then a lightning bolt struck the knife, and he collapsed..."

He continued, "The second lightning strike happened when everyone was around, and they all saw it. Damn, there must have been at least a dozen or even twenty people standing here, and yet the lightning seemed to know exactly who to hit—it just zapped him right there."

Everyone glanced at the blackened Yu Baoshan, their faces contorted in disbelief.

"Did you see him come out of the bathroom with Wang Xiangxiu?" someone from the revolutionary committee asked.

Zhuang Zhixi nodded.

The group quickly found Wang Xiangxiu, who was sitting under the eaves, still trembling. She had been sitting there for a while, her mind racing to figure out what to say. She couldn't tell the whole truth; she still had her pride, and she couldn't admit what had happened to her.

She coughed and said, "I... I went to the bathroom, and he suddenly rushed out and kidnapped me. Then, then..." She began to cry, looking utterly desperate.

Everyone exchanged knowing glances.

Men and women, they understood.

She must have been about to do something, right?

But Wang Xiangxiu didn't mention that. Instead, she said, "He forced me, forced me to lure Bai Fendou out. I refused, and he hit me." She showed her swollen face. "He hates Bai Fendou so much, he said Bai Fendou left him childless and destitute. He knew I had a good relationship with Bai Fendou, that Bai Fendou treated me like an older sister, and I treated him like a younger brother. So he kept pressuring me. I didn't want to agree, but I had no choice. He threatened my son, said if I didn't go to the hospital to lure Bai Fendou out, he'd kill my son. I had no choice but to pretend to agree, thinking I'd find a way to escape once I was outside. But then I ran into Zhuang Zhixi... and everything just turned into chaos. Zhuang Zhixi saw him with the knife and ran, and he chased after him. I was scared and ran too, and we were all running around while he just kept swinging that knife. Then, I don't know how, but a lightning bolt struck him, and he just... collapsed."

"Was he here to kill Bai Fendou?" someone asked.

Wang Xiangxiu nodded.

"But why would he...?"

One of the committee members quickly pulled the leader aside and whispered, "Boss, don't you remember? Yu Baoshan is childless because of a fight with Bai Fendou. He came to seek revenge earlier today and smashed a brick into Bai Fendou's father's head."

"Oh~~~"

"I remember now. That's what happened."

They had assumed that Yu Baoshan, once released, would go looking for gold and jewels. Instead, his first move was to seek revenge?

This was... well, it fit Yu Baoshan's character.

Maybe he had completely lost his precious treasures and had no choice but to focus on revenge first.

Still, to be struck by lightning?

This was something you'd only see in old tales or plays. No one had ever seen such a thing in real life.

Although they couldn't promote superstition, everyone silently thought the same thing: this was karma. He must have been getting what he deserved, being struck by lightning twice!

It was... oh man!

Terrifying!