My Mother-in-Law is Reborn [Seventies]-Chapter 224

Old Man Zhuang pulled the person inside and immediately recognized her—it was the little beggar girl.

Both of them pressed against the door, listening to the sound of footsteps running outside. It seemed someone was being chased. Zhao Guihua didn’t dare move, and neither did Old Man Zhuang beside her. After a while, the outside finally seemed quiet. He turned to look at her and only then noticed that she was covered in blood.

Old Man Zhuang was an honest man, an ordinary commoner. Faced with such a situation, he was startled. He stammered, “Y-you’re hurt?”

Zhao Guihua took a deep breath and said, “No, this is someone else’s blood.”

Her heart was racing. She rubbed her eyes and said, “I’ll leave soon. I won’t get you involved.”

Old Man Zhuang pursed his lips, unsure of what to say.

Meanwhile, Zhao Guihua looked around and noticed they were in a small courtyard. A single light was on in the small building, and the surroundings were very quiet. She asked in surprise, “Is this your home?”

Old Man Zhuang shook his head. “No, I’m just watching the house for someone.”

He couldn’t afford such an expensive place. He didn’t own a house and had previously rented a single room. Recently, he’d taken up the job of house-sitting for this family, so he’d given up his rental to save money. Old Man Zhuang lived alone and was always frugal.

He glanced down at Zhao Guihua, his gaze lingering on the bloodstains on her clothes. He hesitated but ultimately didn’t say anything.

The two of them stood there, staring at each other, until a loud rumble echoed in the distance. The sky had turned gloomy, and it looked like rain was coming.

Old Man Zhuang said, “You have to leave by tomorrow morning.”

Zhao Guihua was taken aback but quickly realized he was letting her stay until then. She nodded eagerly.

She followed Old Man Zhuang inside. Since he was only the caretaker, he lived in the small gatehouse by the entrance. He didn’t dare let her into the main house. He said, “You’ll have to make do here for the night.”

Zhao Guihua pursed her lips and nodded lightly.

Old Man Zhuang asked, “Do you want some hot water?”

Zhao Guihua replied, “Yes.”

She was straightforward, and Old Man Zhuang glanced at her again before pouring her a cup of water. “Here.”

Zhao Guihua was filthy from head to toe. She had the sense not to sit anywhere and instead sat on the floor in the corner, cradling the cup and sipping the water. She had run so hard earlier that her throat felt scorched. Now, the warm water brought her some relief.

Thinking back to what had just happened, her heart raced. She knew she had taken a huge risk—one wrong move, and she could have lost her life. But in that moment, her hatred had been too strong. She had been willing to risk everything for revenge, even if it meant being caught. Now, though, she realized how reckless she had been.

Sitting in the corner, she thought about the gunshots and felt a wave of fear. She was a bold girl, but she had never experienced anything like this before. How could she not be scared? She tried to distract herself.

She looked up at the electric light and asked, “Is this an electric lamp?”

It was her first time in a room with electric lighting, and she couldn’t help but stare curiously.

Old Man Zhuang nodded and hummed in response. He sat on the edge of the bed, head bowed, lost in thought.

Outside, thunder rumbled continuously, and rain began to pour down, pelting the eaves with a loud, rhythmic patter. Zhao Guihua felt a wave of gratitude toward this kind stranger who had taken her in.

If it weren’t for him, she would have been caught in the heavy rain with nowhere to take shelter. She might have caught a cold or worse.

Feeling thankful, she glanced at Old Man Zhuang again. He remained silent, head still bowed. Zhao Guihua leaned against the wall, feeling a sense of peace.

In truth, Old Man Zhuang was also terrified. Though the little beggar girl was just a scrawny kid, she was covered in blood and had been chased. She was clearly no ordinary person. How could he not be afraid?

Old Man Zhuang wasn’t a brave man. He had taken her in out of pity, but now that they were inside, he felt uneasy. He sat on the bed, not daring to move. He stole a glance at her. Her face was so dirty that her features were indistinguishable, but her eyes were bright and lively.

The rain continued to drum against the roof. He shivered and pulled his shoulders in.

Neither of them asked the other’s name or what had happened. They simply sat in silence. After what felt like an eternity, Old Man Zhuang grew drowsy and said, “Here’s a blanket for you.”

Zhao Guihua looked at the blanket and then at her filthy self. “No, I’ll dirty it.”

Old Man Zhuang glanced at her. She was indeed filthy, but he insisted, “Take it. It’s cold.”

He got up and handed her the blanket. Zhao Guihua hesitated, her lips twitching. She wasn’t used to such kindness from strangers. She rubbed her face and said, “I’m covered in blood.”

Old Man Zhuang sighed. “Then… put my coat over it. That way, when you leave tomorrow, you won’t be spotted because of the blood on your clothes.”

Zhao Guihua blushed, though her face was too dirty for it to show.

Once everything was settled, Old Man Zhuang turned off the light, and the room quickly darkened. He curled up on the bed, wrapping himself in a blanket. Feeling a chill, he draped another coat over himself.

Zhao Guihua whispered, “I…”

She didn’t know what to say and fell silent again.

The blanket was warm. Though she was sitting on the floor, it made her feel much more comfortable. She tugged the blanket around her, feeling grateful. She had met a kind soul.

In the cold, rainy night, Zhao Guihua felt a warmth in her heart. She rested her head on her knees and closed her eyes. She would rest for just a little while… She didn’t know when she fell asleep, but when she woke up, it was already morning. The sun was out, and the heavy rain from the night before had left the air fresh.

The weather was exceptionally nice that day.

Old Man Zhuang had woken up a little earlier. He had dark circles under his eyes, as if he hadn’t slept well. He looked at Zhao Guihua and said, “Here.”

Zhao Guihua saw he was holding a black steamed bun.

She quickly shook her head. “I don’t need it.”

She patted her stomach. “I ate enough yesterday.”

She had stolen some food in the Eight Great Alleys the day before.

Old Man Zhuang insisted, “Take it. You can eat it today or save it for tomorrow.”

In these times, beggars didn’t get much to eat. It wasn’t as easy as one might think.

Seeing his determined expression, Zhao Guihua hesitated before finally accepting the bun. “Thank you.”

She bowed deeply. “Thank you for helping me.”

At this moment, Old Man Zhuang revealed a faint smile and said, "No need to thank me. We're all poor folks. If I can help, I will. But there's only so much I can do."

He scratched his head and added, "Be careful from now on and live well."

Zhao Guihua bit her lip and nodded firmly.

Old Man Zhuang chuckled again. He seemed like a kind and honest young man. Zhao Guihua, clutching the steamed bun, said, "I'll be going now."

Old Man Zhuang replied, "Take care on your way."

Zhao Guihua let out a soft laugh and said, "I will."

The two of them walked to the door together. Old Man Zhuang opened it and glanced around before saying, "There's no one outside."

Zhao Guihua slipped out quickly and ran off as soon as she stepped outside. She turned a corner and disappeared. Last night, she hadn’t noticed, but today she realized that the alleys here were the back doors of wealthy households. She must have been leaning against one of those back doors yesterday.

When she reached the main street, she suddenly remembered that she had forgotten to return the clothes to Old Man Zhuang. Though she didn’t even know his name, she knew he was a good person. Zhao Guihua turned around to go back but quickly stopped in her tracks.

If she returned the clothes, she would have to wear her own, but her clothes were stained with blood. That wouldn’t do.

After a moment of hesitation, Zhao Guihua decided not to go back. She would focus on revenge first; everything else could wait. Last night, she hadn’t dared to think too deeply about these matters, but today she mustered her courage and headed toward the Eight Alleys. Sure enough, some people were gossiping about last night’s events.

"Did you hear? Last night, the patrolmen shot and killed someone."

"Who knows what really happened? The guy was also slashed multiple times."

"Your information is outdated. That’s not how it went. I heard a man went to the Eight Alleys for some fun and got robbed on his way out. Whether he was lucky or unlucky, he shouted for help, and the patrolmen came to check. But the robber was vicious and pushed the man right into the line of fire. Just like that, he was gone. I heard he didn’t have any family, so no one even came to claim the body."

"Didn’t the patrolmen do anything?"

"What are you thinking? Those dogs wouldn’t lift a finger. They don’t care."

"That guy was really unlucky."

"You can say that again."

"What happened to the body?"

"They dragged it away. If no one claims it in a day or two, they’ll dump it in the mass grave outside the city."

Hearing this, Zhao Guihua was momentarily surprised but quickly realized that the man hadn’t been robbed by her but likely by those patrolmen. Serves him right!

She confirmed that the man was dead and felt a sense of relief. He was her enemy, and she naturally wished him dead to avenge her hatred.

Zhao Guihua wiped her face and shifted her focus to her other enemies—the four Wang brothers.

They had beaten her brother to death, and now she couldn’t let them go either. Zhao Guihua turned to leave but immediately saw some pimps running out, brandishing wooden sticks and shouting, "Chase her! That little wretch Gou Lanxiang can’t have gone far!"

"Damn it, if we catch her, we’ll kill her!"

"Hurry, she ran off with the money…"

They shouted as they ran, their eyes filled with malice. Ordinary folks had never seen such a scene and quickly scattered. Zhao Guihua also ducked into a corner, watching as the men ran past. Once they were gone, she slipped away.

She wondered who these pimps were chasing.

But she hoped they wouldn’t succeed.

Pimps were no good, so the person they were chasing couldn’t be bad.

Zhao Guihua thought naively but didn’t dwell on it. She had her own matters to attend to and couldn’t be bothered with strangers.

Little did she know that she would one day become neighbors with this person for decades, but for now, the name was just a fleeting thought. She quickly asked for directions and figured out the Wang brothers’ situation.

From what she learned, the Wang brothers were truly wicked. In these chaotic times, such scoundrels thrived. They didn’t dare mess with the well-known figures on the streets but took advantage of their strength to bully the poor, oppressing men and women alike.

It was said that they had abducted a girl who had come to the city to visit relatives. When she resisted, they beat her half to death, violated her, and then sold her to a brothel.

It was said that when they saw a man in the tenement yard buy a rickshaw, they tricked him out of the city, killed him, and stole the rickshaw.

It was said that they had discovered a teacher named Chen, who was renting in the alley, was an anti-Japanese activist. They secretly reported him and led others to capture him. Teacher Chen was shot dead on the spot.

And it was said…

In short, these four brothers were utterly despicable, committing countless evil deeds and harming many people.

Zhao Guihua became even more determined to find a way to eliminate these wicked men—not just for revenge but also to rid the world of their evil.

She pursed her lips, pondering. Although she had managed to kill Tooth Uncle, it wasn’t because she was particularly skilled but because she had been lucky. If she had made even the slightest mistake, she would have died on the spot.

A man with no particular strength had been difficult enough to deal with, let alone four strong men.

She needed to outsmart them!

Zhao Guihua began to scheme. She quickly sneaked near the Wang brothers’ house and hid in a corner to keep watch. The streets were full of beggars, and one more or less wouldn’t attract attention. Zhao Guihua observed for two days. The brothers were tall and strong; poisoning them seemed like the only viable option.

But where could she get poison?

And how could she trick them into consuming it?

Zhao Guihua pondered again, crouched in the corner, her eyes darting around… Wait!

Just as she was struggling with her thoughts, she suddenly spotted a familiar face—Aunt Tooth.

In the village, people called her Aunt Tooth, and the children referred to her as Granny.

The woman had a set of yellowed teeth, which earned her the nickname Aunt Tooth.

Aunt Tooth hurried over with a small bundle and knocked on the Wang brothers’ door. Zhao Guihua perked up. What was this old woman doing here?

Aunt Tooth knocked repeatedly, and Wang Yi opened the door, his tone unfriendly, "Who is it?"

Aunt Tooth replied, "It’s me. Wang Yi, it’s Aunt Tooth."

Wang Yi opened the door but didn’t let her in. Instead, he lazily asked, "What do you want? How did you find this place?"

Aunt Tooth quickly said, "Wang Yi, tell me, where’s my son? I went to look for him, and many people said he’s dead. That’s a lie, isn’t it? It’s a lie, right?"

She grabbed Wang Yi’s arm, unable to believe it.

Wang Yi shook her off and said, "You old hag, you come here looking for your son? Your son was killed by some bastard. Go collect his body. If you don’t hurry, they’ll dump him in the mass grave."

"What!"

Aunt Tooth was deeply shocked and in disbelief, exclaiming, "Nonsense! You're lying! How could he possibly..."

"How could he not? That good-for-nothing can't do anything right, and yet he got ambushed. Get out of here, stop bothering me!"

Since Tooth Uncle was already dead, Wang Yi paid no attention to Aunt Tooth. What use was this old woman anyway? Aunt Tooth could tell exactly what he meant. She clung to Wang Yi, wailing, "Don't chase me away! Come with me, come with me to collect his body. My boy was your brother. You can't just turn a blind eye now!"

Wang Yi sneered, "Brother? Money makes brothers, not empty sentiments. Get lost!!!"

Aunt Tooth refused to let go. Seeing Wang Yi's coldness, she cried out, "You can't be so heartless! He did so much for you, and I helped you too. How can you turn your back on us now? You... Ah!!!"

Wang Yi punched her, knocking out several of her teeth.

He cursed, "Get out of here! Don’t cause trouble around me. This isn’t the place for your nonsense."

With a loud bang, he slammed the door shut. Aunt Tooth clawed at the door, screaming, "You heartless monsters! My son and I did so much for you, and now you betray us! You’ll die a terrible death! Give me my son’s share!"

Wang Yi yanked the door open again, demanding, "What are you talking about? What share?"

Aunt Tooth replied, "My son helped you deal with opium. Don’t think I don’t know..."

Zhao Guihua, hiding in a corner, pricked up her ears, thinking to herself how utterly wicked these people were. To think they’d stoop to such things! As she pondered this, Wang Yi said, "Since you know, I’ll give it back to you."

His eyes flickered as he added, "Come inside."

Aunt Tooth’s heart leapt with hope. No matter what, her son was gone, but she needed the money back. She still had a grandson to take care of. She hurried inside, but the moment she stepped in, she let out a blood-curdling scream.

"Ah!"

Zhao Guihua shuddered and cautiously peeked out, but she couldn’t see anything.

Soon after, she heard faint, gasping sounds. Zhao Guihua thought, "..."

Aunt Tooth was likely beyond saving.

Zhao Guihua felt no sympathy for such people. They had harmed many, and now they were merely reaping what they had sown. However, this only deepened her worries. Today’s events showed just how ruthless and cautious Wang Yi and his family were. Aunt Tooth had merely spoken out, and they had silenced her permanently.

If Zhao Guihua couldn’t deal with them decisively, it would be nearly impossible.

After some thought, she remembered a story she had heard in the village—about poison.

She could use poison to kill them.

Zhao Guihua immediately set her sights on a herbal medicine shop on the street. She couldn’t just walk in and buy poison; they’d never sell it to her. So, she disguised herself as a bandit, waited until evening when only an old shopkeeper was on duty, covered her face, rushed in, grabbed a packet of poison, and fled!

The old shopkeeper was stunned. "!!!"

He had seen people rob money, but never poison.

But he quickly realized that this person was up to no good. Trembling with fear, he didn’t dare report it to the authorities.

The officials these days were no good. If he reported it, he’d likely be skinned alive, whether he was the victim or not. The old shopkeeper didn’t dare tell anyone. Meanwhile, Zhao Guihua, taking advantage of the empty house, climbed over the wall and sneaked in. She had been observing for several days and confirmed that only four men lived there. As soon as she landed in the yard, she noticed the soil in the corner had been disturbed.

Thinking of the missing Aunt Tooth, Zhao Guihua was certain she had been buried there. But she didn’t care about that. Silently, she slipped inside. The house was filled with valuable items, clearly belonging to a wealthy family. Unmoved, Zhao Guihua headed straight for the kitchen. In the cupboard, she found some leftover dishes. Spotting a plate of stir-fried pork intestines with chili, she poured the poison into it. She also sprinkled some into the other dishes, though not as much.

After finishing her task, Zhao Guihua mustered her strength and climbed back out.

In the past, when her family was still around, she had never even killed a chicken. But now, she was ready to kill. If it weren’t for her brother’s murder, her family wouldn’t have come to this. Zhao Guihua hated these people to the core. She hid under the wall, watching as Wang Yi and his gang returned.

To her surprise, they had even bought a piece of braised beef. Her stomach growled uncontrollably.

She had only eaten one black steamed bun that day, bought with a copper coin she had picked up during a shop opening. If not for that stroke of luck, she would have starved to death by now.

But she was also worried. If they had bought braised beef, would they still eat the leftovers?

Zhao Guihua was anxious but relieved that she had kept half of the poison.

If this didn’t work, she could try again.

She pursed her lips as the men inside began heating the dishes and sitting down to eat. Wang Yi remarked, "Does this dish taste a bit off?"

"Pork intestines always have a strong smell. It’s not hot enough for the food to spoil."

"It’s only been a day. It can’t be bad."

The men quickly dug in. Wang Yi cursed, "I don’t know if it’s because of that dead old woman buried in the yard, but our money-making opportunities have been fewer lately."

Their business wasn’t legitimate—they distributed opium, stole, cheated, and even targeted rebellious girls, checking if they were anti-Japanese activists. If they were, they could claim a reward.

That was how they made their money. Occasionally, they’d rob or kill, but such "opportunities" weren’t always available.

As they ate, they discussed their plans.

"That Rongbaozhai shopkeeper has been acting suspiciously lately. He might actually be involved in that. Should we report him?"

"Let’s wait. We need solid evidence."

"Aunt Tooth and Tooth Uncle are dead. Their daughter-in-law and kids are still in the countryside. Should we go there and trick them into coming out? We could sell them for money."

"Good idea. Their family has some savings."

"I’m in."

They chatted merrily, oblivious to the strange taste of the food—or perhaps they noticed but didn’t care. After all, food could taste a bit off in hot weather, and they weren’t living lavishly enough to waste anything.

Little did they know, they had all ingested poison...

Zhao Guihua stayed outside all night, waiting until noon the next day. No one had come out of the house, which was unusual since they usually left early. Zhao Guihua wondered if she had succeeded.

She waited until evening, then gritted her teeth and climbed over the wall again.

She had thought it through. If this was a trap they had set for her, she would fight to the death!

But revenge—that was non-negotiable!

Zhao Guihua climbed over the wall into the courtyard, which was eerily quiet. She tiptoed to the door and peered through the window. To her shock, several people were slumped over the table, blood trickling from their mouths. Zhao Guihua clenched her fists, gritted her teeth, and cautiously entered the room. She slowly approached, reaching out to check their breathing...

They were all lifeless.

Zhao Guihua collapsed to the ground, unable to hold back her tears.

Though she had been holding herself together these past days, the fear inside her was something only she could understand. She was still young, after all. Zhao Guihua cried even harder, rubbing her eyes. Her face, already streaked with dirt, now looked even more disheveled.

Her sobs were uncontrollable, but after a while, she finally calmed down. Her stomach growled loudly.

Zhao Guihua glanced at the food on the table but dared not touch it. She had no idea if it had been contaminated. She stood up and carefully inspected the room, then searched the bodies of the deceased. To her surprise, she found two silver coins and a handful of copper coins.

Without hesitation, she pocketed them.

She wasn’t one to be inflexible.

If she didn’t take the money, it would surely end up in the hands of those scoundrels.

Her stomach growled again. Zhao Guihua rummaged around and found a small bag of flour.

Despite the four corpses in the room, Zhao Guihua was a bold girl. She fearlessly lit a fire and steamed some buns. While the buns were cooking, she didn’t need to watch them constantly, so she quickly went into the inner room to search further.

After a thorough search, she finally discovered a small box. Inside, neatly stacked, were thirty silver coins. Zhao Guihua’s breathing quickened. In all her life, she had never seen so much money.

Even in the best of times, her family had never managed to save even one silver coin.

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Zhao Guihua knew these people had earned their money through nefarious means. She spat in disgust and continued searching. To her astonishment, she found another box hidden in the rafters. Inside was a small pouch containing four small gold bars, each about the length and thickness of a man’s finger.

Trembling, she placed the silver coins and gold bars into a bag. When it became too full, she tore off a piece of cloth, wrapped everything together, and tied it securely. By then, the aroma of steamed buns wafted into the inner room. Zhao Guihua’s stomach growled even louder. She hurriedly opened the pot and, despite the heat, began devouring the buns.

Mmm, delicious!

Zhao Guihua had never tasted such delicious buns. She was starving and ate four in a row before feeling full.

Truthfully, she could have eaten more.

But Zhao Guihua held back, fearing she might overeat or stretch her stomach. What would she do if she couldn’t find such abundance later? She packed the remaining buns and steamed another batch. Then, she heated some water and took a bath.

It had been a long time since she last bathed. She was practically reeking.

Her head was infested with lice, so she shaved it clean. She washed her clothes and tidied herself up. After staying in the house for three days, the smell of decay was becoming unbearable. With her clothes clean and herself refreshed, Zhao Guihua gathered everything she could carry, including the daggers from the deceased, and packed them into a large bundle. In the early hours of the morning, she quietly opened the door and slipped away unnoticed.

Zhao Guihua carried her bundle with determination, heading straight for the place where her savior lived. The man had helped her twice, and now that she had money, she intended to repay him.

She knew that neither of them was wealthy. Her savior was also from a poor family. Having taken the ill-gotten money from those villains, she felt compelled to visit him.

Zhao Guihua made her way to the small restaurant, her clothes clean and her appearance tidy. Who would have thought she had spent three days in a house with corpses? She arrived at the restaurant, her stomach full, and stood at the entrance, looking around.

She realized she had forgotten to ask her savior’s name.

Zhao Guihua stood there for a while until a young waiter came out to dump dirty water. She quickly approached him and asked, “Excuse me, could you tell me where the other waiter is? The one who’s about a head taller than me, very thin and dark, with short hair? Oh, and he wears a felt hat.”

The waiter replied, “Are you talking about Old Man Zhuang?”

Zhao Guihua said, “I don’t know his name.”

The waiter nodded, “There are only four of us on rotation here. It must be him. He was fired by the boss.”

Zhao Guihua exclaimed, “What?”

She looked at the waiter in shock. The waiter, being a friendly sort, explained, “He caught a cold and had a fever a few days ago. He accidentally broke one of the boss’s plates, and the boss thought he was bad luck, so he fired him.”

Zhao Guihua was stunned. “A cold?”

“Exactly!” the waiter continued, “The boss saw how sick he was and was afraid he’d slow down the work, so he fired him. Because he broke a plate, he didn’t even get paid for the last ten days.”

Zhao Guihua frowned.

“So he just left?”

“Yes,” the waiter said, looking curiously at Zhao Guihua. “What’s your relationship with him?”

His gaze lingered on her shaved head. Zhao Guihua casually replied, “I’m his distant cousin. I just left the monastery.”

The waiter looked at her in awe, clearly impressed.

Zhao Guihua said, “I’ll go find him.”

“Do you know where he lives?”

Zhao Guihua asked, “Wasn’t he working as a gatekeeper?”

“Oh, that was before. The homeowner returned from out of town a couple of days ago. Seeing him so weak and sickly, they were afraid he might infect the family. They scolded him and kicked him out.”

Zhao Guihua urgently asked, “Do you know where he is now?”

“He’s quite ill. No one wants to rent him a room for fear he might die and bring bad luck. He’s staying in the dormitory at the southern end of the city. If you want to find him, go there.”

Zhao Guihua said, “Thank you.”

She thought for a moment, then pulled out a few copper coins from her pocket and handed them to the waiter. “Thank you so much.”

The waiter’s face lit up with a smile. He hadn’t expected such a reward and immediately offered, “Do you know the way? If not, I can take you there after my shift.”

Zhao Guihua didn’t want to delay and quickly said, “I’ll find my way. Thank you again.”

“No problem,” the waiter replied.

Zhao Guihua hurried off, heading straight for the southern part of the city.

He must have caught a cold from sleeping without a blanket a few nights ago. It had rained that night, and the chill was unbearable. She had been wrapped in a blanket, feeling warm and cozy, but he hadn’t been able to withstand the cold.

It was all her fault.

Zhao Guihua soon arrived at the southern dormitory. Before she could even enter, she heard shouting and the sound of a scuffle coming from the alley. She casually glanced over, but what she saw made her blood boil.

The one being beaten was none other than the benefactor she had been searching for.

Zhao Guihua immediately shouted, "What are you doing!"

She pulled out a knife and charged forward without hesitation.

The group of men who had been kicking and punching Old Man Zhuang were startled by her sudden appearance. One of them yelled, "Mind your own business, you—ah!"

Zhao Guihua swung her knife, and the man screamed as he dodged.

She continued to brandish the knife, charging at them relentlessly. She knew she was no match for three men alone, but by taking the offensive, she hoped to intimidate them and make them back down.

Zhao Guihua swung the knife, recalling how the women in her village fought. Without a word, she aimed a kick at the most vulnerable spot.

"Ah!"

Men were always most afraid of attacks to their weak spots. Zhao Guihua fought fiercely, roaring like a wild beast. As the saying goes, the weak fear the strong, and the strong fear the ruthless. Zhao Guihua was exactly that—ruthless. Wielding the knife as if she wasn't afraid to kill, she successfully scared off the three men. They stumbled away, shouting, "You just wait! We'll be back!"

Zhao Guihua spat on the ground. "Hmph!"

She hurried over to help Old Man Zhuang up. His face was pale, a stark contrast to his usual dark complexion. He looked weak and frail. "You..."

Zhao Guihua said, "It's me. Remember? The buns."

Old Man Zhuang managed a faint smile, though it was clear he was too weak to even do that properly. "I know," he said.

He recognized her eyes.

Zhao Guihua insisted, "Come on, let's go see a doctor."

Old Man Zhuang staggered to his feet, swaying unsteadily. "No, it's fine. I'll recover on my own..."

Zhao Guihua was firm. "You have to see a doctor."

She spoke with authority. "You need to listen to me."

"But I..."

"But nothing! If you hadn't given me your blanket, you wouldn't have caught this cold, and you wouldn't have been fired."

Truth be told, it was all her fault.

Without another word, Zhao Guihua helped him along, and they soon found a clinic. Old Man Zhuang had been suffering from a cold for several days and was running a fever. On top of that, he had just been beaten and was covered in injuries.

The doctor looked at Zhao Guihua and asked, "Do you need medicine?"

Zhao Guihua nodded. "Yes, we need medicine."

The doctor nodded in return. Medical treatment was expensive at the time, and Old Man Zhuang's condition had worsened due to the delay. The doctor first treated his wounds and then prescribed some medicine. "This medicine needs to be taken three times a day for at least three days. To be safe, it's best to take it for five days."

Zhao Guihua was resolute. "Then give us five days' worth."

Old Man Zhuang protested, "No, I..."

"Listen to me!"

Zhao Guihua's tone left no room for argument. The doctor nodded and followed her instructions.

She then asked, "Doctor, can he rest here for a while?"

The doctor nodded. "Of course. Take your time before leaving."

Zhao Guihua helped Old Man Zhuang sit down on a chair. "Rest here for a bit. I'll go find us a place to stay and come back for you."

Old Man Zhuang said, "You don't have to worry about me."

He looked at Zhao Guihua, his eyes dull but also filled with guilt. He felt bad for making her spend her money.

Zhao Guihua said earnestly, "Don't talk nonsense. If it weren't for helping me, you wouldn't have gotten sick!"

She continued, "I can't just leave you like this."

Old Man Zhuang coughed and said, "No, it's not your fault. My health has always been weak. I'm the one dragging you down..."

"You're not dragging me down," Zhao Guihua interrupted. "I don't see you as a burden, and neither should you. Have you been eating properly these past few days? Here, I have a bun."

She took a bun out of her bag and handed it to Old Man Zhuang. "Eat this. Once you recover, I'll feel better too."

She ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‍tied up her bag again and said, "I'll go find us a place..."

"Miss, are you looking to rent a room?"

Zhao Guihua looked up at the elderly doctor, who smiled and said, "I have a room for rent at my place. Would you like to see it?"

Zhao Guihua was surprised. "Really?"

The doctor explained, "I have a courtyard on the back street with separate rooms for rent. There's one room left. If you don't mind, you can take a look."

He glanced at the young man and woman and added, "If you feel it's too cramped, you can always divide the room."

He quoted a price, and Zhao Guihua, unsure if it was fair, turned to Old Man Zhuang. "What do you think? Is the price reasonable?"

Old Man Zhuang nodded. "It's a fair price."

The doctor smiled. "Of course it is."

Zhao Guihua said, "Then let's go take a look."

The doctor agreed. "Alright."

The place he led them to was a large, bustling courtyard with seven or eight families living there. Despite the crowded conditions, Zhao Guihua quickly decided to rent the room. They needed a place to stay. After signing the lease, Zhao Guihua helped Old Man Zhuang inside. "We're lucky. Who would have thought we'd find a place to rent while seeing the doctor?"

Old Man Zhuang nodded. He knew that many people were reluctant to rent to someone who was sick, fearing bad luck if the person died in their property. That was why he had ended up in a communal dormitory for laborers.

Zhao Guihua looked around the small room. It was indeed tiny, with just enough space for a small stove and a modest kang (heated bed).

She pursed her lips, and Old Man Zhuang, following her gaze, blushed deeply. He stammered, "I-I-I can sleep on the floor. I..."

Zhao Guihua said, "You can stay here for now. We'll divide the room in the middle."

Old Man Zhuang whispered, "People will talk."

Zhao Guihua replied, "We'll manage for now. Once you're better, we'll go our separate ways. What others say doesn't matter. We don't even know each other well. This is just a temporary arrangement."

Old Man Zhuang fell silent.

Zhao Guihua then asked, "By the way, I never asked your name. I heard people call you Old Man Zhuang?"

Old Man Zhuang said, "My name is Zhuang Haoren. 'Hao' as in noble, and 'ren' as in benevolence. But I'm a bit of a pushover, so everyone calls me Old Man Zhuang. What's your name?"

He looked at her eagerly. Zhao Guihua replied cheerfully, "I'm Zhao Guihua. I was born in August when the osmanthus flowers were in full bloom, so my family named me Guihua."

"Zhao Guihua... That's a beautiful name," Old Man Zhuang said softly.

Zhao Guihua blushed slightly but still spoke confidently. "Of course it is."

After this exchange, they both fell silent, unsure of what to say next. After all, they weren't very familiar with each other. But Zhao Guihua could tell that Old Man Zhuang was a good person. After all, who else would go out of their way to help someone and end up in such a state?

She finally broke the silence. "By the way, I never asked—why were those men beating you earlier?"

Mentioning these incidents, Old Man Zhuang no longer blushed and said, "They wanted to rob me of my money. I was seriously ill and alone, and they thought I was weak and easy to bully, so they set their sights on me. Today, they lured me out and then attacked me. When I refused to hand over the money, they beat me."

He spoke with a hint of anger, "One of them used to be a worker at the place where I worked before."

Zhao Guihua widened her eyes, "How despicable!"

"Yes," he replied.

Zhao Guihua declared, "If I ever see them again, I’ll definitely give them a beating!"

Old Man Zhuang, recalling Zhao Guihua’s fierce demeanor earlier, thought for a moment and said earnestly, "You’re strong, but it’s better not to confront them directly. We’re outnumbered, so it’s wiser to be cautious."

Zhao Guihua muttered, "I have a knife, though."

Old Man Zhuang chuckled and said, "Still, be careful. Once I recover, I’ll go and ambush them."

Zhao Guihua was momentarily surprised, not expecting Old Man Zhuang to say such a thing, but she quickly laughed.

She said brightly, "Alright, let’s go together. We won’t let those scoundrels get away."

"Agreed!" Old Man Zhuang replied with determination.

After finishing her words, Zhao Guihua smiled and said, "You should rest for a while. I’ll tidy up the house. Since we’re staying here, it should be clean and comfortable."

Old Man Zhuang, looking at the already tidy young woman, nodded and said, "Alright, I’ll help you clean up."

Zhao Guihua protested, "You need to rest…"

Old Man Zhuang insisted, "It’s fine. We’ll do it together. I’ll take my medicine and recover sooner."

Zhao Guihua relented, "Alright, together then!"

The two exchanged smiles…