Chapter 31: The Ascetic Monk

Seeing her like this, and then glancing at Lin Zhiguo in the room, whose face was ashen and whose clothes were equally disheveled, Liu Lan instantly understood!

She immediately shielded Yu Wanqin behind her like a mother hen protecting her chicks.

Placing her hands on her hips, she scolded Lin Zhiguo, “Deputy Battalion Commander Lin, what do you think you’re doing? Acting like a hooligan and committing assault in the military district compound? Is there no law anymore?”

Lin Zhiguo was also somewhat remorseful.

With a dark expression, he straightened his clothes and said irritably, “This is a matter between husband and wife!”

“Husband and wife? Does being husband and wife mean you can force yourself on her?”

Liu Lan raised her voice even higher, relentlessly lecturing him, “This is a new society now, where men and women are equal! Even as husband and wife, you can’t go against a woman’s will. What you did is a crime! I’m telling you, I’m going to find my husband right now and make sure he gives you a proper ideological education!”

Hearing that she was going to take this to the political commissar, Lin Zhiguo grew timid.

His temples throbbed, and finally, gritting his teeth, he could only apologize, “I’m sorry! Sister-in-law, I lost my head for a moment. I’ll leave right now!”

After saying this, he glared fiercely at Yu Wanqin before storming out and slamming the door behind him.

Yu Wanqin felt a wave of relief, but her legs went weak uncontrollably. She steadied herself by holding onto the doorframe beside her.

Seeing her pitiful, shaken appearance, Liu Lan’s heart ached for her.

Patting her hand, she comforted her, “Don’t be afraid, sister! I’ve got your back. You’re our family’s great benefactor! If he ever dares to act up again, just shout loudly. There are people all around here—we’ll all help you!”

Yu Wanqin, her face pale, nodded tearfully, “Thank you, Sister Lan…”

“Ah, what’s there to thank? I should be thanking you! If it weren’t for you, my An’an would have…”

Liu Lan waved her hand at this point and laughed heartily, “Let’s not talk about that anymore. I guess this misfortune turned out to be a blessing in disguise!”

“After all this commotion today, my husband finally made up his mind to send his troublemaking old mother back to their hometown!”

Yu Wanqin was surprised and asked what had happened.

Liu Lan followed her into the room and began to explain the situation at home.

The reason Chen An’an had suffered food poisoning this time was that his grandma had fed him moldy sweet potatoes and a bowl of spoiled rice porridge.

The old lady was frugal, reluctant to eat this and that, dragging things out until good food went bad, and even then, she couldn’t bear to throw it away. In the end, she gritted her teeth and gave it to her grandson.

This wasn’t the first or second time she had done something like this.

This month alone, Chen An’an and his two brothers had suffered from diarrhea several times.

This time was the most severe—he was directly poisoned.

The problem was that Political Commissar Chen was a filial son. When Liu Lan had brought it up with him before, he had instead blamed her for gossiping about his mother behind her back.

This had angered Liu Lan so much that she couldn’t sleep all night.

Now that their son had nearly died, Political Commissar Chen finally lost his temper and sent his mother back.

Yu Wanqin sighed deeply upon hearing this.

It truly seemed that every family had its own troubles.

“Now that the old lady has gone back, you can finally live in peace.”

“Exactly!” Liu Lan said cheerfully.

The two chatted for a while, and when Liu Lan saw that Yu Wanqin had regained her spirits, she finally took her leave.

She took out the cured fish she had brought and said with a smile, “This was sent from my husband’s hometown—just some local farm products. I hope you don’t mind.”

Yu Wanqin replied sheepishly, “How could I accept that? I can’t take it!”

But Liu Lan insisted on giving it to her.

Yu Wanqin had no choice but to accept the cured fish. After a moment’s thought, she took out some of her own money and receipts and handed them to Liu Lan.

“Sister-in-law, you know I’m going to Jingshi in a couple of days. I’m worried about Tongtong—you saw how her father was earlier… Do you think you could…”

Before she could finish, Liu Lan patted her hand reassuringly.

“Don’t worry, just leave Tongtong with us. I promise I’ll take good care of her! Maybe she’ll even gain a couple of pounds by the time you get back!”

Yu Wanqin smiled. “That would be wonderful. Thank you so much, sister-in-law.”

At first, Liu Lan refused to take the money.

But Yu Wanqin knew how difficult things were for everyone these days, especially since Political Commissar Chen’s family had three growing boys who were eating them out of house and home.

Otherwise, they wouldn’t have to live so frugally.

Yu Wanqin insisted, and Liu Lan finally accepted the money and receipts before leaving with her basket.

The house fell quiet again.

The memory of Lin Zhiguo’s vicious, frenzied outburst earlier flooded her mind.

Yu Wanqin’s heart trembled. She took a deep breath, trying to suppress the fear rising within her.

Apart from that one hazy night before their marriage—a night she couldn’t even remember, only waking to find him lying beside her—she and Lin Zhiguo had shared nothing.

Then Tongtong came along.

He had left with his elder sister-in-law even before their wedding night.

Yu Wanqin had no experience with such matters.

The thought that she had almost been violated by Lin Zhiguo made her feel sick to her stomach.

Furious, she immediately went to the supply and marketing cooperative and bought a new lock to replace the old one.

Tongtong returned home carrying an empty basket, skipping happily.

She had just followed Brother Muchen to deliver lunch to her godfather.

On the way, she had surprisingly found a pink diamond—sparkling and beautiful.

Though she couldn’t understand why a diamond would be in such a place, its appearance seemed perfectly reasonable.

Hehe!

Since Muchen gave it to her, it was hers now!

Tongtong bounced through the door. “Mother! I’m back!”

But this time, Yu Wanqin didn’t come out to greet her right away.

Instead, she emerged slowly from the inner room after a moment, looking weary and forcing a smile. “Tongtong, you’re back.”

Tongtong could tell at a glance that her mother was in a bad state, as if she had been frightened.

And the lock on the door had been changed.

Tongtong furrowed her little brow, looking at her mother with confusion.

“Did something happen at home?”

Yu Wanqin was taken aback, not expecting her daughter to be so perceptive. Not wanting to worry the little girl, she smiled helplessly.

“What could have happened? I’m just tired from saving someone today.”

With that, she busied herself, turning her back to Tongtong and falling silent.

That evening, no matter how subtly Tongtong tried to probe,

Yu Wanqin shook her head and insisted nothing was wrong.

Tongtong blinked her big eyes and didn’t ask further.

But after her mother fell asleep that night,

she quietly slipped out of bed and ran to the old ginkgo tree in the yard. Placing her small hand against its trunk, she transmitted a faint trace of her special ability.

The old ginkgo rustled its leaves energetically.

Little one, you’ve finally come. It’s been so long since you last chatted with this old man—I’ve been bored to death!

Tongtong tilted her head. “Grandpa Tree, I wanted to ask if you know what happened at my house this afternoon?”

In no time,

Tongtong learned the whole story from the old ginkgo.

Her little face puffed up with anger, and her dark, gleaming eyes turned cold.

That wretched old man! How dare he bully her mother!

She pulled a small paper packet from her space.

Inside was the potent sterilization powder she had secretly prepared earlier from the medicinal herbs in her space.

After some thought, she felt it wasn’t enough.

She took out a small bottle and added a drop of dark green liquid into it.

That should strengthen it a bit more.

Hmph! This will surely ensure Scumbag Dad lives the rest of his life in pure abstinence, becoming a desire-free “monk”!