If a man had these looks, it would be passable, but for a girl to look like this and still be arrogant enough to demand a city husband? City men aren’t blind. Marrying a rural girl is one thing, but an ugly one? Do people really think they can just turn off the lights and pretend everything is fine?
Back then, Gao Zhiguo found a temporary job at the state farm with Gao Zhijun’s help. At the time, this job was originally meant for the eldest, Gao Zhishan. But Old Man Gao and Old Mrs. Song were biased and secretly gave the job to their second son. It had to be said, Gao Zhijun truly had it rough. He enlisted in the army at fifteen, and two years later, he was highly valued by his superiors. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have had the ability to secure a temporary job for his family. Yet, his own life was far from satisfactory.
But digressions aside. Gao Zhiguo used his handsome face to trick Li Hongxing into marriage. Behind his parents’ backs, he agreed to many of the Li Family’s conditions just to secure her hand. The Gao family had actually spent a hefty sum to marry Li Hongxing, though they kept it a strict secret from Zhishan’s wife. Otherwise, she would have thrown a massive fit.
Even so, the Li Family was constantly on guard against Gao Zhiguo. Even his son, Gao An, was taught by his maternal grandparents to be much closer to the Li Family. If they weren’t afraid of embarrassing their daughter, they would have changed Gao An’s surname long ago.
"My father-in-law is getting on in years, and he fell ill last month," Gao Zhiguo said, looking at his father with a hint of briskness in his tone.
Old Man Gao understood the implication. He smiled and patted his son’s shoulder. "You must make something of yourself. Otherwise, all the suffering you’ve endured these past few years will have been for nothing."
From the very beginning of the marriage, the Li Family had looked down on the Gao family. If they didn’t have only one daughter, and if that daughter wasn’t... well, they never would have chosen someone like Gao Zhiguo.
"Don’t worry, Dad. I’ll study hard. As long as he’s willing to teach, I’ll definitely master everything." Gao Zhiguo was not without ambition; he had just hidden it well over the years. Apart from his father, he had never mentioned this matter to anyone else in the family. "But Dad, Bai Jiu’s situation won’t be easy to handle. It’s not safe for a woman to be out there with so much money. We are Zhijun’s biological parents, after all. We can’t let his own flesh and blood suffer out there."
When Gao Zhiguo learned that Bai Jiu had taken away so much money, his heart ached terribly. He was even more resentful toward his mother—since she had so much money, why hadn’t she given it to him?
Perhaps sensing his son’s dissatisfaction, Old Man Gao coughed. "That money was given by the state after Zhijun’s accident. You haven’t been back, or else I would have had your mother deliver it to you."
Because the Li Family disliked them, they rarely visited Gao Zhiguo’s home at the regiment farm. Even when they did go, it was only to drop off meat and grain. If they didn’t need favors from them, they wouldn’t have been willing to swallow their pride and endure such treatment. In Gaocun Village, the Gao family might not have been the absolute wealthiest, but they hadn’t gone hungry in all these years. This was especially true after their youngest son went to the army; they received money and ration coupons every single month. Feeling superior to others in the village, how could the Gao Family tolerate being treated poorly by outsiders?
Gao Zhiguo also felt regret. If he had known, he would have visited home more often. But it wasn’t too late. She was just a woman; bending her to his will would be a piece of cake.
"Let’s put that aside for now," Gao Zhiguo said. "Dad, Mom, you are Xiuxiu and Zhengyang’s biological grandparents. How can you just let them suffer out there? It’s better to bring them back home."
Old Mrs. Song was displeased. "Zhi Guo, you don’t know how vicious Bai Jiu is. Our family has been nearly torn apart by her! She hits and curses, and goes around ruining your sister’s reputation! Boo-hoo, I don’t want to live anymore!" Recalling these events, intense hatred welled up in Old Mrs. Song’s heart.
"Mom, ignore all that for now. Just tell my sister to stay out of her way. Besides, Bai Jiu is a sensible person." Knowing his mother well, Gao Zhiguo didn’t believe a word she said. But the fact remained that Bai Jiu had taken the money, split from the family, and left. Sigh, they were all useless.
Old Mrs. Song bared her injuries for her son to see, afraid he wouldn’t believe her. "Sensible my foot! I suffered so much because of her. The places she hit me last time haven’t even fully healed yet. Look if you don’t believe me!
"That damned wretch! She’ll be struck by lightning sooner or later. Daring to hit her elders—she has no fear of retribution!
"She doesn’t do any work, only knows how to eat well all day, and drags everyone into her mess. Why doesn’t she just drop dead?" she continued, feeling that words could never fully describe the suffering she had endured.
Seeing the bruises on his mother’s body, Gao Zhiguo couldn’t believe they were Bai Jiu’s doing. "Mom, did she really do this?" After asking, he looked at his father.
Seeing his father nod, Gao Zhiguo’s jaw dropped in shock. "How could her personality change so drastically? Mom, do you think it could be..."
"I had my suspicions too, but aren’t we forbidden from practicing those old superstitions now? Otherwise, I definitely would have gone to find Huang Daxian," Old Mrs. Song replied. How could she not have thought of this? Rural folks believed in this more than anyone. If it weren’t strictly forbidden, they would still be worshiping the deities.
"Mom, go ask around tonight. I’ll stay home for a couple of days." Gao Zhiguo couldn’t bear the thought of such a large sum of money being taken by someone else. It just so happened he had taken three days off. He originally planned to stay at his in-laws’ for two days to play the role of a filial son-in-law, but now...
"Will that be okay?" Old Man Gao was stunned, looking at his son with a trace of fear. "Zhi Guo, it won’t bring harm to your mother, will it?"
Gao Zhiguo shook his head. "Don’t worry, Dad. I’ll go with Mom tonight. We’ll take the mountain trail instead of walking through the village. Besides, it’ll be the middle of the night; no one’s going to be up and wandering around."
The reason Gao Laoer believed in these things so much was that he had suffered from something similar in his childhood. In the past, Huang Daxian had even told his fortune, saying he was destined for a government job. And wasn’t he doing exactly that now?
"Zhi Guo and I will go," Old Mrs. Song decided. "Old man, keep a close eye on the family, especially Zhishan’s wife." That woman’s mouth was becoming more and more like Bai Jiu’s every day. Old Mrs. Song felt indignant. It was so much money, and she was determined to get it back no matter what. The suffering she had endured also had to be paid back in kind.
Bai Jiu had no idea that her return to the village perfectly provided others with an opportunity to strike. But even if she knew, she wouldn’t be afraid. If anything, she only feared they wouldn’t take the bait. Hmph.
That very night.
Gao Zhiguo led his mother along the mountain trail, heading straight toward the mountain behind Gaocun Village. After crossing a ridge, they arrived at the Huangshu Team on the other side. Huang Daxian lived on a remote ridge near the village entrance. Hers was the only house there, making it quite peaceful and free from the prying eyes of neighbors.
Huang Daxian seemed accustomed to having her door knocked on in the middle of the night.
"Who is it? Hold on a moment," a hoarse and aged voice sounded from inside after they knocked.
"Daxian, it’s me, Caihua! I came to you years ago to have my son’s fortune told. You said he was destined for a government job!" Old Mrs. Song spilled all her details with an ingratiating look on her face.
Standing beside her, Gao Zhiguo didn’t think his mother had misspoken. Instead, hearing those words made him incredibly proud, as if the phrase "government job" provided him with boundless confidence.
"Oh, it’s you." Huang Daxian was an old woman decades into her life. How could she possibly remember so many people? She didn’t even know how many times she had told people they would get a government job. "Come in."
The door creaked open, and a hideous old woman with burn scars appeared before the two of them.