Without dwelling on it since she could not think of a solution right away, Su Qianli let the matter drop.
Instead, she gradually grew accustomed to her present life. As her health improved, she began going out to work with the sound of the whistle, maintaining a regular daily routine that felt even more fulfilling than her days as an office drone in the modern world.
One day, an uninvited guest suddenly arrived at Su Qianli's home—her uncle, Su Zhiguo.
The moment he stepped through the door, he got straight to the point, blurting out a demand: "Su Qianli, you need to move out of the house you're living in right away."
It turned out that Su Zhiguo's second son, Su Fengchun, had taken a fancy to a young woman who insisted that he must have a separate courtyard of his own; otherwise, there would be no discussion of marriage.
Consequently, they had set their sights on Su Qianli's place.
After all, Su Qianli had no blood relation to the Su Family whatsoever, yet she was hogging the family's house.
The story went back to a winter many years ago, when Grandpa Su went hunting in the mountains and unexpectedly found her at just three years old. Her whole body was frozen blue and purple, and she was breathing much more than she was taking in.
Everyone thought she was beyond saving, but kind-hearted Grandpa Su still chose to do everything he could to treat her.
Perhaps Su Qianli was not meant to die, for she somehow pulled through against all odds, though a prolonged high fever had left her mind damaged.
Grandpa Su and Grandma Su never minded her condition in the least. They took exceptionally good care of her and brought her along wherever they went.
Someone had once joked, "The old couple in the Su Family treat Su Qianli better than their own children. They practically worship her like an ancestor."
Yet only Grandpa Su and Grandma Su knew that their kindness toward Su Qianli did not even match what they had received from her; they simply had no way to explain it to outsiders.
Before they died, Grandpa Su and Grandma Su left strict instructions for their own children not to mistreat Su Qianli.
To that end, the old couple divided the family property early, leaving a share of the estate to Su Qianli so she would have a place to live and food to eat.
Fortunately, although Su Qianli's mind was not quite right, she was strong and could handle basic household chores and farm work.
Furthermore, before Grandpa Su passed away, he sent gifts to everyone he was close with, hoping only that once he and his wife were gone, these people could help Su Qianli when necessary and watch over the child along the way.
In fact, not long after the two old people passed away, Su Zhiguo had come looking for her, proposing to adopt Su Qianli.
He gave it the fine-sounding excuse that it would make taking care of her more convenient.
However, anyone could see through the ambition of Su Zhiguo's family: they clearly wanted to seize the share of the property that had been given to Su Qianli.
At the time, the Brigade Leader and several uncles, aunts, and older neighbors had cursed Su Zhiguo right back out the door.
Su Qianli had lived this way for three years, though her life was hardly peaceful.
After all, if her life were peaceful, she wouldn't have earned her glorious reputation for cracking open a stool.
And now, her uncle Su Zhiguo had once again disrupted Su Qianli's quiet life.
With an earnest tone, he said, "Li, your second cousin is getting married, and your uncle is at his wit's end. There simply isn't enough room in our house, so I wanted to discuss this with you. Can we borrow your house for your cousin's wedding? Once we save up enough money to build a new house later, I promise we'll return this one to you."
Su Qianli was holding a small stool, sitting at the doorway picking wild vegetables. She had foraged these shepherd's purses in the mountains early that morning; though small, they were covered in dew and exceptionally fresh.
At the moment, all her attention was focused on her hands, and she had not the slightest interest in what her uncle was talking about.
Because this house was some distance from the village, no one ever came by on a whim, and nobody would have guessed that her uncle would come so early to scheme against her house.
Her grandfather and grandmother had told her long ago: if anyone ever came talking about the house, she should go find the Brigade Leader.
She took her grandparents' words to heart, especially since they were the ones who had treated her best. Moreover, the two old people had long anticipated that someone would have designs on the house, which was why they had instructed their original granddaughter on how to handle it.
Therefore, Su Qianli said nothing. She just wanted to finish cleaning the greens in her hands first and then go find the Brigade Leader.
Su Zhiguo was greatly annoyed by Su Qianli's indifference and could not help letting a scold into his tone: "Su Qianli, I'm talking to you! Did you hear me or not?"
Startled by Su Zhiguo's roar, Su Qianli gave a sudden jolt, and the small stool beneath her almost tipped over.
The main thing was that she had grown taller since then, and the small stool was rather low; if she wasn't careful for even a second, she was prone to falling backward.
However, Grandpa Su had made this for her himself, so she treasured it dearly.
Sensing her uncle's urgency, Su Qianli also wanted some peace and quiet for her ears.
Thus, she decided to go find the Brigade Leader right now, or else her uncle's spit would be enough for her to wash her vegetables with.
Su Qianli immediately stood up, taking her small stool along with her.
Seeing Su Qianli's movement and remembering his own harsh tone just a moment ago, Su Zhiguo instantly jumped to the conclusion that the girl was angry.
Before she could smash her stool down on him, Su Zhiguo had already bolted ten meters backward in advance.
This was the safe distance he had calculated after estimating his own speed against Su Qianli's.
"Su Qianli, I'm telling you, I'm trying to discuss this with you nicely. You'd better put that stool down first, or beating your own blood uncle is a crime punishable by jail time!"
Su Zhiguo barked loudly, but his eyes darted about, betraying a guilty conscience.
As for Su Qianli, she merely lifted her gaze indifferently, casting a sidelong glance at her uncle. Her look was full of coldness and disdain, as if she were gazing at a comical, jumping clown.
She put the vegetables back into the kitchen in an orderly fashion, turned around, and locked the front gate with a sharp click.
Then she bent down, hoisted her beloved small stool, hoisted it steadily onto her shoulder, and walked straight in the direction of the Brigade Leader's house.
Seeing this, Su Zhiguo instantly understood Su Qianli's intention. His heart skipped a beat, and he panicked like an ant on a hot pan.
"Su Qianli, I'm trying to talk this over with you! Where do you think you're going?"
"To the Brigade Leader's house!" Su Qianli replied crisply and cleanly.
Su Zhiguo tried to persuade Su Qianli to turn back: "Why are you going to the Brigade Leader's house? Don't bother other people with our family matters, do you hear me?"
"You're bothering me, and I'm not bothered!" Su Qianli thought him absurd. Only the Brigade Leader could resolve this; if she didn't go to him, who else was she supposed to find?
Su Zhiguo choked on her words, feeling even less fond of Su Qianli's backtalk.
Yet, seeing that they were about to reach the Brigade Leader's house and not wanting to be reprimanded, Su Zhiguo immediately went back on his word:
"Your cousin won't be using your house anymore. He doesn't need it. Hurry back now, and stop always running over to bother people. It looks very bad."
Su Qianli stopped in her tracks, tilted her head to look at Su Zhiguo, and smirked, "Really don't need it anymore?"
Su Zhiguo: "..."
"No need, go back. I'm going home too." Though he spoke through gritted teeth, who could blame him when he had no other choice?
As for the house, he would just have to think of another way.
Getting a definite answer, Su Qianli turned around immediately, not giving Su Zhiguo a single extra glance.
Su Zhiguo spat on the ground with bitter resentment, put his hands behind his back, and headed home as well.
The moment he arrived home, Su Zhiguo's second son, Su Fengchun, hurried up to him.
"Dad, how did it go? Did that girl agree?"
Su Zhiguo glanced at Su Fengchun, strode unhappily over to the table in the main room, and dropped heavily onto a bench.
"How could she possibly agree? Everyone says that girl is simple-minded, so I deliberately took advantage of the early morning when the road was empty to try and talk her round. Guess what happened?"
Su Fengchun asked doubtfully, "What?"
"That girl actually wanted to go find the Brigade Leader!"
At this, Su Zhiguo's temper flared again. He had no idea whose bad idea it was to ruin his plan and give the girl such a rotten suggestion.
In his heart, he cursed that person to have children without an exit!
No sooner had he finished speaking than he tried to reach for the box of matches on the other side of the table to light his dry tobacco, but losing his balance, he fell straight backward.
The very instant he hit the floor, Su Zhiguo let out a shrill shriek that rang through half of Wansheng Village.
Many people nearby heard the noise and curiously peeked into Su Zhiguo's yard, with the neighbors on both left and right even climbing straight up to peer over the mud walls.
At that moment, Su Zhiguo was being propped up by Su Fengchun, struggling to get up from the floor.
Throughout the entire process, Su Zhiguo's cries never stopped: "Ah... it hurts, hurts, hurts, take it easy... Ah, it hurts..."
The men and women eavesdropping outside looked at one another, their expressions each more colorful than the last.
Yet those a bit older still paid heed to propriety and could not help complaining.
"This old Su family has no shame at all. In broad daylight, carrying on and howling like that!"
Auntie Zhao cracked a melon seed, spat, and muttered, "Should we say Su Zhiguo isn't up to snuff, or that Liu Fang is just too fierce?"
"Hahaha~" A group of people around her chuckled softly.
Inside the house, Su Zhiguo was already crying tears of pain and snot. Looking at his back, a bamboo dragonfly was stuck straight into a certain spot, with blood trickling down his trousers.
This was a toy belonging to his youngest son, Su Fengze—a bamboo dragonfly made with a stalk the thickness of a little finger, which had happened to be left lying on the floor right behind him.
His fall had struck right in the "chrysanthemum core"!!!
Su Fengchun had never seen such a situation either, and for a moment he was scared out of his wits.
Just as he was at a loss for what to do, he suddenly heard someone outside shouting, "Liu Fang is back!" and Su Fengchun instantly found his pillar of support.
Outside the house, the crowd perked up the moment they saw Liu Fang appear, their faces plastered with an irrepressible gossipy look.
Originally, everyone had assumed the woman inside the house was Liu Fang, but reality turned out to be quite the opposite.
This twist instantly piqued everyone's curiosity.
People muttered among themselves, guessing wildly who the other person besides Su Zhiguo could possibly be inside.
Everyone craned their necks, eagerly waiting for a good show.
Wang Zhaodi was on the best of terms with Liu Fang. She hurried forward to grab Liu Fang, leaned close to her ear, and whispered every single detail of what she had just overheard.
Upon hearing this, Liu Fang's expression turned terrifyingly dark in an instant.
She had known all along that good-for-nothing Su Zhiguo was never honest. She had heard rumors before that he had been flirting and making eyes at Widow Qian from the south end of the village.
She never expected him to be so bold today as to actually bring the woman home!!
The anger in Liu Fang's heart ignited with a fierce roar. Without another word, she whirled around, rushed into the kitchen, snatched up a fire-poking rod, and strode toward the inner room, every step radiating an intent to hack someone to pieces.
Inside the room at that moment, Su Fengchun was flustered, frantically urging his father Su Zhiguo, "Dad, hurry up and lie down on the bed on your stomach. Maybe that will make it feel a bit better."
Seeing his father's agonizing expression, Su Fengchun spoke in an involuntarily soft voice, sweat beading densely across his forehead.
Yet every time he moved even slightly, the injury was pulled, and Su Zhiguo couldn't help hissing, "Sss-ha...", while issuing instructions to Su Fengchun: "Take it easy, it hurts... Ouch... slower..."
Every step Liu Fang took felt deeply agonizing. Pushing aside the curtain, she expected to see a battle between a dog and a bitch, but instead, the sight that met her eyes was her own husband and her son.
They... they... actually...
Liu Fang felt like she wanted to die, her eyes turning red in an instant.
Compared to the present reality, she suddenly discovered she could have accepted Su Zhiguo doing that with a widow.
But he must never corrupt her son!!!
Meanwhile, Su Zhiguo, who had just managed to climb onto the bed, heard footsteps drawing closer and feared that the thrill-seeking villagers would see them and start spreading gossip, so he had made Su Fengchun cover him up with a blanket.
Yet to Liu Fang, it looked precisely like the scene of a deed just successfully accomplished.
Unable to control her emotions for even a second, Liu Fang raised the fire-poking rod and swung it straight at Su Zhiguo's body.
"Crack!..."
"Ah..."
The sound of wood hitting flesh and the screams rang out one after another. The villagers listening outside couldn't help following the rhythm, frowning and nodding along.
In the process, Liu Fang struck the bamboo dragonfly several times, causing Su Zhiguo to only draw in sharp breaths of pain, his brain completely incapable of thought.
Su Fengchun had been stunned by his mother's imposing aura just moments ago. Coming back to his senses, he immediately lunged forward to grab the fire-poking rod, shouting in a rush: "Mom, Mom, stop hitting him! If you hit him anymore, Dad's going to die!"
When the people outside heard this, the crowd instantly exploded into a frenzy—someone was about to lose their life over this!
A few quick-reacting villagers wasted no time, turning on their heels and sprinting wildly toward the Brigade Leader's house, shouting as they ran to fetch him quickly to handle this farcical mess.
Yet others wore looks of utter puzzlement, turning it over and over in their minds:
Hearing the commotion from inside just now, could the people involved really be the father and son of the Su Family?!!
"Oh ho, this makes things even more explosive!" someone in the crowd shouted.
In a split second, everyone's eyes lit up like madmen, shoving and jostling as they rushed headlong into the Su Family's house, terrified of lagging behind and missing a spectacle that came along once in a few decades.
Back inside, Su Fengchun—who had just managed to wrest the fire-poking rod away—had no time to explain before Liu Fang simply dropped straight to the ground, slapping her thighs and wailing:
"Oh dear heavens, why is my life so bitter?!..."
Su Fengchun wanted to stop her, but words alone could no longer calm his mother down, so he simply yanked the blanket off his father's body.
Liu Fang glanced over amid her wails, froze instantly, and dried her tears on the spot.
"What is going on? Why is there so much blood?"
Su Fengchun pointed between his father's rear end, just as he was about to offer an anxious, heartbroken explanation.
The next second, Liu Fang began pounding on Su Fengchun instead: "You little prodigal son, how could you get blood all over the blanket?! Your mother was planning to use that as part of your bride price!"
Recovering somewhat, Su Zhiguo heard his wife utter such words, and his heart turned thoroughly cold.
So it turned out he wasn't even as important as a blanket; he desperately wished he could just roll his eyes back and faint.