The Vicious Ex-Wife Stripped Me Bare, and Now the Commander Is Seeing Red Every Day - Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Meeting at Last, Night Visit to the Cowshed

Lin Ning was very satisfied with this house—red bricks, gray tiles, and even the doors and windows were in good condition. Large items like tables, chairs, stools, cabinets, and beds were already there. They only needed to prepare some pots, pans, and bowls, clear the weeds in the yard, and do a bit of cleaning inside.

“Village Chief, my sister and I are very happy with this house. We’ve decided to rent this one.” Another reason Lin Ning liked this place was its proximity to the cowshed. While others might see this as a drawback, for her and Gu Rou, it was a massive advantage. To avoid any complications from delays, she pulled out a stack of “Great Unity” bills. “We’ll rent it for one year first.”

She counted out three ten-yuan bills and handed them over.

“Alright, alright.” The Village Chief took the money, looking as if he hadn’t quite processed the speed of the transaction. After a pause, he looked at them and said, “Then you two go ahead and start tidying up. I’ll go back and write up a contract for you, and… I’ll bring it over tomorrow.” He had thought about saying tonight, but realizing it wouldn’t be appropriate for him to visit two young girls late at night, he changed it to tomorrow.

Lin Ning and Gu Rou nodded and saw them out.

However, just as they stepped out of the courtyard gate, they saw several “Red Armbands” arriving at the cowshed area, escorting Father and Mother Gu. The Village Chief and Madame Wang saw them too and, startled, didn’t even have time to say goodbye to Lin Ning before hurrying over.

Gu Rou saw them as well. She immediately grabbed Lin Ning’s arm, her eyes full of anxiety.

Lin Ning reassured her in a low voice, “It’s okay, it’s okay. You go back first, scrub the pots in the kitchen, boil some hot water, and make something to eat. I’ll go check the situation.”

Gu Rou was worried, but she instinctively trusted Lin Ning and obediently hurried back into the courtyard.

Lin Ning followed the Village Chief and the others. By this time, Father and Mother Gu had spotted her, and their eyes widened in shock. Fearing they might blow their cover, Lin Ning took the initiative to speak: “Oh my, are these the ‘Black Five Category’ people being relocated? Village Chief, they don’t look like very old folks; will they hurt us Educated Youths?”

Her delicate, high-pitched voice conveyed two messages to Father and Mother Gu:

1. They did not know each other.

2. Her status was that of an Educated Youth.

Father and Mother Gu had no idea what she was up to or why she was here, but they didn’t dare make a sound.

The Village Chief comforted her, “Don’t be afraid, Lin-zhiqing. These are likely newly relocated people from the city. Let me ask about the situation first.” He turned to the Red Armbands: “Where are they from? What did they do?”

One of the Red Armbands replied, “From Nancheng. They are the parents of the injured man sent here two days ago. Just settle them together.”

The Village Chief nodded and pointed toward Gu Yan’s cowshed: “That’s the one. You’ll live there from now on. Since the higher-ups arranged for your relocation to our village, I’ll put the ugly words upfront: regardless of your former status, here you are the ‘Black Five Category.’ Aside from receiving education every day and completing assigned village chores, you are not allowed to leave the cowshed, you are not allowed to harm anyone, and you are certainly not allowed to frighten the Educated Youth comrades. Do you hear me?”

Suppressing all the confusion in their hearts, Father and Mother Gu nodded and said they understood, promising not to cause trouble for the village. The Village Chief was satisfied with their attitude. He nodded and, together with the Red Armbands, sent them into the cowshed.

Worried that the Village Chief might become suspicious, Lin Ning thought for a moment and turned back to her own courtyard. As soon as she closed the door, Gu Rou, who was boiling water in the kitchen, heard the movement and ran out.

“Sister, how is it?”

Lin Ning glanced at her, made a “hush” gesture, and pulled her back into the kitchen.

“Keep it down.” She saw that the stove had been scrubbed clean and steam was rising from the large iron pot—the water was boiling. Lin Ning was very pleased; regardless of the circumstances, the “paper person” Gu Rou was always very obedient, which saved her a lot of trouble.

“Your parents are in the same cowshed as your brother. Make plenty of food. I’m going to sort out the medicine I bought, and we’ll sneak it to them tonight.”

Gu Rou was stunned to hear they had to wait until night. “Why tonight? Why not now?”

Lin Ning said helplessly, “We can’t. Do you want the Village Chief to find out? Then both of us would have to live in the cowshed, and everything we bought would be confiscated.”

Gu Rou stopped talking and simply looked at her with tears pitter-pattering down.

Lin Ning added, “Stop crying. Hurry up and work. Tidy up the house so that in the future, we can secretly bring your parents over to take care of them.”

Hearing this, Gu Rou sprang into action, muttering to herself, “Right, right, the cowshed doesn’t block the wind or rain, it’s just a shed. How can people live there?” As she spoke, she started crying again—crying while working with all her might. Lin Ning ignored her and let her be. Converting grief into motivation made the work go fast.

In just half a day, the entire courtyard was transformed. As the sky outside grew darker and time ticked away, Lin Ning looked at Gu Rou, who was too anxious to eat or drink. “Let’s go. We’re going to the cowshed.”

Gu Rou’s eyes lit up, and she picked up the cloth bag she had prepared long ago. “Let’s go.”

Like thieves, the two of them snuck out, peeking around and acting suspiciously until Lin Ning shoved Gu Rou into the cowshed. “You go in first, I’ll keep watch outside.”

Before Gu Rou could say anything, her eyes met those of her parents inside the shed. Then, she started crying again: “Dad! Mom!”

Gu Rou rushed over and hugged them. The two elders were still confused about seeing Lin Ning during the day, even wondering if it was just someone who looked similar. Now, they were seeing Gu Rou at night?

“Rou-rou? Why are you here?” Mother Gu wasn’t happy at all; instead, she became incredibly anxious.

Father Gu, however, took one look at her and then glanced outside. “Is that your sister-in-law out there? What are you two doing? Why are you appearing here?”

Mother Gu looked out as well and became even more frantic. “It really is her! Quickly, tell her to come in. What if someone sees her standing outside?”

Gu Rou took a step back, and Father Gu immediately went to the entrance. “Xiao Lin, come in quickly.”

Lin Ning wanted to tell them to hurry up and talk while she kept watch, but seeing Father Gu like this and fearing an argument at the door might attract others, she gritted her teeth and went in.

Then she saw Mother Gu and Gu Rou weeping silently, and Gu Yan lying on the straw in the corner. Just as Father Gu was about to ask what was going on, Lin Ning walked toward Gu Yan. The words at the tip of Father Gu’s tongue were swallowed back down.

Lin Ning looked at Gu Yan—covered in blood, with his lower leg and arm twisted abnormally, his face flushed with fever, lips parched and cracked, and unconscious.

“How did he get such heavy injuries?”

At her words, Mother Gu’s tears flowed even harder, and Father Gu blinked back a couple of tears himself.

“Rou-rou, give me the bag.” Lin Ning knelt in front of Gu Yan and reached back. Gu Rou reacted instantly and stepped forward with the bag. Lin Ning found the fever reducer and fed him a tablet, then poured some warm water down his throat.

Fortunately, though Gu Yan was unconscious, he still had the instinct to swallow. In his daze, he seemed to hear Lin Ning’s voice again. And not just hers—he heard the voices of his parents and sister too.

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