Third Master Gu Couldn't Bear to Blame You

"What's this about making a bulletin board? I don't object to teaching everyone literacy and knowledge, but inviting Comrade Zhang here to explain the law..."

Zhao Gang looked at the young man with a complicated expression. "With Chaoyang Production Brigade's current reputation, would he be willing to come?"

"Why wouldn't he be!?"

Shen Jianan frowned as he met his gaze. "I know you're all afraid of losing face now, afraid of attracting too much attention. But the more things are like this, the more we need to stand tall, stay positive, and bravely face our shortcomings. Secretary..."

He shifted the subject, his tone turning solemn. "Chaoyang Production Brigade has ended up in this state because the people's legal awareness is weak and their sense of unity is poor.

"And what is the root cause of all this? I don't need to tell you. You should already know."

The two men's expressions changed slightly, then they both nodded. "We know."

"Then you..."

"Do it!"

Zhao Gang tugged at the corner of his mouth and looked at Shen Jianan with fondness in his eyes. "We may all be cadres, but we barely recognize any characters and haven't seen much of the world. We'll have to rely on you to help plan these things.

"I don't have any grand ambitions. I only hope the people of Chaoyang Production Brigade can eat their fill, dress warmly, and never be pointed at and gossiped about when they go out again."

"Don't worry."

Shen Jianan curled his lips in a smile. "As long as we work together, that day will come very soon."

"Good!"

Zhao Gang laughed as well, then raised a hand and patted the young man on the shoulder. "Go get one hundred yuan from Zhao Quan. See what needs buying, and buy it all at once. Don't be stingy. If we're doing this, we'll do it right."

"You said it!?"

Shen Jianan's eyes flickered as he smiled and made a request. "Then I'll need a few more days off to go into the city and buy some books and colored paint for the brigade. There are lots of things the town doesn't have."

"Go on, go on. You don't need to ask for leave. This is official business. I'll approve a permit for you."

Zhao Gang waved his hand readily. "Bring Zhang Qiao and Qu Feng with you. Let them carry things for you."

Those two were tall and strong, but they simply could not farm. Every day, they somehow managed to hoe to death several seedlings. No matter how he taught them, they never learned. For the safety of the crops, it was better to have them help Shen with the heavy work instead!

"Fine! That's settled."

Zhao Hongjun stood and took over the conversation. "Shen, go with him to the brigade office to get the permit and money. I'll go call Zhang Qiao and the others."

With that, he clasped his hands behind his back and headed toward the fields. Zhao Gang and Shen Jianan did not delay either. The two went straight back to the brigade office to write an introduction letter and explain the matter.

Zhao Quan immediately took out one hundred yuan as Shen Jianan's expenses. "You've worked hard, child."

The young man blinked mischievously, then straightened his chest. "Serve the people!"

Several cadres smiled and nodded. "Now that's the model of an educated youth sent down to the countryside!"

"Hehe!"

Shen Jianan smiled, then opened his mouth again. "Then let's not waste time. I'll go back and get a bag, and wait for Zhang Qiao and the others."

"Mm!"

Zhao Gang nodded. "I'll drive the donkey cart and take you to town. Then you can find a way to catch a ride into the city."

He left the brigade first to harness the donkey cart, while Shen Jianan ran back to Half-Mountain Courtyard, slung on his backpack, filled a flask with water, put the introduction letter, money, and ration coupons into the bag, left Gu Yu a note, and headed out.

By coincidence, he ran into Zhang Qiao and Qu Feng returning to change clothes. He waited in the courtyard for a few minutes, then went down the mountain with the two after they had finished getting ready. They hurried to the brigade and rode with Zhao Gang to town.

Zhao Hongjun and several other cadres stood at the entrance of the brigade, watching the four figures gradually disappear into the distance, their hearts filled with expectation.

After delivering them to Xinghe Town, Zhao Gang carefully gave them a few instructions before driving back. Shen Jianan and the other two first went to the State-Run Restaurant for a meal before heading to the bus station.

The roads were poor now, and the trip from Xinghe Town to the city would take at least several hours. If they did not eat first, they might starve themselves crazy.

However, once the bus started moving, the three regretted eating. It was packed to the brim. There was no such thing as overloading or not overloading; as long as someone could squeeze in, the driver and conductor would never stop them from boarding.

After waiting for over an hour, the bus finally started. It rattled and swayed its way out of Xinghe Town, but the weather was still somewhat hot. All kinds of smells mingled in the carriage, making their heads feel heavy and their throats churn.

The three of them were lucky enough to grab the last row of seats. Zhang Qiao and Qu Feng considered Shen Jianan young and let him sit by the window, while the two of them blocked the outside. Otherwise, Shen Jianan would have gone mad.

Before long, thunderous snoring filled the bus. Everyone slumped crookedly against their seatbacks and fell asleep. Qu Feng, seated on the outermost side, had it the worst. He was already somewhat carsick, and then a burly man beside him leaned against him. He could not push the man away, and eventually felt so sick that he vomited, spraying sour liquid all over the man's head.

The man was furious and began cursing loudly. If the passengers beside and in front of him had not disliked his behavior and spoken up for Qu Feng, he would have tried to hit him.

Qu Feng did not press the matter despite having the moral high ground. He merely said sorry, then switched seats with Zhang Qiao, who was feeling somewhat better, and sat beside Shen Jianan.

Everyone saw that he was refined and polite, while the burly man was not only ugly but also looked fierce. They immediately began criticizing him again.

In the end, even the driver cursed the man a few times. Afraid of offending the driver and being barred from riding the bus later, the burly man could only reluctantly apologize to Qu Feng. After that, he shrank into his seat and did not dare move.

Zhang Qiao's seat instantly became much roomier. He and Shen Jianan both breathed a sigh of relief. Otherwise, if another person vomited, no one knew what they would do.

The shabby little bus jolted along for several hours. It stopped for twenty minutes in the middle so everyone could use the toilet, then continued onward. Shen Jianan was tormented until he could no longer hold back. He vomited several times in a row, his face deathly pale.

Zhang Qiao and Qu Feng were worried sick. Fortunately, they reached the city not long after. The two quickly helped him off the bus to get some air and rinse his mouth by the roadside. All three of them now had a sour, foul taste in their mouths, enough to make them vomit again.

"Ptooey, ptooey!"

Shen Jianan spat out the water, turned, and leaned sideways against the roadside wall, gasping for breath. "It's almost dark. Let's find a guesthouse and rest first. We'll take care of things tomorrow."

"Okay."

The two wiped their faces, then went forward to support him. They walked slowly for about an hour before finally finding a guesthouse.

Shen Jianan quickly straightened up, handed the introduction letter from his bag to the front desk, and booked rooms for two days. Then he and Zhang Qiao took their keys back to their rooms to rest, not even going out for dinner.

Meanwhile, Gu Yu returned to Half-Mountain Courtyard after a day of labor. When he saw the note on the table, his eyes filled with disappointment and resentment. Because of his wretched status, he could not even accompany the person he loved when he went out.

He clenched the note tightly, his fingers turning faintly white from the force. A storm suddenly rose in his eyes. "Luo Tianming! Jiang Jianhua! Gu Lingwei..."

"Achoo!"

Far away in Capital City, Gu Lingwei sneezed hard. Luo Tianming, who was reading the newspaper beside her, raised his head and glanced at her calmly. "Caught a cold?"

"No."

Gu Lingwei shook her head with a light smile. "My nose just itched a little."

"Mm!"

Luo Tianming lowered his gaze to the newspaper's front page. By chance, his eyes swept over the eleven characters, "Red Flag Commune Chaoyang Production Brigade Shen Jianan." For some reason, his heart skipped a beat. He immediately sat up straight, preparing to see what the other party had written, when a sound came from the doorway.

He looked toward it and saw a servant leading his assistant inside. Seeing the faint excitement on the man's face, he seemed to think of something. He quickly set down the newspaper, stood, and headed upstairs. "Come to the study with me."

"Yes."

The assistant answered and quickly followed him upstairs. Gu Lingwei's eyes darkened slightly. After a long while, she quietly went upstairs as well. The moment she reached the study door, the words from inside—"Gu Jun is coming back"—turned her face white. Panicked, she turned and ran back to her bedroom.

The two men in the study were equally nervous and excited. Gu Jun's appearance meant they had hope of obtaining the Gu Household's property, but it also meant they would face his fierce retaliation.

They did not believe someone as intelligent as Gu Jun would fail to notice that they and Jiang Jianhua had played a part in the Gu Household's downfall.

"Sir, what should we do now?"

"First, send someone to control Gu Yu."

Luo Tianming glanced at his assistant, intense killing intent bursting from his eyes. "Have Liu San leave immediately to find Jiang Hongmei and cooperate with her actions. Ruin Gu Yu as quickly as possible and use that to draw Gu Jun out."

"What about Jiang Jianhua..."

The assistant hesitated. "Won't he be dissatisfied?"

"Hmph! It isn't up to him."

Luo Tianming's face darkened as he shouted, "He's only the child of a servant. Does he think he can imitate a wealthy young lady and put on airs?

"In the past, if his daughter got to warm her master's bed, that would have been a tremendous blessing. What right does he have to be dissatisfied?"

The assistant choked, feeling somewhat uncomfortable. After all, he was also considered a servant of the Luo Household. But he did not dare show it. He merely nodded and agreed before leaving to carry out Luo Tianming's orders.

Meanwhile, the distraught Gu Lingwei had already calmed down somewhat as she sat in her bedroom. Looking at the photo album on the dressing table, she raised trembling fingers and gently opened it. Two photographs were displayed side by side.

One was a family portrait of her, Luo Tianming, and their two children. The other was a family portrait of the Gu Household. Everyone in it was smiling joyfully, looking utterly happy.

Scenes from before Gu Lingwei's marriage surfaced in her mind. Her parents, brothers, and sisters-in-law had all cherished her. Even her nieces and nephews had carefully doted on her, afraid she might suffer the slightest grievance.

Yet, for her husband and for the future of her two children, she had still betrayed the Gu Household!

Tears streamed down Gu Lingwei's face, and boundless regret suddenly welled up in her heart. She immediately picked up her handbag, quickly composed herself, opened the door, and rushed downstairs. But at the staircase landing, she ran into her husband, Luo Tianming.

Seeing her panicked expression, he smiled with the utmost gentleness. "Going out to play cards? I'll have the driver take you."

Gu Lingwei's face turned pale. "N-No, no need. I'm just going for a walk."

"All right."

Luo Tianming walked to the side and sat down, joking, "Come back early. Otherwise, when the children get home, they'll ask me where their mother is."

"Okay."

Gu Lingwei tugged at the corner of her mouth and staggered down the stairs before running out of the living room. Luo Tianming's face immediately fell. He summoned his subordinate Wang Shi and told him to follow her. "If she's really just taking a walk, let it be. But if anything is amiss..."

His voice paused, and a ruthless glint flashed through his eyes. "I wouldn't mind tomorrow's newspaper headline reporting her death."

Wang Shi's heart shook. "Yes."

He immediately turned and left, following Gu Lingwei from afar all the way to the former Gu Household residence. It had now been listed for sale by the government, though for some reason, it had never been sold.

In less than three years, weeds had already grown all around it. Gu Lingwei's heart twisted painfully, and she crouched to the ground, clutching her head as she wept.

By then, the sky had gradually darkened. There was no one around, only her crying rising and falling through the air like the low sobs of a malicious ghost, especially chilling.

Wang Shi hid in the shadows and watched her from afar, mockery flashing through his eyes. If she truly felt so guilty and heartbroken, why had she helped the villains commit evil? She clearly wanted to have it both ways and please both sides.

If the Gu Household could not recover, she lost nothing and could continue being Madam Luo with a clear conscience. But if the Gu Household could rise again, then because she had always taken care of Gu Yu, Old Master Gu and the others would only think she had been kept in the dark and would not do anything to her.

When the time came, even if Mr. Luo was brought down, she could take her two children and seek refuge with the Gu Household, continuing to be the carefree youngest daughter of the Gu Household. Her children would receive excellent care as well. What a fine scheme she had plotted.

Vroom—vroom—

The roar of a car engine suddenly interrupted Wang Shi's thoughts. When he looked up, he saw the Luo Household's sedan slowly approaching and stopping a short distance behind Gu Lingwei.

Luo Tianming's two children, Luo Zihao and Luo Meili, quickly got out and ran toward Gu Lingwei. "Mom, why did you come to Grandpa's house again? Aren't you afraid someone will see you and drag Dad into this?"

Gu Lingwei, half-crouched on the ground, stiffened at the sound. She then braced her hands on her knees and slowly stood, but after crouching too long, she nearly fell. The Luo siblings hurriedly caught her.

"Mom, are you all right?"

"I'm fine."

Gu Lingwei raised her eyes to look at her two children, her heart filled with pride. One was only fifteen and the other thirteen, yet both had grown into outstanding young people.

A smile gradually appeared in her eyes. Yes, the Gu Household was already like this. She could not drag Luo Tianming down with her as well. Otherwise, her two children could only suffer alongside her.

With those thoughts, Gu Lingwei's already unsteady resolve wavered once more. "Let's go. We're going home."

Luo Zihao and Luo Meili exchanged a glance, then tacitly looked away. They helped Gu Lingwei into the car, while Wang Shi watched the departing vehicle and followed after it.

Not long afterward, another person emerged from the darkness. Watching them disappear into the distance, he let out a cold snort before turning into a side alley. He wound through several turns for nearly an hour before stopping outside an ordinary house.

He looked around carefully. Only after confirming that no one was nearby did he raise a hand and knock on the door in a rhythmic pattern. Before long, sounds came from inside, and someone quickly opened the door.

He immediately slipped inside sideways and shut the door behind him. Then he followed the person who opened it through several rooms until they reached an inner room. There, a handsome man around thirty, dressed in a suit and leather shoes, leaned sideways against a sofa with a wineglass in hand. He lazily lifted his eyes to look at him. "He Ming, how did it go?"

"Reporting to you, sir."

The man called He Ming lowered his head slightly, mockery on his face. "Just as you expected, Gu Lingwei only took a walk around the Gu Household's old residence before returning with her two children."

"Hmph. What a heartless creature."

The handsome man's eyes turned vicious. He violently smashed the wineglass in his hand onto the floor, and the scarlet liquid instantly soaked into the expensive carpet beneath his feet. Yet he showed no regret. He merely stood and walked at an even pace to the window, looking at the tree shadows swaying in the wind outside.

"I already gave her a chance. She was the one who refused to cherish it. If I do anything from now on, Gu Jun will not dare blame me for acting on my own."

He Ming acknowledged him, but inwardly he sneered. Even if you dealt with her directly, Third Master Gu wouldn't have the heart to blame you.