Chapter 24: Dog Eat Dog

Fifth Master was not one to give up easily; he refused to believe a mere woman could possess any real capability. He ordered his lackeys to gather the men, determined to see just how much stock she actually had—and, if necessary, to kill her and seize the goods. Having established his foothold in the black market for so long, Fifth Master relied on ruthless methods; murder and robbery were common occurrences for him. Moreover, the chosen location was far too perfect for an ambush, and he stood to gain a substantial supply of grain in the process.

Gu Wennuan, unaware of the plot against her, left the black market, intending to visit Mother Qian at the machinery factory to deliver her next dose of medicine. Upon arriving at the housing compound, she asked the gatekeeper to notify Mother Qian. As she waited, a young woman emerged from the compound and stared at her intently.

Qiao Siyu had come to visit the elderly Mrs. Qian that day. She worked at the factory and had met Qian Jiadong, hoping to court him, but he was as stubborn as a mule. Despite her many subtle hints, he remained indifferent. She had come to the Qian household to make her presence felt, hoping to have the mother sway her son, but the older woman had ignored her advances, leaving Qiao Siyu frustrated enough to depart.

Qiao Siyu did not recognize Gu Wennuan, but after hearing Mrs. Qian constantly mentioning the name, she grew suspicious. Seeing the woman herself, she listened to the conversation with the gatekeeper and realized who she was. She was curious to see just how impressive this Gu Wennuan truly was.

"Uncle Li, is this a guest for the Qian household?" Qiao Siyu asked, feigning friendliness.

"Yes, little Qiao. Coming to see the old lady again? You are truly filial."

Qiao Siyu smiled without answering, tacitly accepting the implication of her close relationship with the Qian family. Gu Wennuan glanced at the woman, assuming she was a relative of Mother Qian, and remained silent; she saw no need to curry favor with a stranger. Seeing Gu Wennuan’s indifferent attitude, Qiao Siyu was filled with resentment. From what Mrs. Qian had said, she was very fond of this woman. How could a mere village girl compare to her?

"Uncle Li, our workers' compound shouldn't just let anyone in. What if something goes missing?" With that, she biked away, leaving a bewildered Uncle Li behind.

After the gatekeeper left to deliver the message, Gu Wennuan glanced in the direction Qiao Siyu had disappeared, but she didn't care; it was unlikely they would cross paths again anyway.

Mother Qian was overjoyed to see Gu Wennuan. Ever since she started taking the medicine, she felt like a new person. "Wennuan, I feel so much better since taking your medicine. You must stay for dinner; my son will be back soon."

Gu Wennuan handed her the final course of treatment along with some spirit spring water. After finishing this batch, the old woman would be nearly fully recovered. "Mother Qian, I won't stay for dinner; I need to get home. Remember to use the water in the pot to brew the medicine. I fetched that spring water from the mountains specifically—it’s very good for your health."

Mother Qian held Gu Wennuan’s hand, reluctant to let her go. She had hoped to play matchmaker between her and her son, but since the girl was already married, she could only lament her own lack of fortune.

After leaving, Gu Wennuan stopped by the supply and marketing cooperative to buy milk candies and sponge cakes for the children. Since her arrival, she had been feeding her family the spirit spring water, and they had visibly gained weight and color. They had even built a large tiled house, and life was becoming increasingly prosperous.

While Gu Wennuan was in town, Hu Ailian and Zhou Qing were busy at home. Hu Ailian took the two children to work in the fields; it was the busy farming season, and weeding was the most critical step for the harvest. Zhou Qing stayed home to clean and fire the *kang* so it would be dry for the night. The two large tiled rooms had cost them nearly a thousand yuan, which pained them, but the thought of no longer having a leaky roof brought them great joy. The vegetable garden in the yard was thriving, and they waited for the autumn harvest with growing hope.

Gu Wennuan visited the post office to mail a letter and some dried mushrooms to Qin Aiwen. She asked the clerk about any packages for Zhou Sinian, but there had been nothing for two months. Gu Wennuan felt a mild concern for this husband she had never met, but not much; as long as he didn't bring her trouble, she could pretend he didn't exist.

By the time Gu Wennuan returned home, it was past noon. Hu Ailian and Zhou Xi were returning from the fields, and Zhou Qing was doing laundry. Zhou Qing felt awkward staying at her maiden home, so she worked tirelessly. Gu Wennuan dropped a watermelon into the water vat and went to check on the strawberries in the garden. They weren't as large as the ones in her space, but they were still a sweet treat for the hot summer.

"Yubao, Yaya, come over and have some strawberries." Gu Wennuan brought out a small basin to the two children playing wildly.

"Mom, strawberries! They look so good," Yubao said, drooling.

"Thank you, Auntie." Since coming to the Zhou family, Yaya had grown plump and healthy, looking more and more like a little beauty like her mother.

"Go play, but don't leave the yard." After giving her instructions, Gu Wennuan went to the kitchen to help Zhou Qing with dinner.

After the meal, the family sat in the yard eating watermelon as usual. The summer insect songs drowned out the heat; this was the best summer the Zhou family had ever had. After washing up, Gu Wennuan went to her bedroom and slipped into her space.

The wolf pack in the sky of her space was howling with hunger. Gu Wennuan ignored them, harvested the crops, and stored them in the warehouse, which could expand infinitely. After packing the grain needed for the next day, she bathed in the spring, read some medical texts, and returned to her room to sleep.

Fifth Master, however, did not sleep all night, plotting how to deal with Gu Wennuan.

The next day at noon, Gu Wennuan arrived at the Great Green Mountain as promised. She had chosen a cave she discovered earlier, moved the grain from her space, and placed it inside before crouching in a nearby tree to observe.

When Fifth Master arrived, he saw no one. He signaled his men to hide in the surrounding bushes with their machetes, ready to strike at the slightest sound. Watching from above, Gu Wennuan realized Fifth Master was no ordinary man—he clearly intended to kill her.

She pulled some prepared pebbles from her pocket, took out her slingshot, and aimed at their heads.

*Bang!* One fell. Another sound, another fell.

Only then did Fifth Master sense the danger. He hid behind a tree, but Gu Wennuan leaped down and landed right in front of him.

"Fifth Master, this is dishonorable. Since that’s how you play, don't blame me for being ruthless."

Gu Wennuan aimed her slingshot at him, and a single shot sent him kneeling to the ground. "Since you broke your word, you don't get to run this black market anymore."

"You yellow-haired brat, how dare you steal business on my turf? You must be tired of living."

Gu Wennuan looked at him with amusement. "I may not dare to kill you, but I have plenty of ways to make you wish you were dead."

She retrieved the grain, made her way down the mountain path, and left her "old friends" behind on the mountain. Fifth Master, supported by his lackeys, struggled to his feet, humiliated and vowing to teach Gu Wennuan a lesson. But just as they prepared to head down, they heard the howling of wolves. Terrified, the group scrambled to flee down the mountain.

Yet, how could men outrun wolves? In the end, they became nothing more than a meal.