My Mother-in-Law is Reborn [Seventies]

Guan Guiling's reputation was indeed well-known to many.

Although the capital city was vast, in those days, even the smallest events could spread like wildfire. It was no wonder that Guan Guiling, with her over-the-top demands, had become a topic of conversation.

Take the incident where Guan Guiling had accused the Fan family of pushing her downstairs, for example. Even Ming Mei, an ordinary person, could see through the suspicious nature of Guan Guiling's fall, let alone the police officers. However, Guan Guiling and her associates were quite cunning, managing to distance themselves from any wrongdoing.

Guan Guiling stubbornly insisted that the Fan family had pushed her, and in the end, the Fan family ended up paying up.

There were several other incidents that followed, resulting in the police being called in, though eventually, things were resolved. However, in a place like the capital, where everyone had relatives and connections, news traveled fast.

Rumors spread from one person to another, and soon, Guan Guiling's reputation was so bad that it seemed to stink up the entire city.

Back then, Bai Fendou and Zhou Qun also had bad reputations.

But people enjoyed gossiping about them because they didn't feel threatened by them. In contrast, everyone was cautious around Guan Guiling. Who wouldn't be? After all, she had the audacity to demand thousands of dollars in compensation.

That was ten years ago, in the early 1970s.

As a result, Guan Guiling's reputation wasn't just known in the capital; it even reached as far as Tianjin. Everyone knew about the woman at the capital's main bus station who would do anything for money. Her type of "accident-staging" was borderline suicidal.

That was downright terrifying.

She was someone who valued money over her own life!

So when Ming Mei casually referred to her as the "accident-staging queen" at the bus station, the crowd quickly dispersed, everyone giving her a wide berth. Who hadn't heard of this woman? Everyone was eager to avoid her.

Guan Guiling was furious. Sure, she would extort people when times were tough, but she wasn't the monster people made her out to be.

She glared at Ming Mei and said, "What kind of nonsense are you spouting? I'm not that kind of person! Sure, people spread lies about me outside, but we work in the same place. How dare you slander me like this? You've gone too far!"

Ming Mei retorted, "Why are you so mad? You know exactly what I'm talking about."

She wasn't about to be polite with Guan Guiling. With someone like her, any kindness would be seen as weakness, and Guan Guiling would take advantage. She had even tried to extort Ming Mei by fake-pregnancy once. There was no way Ming Mei would show any sympathy.

She waved her hand dismissively. "Get lost. Don't stand in front of our stand. We're all watching you. Don't even think about trying anything."

Guan Guiling was seething, but her daughter, Zheng Huimin, chimed in softly, her voice filled with sadness. "Auntie, what you're saying is truly hurtful. We're both women, and we should support each other. How can you damage my mother's reputation like this? What do you expect people to think of her, of our family? I know your unit looks down on us because we're not rich. But we should treat each other with kindness, especially when someone is struggling. Instead of gossiping and mocking, we should offer a helping hand. Those who gossip like this, even if they're wealthy, are spiritually poor."

Zhao Guihua muttered under her breath, "Wow, what a huge white lotus."

She immediately recognized Zheng Huimin's tone. Both in this life and the previous one, it was the same bland, innocent act. Zhao Guihua snapped, "Move along. Don't waste our time. If you don't leave, we won't be polite anymore."

Zhao Guihua felt like they had some kind of curse. They had only been setting up their stall for three days, and this was the second time some idiot had come to cause trouble.

She waved her hand impatiently. "Get lost. Don't waste our time."

She wasn't holding back. "Others might be scared of you, afraid you'll extort them, but I'm not. Come any closer, and I'll show you why flowers are red. Now, move along!"

Zhao Guihua could see that Guan Guiling was probably just here to cause trouble for Ming Mei. But who could say for sure she wouldn't suddenly collapse and try to extort them? Many things could happen in an instant. Guan Guiling might not be that extreme, but they weren't taking any chances.

After all, Ming Mei and Guan Guiling had never crossed paths before, and it was only because Ming Mei's family seemed well-off that Guan Guiling had targeted her. If something had happened, the outcome would have been disastrous. Just look at what happened to the Fan family.

The Fan family weren't good people, but Guan Guiling was even worse.

Zhao Guihua swatted at them like she was shooing flies. "Annoying. What kind of people are out there?"

Guan Guiling was trembling with anger, clutching her chest. "You're going too far!"

Zhao Guihua wasn't interested in continuing the conversation. "Move along, now. If you don't leave, I'll call the police. We know all about you. Don't think that just because we're setting up a stall, we're easy targets. If you come here trying to extort us, you're in for a surprise!"

"Exactly! We might be setting up stalls, but don't think you can take advantage of us!"

"Get lost already. What kind of person are you?"

"Ugh, shameless."

The surrounding crowd began to chime in, quickly joining the chorus of disapproval. It wasn't just because they were overly sensitive. Everyone hated people like Guan Guiling. Plus, they were genuinely afraid of being extorted.

Those running small businesses might feel self-conscious about being laughed at, but they knew they were making good money. The last thing they needed was for someone like Guan Guiling to come and ruin their day.

That was why everyone was keeping a close eye on her, urging her to leave. Even those who didn't recognize her made a mental note of her face, just in case they ever ran into her. People were so outraged that Guan Guiling could hardly stay.

She had come here intending to mock Ming Mei, but instead, she had become the joke herself. Her anger was boiling over. She bit her lip, glaring at Ming Mei, who simply raised her chin at her, unbothered.

Guan Guiling took a deep breath, huffed loudly, and said, "Let's go."

Zheng Huimin, still young, wanted to say something more, but Guan Guiling grabbed her daughter's hand, took a deep breath, and pulled her away. She was in her forties after all, and she knew that staying any longer wouldn't do her any good.

Her reputation had become so bad that it was as though the stench of it could travel for miles on the wind. And it was all thanks to people spreading rumors about her.

She fumed to herself, thinking that while she might have taken advantage of situations to survive, people had twisted her into a monster. Now, even Bai Fendou would leap away from her as if she were some kind of beast.

It wasn't just the neighbors; without her husband's careful negotiating, no one would have interacted with them at all. Guan Guiling knew that their family owed everything to her husband. She scowled, pulling her daughter away.

Zheng Huimin whispered softly, "Mom, how could they say such things about you? Do they even know how hard our life is? They have no idea, yet they speak so casually. They're just... they're just not good people."

She had heard her mother mention Ming Mei before, quite often in fact. Although Ming Mei believed she had no connection with Guan Guiling, in Guan Guiling's mind, Ming Mei was someone worth envying.

She had actually tried to extort Ming Mei before, but Ming Mei had been too cautious, never giving her an opportunity. After all, Ming Mei lived a comfortable life.

It was out of jealousy that Guan Guiling found Ming Mei so irritating, often badmouthing her at home.

That was why Zheng Huimin also disliked Ming Mei.

She said, "Mom, this Ming Mei is just as annoying as you said."

Guan Guiling: "How could I possibly deceive you? I'm usually an open book, gentle-natured. If it weren't for her outright arrogance, I wouldn't have spoken ill of her."

Zheng Huimin nodded.

She glanced back, noticing that the business over there was quite good. She bit her lip and muttered, "Speculative profiteering."

She couldn't help but harbor resentment—if only it were a few years earlier, she could have reported them. But now, with street vendors everywhere, small time hustles like this went largely unnoticed.

Zheng Huimin frowned, her displeasure evident. Guan Guiling glanced back a few times and remarked, "Their business seems quite good. I wonder where they source their goods."

She gave a light humph and said, "Mom, when I went to Xinghuali Lane to inquire about their stall, I met a young man who told me the Zhuangs were setting up shop in West Single. I heard they source from Guangzhou."

Guan Guiling was astonished. "So far?"

Zheng Huimin shrugged indifferently. "It's normal, isn't it? People nowadays go south for goods. Local factories wouldn't deal with these small-time vendors. Who do they think they are?"

Guan Guiling glanced back again, asking, "I wonder if they're raking in the profits."

Zheng Huimin: "Who knows?"

She looked down on these street vendors, thinking, "I find their mindset truly lacking. People like this should be properly educated."

Guan Guiling: "Enough, let's go home."

She coughed a few times and added, "Later, go to my workplace and ask for a leave for me."

"Alright."

Zheng Huimin supported Guan Guiling carefully, saying, "Mom, your health has never been great, and you're often bullied at work. Why not… why not consider early retirement? With my age, I need to find a job too. Why don't you hand over your position to me? I'll turn over all my salary."

Guan Guiling abruptly halted, glaring viciously at Zheng Huimin. Gone was the previous distress and misery; now, her face was filled with hatred. She locked her gaze on her daughter, saying harshly, "How dare you! How dare you suggest such a thing! I never expected your ambitions to grow so much that you'd dare covet this job."

Zheng Huimin was taken aback, whispering, "I… I didn’t mean…"

What was wrong with her wanting a job?

Guan Guiling raged, "This job belongs to the Zheng family, passed down by your father to me. I intend to pass it to your brother. Do you understand? Put this thought out of your mind. I never imagined you'd be so brazen to even think of it. This isn't something you can even consider!"

The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. If not for her poor health, she would have beaten the girl. She had nurtured a worthless ingrate.

"My brother… he doesn't want to work…"

"Even if he doesn't want it, the job is his! It has nothing to do with you!" Enraged beyond measure, she slapped Zheng Huimin across the face. "I’ve spoiled you, allowing you to develop such delusions. Do you even think you're worthy of such a good job? It’s your brother’s!"

Zheng Huimin whimpered, "Sob…"

"What are you doing!" A man's angry shout rang out. Guan Guiling turned to see a strange young man.

He was furious: "What do you think you're doing, old lady? How dare you bully someone like this? Miss, are you alright?"

Zheng Huimin: "Brother Su?"

This was Brother Su, whom she had met earlier at Xinghuali Lane while inquiring about the Zhuangs. Unexpectedly, they had crossed paths again. He looked concerned and said, "Miss, you’re really too soft-hearted to let people treat you like this."

He glared at Guan Guiling. "Don’t think your seniority gives you the right to bully people like that! Look at the bruise you’ve left on her. If I see you bully her again, don’t think I won’t come after you!"

Guan Guiling: "???"

She gaped at the young man, exclaiming, "What did you say? Who do you think you are to lecture me? I’m disciplining my daughter—what business is it of yours?"

This self-proclaimed champion of justice was no other than Su Jinlai.

Earlier in the day, the person Zheng Huimin had visited at Xinghuali Lane was also Su Jinlai. One could say, "Fate is truly unpredictable." Although their meeting this time was vastly different from their previous lives, fate seemed to prompt them to meet again soon.

Su Jinlai, hearing Guan Guiling's words, looked at Zheng Huimin in surprise. "Is she really your mother? She looks so old—more like your grandmother!"

Zheng Huimin pursed her lips, softly saying, "She is my mother. My life has been bitter…"

Su Jinlai widened his eyes. "Her age suggests she’s more like a grandmother than a mother. Are you sure she’s not raising someone else’s child? Don’t worry, Miss, I’m here for you. Even if she’s your real mother, we’re not powerless against such oppression. Where there’s oppression, there’s resistance. We can’t let her bully you like this."

Zheng Huimin gazed at Su Jinlai with admiration, feeling that he was so tall and strong.

Guan Guiling, however, was incensed, her eyes turning green with anger. "Who do you think you are? Our family matters have nothing to do with you! You're nothing but a lowly punk pretending to be tough. You mean nothing! Xiao Hui, come here! Stay away from this no-good street tramp!"

Su Jinlai: "Pfft! You think you're somebody? Go ask around about Su Ge's reputation. Who do you think you are, daring to insult me? Believe me, I’ll teach you a lesson!"

"You, you, you!"

Guan Guiling was furious, though deep down, she dared not provoke Su Jinlai. She knew these young punks were impulsive, capable of anything. Worse, they had a knack for revenge. The thought of incurring their wrath was too much to bear.

At that moment, she shot a venomous glare at her daughter. It was all Zheng Huimin’s fault for attracting such troublemakers.

She suppressed her anger and said coldly, "Xiao Hui, come here."

Zheng Huimin remained rooted to the spot, tearfully sniffling. Instead of obeying, she edged closer to Su Jinlai, placing her trust in him entirely. Their commotion had already drawn a crowd around them.

Not far away, Ming Mei had noticed.

Zhao Guihua, standing beside Ming Mei, also spotted the scene. She hadn’t expected Su Jinlai to have crossed paths with Zheng Huimin so soon. Even from a distance, they couldn’t tell what had happened, but it was clear the two were acquainted.

Without another word, Zhao Guihua started packing up her stall. "No more sales today—tomorrow we’ll continue. Come on, let’s go see what’s happening."

"Wow, you're really into gossip, aren’t you?"

"Quick, grab me a large size."

"I need a small size."

"Me too…"

Seeing Zhao Guihua pack up, those who’d been hesitating suddenly sprang into action, hurriedly paying and taking their items. They figured that if the old lady was willing to stop selling just to watch a drama, the goods must be in high demand. Plus, if she was making a killing, why would she risk the sale?

In no time, Zhao Guihua had sold seven or eight items.

Zhao Guihua: "…"

What kind of people were these? Earlier, they’d been indecisive, yet the moment she mentioned closing up, they’d suddenly become enthusiastic. It was baffling. Quickly collecting payments and handing out change, she said, "That's it for today, folks. No more sales. Don’t crowd around."

Together, Zhao Guihua and her daughter-in-law packed up and hurried toward the commotion.

Others, too, joined the curious crowd. If a drama was so engaging that it made people abandon their businesses, it must be worth witnessing. After all, leisure time wasn’t to be wasted.

Zhao Guihua muttered softly, "You don’t understand my fascination with gossip."

Already, quite a crowd had gathered around the drama. Guan Guiling felt deeply humiliated, saying, "Xiao Hui, how can you be so disobedient? Associating with a street punk like that, don’t expect me to acknowledge you as my daughter."

Zheng Huimin looked pitifully up at her mother, but soon became resolute. Her mother never cared for her, even less than Su Jinlai, whom she had only met once. She felt a deep ache in her heart as she said, "Mom, don't speak like that. Su Jinlai isn't a bad person; he's very kind."

Zheng Huimin continued, "Su Jinlai just couldn't stand seeing you hit me."

"You covet your brother's things, you deserve to be beaten!" Guan Guiling raged, "I'm asking you one last time, are you coming with me or not?"

Zheng Huimin blushed slightly from the crowd's attention, but also felt a pang of hurt. Her mother didn't seem to care for her at all. She bit her lip and said, "But Su Jinlai..."

She looked up pitifully at Su Jinlai, who quickly grabbed her, saying, "Don't go with your mom. The way she acts, she's clearly not a good person. Do you really want to go back and be a slave? We social youths have seen the world; there's a vast universe out there with endless opportunities. Why would you want to go back with your mom?"

Zheng Huimin gazed into Su Jinlai's eyes, hesitating as she bit her lip.

At that moment, a voice exclaimed with surprise, "Su Jinlai." Another "Su Jinlai."

Zhao Guihua and Ming Mei immediately turned to look. It wasn't anyone else but Guan Hong.

It was said that Guan Hong's family had been keeping a close eye on her, not allowing her to see Su Jinlai. Yet, here she was, on a workday, not at her job.

Guan Hong was clearly surprised to see Su Jinlai here. She quickly shook off her aunt and rushed over, "Su Jinlai, why are you here?"

Su Jinlai looked at her with a subtle expression, "What are you doing here to find me?"

Guan Hong hesitated for a moment, then grabbed his sleeve, "Su Jinlai, it's not that I didn't come to see you. My family has been watching me, not allowing me to see you. But you should know how I feel about you!"

Su Jinlai, hearing this, couldn't help but feel a bit smug.

He always knew he was the kind of man that no one could resist. Whether men or women, they would all fall for him, deeply in love with him.

Look, wasn't Guan Hong a prime example?

He smirked, "I thought you wouldn't come to find me again..."

"How could that be? My feelings for you are as eternal as the sea and the rocks!"

Su Jinlai: "I..."

"Su Jinlai, who is she?" Zheng Huimin, who already had some feelings for Su Jinlai, suddenly saw a girl passionately declaring her love, uncaring of others' gazes. Instantly, she felt uncomfortable.

It was as if something precious to her had been taken away.@@novelbin@@

How could this be?

This Su Jinlai had been so protective of her; surely, he must have feelings for her!

She looked at Guan Hong, her eyes flashing with a hint of jealousy.

With a fragile voice, she said, "Is she Su Jinlai's girlfriend?"

Guan Hong also turned her attention to Zheng Huimin, immediately on guard. Women could always spot a schemer.

She quickly said, "Of course, I..."

The word "am" hadn't even left her mouth.

When Su Jinlai spoke, "She's a good friend of mine."

Guan Hong looked at Su Jinlai in disbelief. Su Jinlai, however, showed no hint of being a scoundrel, calmly saying, "She's also like a good sister to me."

Hearing the words "good sister," Guan Hong blushed, then said, "Su Jinlai~ In my heart, you're also the best big brother."

Brother in love, or simply brother.

Guan Hong's aunt felt like she was cursed. Today, she was taking Guan Hong to the hospital, as her parents didn't have the time. Yet, here she was, unlucky enough to run into Su Jinlai again.

Why, why was it always her?!

Previously, it was she who had taken Guan Hong to a disastrous blind date, causing resentment from her family. And now, here she was again. Why did it always have to be her?

This cursed Su Jinlai, couldn't he just stop picking on her?

She felt utterly doomed. Surely, she hadn't checked the almanac before leaving the house. She feared the niece would only get more foolish, so she hurried over to pull her away, "Xiaohong, come back with me. What are you doing with this rogue? We're a respectable family. Just look at him, he's got other girls wrapped around his finger. How can you be so devoted?"

Guan Hong: "I won't!"

She didn't dare defy her parents, but did she have to listen to her aunt?

She declared firmly, "No one can separate me from Su Jinlai."

Standing on the sidelines, Ming Mei was struck by the girl's determination, exclaiming, "Wow!"

The onlookers also gasped.

This girl sure was a handful for her family.

Guan Hong clung tightly to one of Su Jinlai's arms, saying, "Su Jinlai, no matter what, my heart only belongs to you. I want to be with you."

"Come back with me."

"I won't! No one can keep me locked up. Marriage is free now; I will marry Su Jinlai."

"You! You can't say such things. He hasn't even said he wants you." Guan Hong's aunt was so angry she was gasping for breath.

But Guan Hong remained firm. With a triumphant glance at Zheng Huimin, she declared proudly, "I will definitely be with Su Jinlai. No one can get in my way."

Zheng Huimin bit her lip in grievance, her tears nearly falling as she looked at Su Jinlai.

Su Jinlai pulled his hand away, saying, "You should go back with your aunt. I don't want to cause trouble for other families."

Guan Hong: "I won't go."

"Come ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‍with me."

"I won't go!"

Guan Hong and her aunt were like children playing tug-of-war, pulling at each other.

Guan Guiling watched with disdain, and then quickly said, "Look at the kind of person you've met. He's been entangled with other women. Come back with me."

Guan Guiling thought this girl's arrival was perfect. It would show her daughter that this young man wasn't any good and hopefully get her to leave. But she didn't realize that Zheng Huimin, a recent adult, wouldn't see this as a sign of a bad man.

Instead, the competition made her feel that this man was desirable, sought after by others. A rebellious youth like this, she had heard about such people but never met one. They were said to be capable talkers with many admirers.

She bit her lip, forcefully pushing Guan Guiling's hand away, saying, "Mom, don't say that. I think Su Jinlai is a good person. I'm not a child anymore; I know how to differentiate between good and bad. You're just bad-mouthing Su Jinlai because he heroically saved me earlier."

She stood firmly beside Su Jinlai, despite only having met him once. It was enough to make her feel intoxicated by this man. She stepped closer to Su Jinlai, saying, "Su Jinlai, I know you're a good person. My mom..."

She looked at Guan Guiling, "My mom has some issues with me. I want to move out. Can you help me?"

"How dare you, shameless girl! Trying to steal my man!" Guan Hong was furious. She always knew Su Jinlai was the best; otherwise, why would others compete for him? Her parents' words about other men being good but struggling to find wives echoed in her mind.

Look at Su Jinlai.

She glared fiercely at Zheng Huimin, "Little sister, has anyone ever told you that you should be content with what you have? Don't covet others' possessions."

Zheng Huimin's eyes were red with unshed tears, "I only have Su Jinlai to rely on."

Su Jinlai immediately said, "Don't worry, I'll help you. I'm also looking for a place to move recently. Let's find a place together. Come with me."

Zheng Huimin's eyes sparkled, "Okay."

Guan Hong: "You... you little scoundrel, I'll kill you..."

She rushed forward, shouting, "I'll kill you, little scoundrel! You should've asked about my reputation before daring to steal my man..."

Though Zheng Huimin was weaker and often beaten, she was familiar with fighting due to her family's situation. Her mother was always causing trouble, leading to frequent scuffles at home. She dodged while secretly retaliating against Guan Hong.

Guan Hong: "Ah!"

Zhao Guihua and Ming Mei, standing among the onlookers, watched the scene turn into a brawl between two girls. Both were somewhat stunned.

Ming Mei vented her soul's inquiry: "What exactly about Su Jinlai is so attractive? What's up with these two girls..."

If it weren't for the fact that it would be inappropriate to talk about feudal superstitions in public, she really wanted to say, did Su Jinlai cast a spell on these two girls or something? Otherwise, why would they go to such lengths? Fighting over such a scoundrel?

Zhao Guihua: "Nowadays, young girls have poor eyesight."

Although they talked like this, the onlookers had other opinions: "This guy is handsome, isn't he? A gentleman admires a graceful lady, and big girls also like handsome young men."

"That's right, and look at his family background, not bad either. Look, he's dressed in a suit and leather shoes."

"Indeed."

Zhao Guihua and Ming Mei know Su Jinlai's true nature, so they understand what kind of person he is. But outsiders don't know, and to them, Su Jinlai seems quite presentable. Su Jinlai used to be poor, wearing shabby clothes, but even then, Guan Hong was attracted to him.

Not to mention now, dressed in a stylish suit and leather shoes.

This suit and leather shoes were extravagantly bought for him by Hu Huihui, for investing in money-making always requires some upfront expenses.

To outsiders, Su Jinlai seems worth fighting over, especially since both Guan Hong and Zheng Huimin's clothing indicates they don't come from wealthy backgrounds. It's inevitable that some people would think they're after his money.

Well, there are always people who, whether they approve or not, tend to think in terms of materialism.

The crowd buzzed with various discussions, while the two girls had escalated to grabbing each other's hair. Guan Hong kept yelling curses, while Zheng Huimin played the weakling, sobbing lightly, but her hands didn't loosen at all.

"What are you doing, bullying someone..." Guan Guiling rushed forward without hesitation. This was the time to act, as she wasn't afraid of confronting an impulsive young girl like this, but she wasn't keen on tangling with someone like Su Jinlai.

Before she could even "leverage" herself to fall, Guan Hong's aunt rushed over. She had no idea Guan Guiling was trying to stage an accident, only thinking that Guan Guiling wanted to gang up on Guan Hong. No matter how disappointed she was in Guan Hong, she was still family.

Before Guan Guiling could fall, the aunt grabbed her and slapped her across the face.

"You mother and daughter teaming up to bully my niece, as if we had no one in the family, huh? Is this how you treat people? Watch me slap you! I'll beat you to death!" The old lady's fury was always formidable.

Not to mention, Guan Hong's aunt had been holding her frustration for a long time.

She kept slapping Guan Guiling, who shouted, "Ah! How dare you lay a hand on me, I won't let you off! I definitely won't let you off!"

She was in too much pain and fought back, but Guan Guiling was no match for the old lady. She was beaten like a piglet, screaming curses at the top of her voice: "Zheng Huimin, you little brat. Why aren't you coming to help? Are you watching your mom get beaten to death?"

Zheng Huimin... Zheng Huimin was still fighting with Guan Hong.

The two girls refused to let go of each other. Su Jinlai stood nearby, not joining the fight, but saying, "I know both of you have feelings for me, but you shouldn't hurt each other like this."

The scene was chaotic, and no one paid attention to what he was saying.

Guan Guiling, beaten to the point of seeing stars, finally realized she needed to fake a faint.

She let out a cry, fell to the side, and lay still.

Seeing this, those who had heard of this woman as the notorious scammer Guan Guiling quickly took several steps back, Ming Mei and Zhao Guihua included. Although they were watching the spectacle, they maintained a safe distance, genuinely afraid of being implicated.

Ming Mei: "Aunt Guan Hong is going to fall for it."

Zhao Guihua didn't think so, saying, "Not necessarily, let's see."

Although Guan Guiling wasn't acting properly, she underestimated the formidable old lady. These elderly women, of a similar age, had survived the harshest times of the old society. They weren't easily taken in by someone like Guan Guiling.

Sure enough, when Guan Guiling suddenly collapsed to the ground, Aunt Guan Hong remained composed, sneering coldly, then gave her a few more kicks before grabbing Guan Hong: "Come back with me."

She didn't touch Zheng Huimin, not bullying a young girl.

She firmly grabbed her niece, saying, "Come with me!"

Guan Hong: "I won't!"

At this moment, Zheng Huimin finally rushed to her mom, crying, "Mom, what happened to you, don't scare me!"

Guan Guiling, beaten everywhere, closed her eyes and pinched her daughter, knowing that to stage a scam, they needed to cooperate. This wasn't their first time doing such a thing. Zheng Huimin understood immediately and cried even harder.

Aunt Guan Hong: "Pfft, you still have the nerve to cry. The two of you ganging up on my niece, and now you're lying there acting like victims? If you have the guts to fight for a man, then face off properly! Disgusting creatures."

She spat again, saying, "Truly despicable beings, pretending to be dead? Do you think I'm afraid of you, old woman? Let me see, let me see this scratch you gave me, you didn't hold back at all, did you? Shameless!"

She stood with her hands on her hips, cursing loudly.

Zheng Huimin cried out: "Please everyone, help me, quickly help me, take my mom to the hospital, please!"

She stared at Guan Hong and said, "You're bullying me like this, hurting my mom, I'm going to sue you."

Upon hearing this, everyone quickly took another big step back.

"It's true about Guan Guiling, she's all about money, no matter what."

"I've heard this person always tries to scam, I didn't dare get close earlier, and it turns out it's true."

"You can't say that, the old lady really did lay hands on her."

"That's what you say, but they were ganging up on her, how could they not help? Of course, they'd help their own."

Some kind-hearted people quickly warned: "Auntie, this woman is the notorious scammer Guan Guiling from the bus station, don't fall for her tricks, she's probably faking it."

Guan Guiling, lying on the ground, ground her teeth in anger. Who asked you to interfere? Do you live by the river or something? Meddling so much.

Aunt Guan Hong hadn't expected this woman to be Guan Guiling, but she had heard of her reputation. She was quite well-known.

She immediately stood with her hands on her hips, shouting, "Well, well, it turns out the two of you are here to scam me, huh? No wonder you're putting on this act. But let me tell you, I'm not afraid, I'm this old, what do I have to be scared of? Don't think you can pull a fast one on me! Do you think I'm easy to bully?"

Su Jinlai, seeing their shouting, frowned and said, "What are you all doing? This little sister isn't lying, her mom really fainted, shouldn't you send her to the hospital right now?"

"Then you send her."

"Exactly."

"Talk is cheap."

Su Jinlai, furious, retorted: "I'll send her myself, I'm not heartless like you."

Upon hearing this, Zheng Huimin's eyes shone with even more fervor. Everyone else looks down on them, avoids them, despises them, but in Su Brother's heart, her family is worth helping. This must be for her.

Her face turned red with shyness.

Guan Hong, seeing this, cursed: "You little slut, seducing my man, you..."

Su Jinlai: "Enough, stop talking, I'll take her to the hospital first."

He quickly hailed a tricycle, helped her onto it. Seeing someone taking over, Aunt Guan Hong pulled Guan Hong and quickly ran away. Despite her seeming composure earlier, she was panicking inside. If she got scammed, it would be over.

She dragged Guan Hong and ran, but Guan Hong resolutely shook off her aunt's hand and followed firmly: "Su Brother, I'm going with you."

She glared at Zheng Huimin and thought to herself, no matter what, she couldn't let this fox spirit take away her Su Jinlai. Although Su Jinlai's heart wasn't completely inclined towards her yet, she was absolutely not going to part with him. If they did, this fox spirit would surely interfere.

Ignoring her aunt, she firmly grabbed Su Jinlai's hand and said, "I'm going with you."

Zheng Huimin frowned unhappily but didn't show it. She merely looked at Su Jinlai with an air of helplessness.

Guan Guiling, on the other hand, pinched her daughter, signaling for her to follow. If she didn't, how could they blackmail someone?

Zheng Huimin bit her lip and said, "Let's go then."

Guan Hong and Zheng Huimin didn't look kindly upon each other, but they both still got on the tricycle.

The tricycle driver: "..."

"Me, pulling all four of you? You've got some nerve!"

He mentally added that he'd have to charge extra for this.

The four of them sat on the vehicle, and the tricycle driver took a deep breath. "Here we go!"

Guan Guiling pretended to faint with her eyes closed, scheming not only to blackmail this girl named Hong but also Su Jinlai. The nerve of him, daring to offend her! She wasn't going to let it go.

She was thinking all this, but what she didn't know was that Su Jinlai had briefly touched her pocket while helping her onto the vehicle. No, it wasn't that he wanted to steal anything; it was the money tempting him... He had been kind enough to help her get to the hospital, right? Taking a little money wasn't a big deal, was it?

After all, he was a good person.

Besides, the tricycle driver would need to be paid too. He couldn't be expected to foot the bill. It was only right, absolutely right!

The tricycle quickly left, but the crowd that had just witnessed a big show didn't disperse.

They had never seen such a thing before.

If it were a couple of years earlier, this chaotic affair of the heart would have been taken care of. It's just that now, the atmosphere had become more open. Otherwise, tsk tsk!

Guan Hong's aunt couldn't hold back her own niece and felt a surge of anger. But then she thought, she absolutely couldn't go along; otherwise, she would be the one blackmailed. As for whether Guan Hong would be blackmailed, she didn't care.

This stupid girl, how could she be so senseless?

That was her niece. If it were her own daughter, she'd break her legs for sure.

Guan Hong's aunt couldn't care less anymore. Even if it earned her some resentment, so be it. Otherwise, if that leech Guan Guiling got her claws into her, she'd end up losing. She didn't care what others said and quickly squeezed out of the crowd, hurrying back home.

Although she said she wasn't going to intervene, she had to go back and clarify things.

With all five people from the scene now dispersed, the onlookers still didn't want to leave. Ming Mei felt like she had eaten a gigantic melon. She had seen it all, truly seen it all. The atmosphere was indeed different now. Young girls looking for husbands were far bolder than they used to be. Back in their days, they were much more cautious. But look at this. Look at Su Jinlai's audacity—he had entangled two girls at once.

Ming Mei marveled at this, and so did others around her.

An old man looked in the direction they had left and said enviously, "You see, some people just have different fates. I'm such a good guy, but finding a partner is so hard. Yet look at him—two girls flocking to him. It's really enviable. I'm not short on money, but why is finding a partner so difficult?"

"Come to think of it, Su Jinlai, I always feel like I've heard that name somewhere. It sounds familiar."

Well, it seemed Su Jinlai's reputation really had spread far and wide.

"You're not the only one. I feel like I've heard it too."

Zhao Guihua looked at these people, thinking they really didn't have as much insight as she did. She slowly said, "Big Bird of Xinghuali Lane."

"What?"

"What do you mean?"

At first, everyone was puzzled, but Zhao Guihua explained, "I'm saying that Su Jinlai has a nickname: Big Bird. Heard of it?"

Some looked confused, but others suddenly understood.

Those who didn't know quickly asked those who did, and those in the know couldn't resist showing off. "It was because this guy once got drunk and stripped naked. That's how he got that nickname."

The speaker winked mischievously.

What was there not to understand?

"Ah, so he's well-endowed."

"No wonder he can keep the girls hooked."

"This is really..."

With two girls fighting over one man, Su Jinlai's reputation as Big Bird quickly spread.

It seemed that being well-endowed certainly had its merits. Otherwise, how could two girls be so attached?

Zhao Guihua and Ming Mei listened to the crowd's discussion. Seeing how things were quickly descending into crudeness, Zhao Guihua quickly pulled her daughter-in-law away. "Let's get out of here."

Ming Mei grimaced. "Mother, you... what do you think?"

She didn't even know what to ask. After all, this whole situation was just too bizarre.

After a while, she said, "Do you think these two girls have a screw loose?"

Zhao Guihua didn't know if they were off their rockers, but she could see that the more they fought over him, the harder it would be for these girls to let go. Young people just had this competitive spirit.

Useless, but also undeniably strong.

She said, "Anyway, if my daughter Xiaoyan or Yuanyuan were like this, I'd definitely break their legs."

Ming Mei firmly nodded. "Me too."

It was fine to like boys, but to like someone like Su Jinlai? That was just madness.

The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law watched the drama unfold, both incredulous. They never imagined that the most popular boy in their neighborhood would be Su Jinlai. It was ridiculous!

Both of them put their bikes away and walked forward pushing them.

As they were in a daze, shocked by what they had witnessed, suddenly, a group of men emerged from the alley and surrounded them.

"Stop!" A loud shout rang out.

A dozen young men quickly blocked Zhao Guihua and Ming Mei.

Zhao Guihua and Ming Mei both frowned.

Ming Mei: "What do you want?"

"Heh, what do you think?"

Brother Wei walked out from the alley, carrying a knife that he swung around, a cold smile on his face. He stared at the two women with a dark, sinister gaze. "You think you can just let things go after offending me, Brother Wei of the Tiger Gang?"

He looked Ming Mei up and down, his eyes full of lechery. "If you're willing to properly serve me, Brother Wei, and then my brothers, I might consider sparing your little lives. Otherwise, heh heh... don't blame me for not warning you. My brothers' knives don't have eyes."

"Brother Wei is mighty!"

"Brother Wei is the best!"

The group let out cackles, their eyes all on Ming Mei.

Brother Wei sneered. "In all my years of roaming the jianghu (world), no one has ever slapped my face like this. The Tiger Gang's reputation—seems like you know nothing about it. Now, hand over all your money!"

Ming Mei frowned, looking at the men in front of her. She had actually predicted that this person might come again. But she didn't expect him to avoid the stall and instead intercept them on their way home.

Ming Mei: "What Tiger Gang are you talking about?"

"Hahaha, you, an unsophisticated little thing, you've never heard of the Tiger Gang?"

"What a joke. Our gang has over a hundred brothers. We've seen it all. Dealing with a little lass like you is like playing with a toy. Telling you to serve us is giving you face. If you don't know what's good for you... heh, believe me, I'll still mess with you. I'll even scratch your face and throw you into the mountains to be some old man's wife."

Ming Mei's eyes sharpened. "I don't believe you. Have you done that before?"

Brother Wei: "Pfft, don't believe me? You're so naive! Hahaha, brothers, this lass doesn't believe me. Isn't she hilarious?"

"Hilarious, brother. Take care of her..."

"This little lass is refusing to see the coffin..."

"She has no idea. We've dealt with many women. There's Li Fang from the garment factory..."

"Hu Yan from the cannery..."

"Hahaha..."

One by one, they listed names, and Ming Mei's gaze grew darker. With a cold humph, she said, "I guess you've never heard of me."

"You? What's your name?"

“You little woman, don't think that just because you know a couple of moves you can do anything! I don’t believe it, can your speed possibly beat my blade’s!? Look around you, look how many of us there are, you really… AHH!!”

Ming Mei suddenly took a swift step forward, kicking his wrist and snatching the knife into her own hands. Without hesitation, she waved it menacingly, causing Brother Wei to flinch and stumble backwards, landing on the ground with a thud. She then kicked him in the stomach and smashed the hilt of the knife onto his head.

Zhao Guihua, seeing the others stunned, charged directly at a young man’s sensitive area, kicking aggressively. This was inspired by Bai Fendou’s strategy—target the most vulnerable spots. If you’re so proud of having those, then I’ll just take them out!

Zhao Guihua landed several brutal kicks, rendering two men incapacitated.

“Holy shit. This old lady is ruthless.”

“Kill her! Beat her up!”

“Charge! Take her down!”

Several men quickly surrounded Zhao Guihua, desperate to teach this audacious old lady a lesson. Meanwhile, Ming Mei also rushed over swiftly. She had been trained in martial arts since childhood, and although she didn’t practice daily as an adult, some skills were ingrained. Unable to verify the truth of what these ruffians were saying, Ming Mei saw no reason to show mercy to scum like them.

Returning to seek revenge after their initial defeat was unforgivable. If she let these bullies off the hook, wouldn’t that make her look weak?

Brother Wei, who had been the loudest of the bunch, was already half-dead, battered by Ming Mei’s fists and kicks, unable to even crawl. Ming Mei didn’t rely on raw strength, but her skillful technique easily took down one opponent after another. Meanwhile, Zhao Guihua dodged and weaved, retaliating whenever possible. In no time, four young men huddled, clutching their wounds and drenched in cold sweat, barely able to avoid rolling on the ground in agony. Running? Impossible!

In unbearable pain.

Ming Mei, unperturbed, continued her onslaught, knocking everyone down. Looking at the heaps of men groaning on the ground, she called out: “Mom, go to the police station.”

Zhao Guihua didn’t argue, swiftly running off.

“Heroine...”

Ming Mei stomped forward without hesitation: “Don’t address me like that. Didn’t you want to mess with me? You’ve really got no idea who you’re dealing with. When I was catching crooks, you were probably still playing with mud, pissing wherever you pleased. And now you dare strut in front of me? I’ll kick you to death!”

“You... you’re a cop?”

Clearly influenced by too many movies.

Ming Mei delivered a few more kicks: “Can’t speak properly, huh? Stop playing tough!”

One by one, they were left battered and humiliated under Ming Mei’s feet.

“You... you’re a police officer?”

They overheard her mention “catching crooks,” and now they lamented, “Was this a setup?”

Ming Mei berated them with a few more blows: “Can’t I do good deeds without being a cop? None of you scumbags are getting away.”

Some bystanders had heard the commotion but dared not approach. From a distance, they peeked at this female warrior—terrifyingly, ten or so men were no match for her. It wasn’t that they were weak; this woman was simply too formidable.

Zhao Guihua moved quickly, returning with police officers in tow. The leading officer, spotting Ming Mei from a distance, greeted her with a smile: “Sister Ming.”

Truth be told, among the grassroots police officers patrolling the outskirts of Beijing, there were none who didn’t know Ming Mei and her mother-in-law, Zhao Guihua. They had captured countless thieves, big and small, becoming the ultimate nemesis for criminals. Any criminal associated with them was basically handing over their achievements.

Take, for example, Officer Wang from the machinery factory police station. Thanks to the frequent arrests in Ming Mei’s area, he accumulated numerous merits, propelling him all the way to the position of deputy director of the Beijing Municipal Police Bureau. Of course, he was also highly capable, but several major achievements had been tied to Ming Mei’s jurisdiction.

Not to mention that everyone recently knew Zhao Guihua, the little old lady, found herself embroiled in a big case during a countryside matchmaking trip. Outsiders may not be aware, but insiders knew that Fan Jianguo’s case was snowballing into a massive case involving additional robberies and gambling rings.

To explain, in urban areas, workers have fixed holidays, but in rural areas, there are periods of slack after the harvest. Some idle men are lured to gambling tables during these times.

Some gambling dens target these rural men after they’ve sold their harvests. Fraudulent schemes abound.

These operations often move relentlessly, making them difficult to catch. They’re most active post-harvest and less noticeable later on. But Fan Jianguo was caught up in one of these—a seasoned gambler, he could sniff out the criminal operations like a cat attracted to stinky fish. Right now, the case is still unfolding, looking to become one of the major cases of the year.

City police have descended, with local stations coordinating, and the merits are spread among all involved.

However, such opportunities had eluded them so far.

But fate loves those who stand for justice! Today, they struck gold!

As soon as he recognized Zhao Guihua, he sprinted toward Ming Mei with his team. Though they’d never formally met, he shouted from a distance: “Sister Ming!”

Brother Wei wailed, “You’re really a cop, aren’t you?”

Sobbing uncontrollably!

This woman was actually a police officer. A bona fide officer setting up a stall—clearly, it was a setup targeting their Tiger Gang.

These cops were utterly cunning!

The police officer arrived and, surveying the fallen men, smiled: “Sister Ming, I hear these guys tried to rob on the road? Leave it to me, you can rest assured.”

Ming Mei: “...?”

She didn’t recognize this police officer.

Why so familiar?

But she honestly replied: “They claimed to be part of the Tiger Gang, saying they’ve harassed many women. I’ve taken note…”

At this, Brother Wei and his cohorts wailed even louder.

Sobbing, they realized they’d been trapped!