My Mother-in-Law is Reborn [Seventies]

Zhuang Zhixi had struck it rich this time.

Having a few hundred thousand in this era was truly something to celebrate, and he had to keep his nerves tightly wound to avoid getting carried away. Whether you had money or not, the way you carried yourself was different. Though he tried hard not to act too smug, he couldn't resist buying a color TV. In those days, most people opted for practical black-and-white TVs, so Zhuang Zhixi's purchase of a color one was quite rare. But, well, he just couldn't help himself.

Even Ming Mei thought, since they were buying a TV anyway, why not go for the color one? After all, it was more enjoyable to watch, wasn't it?

Initially, the couple had planned to put the TV in Old Man Zhuang and Zhao Guihua's room, but the elderly couple firmly refused. Zhao Guihua waved her hand dismissively, saying with calm assurance, "I can buy one myself if I want. I don't need you to butter me up."

Zhuang Zhixi chuckled, "Mom, we all know you're just trying to save us the expense. You’re all tough on the outside but soft on the inside. If we didn’t know you better, we might actually misunderstand you."

Zhuang Guihua shot him a sideways glance. "Oh, you think you know me so well, huh?"

Zhuang Zhixi shrugged with a grin.

Zhao Guihua insisted, "I'll buy my own."

As a proud member of the "reborn" crowd, Zhao Guihua might not have been as successful as some of the characters in novels, but buying a TV was well within her means. She snorted, "We'll buy one ourselves soon enough. We don’t need you to provide for us."

Liang Meifen, who was standing nearby, twitched her lips as if she wanted to say something but ultimately didn’t dare.

Since the elderly couple refused, Zhuang Zhixi decided to install the TV in his own room. The kids, Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan, were over the moon. They had been longing for a TV at home for ages. Though they could watch TV at their great-grandfather’s place, it wasn’t the same as having one in their own home. Now, they were absolutely thrilled.

Bai Fendou, seeing how envious his daughter Bai Qingqing looked, declared confidently, "Don’t worry, sweetheart. By the end of the year, we’ll have one too. We’ll watch the Spring Festival Gala at home this year."

Bai Qingqing’s eyes lit up instantly, and she jumped up and down excitedly, exclaiming, "Really? That’s amazing!"

Bai Fendou laughed. "Of course it’s true."

Ye Siyuan, on the other hand, was more straightforward. The little boy sat on the edge of the kang, swinging his legs, and said, "Our family definitely won’t be buying one this year. We just bought a house last year."

Even though the kids were young, they had a pretty good understanding of their family’s financial situation.

"There’s no rush. You’ll get one sooner or later. You’re welcome to come over and watch TV anytime," Zhuang Zhixi said warmly to the kids. Zhao Guihua watched this with indifference. In a few decades, such neighborly closeness would be rare.

But ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‍in those days, it was common for kids to snack at each other’s houses or watch TV together. As long as you weren’t overly stingy, no one really minded. Especially in dual-income households, where parents often couldn’t look after their kids all the time, it was normal for children to have a meal at a neighbor’s place.

You’d eat at mine, and I’d eat at yours—it wasn’t something people kept strict tabs on.

Ming Mei asked, "Siyuan, is your mom home? I want to roast some peanuts."

Ye Siyuan replied, "She is."

Ming Mei nodded and headed out with a bag, saying as she left, "Wait for me. I’ll bring back some roasted peanuts for you all."

"Okay~"

Wang Zizhen’s roasted peanuts were as good as Chef Li’s, and Ming Mei always preferred to ask her for help.

She left cheerfully, while Zhuang Zhixi finished setting up the TV. "Let’s see how the picture quality is," he said.

"Wow!"

Whether it was good or not, the kids were enthusiastic, letting out a collective "wow." Zhuang Zhixi laughed. "Now we’ll finally know what color everyone’s clothes are."

Everyone gathered around to watch, adults and kids alike. Though this wasn’t the first TV in the courtyard, it didn’t stop people from being curious. The kids crowded onto the kang—thankfully, it was a kang and not a bed, or there wouldn’t have been enough space.

After work, no one was in a hurry to go home. Instead, they all gathered here. Ming Mei, however, wasn’t too interested in watching TV. She took her bag and headed to the neighboring courtyard. As she entered, she caught a glimpse of a familiar figure out of the corner of her eye. She stopped and looked around, but upon closer inspection, there was no one there.

Ming Mei poked her head out for a better look but still saw no one. She shrugged it off and went inside.

What Ming Mei didn’t know was that the person hiding was none other than Jiang Baohong. Jiang Baohong hadn’t expected to almost run into Ming Mei on her very first day of scouting the area. Truth be told, she wasn’t familiar with the people here. Though there had been some drama in the past, that was ages ago, and most people’s memories weren’t that good.

So, it wasn’t strange for Jiang Baohong to come and scout the place.

But she really hadn’t anticipated running into Ming Mei. Others might not recognize her, but Ming Mei definitely would. After all, they had worked in the same unit for years. Though they weren’t in the same office, Ming Mei wasn’t suffering from dementia—she’d remember her.

The moment Jiang Baohong was spotted, she felt like her soul had left her body. She quickly ducked into the restroom, pressing herself against the wall as she gasped for breath. After a while, she finally calmed down. But when she turned around, she found herself face-to-face with several men…

"Ahhhhhh!"

A chorus of screams erupted—both male and female—as everyone screamed in unison.

The men quickly covered their private parts, their eyes bulging. "Catch the pervert!!!"

Jiang Baohong hadn’t expected this. She had just wanted to hide, but she had accidentally stumbled into the men’s restroom. As a woman nearing fifty who had been married for a long time, it wasn’t like she hadn’t seen it all before. Her scream was purely out of shock at finding so many people in the restroom. But why were these young men screaming?

Before she could react, the young men in the restroom started wailing as if they’d been wronged. Among them were Hutou and Li Weiwei. It was after work and school, and coincidentally, it was the weekend.

Hutou hadn’t even made it home yet. He had thought he’d use the restroom first, but who could have guessed that he’d run into trouble? This woman had barged in, scaring them half to death. Hutou cried out, "Oh my heavens! My innocence!"

Next to him, Li Weiwei was no less vocal, shouting, "Catch the pervert! Catch the woman who barged into the men’s restroom!"

He was just as terrified as Hutou. They were young men, after all!

To think that a middle-aged woman had seen them like this—it was enough to make them want to cry.

Li Weiwei couldn’t hold back his tears. "Oh, mother!"

His wails were even louder than Hutou’s. The two young men’s cries of distress quickly spread, and the other men, caught up in the hysteria, also started covering themselves and screaming, "Mom, someone come quick!"

They frantically pulled up their pants, looking at Jiang Baohong as if she were some kind of villain.

"Someone help!"

"Save us!"

The men’s frantic cries drew people from all over the courtyard. Jiang Baohong, realizing she needed to escape, bolted. If she were caught, their revenge plan would be ruined. She dashed out, but the men shouted, "Catch her!!!"

The commotion drew even more onlookers. As Jiang Baohong ran out, she saw Ming Mei again. Damn it, why was it always Ming Mei?

Why couldn’t she just stay at home instead of always coming out to gawk at the drama? Though Jiang Baohong cursed her in her heart, she didn’t hesitate to duck back like a turtle. She couldn’t let Ming Mei see her.

Just as the men were about to chase her, the "pervert" suddenly dashed back in.

Hutou cried, "Ah! What do you want now?"

Yang Shulin shouted, "You young men, hide behind me! Quick!"

Yes, Yang Shulin was there too—Little Sister Yu’s husband.

He had originally gone out to use the restroom and was about to head home to prepare for his stall, but he never expected the city folks to be so wild. In broad daylight, under the clear sky, someone actually dared to do such a thing—it was utterly despicable.

He had never encountered a female hooligan before, but he felt that, as a grown man, he couldn’t just stand by while the younger guys were so frightened. He stood firm and said, “Step back.”

Several of the younger ones immediately retreated, while the older ones felt it was their duty to hold their ground.

“You, you, you! What do you think you’re doing?”

“What am I doing?”

“Yes, what are you doing?”

Jiang Baohong, desperate and panicked, barged in again. Seeing the anger in everyone’s eyes, she was momentarily flustered. It was like being caught between a rock and a hard place.

She tried to put on a tough front, shouting, “What’s the big deal about looking? Are men afraid of being seen?”

The group of men huddled together, staring at this woman who had boldly stormed into the men’s restroom, looking like a bunch of startled quails.

Jiang Baohong continued to yell, “I’m doing you a favor by looking at you! I’ve seen plenty in my time!”

The men were stunned. “!!!”

She really was a seasoned female hooligan!

Jiang Baohong sneered, “If you know what’s good for you, get out of my way.”

Yes, yes, if everyone stepped aside, she could avoid Ming Mei’s gaze and quickly deal with the situation.

Yang Shulin trembled with anger. They had seen their share of troublemakers, but never one as brazen as this. He scolded, “We’re not afraid of you. Don’t think you can strut around here like you own the place.”

After a pause, it suddenly dawned on him. This was their turf! Why should they be intimidated by a woman in their own territory? He raised his voice, “Brothers, for the sake of our dignity, let’s grab her!”

He shouted, “She’s just one person, and a woman at that. What are we afraid of? Let’s get her!”

This rallying cry snapped everyone out of their daze. That’s right, no matter how bold she was, she was still alone. They immediately charged forward, yelling, “Don’t even think about running!”

Jiang Baohong cursed under her breath, “What the hell!”

As a few men lunged at her, Jiang Baohong swung her arms wildly, spinning them like windmills. Hearing the commotion and footsteps outside the restroom, she knew it was time to make a quick exit.

Spotting a piece of fabric sticking out of one young man’s pocket, she grabbed it, pulled it over her head, leaving only her eyes exposed, and bolted out the door.

She bumped into someone who was about to enter the restroom, sending them stumbling, but Jiang Baohong didn’t care. She didn’t even look around, just kept her face covered and dashed out of the alley.

“After her!”

By the time the men gave chase, they were already too late. It wasn’t their fault for hesitating—who wouldn’t be shocked seeing a woman snatch a pair of underwear and sprint off with it on her head?

The brief moment of stunned silence was a natural reaction.

“Hurry, chase her!”

“Oh my god, that was my new pair of underwear! She not only barged into the men’s restroom but also stole my underwear!”

The young man who had his underwear stolen was none other than Li Weiwei.

He wailed in despair.

By now, many people from the compound had come out, but they were too late. The woman had already run far ahead, and there was someone on a bicycle waiting to whisk her away. It turned out this shameless woman had an accomplice.

After chasing for a while without catching her, everyone returned dejected, looking as wilted as frostbitten eggplants.

“What happened?”

“Yeah, what’s going on?”

“I heard someone yelling about catching a hooligan. What’s the story?”

Everyone started chattering, asking questions. Hutou quickly explained, “We were all in the restroom when a woman suddenly barged in. I was so scared I covered myself up, but she was terrifying. Not only did she barge in, but she also stole Li Weiwei’s underwear.”

The crowd gasped, “Whoa!”

Li Weiwei cried, “It’s true! She was about fifty years old, with piercing eyes that felt like they were nailed to us. It was so scary, boo hoo!”

He felt the most wronged because he had lost a pair of underwear.

“Did she strip you of your underwear?”

Everyone turned to stare at Li Weiwei, who quickly clarified, “No!”

He looked around, realizing the misunderstanding, and hurriedly explained, “It wasn’t the underwear I was wearing. It was a spare pair in my pocket. My family runs a stall, and a guy from our factory bought a pair and asked me to deliver it. But he got sent on an errand today, so I hadn’t given it to him yet. It was just in my pocket…”

He had to explain clearly, or else rumors would spread that he had been stripped by a hooligan.

He sobbed, “It was brand new! A big pair of underwear, worth fifty cents! Boo hoo!” What a loss—that could have bought half a pound of meat!

Yang Shulin was also shaken. He had never expected to encounter such a bold person in the city. Even the women in his village who talked tough were nothing like this. To charge into a men’s restroom—what kind of madness was that?

She was truly terrifying.

He added, “I was scared too, but I stepped up to protect the younger guys. Thankfully, she ran off after stealing the underwear, but if she hadn’t, we would’ve caught her.”

He grew angrier the more he thought about it, feeling he hadn’t acted decisively enough. He should’ve grabbed her right away. How could he have let her get away?

The other men were equally furious. They had never encountered someone like this before and had panicked. If they had stayed calm, they could’ve stopped her. The men were seething, and the onlookers shook their heads in disbelief.

Old Man Zhuang sighed, “Times have changed. Women these days are so bold.”

Aunt Wang pushed through the crowd and said, “We can’t let this go. Tell us exactly what she looked like. We need to report this to the neighborhood committee and the police station. We have to catch her before she strikes again. What if she comes back?”

Zhao Guihua nodded, “You adults were scared. What if she frightens the children? There are plenty of young boys on this street.”

“You’re right.”

“Let’s go report it.”

“The world is full of strange things.”

“So don’t think only women are in danger. Men need to be careful too. You never know how bold some perverts can be.”

“Our neighborhood had been so quiet lately. Who knew a troublemaker would show up again?”

“Isn’t that the truth?”

Everyone was both excited and fearful, their emotions tangled.

Ming Mei, however, asked thoughtfully, “You all saw her. What did she look like?”

Hutou answered, “Aunt Ming, she was about fifty, with graying hair, sharp triangular eyes, high cheekbones, and a thin, stern face. She was quite skinny, with tightly pursed lips and deep wrinkles around her mouth. She was about five-foot-five.”

He described her in detail, as someone skilled in photography, his observations were sharp.

“She was wearing ordinary clothes, nothing special, but her hands were bony, with prominent veins, like chicken claws.”

“Ugh, don’t say that. Now I won’t be able to eat chicken feet,” someone groaned.

Another person remarked, “Hutou, you’ve got a good memory. How did you notice so much in such a short time?”

Hutou chuckled softly, “If you’d encountered a terrifying pervert barging into the men’s restroom, you’d remember her too.”

Ming Mei tilted her head, “I feel like the woman you described is familiar, but I can’t quite place her.”

It wasn’t just Hutou’s description. Earlier, she had caught a glimpse of someone out of the corner of her eye. Though it was just a flash, she felt she had seen someone familiar. Ming Mei pondered, muttering, “Who could it be?”

Zhao Guihua grew serious, “You think she’s familiar?”

Ming Mei nodded.

Zhao Guihua gasped, “Oh no, could she be some kind of wanted criminal?”

Ming Mei chuckled, "It's not that serious, but we should still be careful."

"I agree."

"I wonder why, as life gets better, some people become worse."

"It's the prosperity that's getting to them."

"Exactly."

"Let's go, let's all head to the neighborhood committee. This matter can't be ignored."

The group marched towards the neighborhood committee, deeply disgusted by the appearance of female hooligans. Meanwhile, Jiang Baohong, who had barely managed to escape, was gasping for breath, on the verge of collapsing. If it weren't for her son coming to her aid, she might not have made it.

Even so, once she got home, she collapsed on the floor, saying, "I'm exhausted, I can barely breathe."

In her younger days, she had been the wife of a leader. Although she had faced some hardships later, she never had to work, just took care of the household, so it wasn't much. She had never done any heavy labor, so this ordeal left her completely drained, unable to get up.

She had taken several punches in the bathroom, her hair was a mess, and she looked like a madwoman.

Old Cai glared at her darkly, "You useless thing, I sent you to scout, and you made it known to everyone. Are you trying to let everyone know what we're planning? How did I end up with such a waste? You can't accomplish anything, only drag us down. You're worse than trash."

Jiang Baohong shrunk her neck, not daring to speak.

Little Cai also looked at his mother with irritation, thinking his father was right—she was utterly useless. Anyone else would have done a better job.

But he knew it was pointless to argue now. Sitting on the sofa, he said, "Alright, Dad, that's enough. What's the use of saying more? We need to focus on how to handle the current situation."

Jiang Baohong quickly added, "Exactly, exactly. I actually had a good plan, to go and gather some information, but who knew I'd run into Ming Mei? You know she recognizes me. What if she became suspicious? Ming Mei is very righteous; she's caught thieves several times at the bus station. I was afraid she'd recognize me and catch me. Then I wouldn't be able to explain myself. Don't we have bigger plans?"

Old Cai fumed, "You're just a useless wretch. Back when you were transferred to the bus station, you should have crushed her under your feet, made sure she never rose again. Why fear her now? I told you, you're no good at anything. You focus on the wrong things. Why were you so obsessed with Guan Guiling, that lunatic? You should have used Ming Mei's personality to climb over her and gain power. The higher your position, the less people would dare to cross you. Now look, you've ruined a perfectly good leadership position."

Jiang Baohong hung her head, muttering defiantly, "By the time I got there, she had already been transferred to another department. Besides, after you stepped down, I was targeted too. How could I crush her? She's not easy to deal with."

Speaking of Ming Mei, Jiang Baohong also disliked her.

She grumbled, "That woman is not easy to bully."

"This one's not easy to bully, that one's not easy to bully, so the easiest one to bully is you, huh? Look at you. I told you to climb over Ming Mei, and you couldn't do it. I told you to teach Wang Xiangxiu a lesson when things calmed down, and you ignored it. All you know how to do is tangle with that lunatic Guan Guiling, right? Oh, and you couldn't even handle her. You slunk away from the capital in disgrace. Other men marry wives who are helpful, but I ended up with you, a useless waste. You're good for nothing, only dragging me down. I must have been cursed in a past life."

Old Cai vented his resentment.

Jiang Baohong wanted to argue but, seeing Old Cai's furious expression, she didn't dare speak. She couldn't afford to offend her husband and son. What if they decided to leave her behind?

They had already decided not to take Zhang Lanhua and the children. She couldn't risk angering them.

Though she felt unjustly treated and thought Old Cai was asking too much, she still blamed Ming Mei. If only Ming Mei had let herself be manipulated, Jiang Baohong could have climbed higher and wouldn't have had to leave the bus station in such a disgraceful manner.

If she were still a leader, Guan Guiling wouldn't have dared to cross her.

So, it was all Ming Mei's fault.

After all, Ming Mei was so eager to catch bad guys. What was wrong with letting her catch them and giving the credit to Jiang Baohong? Ming Mei had even requested a transfer because she was pregnant—how selfish! She deserved to die!

Jiang Baohong cursed Ming Mei in her heart.

At this point, they didn't stop to consider how unreasonable or absurd their thoughts were. They simply believed that others owed them something, and anyone who didn't give them what they wanted deserved to die. Jiang Baohong had climbed over others before, so she saw nothing wrong with it.

She cursed Ming Mei in her heart and out loud, "That little bitch Ming Mei seems to be doing well. She was wearing a nice coat, looking so dignified. I don't even have clothes that nice."

She hadn't bought decent clothes in over a decade. In the past, she wouldn't wear anything but new clothes, and people would gift her things.

Thinking back to those days, she felt like the good life was within reach.

She said, "Since we have plans, why not include Ming Mei's family?"

She spoke with a dark, unreasonable tone, "They have money, so they should give us some. We're in this situation because of them. Since they're responsible, they should compensate us."

Old Cai snapped, "You almost got caught today, and you're still spouting nonsense?"

Jiang Baohong didn't dare respond.

Little Cai said, "Let's lay low for now. Wait a few days until things calm down, then we'll tail them quietly. We need to scout the area properly before making any moves. This has to be a one-shot deal. We can't act recklessly, or they'll be on guard."

"Right, right. Ming Mei is quite skilled. It's best to strike when she's not home."

"How should we do it?" Old Cai asked, but then added, "We must get the money, but I also want Wang Xiangxiu and her son dead. And that Bai Fendou—since he dared to injure me, I won't let him off this time."

Little Cai nodded impatiently.

His father was focused on revenge, but Little Cai wasn't as concerned. He was mainly after money. He had tasted the good life before, and the past decade had left him deeply frustrated.

All he wanted was money—to live a lavish, carefree life. That was his goal.

As for revenge, it wasn't that important to him.

But clearly, his father felt differently.

He was consumed by hatred for those people.

Little Cai said, "Of course, we'll take revenge, but let's get the money first. With money, we can leave smoothly after settling the score. Right?"

Old Cai nodded. This was crucial to him, a decade-long obsession. He had always fantasized about making those who drove him out of the capital pay dearly. He said, "And we can't let Zheng Yufeng and Hu Huihui, those two masterminds, off the hook either."

"I know, we won't let them go."

These two were wealthier than the people in the courtyard, so he couldn't afford to spare them.

"Dad, I've thought about it. We should gather a few people, scout the area, and empty their compound when they're not home. What do you think?" Little Cai's first thought wasn't to fight to the death—what was the point of that?

He just wanted the money to live well. As for revenge?

Once he had the money, he wouldn't care. If his father wanted to throw his life away, that was his problem. Murder and theft were different crimes. Even if he thought he wouldn't get caught, he had to be realistic and leave himself an out. He couldn't be as reckless as his father.

How stupid!

"Dad, what do you think of my plan?"

Old Cai asked, "What about revenge?"

It was his unshakable obsession.

He refused to believe it was all a coincidence, convinced that what happened back then was a setup.

Little Cai brushed him off, saying, "Let's focus on getting money first. Once we have the money, we’ll plan our escape route, and then we can think about revenge. That way, we can leave immediately after. If we go for revenge first, we’ll alert them, and without money, escaping won’t be easy. Don’t you agree?"

Old Cai nodded. "You’re right. I’ll follow your lead."

Little Cai replied, "Alright, let’s refine the plan over the next few days."

Jiang Baohong chimed in, "There are a lot of people in their compound who don’t go to work. How easy do you think it’ll be to steal when no one’s around?"

Little Cai responded, "That’s why I said we need to find the right opportunity. Of course, if it comes down to it, kidnapping one or two people isn’t out of the question. We need to be prepared for everything. Here’s what I’m thinking: the people living in that courtyard are just ordinary folks, not particularly sharp or capable. They’re small-minded and lack experience. We’ll deal with them first, take their money, and they probably won’t suspect us right away. Then, we’ll strike Hu Huihui immediately after. That way, we’ll catch both Old Zheng and Hu Huihui off guard. But if we go after Hu Huihui first, they’re seasoned and will pick up on any clues instantly. They’ll lock onto us, and our next steps will be much harder. Why give them the upper hand? Let’s focus on the money first, then deal with revenge. If we can’t even get the money, what’s the point of revenge?"

Jiang Baohong quickly nodded. "My son is right."

Old Cai slapped her across the face. "You stupid woman, who asked for your opinion?"

Jiang Baohong shrunk back, humiliated.

Little Cai said, "Mom, go make dinner."

Jiang Baohong replied meekly, "Okay."

Old Cai grumbled, "Your mother is useless. We’re short on people. It’s just the two of us, and she’s only half a person at best. It’s not enough."

Little Cai smiled faintly. "I know someone who might be useful."

Old Cai raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

Little Cai explained, "His name is Fan Debiao. He used to run a street stall. I met him around the neighborhood. We’re not close, but he could be useful now. Remember when I told you about Guan Guiling’s husband? He’s the one who accidentally killed him. Guan Guiling and her husband, Zheng Yufeng, cleaned out Fan Debiao’s home, which led to everything that happened afterward. But because the Zheng family forgave him and considering the circumstances, he only got a year in prison. He just got out recently. I plan to ask him for help. I’m sure he’ll agree. Think about it—he suffered for no reason. Wouldn’t he hate the Zheng family? And Zheng’s eldest daughter lives in that compound. It’s perfect."

This idea of making money wasn’t new to him. He had long resented Wang Xiangxiu and Bai Fendou, blaming them for ruining his family’s prosperity. He had kept an eye on them for a while.

But he was a selfish man, only looking out for himself. He wouldn’t risk everything for revenge.

Why should he? It wasn’t worth it.

However, watching them had made him envious. He noticed how well-off they were, especially after seeing how much money they made from their street stalls and Hu Huihui’s shady dealings. He couldn’t help but covet their wealth.

This was why he had been thinking about how to get money. At first, he only had the desire but not the courage. But now that the old couple was back, it unleashed his malicious intentions. He had thought it through: if Zheng Yufeng could use Guan Guiling to fight his battles and reap the rewards, why couldn’t he?

He wasn’t any worse than Zheng Yufeng. In fact, he was better.

Zheng Yufeng had failed because of a woman. He didn’t trust women and wouldn’t let any woman lead him astray.

Zheng Yufeng had failed, but he wouldn’t.

Thinking this, he smirked. "Fan Debiao can be used."

He went into detail about Fan Debiao’s grudge with the No. 44 Courtyard and his time in prison. "Back then, Fan Debiao caused trouble at the courtyard and got detained, which led to everything else. I don’t believe he doesn’t hold a grudge. Plus, he paid the Zheng family to get a lighter sentence. He’s used to living comfortably, and now he’s broke. He won’t be able to handle it. I think he’ll be willing to join us, no matter how you look at it. I know him—he’s petty and vindictive. Even though he paid the Zheng family back then, he must still hate them. If it weren’t for all this, he wouldn’t have gone to prison. He’d still be living the good life."

He added, "Now we’re giving him a chance. He’ll take it."

"Would he betray us?"

Little Cai replied, "I don’t think so. He has a score to settle with those people. He’ll join us. Even if he doesn’t, wouldn’t he enjoy seeing his enemies suffer?"

"You’re right."

"Then I’ll reach out to him."

"Alright. I’ve been gone too long, so I’ll leave this to you."

Little Cai smiled. "Of course."

*Bang!* Jiang Baohong accidentally dropped the pot lid. Old Cai instantly lost his temper and started beating her, shouting, "You useless woman, can’t even cook properly! What good are you?"

Jiang Baohong covered her head. "Stop, please stop!"

Little Cai looked at his father with disgust. Ten years ago, when they had lived together, Old Cai had been the head of the household, a confident leader who didn’t resort to violence. But a decade of frustration and failure had turned him into a bitter, violent man who lashed out at the slightest provocation.

And Little Cai could tell that Old Cai’s mood had been getting worse lately. He asked, "Dad, haven’t you been visiting your old friends these past few days…"

At this, Old Cai spat, his eyes red with rage. "Those bastards! None of them treat me like a person anymore. Back then, I was a deputy director. So many people came to me for favors, flattering me. Now they pretend not to know me. Damn them…"

Little Cai thought to himself, *You’ve been gone for over a decade. Of course they’ve moved on.*

"Those ungrateful scum. One day, I’ll make them pay."

Little Cai ignored him.

He didn’t bother with the old man’s bitter ramblings and went straight to his room to sleep. As for stopping his father from hitting his mother? Not a chance. Why bother? She deserved it.

Little Cai went to bed.

Old Cai continued cursing, while Jiang Baohong, filled with resentment, dared not fight back. She knew they wouldn’t take Zhang Lanhua with them, and she couldn’t end up like her. A woman without a man had no hope.

Her husband and son were capable men. They were just unlucky, having been sabotaged by petty people. But dragons and phoenixes would rise again. Jiang Baohong firmly believed that one day, they would make a comeback.

What they lacked now was capital.

Old Cai yelled, "What kind of slop is this? There’s not even a bit of meat in the house. Who can eat this?"

He had more to say.

Jiang Baohong whimpered, "But we don’t have any…"

*Slap!*

"How dare you talk back!"

Old Cai grew even more irritated with Jiang Baohong. He stormed out, slamming the door behind him. An old woman on the stairs, about to go down, quickly retreated when she saw him, waiting until he was gone.

Everyone knew how mean the old man was, quick to hit anyone who crossed him.

He was truly a fierce one.

Old Cai wandered out, heading toward Xinghua Lane.

Though the real culprits might be Old Zheng and Hu Huihui, the person he hated most was still Wang Xiangxiu.

After all, it was Wang Xiangxiu who had betrayed him. He had carried this hatred for over a decade, and it wasn’t easy to let go. He walked to Xinghua Lane, though he had never been there before and didn’t know where Wang Xiangxiu lived. He looked around, searching.

It was already dark, and there weren’t many people on the street. He silently walked into an alley. The temperature difference between day and night was significant now, and the evening chill had driven the children indoors to watch TV instead of playing outside.

The alley was quite empty. Old Cai walked toward a public restroom, and on a whim, he decided to go inside. Ever since he had become impotent, he had developed a new hobby—peeking into restrooms.

Even though he couldn’t do anything, he still enjoyed this secretive pleasure.

Besides peeking into restrooms, he also liked wearing a long coat with nothing underneath. Whenever he encountered a single woman, he would open his coat.

In other words, he was what people commonly referred to as a pervert.

That’s just the kind of person he was, but he didn’t see anything wrong with it. After all, he couldn’t actually do anything, so what harm was there in having a little fun?

Old Cai walked to the back of the restroom and tested the ground with his foot. Even after all these years, he still remembered the horrifying incident of someone falling into the restroom pit, so even when peeking, he always made sure he wouldn’t fall in.

He stepped on the ground a few times to confirm it was solid, then stood on the stone slab over the pit, trying to peer inside. However, whoever had built this restroom had placed the window at an unusually high position.

Damn it!

As he looked around, he suddenly remembered that this restroom had been built by their Revolutionary Committee. Back then, he had been a member of the committee. There was a rumor that one of their colleagues, Yu Baoshan, had secretly hidden a stash of gold and jewelry, possibly in the restroom. So, everyone had come here to search for it. At the time, Old Zheng had organized a team to dig up the restroom and then rebuild it.

That damn guy.

That bastard, why did he have to build it so high?

Even someone as tall as Old Cai, at 1.7 meters, couldn’t see inside!

Old Cai looked around and found a rock to stand on. Damn it, he still couldn’t see.

He added another rock, but still no luck. His frustration grew inexplicably, and he became angrier. Even this restroom was making him unhappy. He added yet another rock.

After stacking three rocks, he still couldn’t see inside.

“That damn Old Zheng, that unlucky bastard! It’s not like he was building a restroom for his own home. Why did he have to make it so fancy? He never did anything properly at work, but when it came to building a restroom, he went all out. Damn it, why doesn’t he just eat shit!”

Furious, he added a fifth rock, teetering precariously. Finally, he stood on the rocks, but even with so many stacked up, he still couldn’t reach the window. He stood on his tiptoes, straining to see inside. “Damn it, I still can’t see anything.”

While Old Cai was busy with his antics, Zhao Guihua came out to use the restroom, her hands tucked into her sleeves. She had been bothered by what Ming Mei had mentioned earlier—that the person they saw today seemed somewhat familiar. For some reason, Zhao Guihua felt a vague sense of unease.

She tried to recall her past life, but her memory was completely blank on this matter. In other words, there had been no such person in their neighborhood in her past life. After all, it was more common for male perverts to peek into women’s restrooms. Female perverts peeking into men’s restrooms were extremely rare.

If there had been one, she would have remembered.

Since there hadn’t been one in her past life, but there was one now, Zhao Guihua couldn’t help but worry that something might have gone wrong.

She shook her head and entered the women’s restroom. Coincidentally, the only person inside was Old Lady Yu, the mother of Yu Baoshan and Little Sister Yu.

Although their children played together and Little Sister Yu got along with everyone, the adults in the neighborhood still didn’t like Old Lady Yu. After all, the things she had done were a bit…

As soon as Zhao Guihua entered, she saw Old Lady Yu furtively throwing something into the restroom pit.

Zhao Guihua: “…???”

What was this old woman up to now?

Old Lady Yu had come here to curse her in-laws—though she had other people she disliked too, not everyone had given her their birth dates. She had managed to extract the information from Yang Shulin.

She quickly tossed a cloth doll into the pit and chuckled, saying, “What a coincidence, you’re here to use the restroom too?”

Zhao Guihua: “…”

She was absolutely certain that Old Lady Yu was up to no good.

She replied, “Since you’re here to use the restroom, of course I am too. It’s not like someone else can do it for me.”

Old Lady Yu: “Hehe, hehehe.” She didn’t see me throw the curse doll. She definitely didn’t see.

Zhao Guihua: “Hehe, hehehe.” Is this old woman cursing someone again? Is she hiding stuff in the restroom now?

Both women had their own thoughts and exchanged awkward laughs.

Zhao Guihua was about to find a spot to squat when suddenly, she heard a loud thud. She immediately stopped and exchanged a glance with Old Lady Yu.

Old Lady Yu had also heard it: “What was that?”

They both realized it was the sound of someone falling, and it came from behind the restroom. But behind the restroom was the pit!

Without hesitation, they both ran to the back of the restroom. In just a few steps, they saw a pile of rocks that had toppled over, and a balding old man lying on the stone slab. Thankfully, he hadn’t fallen into the pit.

Zhao Guihua and Old Lady Yu exchanged a look and immediately understood.

“Pervert! Catch the pervert!”

They were both seasoned veterans of the neighborhood. It was obvious this man had been trying to peep!

They rushed forward. It had to be said, they were much quicker to act than the men in the neighborhood. While the men often hesitated, these old ladies were efficient. In no time, they had Old Cai pinned down and dragged him out.

Old Cai hadn’t expected to fall off the rocks before seeing anything.

He cried out, “It’s a misunderstanding! This is all a misunderstanding!”

Old Lady Yu wasn’t having any of it. She slapped him twice across the face and said, “You dare peep at me? Don’t you know who I am? I’m not someone to be trifled with! How dare you peep at me? You must have a death wish, you pervert! You think you can get away with this? Even though I’m old, I still have my charm, but that doesn’t mean you can peep! I’m going to teach you a lesson today.”

Old Lady Yu punched him twice more, leaving him with black eyes.

Even a panda wouldn’t have eyes as dark as his.

Zhao Guihua didn’t hold back either. She punched him in the stomach, and Old Cai immediately crumpled to the ground.

“You pervert! How dare you peep into the women’s restroom? This is unacceptable! Do you think we’re pushovers in Xinghua Lane?”

Zhao Guihua grabbed his hair and yanked hard. The already sparse hair on his balding head came out in clumps. Old Cai howled, “It’s really a misunderstanding… Please let me go!”

“A misunderstanding? I don’t think so. Tell us, who are you? Are you the accomplice of that woman who was peeping into the men’s restroom earlier? Speak!” Zhao Guihua remembered that the young man they had chased earlier said the female pervert had been taken away by a man on a bicycle.

“Is it you? Speak!”

Old Cai was on the verge of tears. He hadn’t expected his luck to be so bad, running into these two vicious old ladies. Their beating was brutal. He wailed, “Please let me go… I’ll never peep again!”

Zhao Guihua: “Oh, so you admit it! This definitely isn’t your first time, is it?”

Slap! Slap! Slap!

She grabbed his hair and slapped him repeatedly.

People like him deserved to be beaten to death.

Old Lady Yu unleashed a flurry of kicks aimed at his lower body.

It had to be said, the people on this street had plenty of experience in fighting.

Old Cai was beaten to a pulp, crying and snotting all over the place. “I was wrong! I was really wrong!”

The two women dragged him from behind the restroom to the front of the alley. By now, more people had heard the commotion and came out to watch. They were all puzzled. Why were these perverts so obsessed with restrooms? Another one had shown up.

Oh, and it wasn’t the same person as before.

Were they working as a team?

Seeing the crowd grow larger, Old Cai knew that if he didn’t escape now, he’d be in serious trouble. He cursed himself for coming here at this time and hated these two old ladies for being so ruthless.

Those shameless women, what’s so good about them?

What he really wanted to see was the young wife.

He watched as Old Lady Yu stood with her hands on her hips, shouting, “We caught a pervert, he… Ah!”

Suddenly, Old Cai shoved Old Lady Yu hard, sending her stumbling into Zhao Guihua. Both women staggered, and Old Cai took off running. He knew if he didn’t run now, he’d never get away. He sprinted like mad, his feet barely touching the ground.

But he wasn’t as lucky as his wife. This time, a few young men from the courtyard were hot on his heels, including Zhuang Zhixi. They chased him relentlessly. Old Cai ran with all his might, but no matter how fast he went, he couldn’t shake them off.

He’d already been beaten to a pulp, his whole body aching, but if he stopped now, he was done for.

He darted into an alley, and Zhuang Zhixi caught up shortly after. But once he entered the alley, he was baffled. “Where’d he go? How’d he just disappear?”

“Yeah, let’s look around.”

“Right, let’s check if he’s hiding nearby.”

“Maybe he ducked into one of the houses.”

They searched for a while but found no trace of him. Zhuang Zhixi scratched his head, muttering, “What the hell? Did he just vanish into thin air?”

He looked around. There were two paths leading out of the alley, but given the man’s speed, it was impossible for him to have gotten far. Unless, of course, he’d hidden in one of the nearby houses. But they couldn’t just barge into people’s homes demanding to search.

“Zhuang Zhixi, what do we do?”

Da Qiang asked, “Damn, that old bastard’s fast. How’d he just vanish like that?”

Zhuang Zhixi scanned the area and said, “He’s gotta be nearby.”

He was sure the man was hiding, but finding him would be tough.

Zhuang Zhixi spat in frustration. “That old geezer got lucky this time. Next time, I’ll break his legs.”

Peeping in the restroom? That’s not normal. Something’s wrong with him.

“Next time we catch that pervert, we’ll make sure he can’t ever do it again,” one of the men growled.

Meanwhile, Old Cai, who had successfully hidden himself, listened to every word, trembling with fear. But soon, his fear turned to defiance. He was already at rock bottom—what more could they do to him? He crouched in his hiding spot, listening to their curses.

“Our neighborhood’s restroom’s a mess. Two perverts in one day?”

Zhuang Zhixi suggested, “Let’s go back and discuss organizing a patrol. Otherwise, people won’t even feel safe using the restroom.”

“Sounds good.”

“Should we organize it ourselves or go through the neighborhood committee?”

Zhuang Zhixi replied, “Let’s do it ourselves and just inform the committee to avoid misunderstandings.”

“Alright.”

With that, the group finally left, but Old Cai didn’t dare come out. He knew better than to fall for their tricks. They might be waiting just around the corner, ready to pounce. So he stayed hidden, curled up in his spot.

In truth, Zhuang Zhixi and the others hadn’t gone far. They stood at the alley entrance, watching for a while. When no one emerged, Zhuang Zhixi muttered, “That old bastard’s got some nerve, hiding like that.”

“Zhuang Zhixi, what now?”

“Let’s head back.”

Da Qiang asked, “Zhuang Zhixi, what if that old bastard heard us talking about the patrol?”

Zhuang Zhixi replied calmly, “If he’s around, he’ll hear. And that’s good. He’ll know our neighborhood’s not an easy target. It’ll keep things safer.”

“True.”

They walked back, frustrated that they hadn’t caught him.

But it wasn’t their fault they couldn’t find him. When Old Cai had run into the alley, he’d accidentally fallen into an open manhole. The cover hadn’t been properly secured, and as soon as he fell, he quickly pulled the cover back over him. He hid in the sewer, surrounded by filth and stench, but he didn’t care. He curled up, holding his breath.

He didn’t know how long he’d been hiding, but his legs were numb, and he was freezing. Still, he didn’t dare come out, fearing the men were still lurking outside. Old Cai was a man of pride—he’d been a deputy director, after all. If he got caught peeping in a restroom, his reputation would be ruined.

Besides, his wife hadn’t been caught. How could he, a man, be worse than her?

Thinking of Jiang Baohong filled him with resentment. If she hadn’t alerted everyone, he wouldn’t have been discovered. It was all her fault.

He didn’t dare curse aloud, but in his heart, he was tearing Jiang Baohong and the two old women to shreds. Those old hags.

Furious but helpless, he endured the cold. For some reason, it was getting colder by the minute. Finally, he couldn’t take it anymore and decided to climb out. “Ugh!”

But it wasn’t easy. He gritted his teeth, struggling to pull himself up. The distance was too great, and he couldn’t get enough leverage. He tried again and again…

Heave-ho! Heave-ho!

He could do it. He could climb out…

After what felt like an eternity, he finally managed to push the manhole cover aside and pull himself up. Covered in filth and stinking to high heaven, he barely got his head out when he heard a scream: “A ghost!!!”

A drunkard, startled by the sight of a mud-covered figure emerging from the ground, kicked him back down.

Old Cai fell back into the sewer, his body aching all over. The drunkard ran off, screaming, “A ghost! A ghost!”

In the dead of night, seeing a mud-covered man crawl out of the ground, anyone would think they’d seen a ghost.

“Help! Help!”

The drunkard ran off, and Old Cai took a deep breath, mustering all his strength to climb out again. “Damn it, damn it… How did I, Old Cai, end up like this? Heaven’s so unfair!”