Siheyuan: I just came across and wanted to chase me away

Chapter 1107: The Beginning of Teaching (a reference to a teaching method)

Qin Huairu's eyes reddened, large tears welling up and swirling in her eyes, the glistening moisture making the fine lines at the corners of her eyes even more pronounced. She quickly turned her head away, secretly wiping her eyes with her sleeve, forcing herself to be strong, her voice slightly choked, yet undeniably serious: "What nonsense are you talking about? People need food to survive, even if it's a long and arduous journey there. At the very least, you need to learn to cook for yourself, right? You can't just eat cold cornbread and drink cold water every day; your body won't be able to handle it, and I'll be worried about you here."

Although Banggeng was extremely unwilling to go to the countryside, his feet seemed nailed to the ground and he couldn't move, he knew his mother was telling the truth. The countryside was different from home; no one would bring him hot meals like his mother did, and Shazhu would often stuff white flour buns and fried dough into his hands. Reluctantly, he got up from the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), his head drooping like a wilted eggplant, his shoulders slumped, and he dragged his steps after Qin Huairu towards the kitchen, every step revealing his unwillingness.

While starting the fire, he squatted in front of the stove, absentmindedly poking at the firewood with fire tongs, sparks crackling and reflecting in his shifty eyes. He would occasionally steal glances towards Gu Nan's house outside the yard; the tightly closed gate felt like a heavy stone pressing on his chest. The thought of Gu Nan brought a barely concealed venom to his lips—Gu Nan was clearly a leader in the factory, with connections and ability, yet he had watched him jump into the fire without a shred of compassion! This debt could not be left unpaid!

Since he was going to the countryside anyway, and it was uncertain whether he would be able to return to the city, he might as well go all out! He felt like he had a poisonous scorpion in his heart, its tail stinging him from time to time, making him secretly plot: He had to teach Gu Nan a lesson first, to let him know that he was not a pushover! Even if it was just secretly throwing some mud or sand into Gu Nan's water tank under the cover of darkness, or cutting a big hole in the white shirt that Gu Nan was drying in the yard, he would still get his revenge.

Bang Geng knew he was young and not as strong as Gu Nan. If they went head-to-head, he would definitely not come out on top and might even get a beating. But then he thought, there was always a chance to deal with a woman who stayed at home taking care of the children—Gu Nan's wife, Ran Qiuye, looked gentle and refined, wore thin-rimmed glasses, and was said to be a primary school teacher. She spoke softly and gently, so he figured she wouldn't have a temper and would be easy to handle.

But just as this thought crossed his mind, he suddenly remembered something: Gu Nan's house had a large, sleek black dog, almost the size of a half-grown wolf cub. He'd heard that dog was incredibly intelligent, baring its teeth and growling at strangers. Last time, when Gu Nan wasn't home, he'd sneaked over to pick pomegranates from their yard, but as soon as he climbed over the wall, the dog chased after him and nearly tore off his trousers. He'd scrambled back in terror. Just thinking about the dog's ferocious appearance sent a chill down his spine—that was the thing that terrified him most.

Banggeng squatted by the stove, staring at the flickering flames for a long time, the firewood crackling and casting flickering light on his face. Suddenly, his eyes lit up, as if he had found a treasure, his mind racing with calculations: Lately, he'd often seen Ran Qiuye pushing a stroller, taking the child to the small park at the street corner. At those times, the big black dog was usually chained up at home to guard the house and wouldn't follow. Wasn't this his chance? All he had to do was pick a fight with Ran Qiuye in a crowded place, deliberately humiliating her in front of everyone. Gu Nan would definitely lose face; that would be much more satisfying than throwing mud into the water vat!

Once the thought popped into his head, he couldn't stop it. It grew wildly like weeds, and the more he thought about it, the more outrageous it became: If he could sneak away from Ran Qiuye and sell Gu Nan's child, he could get the money and run away, far away, to a place in the south where no one knew him. Then he could eat white rice and braised pork every day, and he wouldn't have to listen to his mother's nagging or have to look at other people's faces anymore. He could live a good life!

The thought made his heart burn, like a small stove burning inside him, and he couldn't help but grin, almost bursting out laughing. But he quickly covered his mouth, lowered his head, and pretended to be focused on tending the fire, but the sinister look in his eyes was like a poisoned needle, impossible to hide.

Qin Huairu, wearing an apron, was teaching him how to chop vegetables. Seeing that he hadn't moved for a while, with the knife hanging on the cutting board and the potatoes almost poking holes in them, she reached out and patted his back: "What are you daydreaming about? Watch carefully, the potatoes need to be cut into rolling chunks, and the size should be uniform so they'll be easier to cook and taste better."

Banggeng quickly replied, "I know," and picked up the cleaver to try and learn, though his wrist trembled, resulting in potato chunks of varying sizes—some like fingers, others like small pebbles. His mind, however, was still filled with wicked thoughts—after all, in the countryside, he really needed some cooking skills; otherwise, eating only hard cornbread and wild vegetable soup every day would likely lead to starvation. But the windfall from "selling the child" had already taken root in his heart like a poisonous seed, feeding on his dark thoughts, just waiting for the right moment to sprout.

Gu Nan gazed at Ran Qiuye, who was quietly eating across from him. Her movements as gentle as picking up a feather as she picked up food; the silver chopsticks clinked softly against the porcelain plate. A satisfied smile played on her lips, probably because the braised pork was exceptionally flavorful. Sunlight streamed through the window, casting a soft, golden glow on her hair, making even the stray hairs at her temples clearly visible. He put down his chopsticks, took a tissue, and wiped his mouth, speaking softly as if afraid to disturb the tranquility: "Qiuye, I'm going to meet a friend today, so I'll have lunch at home. But don't worry, it's nothing important, just a short visit. I'll try to be back as soon as possible."

Ran Qiuye looked up, her concern in her eyes natural and genuine. She put down her chopsticks and tapped her fingertips lightly on the tablecloth, carefully instructing, "Gu Nan, when you go out to see friends, you'll inevitably have to drink. You must drink less and not overindulge. Take care of your health. There's been a lot going on at the factory lately, and you're already so tired that you just collapse into bed when you get home. Don't push yourself any further, or you'll have a headache again."

Gu Nan felt a warm glow in his heart, like being bathed in lukewarm water. He couldn't help but smile and reply, "Okay, whatever you say. It'll just be a simple meal and a few words. I'll be back to you as soon as I'm done."

In truth, Gu Nan knew perfectly well that Li Jianjun's sudden invitation to dinner through Old Wang in the workshop was definitely not a genuine attempt to mend fences—after all, both of them were still holding a grudge about the recent suspension. There was definitely some ulterior motive behind it, most likely related to his shady past, trying to win him over or set a trap for him. That's why Gu Nan was certain he could get back quickly—this ulterior motive-laden dinner shouldn't have dragged on for too long.