Reborn as a Happy Wife in a Rural Family
Chapter 115: The Crazy Gu Dahe

Chapter 115: Chapter 115: The Crazy Gu Dahe

Soon after, they built another granary specifically for storing grain.

One day, while everyone was busy, Dashuang came running over, clearly in a panic. Even before he entered the courtyard, they heard him shout, "Sister, Brother-in-law!"

Hearing the anxious cry, Gu Qingli and Xiao Yunjing hurried out.

"What happened, Dashuang? Why are you in such a rush?" Gu Qingli asked.

Dashuang ran over and pulled Xiao Yunjing. "Brother-in-law, hurry! Gu Dahe is back, and he’s holding Mom hostage right now! Hurry and help!"

Gu Dahe! That madman! How did he get out?

With no time to think, they followed Dashuang.

Watching them run off, Mr. Xiao quickly called for Eldest Brother Xiao and Second Brother Xiao. Then he told Xiao Han, "Han’er, go to the Village Chief’s house and see if he’s there. If he is, ask him to come over quickly."

Xiao Han nodded. "Don’t worry, Grandpa, I’ll definitely find the Village Chief."

With that, he ran towards the Village Chief’s house.

"Everyone, stay at home and don’t come out." After instructing Ms. Jiang and the others, Mr. Xiao took his two sons and headed straight for Gu Dalin’s house.

When Gu Qingli and Xiao Yunjing arrived, they indeed saw a man leaning against the wall, one arm locked tightly around Ms. Wu, while his other hand pressed a sharp dagger against her abdomen.

Ms. Wu was so terrified her legs trembled, her face a mask of horror; she could only instinctively shield her belly with both hands.

The man, disheveled and filthy, was unmistakably Gu Dahe; his voice, though ragged, was still recognizable. He should have been in jail.

He was furiously shouting, "Don’t come any closer, or I’ll kill this bitch!"

Opposite him, Gu Dalin and Dashuang hurriedly said, "Alright, alright, we won’t come closer! We’ll give you whatever you want, just don’t hurt her!"

Seeing Gu Dahe in this state, Gu Qingli’s heart leaped into her throat. This madman! Who knows what trouble he’s planning this time.

"Li’er, don’t be afraid." Xiao Yunjing took her hand and walked to stand beside Gu Dalin. Then, with his other hand, he made a seemingly casual wave in the air.

"It’s all your fault, you two bastards! You ruined my life!" Gu Dahe shrieked when he saw Gu Qingli and Xiao Yunjing. "If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t be in this state! Today, even if I die, I’ll drag someone down with me! This bitch has another one in her belly—that makes two! I’m coming out ahead! HAHAHA..."

Xiao Yunjing stared at Gu Dahe with eyes as sharp as a hawk’s. "What do you want? Or do you want to live?"

Gu Dahe, who had been laughing hysterically, stopped abruptly. When he met Xiao Yunjing’s piercing gaze, an involuntary shiver ran down his spine.

But with a hostage in hand, he had nothing to fear. As long as he held Ms. Wu, they couldn’t touch him. They’d have to agree to his demands to ensure her safety.

Feeling even more emboldened, he sneered, "And who do you think you are? Do your words even count?"

He was an escaped convict. His only hope was if the County Magistrate sent official documents to Qiyang County.

Yesterday, two county yamen runners were escorting him to Qiyang County. When he pretended to need to relieve himself, he injured one runner, then took the opportunity to knock down the other. He found the keys, unlocked his manacles and fetters, and took the runners’ travel money and a dagger.

Then, he sneaked back, aiming to drag everyone who had wronged him to hell.

He hadn’t expected to run into Ms. Wu the moment he came down the mountain.

"What about my word?" Gu Chang’an, who had been hurriedly summoned by Xiao Han, heard Gu Dahe’s vile curses the moment he stepped into the courtyard.

The people following him entered as well.

Seeing the scene, everyone was shocked, then looked at Gu Dahe with expressions of contempt and disdain.

Their gazes stung Gu Dahe, and his face twisted into a ferocious snarl. He used to be so respected! But look at these people now, at their expressions—every one of them filled with contempt and disgust!

An overwhelming tide of hatred surged within him. He threw his head back, laughing wildly towards the sky, then turned to Gu Chang’an and said, "Second Uncle, do you take me for a fool? You’re not the County Magistrate; what authority do you have over an escaped convict?"

Gu Chang’an’s face darkened. "Then what do you want?"

"What do I want? I want their lives!" Gu Dahe declared, pointing at Gu Qingli and Xiao Yunjing. He harbored an inexplicable hatred for the two of them.

If that damn girl hadn’t led Second Brother Gu’s family away, they’d still be slaving for the old Gu Family! The family wouldn’t have been short of money, he wouldn’t have had to sell those two little wretches for silver, and he could still be studying to become a scholar! And if that damn brat Xiao Yunjing hadn’t captured those people on Blue Clouds Mountain, how would his own deeds have ever been exposed? So, these two bastards deserved to die! Even if it cost him his life, he’d drag them both to hell!

The crowd was stunned by Gu Dahe’s words.

They were simple farmers; even butchering a chicken or a pig was difficult for them. Yet Gu Dahe spoke of taking two human lives so casually.

"He’s really gone mad."

"Yes, talking about killing people so easily, isn’t that madness?"

"Wasn’t he in the county jail? How did such a vicious criminal get out?" someone asked, puzzled.

"’Let out?’ More like he escaped!"

"’That’s right. Wasn’t he supposed to be executed after autumn? The timing is about right.’"

...

The crowd chattered amongst themselves.

Gu Dahe heard their murmurs and bellowed, "Shut up! What do you know? It’s all because of those two bastards! Instead of obediently toiling like cattle and horses for the old Gu Family, they had to leave and live on their own! That’s why I ended up with no money! Who else could I sell but those two mongrels? And then that bastard Xiao had to go and catch people..."

Gu Dahe continued his tirade, spewing venom as if he were the aggrieved party and everyone else was to blame for his predicament.

What had he done wrong?

The villagers listened, dumbfounded; it completely overturned their understanding of things.

"Heavens! So that’s how Second Brother Gu was treated in the old Gu Family."

"TSK TSK... They were fortunate to be kicked out; otherwise, they would have been tormented to death sooner or later."

"Who would’ve thought Master Gu’s family was like that?"

"Their family is truly fortunate."

"They’re reaping what they sow. Just look at the old Gu Family now."

"TSK TSK... still causing trouble."

...

Gu Chang’an shook his head. Utterly shameless.

Gu Dalin was even more aghast. So this was how wretched his position in the old Gu Family had been—they were treated as cattle and horses, his entire family expected to live and die for the old Gu Family!

Having Gu Dahe lay bare these bloody truths so publicly was a blow Gu Dalin could hardly bear. He had given everything to that family, without regret or complaint.

So, all along, they had viewed his family as mere beasts of burden.

At this moment, Gu Dalin felt as if a knife were slowly scraping his heart raw. The pain was excruciating.

"Dad!" His two children, seeing his swaying body, quickly rushed to support him.

His two children glared at Gu Dahe with furious eyes. If looks could kill, Gu Dahe would have been sliced into a thousand pieces by their gazes alone.

Gu Qingli gripped Xiao Yunjing’s hand tightly, finding it hard to believe the depths of the old Gu Family’s depravity.

Thinking of the suffering the Original Host had endured since childhood, Gu Qingli felt it as keenly as if it were her own. A furious hatred blazed within her; she wanted nothing more than to kill Gu Dahe herself.