"You want to die together with me? Counterfeiting food coupons will get you shot!"
Zhou Mingyuan pressed Li Xiaorou hard against the mottled brick wall, the dampness of the moss seeping into her back through her cotton-padded jacket.
He was breathing heavily, and the collar of his wool coat brushed against Li Xiaorou's cheek.
"I know."
"But the special supply permit your father forged in 1975 is with me!"
"Tell me, how many years should the father and son, who were the director of the Revolutionary Committee, be sentenced for colluding to resell planned supplies?"
Li Xiaorou suddenly laughed, took out half a yellowed piece of paper from her inner pocket, and with a flick of her finger, the paper unfolded with a rustle.
Zhou Mingyuan's pupils contracted sharply. This approval document was clearly still locked in his father's safe this morning!
He suddenly remembered when they met at the black market, Li Xiaorou had deliberately bumped into him when she knocked over the basket of dates!
The whistles of the red armband-wearing soldiers grew closer in the distance.
The two stared at each other in the dimly lit alley, their eyes reflecting a familiar, weathered chill.
Coal ash fell softly from the top of the wall, landing on Zhou Mingyuan's stiff shoulders.
Let's cooperate!
"The land deed of the Ji family's old house."
He suddenly released his grip and took out an oil paper package from the inner bag.
"Just forged?"
"Zhou Mingyuan, are you trying to get rid of Ji Yanchen first?"
Li Xiaorou stared at the still-wet ink on the land deed. She ran her fingertips along the edge of the seal and suddenly let out a cold laugh.
The sound of hurried footsteps could be heard at the alley entrance.
Li Xiaorou ripped the land deed in half and slapped half of it onto Zhou Mingyuan's chest: "Then let's see who has the best skills!"
"Li Xiaorou, you know this better than I do!"
"Only when Ji Yanchen is dead can we be truly safe."
As he turned around, Zhou Mingyuan's voice coiled around him like a venomous snake, and he lowered his voice.
The cold wind carried these words into Li Xiaorou's collar.
She paused almost imperceptibly, a flash of Ji Yanchen's bloodshot eyes as he choked her in her past life.
Li Xiaorou paused. Zhou Mingyuan was right. As long as Ji Yanchen was dead, they would all be safe.
*
As evening approached, wisps of smoke rose from the chimneys, and Zi Xi squatted by the well, washing clothes.
The well water in early winter was icy cold, freezing her fingertips red.
"Comrade Lin, we're making dumplings at the educated youth settlement tonight, are you coming?"
Liu Fang stood outside the courtyard gate with a half-basket of wild vegetables slung over her shoulder, but her eyes kept glancing towards Zi Xi's room.
"Thank you for your kind offer, but I won't go."
Zi Xi continued to rub the clothes without looking up.
Those so-called gatherings were nothing more than ways to criticize and point fingers at her, the capitalist's daughter; it was better to just be alone in peace.
"Hey, let me tell you..."
"That crazy guy next door, Ji..."
“Everyone in the village says he has something wrong with his head. It’s too dangerous for you to live here alone.”
Liu Fang suddenly lowered her voice, leaned closer mysteriously, and made a gesture of circling her temple.
Zi Xi paused in her movements.
"Why don't you move to the educated youth settlement? Zhang Li is back in the city visiting her family, so there's a bed available."
Liu Fang's eyes darted around, and she was thinking that this capitalist's daughter must be hiding a lot of good things. If she could coax her to move there, wouldn't she be able to get a lot of benefits?
With a bang, the gate to the neighboring courtyard was suddenly slammed shut, causing the water ladle on the well platform to shake violently.
Zi Xi turned her head and saw Ji Yanchen's tall and thin figure disappear through the crack in the door. There were still a few pieces of freshly chopped firewood scattered on the ground outside the courtyard gate.
"See? I told you he wasn't normal!"
"Comrade Lin, perhaps you should..."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
