Chapter 3 The Bloodshed Caused by Eggs
In the small ward of the clinic, which was filled with the smell of disinfectant, the air suddenly became eerily quiet.
Gu Baobao's head was wrapped in thick white gauze, which made her already pale, round face look even more fragile.
She leaned against Wu Guixiang's chest, her long eyelashes trembling, her eyes reddening visibly, and two pools of tears welling up inside.
She sniffed, her voice soft and delicate, tinged with the fear and grievance of someone who had just survived a close call:
"It was...it was Zhang Pandi...She...she called me a good-for-nothing in the family, saying why I deserved to eat and dress so well...She...she tried to snatch the boiled egg I had in my pocket this morning, and when I refused, she...she shoved me hard from behind..."
As she spoke, she seemed to recall the terrifying scene, her body trembled, and tears finally rolled down her dirty little face.
"I hit my head on a rock, it hurt so much... She even... spat on me and said I deserved to die!"
The last sentence, "They deserved to die," was repeated by Gu Baobao with a trembling voice and a sob in her voice.
But it was like a needle chilled to ice, suddenly piercing the heart of every member of the Gu family present!
"What?!!"
Wu Guixiang was the first to explode.
The old lady had just been heartbroken over her granddaughter's injury, but now she was trembling with anger, her arms tightening around her granddaughter, and her voice rising eight octaves, almost shattering the thin paper window of the clinic.
"Zhang Pandi?! That good-for-nothing girl from the Zhang family? How dare she?! Snatch eggs? Push people? And say such outrageous things that will bring her no descendants?!"
Good heavens, is there no law anymore?! Eggs are such a precious thing! Our whole family saved them to nourish my baby!
Is Zhang Pandi some kind of reincarnated starving ghost? How dare she try to snatch it?! And with such deadly force?! She's deliberately trying to kill my baby!"
Gu Dahe's face was ashen, his hand gripped the pipe so tightly it made a cracking sound, and the veins on his forehead throbbed.
The men of the Gu family all turned pale, especially Gu Jianqiang, whose eyes turned red, his fists clenched tightly, and his teeth were grinding. He looked as if he was about to rush back to the village and tear Zhang Pandi apart!
"Call the police!"
Wu Guixiang wiped away her tears and said resolutely,
"This isn't over! We have to report it to the police! Let the officers judge this! I want to see if there's any justice left in this new society!"
Captain Li Guoqiang, who had been listening in the whole time, had veins throbbing on his forehead.
Everyone in Qinghetun knows the Zhang family's character.
Old Zhang Tiezhu and his wife Zhao Jinlan were ingrained with a deep-seated preference for sons over daughters; they had three daughters in the family.
The eldest and second eldest daughters married off early, and the money was used to save up for their sons' dowries. Only the third daughter, Zhang Pandi, was left. Because she was capable and could handle everything inside and outside the home, she was kept unmarried until she was nineteen. She was simply used as a strong laborer.
Zhang Pandi usually keeps her head down and speaks softly in the village, like a quail. Who would have thought that she harbors such a vicious thought?
And they were so ruthless!
This isn't some seven or eight-year-old kids playing around without thinking; this is an eighteen or nineteen-year-old young woman who's about to become a mother. This is malicious assault; to put it more seriously, it's attempted murder!
But when Li Guoqiang heard Wu Guixiang threatening to call the police, he became extremely anxious.
Should we call the police?
If things get out of hand, the commune leaders will definitely get involved. At that point, will they still be able to be recognized as an advanced model of Qinghetun, known for its simple and honest folk customs and mutual assistance?
Those precious awards for outstanding performance at the end of the year:
Maybe it's a few bags of fertilizer, maybe it's a few feet of red cloth, but it'll all be wasted!
The whole village will lose face because of this!
"Auntie! Auntie, please calm down! Calm down!"
Li Guoqiang quickly stepped forward, blocking Wu Guixiang, who was trembling with anger, his face showing utmost sincerity and embarrassment.
"Let's not rush into this, okay? This was Zhang Pandi's doing, he deserves to be punished! He deserves to be severely punished!"
But we're all from the same village, living in the same hamlet. If this alarms the police and gets to the commune or even the county... it won't be good for our village!
How about this? Let's go back to the village first, and I'll call Zhang Tiezhu's family here. We'll explain everything in public, apologize where necessary, and pay compensation where required. I'll make sure you're satisfied!
If the Zhang family doesn't know what's good for them and acts like scoundrels, then you can say you've called the police, and I won't say a word! I'll personally drive you to the commune police station! Is that alright?
Gu Dahe, being the head of the family, considered things more carefully.
He coughed heavily, suppressing his anger and his son's agitation, glanced at Li Guoqiang, and said in a deep voice:
"Captain, our Gu family isn't an unreasonable family. But in this matter, it's Zhang Pandi's heart that's so cruel!"
Today they dare to push my baby over an egg, tomorrow they might dare to use a knife for something else!
This matter cannot be taken lightly! Let's do as you said and go back to the village to discuss it. If the Zhang family can't provide a decent explanation…”
The old man paused, a fierce glint flashing in his cloudy eyes.
"Then don't blame us for being family-oriented; we'll act according to the rules!"
Li Guoqiang understood the meaning behind those words.
The Gu family was giving him and the village face, and also leaving them a final line.
"Yes! Yes! Uncle Gu, don't worry, I will definitely handle this matter properly!"
Li Guoqiang patted his chest and made a promise, but in his heart he cursed Zhang Pandi, who had caused the trouble, and her bastard parents.
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