She wondered what Gu Juncheng was thinking, whether he would believe the vicious rumors swirling around them. But then, the uproar outside abruptly died down. After those few words, silence fell. What had Gu Juncheng done? Curiosity piqued, Zhiyuan tiptoed to the door, cracking it open to "scout the enemy." The yard was empty. With a flash of movement, Zhiyuan darted outside. "Zhiyuan!" Lin Qingping cried out in alarm, rushing out after him. In the distance, she saw a large group of people marching away. Gu Juncheng strode at the very front, followed by the crowd of women Da Pang's family had summoned, with little Zhiyuan trailing behind them all like a small shadow. Lin Qingping hurried to catch up, grabbing Zhiyuan's hand and holding it tight. The group seemed to have forgotten all about Zhiyuan, their attention fixed on Gu Juncheng. "Chengzi! What are you doing? Hasn't your family caused enough trouble? Are you going to beat someone up to vent your anger?" "Chengzi, if you dare touch a hair on my family's head today, I'll report you to the highest authorities!" Da Pang's mother knew Gu Juncheng didn't hit women, but she was terrified he was making a beeline for her husband. She led the chorus of shouts all the way down the road, only falling silent when Gu Juncheng strode right past their house. Gu Juncheng was heading straight for the village loafer, Goudan. He found him on a dirt path between the fields, snoring with his belly exposed after downing a couple of shots of cheap liquor. Gu Juncheng hauled him to his feet and woke him with a punch straight to the gut. Lin Qingping had witnessed the power of Gu Juncheng's fists in her past life. They were like iron. She'd once seen him punch a hole clean through a door… The blow sent Goudan wailing, a stream of curses spewing from his mouth. His reward was another vicious punch to the jaw. Goudan cried out in agony, spitting a mouthful of blood that contained one of his teeth… The sheer brutality of it stunned the onlookers. Fights were common in the village, but they were usually affairs of women pulling hair and scratching faces, or at worst, biting. No one had ever seen a single punch knock a man's tooth out… It was only then that Goudan clearly saw his attacker was Gu Juncheng. He pointed a trembling finger. "You bastard Gu! You think you can hit people just because you're strong? I'm gonna report you!" A sharp, clear child's voice cut through the air. "Tch! Go on, report him! You're a coward if you don't! You're destroying a military marriage! You'll go to jail!" Lin Qingping stared in disbelief at Zhiyuan, who was bouncing with righteous fury even as she held his hand. How did a boy his age know about such things? But the threat worked. Goudan froze in fear, and Gu Juncheng seized the moment to land another blow. Goudan started howling, his words tumbling out between sobs. "I didn't! I never slept with your wife! I was just bragging!" "I found the handkerchief! It fell on the ground and I picked it up!" "She doesn't have a mole on her chest! I made it all up! Stop hitting me, I was lying—" With every confession, Gu Juncheng delivered another punch or kick, while Zhiyuan cheered him on from the sidelines, shouting, "Get him! Get him!" Lin Qingping genuinely feared that if this continued, Gu Juncheng would actually kill Goudan. Goudan could no longer speak, his body limp as a rag doll as Gu Juncheng kicked him back and forth. Her mother-in-law, Liu Fen, also fearing the worst, rushed forward and grabbed Gu Juncheng's arm, holding him back. She spat at Goudan's battered form. "That's what you get for spreading lies! Slander is a crime, you know!" Goudan was unresponsive. Gu Juncheng's gaze, sharp as a sword, shifted from the broken man on the ground to the crowd of gossiping women. He glared at them, looking like a god of death. They began to back away instinctively, some of them shivering uncontrollably. Gu Juncheng's face was as dark as thunder, his aura murderous. He spoke only once, his voice low and menacing: "If I hear anyone else spouting nonsense, this will be their fate. My fists don't know the difference between a man and a woman." By the time the commotion subsided, dusk was settling. In the twilight, he stood there like an iron tower, and anyone his gaze fell upon couldn't help but shudder. The onlooking villagers began to whisper among themselves. "What's gotten into him? Since when does Chengzi get involved in women's affairs?" "I know! And threatening to hit women! Has he no shame?" Gu Juncheng ignored their chatter. Having made his point, he turned, his expression grim, and headed back home. Liu Fen stayed behind to clean up the mess. After all, Zhiyuan had bitten someone, and compensation was due. She promised Da Pang's mother she would send over some eggs and milk powder later to help Da Pang recover. Lin Qingping had already taken Zhiyuan and left. On the way, she caught a glimpse of a figure in a green shirt ducking behind a large tree. When she went to look, the person was gone. She didn't give it much thought, assuming it was just another curious onlooker. She quickened her pace and led Zhiyuan home. By the time Gu Juncheng and her mother-in-law returned, Lin Qingping had already set the table for dinner. The family ate in silence. The atmosphere was so heavy it was suffocating. Lin Qingping stole several glances at Gu Juncheng, but his expression remained unchanged. She had no idea what he was truly thinking… Later that evening, Lin Qingping was in the middle of her bath, still pondering Gu Juncheng's inscrutable attitude, when the bathroom door was thrown open with a bang. Startled, Lin Qingping quickly tried to cover herself. But when she looked up, she saw her mother-in-law, Liu Fen, standing in the doorway… "Oh, you're in here. I thought it was empty," Liu Fen said, her eyes sweeping across Lin Qingping's chest. There, on Lin Qingping's snow-white skin, was a distinct mole. Liu Fen shut the door and walked away. Lin Qingping knew then that her mother-in-law’s "accidental" intrusion had been anything but. Night enveloped the village, and everything fell quiet. It was time for bed, but Gu Juncheng still hadn't come to their room. Lin Qingping tossed and turned, unable to sleep. After seeing the mole on her chest, had her mother-in-law said something to Gu Juncheng? At that thought, she could no longer stay in bed. She got up and went into the outer room, where she heard low voices coming from her mother-in-law's room. She crept closer and pressed her ear to the door. It was her mother-in-law's voice. "Chengzi, listen to me. I don't think Goudan was lying entirely. Don't try to hide it from me. You, of all people, should know whether your wife has a mole or not, shouldn't you?" Gu Juncheng didn't answer. *Of course he doesn't know,* Lin Qingping thought, her heart sinking. *He's never even touched me. How could he possibly know?* Her mother-in-law's voice continued, "Out there, you had to protect our family's name, so you beat Goudan until he shut his mouth. I get that. But between us, what can't be said? I just went and looked. Your wife does have a mole. If there was nothing sordid between her and Goudan, how would he know that?" "Enough!" Gu Juncheng's voice was a cold snap. "You think it's over just because I stop talking? While you're home, the villagers won't dare to gossip. But what about when you leave? Your father and I will be so shamed we won't be able to hold our heads up in this village!" Gu Juncheng was silent again. "Say something! We can't keep a daughter-in-law like this. We brought her into this house and treated her like a princess, but she's never satisfied. Always throwing bowls, smashing plates, making pointed remarks. We put up with it all because you're away so often, but this… this is something we can't tolerate! In the old days, a woman like her would be drowned!"