Chapter 151: That Same Pig Squeal

Zhou Sinian stood in front of Ming Dai, shielding her as he looked up at Han Guoda, who was standing on top of the tractor.

Although Han Guoda was the one standing higher, he was cowering like a whipped dog. The side of his face where he had just been struck was swelling rapidly, and he kept his head lowered without daring to utter a word.

Zhou Sinian looked at him with displeasure. “You know how to curse people, but you don’t know how to apologize?”

The Red Scarf Squad, who had followed them over, chimed in, “Exactly! Exactly!”

Han Guoda felt terribly aggrieved.

Then why didn’t you apologize for hitting people?

Having lost all his nerve and recognized the reality of the situation, Captain Han bowed to Ming Dai. “I’m sorry. My voice was a little too loud just now!”

Boo-hoo!

Ming Dai waved her hand with a bright smile. “It’s all right, it’s all right. Captain Han was only anxious because time is short and the task is heavy. He was worried we wouldn’t finish plowing the fields, so he lost his temper. It’s understandable.

“Let’s not waste any more time. Why don’t we start the machines and get to work?”

Han Guoda secretly glanced at Ming Dai, then at Liu Dazhu and Liu Qingmin, who stood beside her with looks of complete agreement.

They were all in on it. They were ganging up on him!

After hearing Ming Dai, Zhou Sinian waved his large hand. “Get to work!”

Han Guoda did not dare delay, and neither did anyone else. Everyone hurriedly climbed down, pulled the starter cords, and fired up the engines. The three tractors began chugging along once more.

Ming Dai had Liu Guoqiang and the others carry Wang Defa, who was lying unconscious on the ground, beneath a tree. They found a pile of grass for him to sleep on.

Zhou Sinian did not follow them. He kept his eyes fixed on Han Guoda and the others as they drove. Han Guoda was so frightened that he stalled the machine twice in a row and still could not get it started.

Zhou Sinian frowned in displeasure.

Useless!

Liu Dazhu was grinning so broadly that his mouth nearly split open.

In previous years, because Liu Family Bay was the farthest away, and because he was poor with words and not particularly well regarded at the commune, their village could only get one tractor—and even that one had to be shared according to a schedule.

But this year, they had three tractors!

Everyone would have a much easier time!

After the villagers had enjoyed the spectacle long enough, the brigade leader sent them back to work.

Under the tree, Ming Dai checked Wang Defa’s pulse and examined him carefully. Apart from a concussion, he seemed fine.

It was simply that the man’s private life was far too reckless. Even without Zhou Sinian doing anything, he probably would not last much longer. Director Wang was likely destined to die without an heir.

As for the claim that he had been frightened into madness—he was not actually insane. He was merely suffering from severe nervous anxiety.

Zhou Sinian came over and saw Ming Dai holding Wang Defa’s wrist. He frowned.

“Ming Dai, he’s filthy. Let go!”

Ming Dai laughed and released him, then waved Zhou Sinian over.

“You remembered all the acupoints I taught you last time. This time, I’ll teach you how to dislocate and reset joints. Look, like this…”

Click, click, click…

Wang Defa continued to “sleep” soundly, making the perfect silent teaching aid.

One taught while the other learned. With great seriousness, the two of them took Wang Defa apart joint by joint and put him back together again.

Wang Defa: Beep beep beep beep beep beep beep beep!!!!

While Liu Family Bay was bustling with activity, the commune remained calm.

Ever since Wang Defa had returned from the psychiatric hospital, he had behaved strangely, suspecting everyone around him of ill intentions. He often did not sleep at home, so his parents, Wang Youcai and his wife, failed to notice that their son was missing.

Only after he failed to return home for two days in a row did they realize something was wrong.

They sent people out to search and learned that their son had been beaten by a madman again—and no one even knew where he had been taken!

When they reached the agricultural machinery station, they discovered that both the tractors and their drivers had vanished. After questioning the old gatekeeper, they learned that the madman had taken them all away!

Wang Youcai nearly fainted when he heard. He hurriedly found a vehicle, then took several commune officials and rode their bicycles to Liu Family Bay.

If they were any later, his only son would be ruined in the madman’s hands!

Before they even reached Liu Family Bay, they heard the chugging of tractor engines.

A group of more than a dozen people rode straight into the fields. Seeing Wang Youcai’s blackened face and his barely contained fury, Liu Dazhu grabbed Iron Egg by the arm.

“Go. Call your big brother over!”

“Liu Dazhu!”

Wang Youcai threw down his bicycle and charged toward him. Liu Dazhu welcomed him with a broad smile.

“Director Wang, have you finally found the time to come inspect our work?”

The villagers saw more than a dozen people heading toward their brigade leader and followed with the tools in their hands.

When Wang Youcai saw the villagers behind Liu Dazhu, he finally came to his senses.

The people here were notoriously fierce, and Liu Family Bay was famous for protecting its own. If he dared strike Liu Dazhu, the crowd behind him would dare beat him senseless.

That was why, all these years, he had only dared to throw his weight around at the commune. He had never dared come down to the villages.

He swallowed the fury that had nearly burst from his mouth and glared at Liu Dazhu.

“Where is my son?!”

Liu Dazhu looked at him with a beaming smile. “I have to say, Director, you certainly know how to raise a child!

“Yesterday, your son insisted on coming down with the agricultural machinery workers to help Liu Family Bay plow the fields. We tried to persuade him to leave, but he refused, so we had no choice but to let him stay and lend a hand.

“He’s working with the commune members right now. He’ll be here any moment. Any moment.”

No sooner had he finished speaking than a wail rang out.

Wang Youcai’s eyes nearly bulged from their sockets.

It was his son’s voice!

“Dad! Dad! Help! Help!”

Wang Youcai saw a human-shaped creature, looking like a madman, racing toward him with its arms and legs flailing wildly. Two people, one tall and one short, followed close behind.

When his son came sobbing up to him, Wang Youcai excitedly tried to embrace him. But before he could get close, he was driven back by an odor powerful enough to rival a biological weapon.

It was unbearable!

Wang Defa stared at his father in disbelief, his eyes filled with hurt.

Was that step backward really necessary?

Wang Youcai desperately restrained the urge to cover his nose and looked at his son in distress. “Defa, did you fall into a manure pit?”

Wang Defa could no longer suppress his grievance. With a howl, he threw himself forward and knocked his father to the ground in a crushing bear hug.

“Dad! I’m in pain! Every bone in my body is broken!”

Wang Youcai: Sob, sob, sob, sob!

“Dad! The latrine was so stinky! The entire village’s latrines were even worse! I never want to go into another latrine again!”

Wang Youcai: “Ugh! Ugh! Ugh—ugh!”

“Dad! I’m dizzy! I want to go home! I want Mom!”

At last, Wang Youcai wriggled out from beneath his son’s armpit, which smelled sour enough to turn the stomach, and began gulping down air.

Ah! I’m alive!

That boy stank like death!

The commune officials who had come with him watched the two of them rolling around on the ground. Finally realizing what was happening, they hurried over and pulled them apart.

Wang Youcai moved eight yards away from his son and sucked in a deep breath.

Once he had finally recovered, he angrily pointed at the people of Liu Family Bay and began cursing.

“Very well! Very well indeed! You openly kidnapped my son and dragged him here to clean your latrines, and you even beat him! This is outrageous! Just wait! I’ll send the militia over right now. Every last one of you will be arrested!”

“Ahhh!”

Before he could finish boasting, Zhou Sinian strode forward and snapped one of his fingers with a sharp crack.

Wang Youcai clutched his hand and let out the same squeal as his son.

The commune officials behind him collectively retreated. This time, not one of them dared step forward to intervene.

Wang Youcai glared at Zhou Sinian with hatred and fear. If looks could become real, Zhou Sinian would already have been cut into a thousand pieces.

Seeing that he still dared glare at people, Zhou Sinian raised two fingers. His meaning was unmistakable: he intended to jab them into Wang Youcai’s eyes.

Terrified, Wang Youcai immediately ducked behind Liu Dazhu.

Only then did Zhou Sinian let him off.