Chapter 34: The Madman Speaks?!!

In less than an hour, Zhou Sinian returned. His speed made Mingdai acutely aware of just how much she had been holding him back, how utterly useless she was. There was no time to brood over it; Mingdai hurried to follow him down the mountain.

Zhou Sinian strode ahead, carrying the burlap sack, occasionally stopping to wait for Mingdai who was jogging to keep up. Mingdai tried her best, her short legs nearly sparking with exertion.

At last, they reached the foot of the mountain. Mingdai collapsed atop the sack, gasping for breath, as her soul finally returned to her body.

Zhou Sinian, by contrast, showed only a sheen of sweat on his forehead. He hadn’t even removed his red headscarf, which sat perfectly square atop his head.

Impressive.

Mindful of her own physical state and the gathering dusk, Mingdai addressed Zhou Sinian, “Do you remember where the brigade leader’s house is?”

Zhou Sinian thought for a moment, then nodded.

“You go down and borrow three burlap sacks and a flatbed cart from them,” Mingdai instructed. “Say you found chestnut shells while gathering firewood and need to borrow them.”

She repeated the instructions several times to make sure he remembered, then took out the six candies Fang Rou had given her that day and handed them to him.

“Be polite. Knock before entering, explain your purpose clearly, and give the candies to their children.”

Zhou Sinian took the candies and put them in his trouser pocket. They weren’t from Mingdai, so they didn’t deserve to be in his jacket pocket.

Watching him disappear quickly around the bend of the mountain path, Mingdai slumped to the ground. Tonight, she would need a spa with essential oils—she was exhausted!

Zhou Sinian marched down the mountain at a brisk pace. Villagers gathering firewood were startled to see him emerge from Wild Boar Ridge. Only a madman would dare venture there!

Soon, he reached the village and headed straight for the brigade leader’s house.

Inside, the brigade leader’s family was eating dinner by the light of the stove; otherwise, they’d have to light the oil lamp later. As they divided the meal, the door was suddenly knocked with a loud bang.

Aunt Huang frowned. “Who’s banging so hard? They’ll break the door!”

She sent her youngest son, Liu Laifa, to open the door.

Before Liu Laifa reached the courtyard, the door was pushed open—despite the fact that he’d bolted it! The snapped bolt lying on the ground was proof enough.

Zhou Sinian swept into the yard like a whirlwind, heading straight for the flatbed cart parked in front of the stable.

Only then did Liu Laifa recognize the visitor. His voice trembled as he called out, “Mom… Mom… Mom!”

Aunt Huang, hearing his frantic, ghost-calling shouts, scowled. “Are you calling for my soul? I’m not dead yet!”

She slapped a cornmeal bun onto the table, shuffled off the kang, shoes dragging, cursing as she went.

“Who comes at dinner time, so inconsiderate.”

She stopped short when she saw Zhou Sinian backing the cart in front of the stable. Her voice caught and fell silent.

Zhou Sinian finished backing up the cart and, seeing Aunt Huang, remembered she was the one who had spoken to him while shelling corn.

“Three burlap sacks. Firewood. Cart,” he stated, his words clear and concise, but all the manners Mingdai had drilled into him forgotten.

Aunt Huang was frozen in place, unmoving. Zhou Sinian seemed to recall something else, glanced around, and strode straight into the house.

Inside, the family had already heard the madman’s commotion and were peering out the window.

Aunt Huang watched as the madman walked directly towards her, so frightened she collapsed to the ground. A sense of impending doom swept over her. She thought of the money and ration tickets sewn into her underwear—her husband must find them before everything was burned!

But Zhou Sinian simply stepped over her and looked at those huddled on the kang.

His sharp gaze made everyone on the kang shrink together, trembling in fear.

Liu Dazhu’s hand holding the pipe shook so badly that ash fell onto his cotton jacket, burning several holes, which he didn’t even notice.

Zhou Sinian scanned the room and spotted Tie Dan clinging to his parents. He remembered—this dark-skinned boy had visited their house before.

He handed the child the candy, pulling it from his pocket and placing it in Tie Dan’s palm.

To the Liu family, it looked like a fist the size of a sandbag aimed straight at their eldest grandson.

“No! Hit me if you must, just don’t hit my son!”

“Zhou Sinian, I’ll fight you!”

…

Just as the family prepared to leap up in outrage, the sandbag-sized fist opened, revealing six pieces of creamy white rabbit candy.

Zhou Sinian ignored their shouts and stared intently at Tie Dan.

Why wasn’t the boy taking the candy?

Tie Dan was glared at.

He shivered, reached out with trembling hands, and under Zhou Sinian’s urging gaze, took the candied pieces one by one.

Only after confirming all the candies were taken did Zhou Sinian withdraw his hand and repeat his request to the gaping Liu Dazhu.

“Three burlap sacks. Firewood. Cart.”

Liu Dazhu snapped back to reality, jumped off the kang, and went to the storage room to fetch the sacks. His movements were swift, belying his age.

Satisfied with the sacks, Zhou Sinian stepped over Aunt Huang again, never sparing a glance for the shivering Liu Laifa in the courtyard, and strode off with the cart.

Once Zhou Sinian and the cart disappeared, the Liu family finally came to their senses.

Liu Dazhu and Liu Laifa helped Aunt Huang up from the ground, checked her over carefully—nothing was wrong, she was just scared.

The family returned to the kang, exchanging glances, still dazed.

Suddenly, Goudan patted his pants.

“Mom, why are my pants wet?”

Sister Huang reached over; the warmth carried a pungent scent.

“You little rascal! Did you wet the kang?”

Goudan received a smack on his bottom, protesting, “I didn’t!”

Wet beds in winter were the most troublesome. Huang Dalien checked him over and found only the cuffs damp—so it really wasn’t him.

Everyone’s gaze shifted to Tie Dan, who was clutching the candy, head bowed.

“Brother, did you pee yourself from fright?”

Goudan’s clear, childish voice rang out, making Tie Dan’s head droop even lower.

“Smack!”

A crisp slap landed on Goudan’s head. Huang Dalien looked at Tie Dan and said, “What do you know? Was your brother scared? That’s a normal reaction—if the madman stared at you, you’d wet the kang too!”

Goudan rubbed his sore head, tears welling up, and thought it over. It was true—if the madman stared at him, he would not only wet the bed but might even die of fright.

“Brother, you’re really brave!”

Tie Dan regained his dignity, gave a cool “hmph,” and divided the candies among his brother and two sisters.

That night, the Liu family’s two eldest grandsons ate dinner wrapped in quilts, bare-bottomed on the kang.

After dinner, the family lay together on the kang, breathing in the scent of urine in the air.

The eldest grandson’s cotton pants were drying at the head of the kang.

Suddenly, Tie Dan blurted, “The madman spoke.”

The family was startled and began discussing in earnest—the madman actually spoke!

Meanwhile, Zhou Sinian had already reached the foot of the mountain with the cart.

He parked the cart, grabbed the sacks, and went up the mountain without a word to Mingdai.

Mingdai didn’t mind. She turned the cart around and parked it next to the sacks, waiting for Zhou Sinian to return and load up.

Soon, Zhou Sinian came down carrying one sack on his shoulder and two in his hands.

Mingdai watched him closely—was this man built by the state as a human fighting machine, or did he have Saiyan genes?

How could he be so formidable!

Zhou Sinian busied himself loading the cart, never looking at her.

Before Mingdai could react, she was scooped up and placed in the cart’s designated safe spot.

The flatbed cart sped through the night, mountain winds slapping their faces. Zhou Sinian, as if equipped with beastly eyes, saw through the darkness with ease, making it safely down the mountain.

The village was quiet; everyone was resting at home.

Zhou Sinian, with his exceptional anti-surveillance skills, slipped into the village without alerting anyone, entering the courtyard in absolute silence.