After being separated from my family, I became a darling of the military region thanks to my medical

The jeep bumped along the winding dirt road, its wheels kicking up two long, dusty trails.

Gu Zheng rested one hand on the steering wheel, his knuckles tapping lightly in time with the indistinct rhythm of the model opera playing on the car radio, exuding a lazy and relaxed aura.

"You don't need to worry about that kid, Stone."

A deep, resonant voice, mingling with the roar of the engine, carried a hint of casual admiration. "He's got a wolf cub. He's only been training for a short time, yet he's already in the top three of the entire company in the five-kilometer cross-country run. His marksmanship is also quite natural. As long as he can temper that wildness in him, he'll amount to something great in the future."

Ye Zhen leaned back in her chair, holding the still-warm enamel cup in her hands, a barely perceptible smile playing on her lips.

It seems that sending Gu Zheng to the army for training was the right move.

"Thanks," Ye Zhen said softly.

"Why are you being so polite with your man?" Gu Zheng glanced at her sideways, his eyes warm, like a hand warmer in winter. "Your business is my business."

But as soon as the car turned into the entrance of Heishan Village, the little warmth inside was instantly dissipated by the noise outside.

A large crowd had gathered in front of the Ye family's old house. Even through the car window, one could hear the shrill shouts and curses, like fingernails scratching metal, piercing one's ears.

"Everyone, come and be the judge! Old Master Ye has made a fortune, and now he's got all the guts!"

"So, climbing the social ladder means you're no longer poor? Living a life of luxury with the money from selling your daughter—you have no conscience!"

In the crowd, Liu Fen stood with her hands on her hips, her hair a mess, spitting at the tightly closed gate of the Ye family. Her face was distorted with jealousy, looking particularly ugly in the winter sunlight.

The Ye family kept their gates tightly shut, clearly not wanting to get involved with this shrew.

But in Liu Fen's view, this was a sign of guilt! It was fear!

"Not opening the door? Playing the coward?" Liu Fen jumped up and down in anger, her triangular eyes flashing with venom. "Fine! You shameless people, I'll paint your door with color today! To get rid of your bad luck!"

She whirled around and yelled at a towering, clumsy-looking man behind her, "Pillar! Bring the bucket over here!"

The villagers watching all took several steps back, covering their noses and looking disgusted.

The young man named Ye Zhu was carrying a tin bucket used for feeding pigs. It was full of a foul-smelling, yellowish-black liquid—pig manure that had been fermenting for several days.

"Hehe, Mom, where should I splash it?" Ye Zhu grinned foolishly, completely unaware of the wicked thing he was doing.

"Splash it on that 'Fu' character!" Liu Fen pointed at the newly pasted red paper on the door, gritting her teeth. "You think you'll be prosperous? I'll make you stink to high heaven!"

The villagers stirred.

"Liu Fen is too vicious, is she throwing excrement at people like that?"

"Shh, she's a mad dog, don't mess with her."

"You've been cursing for three days straight, aren't you satisfied yet?"

Hearing these comments only fueled Liu Fen's enthusiasm. She was determined to make a scene, to make the Ye family lose face in the village!

"Splash! Splash it hard, you bastard!"

Ye Zhu received the order, gripped the rim of the bucket tightly with his two large, fan-like hands, and raised the iron bucket filled with excrement high, ready to pour it towards the gate—

"drop!!!"

A long, harsh horn blared suddenly from behind the crowd.

The voice was urgent and fierce, carrying a reckless and ruthless force. The villagers watching were terrified and hurriedly hid to both sides.

A dark green jeep, like an enraged iron bull, roared towards us, kicking up clouds of yellow dust and exuding a murderous aura.

"Squeak—creak!"

The tires left two black marks on the ground, and the car came to a steady stop less than three meters from Liu Fen and Ye Zhu. The dust kicked up covered Liu Fen's mouth.

"Who's blind?! Trying to kill someone?!" Liu Fen was so frightened that she sat down on the ground. When she came to her senses, she pointed at the front of the car and was about to yell at it.

The car door was pushed open with a "bang".

A shiny black military boot stomped heavily on the yellow earth.

As soon as Gu Zheng's tall figure appeared, he wasn't wearing an overcoat, just his training uniform, the sleeves rolled up to his forearms, revealing his well-defined muscles. He just stood there, not saying a word, and his icy aura instantly silenced the noisy room.

Liu Fen, who had just been throwing a tantrum, was now like a chicken with its neck being choked, its mouth agape but unable to utter a single word.

Ye Zhen got out of the passenger seat, dusted off her clothes, and her cold gaze swept over the mother and child before finally landing on Ye Zhu, who was still holding a bucket of excrement and looking dazed.

"Second Aunt, you're in quite a mood despite the cold weather." Ye Zhen's voice was indifferent, revealing neither joy nor anger.

Some villagers recognized Gu Zheng and immediately whispered, "He's the son-in-law of the Ye family, the one who's a high-ranking official!"

"This is going to be interesting, we've met our match!"

Liu Fen looked at the star on Gu Zheng's shoulder and felt a chill run down her spine. But in front of so many people, and relying on her status as an elder, she stubbornly stood up and said, "You still know how to come back! You've become successful and forgotten your roots. This is a debt..."

"So, you threw feces on my door?" Gu Zheng interrupted her, his voice icy cold.

He didn't even glance at Liu Fen; his gaze lingered on the bucket of filth for a second, his eyes filled with disgust.

Liu Fen, overwhelmed by his imposing manner, resorted to shamelessness: "I was just trying to ward off bad luck for you! Zhu Zi, what are you standing there for? Splash it! Splash it in front of them! Let's see who dares to stop me!"

She was determined. The soldiers were afraid of the consequences and wouldn't dare lay a hand on the civilians. As long as the excrement was thrown out and disgusted people, she would have won!

Ye Zhu's foolishness returned after his mother yelled at him.

"splash!"

The big, clumsy man yelled and swung his arm, about to pour the full bucket of stuff at Gu Zheng and Ye Zhen.

The villagers screamed in fright and covered their eyes.

Ye Zhen stood still, her eyelids not even twitching. She felt the aura emanating from the man beside her instantly become as sharp as a drawn sword.

Just as Ye Zhu exerted force with his arm, Gu Zheng moved.

He didn't move his feet, but his right wrist flicked extremely quickly.

A streak of silver light flew from his fingertips, as fast as lightning.

It was a Phillips screwdriver that he casually picked up in the car.

"puff!"

A muffled thud.

The screwdriver struck Ye Zhu squarely in the back of his right knee, right where the most vulnerable nerve in the body is the most vulnerable spot.

"Aww!"

Ye Zhu let out a pig-like squeal, his right leg went weak, and he fell straight backward as if all his tendons had been pulled out.

His mother, Liu Fen, was standing right there.

The man fell backward, and the bucket in his hand swung backward as well! The mouth of the bucket drew an arc in the air and landed squarely on Liu Fen, who was staring wide-eyed at the spectacle.

"Splash!!!"

Not a single drop of that long-fermented "golden elixir" was spilled, giving Liu Fen a thorough and refreshing "baptism" from head to toe.

Even the fallen leaf pillar was drenched halfway up.

The world fell silent.

Immediately afterwards, an indescribable stench exploded out with a "boom".

Liu Fen's entire body had turned a yellowish-brown, with rotten vegetable leaves still clinging to her hair. She stood there blankly, her mouth agape, some liquid dripping into her mouth...

"vomit!"

Liu Fen finally came to her senses, first letting out a series of excruciating retches, followed by a pig-like scream: "Ah!!! Murder! I don't want to live anymore!"

The villagers were stunned for three seconds, then burst into thunderous laughter.

"Hahaha! Karma! This retribution came so quickly!"

"Oh my goodness, Second Aunt's outfit is really something!"

"Serves you right! Serves you right for splashing water on others; now you've had your fill of drinking!"

Ye Zhen couldn't help but laugh at the shocking scene. She admired Gu Zheng's clean and efficient handling of the situation. It was like a precise surgical operation, accurately removing the lesion without any unnecessary movements.

Gu Zheng stood there with one hand in his training pants pocket, looking down at the mother and child writhing in the filth. He was like a drawn blade, sharp and unyielding, carrying a cold, hard quality honed by years of life-or-death experience.

"This gift is a bit too much." The man's deep voice rang out clearly amidst the villagers' laughter, devoid of any warmth, yet possessing a weight that penetrated to the heart. "Since Second Aunt likes it so much, then keep it for yourself to enjoy at your leisure."

Liu Fen was retching violently, struggling to get up and continue her tantrum. The stench had invaded her senses, the sticky filth blinded her, and she felt utterly disgusted. She looked up and met Gu Zheng's gaze.

His eyes were devoid of any emotion—no anger, no disgust—just an empty void. He looked at her as if she were a dirty stone on the roadside. It was a pure, utter indifference, chilling more than any angry outburst. In his eyes, Liu Fen, along with all her scheming and malice, was utterly unworthy of stirring even the slightest ripple.

At that very moment, all the shrewish courage Liu Fen had accumulated throughout her life vanished like a punctured pig bladder. The words she wanted to utter, all those foul language, were stuck in her throat, choked by a chilling fear.

"roll."

Gu Zheng only uttered one word.

Simple and straightforward.

Liu Fen shuddered, no longer caring about saving face or compensation. She scrambled up her mentally challenged son and fled in a flurry of laughter, leaving a trail of smelly footprints along the way.

Gu Zheng withdrew his gaze, as if he had merely swatted a fly.

He turned around and took out two bags of specially supplied cigarettes, alcohol, and sugar tea from the back seat of the car, his movements so elegant that it was as if nothing had happened.

He walked to the front of the Ye family's gate, and just then, the tightly closed black lacquered gate creaked open.

Ye's father held a shovel, Ye's mother held a rolling pin, and Ye Cheng held a cane. The three of them stood there with flushed faces, clearly ready to fight Liu Fen to the death.

"Well?"

Mr. Ye, holding a shovel high, stared at the imposing Jeep outside the door and his son-in-law, who exuded a powerful aura and was carrying gifts, and froze on the spot.

Gu Zheng looked at the "simple and unadorned" weapons in the hands of the three men, and the icy look in his eyes instantly melted away, replaced by a standard good son-in-law smile.

He bowed slightly and called out in a steady, powerful voice:

"Father, Mother, Zhenzhen and I have come back to visit you after your wedding."