After becoming a widow, I became the apple of a rough man's eye.

Qin Lie turned around and pulled a bamboo stick, about the thickness of his wrist, from the pile of firewood. It was the kind of stick he usually used to chase away wild boars; it would tear his skin and lacerate his wounds if it hit him.

"Qin Lie..." Lin Qingqing panicked and gently grabbed Qin Lie's arm. "Don't hit him. He's trying to help me. Those people were..."

"Qingqing." Qin Lie turned his head to look at Lin Qingqing, "This is not a small matter."

"You drugged and framed me, didn't I tell you? Do you want to die too soon, or do you want this family to fall apart too soon?" Qin Lie raised a bamboo stick and lashed it across Jiang He's back with a whooshing sound.

"Snapped!"

A muffled thud.

Jiang He's thin back trembled violently, and a bloodstain instantly seeped through his white vest.

"What have I ever taught you? To be an upright person! Where did you learn all those underhanded tricks?"

"Snapped!"

one more time.

Jiang He gritted his teeth, remaining silent, his hands gripping the fabric on his thighs so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

"You have people coming to your door, and you expect a woman to lie and take the blame for you! What kind of man are you?!"

"Snapped!"

As the cane lashed Jiang He's back again and again, blood quickly seeped through his vest, a horrifying sight. Jiang He was in so much pain that he broke out in a cold sweat, swaying precariously, yet he stubbornly refused to beg for mercy.

"Stop hitting him! Qin Lie, stop hitting him!" Lin Qingqing couldn't take it anymore, and rushed over crying, standing in front of Jiang He.

The rattan cane brought the car to a sudden stop in mid-air.

"Get out of the way." Qin Lie's veins bulged on the back of his hand, his chest heaved violently, and his eyes were bloodshot.

"I won't let him!" Lin Qingqing spread her arms to protect Jiang He, tears streaming down her face. "He did it for me... because they bullied me, that's why he did it..."

You brothers have always had a good relationship. It's all because I came that so many things happened. It's my fault. If you want to hit someone, hit me instead...

"Sister, go away." Jiang He's weak voice came from behind.

A cold hand grabbed Lin Qingqing's clothes, trying to push her away.

Jiang He raised his head, his forehead damp with cold sweat, his beautiful eyes filled with obsession. "This has nothing to do with you. Big brother was right to hit me. I was inferior in skill and left loose ends, so I deserved to be hit."

He looked at Qin Lie, a provocative smile playing on his lips: "Big brother, as long as I'm alive, I'll dare to do it again next time. But I'll definitely do it more cleanly next time, and I won't let you worry about me."

Seeing his stubbornness, Qin Lie was afraid that his temples would throb with anger.

He threw down the rattan cane and pointed it at Jiang He's nose: "You kneel down! Kneel until dark! No one is allowed to bring him water or food!"

After saying that, Qin Lie didn't even look at the people in the courtyard. He turned around, strode into the main room, and slammed the door shut.

Xiao Yong sighed and tried to help Jiang He, but Jiang He dodged him.

"Second brother, don't worry about it, eldest brother is still angry." Jiang He knelt upright, even though his back was already a bloody mess.

Lin Qingqing squatted down beside him, looking at the wound, her hands trembling so much she dared not touch it. "Does it hurt...? Why were you so silly..."

Jiang He turned his head and looked at her red eyes. He raised his hand to wipe her tears, but found that his hands were covered in dirt, so he withdrew them.

"It doesn't hurt," he said softly. "Don't cry, sister. Big brother is doing this for my own good. He's afraid I'll go astray."

She knelt there for the entire afternoon.

The sun was scorching, making people dizzy and lightheaded. Jiang He was already in poor health, and with his injury, he started to shiver by evening.

Qin Lie did not come out.

As darkness fell, Jiang He finally couldn't hold on any longer, his body swayed, and he fainted on the ground.

"Jiang He!" Lin Qingqing, who had been guarding the entrance to the main room, screamed and rushed over upon seeing this.

The door to the main room opened. Qin Lie strode out, his face extremely grim. He bent down and picked up Jiang He, the light weight making him tighten his grip.

"Second brother! Go to town and call third brother back!" Qin Lie roared, "Hurry!"

Xiao Yong took off running, losing one of his shoes in the process without even picking it up.

Jiang He was carried into the west room. Qin Lie placed him on the bed, moving as gently as possible to avoid touching the wound on his back.

Lin Qingqing brought over some warm water, intending to wipe Jiang He's face, but Qin Lie took it from her.

"I'll do it," Qin Lie said in a hoarse voice. "Go boil some water; Lao San will probably need it when he gets back."

Lin Qingqing watched Qin Lie clumsily but gently cleaning Jiang He's wounds, and felt a pang of sadness. This man, who had hit Jiang He the hardest, was now the one heartbroken.

Jiang He was burning hot all over, frighteningly so, and was babbling incoherently.

He was delirious with fever, sometimes crying out in pain, sometimes calling for his sister, and sometimes shouting that he wanted to kill someone.

The light bulb in the main room was dim and yellow, swaying in the wind and casting several shadows that were sometimes long and sometimes short.

The courtyard gate was pushed open, and Xiao Yong followed behind, carrying two large bags, panting heavily: "Third brother, slow down, it's dark and gloomy here."

The man walking in front was tall and slender, wearing a white shirt that was very rare in this village, with the cuffs rolled up to his elbows, revealing a section of pale forearm.

He wore a pair of gold-rimmed glasses on the bridge of his nose, and the eyes behind the lenses were long and narrow, giving him a refined and scholarly appearance.

Gu Qiangying ignored Xiao Yong's shouting and went straight into the west room.

The room was filled with the smell of blood and herbs.

Qin Lie was sitting on the edge of the bed changing Jiang He's wet towel when he saw Gu Qiangying come in and made way for her.

"What happened?" Gu Qiangying put the medicine box on the table, walked to the bedside, and lifted the thin sheet covering Jiang He's back.

Her once fair back was now covered in cuts and bruises, with some areas where the flesh and blood were stuck to the fabric, a sight that looked painful.

Gu Qiangying pressed on the edge of the wound.

Jiang He, still unconscious, convulsed in pain, letting out a broken groan.

"He can still whimper, it's nothing serious. Just an infection and a fever." Gu Qiangying glanced at Qin Lie, a half-smile playing on her lips. "Big brother's got some nerve."

Qin Lie kept smoking silently, not responding.

Lin Qingqing stood beside the wound, holding a basin of hot water, her heart aching as she looked at it.

Gu Qiangying took out scissors and tweezers from the medicine box: "Sister-in-law, bring the light closer."

The way he called her "sister-in-law" came out so naturally and smoothly, with a hint of playful teasing.

Lin Qingqing's face flushed, and she brought the kerosene lamp closer.

Gu Qiangying moved swiftly, cutting away the rotten flesh, cleaning the wound, applying medicine, and bandaging it.

"Bear with it."

When the alcohol was poured on, Jiang He suddenly opened his eyes. His usually innocent and cute doe eyes were now bloodshot, staring intently at Gu Qiangying as if he wanted to bite her.

"Awake?" Gu Qiangying pushed up his glasses, his hands still moving. "If you're awake, don't move around too much, or this flesh will grow crooked and leave a big scar. Let's see which girl will still want you then."

Jiang He gritted his teeth, cold sweat streaming down his forehead, and remained completely silent.

After treating the wound, Gu Qiangying slowly washed and dried her hands.

"He has a high fever and needs an IV drip." He took out an IV bag from the medicine box and skillfully inserted the needle. "Someone has to stay by his side tonight; we need to keep an eye on him."

"I'll do it," Lin Qingqing said instinctively.

Qin Lie stubbed out his cigarette: "Go to sleep, I'll keep watch."

"No need." Gu Qiangying finished packing her things, pulled up a chair, sat down, and crossed her legs. "I just got back and I'm full of energy. Big brother, second brother, you go and rest. I also have some questions I want to ask fifth brother."

He turned to look at Lin Qingqing: "Sister-in-law, go to sleep too. Staying up late is bad for your health."

Lin Qingqing felt uneasy under his gaze.

Gu Qiangying always speaks in a gentle and slow tone, but you can always feel that there's a hidden barb in her words.

Qin Lie stood up and gently patted her back with his large hand: "Go back to your room."

Lin Qingqing walked away, turning back every few steps.

Only the two brothers remained in the house.

Gu Qiangying watched the medicine dripping from the IV tube and casually remarked, "I heard that Fifth Brother has gotten quite capable; he gave Lai Laoyao a strong drug?"

Jiang He lay face down on the pillow, his face buried in his arms, and mumbled, "You've come to see the joke too?"

"No way," Gu Qiangying said, fiddling with the IV tubing. "I just think it's a waste. It's such a waste to use that medicine on Lai Laoyao."

Jiang He suddenly looked up and stared at him.

"Next time you want to do something like this, remember to ask me for the medicine." Gu Qiangying leaned down and whispered in his ear, "I don't have any that can't be detected. I guarantee he'll die without anyone knowing, and you won't even have to get your hands dirty."

Jiang He was stunned for a moment, then grinned, pulling at his wound and wincing again: "Third Brother, you're still the most cunning."

"Likewise." Gu Qiangying straightened up, resuming his refined demeanor. "But it was right for your older brother to hit you. If this gets out, it won't be a small matter; you'll have to worry about your life."

……

Fourth brother Li Dongye, departure tomorrow.