IDFMBD Chapter 4

Sent to the Countryside

That strange dream was exactly the same as the plot in the novel’s extra chapter, where “she” was ultimately violated and tortured to death by a group of thugs.

Except for Lin Yize’s presence.

In the novel, “Lin Xi” had reaped what she had sown, and Lin Yize seemed to know nothing about it.

But why had she seen Lin Yize in her dream? There had been a smile on his face, but his eyes were filled with a ruthlessness Lin Xi had never seen before.

As she recalled that look in Lin Yize’s eyes, fear crawled up into her heart once again.

…

Beside her, Zhang Cui saw Lin Xi twisting her head, staring blankly out of the car window, her eyes wide open. Zhang Cui’s heart skipped a beat.

Remembering her daughter’s concerns before they left, she subconsciously became nervous too.

Lin Xi was too clever. Perhaps she really could memorise the route back.

Zhang Cui’s eyes shifted, and she said, “Xiao Xi, there are still several hours to go. Aren’t you tired from staring out like that? Close your eyes and sleep for a while.”

Hearing Zhang Cui’s words, Lin Xi turned her head back and obediently closed her eyes.

Seeing this, Zhang Cui smiled in satisfaction.

What she did not know was that Lin Xi did not need to memorise the route at all. When she found out she was going to be brought here by them, Lin Xi had already looked up the route between the two places online and memorised it, including the places they would pass along the way, the places to eat, service areas, inns, and hotels.

Later, Lin Xi really did fall asleep.

By the time they arrived at Zhangjia Village and Lin Xi woke up from a bout of jolting, it was already noon.

Zhang Cui directly pointed the way and had the driver drive the car to Zhang Qiang’s doorstep.

“We’re here. Get out,” Zhang Cui said.

“Here?”

“Yes.” Seeing Lin Xi’s suspicious expression, Zhang Cui suddenly felt somewhat guilty and explained with a dry laugh, “This actually isn’t our family’s old house. Our old house hasn’t been lived in for too long. It’s dirty and old, and can’t be lived in anymore.”

“This is the house of one of our relatives. We’ll stay here for now.”

Lin Xi looked up at the small house in front of her. Because it had not been repaired for a long time, the whole house looked utterly dilapidated, as though it might collapse on its own at any moment. There was a small room beside it, and half of its roof had already caved in. Outside the house, all kinds of miscellaneous items and rubbish were piled up messily. One glance was enough to tell that they had been there for years.

*And this place isn’t dirty or old?*

Lin Xi silently complained inwardly.

She seemed to know now who Lin Anxin had inherited her clumsy acting skills from.

“Let’s go.”

“Oh.” Lin Xi followed Zhang Cui into the courtyard.

As soon as they entered, a nauseating mixed stench assaulted them. It was completely different from the smell of livestock and farming they had encountered along the way.

At this moment, a shirtless man with messy hair, reeking of alcohol, limped out.

“Aunt Cui, you’re here.”

Seeing the man like this, Zhang Cui frowned, but did not think too much of it. She pulled Lin Xi over to him. “Qiangzi, I haven’t seen you in so many years, but you haven’t changed at all.”

As she spoke, Zhang Cui formally introduced Lin Xi. “This is my granddaughter, Lin Xi.”

“Xiao Xi, this is your Uncle Qiang. Call him Uncle Qiang.”

“…”

Lin Xi pressed her lips together and did not call him. She lowered her head and nodded expressionlessly.

“Aunt Cui, this granddaughter of yours is a little shy,” Zhang Qiang said.

Zhang Cui explained, “She probably just hasn’t adapted yet after arriving here.”

Zhang Qiang curled his lip. “Now that she’s here, she has to be a bit more open if she wants people to like her.”

Zhang Cui laughed dryly. “She’ll be better later.”

Zhang Qiang glanced again at Lin Xi, who still had her head lowered, and said nothing more. He led Zhang Cui and Lin Xi into the house.

The inside smelled even worse than the outside.

“Aunt Cui, have some water.” Zhang Qiang went to the side, brought over two bowls of water, and placed them in front of Zhang Cui and Lin Xi.

Looking at the layer of yellowish-brown grime in the bowl and the white flocculent things floating in the water, Zhang Cui endured and endured, but she truly could not bring herself to drink it.

Back when she lived in the village, she had not thought anything was wrong. But after living in the city for a few years, she could no longer stand this after returning.

“I won’t drink for now. I’m not thirsty,” Zhang Cui refused with a stiff smile. “Why don’t you show us which room you arranged for us first? We’ll put the luggage inside.”

Zhang Qiang nodded and led Zhang Cui and Lin Xi into a room beside them. It was only separated from the outer room by a torn cloth curtain.

“You can stay here. The other rooms still have things in them.”

This room was also half-filled with miscellaneous junk. Beside the wall was a wooden board covered in dust and cobwebs. It was probably the bed.

“This room is quite bright. It’ll be fine after a little tidying,” Zhang Cui said. It was hard to tell whether she was saying it to Zhang Qiang or to Lin Xi.

As long as I’m not embarrassed, the embarrassed one will be someone else?

Lin Xi said nothing.

Zhang Qiang carried his bottle of alcohol and left. Zhang Cui began tidying up.

After fussing around a little, Zhang Cui could not stand the filth either. Taking advantage of Lin Xi being outside, she called Uncle Li to help bring the blankets and sheets from the car boot. Then she directly spread them over the wooden bed board.

In any case, with a bedsheet in between, it would not touch the dust.

After tidying up, Zhang Cui pulled Lin Xi inside and instructed her, “Xiao Xi, take out the luggage you need. I’m going to visit some fellow villagers and a few relatives. You’re probably tired too, so you don’t need to come with me.”

Visiting relatives and friends was fake. In the novel, after Zhang Cui left, she failed to find Zhang Qiang, gave money to the “introducer,” and then directly returned to B City.

But whether Zhang Cui left or not did not matter to Lin Xi. She expressionlessly agreed.

After Zhang Cui left, Lin Xi walked to the bed and picked up her luggage bag from the floor.

The bag still looked the same, as though it had not been touched. But after Lin Xi searched through it, she could not find her phone.

There was no need to think. Zhang Cui had taken it.

Fortunately, Lin Xi had expected this long ago. Before setting off, she had carried an old phone she no longer used on her person.

She glanced at the time. It was still early. That Zhang Qiang probably would not be back for a while, so Lin Xi took water and two energy bars out of her bag and ate them. Then she made some preparations.

—

By evening, Zhang Cui indeed had not returned.

Instead, Zhang Qiang staggered back, holding newly bought alcohol in one hand and a plastic bag in the other. Inside the bag were leftovers he had taken from a village banquet.

Zhang Qiang picked up one of the bowls he had used to pour water for Lin Xi and Zhang Cui earlier, poured the water onto the ground, and put the bag of food into it.

He placed it in front of Lin Xi. “Eat.”

Lin Xi did not move. Zhang Qiang did not care either. He drank by himself while sizing Lin Xi up from head to toe.

“You know how to wash clothes, cook, and work, right?” Zhang Qiang asked.

Lin Xi did not speak. Zhang Qiang continued, “We don’t indulge that spoiled city-girl nonsense here. If you don’t know how, learn. If you don’t work, I won’t keep you.”

“After you eat this, go wash the clothes in my room. Tomorrow, get up early and cook. There isn’t much food at home. Walk out from the front gate and, along the way, if you see any vegetables outside people’s homes, pick some and bring them back.”

Listening to Zhang Qiang’s matter-of-fact instructions, Lin Xi lowered her head and said nothing. But the hands tucked into her clothes pockets were tightly gripping the bottle of self-defence spray and her phone.

Zhang Qiang stared at Lin Xi for a while longer, then asked, “How old are you?”

“Fourteen,” Lin Xi replied.

The young girl’s voice made Zhang Qiang’s heart stir with excitement. His eyes shifted. “Fourteen isn’t young. A few years ago, girls that age could already be raising children.”

Seeing that Lin Xi still said nothing, Zhang Qiang became somewhat dissatisfied. “Being this timid won’t do.”

“Come, drink some alcohol with Uncle.” Zhang Qiang poured out the water in the other bowl, filled it with alcohol, and moved closer to Lin Xi with the bowl in hand.

When he clearly saw Lin Xi’s face, Zhang Qiang’s eyes brightened, and a greedy, obscene look appeared on his face.

He had not expected that this distant granddaughter Zhang Cui sent over would be so pretty and fresh-looking. She would definitely be more enjoyable than those women he found at the village entrance for ten yuan. Although she did not have much flesh on her, perhaps that would have its own flavour too.

Twisted thoughts arose in Zhang Qiang’s mind.

He licked his lips and sat down on the long bench beside Lin Xi.

“From now on, you can live peacefully here with Uncle. Be obedient, and you won’t lack food.”

As Zhang Qiang spoke, he moved even closer to Lin Xi. One hand looked as though it was about to reach toward her body.

Lin Xi suddenly stood up and retreated several steps, avoiding Zhang Qiang.

“What are you doing?!”

Seeing Lin Xi dodge, Zhang Qiang looked displeased. “What am I doing? What do you think I’m doing? You actually dare to hide? I’ll take you right now!”

As Zhang Qiang spoke, he smiled obscenely at Lin Xi again. “People laugh at me because I can’t get a wife. I didn’t expect Aunt Cui to actually send one over. Today, I’ll have a taste.”

“You—! What nonsense are you saying? My grandmother only told me to come here temporarily! I’m warning you, don’t mess around!”

Zhang Qiang did not know that Lin Xi was deliberately trying to draw words out of him. He sneered. “Temporarily? Bah! Aunt Zhang Cui sent you here for me to raise as a daughter. You’ll have to stay here for the rest of your life!”

After saying that, he began cursing. “Hmph, if she’d sent me a son, I might’ve considered it. What use is a daughter? Better to use her as a woman.”

“Impossible! My grandmother clearly said it was temporary.”

“Hmph, then Zhang Cui tricked you. But it’s all the same. Since you’ve been given to me, I’m free to do whatever I want!” As he spoke, Zhang Qiang’s expression turned fierce, and he threatened, “Once you’re here, you can’t run. You’d better behave. From now on, serve me properly every day, and I’ll give you food. If one day you fail to serve me well, I’ll kill you!”

As he spoke, Zhang Qiang lunged toward Lin Xi.

“D-don’t come over!”

“Help!”

At this moment, Lin Xi’s face was full of terror, but her mind was completely clear.

Her appearance also made Zhang Qiang lower his guard. He thought to himself: what could a skinny little girl with thin arms and legs do? Wasn’t she still at his mercy?

Just as Zhang Qiang forced Lin Xi to the point where she had nowhere left to retreat and was about to grab her, Lin Xi suddenly took out the bottle of capsaicin spray from her pocket, pressed the nozzle hard, and sprayed fiercely at Zhang Qiang’s eyes.

“Ah—!” Zhang Qiang covered his eyes and screamed in pain.

At that moment, Lin Xi ran to the side, avoiding the reach of Zhang Qiang’s hands.

She watched Zhang Qiang warily for a few seconds. While he was rolling on the ground in pain, Lin Xi took out the stun baton modified from the power bank, pressed the switch, and pressed it hard against the back of his neck.

Amidst Zhang Qiang’s screams, his body suddenly began convulsing violently.

Only after Zhang Qiang’s body stopped its continuous trembling did Lin Xi use the stun baton to shock him a few more times.

Looking at Zhang Qiang lying motionless on the floor, Lin Xi cursed, “Old pervert.” Still not satisfied, she stepped forward and kicked him hard twice.