Chapter 39: In Taoyang, I Make the Rules
“What are you doing? What do you want?” Wen Peizhen was terrified.
Su Tao said, “Are you going to throw yourself into the electric fence, or should I help you?”
Hearing Su Tao’s tone, which didn’t sound like an empty threat, Wen Peizhen shivered involuntarily. “You… What gives you the right?”
Su Tao extended her hand toward Guan Zining. “Lend me the gun.”
Guan Zining raised an eyebrow, opened her coat, and handed the gun from her waist to Su Tao.
Su Tao didn’t know how to use a gun, but that didn’t stop her from pointing it at Wen Peizhen. “This does.”
Wen Peizhen’s face turned ashen. “Are you really going to kill me here?”
Su Tao said, “This is Taoyang, not Dongyang. Here, I make the rules. No one can interfere. Do you understand?”
“Go on, slam into it. If there’s no blood or your face isn’t scratched, do it again. I’ll count to three. If you don’t do it, I’ll pull the trigger.”
Guan Zining began to clear the onlookers. “Everyone step back. If the gun goes off, you don’t want to get splattered.”
The crowd all took three big steps back.
Wen Peizhen was both furious and terrified. “You’re all cold-blooded animals! After living together for so long, you’re just going to watch them treat me like this? If Su Tao can do this to me today, she can do it to any of you tomorrow!”
Madam Qian couldn’t take it anymore. “Even now, you’re still trying to sow discord? Only you would try to murder a child under ten! If I were Zhuang Wan, and you hurt my child like this, it wouldn’t just be some scratches and scars—I’d kill you myself!”
Su Tao: “Three.”
“Two.”
Wen Peizhen looked at the barbed wire on the high wall, her heart filled with despair. She closed her eyes and resignedly moved forward.
But in the end, she was a coward. She used less than thirty percent of her strength, only grazing her forehead a little and drawing a few tiny beads of blood.
Guan Zining clicked her tongue. “Troublesome. Let me help you.”
She grabbed Wen Peizhen by the hair and slammed her head against the wall.
The barbed wire instantly tore into Wen Peizhen’s face, splattering blood all over the wall.
Su Tao’s eyelid twitched, but she did not stop Guan Zining’s violent actions.
Guan Zining knew when to stop and released Wen Peizhen after a few strikes.
Su Tao squatted in front of Wen Peizhen, who was so frightened she couldn’t speak, and said:
“Just scarring your face is too easy on you. The young girl is not even ten years old. Not only is her face cut, but she almost lost an eye. You also didn’t pay rent this month. Pack up and get out before ten tonight. Otherwise, I’ll let you experience the wall’s hardness again.”
…
When Su Tao and Guan Zining arrived at Dongyang Hospital, Chen Xi had already been bandaged and was asleep.
Her head was wrapped up like a big rice dumpling.
Zhuang Wan’s eyes were red. “The cut was two millimeters from the corner of her eye. Her eyeball was slightly injured. Her vision might be affected during recovery.”
Chen Yang stood next to her, head lowered, shoulders trembling with sobs. “It… It’s my fault. If I hadn’t been playing near the back of the cafeteria, my sister wouldn’t have followed me. She wouldn’t have gotten hurt…”
The tearful Zhuang Wan turned away, crying silently.
Su Tao squatted down and hugged Chen Yang. “This wasn’t your fault. It was the bad person’s doing. Next time, if you encounter something like this, find an adult first. When you’re older, when you can fight off bad people and protect yourself, then you can take charge.”
Chen Yang nodded, clenching his little fists. “Sister Tao, I’ll grow up fast. I’ll become strong and protect my sister, protect Mom, and protect you.”
He added in a small voice, “And protect Taoyang…”
Su Tao laughed. “Good. Grow up fast. Taoyang will rely on you.”
Chen Yang nodded vigorously, as if he truly felt the weight of responsibility on his small shoulders.
Outside the ward, Zhuang Wan apologized. “I was supposed to settle Shuyu’s parents in this afternoon, but I don’t think I’ll make it. I’ll message her and reschedule for tomorrow morning.”
Su Tao nodded. “It’s okay. Take care of Chen Xi first. Comfort her when she wakes up. I’ve dealt with Wen Peizhen. You won’t see her again.”
Zhuang Wan was immensely grateful, wiping the tears from her eyes.
“I’m so useless. When something happens, all I do is cry. I can’t even protect my own kids. I’m always troubling you.”
Thinking back, Zhuang Wan felt ashamed of herself.
When Chen Xi got hurt, she was so lost that her first instinct was to call Su Tao.
She hadn’t realized how naturally she had come to rely on someone younger than herself.
Su Tao comforted her. “Without your help, I’d be overwhelmed handling all these things. Everyone has their strengths. For example, if I asked Zining to make a spreadsheet, probably only she would understand it.”
Guan Zining appeared around the corner, looking suspicious. “Are you talking about me?”
Su Tao nodded and made up a random story. “We were saying how cool you look with a gun.”
Guan Zining smirked. “Back when Major General Shi led our entire pioneer force, he even praised my marksmanship.”
Zhuang Wan couldn’t help but laugh.
After the three left, a head peeked out from a corner.
Tan Fangchun finally remembered—these three were the “scammers” who had taken the old man away!
She quickly changed out of her janitor uniform and rushed home. As soon as she saw Mei Xingxian, she exclaimed:
“I saw the scammers who took the old man at the hospital! It looks like someone in their group is hospitalized!”
Mei Xingxian, who was smoking, dropped his cigarette. “Which ward?”
Tan Fangchun hesitated. “I… I don’t remember. I saw them on the third floor. It should be there.”
Mei Xingxian took a deep breath. “Did you ask the nurses how long they’ll be staying? What if they were just there to discharge someone today?”
Tan Fangchun froze again. “Ah, I was so eager to tell you, I didn’t ask.”
Mei Xingxian wished he could throw his cigarette at her face. “Idiot!”
Cursing, he threw on his jacket and headed to Dongyang Hospital.
Fortunately, Dongyang only had one hospital, just one building.
Even with only one building, Su Tao still envied it.
She had never seen another hospital and thought it was already very convenient for Dongyang to have one. If Taoyang could build one too, that would be great.
But it was just a thought. There were no medical devices and no personnel. Building an empty hospital would be useless.
When she returned to Taoyang, Liu Panpan was anxiously waiting for her. Seeing Su Tao, she quickly approached.
“Is everything okay? I heard that Chen Xi’s face was cut. Is it serious? Mr. Mei is really worried.”
Su Tao went with her to see Mr. Mei, briefly explaining the situation. Besides leaving a scar, it wasn’t too serious.
Liu Panpan’s eyes welled up. “She’s not even ten, right? A scar on a young girl’s face is just…”
Who wouldn’t think so?
Su Tao sighed. “I wonder if there are any healing-type ability users who charge for their services.”
There were some under Shi Zijin, but no one knew when they’d return. Chen Xi’s injury couldn’t wait long—once the wound healed improperly, it might be permanent.
Mr. Mei, who had remained silent, suddenly spoke. “There is one. In the underground garage of Quanhougou in the East District, there’s a healer named Zhong who offers treatment for money.”
