Chapter 152: The Letter and the Prey

“This is…” Gu Yunzhou frowned in thought.

Wen Zhuqing had brought this package back from the county, and inside, aside from those two banned books, there was also this packet of medicine.

The books were clearly meant to be used against his father and the Gu family. But this medicine…

Gu Yunzhou carefully opened the medicine packet and quickly saw a powdery substance inside.

He didn’t know anything about medicine or herbs, so he had no idea what this powder was.

However…

He took out a handkerchief and cautiously poured a small amount of the powder onto it. Then, just as carefully, he restored the packet and the books to their original state and put everything back where it was.

Once the handkerchief was safely tucked away, Gu Yunzhou didn’t dare linger. Just as he’d come, he quietly slipped out through the window, restoring it to the narrow crack it had been left in.

Outside, Wen Zhuqing and Bao Shanyan remained completely unaware.

Meanwhile, Gu Yunzhou quietly returned home.

At this hour, the Gu family’s living room was brightly lit. Earlier that day, after returning from the county, Gu Yunzhou had told his family about following Wen Zhuqing, what Wen Zhuqing had been up to, and the call he’d made to Gu Jianing, as well as Gu Jianing’s plan.

Tonight, because Gu Yunzhou had said in advance that he was going to the Bao family to investigate the package Wen Zhuqing had brought out, the whole Gu family—except for the baby Zhuangzhuang—were up waiting for him, even Yang Manman, who was heavily pregnant, got up in the middle of the night to wait with her husband.

After all, one of Wen Zhuqing’s targets was her.

Yang Manman was fearless, but now that she was a mother, she had to protect her child—a child she had longed for and finally conceived after much difficulty.

As Gu Yunzhou returned, the whole family perked up, their eyes fixed on him.

“How did it go, Yunzhou?” Yao Chunhua asked in a low voice, pouring him a cup of warm water.

Gu Yunzhou took it and drank it down in one gulp.

After sitting down, he quickly recounted how he’d snuck into Wen Zhuqing’s room and what he’d found in the package.

“Those banned books are definitely meant to frame Dad,” Gu Yunting said firmly. “Wen Zhuqing has clearly held a grudge ever since Dad became village chief.”

“So what do we do?” Yang Manman and Su Miao, the two women, looked a little lost and anxious after hearing all this.

“Don’t worry,” Old Gu said in a steady voice, his eyes narrowing slightly. “If Wen Zhuqing really dares to act, we’ll just give him a taste of his own medicine.”

The three brothers exchanged glances. As expected, their father was thinking exactly as they were.

No wonder he could become village chief.

Gu Yunzhou then took out the handkerchief, spread out the powder on it, and shared his suspicions.

When Yang Manman heard that the powder might be meant for her and her unborn child, she was shocked.

Gu Yunting squeezed his wife’s hand to comfort her, but his face remained grim as he looked at the powder.

“We need to find out exactly what this powder is. I have a friend who knows about herbs—I’ll ask him tomorrow,” Gu Yunting said, carefully folding up the handkerchief.

“Good, let’s do that,” Old Gu nodded, then turned to Gu Yunzhou. “Yunzhou, keep an eye on Wen Zhuqing. The whole family needs to stay alert.”

“Yes, Dad, we understand.”

Since it was already late and everyone had work the next day, they all went to bed after finishing their discussion.

Early the next morning, Gu Yunting got up especially early to consult his friend before work.

As for Gu Yunzhou, after disguising himself, he spent a penny to ask a stranger on the street to deliver a letter to Liu Ruzhi.

Liu Ruzhi, who was working in his office, suddenly heard someone was looking for him.

When the person came in, it turned out to be an unfamiliar older woman.

She said someone had asked her to deliver a letter to him, and handed it over.

Liu Ruzhi frowned—what was this about?

Could it be some kind of anonymous report? Why all the secrecy?

Curious, Liu Ruzhi opened the letter immediately. As he read the contents, his eyes widened in disbelief.

“No, impossible—how could Yuan Yuan do something like this!”

But then he remembered how strange his daughter had been acting lately.

Could the letter be telling the truth?

Liu Ruzhi immediately questioned the woman about who had asked her to deliver the letter.

But she couldn’t give any details, and the letter itself said the sender had learned of this by chance and, not wanting to see the county chief’s daughter deceived, had written to warn him out of goodwill.

Whether he believed it or not was up to him—he could always ask his daughter at home.

Liu Ruzhi couldn’t sit still any longer and rushed to the Women’s Federation where his wife worked.

In his wife Du Juan’s office, he showed her the letter.

Du Juan was also shocked after reading it.

“We’ve noticed Yuan Yuan’s odd behavior lately. Maybe, just maybe…”

“Tonight, when we get home, we’ll ask her. If it’s not true, then fine. But if it is…”

“We need to expose that educated youth’s true face. We can’t let Yuan Yuan be deceived.”

“Old Liu, you know we’ve protected Yuan Yuan too well. She’s too innocent and easily tricked, but she’s a good child.”

“If this is true, then it’s that educated youth who’s fooled our Yuan Yuan. We absolutely can’t let him get away with it.”

“Yes, I know.”

Thinking of that Wen Zhuqing, Liu Ruzhi’s eyes flashed with cold fury. How dare he seduce his precious daughter!

“I’ll go investigate this person’s background right now.”

—

At noon, the Gu family sat around the table, but no one had much appetite.

Gu Yunzhou spoke first. “This morning, while none of us were home, Wen Zhuqing did sneak into our house and put those two banned books in Dad’s bedside drawer.”

“But as soon as he left, I took them out. I’ll find a chance to put them back in Wen Zhuqing’s room.” Fight fire with fire.

Gu Yunzhou already had a plan in mind.

Since Wen Zhuqing had planted the banned books in their house, he definitely wouldn’t just leave it at that—he was bound to make a scene.

When the time came, they’d turn the tables on him.

Everyone nodded, then looked to Gu Yunting.

Gu Yunting knew what they wanted to hear and said gravely, “I showed the powder on the handkerchief to my friend.”

“It’s a drug that excites animals and drives them mad. If someone gets it on them, animals will go crazy and treat that person as prey!”

As soon as he said this, the whole Gu family’s faces darkened.

Yang Manman’s face went completely white.

They hadn’t forgotten: Wen Zhuqing had two targets. The banned books were for Old Gu, but the powder was clearly meant for Yang Manman."