Chapter 2

Wang Baoyu leisurely descended the mountain, and at the foot of the mountain was the Dongqing River of Dongfeng Village. The Dongqing River flowed from south to north, a small stream that was not very wide, with its widest point being no more than ten meters across. In the narrowest places, one could jump to the other side with a strong leap. After crossing the Dongqing River and climbing up the flood embankment, he would reach his home.

Wang Baoyu followed the mountain path to the Dongqing River. At this moment, two calves were at the bridgehead, excitedly butting heads with their newly sprouted horns. Wang Baoyu tried to go around from the left, but the calf on the right gained the upper hand and pushed the one on the left over. When he tried to go around from the right, the calf on the left went berserk and pushed the one on the right over. This forced Wang Baoyu to dodge between the two calves, unable to cross the bridge.

"Whose rotten cows, go play somewhere else! Don't block my way!" Wang Baoyu cursed, waving the small basket in his hand at the calves.

While threatening the two calves to move, Wang Baoyu suddenly felt his feet give way. Looking down, he saw that he had stepped in the diarrhea-like droppings of one of the calves. This made him even angrier, and he cursed, "What bad luck!" He kicked and shook his foot to remove the cow dung from his shoe.

"Who are you cursing! Who's kid is so full of himself!" A rough voice suddenly came from under the bridge, startling Wang Baoyu, who was busy shaking off the dung. A burly man walked up from under the bridge, holding a whip and staring at Wang Baoyu with disdain. Wang Baoyu naturally recognized this man, who was known as Gangdan, a notorious brute in the village.

Gangdan's real name was Qian Zhigang, in his thirties, and still unmarried. He was over six feet tall, with dark skin and a face full of scars, a man without a home or job, fearless of heaven or earth. No one in the village dared to provoke him, and no one could beat him.

Seeing this man, Wang Baoyu quickly stomped his feet and forced a smile, saying, "Who has such a domineering voice? It's Brother Gangdan. Nothing serious, the calves are blocking the way, and I'm trying to drive them away."

Gangdan didn't seem to buy Wang Baoyu's smile. He pointed at Wang Baoyu with his whip and said disdainfully, "Why should my calves give way to a good-for-nothing like you? Can't you go around somewhere else?"

"Brother Gangdan, what do you mean? This is the only bridge around here. It's almost autumn, and I can't swim across the river naked, can I?" Although Wang Baoyu was unhappy with Gangdan's words, he thought it better to avoid trouble and bowed slightly, still smiling.

"Can't you understand human language? I said no, and that's no. If you want a beating, just say so!" Gangdan rolled up his sleeves, took a step closer, and glared, his face turning ugly. As he spoke, the scars on his face seemed to twitch.

At this moment, the two calves, which had been moving around, stopped and turned to look at the two men, as if wondering if they were also about to fight.

Wang Baoyu did not want to conflict with Gangdan. The best strategy was to avoid such people. Seizing the opportunity, he darted through the gap between the two calves and rushed onto the bridge.

Just as Wang Baoyu was about to cross the bridge and leave, he suddenly felt a strong push from behind. His body swayed, and with a splash, he fell off the bridge into the Dongqing River, sending up a high splash of water.

"I'll be damned!" The water was not deep, and Wang Baoyu surfaced, furious, and cursed at Gangdan, who was laughing on the bridge. Although he knew how to swim, he still swallowed some water and coughed hard. A cold wind blew, and the autumn river chilled Wang Baoyu to the bone.

"Brat, don't try to play tricks in front of me. Next time I catch you, I'll beat you until you shit yourself. And stay away from my sister!" Gangdan said contemptuously to Wang Baoyu, who was standing in the river. He raised his whip, drove the calves away, and walked off without paying attention to Wang Baoyu's curses.

The dozens of mushrooms in the small basket were scattered in the water, drifting farther and farther away. Wang Baoyu climbed ashore with the empty basket, and the cold wind made him sneeze several times. Although he had been cursing nonstop in the water, his ears had picked up Gangdan's words, and he realized that his trouble was not unfounded.

It turned out that although Gangdan had no parents, he had a sister, Qian Meifeng, who was twenty years old, two years older than Wang Baoyu. Although Meifeng and Gangdan were from the same mother, she was very pretty and tall, and her appearance could rival that of city girls.

One summer evening, the village was showing an outdoor movie called "Tunnel Warfare." For the culturally impoverished village, this was like a festival, and people of all ages brought their own benches to watch the movie. Wang Baoyu naturally did not miss this opportunity, but he sat far away on the side, as he did not like the smell of the men who rarely bathed.

The movie had been playing for a while when Qian Meifeng hurriedly arrived with a small bench. Perhaps sharing the same sentiment as Wang Baoyu, she sat next to him. The villagers did not notice this, as they were already engrossed in the gunfire on the screen.

Wang Baoyu was no longer interested in the movie. Qian Meifeng was very clean, and her scent of soap was intoxicating, making Wang Baoyu unable to distinguish the heroes from the villains in the movie.

After the movie ended, the crowd dispersed, and Wang Baoyu and Qian Meifeng, each holding a small bench, walked along the river embankment toward their homes. Unconsciously, they walked side by side and started talking. On this starry night, Wang Baoyu felt a sense of warmth.

Wang Baoyu enjoyed this feeling, although he did not have any romantic intentions toward Qian Meifeng. Being able to walk with one of the most beautiful girls in the village was a pleasant experience. Qian Meifeng's home was far away, and Wang Baoyu even took a detour to see her home. They chatted and laughed, and the mile-long walk seemed short.

However, this incident was seen by some busybodies in the village and spread as a rumor that they were dating. Wang Baoyu did not take it seriously, as he had not thought of it that way. As the saying goes, "A woman three years older is like a golden brick," but Qian Meifeng was only two years older, which was not ideal. Additionally, she was much taller than him, making him feel less manly when walking with her, which was not his type.

The rumors reached Gangdan's ears, and he was naturally very unhappy. His sister, who was as beautiful as a fairy, should marry a village official, not a good-for-nothing. Perhaps the heavens had eyes, and today, Gangdan finally found an opportunity to pick a fight and teach Wang Baoyu a lesson.

Wang Baoyu, drenched, crossed the bridge. His neatly parted hair was disheveled, and his white shirt was covered in mud and water. The mushrooms in his basket had been washed away by the river. The more he thought about it, the angrier he became, and he clenched his teeth, cursing, "Gangdan, you bastard, one day I'll make you kneel and call me grandpa!"

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