Chapter 8, Arson in High Winds

Song Gensheng was left speechless: "... ..."

At this moment, Gu Qing is like a cheetah waiting for an opportunity

The orphanage is filled with children who have lost their parents; they are weak and pitiful, with no support to rely on, and many are disabled orphans. However, bullying and competition among the orphans, kept secret from the director and teachers, occur almost daily. For a steamed bun, half a bowl of vegetable soup, a fairy tale book donated by a kind-hearted person, or a pair of properly fitting winter cotton shoes, or perhaps for no reason at all, simply to establish authority and voice within the group, can spark a fierce battle without smoke or gunfire. For a steamed bun, half a bowl of vegetable soup, a fairy tale book donated by a kind-hearted person, or a pair of properly fitting winter cotton shoes, or perhaps for no reason at all, simply to establish authority and voice within the group, can spark a fierce battle without smoke or gunfire.

What is the significance of coming along? A sacrificial steed for burial?

The Ding brothers are the bullies of Shiqiao Village, an existence that cannot be challenged. In the past, Song Gensheng always kept his distance from them; if he were to encounter them on a narrow path and truly had no way to avoid them, he would still respectfully bow and greet them, demonstrating impeccable manners that left the bullies with no excuse to mistreat him

As night quietly descended, five or six individuals from neighboring villages began to take action

The orphanage is the place that most closely resembles the rules of the jungle

There is a cause for every grievance, and every debt has its owner

The villagers never expected that these outsiders, after failing in their attempts, would still be unwilling to give up. When a torch lit up the night and traced a parabolic arc across the dark sky, landing on the thatched roof, the villagers were instantly terrified

Undoubtedly, the Ding brothers are the ones who foot the bill

The night falls quickly, and before the darkness has completely enveloped the earth, the people from the neighboring village can hardly contain themselves.

They know what they want to do and are excitedly looking forward to it

Since Gu Qing was not found, burning down the house could be considered as avenging the Ding brothers. As the fire in Gu Qing's house grew larger, several villagers from outside exchanged glances and hurriedly made their way out of the village.

What is a cheetah

Shiqiao Village is a village of the elderly, widows, and orphans. Matters within the village are decided by a few respected elders, yet outsiders have never regarded these elders with any respect.

The status among villages is also determined by strength; with too few young and strong individuals, it is impossible to muster any momentum, and naturally, they can only be bullied by neighboring villages

Song Gensheng, who had read many books, quickly searched through his mind for the wise sayings of sages, attempting to persuade Gu Qing to halt at the precipice and turn back to safety, urging him to abandon this impulsive decision of seeking revenge before taking any action

What are you dawdling for! Hurry and put out the fire! Send a few people up the mountain to find the Gu family's child, go quickly!

However, at this moment, Song Gensheng unexpectedly stood at the door of the Ding family, exuding an air of hostility as if he had come to seek retribution. Just thinking about this made Song Gensheng feel weak in the knees. Suddenly, he longed for the days when he would bow respectfully and greet the bullies, a sense of security permeating through the frustration.

As the outsiders approached the wooden gate of Gu Qing's home, they finally ceased to conceal their intentions. Several of them rushed inside simultaneously, kicking open the main door of Gu Qing's house, only to find it empty. After a moment of astonishment, the outsiders began to curse and shout in frustration.

A fine house, although it falls far short of the mansion in Gu Qing's mind, it is countless times better than Gu Qing's house that is currently ablaze with activity. The Ding family's house surprisingly features a courtyard structure, with walls built of rammed earth and bricks. What is even more delightful is that the roof is not thatched but covered with tiles. It is evident that the Ding family's house is likely the most luxurious residence in the entire Shiqiao Village.

When the Gu family's house caught fire, Gu Qing and Song Gensheng appeared at the doorstep of the Ding brothers' home

Song Gensheng's face was pale, and he struggled to force a smile, indicating that his morale was high. This faint smile was a contemptuous sneer directed at the enemy. It was truly cold, so cold that he was shivering, unable to keep track of the numbers.

Song Gensheng felt increasingly despondent and hopeless as he saw Gu Qing's legs swinging behind him

Gu Qing was completely unconcerned; from the moment the fire was set, that house was no longer his own.

... ...

In the jungle, only fists are to be trusted, and fists represent the truth

It does not matter that the house was burned; first, seek revenge, and then we will talk. The losses one has suffered will ultimately be paid for by someone.

Your house is on fire, and you are still discussing life? Are you really that carefree?

The villagers seemed taken aback by their own boldness, as they observed the outsiders gathering in groups, chatting and laughing while seemingly nonchalantly moving towards Gu Qing's home. The villagers quietly worried for Gu Qing, feeling certain that she would inevitably face a calamity.

The villagers from outside cast scornful sneers.

Until the villagers from outside had walked far away, the elderly man paused with his cane and shouted loudly

"What are you doing? Are you sick?" Gu Qing glanced at Song Gensheng with dissatisfaction

Among the onlooking villagers, there were either women and children or the elderly; the outsiders were not afraid at all, but instead laughed recklessly.

To Song Gensheng, the Ding brothers were powerful and evil. Every time he passed by the Ding family's door, he could vaguely see a persistent dark cloud lingering above the house. Sometimes, the cloud would even take the shape of Chinese characters, prominently displaying the four large characters "evil forces".

So, is Gu Qing going to launch a suicide attack against the Ding brothers tonight

At the moment when the fire blazed up, Gu Qing and Song Gensheng appeared at the doorstep of the Ding brothers' home

At the other end of the village, the flames illuminated half of the night sky, accompanied by the chaotic sounds of people. Song Gensheng couldn't help but turn his head, and then, in shock, exclaimed: "You, your house is on fire! They really set it on fire!"

The outsiders have escaped, and the villagers do not dare to stop them. Cowardice has triumphed over the innate sense of justice; when justice requires the sacrifice of one's own life to uphold it, the majority will choose to retreat. This is a very normal aspect of human nature

Hand over the property certificate

Usually gentle and amiable, like a big cat that anyone can pet, once it encounters danger, it becomes bristled, quietly hiding in a dark and secluded corner, fixating on the enemy's throat, waiting for an opportunity to pounce and deliver a fatal bite

The villagers are cowardly; they lack the courage to draw their swords in assistance, possessing only a few remnants of helpless goodwill deep within their hearts

Gu Qing grew up in such an environment. He was bullied as a weak child and later bullied others when he became strong. By the time he left the orphanage to attend school, he had transformed into a cheetah in the jungle, rarely striking unless necessary, and when he did, he aimed for the vital points. His peers who opposed him had basically only one chance to provoke him; afterwards, most chose to avoid him, for when he went mad, even he feared himself.

He is waiting for nightfall, waiting for those people to set fire.

Those who commit evil deeds are ultimately filled with guilt; the act of setting the house on fire has clearly provoked public outrage, and they fear being reported to the authorities, which could escalate the situation.

The villagers who quietly observed from a distance breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing the outsiders leave empty-handed

Arson is an extremely heinous act

Gu Qing raised her eyes and said lightly, "Indeed, the flames are quite spectacular and rather beautiful. Take a closer look at the colors of the firelight, transitioning from fiery red to blood red, then to bright red, and gradually fading into darkness. This layered change in color is as captivating as the evening glow, and it inevitably brings to mind every stage of life, from youth to maturity and then to old age..."

I never expected that just yesterday I set a small goal for myself to build a big house, and now, merely a day later, it is about to be realized. Could it be that the fish I caught in the pond yesterday was a koi?

Thus, those outsiders from the neighboring villages acted with impunity in Shiqiao Village

In the distance, the flames from their own house soared into the sky, causing the villagers to be in a state of chaos. However, Gu Qing remained completely unconcerned, as if it had nothing to do with him.

Standing with his hands behind his back in front of the Ding family's door, Gu Qing surveyed the Ding brothers' house, making sounds of admiration with his mouth.

You... you are being too oppressive! An elderly man dragged his disabled leg, striking his cane heavily on the ground

As the golden words were still being pondered over, Gu Qing had already stepped forward quickly. Before Song Gensheng could react, he had forcefully kicked open the Ding family's door, and a thunderous shout echoed through the night.

His house is right in front of him

Standing at the closed door, Gu Qing appeared relaxed, as if visiting a friend casually. Behind him, Song Gensheng trembled all over, his hands clenched into fists, his legs shaking, ready to turn and run at any moment

The moment she thought that this large house would soon belong to her, Gu Qing couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement, so much so that she momentarily lost her composure, and her legs began to tremble uncontrollably.

Gu Qing and Song Gensheng were not on the mountain

As long as no lives are lost, anything can be discussed; setting a house on fire is not a big deal