Chapter 10: A Coward Who Bullies the Weak and Fears the Strong

On the other side.

Lin Xiaodou, whom Mother Lin was just worrying about, was preparing to leave the house at that moment. If she could have heard her mother's thoughts, Lin Xiaodou would probably have burst out laughing. Crying and begging for help? We'll see who ends up doing that!

Lin Xiaodou headed to the brick and tile factory in the southern part of town. This was where the original owner of her body had worked for two years. Two years ago, at the age of fifteen, the original owner had just graduated from middle school, right when the newly opened brick factory was hiring temporary laborers.

At that time, the factory was brand new and the equipment was extremely basic. Earthen bricks had to be made by hand, bricks were carried by manpower, and workers had to go up the mountains to chop firewood. It was much harder than farming. It was the beginning of 1968, before the "Up to the Mountains and Down to the Countryside" movement started. Many young intellectuals had no interest in such hard labor; only burly men applied to the brick factory. The factory was desperate for workers, and the original owner, with a middle school education and considerable strength, quickly passed the interview.

After being hired, she breathed a huge sigh of relief, because at that time, Mother Lin had given her an ultimatum: either get married or find a job—one or the other. Having managed to finish middle school, she had no intention of marrying so soon, so she began frantically searching for work. Competition for other jobs was fierce, and given her unfortunate appearance, many factories wouldn't have her. This job at the brick factory was her lifeline.

Over the past two years, she had worked diligently, never taking a single day off, not even when she was ill with a high fever. If she hadn't broken her leg this time, she wouldn't have missed work now either.

Lin Xiaodou's purpose in coming to the brick factory was simple: she intended to sell her job to someone else. Rather than let her vampiric relatives at home covet it, she might as well handle it herself while she could.

...

At the brick factory's drying yard, Old Zhang was mixing clay with a heavy sigh. A nearby coworker asked, “Old Zhang, what’s wrong with you these days? You seem completely out of sorts.”

Old Zhang forced a wry smile. “What else could it be? My son still hasn’t found a job, and I’m worried sick.”

His son had just graduated from high school and had been searching for work, but jobs were hard to come by. Even a brick carrier at the brick factory or a night soil worker in the city was in high demand. The neighborhood office was urging them too—if he didn’t find work soon, he’d be sent to the countryside. Old Zhang’s only precious child—how could they bear to let him go suffer in the countryside? Both Old Zhang and his wife had worried themselves sick over it.

His companion sighed as well. “I can’t help you there. My daughter’s been sent down for half a year already. Every time she calls, she cries and begs me to pull strings to get her back to the city. But I have no connections. Hearing her cry breaks my heart.”

Uncle Zhang shook his head. “Isn’t that the truth? We spend our whole lives for our children...”

“Uncle Zhang, Uncle Li,” a voice called.

As the two chatted, Lin Xiaodou limped over. Seeing her, Uncle Zhang’s troubled face brightened with a trace of a smile.

“Oh, it’s Xiaodou. What brings you here? Is your leg feeling any better?”

While working at the factory, Uncle Zhang had always looked after the original owner the most. Lin Xiaodou had come today specifically to sell her job to him. When he heard her purpose, his face lit up with enormous delight.

“Xiaodou, are you serious? But what will you do after selling your job, and what about your parents...?”

His questions were understandable. The wages the original owner had earned were always handed over to her parents. Selling her job was a big decision—if her family didn’t know, they’d certainly kick up a fuss.

Lin Xiaodou replied, “Don’t worry about it. We had a burglary at home last night; my parents are in the hospital recovering. I can make my own decisions now.”

Uncle Zhang immediately understood her meaning. The girl had her own plans and didn’t want her parents to know. By the time those two were discharged from the hospital, it would all be settled—there would be nothing they could do.

“Alright, as long as you’ve decided,” Uncle Zhang said, the gloom on his face clearing away. Now that his son’s job was secured, how could he not be happy?

A formal position at a factory could fetch five or six hundred yuan; a temporary job would be less. Knowing Uncle Zhang’s family situation, Lin Xiaodou only asked for three hundred yuan. Uncle Zhang was deeply moved by her consideration.

Before she left, Uncle Zhang kindly advised, “Xiaodou, if you ever run into any trouble, come find me. If I can help, I will!”

Lin Xiaodou smiled gently. “Thank you, Uncle.”

On the way back, Lin Xiaodou ran into another coworker—Big Ox. He was pushing a cart loaded with bricks down a small path.

“Well, look who’s back—Little Freak. You’ve been off for more than ten days and you’re still limping. Looks like you’ll earn yourself a new nickname as the Factory Cripple, hahaha!”

Of all the people at the brick factory, this fellow, nicknamed Strongman, was the one the original owner despised most. He loved to brag and bully those weaker than himself, like the original owner. Whenever she got angry enough to complain to management, he’d just say, “I was only joking, can’t you take a joke?” One sentence was enough to invalidate all of her grievances. He was also fond of giving her nicknames—“Little Freak,” “Ugly Bean,” “Little Monster,” and so on.

The original owner grew to detest him, always avoiding him when possible. As Lin Xiaodou headed to the factory today, she had considered whether to teach him a lesson. Although he’d only ever bullied her with words, sometimes words cut deeper than blows.

She had hesitated, not wanting to cause unnecessary trouble, but since he’d thrown himself into her path, she saw no reason to hold back. If he refused to learn civility, he deserved a taste of his own medicine.

“Well? Cat got your tongue? Have you turned mute?” Strongman kept laughing boisterously, oblivious to the looming danger. But soon, his laughter faded as he realized something was wrong.

The cart beside him, loaded with hundreds of pounds of bricks, suddenly rose into the air!

His mouth fell open in terror. No, it wasn’t floating—it was being lifted by Lin Xiaodou with one hand!

Good heavens, when did this ugly girl become so strong?

With a mischievous smirk, Lin Xiaodou tossed the cart high into the air. It crashed down, heading straight for Strongman’s head—a deadly weight that, if it landed, would have crushed his skull.

Strongman was paralyzed with fear, unable to dodge. At the last moment, he screamed, hugged his head, and squatted down. Along with his pitiful wail came the unmistakable sound and trickle of urine in his pants.

Well, well.

Lin Xiaodou couldn’t help but snicker. What a coward—he’d actually wet himself in fright.

Hearing her laughter and seeing the cart safely on the ground, Strongman’s fear quickly turned to rage. He jumped to his feet and roared at her, “Lin Xiaodou, what’s wrong with you? Do you realize you almost killed me just now?”

“Killed you? Who saw it? Who can prove it?” Lin Xiaodou replied coolly. They were alone at a bend in the path—no witnesses, which was exactly why she’d chosen this moment.

Her nonchalance infuriated him. “You tried to kill me! You lifted the cart! Don’t deny it!”

“I was only joking, can’t you take a joke? Isn’t that what you always say?” Lin Xiaodou shrugged, her smile bright. “Since you enjoy giving people nicknames, let me give you one too. From now on, don’t call yourself Strongman. Why not go by ‘Wet Pants’? Seems fitting, doesn’t it?”

It was only then that Strongman noticed his soaked trousers. He quickly covered his crotch, his face flushed with rage. “Lin Xiaodou, just you wait—I’ll report you to the boss!”

Lin Xiaodou put her hands on her hips, roaring with laughter. “Ha! Comrade Wet Pants, you—a grown man who peed his pants—are going to complain? Aren’t you afraid everyone will die laughing?”

Strongman’s face turned black, his whole body trembling with anger. “You! You! Just you wait...”

Lin Xiaodou shot him a cold glance. “If you ever bully the weak or give people nasty nicknames again, I’ll spread the word about your accident today. Let’s see if you have the nerve to keep working at the brick factory then!”

His pupils contracted, a look of terror washing over his face. “Comrade Lin Xiaodou, please don’t say anything. I promise—I’ll never bully you again!”

Watching his fearful expression, Lin Xiaodou gave a cold snort. What a bully—only brave with the weak, and instantly spineless before the strong.

People like this could only be taught with force.

...