QTIMP -Chapter 277 Character Persona – Violent (Part 5)

Si Qiu first pulled up her trouser leg and let her take a look. There was a dagger strapped there.

Then she lifted the hem of her shirt again—there was a whip coiled around her waist.

“Sister-in-law, don’t worry. With my strength and skills, ordinary people can’t even get close to me.”

Sister-in-law Chen patted her lightly. “Don’t worry? There are plenty of underhanded tricks from bad people. It’s not something you can guard against just with strength. Be more careful.”

Si Qiu nodded seriously and took the coarse-grain flatbread everyone had pooled together for her.

She also gave a reminder: “Now that spring ploughing is done, all the young men and women in our village are literate. If you have time, go take a look in the city. If the county doesn’t work, go to the provincial capital. There are plenty of state-run factories just starting up. Go help out there first—if you can endure some hardship now and manage to get in later, you’ll be able to eat from the state payroll.”

This had originally been a path she had prepared for herself. Now she was simply giving a reminder to the village as a favor.

After all, her impression of Chen Family Village was quite good overall.

The village head, who had been smoking on the side, immediately brightened his eyes upon hearing this. The more he thought about it, the more it made sense.

He had someone send Si Qiu to the county by ox cart, while he went to discuss the matter with Third Uncle and Fifth Uncle.

Their Chen family ancestors were not ordinary people, and they were all literate and reasonable—they naturally understood the principle that when a country prospers, the people suffer less, and when it declines, the people suffer more.

So what Si Qiu had said really struck his heart. If handled well, if even one family ended up with a stable government job, it would bring prestige to the village.

Si Qiu carried a cloth bundle on her back and wore a blue homespun jacket as she rode the ox cart toward the county.

The county town was about thirty li away. After arriving, she thanked the cart driver and paid the fare. The earliest train was only the next morning.

And there was no direct route at all—she would need to change trains twice. Si Qiu didn’t mind; she wasn’t in a hurry to find Chen Shuanzi.

She bought a ticket directly and didn’t need any kind of proof.

At this time, although the People’s Republic of China had been founded for a year, state control was still not very strict. Even state-owned enterprises were still only a concept at this stage.

Finding a place to stay wasn’t difficult at all, especially near the train station—though the conditions there were somewhat limited due to the remote location.

She went in, paid the money, and booked a room. Then she carried her bundle and walked around the county town.

The county wasn’t large; the main street was a cross-shaped intersection. The shops along the street were lively, mostly privately run at the time, and no vouchers were needed.

Occasionally, a bicycle would ride past, and people would unconsciously turn to look.

Most were still ox carts and donkey carts. Fortunately, it hadn’t rained recently. Although dust was flying on the dirt roads, there was no mud to stick to people’s shoes.

Si Qiu first went to a wonton stall and ordered a bowl of wontons. The wrappers were thick and the filling was average, but it was hot and warming.

After that, she went to a tailor shop and picked out a piece of coarse cloth. She had a cylindrical cloth bag made—about two chi long and less than one chi in diameter.

Wide short straps were sewn onto both ends of the short sides so it could be carried by hand. A wider strap was sewn along the long side so it could be slung over the shoulder.

The opening of the bag was tied with a thin drawstring.

It was a simple item. The old tailor operated an old-style sewing machine and finished it quickly.

Si Qiu casually stuffed the bundle she had been carrying on her back into it, then slung it over her shoulder. Because there wasn’t much inside, the two ends didn’t fully expand, and they naturally curled upward.

It looked a bit like an oversized dumpling-shaped bag.

After that, she went to a pastry shop and bought some snacks. To be honest, there was much more variety here than in later supply-and-marketing cooperatives.

Next were some braised beef, smoked sausages, two enamel mugs with lids, and two lunch boxes.

By the time it got dark, Si Qiu hurried back to her lodging.

She first asked for some hot water and quickly washed up a bit, then bolted the door and prepared to rest.

In the middle of the night, the door bolt that had been secured was slowly pried open with a knife. Si Qiu, who had been lying down fully dressed, immediately got up at the sound.

She took a Shanshupo-style pistol from her space, flipped off the safety, and the moment the bolt was fully moved and the door was pushed open, she chambered a round and pressed the gun straight against the intruder’s forehead.

The cold touch of metal made the man instantly raise his hands.

Si Qiu tilted her head slightly. “Don’t just stand outside. Come in.”

Two thin men slowly walked in. Si Qiu turned on a flashlight and kicked the door shut with her foot.

Holding the gun, she circled the two of them.

“Tsk tsk… habitual thieves. And your hands are probably already stained with blood. Old hands at this, huh? How did you forget even the basic rules of the road?”

The two men closed their eyes slightly, regret surging to the peak. They had indeed once been warned by their master that in their line of work, they should never target the old, weak, women, or children.

Anyone who could survive as such a “target” was never ordinary. In recent years, with war everywhere, there had been too many such people, and they had gotten away with it too easily—gradually forgetting that rule.

Si Qiu didn’t wait for an answer. That question had just been for show—and curiosity.

She twirled the gun in her hand and pointed it at the man who came in second. “You, light the candle on the table.”

Then she shifted the gun to the other man’s head. “Put down the dagger on the table, then strip.”

Meeting his gaze, Si Qiu frowned in disgust. “Don’t look at me like that. I just don’t want you hiding anything on your body. Stop wasting time. Strip.”

The candle was lit, its faint smoke making the room brighter.

Only then did the two men realize she was the same young woman they had followed during the day. They tried to say something, but Si Qiu immediately dislocated their jaws.

“I don’t need you to talk. I don’t want to hear it. I move on my own terms. You just follow instructions. Otherwise, I don’t mind making things unpleasant for you.”

“For example, cutting out your tongues… no, no, better to just dislocate your jaws so you can’t speak. Or maybe sever your tendons first.”

What kind of easy target was this? This was basically a demon.

The two men quickly obeyed, taking out everything from their bodies and placing it on the table before slowly removing their clothes.

Their expressions were full of humiliation and pleading, as if Si Qiu was truly about to do something to them.

When they were down to their underpants, both bodies suddenly went limp and collapsed.

Si Qiu lowered her arm, which was aching slightly from holding the gun, and kicked them. No response.

She gathered the valuables from the table.

The two men were clearly doing quite well for themselves: six silver dollars, two daggers, homemade tweezers and several needle-like probing tools, and a piece of black jade carved into a coiled dragon pillar, hanging from a matching black cord.

Si Qiu stored everything into her space, then added a medicinal herb into the burning candle.

After that, she picked up her bundle and left directly.