Chapter 60: Who gave you the guts of a dog, huh?

After Da Zhuang's family took a beating at Su Ruan's, they got home to another bout of frantic swearing and complaints.

Su Yaozu further exaggerated the good stuff he saw in the shop, prompting Da Zhuang and Wang Juhua to feel both jealousy and resentment, yet helpless, so they could only shut the door and rage impotently.

Over at Su Ruan's side, it was as if nothing had happened; she continued to orderly run the shop, guiding Douzi and Yaya, drawing new design sketches.

She didn't want this petty mess to disturb the Jiang family, let alone let Jiang Ran find out.

She knew Jiang Ran's temper flared at the slightest provocation, especially when it concerned her; if he learned that the Su family still dared to come knocking for extortion, it would inevitably cause a big incident.

Less is more; besides, she had already rebuffed them, so they wouldn't dare return in the short term.

Yet Su Ruan underestimated the two children's desire to protect her.

Douzi and Yaya regarded Su Ruan as their savior, the sister who gave them a new life and hope.

They had seen with their own eyes how those three Su family members swaggered in, shamelessly demanded money, threatened trouble, and how Sister Su faced them alone, calmly repelling them.

Although Sister Su seemed fine, both children harbored a burning anger, feeling aggrieved on her behalf.

That night, back at Zhou Da Niang's place, Douzi tossed and turned, and Yaya whispered, "Brother, those bad guys are so annoying! They bullied Sister Su!"

Douzi clenched his little fist, and in the darkness his eyes shone startlingly: "We can't let Sister Su be bullied for nothing."

"But... Sister Su won't let us tell anyone," Yaya hesitated.

Douzi thought for a moment, then lowered his voice: "We won't tell Uncle Jiang; we'll only tell Brother Jiang Ran!"

"Brother Jiang Ran is the best for Sister Su; he'll definitely know how to punish those bad guys!"

The two children instantly agreed; the next day, while Su Ruan was drawing in the back room and Jiang Ran was wandering the shop, Douzi gave Yaya a signal.

Yaya immediately understood, ran over to grab Jiang Ran's sleeve, lifted her little face, and in a babyish yet indignant voice said, "Brother Jiang Ran, yesterday some bad guys bullied Sister Su!"

Jiang Ran was waving a coat hanger when he heard it; his motion halted, his brows knit instantly: "Bad guys? Who?"

Douzi also leaned in, his little face tense, and concisely recounted, point by point, how Da Zhuang and the other two Su members came to the shop yesterday demanding money and threatening trouble, telling Jiang Ran everything.

As Douzi narrated, Jiang Ran's smile faded little by little, his gaze grew colder, and the fingers gripping the coat hanger whitened at the joints from the pressure.

His chest heaved violently, a fire of uncontrollable rage surging toward his head!

Good! Very good!

You worthless Su scum!

Yesterday they just wrote a self‑criticism, and today they still dare to come knocking to extort his wife?!

Does he think Jiang Ran is dead?!

He forced down the urge to rush to the Su house and smash the door, crouched, patted Douzi's and Yaya's heads, his voice hoarse from suppressing his anger.

"Brother knows now, thank you for telling me. I'll handle this, don't tell Sister Su so she won't worry, okay?"

Douzi and Yaya nodded vigorously.

Jiang Ran stood up, his face once again wearing that unabashed grin, as if nothing had happened, continued to wander the shop, even bantering with Su Ruan a few jokes.

But those who knew him could sense his mood was off.

Su Ruan thought Jiang Ran seemed unusually "quiet" today, but didn't think much of it, assuming he hadn't slept well yesterday.

That night, Jiang Ran behaved unusually "well‑behaved", washed up early, got into bed, even held Su Ruan, humming that he was tired from running today and wanted to sleep early.

Su Ruan didn't suspect anything; cradled in his arms, breathing his reassuring scent, she gradually drifted into sleep.

However, once Su Ruan's breathing beside him became steady and long, confirming she was sound asleep, Jiang Ran suddenly opened his eyes.

In those eyes there was no trace of sleepiness, only a cold glint and uncontainable ferocity.

He carefully slipped his arm out from under Su Ruan's head, moved swiftly, silently rolled out of bed, and slipped on his clothes and shoes.

He didn't turn on the light; using the faint moonlight outside the window, he glanced at the sleeping Su Ruan, his gaze instantly becoming exceedingly gentle, but when he turned to face the pitch‑black night outside, that gentleness was instantly replaced by harsh cruelty.

He gently opened the bedroom door, then gently closed it, making not a single sound.

Then, he swiftly and silently crossed the living room, opened the courtyard gate, and vanished into the vast night.

The night streets were silent and empty, only occasional dog barks.

Jiang Ran, familiar with this place beyond familiarity, stretched his long legs, purpose clear, heading straight for the dilapidated alley where the Su house stood.

The night wind brushed his disheveled hair, but could not disperse the raging fire in his heart.

He had only one thought: anyone who dared bully Jiang Ran's wife must pay the price!

Arriving at the familiar wooden door of the Su house, Jiang Ran hesitated not at all; he was even too lazy to knock, stepped back two paces, took a running start, and kicked the doorboard hard with a fierce foot!

Bang—!!!

A deafening blast shattered the quiet night; the already‑tattered wooden door couldn't withstand his angry kick, the latch snapped, and the whole door slammed inward, hitting the wall and producing an even louder crash.

The huge noise instantly woke the sleepers inside.

"Who?! Who is it?!"

Da Zhuang's panicked voice came from inside, tinged with drowsiness and fear.

Wang Juhua also screamed in fright.

Su Yaozu's curses followed: "Damn! Which bastard dared to kick our door?!"

Jiang Ran, like a demon god, stepped on moonlight and broken doorboards, advancing step by step into the Su family's dim Main Hall.

His gaze swept over the three Su family members stumbling out, disheveled and half‑asleep, a cold, cruel smile curling his lips.

"You... Jiang Ran?!"

"You... what do you want to do?!"

Da Zhuang, illuminated by moonlight, saw the newcomer clearly, his soul trembling, his voice changed in tone.

Wang Juhua curled directly behind Da Zhuang, trembling.

Su Yaozu, seeing it was Jiang Ran, jumped in shock, then mustered courage to shout, "Jiang Ran, are you fucking crazy? What the hell are you doing breaking into our house at this hour!"

"What do I want?" Jiang Ran sneered, his voice unnervingly clear and dangerous in the silent night, "Do you even know why I'm here?"

He advanced step by step, the overwhelming pressure forcing the three Su members to retreat involuntarily.

"You just finished writing a review yesterday, and today your nerve's gotten swollen?"

"You actually dared to go to my daughter‑in‑law's shop to demand money, and it was five hundred yuan?" Jiang Ran's voice wasn't loud, but each word was like ice shards, striking the hearts of the three Su family members. "Who gave you that dog‑guts, huh?"