Li Shu laid out the family’s thoughts with perfect clarity.
From the original mistress’s memories, she knew exactly what kind of person Li Linsheng was. Having learned some martial arts, he was confident and determined to move into the city eventually.
But although the Li family wasn’t poor, they had no real backing.
The reason the Li family hadn’t refused the marriage proposal from the Ma family was largely because of Li Linsheng.
He thought the original mistress was easy to control, and marrying into the Ma family would be an advantage for him. Yet he also knew that his past mistreatment could leave her resentful. To prevent her from slipping out of his grasp, he spent the last couple of years strengthening his authority, allowing no room for defiance.
This had made the original mistress instinctively fearful of him.
If Li Shu hadn’t transmigrated, the Li family would have been short a daughter, and both Captain Ma, the Qi family, and even the Yao family would have owed compensation. With Captain Ma’s assistance, Li Linsheng’s future would have been brighter than originally planned.
Now, with the situation altered, Li Linsheng naturally felt aggrieved.
…
Li Shu was deeply grudging.
Although these were memories of the original mistress, reliving them stirred her temper. She would make the path to the underworld solid, ensuring they wouldn’t walk so easily.
Li Shu knew Li Linsheng was unlike Qi Yanfeng; he was healthy, and she couldn’t claim a moral high ground. This one was harder to handle, and for now, she didn’t have a perfect solution. But as long as she acted, there would always be a breakthrough.
Listening to Li Shu’s blunt words, Li Linsheng’s youthful face darkened.
Soon, however, that darkness faded, replaced by a brazen confidence.
Compared to Li Chutian, who valued appearances, Li Linsheng cared only about immediate benefits. When Li Shu stripped away the pretenses, he didn’t feel ashamed—he even took it as reasonable.
“You were raised by your parents; naturally, you should contribute to the family!” Li Linsheng said matter-of-factly. “I won’t mind telling you directly: if you can help me in any way, I’ll let you rest properly while recovering.”
“The one with the path forward is me. If you want to gain anything from me, that attitude isn’t going to work,” Li Shu calculated inwardly.
“What do you mean? You want me to beg you?” Li Linsheng sneered. “If you want to survive, you depend on your parents. Any benefits, you better produce quickly, or else this house may have no place for you! Have you forgotten what life was like before? Need me to remind you?”
He snapped his fingers, producing a crisp crack as he counted.
“Want to strike me? Go ahead. Maybe after you kill me, you can finally seize your path forward.” Li Shu remained calm, almost as if she had nothing to lose.
Li Linsheng’s eyes narrowed. “You’re my father’s daughter. You really think others will always act on your behalf?!”
“At least recently, I’ve had plenty looking out for me. Even if no one helps, I have one advantage over you: I’m not afraid to die. I won’t hesitate to take you with me if needed. So… you dare touch me, and we all go meet the King of Hell together. You can bet on it—see if I can’t do it.”
“Ha! Big words! You think you can take all our lives? Ha—” Li Linsheng laughed, convinced he’d heard a joke.
Yet the smile froze.
Since a moment ago, he had noticed a faint scent, which now grew unmistakably strong.
It smelled like… tung oil.
“Qi family’s tung oil…” Li Linsheng’s heart raced. “Wait, you were in prison until today. Father said you didn’t take any tung oil—then why do we smell it?”
“You don’t think I’m alone, do you?” Li Shu smirked. “Do you know how much tung oil the Qi family lost? I can assure you—it can be scattered silently around you. One spark, and by the time you open your eyes… maybe you’d be a pig in the next life.”
Li Shu didn’t even bother hiding her words from Madam Zhou.
Madam Zhou’s face turned pale.
She rushed into Li Shu’s room, searching carefully. There were faint traces along the wall outside the window—someone had been there!
Li Shu hadn’t brought anything with her; it was too hot to hide an oil container under her thin clothes.
So her claim in prison that she hadn’t stolen anything from the Qi family was true… but only for show. She had accomplices.
“When you killed at the Qi family, someone else stole things too, right? Dead girl, who are your accomplices? Who?!” Madam Zhou asked, panic-stricken.
“Whether it’s one or several, I can’t say,” Li Shu replied with a smile. “Want to report it to the yamen? Maybe they’ll find clues and punish me properly.”
“……” Madam Zhou opened her mouth but couldn’t curse.
Report it?!
How could they investigate this?
She racked her brain—who had this dead girl ever befriended? Her past life had been dull and obedient. How could she know anyone daring enough to steal? If she reported it, without evidence, she’d only bring trouble to herself.
Moreover…
The Qi family matron constantly raved that Li Shu was a thief, claiming twenty taels of silver were missing. If she heard this news, the neighbors would think Li Shu’s family stole it!
Damn girl—so clever at hiding things. She’d been deceiving them all these years?!
Li Shu’s calmness made her seem mysterious. Even bold Li Linsheng now suspected she had secrets.
Li Linsheng’s mind was uneasy.
He stared at Li Shu, trying to make sense of it. What miracle in that prison had made this formerly stupid girl so sharp?
He resented the change. In his eyes, Li Shu had been beaten countless times, and even a hard-headed girl should have softened.
A complete transformation? She didn’t deserve it.
Yet whoever was behind her… unsettled him.
“No need for threats. Family matters… if you don’t want to do them, then don’t,” Linsheng said, slightly uneasy. Reluctantly, he conceded. But he could see the same ruthlessness in Li Shu’s face that she had shown when killing Qi Yanfeng.
A person like her, with nothing to lose, would go all out.
The household’s laundry could be handled by a washerwoman—or even Madam Zhou herself. No need to escalate a trivial conflict.
“We’re family. No need to go to extremes. Let’s talk things over. You help me plan my future, and I’ll treat you like a big sister. Our family will prosper, maybe even surpass the Ma family someday. Who needs that Ma young master anyway?” Li Linsheng, able to adapt, immediately changed his tone.
The timid Li Shu could be leveraged. Now, the bold “big sister” Li Shu could be used too.
Both were daughters of the Li family. Whether by threat or incentive, as long as they were on the same boat, it would work.
“So, are you going to properly ask me for help?” Li Shu sat, nodding.