“Manman, don’t listen to his nonsense!”
Li Shichuan finally snapped out of it. Li Laizi was really a difficult man to deal with.
He should have had someone deal with him back then, rather than letting him live to spread dirt on his name.
“Li Laizi is no good, full of lies just to swindle money!” Li Shichuan stomped his foot in frustration.
Lu Shiman glanced between him and Li Weimian, as if comparing their faces.
Li Weimian quickly lowered her head, not daring to let Lu Shiman get a clear look. Being a child born out of wedlock wasn’t exactly a badge of honor.
If Lu Shiman recognized her, her face would be lost too—an unbearable, humiliating feeling.
Li Shichuan awkwardly turned his face away.
“Do you even need to see? Same guilty look,” Li Laizi snorted, full of disdain.
Truly the seed of Li Er’gou. Showing a face in such a moment—ridiculous. Ten-plus years following him and still learning nothing useful. An untamable, ungrateful wolf.
Honestly, Li Shichuan’s face was swollen like a pig’s head at the moment—there wasn’t much resemblance—but that didn’t stop Lu Shiman. She stepped back in disbelief, biting her lip.
“Exactly the same.”
“Now you believe it, Miss? How about I tie all three of them to the Lu family graves and make them kneel together?”
“Three people, only fifty coins. Good deal, right?”
Li Laizi looked at her. With all this chaos, there was no way Li Shichuan would pay him, and Xiang Hongmei, greedy as she was, definitely wouldn’t. Might as well rely on this big-spending young lady.
They said the young lady was extravagant—fifty coins shouldn’t be hard to get.
“Tie them up! All of them!” Lu Shiman ground out between her teeth, eyes full of hatred.
“Fifty coins, I’ve got it. Let’s do it,” Li Laizi said eagerly.
That suggestion was too perfect. He had hit the mark.
She had enjoyed making Li Shichuan kneel alone, but now adding Li Weimian and Xiang Hongmei—perfect.
These people truly deserved punishment. Better that they kneel to death at the graves.
Hearing her words, Li Laizi spat on his hand, rubbed it, and set his sights on Li Shichuan.
At that, Li Weimian shivered and curled up in the corner, too afraid to move.
She hadn’t been beaten often, but every time left serious bruises. Out of fear, she couldn’t resist Li Laizi at all.
“Li Laizi, were all these years of our marriage meaningless?”
Xiang Hongmei lightly patted her daughter, tears in her eyes as she questioned him.
Li Laizi rolled his eyes. “Marriage? Did I ever sleep with you?”
He hadn’t, so why all the dramatics?
“Don’t make me waste my time with your whining. If you interfere with my money, I’ll beat you to death.”
He glared at Xiang Hongmei. “Kneeling won’t kill you. Don’t want to kneel? I’ll beat you.”
Lu Shiman took a step back, disgusted. The man spat, vile and revolting.
Evil people always meet their match. She wouldn’t feel an ounce of pity. Watching coldly, she saw Li Laizi tie up Li Shichuan, and Xiang Hongmei and Li Weimian, without struggle, were also bound.
Li Laizi still wasn’t satisfied. He went into the kitchen, grabbed something, then reemerged.
“Miss, shall we go?” he said with a fawning smile.
The one giving money was the boss—he couldn’t be too cruel.
“Manman, do you really want to destroy them completely? You won’t need me as a father anymore?”
Li Shichuan looked disappointed at Lu Shiman.
Lu Shiman rolled her eyes. Using the emotional angle now? Why hadn’t he thought of this when she wanted to go to Hong Kong?
She snorted and said nothing, just heading toward the Lu family ancestral graves from memory.
Li Laizi led them like walking dogs. Anyone resisting got a swift kick.
On the street, more and more people stared. Li Shichuan buried his head lower.
His reputation was ruined forever. He’d never hold his head high again.
Li Weimian felt the same. Hearing whispers, her pride shattered. Though clothed, she felt utterly exposed.
“Walk faster! Stop dawdling. Haven’t you eaten? If you can find a wild woman, can’t you walk?”
“Li Shichuan, you…”
“Xiang Hongmei…”
Li Laizi fully played the part of a rogue, cursing relentlessly. Lu Shiman didn’t even need to explain. The onlookers already understood everything.
More and more people, curious to watch the spectacle, followed the procession to the Lu ancestral graves.
Lu Shiman looked at the two adorable faces on the tombstones, her heart twinged.
Instinctively, tears welled up, no effort needed to cry.
Li Laizi, cruel and efficient, kicked Li Shichuan right at the knees upon arrival.
Li Shichuan collapsed, kneeling before Lu Shiyin’s grave.
“And you two, should I get started on you?”
Listening to the commotion, Lu Shiman couldn’t help but give a mental thumbs-up. If only she’d found Li Laizi sooner—what a useful ally.
Seeing all three kneeling before the grave, Li Laizi nodded in satisfaction, then fawned at Lu Shiman.
“Miss, satisfied?”
Lu Shiman slightly nodded. Before she could speak, Li Laizi continued his theatrics.
“I’ve prepared salt. How about I soak this vine rod in salt and whip them?”
“Vine rod in salt water—bitterness upon bitterness. They’ll get the punishment they deserve.”
“This dirty work shouldn’t trouble you. I’ll handle it… as for…”
He rubbed his hands, all understood without words.
Lu Shiman froze briefly. That was brutal—but effective.
Even if he was just doing farm work in a new province, would his conscience bother him?
Now, their bodies and pride would be humiliated together, never able to raise their heads again.
“Do it. Make it beautiful,” she said generously.
Satisfied, Li Laizi got excited. He soaked the vine rod in water and salt, preparing it for action.
With so many people watching, Li Shichuan didn’t dare run. He knew plenty in town, and the Lu family had favors with them—escape would bring a beating.
Xiang Hongmei lowered her head, silently crying. Li Weimian didn’t dare look up. She had been excited to go to Hong Kong, but now she hated her identity. Why was she born out of wedlock?
Whack! Whack!
The vine rod sliced through the air, hitting Li Shichuan’s back.
His clothes tore, skin instantly reddening.
Physical pain was nothing. Li Laizi knew how to please Lu Shiman even more.
“Speak! You’re a despicable man, unworthy of the Lu family’s upbringing!”