Qin Shuyao, who had been imprisoned and tortured by the Zhang family in her previous life, naturally knew the extent of their wickedness. “Those few children who went missing from nearby villages several years ago were trafficked by Zhang Runsheng and his mistress!”
Hearing this, Zhang Runsheng’s face changed drastically. “Nonsense! You’re talking nonsense! What mistress? What trafficking? I don’t know anything!”
“You profited a total of 1,273 yuan. One thousand yuan of that is buried in an iron box beneath the peach tree in your backyard, and 273 yuan was given to He Cuilian!”
He Cuilian’s legs went soft, and she sank onto the ground. Last winter, Zhang Runsheng had indeed given her 273 yuan, claiming he had found it! “You… you actually kept a woman outside!” When she finally reacted, she was furious—not because her husband trafficked children, but because he had a mistress!
“Don’t get angry yet, you’re no saint yourself!” Qin Shuyao looked at He Cuilian and said, “You murdered your mother-in-law. You didn’t think no one knew, did you?”
Zhang Chunsheng, who was standing nearby, suddenly widened his eyes. “What did you say? What did you say she did?” Zhang Chunsheng had long settled in Tuoshan County, while his elderly mother lived in the village with Zhang Runsheng and He Cuilian. Every time he returned, he saw He Cuilian taking meticulous care of the old woman. Then, three years ago, his healthy mother suddenly died of an acute illness. He had been away studying at the time, and his mother was already buried when he rushed back. “The village doctor said my mother died of a cerebral hemorrhage!”
Qin Shuyao sneered. “The village doctor was sleeping with He Cuilian, so of course, he provided false testimony for her. The truth is, your mother walked in on He Cuilian and the doctor having an affair, and the two of them smothered her to death!” “Hmm, the village doctor is right here. Why don’t you ask him?”
Zhang Chunsheng grabbed the village doctor, who was trying to slip away in the chaos. The doctor was so terrified he soiled his pants, and before Zhang Chunsheng could even question him, he confessed everything like pouring beans from a bamboo tube. “She had long since tired of serving the old woman and had repeatedly asked me to get poison to kill her. That night, we were arguing about it, and your mother happened to overhear us…” The doctor knelt, shaking like a sieve. “She was the one who smothered your mother; I just helped her move the body back to the bed!”
Zhang Chunsheng’s face turned ashen, and he slumped onto the ground with a thud.
Zhang Baogen, standing nearby, seemed to go mad, charging forward to attack Qin Shuyao. How could Chen Qilan let him succeed? Like a guardian deity protecting Qin Shuyao, he shielded her firmly behind him.
“Oh… are you this agitated because I haven’t mentioned your name yet?” How could Qin Shuyao spare a beast like Zhang Baogen? “Three years ago, a pair of sisters jumped off a cliff in town. Outsiders claimed the sisters were immoral and contracted a venereal disease from prostitution. In reality, Zhang Baogen forced himself upon the elder sister!”
“When the elder sister tried to call the police, the Zhang family used her younger sister as a threat. But even so, the younger sister was still defiled by the dog, Zhang Baogen!” Zhang Baogen’s face was chalk-white as he cursed, “You’re lying! That never happened!”
“The elder sister couldn’t swallow that humiliation, so she stabbed a knife into your groin, and then she and her sister jumped off the cliff together!” Qin Shuyao cast a cold glance at Zhang Chunsheng and said, “You’ve worked tirelessly to protect the sole male heir of your family line, but the truth is, he lost his ability to procreate long ago. He is a cripple!”
Zhang Chunsheng nearly fainted. Zhang Runsheng, kneeling beside him, kowtowed to his second brother. “Brother, no matter what, Baogen is the male heir of the family! Even if he can’t have children, he can adopt a boy to continue the family line. You… you must protect him!”
After a moment, Zhang Chunsheng pulled himself together, stood up, and looked at Liao Minliang. “Lao Liao, this woman’s words aren’t credible. She’s deliberately seeking revenge!” Zhang Chunsheng gripped Liao Minliang’s hand and pulled him aside, whispering, “You came all this way to help your brother today. Once this matter settles down, I will certainly reward you handsomely! I have several apartments in the provincial capital. Just nod your head, and they’ll all be yours.”
Liao Minliang glanced over the crowd in the room and said, “So many people have heard everything. How exactly do you expect me to help you?”
“Don’t worry about that part. Just pretend nothing happened and leave here. I’ll handle the rest!” Killing intent flashed in Zhang Chunsheng’s eyes. Regardless of the crimes, these were still his brother and nephew!
“What about him? Chen Qilan’s status is very special!” Liao Minliang pointed at Chen Qilan, his expression complicated.
Zhang Chunsheng replied without hesitation, “Later, you just testify for me, saying he sacrificed himself while performing a heroic act during his visit home!”
Qin Shuyao’s heart plummeted. She had thought Liao Minliang was a man who could uphold justice, but judging by this… If fate truly required her to die again, fine, she would accept heaven’s will—after all, the heavens were a bastard that played with human lives. But Chen Qilan could not die! Not now, at least! He was destined to sacrifice himself on the battlefield, sleeping alongside his comrades in the Martyrs’ Cemetery, honored and mourned by future generations! Realizing this, Qin Shuyao threw caution to the wind. While Liao Minliang and Zhang Chunsheng were talking, she suddenly rushed forward and snatched the gun from Liao Minliang’s waist. And she succeeded!
“Get out of the way! All of you, move! Anyone who blocks me, I will shoot and kill them!” Qin Shuyao yelled, raising the gun, while pulling Chen Qilan toward the exit. “You need to leave right now and return to your unit. Take your grandmother with you!”
Chen Qilan, however, was exceptionally calm. He obediently followed Qin Shuyao out, a slight, foolish grin on his lips. “What will happen to you if I leave? Qin Shuyao, are you protecting me with your life?”
“Don’t worry about me. At worst, I’ll take the Zhang family down with me and…” Mid-sentence, Qin Shuyao suddenly stopped. Over a dozen soldiers were standing in the courtyard, blocking the only exit and extinguishing Qin Shuyao’s last sliver of hope. She was so distraught she started weeping, gripping Chen Qilan’s hand tightly. “I’m sorry… In the end, I dragged you down with me!”
Behind them, Liao Minliang and Zhang Chunsheng walked out of the house one after the other. Liao Minliang calmly took the gun from Qin Shuyao’s hand and smiled, saying, “A young girl like you, quite agile with your movements. I’ll have to face punishment for this later!”
Zhang Chunsheng quickly said, “Don’t worry, I handle things cleanly. No one will know your gun was ever taken.”
Liao Minliang replied with a half-smile, “Then thank you. You’re quite the kind person!”
Chen Qilan leaned close to Qin Shuyao and kindly explained, “Military regulations state: where the man is, the gun must be. Losing a weapon is a very serious incident!” Seeing Qin Shuyao silent and tear-stained, Chen Qilan raised his hand to wipe away her tears. “Alright, alright, stop teasing you. You were so brave when you grabbed the gun just now; why are you scared to tears now?” He turned back to Liao Minliang, giving him a mischievous smile. “Uncle Liao, you frightened me!”
Liao Minliang laughed and playfully punched Chen Qilan twice on the shoulder, scolding him, “I could scare you? My little ancestor, couldn’t you just quietly come home for a visit? Did you have to stir up such massive trouble for me?”
That single address, “Uncle Liao,” caused Zhang Chunsheng’s face to turn pale. “Lao Liao, you and him…”
Liao Minliang looked at Zhang Chunsheng and spoke sharply, “Zhang Chunsheng, you are far too bold. Do you truly believe that holding a little power allows you to commit murder and cover up crimes? The female villager was right just now: wearing official skin and eating official rice while bullying the populace, you deserve ten thousand deaths!”