Liu Weidong had just arrived at work that morning when the gatekeeper called out to him, “Weidong, there’s a young woman outside looking for you. She says something’s happened at your sister’s place.”
“Something happened?”
Without another word, Liu Weidong strode quickly toward the entrance.
Outside, he saw Ma Dajie, the neighbor from his second sister’s place, pacing anxiously back and forth.
“Big sis, what happened to Guiying?”
“No time to explain. Guiying told me to come get you. When I left, there was already a crowd gathered at her door!”
Ma Hongxia grabbed his arm, about to pull him along.
“Go ahead first—I’ll grab someone to come with me.”
Liu Weidong ran back inside and dragged along his good buddy, Haozi. The two of them jumped onto their work unit’s bicycles and caught up to Ma Hongxia within minutes.
“Big sis, we’ll go on ahead.”
She waved them off and slowed her pace.
When the two men arrived at the Sun family home, they saw a crowd shouting things like, “Someone’s dead!” and “This is serious!”
Liu Weidong’s heart started pounding wildly.
He pushed through the crowd. “What’s going on? Move aside—police!”
The sight of red made his legs go weak. He rushed forward and checked Liu Guiying’s pulse.
“…Phew.”
Still alive.
Then he felt a subtle pinch on his thigh. He glanced at her trembling eyelids, then at the “blood” around her.
Something was off—the color, the smell.
Ordinary folks might not notice, but Liu Weidong was an experienced officer. He saw through it immediately.
So my sister’s putting on a show, he thought.
Since she’d already set the stage, he wasn’t about to mess it up.
He lifted her up, shouting anxiously, “Guiying!” while pinching her pressure point.
Liu Guiying jolted awake, pretending to just regain consciousness. In a weak voice, she murmured, “Big brother…”
And then fell silent again, as if even those two words had drained her strength.
“Haozi, stay here and keep an eye on them. I’m taking her to the hospital.”
Liu Weidong carried her off.
On the way, Liu Guiying quickly explained everything and told him her plan. She asked him to take her to Ma Dajie’s house instead and sneak in through the back latrine door.
She didn’t want to scare Sun Xiumei and the child, so she cleaned herself up briefly in the yard.
“Big brother, if we make this too real, it might backfire on me. Just say I’m willing to settle—five hundred yuan will do. Wang Xiaoming just got out of the station. He won’t want to go back in, so he’ll beg his parents.”
She spoke quickly and decisively.
“Alright. Don’t worry—I’ll handle it.”
Liu Weidong turned and strode out the back door, fury burning in his chest.
Dare to bully my sister? Do they think our Liu family has no one to back her up?
And that brat—ganging up with outsiders to bully his own mother. He’d deal with him later.
Back at the scene, Liu Weidong’s expression was icy.
“Do you people have any respect for the law? Breaking into someone’s home, injuring others—do you think your Wang family runs this place?!”
“Haozi, got the details?”
“Got them, Brother Dong,” Haozi nodded quickly.
“Good. Take him away.”
He pointed at Wang Xiaoming.
“Mom! Mom, save me! I don’t want to go back in! Save me!”
Wang Xiaoming, terrified out of his wits, clung tightly to Wu Xiuxiu’s leg.
Wu Xiuxiu grabbed her son, turning to Sun Jianguo with a desperate look, signaling him to plead with his uncle.
But Sun Jianguo had always been afraid of this uncle.
“N–uncle… we’re family… Xiaoming didn’t mean—”
“Shut up. I’ll deal with you later.”
Liu Weidong shot him a glare and signaled Haozi to proceed.
Haozi, thinking the injury was real, didn’t hesitate and dragged Wang Xiaoming away.
“Mom! Mom, save me! Mom—!”
Wang Xiaoming wailed like a slaughtered pig as he was hauled off.
Wu Xiuxiu finally broke down completely.
“Let’s talk this out! Big brother-in-law, we’ll pay! We’ll pay medical expenses! My son is still young—please don’t take him in!”
Facing the police, all her usual arrogance vanished.
This time, her tears were real.
“We’ll compensate—just don’t take him away!”
“We’ll take him first. As for compensation, wait until the victim returns from the hospital. You can negotiate then.”
With that, Liu Weidong and Haozi dragged Wang Xiaoming away.
The Wang family stood frozen at the doorway like quails, not daring to utter a word, afraid they’d be next.
From a distance, Ma Hongxia watched as the man was taken away, then quietly returned home.
Seeing Liu Guiying in the yard, she hurried over.
“Guiying! What on earth happened? Are you alright?”
Seeing the “blood” on her, she was startled.
“I’m fine, Hongxia. Let me tell you…”
Liu Guiying explained everything—but conveniently left out the part about taking the six hundred yuan.
She only said she’d been worried the Wang family would cause trouble after she drove Wang Xiaofeng back, so she prepared pig’s blood in advance.
“Didn’t expect it to actually come in handy.”
“Guiying, you’re something else!”
Ma Hongxia couldn’t stop laughing and gave her a big thumbs-up.
“Hongxia, your grin’s about to split your face.”
“Hahaha! That was satisfying! People like them deserve this. Tell me—anything else I can help with?”
Her fighting spirit was completely reignited.
“Actually, yes. I need you to go to the supply store and call Jianjun over. Tell him to sneak in through the back, and on the way…”
Liu Guiying whispered her instructions.
“Don’t worry—I’ve got this!”
When Sun Jianjun heard there had been trouble at home, he immediately took leave and rushed back.
Seeing his mother and sister chatting calmly in the yard, with little Fang playing nearby, he finally relaxed.
“Mom, that was way too dangerous! What if something had happened? How would I face Dad?”
“So that’s why you kept asking me to buy pig’s blood! Where did you even learn tricks like this? You’re like something out of The Art of War! Next time—no, wait—there better not be a next time!”
“Enough. I don’t want to hear your nagging.”
You’d probably tie me up with a rope if I told you everything.
“Did you bring what I asked?”
“I—I did… What are you planning now?”
He was starting to feel uneasy.
Liu Guiying didn’t answer. She took the cotton bandages and went inside.
When she came back out—
She looked like a walking mummy.
Sun Jianjun: “……”
“Xiumei, wait here a bit. Mom will come get you after she’s done.”
Sun Xiumei stared at her mother as if seeing her for the first time.
Despite being wrapped in bandages, she radiated confidence and cunning.
“Come on—today we’re going to fleece the rich.”
Liu Guiying lay down on a flat cart and gestured for Sun Jianjun to push.
Sun Jianjun: “……”
Alright… fine… let’s do this.
Ma Hongxia rubbed her hands excitedly, shuffling along beside the cart.