In the end…
It turned out she was nothing more than a selfish person.
A person who, whenever Qiao Wei was mentioned, would be belittled until she was nothing but dust beneath everyone’s feet.
After marrying into the Li family, she had genuinely wanted to live a good life.
She treated her three stepchildren as if they were her own.
She respected her parents-in-law and devoted herself to caring for the children.
Yet none of it earned her even the slightest warmth in return.
For more than ten years, the bruises on her body had never disappeared.
At first, it was her mother-in-law and stepchildren framing her, followed by Li Dachuan beating her.
But over the past year, whenever anyone in the family was in a bad mood, she became the first person they took it out on.
This past year, she had tried to save herself.
She had wanted to escape that living hell.
She had done everything she could to get a divorce.
Even knowing it would probably earn her even more brutal beatings…
She had never given up.
Qiao Nian raised her head and wiped away her tears with all her strength.
Her rough fingers brushed against her swollen cheek, sending a sharp pain through her face.
Looking at the members of the Qiao family, her hoarse voice trembled.
“I understand now… Mom, Dad… Grandpa, Grandma… I’ll go back.”
A look of satisfaction flashed across Grandma Li Cuihua’s eyes.
“That’s more like it, Niannian. Go back and live your life properly—that’s the best thing you can do. And from now on, don’t come back unless it’s absolutely necessary.”
Qiao Nian said nothing.
She simply turned around and walked away without the slightest hesitation.
There was no point in staying here any longer.
This place held no hope—
Only the final straw that would break the camel’s back.
She opened the carefully crafted courtyard gate.
The sun blazed brightly overhead.
Yet she couldn’t feel a trace of warmth.
Instead, an icy chill spread through her entire body.
She struggled to keep her eyes open, wanting to take one last look at the world.
Then—
Smack!
A heavy slap crashed across her face.
The metallic taste of blood instantly filled her mouth.
A man shoved her violently against the courtyard wall.
“Run? You still dare to run away? Even if I beat you to death today, let’s see if the Qiao family will stand up for you!”
His powerful hand clamped tightly around her throat.
Qiao Nian’s mind went blank.
The air entering her lungs grew thinner and thinner.
Punch after punch slammed into her stomach.
Unable to endure it any longer, bright red blood trickled from the corner of her lips.
Finally, Li Dachuan released her.
He tossed her onto the ground as casually as throwing away a dead dog.
His eyes burned with malice.
“Speak! Do you still dare run away?”
A disobedient woman just hasn’t been beaten enough.
A wave of dizziness overwhelmed her.
Collapsed on the ground, Qiao Nian coughed up mouthful after mouthful of blood.
The crimson stain spread across the dirt like a blooming, sinister flower.
Her fingernails dug deeply into her own flesh.
After a long silence, she slowly raised her head to look at Li Dachuan.
The fear that had always filled her eyes seemed to return.
In a voice no louder than a mosquito’s buzz, she whispered,
“I won’t run anymore… I’ll never run away again.”
Apparently satisfied, Li Dachuan grabbed the emaciated woman by the arm, stuffed her into the vehicle, stepped on the accelerator, and drove off.
The Li family didn’t live far from the Qiao family.
In less than twenty minutes, they arrived home.
Li Dachuan was the deputy director of a food processing factory.
He held considerable authority and had been assigned a private courtyard house.
Only after those twenty minutes did Qiao Nian finally feel she could breathe again.
Along the way, they passed several neighbors.
Seeing Li Dachuan dragging Qiao Nian from the vehicle, not one of them dared say a word.
After all…
Scenes like this happened at the Li household almost every day.
Even the police and the Women’s Federation couldn’t solve it.
If outsiders interfered, they’d only bring trouble upon themselves.
Li Dachuan dragged Qiao Nian all the way into the house.
Just looking at her made him feel irritated.
“What are you standing there for? Hurry up and cook! If it weren’t for you, people wouldn’t be laughing behind my back!”
The house was empty.
The eldest and second sons had probably gone to work.
The youngest rarely stayed home.
His mother had likely gone out to visit neighbors.
What a pity.
A deep hatred surfaced in Qiao Nian’s eyes.
A violently abusive husband.
Cruel and vicious stepsons.
A manipulative mother-in-law who never stopped tormenting her.
And the family that had used her, then discarded her like garbage once they were finished with her.
She had truly had enough of this life.
Closing her eyes, she took several deep breaths.
Calmly, she walked into the kitchen and turned on the gas.
Seeing that Li Dachuan had already gone into the bedroom and lay down on the bed, she suppressed the excitement rising inside her.
She stepped outside into the courtyard…
And firmly locked the courtyard gate.
Li Dachuan loved drinking.
The house contained quite a collection of expensive liquor.
Qiao Nian picked up a bottle of strong baijiu from the cabinet and calmly poured it around the kitchen.
A wild, almost mad light flickered in her eyes.
Yet when she spoke, her voice was timid and gentle.
“Dachuan… could you come to the kitchen for a moment?”
“What the hell do you want now? Qiao Nian, this better be important!”
Li Dachuan answered impatiently.
Still, he slipped on his sandals and walked toward the kitchen.
As Qiao Nian watched him approach, his face twisted with annoyance, she quietly took a matchbox from her pocket.
A brilliant smile spread across her face.
She struck a match…
And, in the next instant—
She threw it.
The last thing Qiao Nian saw…
…was Li Dachuan’s face, frozen in terror as the flames engulfed him.
So…
Even he was capable of feeling fear.
“Niannian, your mother is only doing this for your own good. If you don’t get married, you’ll be sent to the countryside. Life out there is so hard. Many women can’t endure it and end up marrying rural men, never able to return. If you get married, at least you’ll be able to help Weiwei and your younger brother.”
“That’s right, Niannian. Dachuan’s family can afford to eat meat at every meal. Sure, he’s older, but older men know how to cherish their wives. Once you marry into his family, you’ll be able to enjoy an easy life at home. Our Weiwei isn’t nearly as fortunate as you are.”
“Exactly. If I were in your shoes, I’d happily get married. Brother Dachuan is handsome and dignified. I wish I had such good fortune, but I don’t.”
“Third Aunt and Weiwei are giving me too much credit. But don’t worry—leave Niannian to me. As for Weiwei’s future, I’ve already made all the arrangements.”
A splitting headache throbbed through Qiao Nian’s skull.
The constant chatter around her rang painfully in her ears.
She struggled to open her eyes.
The people standing before her…
Weren’t they her dear mother and her wonderful Third Aunt?
Qiao Nian was stunned.
Hadn’t she died together with Li Dachuan?
Could it be…
She hadn’t died after all?
No…
She shook her head.
The two women before her looked much younger, nowhere near the age of fifty.
She lowered her gaze to her own hands.
They were slender and smooth, nothing like the rough, scarred hands that had been worn down by more than ten years of endless labor and abuse.
Then she looked around at her surroundings.
She froze.
This…
This was the day she had gotten married—
Twelve years ago.
She had thought she was escaping a wolf’s den.
Instead, she had walked straight into a tiger’s lair.
Could it be…
Had she really returned to twelve years earlier?
Back to the very day she was forced to marry?
1973.
Back before years of relentless toil had destroyed her body.
She remembered it clearly.
The day before Li Dachuan came to fetch her, she had fought desperately to resist.
The Qiao family had tied her up and locked her in the woodshed for an entire day and night.
The next day…
Li Dachuan had taken her straight back to the Li family.
She had never regretted dying together with Li Dachuan.
The only thing she regretted…
Was not taking a few more people down with them.
For someone like her…
Every extra day she lived in this life was a bonus.
With that thought, Qiao Nian stopped holding back.
Smack!
She swung her hand and slapped Qiao Wei hard across the face.
Then, with exaggerated sincerity, she said,
“Weiwei, don’t blame me. Today is supposed to be the happiest day of my life. But listen to what you just said. On the very first day of my marriage, you’re already talking about coveting your brother-in-law.”
“If word of that got out, what would happen to your reputation?”
Qiao Nian flexed her slightly numb palm.
The feeling was indescribably satisfying.
So…
This was what it felt like to hit someone.
It felt incredible.
The terrified expression on Li Dachuan’s face as he burned in the flames in her previous life had taught her something.
As long as she stopped acting weak…
Other people could be afraid too.
What a bunch of cowards—
Bullies who preyed only on those weaker than themselves.
Since every extra day of this second life was a gift anyway…
If she had enough time, she’d gladly drag every one of these people down to hell with her.
Who cared what the outcome would be?
She would make herself feel better first.
To her…
The Qiao family and the Li family were no longer family at all.
They were nothing but her enemies.