“Get out…”
The man forced out a single word from his throat, his voice hoarse like it was scraped with sand.
Seeing no response, he lifted his eyes toward the woman curled up into a ball. His tone turned harsh and violent.
“While I can still hold back, get the hell out!”
Su Wan was jolted awake by that furious shout.
The sharp pain at the back of her head snapped her fully alert. When she saw the scene before her, her pupils shrank abruptly.
A tall, powerfully built man was kneeling on one knee. In his hand, a broken beer bottle was stabbed deep into his own leg.
Blood soaked through his work pants, trickling down and spreading across the green brick floor.
His head was lowered, breathing rough, his whole body trembling slightly. His skin was flushed an unnatural red from the effects of drugs.
This man.
Lu Zhaoye?
She had been reborn?
Back to 1982… that wedding night that had ruined her entire life?
In her previous life, Su Wan had already been terrified of this so-called ruthless “gang boss.” Waking up inexplicably in his room on her wedding night had completely frightened her.
And because of her panic and confusion, Lu Zhaoye ended up being beaten blind in one eye, while she herself was humiliated and oppressed in the Lu family for ten whole years.
Su Wan took a deep breath, suppressing the bitterness surging in her chest.
This time, she didn’t scream or cry. Instead, she lifted the blanket, stepped barefoot onto the cold brick floor, and walked toward the man radiating a terrifying aura.
“Big brother.”
She crouched down in front of him. In her clear almond-shaped eyes, there was not a trace of fear. Instead, they curved into a soft, almost coaxing smile.
“That’s a lot of blood… does it hurt?”
Looking at the blood covering his leg, Su Wan’s heart trembled.
Lu Zhaoye had been drugged. To fight the overwhelming, animalistic urges in his body, he had stabbed himself with a shattered beer bottle.
A ruthless man indeed.
His muscles tensed instantly as he stared at the smiling woman before him, a flicker of surprise flashing in his eyes.
This girl… wasn’t afraid of him?
Hadn’t she always been timid before?
“Su Wan, do you know who I am?”
Lu Zhaoye gritted his teeth, his temples throbbing as his restraint neared its limit.
“I’m not a good man! If you don’t leave now, believe it or not, I’ll deal with you right here!”
“I know.”
Not only did Su Wan not retreat, she reached out her fair, slender fingers and gently wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.
She paused, her voice soft, but her words carried a chilling undertone.
“But compared to those so-called ‘gentlemen’ outside who devour people without leaving a trace, you… are much more reassuring.”
Lu Zhaoye froze.
This girl used to avoid him out of fear, like a timid little rabbit.
What had gotten into her today?
And in a situation like this, instead of being afraid, she was so calm…
Before he could think further.
Bang!
The tightly shut door was suddenly kicked open!
The narrow wooden door slammed against the wall with a loud crash.
“Adultery! Come quickly! Su Wan, that shameless woman, is with big brother!”
A sharp voice pierced the night. Lu family’s younger sister, Lu Qianqian, rushed in first, her face twisted with excitement.
Right behind her was the third brother, Lu Gang, holding a thick firewood stick, his face flushed as he roared.
“Lu Zhaoye! You beast! Gone for years and the moment you come back, you sleep with your younger brother’s wife! I’ll beat you to death for my second brother today!”
Outside the door, a crowd of neighbors and relatives had gathered, eager to watch the spectacle.
Su Wan turned to look.
The scene was exactly the same as in her previous life.
A violent killing intent surged in Lu Zhaoye’s eyes. Even under the lingering effects of the drug, he forced himself up, his battle-hardened ferocity bursting forth.
“Looking to die?”
Just two words, heavy with the scent of blood, were enough to make Lu Gang hesitate, his raised stick freezing midair.
But a slender figure moved faster than him.
Su Wan had already stood up. She casually grabbed Lu Zhaoye’s oversized work jacket from the chair and wrapped it around herself.
Standing in front of him, facing the aggressive crowd, she showed no trace of panic. Instead, a faint, knowing smile curved her lips as she looked directly at Lu Qianqian.
“Lu Qianqian, barging into big brother’s room in the middle of the night with so many elders what exactly are you trying to do?”
Her voice wasn’t loud, but every word was clear, carrying a casual chill.
“Just now, I was heading back to my room when someone knocked me unconscious from behind. When I woke up, I found myself in big brother’s room. And right on cue, you arrived with a crowd, shouting ‘adultery’ and ‘shameless’”
Tilting her head slightly, she glanced at Lu Qianqian’s suddenly pale face, her tone turning mildly curious.
“You’re a young woman, yet your mouth is full of filthy words. Aren’t you afraid of ruining your own reputation? And how are you so certain I’d be alone in a room with big brother? Could it be… the one who knocked me out and brought me here was you?”
As soon as she said this, murmurs rippled through the crowd.
The elders exchanged glances, their looks toward Lu Qianqian turning suspicious.
Lu Qianqian froze, her prepared insults stuck in her throat.
What was wrong with Su Wan?
Shouldn’t she be crying and begging after being “caught”?
How could she stay so calm?
“You… don’t you dare slander me!”
Lu Qianqian snapped back, pointing at Su Wan angrily.
“On your wedding night, half-dressed in big brother’s room you’re immoral! You’re a disgrace!”
The onlookers began whispering and pointing.
The smile on Su Wan’s lips deepened, but her eyes turned icy.
In her previous life, she had naïvely thought Lu Qianqian, as another woman, would believe her innocence and speak up for her.
Instead, Lu Qianqian hadn’t listened at all, immediately accusing her of sleeping with Lu Zhaoye shouting loudly, even exaggerating the scene to attract more spectators.
Because of that, Lu Gang became convinced she had been violated, and struck Lu Zhaoye across the brow with a stick.
Thinking of it now, Su Wan felt a surge of hatred.
She stepped forward, gently grasping the finger Lu Qianqian was pointing at her, seemingly affectionate but secretly pressing down hard.
“Ah! It hurts!” Lu Qianqian cried out, tears springing to her eyes in shock.
Since when had Su Wan become so strong?
Su Wan acted as if she didn’t hear, still smiling as she leaned close to her ear and whispered softly only for her to hear:
“Lu Qianqian, you were the one who drugged big brother. You were the one who knocked me out. And even… sending Widow Zhang to lure your second brother away tonight that was your idea too, wasn’t it?”
Lu Qianqian’s eyes widened in terror, as if she had just seen a ghost.