Meng Xizhou walked to her room, only to find with disappointment that the old hag was still unconscious. She remained asleep until evening.
Meng Xizhou first brewed some tonic medicine and brought it to the bedside of Zhang Family’s Old Woman, intending to nourish her a bit before scaring her to death.
“Granny~ time to take your medicine~”
Zhang Family’s Old Woman turned her head sideways, glaring at her with venomous hatred, and suddenly spat a bloody, thick glob of phlegm right at her face!
Meng Xizhou calmly caught it with the medicine bowl, then pinched Zhang Family’s Old Woman’s chin, forcibly pouring the medicine down her throat!
“Mmph! Mmmph!” Zhang Family’s Old Woman struggled desperately, vomiting out all the medicine that had been forced into her mouth, staining her clothes with filth.
“I’m trying to prolong your life, and you’re not even grateful?” Meng Xizhou’s patience ran out, her eyes turning icy cold. “It seems if the King of Hell wants you dead at midnight, you won’t last till dawn.”
“Bah!” Zhang Family’s Old Woman cursed hoarsely, “You little beast! A lowly wretch born of a mother but raised without one! What good intentions could you possibly have!”
“Still better than you, an old beggar woman who had a mother but no upbringing, spewing filth from your mouth.” Meng Xizhou couldn’t be bothered to exert more effort and directly poured the remaining decoction over Zhang Family’s Old Woman’s head!
“Ah—!” The medicine trickled down her hair into her eyes, stinging and burning. Zhang Family’s Old Woman let out a piercing scream.
With this interruption, Meng Xizhou forgot what she had originally intended to do and turned to return to her own room to rest. While she was busy attending to Zhang Family’s Old Woman, she had no idea that a lively drama was unfolding in her own dilapidated room.
During the daytime funeral, although the Village Chief’s scheme to frame Meng Xizhou by bribing people had been exposed, the lustful desires of the village men had been thoroughly aroused.
The more they thought about it, the more they believed that a rare beauty like Meng Xizhou couldn’t possibly be without some intentions—she was just too timid to take that step! Since she was too shy, they would take the initiative!
Thus, in the dead of night, the bold men coincidentally sneaked into the Zhang family under cover of darkness, climbing through the window of Meng Xizhou’s shabby room.
Expecting to get close to such beauty, they were all dumbfounded upon entering!
The room was already occupied by several people! And all of them were familiar faces—the beaten men and their furious wives!
It turned out that during the day, the wives had sensed something off about the way their husbands were looking at Meng Xizhou. At night, they feigned sleep and followed their men all the way here. Upon entering and seeing other couples present, after a brief moment of embarrassment, raging fury erupted!
Cries, curses, scuffles, and pleas for mercy blended into a chaotic uproar!
When Meng Xizhou pushed the door open and entered, she was met with this scene of utter chaos and commotion.
“Well?” She leaned against the doorframe, raising an eyebrow. “How extraordinary. Have all the couples in the village gathered in my little broken room? Do you think my feng shui is so good that you’ve come to my place to have sex… and pray for a son?”
“How dare you say that!” Da Dan’s wife was so furious her hair stood on end. Pointing at Meng Xizhou’s nose, she yelled, “If it weren’t for you, this vixen, seducing him, would my damned husband have sneaked into your bed in the middle of the night?!”
Meng Xizhou looked puzzled. “Why wouldn’t I dare? Compared to you couples who don’t sleep at night and come to someone else’s house to act like wild lovers, I could call myself a model of integrity.”
Many were shamed into blushing by these words.
“Stop your glib talk!” Da Dan’s wife brandished her rolling pin. “The fact is, my man came running to your place! No amount of fancy talk from you will change that!”
Meng Xizhou’s gaze swept over the cowering Da Dan behind her, letting out a scornful laugh. “A worthless, spineless loser like your husband—I wouldn’t even want him taking up space in a pigsty. And you actually let him share your bed? Do you think disgusting yourself daily helps circulate your blood and prolong your life?”
“You—!” Da Dan’s wife trembled with rage, turning to viciously pinch her husband. “Useless coward! Say something!”
Da Dan grimaced in pain but only hunched deeper, too terrified to utter a sound.
“Worthless!” His wife despaired completely. Staring at Meng Xizhou’s beautiful face, a surge of fury overwhelmed her. She began smashing everything in the room—broken stools, cracked jars… Though Meng Xizhou cared little for the Zhang family’s junk, the growing mess irritated her. She coldly declared, “Keep this up, and poverty will plague three generations. Even if you die, your debts remain!”
“You dare curse me?!” Da Dan’s wife glared, eyes nearly bursting with rage.
“I dare beat you too!” Meng Xizhou’s eyes turned sharp as she suddenly drew two gleaming kitchen knives from under her pillow. “Care to test me?”
Holding one in each hand, the flash of steel instantly silenced everyone. The room fell dead quiet.
“Anyone else itching to argue with me?” Meng Xizhou scanned the crowd.
Heads shook like rattles.
“Then get out!” Meng Xizhou issued the eviction. “Go play in your own beds! Don’t dirty my space!”
The group scattered like pardoned convicts, slinking away in disgrace.
Meng Xizhou slammed the rickety door shut, blew out the oil lamp, and lay down, her breathing gradually steadying.
In the darkness, a figure who had been hiding under the dilapidated bed for some time silently emerged. It was the village’s notorious old bachelor—lazy, greedy, and prone to petty theft. He had slipped under the bed during the chaos, waiting to seize this golden opportunity!
Eyeing the graceful figure asleep on the bed, he rubbed his hands together, lust blazing in his eyes. Creeping onto the bed, he moved to press down on Meng Xizhou—
The instant he was about to succeed—
Meng Xizhou’s eyes snapped open, gleaming with icy light! Her knee drove hard into the man’s crotch!
Simultaneously, the kitchen knife hidden under the blanket pressed against his throat, the cold blade tight against his windpipe!
“Argh—!” Agony from below made him squeal like a slaughtered pig, but the chill at his neck cut him short. Cold sweat drenched him instantly.
“Spare me, mistress! I was just momentarily possessed—”
“I gave you the path to life earlier, and you refused to take it,” Meng Xizhou’s voice whispered like death itself. “You insisted on this dead end…”
“Then I’ll just… grant your wish.”
A flash of steel!
With the final nuisance dealt with, Meng Xizhou’s sleepiness vanished. She went to the trouble of hauling the corpse to the Village Chief’s bed.
This return gift, she was sure, would thrill him immensely.
Today was the day to return to Jingcheng.
She calculated that the letter sent to greet Jingcheng should arrive today.
Perfect—first give them a little scare with the letter, then a big one with her presence.
The arrangement was simply flawless.
Meng Xizhou stretched, refreshed, and got out of bed.
Before leaving, Zhang Zhi’s funeral needed to be completed. Villagers trickled in, but after last night’s farce, the atmosphere was intensely awkward. The women’s glances at Meng Xizhou were full of disdain and resentment.
As long as no one danced provocatively before her eyes, Meng Xizhou paid them no mind. She went about her work without concern.
No sooner had she sat down to rest than a disapproving woman sneered, “Oh, resting already? How can a woman be so lazy? The rest of us are all busy working!”
Meng Xizhou looked up and replied, “Auntie, seeing me take a short break makes you so bitter. It seems you need a long rest. In that case, why don’t you go die right now? Once you’re dead, you can rest forever.”