With a “bang,” the door slammed shut, and Zong Huanyu was taken away by the Red Guard committee members.
The tears that had been welling in Zong Sisi’s eyes finally fell. She covered her mouth, her face full of grief.
“What are you acting so sad for now that he’s gone?” Zong Xiaxia looked at her with contempt. “Tell me—what did Dad just say to you? Was it about money?”
Zong Sisi’s expression suddenly turned cold. The sorrow from moments ago vanished in an instant. She shot a sharp glance at Shen Youchu, then looked back at Zong Xiaxia and said coldly:
“Now isn’t the time to be fighting among ourselves. Don’t you think we should unite against an external threat?”
Zong Xiaxia fell silent for a moment, then let out a cold laugh.
“Hah. Sister, you still don’t get it, do you?
Shen Youchu has been playing the fool all along. She’s been waiting for this day.
She wants to trap all of us in a dead end, to avenge her short-lived mother.”
Zong Xiaxia then put on a falsely affectionate expression and grabbed Zong Sisi’s hand.
“This woman is far too calculating. We can’t beat her alone.
Give me the money. I won’t take much—you take the majority, I only want a small share.
With money, even if we’re sent to Beidahuang, we sisters can still look out for each other. Life won’t be too hard.”
“Hahaha—can’t beat her?” Zong Sisi suddenly burst into manic laughter. Her face darkened, twisted with an unfamiliar ruthlessness.
“I don’t think so.”
Zong Xiaxia had never seen her sister like this before. For the first time, she felt a pressure that made her instinctively step back.
Shen Youchu, who had been quietly watching the drama unfold, immediately sensed something was wrong. Before she could react, Zong Sisi’s actions took even her by surprise.
Zong Sisi pulled out a handgun and pointed it directly at her.
The scene instantly made Zong Xiaxia’s legs go weak.
“Sister… w-where did you get a gun?”
Shen Youchu didn’t dare act rashly. Years of combat experience told her this was real—this was not a toy. Judging by Zong Sisi’s grip and stance, she was clearly skilled.
Zong Sisi ignored Zong Xiaxia and advanced step by step toward Shen Youchu.
“Weren’t you good at fighting? Come on then.
Weren’t you sharp-tongued? Say something.”
Shen Youchu had also lived through gunfire in her past life. She had seen all kinds of dangerous situations.
Even with a weapon aimed at her chest, she showed no fear.
Not because she was calm to the point of numbness, but because she was confident—within seven steps, she was faster than a bullet.
She measured the distance between them, a faint smile curling at her lips.
“You’re really going this far? Not afraid of dying?”
Zong Sisi’s eyes were bloodshot.
“Haha… you ruined everything for me. My father is gone, my future is gone. What do I have left to fear about death?”
Shen Youchu threw her head back and laughed loudly.
“I ruined everything?
If your father had been upright, would he have ended up like this?
If you weren’t scheming and trying to trade your sister for power, why would I need to set you up?
All I did was take back what was originally mine. Your current situation is entirely your own doing.
It has nothing to do with me.”
“You’re talking nonsense—absolute nonsense! Die—” Zong Sisi roared, stepping forward and preparing to pull the trigger.
“Think carefully. Murder carries a death sentence. You’re only being sent to the countryside—do you really think it’s worth it?
Being sent down as an educated youth is a national policy to temper young intellectuals. Many capable young people go.
You’re young and beautiful—many promising men might even like you. Think about it. Really think about it. Is your situation really that bad?”
The distance still wasn’t close enough for a decisive strike. Shen Youchu could only try to stall her.
“You think I’m stupid? That godforsaken place—what decent men could there be?
Only useless nobodies with no background.”
Zong Sisi sneered.
“And besides, there are traffickers everywhere. If a young beautiful girl like you gets abducted, wouldn’t that be perfectly reasonable?
Then no one could blame me. Don’t forget—the dead don’t talk.”
Zong Xiaxia’s previously confused mind suddenly cleared at those words. She even felt it made perfect sense.
Excited, she jumped up.
“Sis, what are you waiting for? Hurry! Shoot her and everything will be ours!”
“Shut up.”
Zong Sisi turned and glared at her.
In that split second of distraction, a sudden force struck her wrist. Her body went weak, and she collapsed to her knees.
Shen Youchu had disarmed her.
She looked down coldly.
“She’s right—you really should hurry.
Didn’t you hear the saying? Villains die because they talk too much.”
Zong Xiaxia collapsed to the ground again, murmuring in panic, “It’s over… it’s over…”
Shen Youchu glanced at the gun and immediately recognized the engraved “Shen” character—it was a relic of the Shen family.
“Using my Shen family’s gun to kill my Shen family’s people? You’re quite creative.”
Her grip tightened, twisting Zong Sisi’s arm until her face contorted in pain.
“Speak. Where did Zong Huanyu hide his private assets?”
She knew immediately—Zong Huanyu must have just revealed something about money.
“Dream on. Kill me if you dare,” Zong Sisi spat through clenched teeth.
Shen Youchu smiled.
“So you do know.”
Without hesitation, she spun open the revolver cylinder, removed five bullets, leaving only one. Then she flicked it shut, spun it, and clicked it back into place.
She pressed the barrel against Zong Sisi’s forehead.
“You see this? There’s one bullet inside. I don’t even know how many chances you have left.
First chance—talk or not?”
“You wish…” Zong Sisi refused.
Click.
An empty chamber.
Shen Youchu pulled the trigger without hesitation.
Click—no bullet.
Zong Sisi narrowly escaped death.
“Second chance. Talk or not?”
She didn’t give her any time to think.
At that moment, Zong Sisi finally broke. Her pupils trembled violently.
The calm decisiveness Shen Youchu showed terrified her more than anything else.
Her teeth chattered as she finally squeezed out:
“Th-the… Zong family… old mansion…”