“Pfft!”
In the dim room, Old He suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood, his eyes wide open with sheer terror.
Someone actually managed to destroy his evil spirit?!
Who could it be? Damn it! He would kill them!
Old He wiped the blood from his mouth and regulated his breathing for a long while before feeling slightly better. Then, with a grim expression, he stood up and bent down to pull open a wooden plank on the floor when the courtyard gate was suddenly knocked.
“Old He! Is Old He there? Open the door!”
It was the neighbor next door.
Old He’s tense expression relaxed, and he woodenly went to open the door.
But as soon as the courtyard gate opened, he found over a dozen people gathered outside, including several who were clearly not from the village.
Old He’s pupils contracted, and he feigned anger as he demanded, “What’s going on? I was about to go to sleep!”
“The child is inside! Any later and he’ll be dead!”
Shi Qing shouted loudly, and the family who had lost their child immediately pushed Old He aside and rushed in. Other villagers followed, eager to watch the drama unfold.
Liu Fengcheng restrained Old He outside.
They searched the entire house but found nothing useful. Just as the family was about to confront Shi Qing, she pulled open a large wooden plank in one of the rooms, revealing a dark passageway beneath.
When the family emerged from the Underground Cellar, they were holding their severely injured, barely breathing child. Their eyes burned with rage as they glared at Old He.
“You dared to kidnap my child?!!!”
“Ahhh, my child! And there’s Xiao Mu’s backpack inside! He killed Xiao Mu too! Beat him to death!!”
The child’s mother, her eyes red, wished she could kill Old He on the spot. The Xiao Mu she mentioned was the child who had previously been killed by wolves.
At these words, Xiao Mu’s parents and grandparents, who had been watching the commotion, went berserk, grabbing Old He by the hair. The family who had lost their child also vented their hatred on him…
The Village Chief called the police, and the officers arrived to take Old He away. However, in the chaos, Old He had already lost half his life—both his legs and arms were broken.
Amid the turmoil, Shi Qing managed to collect some of Old He’s blood.
…
The family who found their child thanked Shi Qing and the other two profusely. Feng Shuang Shuang, outraged, declared that Old He had such despicable character and that she would cut off her financial support for He Xiaohua upon returning…
By the time they returned to He Xiaohua’s home, it was already evening.
Old He’s case was still under investigation, and He Xiaohua’s family had not yet been notified, so they remained unaware.
When they arrived at He Xiaohua’s house, the entire family was home, including He Xiaohua, who was still in school. Upon hearing that Feng Shuang Shuang had come, she skipped evening self-study and asked for leave to return immediately.
On He Xiaohua’s dining table sat a plate of pickled vegetables, a plate of poorly scented cured meat, and a dish of stir-fried cabbage.
“Shuang Shuang Jie.”
As soon as He Xiaohua saw Feng Shuang Shuang, she hurried over, though her eyes held a trace of panic.
It was panic, but not a hint of guilt.
After all, Feng Shuang Shuang’s death was imminent in the next couple of days, so He Xiaohua was naturally worried that her actions might be discovered.
Clearly, she was aware of the fortune-transfer scheme.
Feng Shuang Shuang took a deep breath and looked directly into He Xiaohua’s eyes.
At this point, what was the use of not confronting her?
“He Xiaohua, I want you to tell me: I funded you, paid for your tuition, gave you pocket money, bought you pretty clothes, and purchased all kinds of school supplies for you…””I want you to tell me why you’re doing this to me?!”
Feng Shuang Shuang grabbed He Xiaohua’s shoulders with both hands, her eyes red as she questioned her.
Five years—a full five years—she had practically treated He Xiaohua as her own younger sister.
She knew that being born into such a prominent family, even her marriage had been assigned a clear price tag. She enjoyed the luxurious life her family provided, but everything came with a cost.
But He Xiaohua was different. She had hoped she would soar high and do all the things she herself never dared to.
So why do this to her? Taking her luck wasn’t enough—they wanted her life too!
“Shuang Shuang, what’s going on?”
He Xiaohua’s mother, afraid that Feng Shuang Shuang—their cash cow—might leave, slapped He Xiaohua’s arm and scolded angrily.
“Xiaohua, what did you do to offend your Shuang Shuang sister? Hurry up and apologize to her!”
“I—I don’t know either, Shuang Shuang sister. You’re hurting me. Did I do something to make you angry?”
He Xiaohua pretended to be wronged, still trying to hide the truth, until Feng Shuang Shuang mentioned the name ‘Old He.’ At that, her entire body froze.
“Smack!”
“You’re shameless! Despicable!”
Feng Shuang Shuang roared at He Xiaohua, her rage finally boiling over.
She had asked around the village and learned that He Xiaohua had performed poorly in elementary school, with everyone secretly calling her an idiot.
Then, one day, He Xiaohua suddenly stopped being foolish, and her academic performance steadily improved.
On her way back, Liu Daoshi had told her that Old He had transferred luck to He Xiaohua from more than just her—at least three people.
After the first person’s luck was transferred, He Xiaohua stopped being foolish and gradually became smarter. Then came the second child—the boy rumored to have been killed by a wolf, but in reality, he was killed by the evil ghost Old He kept.
The boy’s luck was transferred to He Xiaohua, while his life was sacrificed by Old He to the evil ghost.
Feng Shuang Shuang was the third, and the little boy found in the underground cellar was the fourth.
If Old He was the epitome of evil, then she had been aiding and abetting him all these years. How could Feng Shuang Shuang not hate her for that?
“What are you doing!”
Seeing his daughter hit, He Xiaohua’s father—who appeared to be an honest man—rushed in front of Feng Shuang Shuang and raised his fist to strike her.
But his fist was caught by a large, dark hand.
Feng Shuang Shuang wiped the tears from the corner of her eye. She wasn’t stupid—she had specifically hired two bodyguards for her return, fearing she might be attacked.
“He Xiaohua, your grandfather has been arrested by the police. You’re next.”
Old He had several lives on his hands and was undoubtedly facing death. Though He Xiaohua’s hands appeared clean, that didn’t mean Feng Shuang Shuang would let her off.
Right in front of the He family, Feng Shuang Shuang dialed the police.
Over the past five years, He Xiaohua had swindled nearly 100,000 yuan from her—rent was one thing, along with various other items, all priced higher than their actual value.
Even if she couldn’t send He Xiaohua to prison, she would ruin her completely.
Talk to her about kindness?
Hah, when He Xiaohua had wanted her life, why should she still care about her?When the police arrived, He Xiaohua’s mother was so furious she came at them with a kitchen knife, shouting that she was a petty person—so wealthy yet still quibbling over such a small amount of money with them.
Weren’t they just trying to live a better life? Since she was sponsoring He Xiaohua, if she hadn’t been so stingy, giving only that meager amount each month, why would they have deceived her?
Her grandparents sat on their chairs cursing loudly, their insults fouler than the maggots in a latrine.