For many years, the Xie family had rarely enjoyed a full meal. This time, they devoured an entire large hen, leaving not even a drop of soup behind. The bowls were so thoroughly licked clean that they shone without needing a wash.
After eating and drinking her fill, Xie Jinzhu was shooed out of the kitchen. Listening to Eldest Uncle Xie and the others discussing plans to repay their debts the next day, she yawned and went into her room.
With the debts cleared and the evening’s atmosphere so pleasant, perhaps from now on she wouldn’t have to tiptoe around in this household anymore?
Xie Jinzhu lay down contentedly, thinking how wonderful it was—there was finally hope for a better life…
In her drowsiness, the night slipped quietly by.
Xie Jinzhu was still lost in a sweet dream of turning over a new leaf and becoming a good person when the tightly shut door was suddenly pounded upon, accompanied by a woman’s furious, shrill voice: “Xie Jinzhu, you come out here right now!”
“You little beast!”
“She’s nothing but an animal!”
Xie Jinzhu jolted awake, still sitting on the bed trying to gather her wits, when Madam Wang rushed in, tears streaming down her face: “Jinzhu!”
“What on earth have you done?”
Xie Jinzhu was utterly bewildered: “What did I do?”
She hadn’t left her room since entering it last night—what could she possibly have done?
Madam Wang tightly gripped Xie Jinzhu’s arm, tears falling anxiously as soon as she opened her mouth: “How could you…”
“Second Aunt, calm down a bit, don’t…”
“Get out of my way! No one stop me!”
Second Aunt charged into the room brandishing a firewood chopper, her movements so violent that she even knocked Xie Xiao Qi to the ground: “Today I’m going to chop up this heartless wretch!”
“I’ll take her life…”
“What’s all this commotion?”
Old Mrs. Xie hurried over, frantic: “Second daughter-in-law, what’s wrong with you again?”
“It’s early in the morning, everything was fine. Why aren’t you at the Liu family taking care of Er’ni, and instead causing such a ruckus here?”
Like a mother hen protecting her chicks, Old Mrs. Xie spread her arms to shield Xie Jinzhu, anxiously asking: “What did you do to provoke her?”
Weren’t things just fine yesterday?
How could someone who was repeatedly praised just yesterday be demanding her life with a chopper today?
Xie Jinzhu felt more wronged than Dou E. Pushing aside the quilt, she sneered in anger: “How would I know?”
“I haven’t even stepped outside. Second Aunt barged in shouting about killing me, I…”
“How dare you say you don’t know!”
Second Aunt sharply cut off Xie Jinzhu’s words, her voice breaking with tears before Xie Jinzhu could retort: “You sold my sixth daughter, and you still dare to pretend!”
Everyone who had been trying to intervene and mediate froze at these words, staring at Xie Jinzhu as if they’d seen a ghost.
Xie Jinzhu’s heart plummeted as if she’d missed a step, instinctively protesting: “How could I possibly…”
“They’ve already gone to the Liu family! It’s written clearly in black and white—it was you who did it!”
Second Aunt was so enraged she could no longer hold the chopper. It clattered to the ground as she burst into tears: “How could you dare?”
“Do you really have no conscience at all?”
“She’s my own flesh and blood, the sixth sister you’ve called for so many years! What did Xiao Liu ever do to wrong you? How could you sell my daughter!”
Sold?
Xie Jinzhu sold Xie Xiao Liu?!
After a moment of intense disbelief, everyone present urgently sought confirmation. Xie Xiao Qi rushed forward, grabbing Xie Jinzhu by the neck and shaking her violently: “Xie Jinzhu, say something!”
“Tell Second Aunt it wasn’t you! Say you didn’t do such a despicable thing!”
Life had always been hard for farming families, but for the Xie family, it was even harder.
Yet no matter how dire the family’s circumstances became, no one had ever considered selling their own child.
How could Xie Jinzhu dare to do such a thing?
Xie Xiao Liu was her sixth sister!
Even if they weren’t born of the same mother or raised by the same father, they still shared the same family name—Xie. How could Xie Jinzhu dare to commit such an act!
Madam Wang also cried out, “Speak up now!”
“How could you do such a thing? Your sixth sister has always protected you since you were little. Such a good child, how could you…”
Madam Wang broke down completely, unable to utter another word through her sobs.
Xie Xiao Qi stared at Xie Jinzhu in disbelief, and everyone’s hearts sank deeper and deeper.
Old Mrs. Xie anxiously pushed aside those blocking her way, trembling as she grabbed Xie Jinzhu’s hand. “Child, tell your grandmother the truth. What exactly happened?”
“Tell your grandmother first!”
Xie Jinzhu stared blankly at the people crowded in the room. As fragments of memories flashed through her mind, she felt as if she had been thrown into an icy cave and scrubbed clean, her entire body chilled to the bone.
She hadn’t done this heinous deed.
But…
The original owner had!
That despicable creature, blinded by greed, had sold Xie Xiao Liu for ten taels of silver…
Xie Jinzhu had always avoided recalling the sins committed by the original owner, but now she remembered…
Xie Jinzhu’s expression twisted painfully. Amid the cries of Second Aunt and Madam Wang, she struggled to move her lips. “I…”
“If I say it wasn’t actually me who wanted to do this, would anyone believe me?”
It was all the doing of the original owner, Xie Jin Zhu. It really wasn’t her…
“What did you say?!”
Xie Xiao Qi suddenly raised her voice sharply. “Xie Jinzhu!”
Old Mrs. Xie suddenly lunged forward, headbutting Xie Jinzhu and knocking her backward. As she cried, she slapped Xie Jinzhu with her hands. “You’re nothing but a cursed fool!”
“What unspeakable sins has the Old Xie Family committed to be saddled with you!”
After enduring so much hardship and finally seeing a glimmer of hope, Xie Xiao Liu had actually been sold!
Xie Xiao Liu was a daughter of the Old Xie Family. Even if they couldn’t afford to raise her and had to end her life, selling her was absolutely unthinkable!
Eldest Uncle Xie had taken Second Uncle Xie and Third Master Xie to repay debts door-to-door.
Eldest Aunt tried to pull one person aside, then another, but nothing worked. Anxiously pacing in place, she said, “Stop crying for now. Hurry and tell us where Xiao Liu was sold.”
“Once we find out where she is, we can quickly figure out a way to redeem her, so as to avoid…”
“Ask her!”
Second Aunt ground her teeth fiercely as she scrambled up from the floor, lunging recklessly toward Xie Jinzhu. “You damned wretch, how dare you sell my Xiao Liu! I’ll fight you to the death!”
“I’ll kill you!”
“Cuihong Lou?!”
A furious, questioning voice exploded in the room, and Xie Jinzhu felt so stung by it that she wished she could dig a hole and bury herself alive.
Second Aunt’s wails were deafening. “This little beast, she’s out to take my sixth child’s life…”
What kind of place was Cuihong Lou?
It was a filthy den for those seeking pleasure!
If Xie Xiao Liu had been sold to Cuihong Lou, it meant there was no way out for her. The blade that would slit her throat had been handed to her by Xie Jinzhu!
Eldest Uncle Xie and Second Uncle Xie both turned pale with rage.
Father Xie silently rolled up his sleeves, picked up a carrying pole from the ground, and said, “I’ll beat you to death, you wretched thing!”
“Today, I might as well kill you to spare the family from the disasters you keep bringing upon us!”
He had thought Xie Jinzhu had changed, hoping she could live a decent life from now on.
But what was the result?
Xie Jinzhu not only didn’t change, she even went further!
Selling her own sister—how could she do such a thing? What’s the point of letting Xie Jinzhu live!
Xie Jinzhu could kick Liu Cheng flying with one foot, but she couldn’t lay a hand on Father Xie.
The original host had already committed a whole basketful of thunderbolt-worthy deeds, and she truly didn’t dare add another brick to the pile.
Xie Jinzhu dodged the bamboo pole Father Xie swung at her in a flurry, leaping and ducking as she cried out with a pitiful face, “Don’t cry yet, and don’t rush to hit me!”
“I’ll go redeem her!”