I stared at the pile of melon seed shells wrapped in my photos, feeling like things weren’t quite as I had imagined.
I took the paper from her and asked with a smile, “Sister-in-law, we’ve met twice now, but I still don’t know your name.”
“Yao Jindou,” she said. “What do you want?”
“Jindou…” I nodded. “That’s a nice name.”
“Go throw these shells away. I want more.” After a pause, she added, “Oh yeah, did you bring the money back?”
“Me…?” I frowned. This girl was definitely not what I had expected.
“Would she dare not bring it back?” Chengcai walked up behind me. “Zhang Laidi, have you seen the photos in this house? There are plenty more under my bed.”
“How lovely.” I glanced around the room, my expression softening, then looked down at my sister-in-law. “Sister-in-law, you’re a woman too. Don’t you find it a little strange to be laughing so freely in a room like this?”
“Strange? What’s strange about it?” Jindou sneered. “Damn it, those are your photos, not mine. If you hadn’t gone to the city and just married Old Ma early, none of this would’ve happened, right?”
“Oh?” I paused. “So, just because I went to the city, you all look down on me?”
“City women are just loose.” Jindou stretched lazily. “You were willing to sleep around for money in the city. I wasn’t.”
Interesting. So those who never went to the city are seen as “loyal,” while those who did are considered promiscuous?
What kind of excuse is this for your own laziness and incompetence?
“Alright, alright…” My father walked over, smiling. “No arguing. Laidi, your sister-in-law isn’t wrong. Even if Old Ma got arrested, it’s fine. Just stay home, drink more milk. There are plenty of unmarried men in the village. Once your breasts grow bigger, I’ll find you another husband.”
“Exactly!” my mother chimed in. “Second marriage now. Won’t fetch a good price this time. If we can get 50,000, we should consider ourselves lucky…”
Hah.
I really wanted to laugh.
“Zhang Laidi, hurry up,” Chengcai demanded. “Where’s the money? Two million and three thousand? I took out loans for this marriage, you know. I’m counting on that two million to pay them back.”
Heh. You care so much about the loan sharks, but never once thought about whether I could survive.
“I’ll get it,” I said, snapping out of my thoughts. “I left it outside.”
“Outside?” Chengcai froze. “What if someone takes it?”
“They won’t. I hid it. Just wait a moment. I’ll bring it to you.” I smiled and pushed past him.
“Should I come with you?”
“No. I want to surprise you.”
Everyone stood frozen as I walked out of the house.
At the door, I paid the taxi fare from earlier, then tucked my phone away and rummaged through my bag. My expression darkened as I looked up and called, “It’s a bit heavy. Chengcai, come help me.”
“What? Coming, coming!” he shouted excitedly.
Standing at the door with a multi-purpose hammer in hand, I waited until he stepped out—then swung it hard against his temple.
Chengcai collapsed without a sound.
I crouched beside him. His eyes were dazed, still fixed on me. I grabbed a handful of sand and slowly rubbed it into his eyes with my thumb, grinding until my finger was coated in blood.
You like to watch? Then watch.
You bloodsucking demon.
*Intentional infliction of bodily harm: imprisonment for up to three years, detention, or surveillance.*
Seeing Chengcai lying in a pool of blood, I started trembling.
Was it fear?
No… I didn’t feel fear. Just an overwhelming excitement. I’d spent half my life fighting for justice, but never once had I felt this exhilarated.
With all my strength, I dragged Chengcai aside, then pulled a compressed canister from my bag and put on a mask.
“Dad…” I called, suppressing the tremor in my voice. “Chengcai can’t carry it all. Come help. There’s just too much money.”
“Oh! Coming, coming!”
As soon as he appeared, I sprayed the canister into his face.
He staggered, swaying unsteadily.
Too bad it wasn’t pepper spray—just ether.
While he was disoriented, I swung the hammer at his forehead. The impact was so hard it spun him halfway around. With his back to me, I struck again at the base of his skull.
Dad had spent his whole life farming—he was far stronger than me. If I didn’t knock him out, I’d be in danger.
But the last blow was too hard. His skull cracked. He might never wake up.
*Intentional infliction of serious bodily harm: imprisonment between three to ten years.*
Dad collapsed inside the house with a dull thud, catching the attention of the old woman.
Muttering “damn it,” she took two steps out—then froze.
Before her lay Dad with his skull split open, and me—masked, covered in blood.
“Zh… Zhang Laidi!!” she shrieked hoarsely. “What are you doing?! What are you doing!?”
“Mom, I just want fairness.” My voice was flat. “You didn’t want me to live, so now I won’t let you live.”
At my words, she collapsed to the ground with a thud. Meanwhile, from the next room, Jindou’s laughter continued—*“Hahaha!”*
After all, this woman was always screaming. Jindou must have been used to it.
“You and I are both women. Why did you have to destroy me?” I stepped closer, hammer and ether in hand. “From age six, I did all the housework. You had it easy. I washed your underwear, your socks, served you tea, cooked for you. Why couldn’t you just let me go? Wasn’t it enough to ruin ten years of my hard work—did you have to humiliate me too?”
“And you’re asking *me*?” Her voice shook. “It’s all your fault! If my first child had been a boy, I’d have lived in luxury by now! Damn you—why’d you have to be born from my womb!?”
I crouched, staring at her with cold eyes. “Should all girls just die? You were a girl once too—why didn’t you die?”
“Zh… Zhang Laidi! What do you *want*?” Her voice grew hoarser. Within seconds, she wet herself. “If you’re sick, don’t take it out on me!”
“I *am* sick.” I didn’t know if I was smiling, but my lips stretched wide. “And I’m curing myself now. You’re all thorns in my flesh. Once you’re dead, I’ll be healed.”
Under her terrified gaze, I sprayed the ether into her face—the entire canister. I watched as her gasps turned ragged, her eyes rolling back. Then, expressionless, I raised the hammer and brought it down.
When it was done, I dragged Chengcai and Dad inside, then retrieved the kerosene I’d prepared earlier from my bag.
Next, I went to Chengcai’s room. After finding those photos, I drenched his bed in kerosene.
Then, I took out my lighter, lit one of my own photos, and tossed it onto the soaked mattress.
Let it all burn away.
Flames quickly engulfed Chengcai’s room. Without hesitation, I poured the remaining kerosene over the bodies in the main room, then stepped outside and took out my final item—
A chain and padlock.
I locked the door from the outside, watching as the fire spread inside.
*Arson: If no serious consequences result, imprisonment between three to ten years. If serious injury, death, or significant property damage occurs, the penalty ranges from ten years to life imprisonment or death.*
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