Chen Rong didn’t answer the call, but the phone kept ringing.
The phone’s melody completely ruined the atmosphere. Chen Rong grabbed it, about to turn it off, when he saw that the caller was none other than his current wife, Fang Qing.
Frowning slightly, Chen Rong still pressed the answer button and walked outside.
“Chen Rong, where are you now? What are you doing? Why did it take you so long to answer my call?”
Fang Qing had a fiery temper. Usually, whenever she called Chen Rong, he had to answer within five seconds. If he didn’t, she would definitely fly into a rage.
Chen Rong furrowed his brow and simply said the phone had run out of battery before turning it off.
At that moment, looking up, he noticed a young man with white hair standing in front of the minivan. Holding a cleaver, the young man was smirking at him.
“Chen Rong, you were paid five thousand yuan by Qin Gang to come after me, weren’t you? What’s the matter? Did seeing your wife and child make you so emotional that you forgot your real mission today?” Shui Miao mocked coldly, then patted the minivan and said casually, “It seems your two underlings have already seen ghosts. If you really want to take me down, you’ll have to do it yourself.”
As Shui Miao spoke, he tossed the cleaver he was holding toward Chen Rong.
Chen Rong was momentarily stunned, confused. Was Shui Miao really a master martial artist? Had he silently taken down his subordinates already?
“Big brother, big brother, you’re back!”
Xiao Hua, upon seeing Shui Miao, happily ran over to him. Then, turning around, she pointed innocently at Chen Rong and said, “You’re not my dad. My real dad is a good person. You’re not him. Big brother is the good one!”
Children speak freely and innocently, saying exactly what they feel.
Chen Rong didn’t answer, but the phone kept ringing.
The ringtone was completely killing the vibe. Chen Rong snatched up the phone, about to turn it off, when he saw that the caller was none other than his current wife, Fang Qing.
Frowning, Chen Rong still pressed the answer button and walked out the door.
“Chen Rong, where are you? What are you doing? Why did it take you so long to answer my call?”
Fang Qing had a terrible temper. Whenever she called Chen Rong, he had to answer within five seconds. If he didn’t, she would definitely lose it.
Chen Rong frowned, muttered that his phone was out of battery, and turned it off directly.
Just then, Chen Rong looked up and noticed a young man with white hair standing in front of the van, holding a machete and smirking coldly at him.
“Chen Rong, didn’t you get five thousand from Qin Gang to come chop me up? What’s the matter? Got so emotional seeing your wife and kid that you forgot why you came?” Shui Miao spoke coldly, then patted the van lightly and said, “Your two lackeys look like they’ve seen a ghost. If you want to cut me, you’ll have to do it yourself.”
As he spoke, Shui Miao tossed the machete to Chen Rong.
Chen Rong was stunned and confused. He had a feeling Shui Miao was some kind of expert—how else could he have taken out his lackeys without making a sound?
“Big brother, big brother, you’re back!”
Xiao Hua, overjoyed to see Shui Miao, immediately ran to his side. She then turned and pointed at Chen Rong, saying innocently, “You’re not my dad. My dad is a good person. You’re not—big brother is the good one!”
Children are pure and say whatever comes to mind.
Duan Hongmei picked up the machete Chen Rong had earlier thrown on the ground and ran out as well, positioning herself protectively in front of Shui Miao. Pointing the blade at Chen Rong, she shouted, “I misjudged you! You’re nothing but a scoundrel, a bastard! You’re not even human!”
Seeing his woman and child protecting a stranger, Chen Rong didn’t reflect on his own flaws. Instead, he glared at Shui Miao and demanded, “What’s your relationship with them? You punk, if you dare lay a hand on my woman, I’ll cut you down!”
Chen Rong’s vicious side was fully exposed, his face twisted with rage.
Shui Miao sneered again and walked right up to Chen Rong, pointing at his nose. “A thug is a thug. No wonder Duan Hongmei’s parents never approved of you. Your nature is low and vile. You don’t deserve to be a man—you don’t even deserve to be human! If you were any kind of real man, you would’ve taken care of them properly from the start, supported them with your own hands, and given them a happy life. But instead, you abandoned them to become a live-in son-in-law for a rich family. How impressive! And you still haven’t changed—for a little money, you pick up a blade to hurt others again. Did you grow up eating shit with no one to teach you how to be a decent person?”
Shui Miao’s verbal assault was so fierce that Chen Rong stumbled backward.
Chen Rong’s nasty nature flared up. He suddenly lunged forward, grabbed Shui Miao by the collar, and held the machete to his throat, snarling, “You motherfucker! If it weren’t for my daughter and wife being here, I’d cut you down right now! If you dare touch my woman, I’ll never let you go!” After roaring, Chen Rong shoved Shui Miao away and turned to walk toward the van.
“Trash! Coward! Go home and kneel on the washboard for your wife,” Shui Miao taunted, following behind him fearlessly. “And you, a spineless freeloader, you’re not worthy of Duan Hongmei. You don’t deserve to have a daughter. You—”
“Whoosh!”
Enraged, Chen Rong spun around abruptly and swung the machete at Shui Miao.
But at that moment, Duan Hongmei pressed her machete against Chen Rong’s neck and yelled, “If you dare move, I’ll kill you!”
“Bad guy, bad guy…” Xiao Hua also punched Chen Rong’s legs repeatedly.
Shui Miao showed no fear, staring coldly at Chen Rong. “Brother, you’re ruthless! To abandon Duan Hongmei, you conspired with that bitch Fang Qing to have her beaten unconscious while she was ten months pregnant—and she even developed mental issues because of it. Do you have any idea what they’ve been through all these years? Listen carefully, you piece of shit—they’ve been living under a bridge like dogs, surviving on garbage thrown in trash cans. Why do you think she held on for so long? Do you even know why they suffered like this?”
Overwhelmed with fury, Shui Miao suddenly slapped Chen Rong across the face, sending him tumbling to the ground.
Not letting up, Shui Miao channeled his immortal energy, rushed forward, and kicked Chen Rong’s wrist with full force. A crisp *crack* echoed as the machete flew out of Chen Rong’s hand, his wrist now broken.
“That slap was for your inability to tell right from wrong.”
“This kick is for your malicious intent to harm others recklessly.”
“And now this kick—I’m going to make you fully aware of what kind of trash you are!”
Shui Miao delivered another kick, this time to the scissors on Chen Rong’s back, causing him to scream in agony.
“This isn’t over yet—it’s only the beginning!”
Shui Miao hauled Chen Rong up by his collar and slapped him repeatedly.
“This slap is for Duan Hongmei—for toying with her feelings and being irresponsible.”
“This punch is for Xiao Hua—you’re worse than an animal, tarnishing the image of a father in her eyes.”
“This kick is for everyone you’ve ever hurt!”
Shui Miao delivered a powerful kick to Chen Rong’s abdomen, sending him sprawling to the ground, motionless.
After finishing, Shui Miao turned to Duan Hongmei and Xiao Hua, took a deep breath, and said, “Alright, that’s enough venting. Forget about this person from now on and live well. I’ll do my best to help you. Go back and rest. I’ll sleep somewhere else—don’t worry about me.”
As he spoke, Shui Miao pushed the stunned Duan Hongmei and Xiao Hua into the shop and closed the wooden door.
Without a second glance at Chen Rong, Shui Miao picked up the machete and walked into the darkness.
About fifty meters away, he stopped beside a private car that had been parked on the roadside for a while. Suddenly leaping up, he plunged the machete through the car’s roof. Then, dusting off his hands, he said, “Next time you send someone to ambush me, the blade will go straight through your skull.”
After saying this, Shui Miao turned and disappeared into the night.
Inside the car, Qin Gang was terrified. It took him a long time to muster the courage to get out, pull the machete from the roof, and drive away in a panic.
Shui Miao hadn’t gone far. He stood hidden in the shadows, watching his shop.
As planned, if everything went accordingly, Duan Hongmei would open the door and come out to help Chen Rong.
Sure enough, four or five minutes later, Duan Hongmei opened the wooden door. With tears in her eyes, she began tending to Chen Rong’s injuries.
Seeing this, Shui Miao sent a text to Fang Qing: “I’m waiting for you at Chenghe Coffee Shop.”
To get to Chenghe Coffee Shop, one had to pass through Ghost Street. This was part of Shui Miao’s next plan—to make sure Fang Qing saw Chen Rong with Duan Hongmei, intensifying their conflict and crushing Chen Rong’s spirit, forcing him to reflect deeply and completely reform.
Just as Shui Miao had anticipated, Fang Qing rushed over in her BMW.
On the way, she happened to see Duan Hongmei bandaging Chen Rong’s wounds.
Fang Qing recognized Duan Hongmei immediately.
A sharp screech of brakes echoed through the street. Finally having found an excuse for divorce, Fang Qing stormed out of the car and began yelling at the injured Chen Rong. She declared they would divorce the next day and forbade him from ever setting foot in her home again, threatening to have him killed if he did. After her tirade, Fang Qing got back into her car and drove off, showing not an ounce of pity for the severely injured Chen Rong.
Lying on the ground, Chen Rong looked at the tearful Duan Hongmei and suddenly came to his senses. Tears streamed down his face uncontrollably.
Struggling to his feet, Chen Rong whispered, “I’m sorry,” to Duan Hongmei and limped toward the river.
Duan Hongmei quickly picked up Xiao Hua and followed behind him.
“Why are you still following me? I’m trash, a beast, worse than an animal…”
Duan Hongmei didn’t respond, silently trailing him.
When they reached the riverbank, Chen Rong gazed at the moonlit water, tears streaming down his face. “I was wrong, Hongmei. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have thought that way back then. I foolishly believed I could scam some money from Fang Qing’s family and then return with you to face your parents, to let you hold your head high! But do you know? After you were knocked unconscious that day, I was knocked out too. When I woke up, I searched for you desperately—for years! Do you have any idea?”
“…”
Hearing this, Duan Hongmei’s heart stirred.
Chen Rong turned to look at her. “All these years, I’ve been neither here nor there. After you disappeared, every day felt worse than death. Without you, I didn’t know what I was living for. Gradually… I became numb, living like a walking corpse… Today, I finally realized how terrible I am. I’ve failed you. If there’s a next life, please don’t let me be human again.”
After saying this, Chen Rong turned and prepared to jump into the river.
But Duan Hongmei suddenly spoke coldly, “If you die, I’ll die too. It’s just a pity for Xiao Hua!”
“What!”
Chen Rong was shocked. “No, Hongmei, you can’t die! Xiao Hua… Xiao Hua is our child!”
“You, as her father, aren’t willing to take responsibility, yet you have the nerve to push it onto me?” Duan Hongmei walked coldly to the river’s edge, staring blankly at the water. “Truth is, I’ve been tired of this for a long time. If it weren’t for Xiao Hua, I would’ve died already. I’m exhausted, truly exhausted. If there’s an afterlife, I don’t want to be human either.”
“Mom, don’t die! Xiao Hua can find food. Xiao Hua can take care of you!”
Xiao Hua cried, clinging tightly to Duan Hongmei.
“Sigh!”
Suddenly, Shui Miao sighed and stepped out from the shadows. “Two adults, and you’re even less sensible than a child. You’re not afraid of death, but you’re afraid of living? As the saying goes, it’s never too late to mend your ways. Why not forget the past and start over, striving to be better people? You should pull yourselves together and set an example for your child. Reflect on your mistakes and ensure she doesn’t suffer the same tragedy—that’s what you should be focusing on now! As for the person who knocked you out back then, leave her to me. For now, stay at my shop. Trust me, everything will be alright.”
Shui Miao patted Chen Rong’s shoulder, transferring a stream of immortal energy to help heal his injuries.
Seeing his own woman and child protecting a stranger, Chen Rong did not reflect on his own faults. Instead, he shouted at Shui Miao, “What exactly is your relationship with them? You little brat, dare to touch my woman? I’ll kill you!”
Chen Rong’s face twisted with fury.
Chen Rong didn’t answer, but the phone kept ringing.
The ringtone was completely killing the mood. Chen Rong snatched up the phone, about to turn it off, when he saw that the caller was none other than his current wife, Fang Qing.
Frowning, Chen Rong still pressed the answer button and walked out the door.
“Chen Rong, where are you? What are you doing? Why did it take you so long to answer my call?”
Fang Qing had a terrible temper. Whenever she called Chen Rong, he had to answer within five seconds. If he didn’t, she would definitely lose her temper.
Chen Rong frowned, said his phone had died, and directly turned it off.
At that moment, Chen Rong looked up and noticed a young man with white hair standing in front of the van, holding a machete and smirking coldly at him.
“Chen Rong, didn’t you get five thousand from Qin Gang to come and chop me up? What’s the matter? Got so emotional seeing your wife and kid that you forgot why you came?” Shui Miao spoke coldly, then patted the van lightly and said, “Your two lackeys look like they’ve seen a ghost. If you want to cut me down, you’ll probably have to do it yourself.”
As he spoke, Shui Miao tossed the machete to Chen Rong.
Chen Rong was stunned and confused. He felt that Shui Miao must be some kind of expert—how else could he have taken out his lackeys so quietly?
“Big brother, big brother, you’re back!”
Xiao Hua, upon seeing Shui Miao, immediately ran happily to his side. She then turned and pointed at Chen Rong, saying innocently, “You’re not my dad. My dad is a good person. You’re not—big brother is the good one!”
Children are innocent and say whatever comes to mind.
Duan Hongmei picked up the machete Chen Rong had earlier thrown on the ground and ran out as well, positioning herself protectively in front of Shui Miao. She pointed the knife at Chen Rong and shouted, “I misjudged you! You’re nothing but a scoundrel, a bastard! You’re not even human!”
Seeing his woman and child protecting a stranger, Chen Rong didn’t reflect on his own flaws. Instead, he glared at Shui Miao and demanded, “What’s your relationship with them? You punk, if you dare lay a hand on my woman, I’ll cut you down!”
Chen Rong’s vicious nature was fully exposed, his face twisted with rage.
Shui Miao sneered again and walked right up to Chen Rong, pointing at his nose. “A scoundrel will always be a scoundrel. No wonder Duan Hongmei’s parents never approved of you. Your nature is low and vile. You don’t deserve to be a man—you don’t even deserve to be human. If you were any kind of man, you would have taken care of them properly from the start, supported them with your own hands, and given them a happy life. But instead, you abandoned them to become a live-in son-in-law for a rich family. How impressive! And you still haven’t changed—for a little money, you pick up a knife to hurt people again. Did you grow up eating shit with no one to teach you how to be a decent person?”
Shui Miao’s verbal assault was so fierce that Chen Rong stumbled backward.
Chen Rong’s inherently nasty temper flared. He suddenly lunged forward, grabbed Shui Miao by the collar, and held the knife to his throat, snarling, “You bastard! If my daughter and wife weren’t here, I’d cut you down right now! If you dare touch my woman, I’ll never let you go!” After roaring, Chen Rong shoved Shui Miao away and turned to walk toward the van.
“Trash! Coward! Go home and kneel on the washboard for your wife,” Shui Miao taunted, following behind him as if he had no fear. “And you, a spineless leech, you don’t deserve Duan Hongmei. You don’t deserve to have a daughter. You—”
“Whoosh!”
Enraged, Chen Rong spun around and swung the machete at Shui Miao.
But at that moment, Duan Hongmei pressed her machete against Chen Rong’s neck and shouted, “If you dare move, I’ll kill you!”
“Bad guy, bad guy…”
Xiao Hua also punched Chen Rong’s legs repeatedly.
Shui Miao showed no fear, staring coldly at Chen Rong. “Brother, you’re ruthless! To abandon Duan Hongmei, you actually conspired with that bitch Fang Qing to have Duan Hongmei—pregnant for ten months—beaten unconscious until she developed mental illness. Do you have any idea what they’ve been through? Listen carefully, you bastard—they’ve been living under a bridge like dogs, surviving on garbage thrown in trash cans just to make it to today. Do you know why she held on? Do you have any idea why they suffered so much?”
Furious, Shui Miao suddenly slapped Chen Rong across the face, sending him tumbling to the ground.
Not letting up, Shui Miao channeled his immortal energy, rushed forward, and kicked Chen Rong’s wrist with full force. There was a loud crack—the machete flew out of his hand, and Chen Rong’s wrist was broken.
“That slap was for your inability to tell right from wrong.”
“This kick is for your malicious intent to harm others.”
“And now this kick is to make you wake up and realize what kind of person you really are!”
Shui Miao delivered another kick, this time to the scissors on Chen Rong’s back, causing him to scream in agony.
“This isn’t over—it’s only the beginning!”
Shui Miao hauled Chen Rong up by his collar and slapped him repeatedly.
“This slap is for Duan Hongmei—for toying with her emotions and being irresponsible.”
“This punch is for Xiao Hua—you’re worse than an animal, tarnishing the image of a father in her eyes.”
“This kick is for everyone you’ve ever hurt!”
Shui Miao delivered a powerful kick to Chen Rong’s abdomen, sending him sprawling to the ground, motionless.
After finishing, Shui Miao turned to Duan Hongmei and Xiao Hua, took a deep breath, and said, “Alright, I’ve vented my anger. Forget about this person from now on and live well. I’ll do my best to help you. Go back inside and rest. I’ll sleep somewhere else—don’t worry about me.”
As he spoke, Shui Miao pushed the stunned Duan Hongmei and Xiao Hua into the shop and closed the wooden door.
Without another glance at Chen Rong, Shui Miao picked up the machete and walked into the darkness.
About fifty meters away, he stopped beside a private car that had been parked on the roadside for a while. Suddenly, he leaped up and stabbed the machete through the roof of the car. Then, he patted his hands and said, “Next time you send someone to ambush me, the knife will go straight through your skull.”
After saying this, Shui Miao turned and disappeared into the night.
Inside the car, Qin Gang was terrified. It took him a long time to muster the courage to get out, pull the machete from the roof, and drive away in a panic.
Shui Miao hadn’t gone far. He stood in the shadows, watching his shop.
As planned, if everything went accordingly, Duan Hongmei would open the door and come out to help Chen Rong.
Sure enough, four or five minutes later, Duan Hongmei opened the wooden door. With tears in her eyes, she began tending to Chen Rong.
Seeing this, Shui Miao sent a text to Fang Qing, saying he was waiting for her at Chenghe Coffee Shop.
To get to Chenghe Coffee Shop, one had to pass through Ghost Street—this was Shui Miao’s next move. He wanted Fang Qing to see Chen Rong with Duan Hongmei, intensifying the conflict between them, crushing Chen Rong’s spirit, and making him completely repent and reform.
Just as Shui Miao had anticipated, Fang Qing rushed over in her BMW.
On the way, she happened to see Duan Hongmei bandaging Chen Rong’s wounds.
Fang Qing recognized Duan Hongmei immediately.
A sharp screech of brakes echoed through the street. Finally having found an excuse for divorce, Fang Qing stormed out of the car and began yelling at the injured Chen Rong. She declared they would divorce the next day and forbade him from ever setting foot in her home again, threatening to have him killed if he did. After her tirade, Fang Qing got back in her car and drove off, showing not an ounce of pity for the severely injured Chen Rong.
Lying on the ground, Chen Rong looked at the tearful Duan Hongmei and suddenly came to his senses. Tears began streaming down his face uncontrollably.
Struggling to his feet, Chen Rong apologized to Duan Hongmei and limped toward the river.
Duan Hongmei quickly picked up Xiao Hua and followed behind him.
“Why are you still following me? I’m scum, an animal, worse than a pig or a dog…”
Duan Hongmei didn’t respond, silently trailing behind him.
When they reached the riverbank, Chen Rong gazed at the moonlit water, tears streaming down his face. “I was wrong, Hongmei. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have thought that way back then. I was foolish enough to believe I could swindle some money from Fang Qing’s family and then return with you to face your parents, to help you hold your head high! But do you know? After you were knocked unconscious that day, I was knocked out too. When I woke up, I searched for you desperately—for years! Do you have any idea?”
“…”
Hearing this, Duan Hongmei’s heart stirred.
Chen Rong turned to look at her. “All these years, I’ve been neither here nor there. After you disappeared, every day felt worse than death. Without you, I didn’t know what I was living for. Gradually… I became numb. I lived like a walking corpse… Today, I finally realized how terrible I am. I’ve wronged you both. If there’s a next life, please don’t let me be human again.”
After saying this, Chen Rong turned and prepared to jump into the river.
But Duan Hongmei suddenly spoke coldly, “If you die, I’ll die too. It’s just a pity for Xiao Hua!”
“What!”
Chen Rong was shocked. “No, Hongmei, you can’t die! Xiao Hua… Xiao Hua is our child!”
“You, as her father, aren’t willing to take responsibility, yet you have the nerve to push it onto me?” Duan Hongmei walked coldly to the riverbank, staring at the water with an expressionless, numb face. “Truth is, I’ve been tired of this for a long time. If it weren’t for Xiao Hua, I would have died long ago. I’m exhausted, truly exhausted. If there’s an afterlife, I don’t want to be human again either.”
“Mom, don’t die! Xiao Hua can find food. Xiao Hua can take care of you!”
Xiao Hua cried, clinging tightly to Duan Hongmei.
“Sigh!”
Suddenly, Shui Miao sighed and stepped out from the darkness. “Two adults, and you’re even less sensible than a child. You’re not afraid of death, yet you’re afraid of living? As the saying goes, it’s never too late to mend your ways. Why not forget the past and start over, striving to be better people? You should pull yourselves together and set an example for your child. Reflect on the mistakes you’ve made and ensure she doesn’t suffer the same tragedy. That’s what you should be focusing on now! As for the person who knocked you out back then, leave her to me. For now, stay at my shop. Trust me, everything will be alright.”
Shui Miao patted Chen Rong’s shoulder, transferring a stream of immortal energy to help heal his injuries.
Shui Miao scolded Chen Rong so harshly that he staggered backward.
Chen Rong, with his naturally vile nature, suddenly grabbed Shui Miao’s collar and held the blade against his neck, roaring, “If my daughter and my wife weren’t here, I’d kill you! You dare to touch my woman? I won’t let this go!” After shouting, Chen Rong shoved Shui Miao aside and stormed toward the minivan.
“Scum! Coward! Go home and kneel on the washing board for your wife,” Shui Miao, seemingly fearless, followed behind Chen Rong, taunting him. “Also, you good-for-nothing gold-digger, you’re not worthy of Duan Hongmei. You don’t even deserve to have a daughter. You…”
“Whoosh!”
Provoked, Chen Rong suddenly turned around and swung the cleaver at Shui Miao.
But at that moment, Duan Hongmei had already pressed the blade against Chen Rong’s neck and shouted, “If you dare to lay a hand on him, I’ll kill you!”
“Bad man, bad man…”
Xiao Hua also kept punching Chen Rong’s legs.
Unfazed, Shui Miao looked at Chen Rong with a cold smile and said, “Brother, you’ve got guts! To abandon Duan Hongmei, you conspired with your slut Fang Qing and beat her while she was pregnant until she passed out, even causing her to go mad. Do you know how hard their lives have been? Tell me, do you even know how they survived? They lived under a bridge like stray dogs, eating garbage from trash cans just to survive. Do you even know why she kept going? Do you even care how miserable they’ve been?”
Shui Miao, furious beyond words, suddenly slapped Chen Rong across the face, sending him sprawling to the ground.
Not giving him a moment’s respite, Shui Miao activated his immortal powers, rushed forward, and kicked Chen Rong’s wrist with all his might. With a loud crack, the cleaver flew out of Chen Rong’s hand, and his wrist was broken.
“That slap was for being unable to tell right from wrong.”
“This kick is for your evil intentions and reckless violence.”
Chen Rong didn’t answer, but the phone kept ringing.
The ringtone was completely killing the mood. Chen Rong snatched up the phone, about to turn it off, when he saw that the caller was none other than his current wife, Fang Qing.
Frowning, Chen Rong still pressed the answer button and walked out the door.
“Chen Rong, where are you? What are you doing? Why did it take you so long to answer my call?”
Fang Qing had a terrible temper. Whenever she called Chen Rong, he had to answer within five seconds. If he didn’t, she would definitely lose her temper.
Chen Rong frowned, said his phone was out of battery, and directly turned it off.
At that moment, Chen Rong looked up and noticed a young man with white hair standing in front of the van, holding a machete and smirking at him.
“Chen Rong, didn’t you take five thousand from Qin Gang to come and chop me up? What’s the matter? Got so emotional seeing your wife and kid that you forgot your main mission?” Shui Miao spoke coldly, then patted the van lightly and said, “Your two lackeys seem like they’ve seen a ghost. If you want to cut me down, you’ll probably have to do it yourself.”
As he spoke, Shui Miao threw the machete toward Chen Rong.
Chen Rong was stunned and confused. He felt that Shui Miao must be some kind of expert—how else could he have taken out his lackeys so quietly?
“Big brother, big brother, you’re back!”
Upon seeing Shui Miao, Xiao Hua immediately ran over to him happily. She then turned and pointed at Chen Rong, saying innocently, “You’re not my dad. My dad is a good person. You’re not—big brother is the good person!”
Children are innocent and say whatever comes to mind.
Duan Hongmei picked up the machete Chen Rong had earlier thrown on the ground and ran out as well, positioning herself in front of Shui Miao protectively. Pointing the knife at Chen Rong, she shouted, “I misjudged you! You’re nothing but a scoundrel, a bastard! You’re not even human!”
Seeing his woman and child protecting a stranger, Chen Rong didn’t reflect on his own flaws. Instead, he yelled at Shui Miao, “What’s your relationship with them? You punk, how dare you lay a hand on my woman? Watch me chop you to pieces!”
Chen Rong’s vicious nature was fully exposed, his face twisted with rage.
Shui Miao sneered again, walked right up to Chen Rong, pointed at his nose, and said, “A scoundrel will always be a scoundrel. No wonder Duan Hongmei’s parents never approved of you. Your nature is low and despicable. You don’t deserve to be a man—you don’t even deserve to be human. If you were any kind of man, you would have taken care of them properly from the start, supported them with your own hands, and given them a happy life. But instead, you abandoned them to become a live-in son-in-law for a rich family. How impressive! And you still haven’t changed—for a little money, you pick up a knife to hurt others again. Did you grow up eating shit with no one to teach you how to be a decent person?”
Shui Miao’s verbal assault was so fierce that Chen Rong kept backing away.
But Chen Rong’s inherently vile nature took over. He suddenly lunged forward, grabbed Shui Miao by the collar, and held the knife to his throat, snarling, “You motherf*cker, if it weren’t for my daughter and wife being here, I’d definitely kill you! If you dare lay a finger on my woman, I’ll never let you go!” After roaring, Chen Rong shoved Shui Miao away and turned to walk toward the van.
“Trash! Coward! Go home and kneel on the washboard for your wife,” Shui Miao taunted, following behind him as if he had no fear. “And you, a spineless leech, you don’t deserve Duan Hongmei. You don’t deserve to have a daughter. You—”
“Whoosh!”
Enraged, Chen Rong spun around suddenly and swung the machete at Shui Miao.
But at that moment, Duan Hongmei pressed the machete against Chen Rong’s neck and shouted, “If you dare move, I’ll kill you!”
“Bad guy, bad guy…” Xiao Hua also kept hitting Chen Rong’s legs with her little fists.
Shui Miao showed no fear at all, staring coldly at Chen Rong. “Brother, you’re ruthless! To abandon Duan Hongmei, you actually conspired with that bitch Fang Qing to have Duan Hongmei—pregnant for ten months—beaten unconscious until she developed mental illness. Do you have any idea what they’ve been through all these years? Listen carefully, you motherf*cker—they’ve been living under a bridge like dogs, surviving on garbage people threw away. Why do you think she held on for so long? Do you even know why they suffered like this?”
Overcome with fury, Shui Miao suddenly slapped Chen Rong across the face, sending him tumbling to the ground.
Not letting up, Shui Miao channeled his immortal energy, rushed forward, and kicked Chen Rong’s wrist with full force. There was a loud crack—the machete flew out of his hand, and Chen Rong’s wrist was broken.
“That slap was for your inability to tell right from wrong.”
“This kick is for your malicious intent to harm others recklessly.”
“And now this kick—I’m going to make you fully aware of what kind of trash you are!”
Shui Miao delivered another kick, this time to the scissors on Chen Rong’s back, causing him to scream in agony.
“This isn’t over yet—it’s only the beginning!”
Shui Miao hauled Chen Rong up by his collar and slapped him repeatedly.
“This slap is for Duan Hongmei—for toying with her emotions and being irresponsible.”
“This punch is for Xiao Hua—you’re worse than an animal, tarnishing the image of a father in her eyes.”
“This kick is for everyone you’ve ever hurt!”
Shui Miao delivered a powerful kick to Chen Rong’s abdomen, sending him sprawling to the ground, motionless.
After finishing, Shui Miao turned to Duan Hongmei and Xiao Hua, took a deep breath, and said, “Alright, that’s enough venting. Forget about this person from now on and live your lives well. I’ll do my best to help you. Go back inside and rest. I’ll sleep somewhere else—don’t worry about me.”
As he spoke, Shui Miao pushed the stunned Duan Hongmei and Xiao Hua into the shop and closed the wooden door.
Without another glance at Chen Rong, Shui Miao picked up the machete and walked into the darkness.
About fifty meters away, he stopped beside a private car that had been parked on the roadside for a while. Suddenly leaping up, he plunged the machete through the roof of the car. Then, clapping his hands, he said, “Next time you send someone to ambush me, the knife will go straight through your skull.”
After saying this, Shui Miao turned and disappeared into the night.
Inside the car, Qin Gang was terrified. It took him a long time to muster the courage to get out, pull the machete from the roof, and drive away in a panic.
Shui Miao hadn’t gone far. He stood hidden in the shadows, watching his shop.
As planned, if everything went as expected, Duan Hongmei would open the door and come out to help Chen Rong.
Sure enough, four or five minutes later, Duan Hongmei opened the wooden door. With tears in her eyes, she began tending to Chen Rong’s injuries.
Seeing this, Shui Miao sent a text to Fang Qing, saying he was waiting for her at the Chenghe Coffee Shop.
To get to Chenghe Coffee Shop, she had to pass through Ghost Street. This was part of Shui Miao’s next plan—to make sure Fang Qing saw Chen Rong and Duan Hongmei together, intensifying their conflict and crushing Chen Rong’s spirit, forcing him to completely repent and reform.
Just as Shui Miao predicted, Fang Qing rushed over in her BMW.
On the way, she happened to see Duan Hongmei bandaging Chen Rong’s wounds.
Fang Qing recognized Duan Hongmei immediately.
A sharp screech of brakes echoed through the street. Finally having found an excuse for divorce, Fang Qing stormed out of the car and began yelling at the injured Chen Rong. She declared they would divorce tomorrow and forbade him from ever setting foot in her home again, threatening to have him killed if he did. After her tirade, Fang Qing got back in her car and drove off, showing not an ounce of pity for the severely injured Chen Rong.
Lying on the ground, Chen Rong looked at the tearful Duan Hongmei and suddenly had a moment of clarity. Tears began streaming down his face uncontrollably.
Struggling to his feet, Chen Rong whispered “I’m sorry” to Duan Hongmei and limped toward the river.
Duan Hongmei immediately picked up Xiao Hua and followed behind him.
“Why are you still following me? I’m trash, an animal, worse than a pig or a dog…”
Duan Hongmei didn’t respond, silently trailing behind him.
When they reached the riverbank, Chen Rong gazed at the moonlit water, tears flowing freely. “I was wrong, Hongmei. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have thought that way back then. I was foolish enough to believe I could scam some money from Fang Qing’s family and then return with you to face your parents, to help you hold your head high. But do you know? After you were knocked unconscious that day, I was knocked out too. When I woke up, I searched for you desperately—for years! Do you have any idea?”
“…”
Hearing this, Duan Hongmei’s heart stirred.
Chen Rong turned to look at her. “All these years, I’ve been neither here nor there. After you disappeared, every day felt worse than death. Without you, I didn’t know what I was living for. Gradually… I became numb, living like a walking corpse… Today, I finally realized how terrible I am. I’ve failed you. If there’s a next life, please don’t let me be human again.”
After saying this, Chen Rong turned to jump into the river.
But Duan Hongmei suddenly spoke coldly, “If you die, I’ll die too. It’s just a pity for Xiao Hua!”
“What!”
Chen Rong was shocked. “No, Hongmei, you can’t die! Xiao Hua… Xiao Hua is our child!”
“You, as her father, aren’t willing to take responsibility, and yet you have the nerve to push it onto me?” Duan Hongmei walked coldly to the river’s edge, staring blankly at the water. “Truth is, I’ve been tired of this for a long time. If it weren’t for Xiao Hua, I would’ve died already. I’m exhausted, truly exhausted. If there’s an afterlife, I don’t want to be human again either.”
“Mom, don’t die! Xiao Hua can find food. Xiao Hua can take care of you!”
Xiao Hua hugged Duan Hongmei tightly, tears streaming down her face.
“Sigh!”
Suddenly, Shui Miao sighed and stepped out from the darkness. “Two adults, and you’re even less sensible than a child. You’re not afraid of death, but you’re afraid of living? As the saying goes, it’s never too late to mend your ways. Why not forget the past and start over, striving to be better people? You should pull yourselves together and set an example for your child. Reflect on the mistakes you’ve made and ensure she doesn’t suffer the same tragedy. That’s what you should be focusing on now! As for the person who knocked you out back then, leave her to me. For now, stay at my shop. Trust me, everything will be alright.”
Shui Miao patted Chen Rong’s shoulder, transferring a stream of immortal energy to help heal his injuries.
Shui Miao delivered another kick to Chen Rong’s back, causing him to scream in agony.
“This is just the beginning!”
Grabbing Chen Rong and yanking him up by the collar, Shui Miao began slapping him repeatedly.
“This slap is from Duan Hongmei—for playing with her emotions and shirking your responsibilities.”
“This punch is from Xiao Hua—for being a beast unworthy to be called a father, sullying her image of you.”
“And this kick is from all the people you’ve hurt!”
With a mighty kick to Chen Rong’s abdomen, Shui Miao sent him crashing to the ground, motionless.
After finishing, Shui Miao turned to Duan Hongmei and Xiao Hua and exhaled deeply, saying, “Alright, I think you’ve both vented enough. Forget this man from now on and live your lives properly. I’ll do my best to help you. Go back inside and rest. I’ll find somewhere else to sleep. Don’t worry about me.”
With that, Shui Miao pushed the stunned Duan Hongmei and Xiao Hua into the shop and shut the wooden door.
Then, without sparing Chen Rong another glance, Shui Miao picked up the cleaver and walked into the darkness.
Fifty meters away, parked by the roadside, was a private car. Shui Miao stopped in front of it, suddenly jumped, and drove the cleaver through the car roof, then clapped his hands and said, “Next time you try to ambush me, the blade will go straight into your head.”
After saying this, Shui Miao turned and disappeared into the night.
Inside the car, Qin Gang was terrified. After a long pause, he got out, pulled the cleaver from the roof, and sped away.
But Shui Miao hadn’t gone far. He stood in the shadows, watching his shop.
According to plan, if everything went as expected, Duan Hongmei would open the door and help Chen Rong.
Sure enough, after about four or five minutes, Duan Hongmei opened the wooden door, tears in her eyes, and rushed to help Chen Rong up.
Seeing this, Shui Miao sent a text message to Fang Qing, saying he was waiting for her at the Riverside Café.
To get to the Riverside Café, one had to pass through Ghost Street. This was Shui Miao’s next plan—to let Fang Qing witness Chen Rong and Duan Hongmei together, to completely inflame their marital conflict, to utterly shatter Chen Rong’s mindset, and to force him into complete repentance and reform.
As expected, Fang Qing hurried over in her BMW.
On the way, she just happened to spot Duan Hongmei bandaging Chen Rong’s wounds.
Fang Qing recognized Duan Hongmei instantly.
Hearing the screech of sudden brakes, Fang Qing stormed out of the car, pointing at the wounded Chen Rong and screaming, “Tomorrow, we’re getting a divorce! Don’t ever step foot in my house again, or I’ll have someone kill you!” After her outburst, she got back into the car and drove off without the slightest hint of pity for the seriously injured Chen Rong.
Lying on the ground, staring at the tearful Duan Hongmei, Chen Rong suddenly became lucid, and tears streamed down his face.
Chen Rong struggled to his feet, muttered an apology to Duan Hongmei, and limped toward the riverside.
Duan Hongmei quickly picked up Xiao Hua and followed behind him.
“What are you following me for? I’m a scum, a beast, worse than pigs and dogs…”
Duan Hongmei said nothing, just silently trailing him.
At the riverbank, Chen Rong gazed at the moonlit water, tears pouring down his face. “I was wrong, Hongmei. I’m sorry. Back then, I foolishly thought I could trick Fang Qing’s family out of some money, then come back to you, meet your parents, and let you regain your dignity. But do you know, after you were beaten unconscious, I was knocked out too. When I woke up, I searched for you desperately, for years, do you know that?”
Hearing this, Duan Hongmei couldn’t help but feel a stirring in her heart.
Chen Rong turned to look at Duan Hongmei. “I became a nobody, living a life worse than death without you. Without you, I didn’t know why I was still alive. Over time… I became numb, living like a walking corpse. Today, I finally realized how evil I truly am. I’m sorry to you both. If there’s a next life, I don’t want to be human again.”
With that, Chen Rong turned and prepared to jump into the river.
But suddenly, Duan Hongmei spoke coldly, “If you die, I’ll die too. But what about Xiao Hua?”
“What!”
Chen Rong was shocked. “No, Hongmei, you can’t die. Xiao Hua is our daughter!”
“You, as her father, refuse to take responsibility, yet still try to shift the blame onto me?” Duan Hongmei walked coldly to the riverbank, staring blankly at the water. “I’m already tired of this life. Without Xiao Hua, I would’ve died long ago. I’m exhausted, truly exhausted. If there’s another life, I don’t want to be human again.”
“Mom, don’t die! Xiao Hua can find food, Xiao Hua can take care of you!”
Xiao Hua wept, tightly hugging Duan Hongmei.
Sighing suddenly, Shui Miao stepped out from the shadows. “You two adults aren’t even as brave as a child. You’re not afraid of death, yet you’re afraid to live? As the saying goes, it’s never too late to mend one’s ways. Why don’t you forget the past and start anew, living better lives? You should rise up and be role models for your child, reflect on your mistakes, and ensure she never suffers the same fate. That’s what you should be thinking about now. As for the one who knocked you both out back then, leave her to me. You can stay in my shop for now. Trust me, everything will be alright.”
Shui Miao patted Chen Rong’s shoulder, and a surge of immortal energy flowed into him, beginning to heal his wounds.
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