“There’s a fire! Everyone, come and put out the fire!” a panicked voice screamed from the crowd. Flames licked high into the night sky, engulfing the house of the Xujia Village leader. Chen Yanran and Dong Wenzhong exchanged triumphant smiles seeing this , then sprinted towards the Xujiacun workshop.
Upon arrival, they split up, one heading for the food preparation area, the other for the garment manufacturing section. Chen Yanran, producing a key she had meticulously prepared, easily unlocked the door to the dining area. A satisfied smirk played on her lips as she stepped inside. Just as she withdrew a vial of medicine, poised to contaminate the food, every light in the room blazed on, revealing dozens of villagers staring back at her.
“Chen Yanran, you are truly vicious! You actually intended to poison this food!” a man, clearly respected by the community, roared, his voice laced with indignation. “You, a female educated youth, usually appear so kind and fragile, but I never imagined you were capable of such malice! If this food were drugged, none of us would escape blame! You were going to destroy us all!”
Chen Yanran, instantly realizing her predicament, her face ashen, crumpled to the ground, trembling uncontrollably. She then lunged forward, a mad gleam in her eyes, towards Xu’s mother, who stood among the crowd. “It’s you, isn’t it? You planned all this from the beginning! It’s all because of you!”
Xu’s mother, her face stern, stood her ground, blocking Chen Yanran. “Chen Yanran, do you truly believe we were unaware of your petty schemes? You instigated the Li village people to set fire to our house, then colluded with Dong Wenzhong to drug the workshop’s goods and burn it down. All to destroy the people of Xujiacun? Tell me, why are you so wicked at such a young age? If you possessed an ounce of conscience, you wouldn’t be here. I gave you a chance, but it’s a pity you didn’t cherish it. Everyone, quickly seize Chen Yanran and send her to the Public Security Bureau tomorrow!”
At Xu’s mother’s command, the villagers surged forward, some driven by pure rage, slapping Chen Yanran repeatedly across the face. Sun Dacao, in particular, harbored a raw, undisguised hatred for Chen Yanran. “Chen Yanran, I knew you were a bitch! Not only did you seduce my son, but now you want to harm our entire village! You vicious woman, why don’t you just die? You should have died with your unborn child!” Sun Dacao’s eyes burned with a desire to tear Chen Yanran to pieces.
“Dacao, stop fighting! Don’t beat her to death! We’ll be risking our own lives then! Even if you seek revenge, you still have to think about your son. If something happens to you, what will he do?” someone interjected, reminding Sun Dacao of her fragile son.
At the mention of her son, Sun Dacao finally regained a semblance of control. The villagers looked at Sun Dacao, their pity for her evident. The sudden mention of her son brought a collective sigh from the crowd. A good man, suddenly rendered senseless! It was meant to be a joyous occasion, but then that incident happened. Sun Dacao had hoped her son would revert to his former self, but after that day, his mind began to unravel.
Chen Yanran now lay on the ground, disheveled, her hair a tangled mess, her clothes torn in several places. Her face was covered in scratches, and her eyes, glazed and unfocused, stared blankly into the distance. She couldn’t comprehend why Xu Ying had become so cunning and powerful. She had always been a fool, possessing only beauty and her family’s affection, but inwardly, she was a stupid woman. Chen Yanran remembered clearly manipulating Dong Wenzhong and Xu Ying, making them docile and obedient to her every whim. Why had everything changed?
“Chen Yanran, I want to kill you! You caused me to be caught!” Dong Wenzhong, utterly broken, screamed. If he had only married Xu Qingqing honestly, he could have lived a peaceful life. But now, he and Chen Yanran had conspired to sabotage the workshop, and they had been caught red-handed. If they were sent to the police, his life would be over. A criminal record would mean that even if he were released, he’d likely never find a job in this politically stringent era. Most of his life was ruined. Dong Wenzhong’s scarlet eyes fixed on Chen Yanran, his hatred so intense he wanted to flay her alive.
“Hahahahahaha, Dong Wenzhong, you are a fool! If you had cherished Xu Ying and not acted so recklessly, how could you have ended up like this?” Chen Yanran suddenly burst into mad laughter. Then her face twisted, and she shrieked, pointing at everyone. “You bunch of mud-legged peasants! You dare to ask me to help you work in the fields? You are madmen, you are beasts! Woohoo~ You are all bullying me~ Where is my baby? I want a baby~”
“Bad guys, get out of here!” Chen Yanran finally succumbed to her madness and was taken to a mental hospital. With Xu Ying’s careful orchestration, she would never escape in her lifetime. Dong Wenzhong was imprisoned for attempted murder. Although he would eventually be released, his life was irrevocably ruined. He would never be admitted to college, nor would he find a job in such a politically sensitive time.
Seeing these two arrested, Xu’s mother breathed a sigh of relief. She felt as if they had miraculously survived a great disaster. The arsonists from the Li family were also apprehended, begging Father Xu to let them go. Father Xu might have a soft heart, but Xu’s mother certainly did not. Her daughter’s words before leaving had been truly insightful. They had been planning to build a new house after the Chinese New Year this year. But when Shengshun informed them that the Li family intended to commit arson, her daughter had warned them, urging them to move their valuables to the old house, leaving only worthless items behind. They had been waiting for the Li family to set the fire. As long as they did, their family would get a new house for free. It was a very cost-effective deal.
Xu’s mother was overjoyed, but she maintained a facade of anger. “You people thought you could easily burn down our house! Fortunately, we escaped! If we hadn’t, wouldn’t it have been a matter of life and death?”
“That’s right!” Sister-in-law Xu chimed in, supporting Xu’s mother. “I still have a child in my belly! My unborn child was almost killed by you! If you just want us to let you go, there’s no way!”
Xu’s mother winked at her eldest son, but he remained utterly confused. The second son, however, understood his mother’s intent instantly. He fell to his knees with a dramatic thud and burst into tears. “Oh my god, all our family’s property was inside! Now the house is gone, and the money’s gone! You must compensate us, or you’ll be going to jail!”
Just as Father Xu was about to speak, Sister-in-law Xu let out an “Ouch!” and clutched her stomach, a look of discomfort on her face. “I have a stomachache! I might be going into labor!”
Xu’s mother then quickly directed her husband. “Jianguo, hurry up and borrow a car from my dad! Don’t let anything happen to the eldest’s wife!” Brother Xu also quickly helped his wife into the house.
Xu’s mother then sent the men out, her expression fierce. “I’m telling you, I won’t let this matter go! We must put all of you in jail for decades to teach you a long-lasting lesson! When you come out, your wives may have remarried with their own children. You’ll watch your wives become someone else’s, and your children will call someone else ‘father.’ That’s what you get for being blackhearted and doing evil!”