Chapter 69: Revenge (2)

Wang Shanshui smiled at Fan Xiaojun, revealing a mouthful of yellowed teeth with a piece of leek stuck between them, exuding a foul stench.

As he stepped closer, Fan Xiaojun instinctively took a few steps back, her remaining sense of reason barely restraining the urge to cover her nose.

An old, ugly, filthy man just the perfect match for that little bitch.

“That girl, I’ve seen her. She’s too thin, her butt is small. How could a woman like that give birth to a son? But at least she looks okay that’s something,” Wang Shanshui said to Fan Xiaojun.

Fan Xiaojun frowned at his words. “Did you go look for Jiang Dani?” She didn’t want this fool to do anything that might raise suspicion.

“Don’t worry. I just looked at her from outside the textile factory, based on your description. I didn’t talk to her,” Wang Shanshui said, smirking. “You really think if I sleep with her, she won’t make a sound and will obediently marry me? Hard to believe there’s such luck in the world.”

Fan Xiaojun lowered her brows, then looked up and smiled. “That girl has always been timid and cowardly. If you sleep with her, and threaten her with it, she won’t have a choice but to marry you.”

“Besides, Jiang Dani has three younger sisters. If she dares to make a scene, you just say she’s a wanton temptress who seduced you. If she can coldly ignore the future of her three sisters, then she wouldn’t be Jiang Dani,” Fan Xiaojun said confidently, her chest brimming with certainty.

“Don’t worry. Before you make your move, I’ll make sure her reputation is ruined. Even if word gets out, everyone will believe you, not her,” she continued, though her gaze betrayed a hint of hesitation clearly her leverage wasn’t enough. “Just watch. You’ll soon see a good show.” Her eyes glimmered with a cold light as she thought of the plan she had long since laid out.

“Alright, I’ll trust you this once,” Wang Shanshui said, licking his lips. Seeing her unwavering confidence, he felt partially reassured. He’d see what the woman would do if she succeeded, he’d gain a wife for nothing, with no loss.

The thought of that tender young girl soon lying beneath him, for his pleasure, stirred a wicked desire. He glanced at the older, slightly plump woman in front of him, his lecherous intentions awakening.

Her husband wasn’t home… maybe…

“Behave yourself. People pass by here all the time,” Fan Xiaojun said sharply, sensing his lascivious gaze. “We agreed: I help you marry a virgin for twenty yuan, and nothing else. Don’t even think about it.” She lowered her voice to threaten him.

Caught, Wang Shanshui felt deflated.

“Fine, go on, leave quickly. If anyone sees, it won’t be good,” she urged. Once she confirmed no one was around, she slammed the door. Wang Shanshui, standing at the threshold, nearly collided with it.

“Stupid bitch!” he cursed, spitting a gob of thick phlegm, and turned to leave.

Only after Wang Shanshui had gone did Jiang Yiliu step out from behind the wall. His eyes were red, fingers digging into his palms. If it weren’t for the remnants of his rationality, he would have pulled a large cleaver from his space and turned the two scoundrels into minced meat.

He took a deep breath, glaring at Fan Xiaojun’s front door. This wasn’t over the debt owed to his sister from the last life, combined with this life’s grievances, would all be repaid.

For these two, a fate worse than death would be the greatest punishment.

Jiang Yiliu didn’t know what plan Fan Xiaojun had promised Wang Shanshui, but it couldn’t be good for his sister. Therefore, he decided to strike first. For these scoundrels, there was no need to follow etiquette or morality.

“Uncle! Uncle! An auntie named Fan Xiaojun wants me to tell you she has something to discuss with you and wants you to come to her house!” A snot-nosed little boy tugged at Wang Shanshui’s coat at the textile factory entrance, his voice high-pitched and urgent.

Yesterday she told him not to find her, yet today she came to him? Wang Shanshui was puzzled, but didn’t think too much of it, assuming she was trying her luck after yesterday’s conversation. Muttering, he headed toward Fan Xiaojun’s home.

“Big brother, candy" The little boy, seeing Wang Shanshui walking away, ran to a narrow alley beside the factory, holding out his hand to a chubby boy whose face was hidden by a large scarf.

The chubby boy took a handful of candy from his pocket and said in a hoarse voice, “This is a secret between you and me. Don’t tell anyone.”

The little boy accepted it, excited, and ran off.

The chubby boy removed his scarf and heavy coat, revealing his actually slender frame.

The bait had taken. Jiang Yiliu began to leisurely follow the direction Wang Shanshui had gone.

By the time Wang Shanshui reached Fan Xiaojun’s home, the door was ajar. Tentatively, he knocked, and when no response came, he impatiently pushed the door open and stepped inside.

Fan Xiaojun now lived on the first floor of a small two-story building, divided into two halves, with another household next door. The rooms were tiny besides the main hall serving as dining, living, and bedroom, there was a tiny bedroom of less than ten square meters, shared by Fan Xiaojun and her current husband. The children from both households also lived there, and the adults slept on bunk beds in the main hall, constantly watching over the room to prevent the stepmother from taking the old man’s money.

Fan Xiaojun was not in the main hall. Wang Shanshui sniffed the air how was there a floral fragrance in the middle of winter? He assumed she had brought flowers to decorate the room.

If she wasn’t in the hall, she must be in the bedroom.

He swallowed, rubbed his hands together, and said lecherously, “Xiaojun, Xiaojun, are you in the room? If you don’t speak, your big bro is coming in.”

After a long silence, he felt a surge of heat in his chest and walked toward the bedroom. Before opening the door, dizziness overcame him, and he collapsed with a thud.

Jiang Yiliu, waiting outside, slipped in.

First, he grabbed a small porcelain bottle in the corner of the living room and stored it in his space. Then he opened the window, letting the strange fragrance in the room dissipate.

The floral scent was actually refined from wood chrysanthemums, which had a strong sedative effect. Simply inhaling it could make humans and animals drowsy. Jiang Yiliu’s bottle was an upgraded, intensified version, extremely potent in a closed space.

The medicine had been given to him by Bai Fangqiu, who trusted Jiang Yiliu to use it responsibly and to prevent him from sneaking off again. Jiang Yiliu smiled wryly he had betrayed Bai’s trust, but in his view, these two deserved it. He only sought to return to them what they had planned for his sister.

He shook his head, briefly feeling guilty toward Bai Fangqiu, before hardening his resolve. Seeing the collapsed man, he kicked him, grabbed his collar, and dragged him into the bedroom.

Fan Xiaojun lay motionless on the bed.

Though Wang Shanshui wasn’t tall, he was a grown man, and Jiang Yiliu had to exert considerable effort to get him onto the bed. Seeing the two fully dressed, Jiang Yiliu frowned and stripped them naked. In the cold, their bodies intertwined, creating the appearance of impropriety for anyone who might see.

Satisfied, Jiang Yiliu was about to leave when he noticed a piece of white paper peeking from Fan Xiaojun’s removed coat.

Curious, he picked it up. Several crooked lines of handwriting were stamped with two blood-red fingerprints.

The words were irregular, but Jiang Yiliu’s intuition told him it was important. Patiently, he deciphered the text. His previously soothed anger flared again.

The note detailed an agreement between a woman named Yin Hong and Fan Xiaojun: if Fan Xiaojun helped ruin Jiang Dani’s reputation, Yin Hong would pay her twenty yuan, sealing the deal with fingerprints.

Jiang Yiliu had no memory of any woman named Yin Hong. Why did she want to harm his sister? He trusted that Jiang Dani’s gentle nature would never provoke such malice.

He stored the note in his space, took a final look at the entwined couple, and turned to leave.

“Bang"

“Who’s so wicked, breaking a window in broad daylight!” A plump neighbor woman stormed out, furious, seeing her window smashed and recognizing the familiar enamel cup lying on the ground.

“Fan Xiaojun, you shameless girl, come out! You broke my window pay up!”

Her voice carried, drawing neighbors out of their homes to watch and gossip.

“Think hiding will save you? I’m dragging you out myself!” The woman held the cup, which bore Fan Xiaojun’s husband’s name, confirming her as the culprit.

Her husband was at work. Who else could have done it but Fan Xiaojun? The two households had long-standing disputes over courtyard boundaries, so the neighbor assumed this was revenge.

She stormed in, screaming, while the onlookers expected a verbal confrontation, but only heard her shrill voice. Jiang Yiliu, hidden in the crowd, observed everything unfold exactly as he had anticipated.

Bundled in a thick scarf and oversized coat, he lowered his head and disappeared into the alley.

He had only returned Fan Xiaojun’s actions to her he had done nothing wrong.

TN:
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