Chapter 5: Resolution

The night was dark and stormy.

Halfway up the back mountain of the Xin’an squad.

“Ah!”

A blood-curdling scream shattered the silence of the night, startling many birds and animals in the forest.

Earlier that morning, when Ning Hua descended the mountain, she had tied up her Uncle Hua Er and his wife, along with the two brothers who intended to sell her.

Now, after finally rushing back from the county, Ning Hua came to settle the score.

The scream just now had come from Second Aunt Zhao Baiying.

“You wretched girl! A prostitute’s daughter born from an old harlot—why don’t you just die?”

As soon as Zhao Baiying woke up and saw Ning Hua, she began to curse loudly. Had she not been tied up, she would have pounced on Ning Hua and clawed at her fiercely.

Her furious shouts briefly cleared Hua Er’s muddled mind.

He had finally realized the grim reality of their situation.

“Ning, what are you doing?” Hua Er put on a fake smile, feigning displeasure as he questioned her.

In truth, he was indeed unhappy, but he dared not show it.

Ning Hua sneered at him and retorted, “Uncle, haven’t you seen for yourself?”

She then nodded toward her two brothers, who lay silent and motionless like dead dogs.

Following her gesture, Hua Er glanced at the two unresponsive brothers.

His pupils contracted, and his whole body trembled uncontrollably.

Hua Er was a man proud of his face and steeped in toxic masculinity, but above all, he was a bully at home.

Now seeing the slight Ning Hua had managed to tie up all the grown men, a sudden, unfamiliar fear gripped him.

They say bullies fear those who risk everything—that described Hua Er perfectly.

“Ning, it’s my fault! I apologize! No, I beg you on my knees, please spare me!” Hua Er said as he kowtowed repeatedly before Ning Hua.

Seeing this, Zhao Baiying immediately showed her displeasure.

“Hua Er! You coward! Why are you kowtowing to that worthless girl? Zhao Baiying—how did I end up married to such a spineless loser?”

The fact that she could say “spineless loser” showed she understood their predicament clearly.

But to beg Ning Hua for mercy after oppressing her for over a decade? Zhao Baiying could never bring herself to say that.

So she vented all her fury on Hua Er.

Ning Hua watched coldly as the couple tore into each other.

In the past, this kind of scene only happened when they quarreled over Su Qiuxin.

In the original memories, Hua Er was no good.

Back then, Hua Zhongguo had insisted on marrying Su Qiuxin against her mother’s wishes, which meant Su Qiuxin must have been quite attractive.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t have captured Hua Zhongguo’s heart so firmly.

Because of Su Qiuxin’s beauty and Hua Zhongguo’s long absences, Hua Er had set his sights on her.

Fortunately, Su Qiuxin had always been meek and timid, never venturing out at night, so Hua Er never found a chance.

Otherwise…

Thinking of this, Ning Hua’s gaze turned deathly cold toward Hua Er.

Sensitive to danger, Hua Er sensed the icy sharpness in her eyes, instinctively shrinking his neck.

Then, gritting his teeth fiercely, he clumsily shoved Zhao Baiying.

“Enough! Is this the time to talk? If we don’t kill this girl, it’ll be the two of us dead!” Hua Er thought to himself.

Though they were tied up by Ning Hua, she was still just an underage girl.

If he and Zhao Baiying fought back with all they had, maybe they could take her down first.

From Hua Er’s words, Ning Hua guessed his intention.

But she was exhausted from the long walk back, her legs weak. She certainly wouldn’t let them off so easily.

“Uncle, don’t you know? Your good son broke grandma’s ribs today! She’s still in the hospital in the county!” Ning Hua said, stepping before Hua Er and looking down on him.

Her tone was biting and sarcastic, enough to enrage anyone.

“What did you say?!” Before Hua Er could respond, Zhao Baiying’s shrill voice cut in.

Ning Hua glanced coldly at her, then returned her gaze to Hua Er. “What do you think about your nephew’s unfilial behavior?”

“Uncle, you can tell me what you think, and when I go back, I’ll definitely…” Hua Er started.

“Shut up! You little bitch raised by a whore! If you dare hurt my son, I’ll die with you!” Zhao Baiying shouted, her eyes filled only with her son.

Hearing Ning Hua’s threat against her son, she went berserk, snarling like a madwoman.

“Tsk tsk! Aunt still wants to die with me?” Ning Hua mocked with a curled lip, turning her gaze back to Hua Er.

Though she intended to kill the couple, taking their lives outright seemed too easy.

Her goal tonight was to kill their spirits.

She wanted them to die with regret.

“Hua Ning!” Hua Er’s eyes darkened as he glared at her, grinding his teeth, “Hua Hao is your cousin!”

“Hah! Uncle just remembered Hua Hao is my cousin? So does that make me your niece?” Ning Hua sneered with disdain.

The bruises on her face made her look like a vengeful spirit risen from hell, come to claim their lives.

Hua Er was so frightened he lost control of his bladder, soon a foul stench of urine filled the air.

Disgusted, Ning Hua stepped back a few paces, her gaze shifting to the crazed Zhao Baiying.

Suddenly, an idea came to her—a brilliant plan to solve the couple’s problem without dirtying her hands.

“Zhao Baiying, do you want your son to live?”

Seeing Zhao Baiying glare at her venomously, Ning Hua smiled disdainfully and continued, “Or rather, do you want your son not to be sold?”

“How dare you! Ahhh! I’ll kill you, you little bitch!” Perhaps Ning Hua’s words struck a nerve.

Zhao Baiying lost all reason, her fury unleashing a sudden surge of strength.

She broke free from the bindings and lunged at Ning Hua.

Ning Hua was briefly surprised but silently mouthed, “Flying leaves pluck the flowers.”

Soon, Zhao Baiying’s eyes rolled back as she fainted again.

Hua Er, who had hoped for something, cursed her uselessness under his breath.

Then he looked up at Ning Hua with a sycophantic smile.

“Ning, Ning, this is all your aunt’s plan. She conspired with her family and your grandmother to sell you! It’s really got nothing to do with me!”