Li Shi was frightened by her expression. She unconsciously took a step back.
Mu Yunyao took quick steps towards the table by the side. She smashed a porcelain bowl and held a broken shard towards her face. She looked daggers at Li Shi and said, “Zhang Caizhu has already given you silver to buy me. If I were to scar my face, how would you explain it to him?”
Li Shi’s eyes widened, “You……what nonsense are you talking about! When did I……” How did this little wench find out?
Mu Yunyao used the shard to forcefully cut her pale-white skin. Blood immediately dripped down from her face, the colour contrast was a shock to the eyes.
Mu Yunyao was well-known for her looks. Not only did she have a lovely and exquisite face, her skin was also incredibly delicate and timeless, just like soft tofu. As if just one pinch would cause water to drip out. On normal days, many people stretch their necks just to get a glimpse of her.
(T/N Okay I admit this was a little weird, but that is what they wrote. Tofu is delicate and timeless.)
“Stop!” Li Shi was flustered. She had received 50 taels of silver from Zhang Caizhu, where a large portion of it was from selling Mu Yunyao. If she is unable to present the person in question on the actual day, not only will she lose the silver, she will also make an enemy out of Zhang Caizhu. In this little mountain village, offending Zhang Caizhu is equivalent to committing suicide.
Mu Yunyao continued to put pressure on the shard against her face, “Once Zhang Caizhu sees the injuries that you have inflicted on my mother and I, he will definitely be less than happy. Who knows, he might actually take back a part of your silver. Push back the date by four days. In these four days, we will take care of our injuries. Once we enter the Zhang residence, we might even request that you be given a bonus.”
Li Shi widened her eyes, her expression clearly unwilling, except that when she heard the last sentence, she nearly jumped up in delight. “You are telling the truth?”
“What use do I have in lying to you?”
“Very good, I will believe you just this once, you vindictive little wench, but if you two dare to play any tricks, I will definitely break your legs and sell you to the bordello. Serving one man or entertaining a group of men will be up to you.”
Li Shi smirked. She was sure that these two unlucky things were unable to escape from the palms of her hands, thus she might as well agree to her request. When the time comes, she would definitely ask for more silver.
Hearing their conversation, Su Qing nearly collapsed. She was the daughter-in-law of the Mu family and Mu Yunyao was the Mu family’s daughter. How could Grandma be so venomous?
Mu Yunyao’s eyes were filled hatred and bitterness. She said coldly, “Leave this place now!”
Li Shi sneered at Mu Yunyao. She straightened out her clothes and seemed to pat out the dust. “A nest full of inauspicious things, do you actually think I would be willing to stay here? I’m even afraid of dirtying my shoes here! Peh!”
(T/N: Li Shi’s “peh” here is the sound of her spitting at them. Ew ew ew the next sentence is sooo gross.)
After Li Shi spat out all her saliva and swayed out of the house, Su Qing could not help falling onto the ground. She covered her mouth and choked out, “Yao Er, my poor Yao Er, Mu Cheng, how could you abandon us like that……”
Mu Yunyao threw the porcelain shard to the side and used her trembling hands to embrace Su Qing. “Mother, don’t cry, don’t cry, Yao Er will protect you, no one can bully you!”
In this second life of hers, Mother was alive. She will definitely not let the same tragedy unfold. Those people that owe her, those people that have hurt her, she will definitely take it all back!
She lowered her eyelids, her eyes which were as clear as water momentarily turned icy cold, as if she was a demon that had clawed her way out of the pits of hell.
After Su Qing cried a period of time, she immediately came back to her senses, “Yao Er, Zhang Caizhu is not an honest man. You must not enter the Zhang residence! You are very clever in being able to get more time for us. Mother will protect you, you must escape, get away as far as you can, Mother has some silver……yes, I have silver, they can be used for your travelling expenses……”
Su Qing swiftly went to open up the drawers. She can die, but her daughter must be safe. She was her only child, she will protect her even if it is at the cost of her life. She had flipped open all the drawers but was unable to find the five taels of silver that she had managed to save up. “How is this possible? I had clearly put them here……”
Mu Yunyao went up to support Su Qing, using her frail and tiny body to hug her, “Mother, you do not have to find anymore, the silver was definitely stolen away by that old hag.”
“Mother-in-law……how could she, how could she!” Su Qing’s eyes were filled with hopelessness and hatred. She blamed her man from dying so early, she blamed herself for not seeing Li Shi’s true colours earlier on, and most of all, she blamed her own powerlessness.
“Do not be afraid, Mother. It is merely a single Zhang residence, it is not as if it is a Dragon’s deep pool or a Tiger’s den!” There is no knowing who would actually be the one to die when the time comes!