Knock knock knock—
There was a knock at the door.
Xiao Shan composed himself, turned his wheelchair, and went to open it.
Standing outside was Liu Jinzhong.
So late at night…
“Something wrong?” Xiao Shan asked.
“Mr. Xiao, we need you to come with us.”
Before he could respond, Yao Ting stepped forward and pushed the wheelchair toward the elevator.
Xiao Shan frowned. “Where are we going?”
“To the place Mr. Xiao probably wants to go most right now.”
“?”
Ha… The place he wanted to go most was the altar where he could personally kill Meng Zhiru.
Two black Volkswagen cars were parked at the back door of the hotel.
In addition to them, five sturdy men in black stood by, all with stern, unsmiling faces and a cold, sharp presence.
Seeing this, Xiao Shan became even more confused.
He asked again, but Liu Jinzhong gave no further reply.
Inside the vehicle, silence reigned.
The longer the ride continued, the more suffocating the atmosphere became.
Yao Ting sat tense, alert and on edge.
Liu Jinzhong was more composed, but the cold energy radiating from him betrayed his vigilance.
Only Xiao Shan seemed detached, eyes filled with confusion.
After about forty minutes, the car entered the outskirts of the city.
Outside the window was complete darkness. The road twisted and turned through desolate hills, with not a soul in sight.
Cold wind slipped in through the window, letting out a mournful wail.
It felt like the set of a crime thriller—some remote place where people got killed.
“Where are you taking me?!” Xiao Shan had been uneasy the whole way, and finally couldn’t hold back, his voice low and stern.
Liu Jinzhong glanced at his phone. “Almost there.”
“Stop the car!”
No one answered.
“I said stop!” Xiao Shan snapped.
“Mr. Xiao, in just fifteen minutes, you’ll get exactly what you want. Why rush?”
“What do you mean?”
“You’ll know when we arrive.”
Xiao Shan didn’t believe him. But Jiang Fuyue’s words echoed in his mind: “I can help you.”
Eventually, he calmed down.
Fifteen minutes later, the car stopped in front of an abandoned warehouse.
Liu Jinzhong: “We’re here.”
Yao Ting helped Xiao Shan out of the car and pushed his wheelchair behind Liu Jinzhong.
Inside the warehouse, a dim yellow light from an overhead bulb revealed cobwebs clinging to the walls.
It was early winter. The cicadas and frogs had long since gone silent.
Everything was deathly still.
Meng Zhiru had long since regained consciousness. Trapped inside the sack, he kept his eyes open, assessing his situation.
He knew he’d been kidnapped.
That “Sisi” girl must have been the bait.
But one second passed, then two… then ten minutes, then nearly an hour, and still—no movement outside.
No voices, no footsteps, not even the sound of running water or wind.
Like being dropped into the depths of the ocean—boundless darkness.
He didn’t dare struggle. He didn’t want them to know he was awake.
Time ticked by, torturously slow.
Like a pig tied to the chopping block, never knowing when the knife would pierce flesh.
At least pigs could scream. He had to be careful even with his breathing—lest they noticed.
Finally—
A metallic clang rang out.
A rusted iron door had been pushed open, knocking over a metal drum nearby.
Footsteps followed—several people.
In the middle of the steps, the faint sound of wheels rolling.
They’re here!
Meng Zhiru held his breath.
The sack was suddenly loosened, blinding light hitting his eyes without warning.
“Well, well… you’re awake?”
A woman’s voice, teasing and mocking.
Meng Zhiru slowly lifted his eyes.
He was met with a pair of long legs, a slim waist, and a black leather jacket now covering what was once a midriff-baring tank top. The high heels were replaced with studded boots.
The delicate beauty from before had transformed into a dark, dangerous vixen.
“Mr. Meng, it must’ve been hard pretending to be unconscious, huh?” Liu Sisi nudged his chin with the tip of her boot.
The motion was gentle, not enough to injure—but the humiliation was unmistakable.
Veins popped on Meng Zhiru’s forehead. He was clearly furious.
Liu Sisi laughed gleefully.
“Heard being a live-in son-in-law is all about saving face. Looks like it’s true!”
“The more you can’t have something, the more obsessed you become.”
“Who the h*ll are you?!” Meng Zhiru shouted. “This is kidnapping! Unlawful detainment!”
“Me?” Liu Sisi tilted her head, thinking. “Let’s just say… I’m someone here to settle accounts.”
Meng Zhiru took a deep breath. “Miss, listen to me. No matter who you are, or who’s behind this—if you let me go, I’ll make sure you’re not held accountable. I’ll pay you. A lot.”
Liu Sisi rubbed her chin. “Sounds tempting…”
His eyes lit up. “Just name your price! I’ve got companies and mines overseas. My personal accounts—you can take as much as you want. Just let me go. There’s plenty of money to be made, no need for violence.”
“Tsk tsk… Mr. Meng, that silver tongue of yours is something else.” Liu Sisi smiled, her thin brows arching slightly.
But just as Meng Zhiru thought she was interested, her expression suddenly hardened, her eyes turning cold.
Then—BAM!—a swift kick landed on his jaw. With a scream, his whole body was sent flying.
The force behind it was obvious.
Meng Zhiru spat out a mouthful of blood. His teeth had bitten into his tongue, pain seizing his entire body.
Liu Sisi pointed casually. “You. Turn him over.”
“Yes.”
Like a burnt fish on a grill, Meng Zhiru was flipped onto his back again, lying bloodied and helpless.
Liu Sisi instructed again: “Check if he’s really unconscious. This one’s an old hand at playing dead.”
The black-clad man prepared to act roughly.
Meng Zhiru quickly opened his eyes. “You… who are you people?!”
From the floor, he noticed several other silhouettes nearby.
The lighting was dim, and shadows cloaked that corner. He couldn’t see their faces—just made out mostly male figures, one woman, and someone in a wheelchair.
Liu Sisi kicked him again. He curled up like a shrimp.
Behind her, Yan Zhixing and Yao Ting exchanged a glance.
That ruthless edge… no doubt she trained under Sister Yue.
Jiang Fuyue had no intention of stepping in—even though she was the one who set all this up.
She stood motionless, so did Liu Jinzhong.
Without her order, Yan Zhixing and Yao Ting didn’t move.
Liu Sisi stepped on Meng Zhiru’s right hand, grinding it slowly into the ground—it was this hand that had grabbed her shoulder.
Then she stepped on the left. That hand had touched her thigh.
“Oh, right—”
“I heard you had… special tastes?”
She snapped her fingers. A black-clad man opened the suitcase she had brought earlier.
“You pick, or should I? Hm?”
Meng Zhiru was pale as a sheet, trembling uncontrollably.
Liu Sisi: “I’ll pick then… how about a whip and some candles? Hmm, too tame. Let’s try gasoline. Set you on fire. Should be… fun.”
The man froze, shaking his head wildly, hoarsely begging: “No… don’t…”
“But when others said no to you, did you listen?”
So why should I?
Liu Sisi lifted the whip and lashed it across his back.
CRACK—
A loud snap split the air. His shirt tore, flesh splitting beneath the blow.
“Ah Guang, pour the gasoline.”
“Yes.” The man returned with a container, doused Meng Zhiru without hesitation.
Now he was truly terrified. He had thought they would just rough him up and demand money. Who knew this woman was really out for blood?
“No—You can’t do this! I’m part of the Lou family! Lou Mingxin is my wife! You can’t touch me!”
Liu Sisi glanced at Jiang Fuyue, who gave a faint nod.
Then she smirked: “The Lou family? Lou Mingxin? Who the h*ll are they? We’ll touch you when we d*mn well please!”
“Please, I’ll kneel—” He collapsed, banging his head against the floor.
No one felt pity.
When those girls knelt before him just like this, sobbing and begging…
What did this beast do?
He laughed—and got even crueler.
“Alright,” Liu Sisi stood above him, lifting her chin with feigned pity, “you look so pathetic… let’s spare you.”
Meng Zhiru froze—then burst with joy.
“I’ll go now—right now—”
He struggled to stand, ready to flee, when—
Liu Sisi laughed like silver bells: “Oh my god, I was joking! You actually believed me?! Hahaha… too funny. Are you stupid?”
His eyes bulged in fury. A wild beast’s roar escaped his throat.
There’s nothing more devastating than false hope.
She did it on purpose.
She wanted him to think he was free—then drag him back into h*ll.
Meng Zhiru snapped.
“Who are you people?! Who?!”
He thought no one would answer—but then, the man in the wheelchair rolled forward.
Yao Ting moved to stop him, but Jiang Fuyue shook her head slightly.
He lowered his hand.
What is Mr. Xiao going to do?
Xiao Shan rolled out of the shadows into the light, his face clearly visible to Meng Zhiru.
“Hey Meng. Who do you think it is? Done too many evil deeds to remember all your enemies?”
But the look in Meng Zhiru’s eyes was pure confusion.
He didn’t recognize Xiao Shan at all.
Xiao Shan noticed—and burst into crazed laughter: “Ridiculous! Absolutely ridiculous! I want nothing more than to skin you alive—and you don’t even know who I am?! Hahaha…”
Meng Zhiru stared at the paralyzed man before him, blank—until—
“Zhou Qingping. Ring a bell?”
Meng Zhiru’s eyes sharpened. “You’re… her boyfriend?!”
“You remember now. Good. Now there’s a name to this grudge. A rightful payback.”
“These people—you gathered them?! Do you know what kind of consequences this brings?!” Regaining his confidence, Meng Zhiru tried to regain control.
Xiao Shan smiled coldly: “Do you think I still care about consequences? One life for another. Seems fair to me.”
Meng Zhiru’s face twitched. “Don’t scare me!”
Xiao Shan said nothing.
But that silence only unnerved him more.
He tried again: “Brother, be reasonable. Why throw your life away for a woman? I can hook you up with someone else, whatever you like…”
CRACK—
A whip lashed across Meng Zhiru’s face.
Xiao Shan had snatched it from Liu Sisi and struck with full force.
His face was torn open. Blood covered his hand as he touched it.
“You…”
He was trembling. The arrogance vanished—replaced by terror.
Just like when he faced Liu Sisi.
“You’re not worthy of saying her name!”
Liu Sisi checked her watch, bored. “Time’s up. No need to talk anymore. Sister Yue said—your call. Settle this quickly.”
She signaled a black-clad man: “Ah Guang—”
The man pulled out a lighter, passed it to her.
She tested it. Click. A flame flickered to life.
She handed it to Xiao Shan.
Everyone knew what gasoline meant.
Meng Zhiru knew too.
He stared at the lighter being passed over. He tried to crawl away—but fell hard. Still, he clawed at the floor, trying to flee.
“No—You can’t kill me—The Lou family won’t let this go! Lou Mingxin won’t forgive you!”
“Please don’t kill me—I’ll give you money, houses, cars—whatever you want, just—don’t—”
“If I die, you die too—yeah, you’ll all die… hahaha…”
Threatening. Begging. Laughing. Crying. He was completely unhinged.
Click—
The flame lit.
Liu Sisi watched coldly.
Jiang Fuyue and the others stood in the shadows, making no move to stop it.
As promised—the choice was Xiao Shan’s alone.
Drop the flame—his enemy dies. Don’t—and he lives.
Xiao Shan’s hand trembled.
No one knew how long it took. Even Liu Sisi was nervous for him.
Finally—he slowly withdrew the lighter, gripping it tight.
His whole body shook from the effort.
Hatred. Anger. Loathing. Contempt.
All tangled in his eyes.
Hatred for Meng Zhiru, yes—but also a deep self-loathing.
Because in the end—
He couldn’t do it.
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I hope Yueyue or SiSi does it.