Chapter 89: Money and Life Both Matter

Zhang Xiluo had not slept soundly. She rose early and made her way to the agreed location to wait for Jiang Xinting.

“Xiluo, you didn’t sleep well again last night?” Jiang Xinting’s gaze fell upon Zhang Xiluo’s dark circles, and she stamped her foot in fury. “It’s all that Zhou the third and the dog man’s doing! I truly want to carve them into pieces.”

“If killing people is not a crime, I would have struck first.” Zhang Xiluo managed a faint smile. This resentment had festered since her miscarriage. “What have you discovered?”

“The woman who framed your uncle had her files bought by someone. The most likely culprit is Li Mingye.” Jiang Xinting had learned it from a journalist friend who had been shadowing Li Mingye and caught the woman on camera.

Zhang Xiluo stared at the familiar back in the photograph, and her heart sank once more. It was indeed Li Mingye.

The proof was ironclad, yet he still pretended to be innocent, feigning ignorance. It was utterly disgusting.

Zhang Xiluo convinced herself that Li Mingye had only told her those lies and renovated the house because he wanted her to remain his devoted lickdog.

Despicable. Hateful.

He was far more wicked than Zhou Yao!

“The woman’s name is Li Xiufang. She has a son afflicted with cerebral palsy and a husband consumed by alcoholism. She has been battling alone in Long City, and her sole purpose is money.”

“The evidence lies in Li Mingye’s possession. If you wish to rescue your uncle, you must approach him.” Jiang Xinting sighed heavily. “That spineless Zhao Chengying—he wouldn’t dare let him handle it.”

“I spotted her with Ou Yang Chen. She grabbed the money and fled. I need to visit her home—do you have the address?”

“You’re going alone? That’s too dangerous. I’ll accompany you.” Jiang Xinting refused to let her go alone. She phoned Zhao Chengying to cancel their appointment.

Moved by her loyalty, Zhang Xiluo felt she had been far too callous, prioritizing allure over friendship.

Li Xiufang’s residence lay in a remote village beside Long City. The two-hour-and-thirty-minute drive left them at the village outskirts.

Following the directions, they pulled up in front of a crumbling two-story building. Li Xiufang’s home occupied the northernmost room on the second floor.

Zhang Xiluo and Jiang Xinting knocked repeatedly, but no one answered. The door stood unlocked. Inside, chaos reigned.

Furniture and belongings lay scattered everywhere. Only Li Xiufang’s son with cerebral palsy sat on the floor, idly playing with a toy.

Zhang Xiluo approached and spoke to him. He did not fear her.

“My name is Guo Chun,” the child said. “Mom and Dad aren’t here. It’s just me. I’m so hungry.”

“We’ll take him back with us. Staying at the orphanage for now is better than starving here.” Zhang Xiluo took his small hand and guided him outside.

“Xiluo, he’s a major headache.” Jiang Xinting warned. “Li Xiufang clearly doesn’t care whether he lives or dies; otherwise she wouldn’t have abandoned him.”

“He’s only a child. Let’s go.”

They reached the bottom of the stairs and turned toward the car when a group of men wielding iron shovels blocked their path.

“We’re not villains. We only want to bring him to the welfare home. If someone agrees to care for him, we’ll leave him there.”

“Who wants to raise that fool? A motherless child. You trespassed on our village lands and broke our customs. You can’t leave. If you insist on going, send your family to redeem you with money!”

“This is illegal!” Jiang Xinting lunged for the car door, but a burly man seized her arm.

Zhang Xiluo reacted instantly. She pulled out her phone to call for help, only to be shoved aside.

Her phone was hurled to the ground and crushed underfoot. Her car keys were snatched away. They were seized by two men and dragged deep into the village.

Such audacity in a supposedly harmonious society—village tyrants and bandits even. The whole village was staging a kidnapping for ransom!

“Release me! Let go! It’s money you want—name your price and I’ll pay!” Jiang Xinting shouted. “We’re simply after wealth. Don’t take it too far.”

Guo Chun wailed in terror. When he saw Zhang Xiluo being restrained, he broke free and rushed to her aid, only to be kicked to the ground by one of the men.

“He’s still a child—how can you strike him!” Zhang Xiluo’s heart ached. She struggled forward.

“Ten thousand each. Release us.”

Ten thousand should be a significant sum for them, Zhang Xiluo thought.

“Ten thousand per person! And no police reports!”

“Deal. Hand over the car keys. Send one man with me to collect the money.” Zhang Xiluo forced herself to stay calm and buy time.

“You’re treating us like fools?”

The leader strolled over to her, dumped the contents of her handbag onto the dirt, and found no bank card inside.

“Trying to trick us? You’re still green. Beat one of them, record it, and send the footage to their families. Once the ransom arrives, throw the bodies into the river for the fish.”

“Don’t touch me!” Jiang Xinting roared. She kicked the back of the man’s head with her heel and felled another attacker.

“They’re utterly shameless.” She had held back earlier, seeing so many of them, yet never imagined they could be so savage.

She would exhaust herself to death if needed, but she would make these thugs pay.

Jiang Xinting’s movements were swift, yet two fists could not overcome several hands. Facing more than a dozen burly men, her strength soon ebbed away.

Zhang Xiluo witnessed every blow, the pain searing her heart. She could fight, only worry.

She had once believed she should eat more, learn self-defense, become stronger. At least that might have spared her from this helpless trap, controlled utterly by one man.

“Xinting, watch out.” Zhang Xiluo dared not call out loud. She feared drawing attention away from her. Seeing Jiang Xinting’s movements slow, her own pulse raced.

A stick was about to crack down on the back of Jiang Xinting’s head when Zhao Chengying dashed in and took the blow himself.

“My dear, you nearly scared me to death!” Zhao Chengying’s face drained of color. Jiang Xinting’s skill had frightened him so badly he felt his soul slip away.

“You fool—doesn’t it hurt?” Jiang Xinting chided, even as she cradled him tenderly. “How did you get here?”

“I came to save you, of course.” Zhao Chengying pulled Jiang Xinting toward safety.

Li Mingye trailed behind them, clad in black, his face cold and brooding, eagle-like eyes burning with fury. He resembled a living king of hell. His gaze locked onto Zhang Xiluo, brows knitting tighter with each passing second.

Zhang Xiluo met his eyes. Every time danger loomed, it was he who appeared to rescue her. Was he a blessing or a curse in her life?

Their gazes locked, emotions swirling between them, unspoken feelings swirling in both their eyes.

Zhang Xiluo looked away first. He had surely come with Zhao Chengying to save Xinting. Why should she feel moved?

In minutes, Li Mingye and Zhao Chengying’s reinforcements had subdued the village bully.

Zhang Xiluo regained her freedom and stepped toward Jiang Xinting, only to be yanked backward by a powerful force and dragged back to the spot.

The leader tightened his grip on her throat, drew a knife from his pocket, and snarled, “Don’t move or I’ll kill her.”

“Mom! Let go of Xiluo!” Jiang Xinting lunged forward, but Zhao Chengying held her back.