Chapter 49: Decisive Action Against the Abusive Man!

Aunt Zhang noticed the abusive man’s sinister intentions and shouted sternly:

“Chi Zimin, show some respect! Miss Gu is not someone you can offend!”

She positioned herself in front of Gu Man.

The abusive man grew impatient and reached out to push Aunt Zhang aside.

“The young lady looks nice, but she better not meddle in things that don’t concern her!”

He shoved Aunt Zhang away and reached for Gu Man’s face.

Gu Man didn’t dodge. Instead, she smoothly hooked her foot back, took off her high heel, and struck the man’s arm in one swift motion.

“Ah!”

A pig-like scream filled the room.

Blood gushed from the spot where Gu Man had struck him.

She pushed the abusive man aside and looked into the house. Empty bottles were scattered everywhere, and a layer of grime covered the floor.

“Tsk.”

She elegantly put her shoe back on and walked inside.

Aunt Zhang was stunned. She glanced at the abusive man, then quickly followed.

Once inside, she searched for her daughter.

“You b*tch! How dare you hit me? I’ll slap you to death!”

The abusive man, clutching his wounded hand, lunged at Gu Man like a rabid wolf.

He had some fighting skills, making him stronger and faster than the average person.

But to Gu Man, his movements were as slow as a snail, full of flaws.

She kicked him.

Thud!

The 160-pound man was sent flying two meters into the air, crashing against the wall with a loud bang.

He stayed down.

“Daughter, are you inside?” Aunt Zhang called out.

“Mmm! Mmm!”

The muffled cries of a child came from the room.

Aunt Zhang found her daughter, but the door was locked. She was frantic.

Gu Man stepped forward and kicked.

Bang.

The door flew open.

The abusive man’s eyes widened in shock.

To prevent Aunt Zhang’s daughter from escaping, he had replaced the door with an iron one.

Yet the lock, shattered by sheer force, mocked him.

Inside the room, a bruised and battered woman was tied to the bed, while a terrified seven- or eight-year-old girl huddled beside her.

They were both stunned.

To Aunt Zhang, Gu Man looked like a goddess descending from the heavens.

Miss Gu… she’s incredible!

Gu Man returned to the living room and picked up a fruit knife.

The abusive man eyed the knife, calculating his chances of snatching it.

Gu Man glanced at him.

A chill ran down his spine, and he averted his gaze.

Gu Man took the knife and cut the woman’s restraints.

“Let’s go. To the hospital.”

Aunt Zhang hurried to help her daughter and took her granddaughter by the hand.

Sensing trouble, the abusive man struggled to his feet and dropped to his knees in front of Aunt Zhang’s daughter, slapping himself in the face.

“Juanzi, don’t leave me! I was wrong! I can’t live without you!”

“Our child needs her father too. Can you bear to see her grow up without one?”

Tears and snot streamed down his face.

He reached out to hug the little girl. She let out a sharp scream and trembled, shrinking away.

She was terrified of him.

A child’s instinctive fear cannot be faked.

Aunt Zhang’s daughter, Li Juanzi, flinched and clutched her mother’s hand tightly.

The abusive man knew her too well. Seeing this, he pushed harder.

“Think about it, really think about it. You’re a woman with no education and no skills. How will you survive without me?”

“Even if you leave today, what about tomorrow?”

“Can you guarantee that someone else will protect you forever?”

“And what about our daughter? If I don’t protect her, who will stand up for her when she’s bullied?”

Li Juanzi trembled.

Aunt Zhang hugged her daughter tightly, whispering reassurances.

“Don’t be afraid, daughter. Mom is here. Mom will protect you…”

But Li Juanzi was too scared.

She had been beaten for too long, too many times, until she had no strength left to resist.

Gu Man watched her and thought of her own mother, who had suffered in a miserable marriage.

Had she felt just as helpless?

When she found out that beast planned to poison her, had she felt the same fear?

“He’s talking nonsense.”

Gu Man’s voice rang clear.

“He’s a coward—a selfish, vicious, useless piece of trash.”

“What can he protect? The pain you and your daughter suffered was all caused by him. The storms you endured were all because of him!”

“If you don’t want yourself and your daughter to be hurt anymore, then stand up and sever your ties with him!”

“Aunt Zhang, let go. Let her decide for herself.”

“If she chooses to stay, then let her stay.”

Turning to Li Juanzi, she spoke sincerely.

“Your fate is in your hands. The choice is yours.”

Li Juanzi lifted her head. Her body was covered in bruises. Her eyes were like those of a caged animal.

She looked at her worried mother.

At her terrified daughter hiding behind her.

Then at the man who had abused them both, now cowering in fear of Gu Man.

Her body shook.

Her spine straightened.

She walked toward the abusive man.

He put on a look of deep affection.

She suddenly snatched the fruit knife—

And stabbed it into his thigh.

The abusive man roared and tried to strike her.

He didn’t dare attack Gu Man—she was stronger than him.

But he was used to hitting Li Juanzi.

Grabbing a chair, he swung it at her.

Gu Man caught the chair midair, yanked it away, and smashed it into pieces.

The abusive man fell silent, as if his spine had been removed.

Li Juanzi felt an immense satisfaction. She slapped him across the face and spat at him.

“Chi Zimin, go to hell!”

She grabbed her daughter’s hand and limped toward the door.

“Li Juanzi,” the abusive man called out, his expression dark.

“You are my wife. That’s the law. If I don’t agree to a divorce, you can’t leave.”

“Wherever you go, you’ll still be my wife. You might escape today, but not tomorrow.”

Li Juanzi flinched.

Gu Man placed a steadying hand on her shoulder.

“Don’t worry. First, we’ll go to the hospital for a medical examination. My legal team can handle corporate lawsuits—do you think they can’t handle a divorce case?”

“Long-term domestic abuse, extortion, threats… and assaulting me. Any one of those is enough to put him behind bars for years.”

A spark of hope ignited in Li Juanzi’s lifeless eyes.

Her daughter looked up at Gu Man as if she were a divine savior.

The abusive man was in shock.

He could accept being accused of other things.

But assaulting her?

Wasn’t she the one who hurt him?

After sending Li Juanzi to the hospital, Gu Man felt a pang of sympathy for the little girl.

“Aunt Zhang, I’ll arrange for her to attend Languang Science Primary School. They have the best educational resources.”

Aunt Zhang was at a loss for words.

She kept thanking her over and over again.

“Stay with your daughter for now. Don’t worry about work.”

“The lawyer will be at your house tomorrow.”

Gu Man left without waiting for gratitude.

She didn’t need it.

But she had to admit—

Saving people felt pretty good.

What she didn’t realize was that as she helped others, something mysterious was happening to her body.

Wherever she went, the environment seemed to change…

“Grandma, it smells so nice!”

The little girl tugged on Aunt Zhang’s sleeve.

“Look, that dead tree is blooming!”

She pointed at an old, withered tree.

It had been dead for a long time, its leaves gone.

Workers had planned to uproot it.

But somehow, fresh green leaves had sprouted, and delicate white flowers covered its branches like clouds.

People gathered to admire the sight.

Aunt Zhang clicked her tongue in amazement.

Then she realized—

Miss Gu had just been standing under that tree.