Chapter 3: I’ll Chop You Up

On the way to school, Qiao Wu meticulously compared her past experiences with the future she had seen in her dreams.

The “Qiao Wu” of the past knew she wasn’t a biological child of the Lu Family. To secure her place in the family, she schemed to sow discord among its members, aiming to position herself as the only trustworthy person by their side.

“She” certainly didn’t wish for the family to live in harmony. As long as the person “she” had chosen emerged victorious in the end, “she” could share the entire Lu Family with that person.

Thinking of this, Qiao Wu clicked open the top folder on her computer.

Lu Jinzhi.

In the dream, the once grand and bustling Lu Residence was now empty, desolate, and eerie. Lu Jinzhi was no longer the powerful and arrogant Second Young Master of the Lu Family. Instead, he sat alone on a garden swing, clad in a black coat, his back bent under the pouring rain.

“Get out.”

That was the last word he had spoken to the Qiao Wu in the dream.

Calm, yet heavier than the night itself.

When she woke up, Qiao Wu had wondered why someone as meticulous and unforgiving as him would let go of the person who had brought him to such a state. But she never figured it out.

Her gaze shifted downward, landing on Lu Ning’s profile.

Lu Ning’s parents had passed away early, and as the only younger generation in the Lu Family, she should have been the most doted upon. However, Old Master Lu had been too busy with his career in the past, and even his four sons had been raised by the Old Butler. The generational gap made it difficult for him to know how to interact with a young girl, so he simply ensured she never lacked for material comforts.

In the past, “Qiao Wu” had taken advantage of being a girl herself to easily approach Lu Ning, who had lost her parents and was deeply insecure. She told Lu Ning to be independent and strong, which led the young girl to reject private schools and instead attend a regular middle school. This also made it easier for “Qiao Wu” to control her from afar.

According to the original trajectory, due to repeated indulgence, Lu Ning gradually developed a habit of using money to solve all her problems, eventually becoming a lawless and unproductive troublemaker.

As Qiao Wu flipped through Lu Ning’s report cards from the past few years, her eyes darkened repeatedly. As someone who had always been a top student, this was almost unbearable to look at.

“Butler Qiao, we’ve arrived.”

Qiao Wu hummed in acknowledgment, closed her laptop, and got out of the car. “Thank you.”

Although she wasn’t Lu Ning’s real guardian, with Old Mr. Lu in the hospital and her uncles nowhere to be found, she was the only one who could handle this matter.

The school wasn’t large, and it was easy to find the infirmary by asking around.

During class hours, the campus was quiet and nearly empty. Qiao Wu walked softly, but before she could finish climbing the stairs, she suddenly heard a familiar name.

She looked up and saw two people standing under a tree next to the infirmary. One of them, a boy, had a bruised and swollen face.

Did Lu Ning do this?

The kid looked so thin, but she sure packed a punch.

“Anyway, when her guardian comes, nothing will happen. It’s all about money. We might even get more if we play it right. Just follow my lead, understand?”

“Got it. I’ll act like it hurts even more. Every extra penny counts. Mom, trust me, Lu Ning has no manners. If you provoke her, she’ll even curse at you. Then it’ll all be her fault, and even her grandfather won’t be able to help her.”

Qiao Wu smiled silently. After the two entered the infirmary, she followed with the family doctor.

Inside the infirmary, Lu Ning glanced at the clock on the wall for the fifth time, her expression growing increasingly impatient.

There shouldn’t have been any traffic at this hour. It should have taken no more than an hour to get here from the Lu Residence. Why hadn’t they arrived yet?

The boy who walked back was too accustomed to her demeanor. At times like this, a little provocation would surely make Lu Ning flare up and cause trouble. Remembering his mother’s instructions, he cradled his head and deliberately wailed, “Lu Ning, my mom has been here for a long time. Are your parents even going to take care of you? I’m in so much pain right now!”

Lu Ning slumped in her chair, not uttering a word.

She didn’t want to deal with anyone else at the moment; she just wanted to vent her anger at Qiao Wu for breaking her promise.

“This child has no manners at all,” the boy’s mother frowned as she sat down, half-shielding her son in her arms. “She beat my son up like this, and there should be some explanation, right? It’s not the first or second time. I heard her parents are always abroad, busy making money, but they can’t neglect their child’s education. Teacher, you really need to talk to them more.”

Lu Ning sneered, “My parents are in heaven. Since you’re so talkative, why don’t you go tell them?”

Everyone in the room was stunned for a moment. The boy pursed his lips, “No wonder. Someone without parents to teach them would act like this.”

Lu Ning took a deep breath, rolled up her sleeves, and stood up again, walking towards the boy.

The Class Teacher was startled and quickly stopped her, “Lu Ning, what are you doing?!”

But Lu Ning had never listened to anyone. She brushed off the Class Teacher’s hand and glared fiercely at the chubby boy shielded in his mother’s arms, “I can afford to pay even if I cripple him.”

Just as she grabbed the boy’s collar again, a calm but firm female voice came from the doorway, “Lu Ning.”

Lu Ning’s movements suddenly halted. She glared furiously towards the door, shouting before even seeing who it was, “Why are you only coming now? Did you ride a turtle here?!”

Qiao Wu stood at the doorway, feeling uncomfortable when she saw Lu Ning’s reddened eyes.

The little girl she had held since childhood, who used to sweetly call her “Ooo-ooo,” had grown up all alone, full of grievances.

Everyone followed Lu Ning’s gaze to the young woman at the door and were momentarily stunned. In real life, few people could wear a suit so well and with such poise. The woman before them was clearly an exception—elegant and refined. Her calm and gentle demeanor effortlessly overshadowed the atmosphere of the entire infirmary.

“May I ask who you are?” the Class Teacher asked uncertainly.

She looked so young; surely she couldn’t be a parent, right? Didn’t Lu Ning say her parents were in heaven?

Qiao Wu replied softly, “Hello, I am—”

Lu Ning interrupted her, “Never mind that. Now that she’s here, let’s get straight to the point. And also…” She pointed at the chubby boy, “I’m going to hit him again. You figure out how much it’ll cost.”

Everyone else: “…”

Qiao Wu sighed softly.

Well, who else would she take advantage of if not you?

“Come here,” she beckoned to Lu Ning.

Lu Ning was incredulous, “Are you ordering me around?”

Hoping for the child to behave was clearly out of the question. Qiao Wu walked over, took hold of Lu Ning’s fair wrist with her rolled-up sleeve, and gently pulled her to her side.

Lu Ning immediately bristled, “I told you not to touch me!”

But no matter how much she struggled, her wrist remained firmly in Qiao Wu’s grasp.

“Don’t move,” Qiao Wu leaned down and whispered in her ear, “The bodyguards are downstairs. Do you want all these people to see you being restrained by them?”

Lu Ning, who had been forcibly put into the car that morning, turned pale, “Ordering and threatening me, you really have the—”

“I’m sorry.”

Lu Ning froze.

“I was late because I had to prepare something,” Qiao Wu said as she crouched down, rolling up Lu Ning’s soiled school uniform pants to her knees to inspect the bruises. Her gaze then swept over the back of Lu Ning’s hand, and she asked, “Why didn’t you treat your injuries?”

The Class Teacher quickly explained, “Lu Ning wouldn’t let the school nurse touch her, saying she wasn’t in pain.”

“How can there be injuries that don’t hurt?” Qiao Wu stood up, gently pressing her finger to Lu Ning’s forehead, and smiled, “Your eyes are red.”

“Who’s eyes are red! It’s just a minor injury.” Lu Ning was still caught up in the earlier apology.

In fact, whenever Lu Ning lost her temper, Qiao Wu was always the first to apologize. But this time, it felt different, because she couldn’t detect any hint of perfunctory or ingratiating behavior. Why was she smiling so… so gently!

Qiao Wu didn’t know what Lu Ning was daydreaming about: “I brought a doctor from home to take a look at you.”

“I’m not in pain, I just want to hit someone now.”

“Be good.”

Her head was ruffled, and Lu Ning’s body stiffened, her ears subtly turning red.

The mother of the chubby kid next to them wasn’t there to witness their family harmony and quickly steered the conversation back to herself: “Lu Ning’s parent, why don’t you take a look at my child’s injuries first? My child is clearly more injured than yours. Having money doesn’t mean you can do whatever you want, right?”

She thought she was dealing with someone formidable, but such a young woman couldn’t possibly handle much. She definitely had to squeeze more money out of her!

Hearing this, Qiao Wu turned around, her expression cooling significantly: “Then let’s call the police.”

Those four simple and direct words left everyone speechless for a long time.

“Kids have their little scuffles, why call the police?” The chubby kid’s mother didn’t want the situation to escalate, “But your child beat mine up like this, shouldn’t you cover the medical expenses?”

Qiao Wu nodded and asked, “How much?”

Lu Ning, who was being treated by the doctor nearby, bit her lip upon hearing this.

It was just like before, any problem could be solved with money, no matter how big the trouble she caused.

“Take the child to the hospital for a full check-up, medical expenses plus compensation for emotional distress, five thousand isn’t too much, right?”

“Mom, she also ruined my clothes, backpack, and stationery.”

“Then make it six thousand!”

The mother and son tag-teamed, but Qiao Wu didn’t interrupt, just tapped a few times on her phone screen.

The chubby kid’s mother thought she was about to transfer the money and immediately handed over her phone: “Scan my QR code to receive the payment…”

But to her surprise, after receiving the money, Qiao Wu’s phone screen switched to the dialing interface. Seeing the numbers 110, she exclaimed, “What are you doing!”

“I will take your child to the hospital for an injury assessment, we will cover all the costs, and I will supervise every single check-up,” Qiao Wu said calmly.

“Then why are you calling the police? It’s just kids fighting!”

Qiao Wu smiled, “Who said I’m calling the police because of the kids fighting? Such a big guy can’t even handle a little girl, calling the police would be embarrassing.”

The chubby kid’s neck turned red with anger, but his mother held him back: “Then why are you calling?”

Qiao Wu: “For you inciting your child to extort.”

How did it escalate to extortion? The Class Teacher asked in confusion, “What are you talking about?”

“I heard everything clearly outside. Any more questions?” Qiao Wu pointed to the tree outside. “The amount of six thousand is enough to file a case. Moreover, since you are demanding compensation for emotional distress, you’ll need to have your lawyer talk to my family’s legal team. I will have them sue you for extortion immediately.”

Ordinary people rarely encounter such situations, and the chubby boy’s mother was instantly intimidated. “My child is a minor!”

“That’s why we’re suing you,” Qiao Wu said. Tall and wearing high heels, she looked down at the mother with a commanding presence. “You said my child lacks discipline. I’d like your child to see in court how you’ve been raising them.”

She addressed the mother with respect, but the woman felt humiliated.

Especially since she had indeed made such remarks.

She also hadn’t planned to take her child to the hospital for a check-up. A minor injury wasn’t a big deal; money was all that mattered.

Now, she was utterly embarrassed, staring at the ground, not daring to say another word.

This was within Qiao Wu’s expectations. These people were shallow and materialistic. Without even needing recordings or evidence, a few simple words were enough to shatter their defenses.

Hearing no further response, Qiao Wu turned to the stunned Class Teacher. “And now, I want to see the surveillance footage from the incident. My Lu Ning wouldn’t act without reason.”

Lu Ning suddenly looked up.

Qiao Wu opened the laptop she had been holding. One of the folders contained records of every past conflict involving Lu Ning, including the time, location, and compensation paid.

She pushed the screen toward the teacher. “I couldn’t come in person before since I was abroad. Today, I want to understand the cause and effect of each incident. Please have the parents of the other students come as well.”

The infirmary fell silent. The young woman standing beside Lu Ning was poised and elegant, her calm, deep eyes behind her glasses exuding authority. “Since the money has been paid, it’s time for us to settle other accounts.”

No one expected someone so young to be so meticulous and commanding.

From start to finish, Qiao Wu remained composed. She extended her hand gracefully to the Class Teacher. “I forgot to introduce myself. I’m Qiao Wu, the Housekeeper of the Lu Residence.”

Her tone was still gentle, but the Class Teacher was too shocked to shake her hand.

None of the people present, given their status and social circles, would ever have encountered someone like her.

Qiao Wu had grown up in the Lu Residence, receiving top-tier elite education, surrounded by successful individuals. If it weren’t for that inexplicable twist in the novel’s plot, she wouldn’t have become so foolish and reckless.

By now, the chubby boy and his mother were as quiet as mice. While waiting for the other students to arrive, Lu Ning stared at her treated wound in silence for a long time before realizing that Qiao Wu’s delay was due to preparing those documents.

She nudged Qiao Wu’s foot with her own. “Hey.”

Qiao Wu, who was reviewing the surveillance footage, tilted her head slightly. “Hmm?”

“Why do you think I wouldn’t act without reason?” Lu Ning asked in a muffled voice.

Although Qiao Wu had always believed she was in the right before, this felt different. Lu Ning couldn’t quite put her finger on it.

“I don’t necessarily think that,” Qiao Wu replied honestly. “If there were times when you acted intentionally, you’ll still have to apologize when the others arrive.”

Although Lu Ning had been somewhat indulged, she had been abroad for the past two years and was unaware of many things. It was possible that Lu Ning might also pick a fight.

Lu Ning: “…”

Apologize?!

“The word ‘apology’ doesn’t exist in my dictionary!”

“It does now.”

“Qiao Wu, whose side are you on anyway?” Lu Ning snapped. “Just do your job and stay out of things that don’t concern you, got it?”

Qiao Wu gently bumped her forehead against Lu Ning’s head. “Lu Ning, being independent doesn’t mean being irresponsible.”

“Who’s irresponsible?!”

“Alright, then if you’re wrong later, apologize,” Qiao Wu said with a light laugh. “I don’t want the bodyguards to have to step in.”

“…Lu Yingchi was right, you’re becoming more and more confused about who’s in charge.”

But as she finished speaking, she noticed that Qiao Wu wasn’t paying attention at all. Frowning, she looked over and saw that Qiao Wu’s attention had been captured by the surveillance footage, which was replaying the morning’s events…

“Stop watching!” Lu Ning stood up and covered the screen.

Getting into a fight over a few dumplings being knocked over was utterly embarrassing.

But when she turned her head, she met Qiao Wu’s gaze, calm and quiet, as if filled with concern.

“Sorry,” Qiao Wu said again. “I was late.”

Lu Ning didn’t know why Qiao Wu was repeating herself, but her eyes inexplicably felt moist.

“Who cares about you.”

Qiao Wu’s guess was correct. Although Lu Ning often got into conflicts at school, except for the first few times when both sides were at fault, the subsequent incidents were mostly because people knew she had no one to control her and that any issues could be resolved with money, so they deliberately picked fights with her.

As a result, Lu Ning didn’t actually have to apologize many times. Perhaps genuinely worried about the bodyguards stepping in, she obediently apologized.

After resolving everything, Qiao Wu also took Lu Ning back home.

Lu Ning was unusually quiet, retreating to her room as soon as they got home. Qiao Wu could finally focus on handling the legal matters. She hadn’t been bluffing those parents; they needed to understand the consequences so that Lu Ning wouldn’t be targeted in the future. After all, the Lu family had a legal team specifically responsible for handling personal matters.

The front door was suddenly kicked with a loud bang.

After meeting Lu Yingchi’s provocative gaze, she lowered her head again.

Immature.

Lu Yingchi, seeing this, became even more annoyed. He had been dragged out early in the morning for an 8 a.m. class and had been like a ball of fire all day, so much so that he didn’t even have the energy to go out drinking at night and just wanted to go home and catch up on sleep. Meanwhile, the culprit was comfortably at home.

He stepped forward and threatened, “Qiao Wu, if you dare press that damn bell again tomorrow, I’ll chop your hand off.”

Qiao Wu hummed in acknowledgment, not even looking up, but she extended her hand onto the table, making her meaning clear.

Go ahead, chop it off. I’ll still press it tomorrow.

Lu Yingchi, provoked, delivered a swift chop to her wrist, causing a dull thud on the table. Her slender, pale wrist immediately turned red from the impact.

Only then did Qiao Wu slowly look up.

Remembering how he had been unnerved by her gaze earlier that morning, Lu Yingchi stood his ground. “You told me to chop it off! I wasn’t even going all out!”

It was her own fault for not dodging.

Qiao Wu didn’t respond. Instead, she casually pulled out a Saber from the fruit tray, removed the sheath with a clatter, and tossed it onto the table, tilting her chin slightly.

“Lu Yingchi,” she said, “either you chop my hand off today, or you get up at 6:30 tomorrow morning.”

Lu Yingchi: “?”

What the hell? Why was it earlier now?

And she was provoking him back?!