Both Zhou Erlang and Zhao Mianhua couldn’t help but feel guilty—reporting this to the authorities was out of the question.

Old Lady Wang was most partial to Zhou Erlang, after all, he was her first child, long-awaited for years. She couldn’t stand an outsider like Sun Xing making her own son look bad, nor her insinuations that her son was worthless.

She immediately started cursing: “Sun Xing, are you itching for a beating? Do you need me to loosen your bones for you?”

“I told you to drag that bitch Lan Qingshuang out here, but instead, you’ve been flapping your filthy mouth nonstop. Think you’re clever, do you?”

“Hurry up and drag her out, or you can die in there with her!”

“Useless waste of space.”

Suppressing her anger, Sun Xing forced a smile: “Mother, it’s not that I won’t go, it’s just unnecessary.”

“If the money isn’t with Lan Qingshuang, dragging her back won’t do any good.”

“People have legs—she’ll just run away again later.”

“And if things escalate, our family could end up in legal trouble. It’s not worth it.”

“Better to just let her die in there. Saves us the hassle.”

Old Lady Wang thought it over and realized she had a point. She was only here for the money.

But the money had already been gambled away by her own son.

That bitch’s family didn’t seem to have any money either, and dragging her back would just be a headache.

The old days of buying people to work like livestock were over—things were stricter now, and Lan Qingshuang wasn’t someone easy to control.

Seeing Old Lady Wang waver, Zhou Erlang grew anxious.

Brother Liang had explicitly demanded that bitch as payment for his debt and even promised that once he was done with her, Zhou Erlang could have his turn. She couldn’t just die like this.

Lan Qingshuang was famously beautiful across the villages, with a figure that turned heads even in ragged clothes.

Bald Brother Liang was a lecherous man—he had seen her once and couldn’t forget her, repeatedly pressuring Zhou Erlang to use her as a gambling stake.

Zhou Erlang had refused several times, but now, with an ultimatum, he couldn’t push back anymore.

Lowering his voice, he leaned in close to Old Lady Wang: “Mother, that bitch can still fetch us money. If she dies like this, we’ll be at a total loss. We traded sweet potatoes for her—we should at least make our money back.”

Old Lady Wang frowned at him. “Son, do you still have ideas about her? Let me tell you, that bitch is a viper—she’ll bite you dead.”

“There are plenty of women in the world. You can find another later. No need to invite trouble over a worthless slut.”

Zhou Erlang clenched his teeth. “Mother, Brother Liang specifically wants her. If we don’t hand her over, he’ll take one of my hands.”

Old Lady Wang’s heart skipped a beat. “Son, you owe money? How much?”

Zhou Erlang hesitated before mumbling, “Five hundred.”

Old Lady Wang nearly fainted from shock.

Five hundred?

Not only had they lost three hundred, but now they owed another five hundred?

Was this good-for-nothing trying to kill her?

Gritting her teeth, she smacked Zhou Erlang’s arm twice. “You stupid fool!”

Zhou Erlang didn’t dare argue and took the hits meekly.

Old Lady Wang was furious, but if Lan Qingshuang was worth five hundred, she couldn’t be allowed to die.

She glanced at her three daughters-in-law.

Zhao Mianhua would sooner see Lan Qingshuang dead—no help there.

Sun Xing wouldn’t lift a finger without personal gain. If she found out about the five hundred, she’d make a scene—useless to rely on.

As for the fourth daughter-in-law, she was as dull as a log, always playing dumb. Useless except for eating—no help either.

Her gaze landed on her youngest daughter.

Zhou Xiaomei stiffened, glaring back. “Mother, don’t even think about it. I still have to marry someday. If my face gets ruined, I’ll stay home forever, and you and Father will have to support me for life.”

Old Lady Wang felt a pang in her chest—what a bunch of cursed children.

“Erlang, you go in and grab her.”

Zhou Erlang hesitated. “Mother, I twisted my ankle on the way here. I can’t run fast.”

“Let Third Brother and Fourth Brother help. They can go in through the back door while we block the front. No way that bitch escapes.”

Old Lady Wang didn’t respond, but Sun Xing objected.

“Second Brother, my husband twisted his back last night. He can’t run fast either.”

The fourth daughter-in-law of the Zhou family spoke up innocently: “Really, Third Sister-in-law? What a coincidence! My man also got hurt last night—I was even on top!”

Sun Xing’s lips twitched, but she didn’t respond.

Old Lady Wang felt a throbbing pain in her temples. Did she really have to go into the fire herself at her age to drag someone out?

The Zhou family members were all making excuses, none willing to step inside.

The fire had already climbed onto the roof.

The kitchen roof was made of nearly rotten thatch.

With no rain for almost a month, the thatch was bone-dry and caught fire instantly.

The flames shot into the sky, and villagers who saw it rushed over to help put it out.

“Hurry, hurry! It’s Old Ye’s house!”

“That good-for-nothing Ye isn’t home—only his wife is there, and she’s heavily pregnant. I hope nothing’s happened to her!”

A large crowd came running with buckets of water toward the Ye household.

Hearing the commotion, the Zhou family grew anxious.

Inside the kitchen, Lan Qingshuang had covered her head and face with a wet cloth, but she had still inhaled too much smoke.

Her throat, lungs, and heart burned as if sliced by knives.

The fire raged around her, scorching her skin. The water in the vat was nearly gone.

The house was about to collapse.

If she didn’t get out, she would die inside.

But going out meant death too.

What could she do?

Her hands clutched her belly desperately—she couldn’t die. Her baby hadn’t been born yet. She couldn’t die.

In her mother’s womb, Ye Fuman had cried herself to exhaustion, only letting out weak, despairing hiccups.

Her life, which hadn’t even begun, was about to end.

The Immortal Lord had said if she couldn’t survive this calamity, she wouldn’t even get another chance at reincarnation—no matter how many lifetimes of good deeds her mother did.

Wah… What a tragic little baby.

Suddenly, she sensed her unreliable father’s presence and perked up immediately.

[Dad! Hurry back and save me, save Mom! Your wife and child are about to burn to death! Wah… Dad!]

Ye Zhoushan, who had been strolling home with a blade of grass in his mouth, suddenly froze mid-step.

He stiffened and looked around warily—a mountain spirit?

Quickly forming a sword-finger gesture with his hands, he muttered an incantation:

“By the decree of the Supreme Lord Laozi, evil spirits be gone, or I’ll scatter your soul to the winds!”

“Om mani padme hum… Begone, begone, begone!”

“Caw… caw…” A crow flew overhead, leaving a trail of droppings.

Ye Zhoushan hunched his shoulders and rubbed his hands together—good, the weird voice was gone.

Bolstered, he swaggered onward.

[Wah… Dad! Stinky Dad! Bad people are breaking in! They’re going to kill your baby! You’re about to lose your daughter! Wah… I’m scared! Daddy, save me!]

The panicked cries made Ye Zhoushan’s chest clench in pain.

His mind blanked for a second—whether it was spirits or not, he didn’t care. He bolted toward home.

At the Ye house, Zhou Erlang, desperate, gritted his teeth and charged into the burning kitchen.

The kitchen was small, and he immediately spotted Lan Qingshuang crouched by the water vat.

Eyes bloodshot, he lunged at her, grabbing her hair and dragging her out.

“You bitch! You refuse the easy way, so you’ll get the hard way. Just wait till we’re out—I’ll make you regret this!”

Her hair, already singed and her scalp blistered from the heat, tore away as he yanked.

The searing pain made Lan Qingshuang’s vision darken.

Instinctively shielding her belly, she was dragged limply across the ground, leaving a long trail behind her.

Ye Zhoushan and the villagers arrived at the same time.

The moment he stepped into the yard, he saw Lan Qingshuang being dragged out.

His eyes turned bloodshot with rage.

“I’ll fucking kill you!”

A flying kick landed square on Zhou Erlang’s back, sending him crashing back into the kitchen.

“BOOM—”

The kitchen collapsed, burying Zhou Erlang inside.

A second too late, Old Lady Wang let out a horrified shriek:

“MY SON—!”