Chapter 4: The Illegitimate Child in the Shadows

“All this money was earned by my mother. Taking it back is just returning it to its rightful owner. You severely injured my mother, and the doctor said she needs surgery, which will cost around two hundred yuan. Do you think you can placate me with this little money? Do you think I’m that easy to fool, Li Cuihua?”

Seeing Bai Linglong about to strip her, Li Cuihua fought back desperately, trying to shift the blame. “I didn’t hurt your mother. I only pushed her yesterday. It was your grandmother who did it. She’s the one who hit her. Your grandmother has the money. All the money your mother earned was taken by her. Go ask her for it.”

“I will ask her for the money, but the clothes you’re wearing were bought with my mother’s money. If you take them off willingly, I’ll spare you a beating today.”

Bai Linglong’s sharp and ruthless gaze bore into her. She noticed the old hag trying to escape and fixed her with a gaze as cold as ice. “Old hag, if you try to escape, I’ll make sure your son rots in prison.”

The matriarch’s body trembled, and she cursed through chattering teeth, “You wretched thing, you’re willing to harm your own father? Do you have any humanity left?”

“If you won’t give my mother and me a way to live, I don’t mind dragging your whole family to hell.”

Having experienced a previous life, Bai Linglong saw through human nature very clearly. These despicable relatives of the original Bai Linglong were just like her past life’s family—they had no real familial bonds.

They weren’t relatives; they were enemies.

She didn’t care about others’ opinions or judgments of her. Whether they called her cold-blooded or unfilial, it didn’t matter. She only cared about living true to herself.

She ignored the whispers and pointing fingers of the onlookers, indifferent to their gazes, and continued her threat, “Li Cuihua, I’m giving you three seconds. Take them off.”

To avoid being stripped by Bai Linglong, Li Cuihua endured the pain and took off her thick outer cotton jacket.

“Pants and shoes too.”

She was wearing clothes patched together multiple times, and Bai Linglong was so disgusted that she didn’t make her take them off.

Li Cuihua clutched her waistband, trembling, “These… these pants, I made them myself… not from your family’s fabric…”

“The pants may be your handiwork, but the cotton was provided to my mom by the school.”

Bai Linglong remembered clearly and, seeing her reluctance, noticed a small knife attached to Lu Jingchuan’s waistband. She dashed over and grabbed it. “May I borrow this knife for a moment?”

Lu Jingchuan’s body tensed, though his expression remained unchanged; his heart had nearly exploded. He thought she was going to strip his pants…

With a few swift movements, Li Cuihua’s protective cotton pants were shredded.

She screamed in pain, her voice sharp and grating, making Bai Linglong’s ears ring. In response, Bai Linglong slapped her hard.

“Shut up.”

Since she didn’t cooperate, Bai Linglong went all out, overpowering her completely. Initially, she intended to leave her with the tattered cotton jacket, but now she stripped it all off, treating her the same as Wang Xiuhong.

After dealing with her, Bai Linglong dragged her like a dead pig next to Wang Xiuhong. She picked up the broom from the ground and threatened the two trembling heaps of flesh, “Stay still, or I’ll beat you to death.”

Having sufficiently intimidated them, she turned her attention to the old hag. “Old hag, you called me a shameless slut before. I don’t think there’s anyone more shameless than your entire family.”

The old hag wanted to curse back but was in too much pain, especially her stomach, which burned fiercely where Bai Linglong had kicked her. Any slight movement made her throat taste metallic.

Realizing Bai Linglong had gone mad, she dared not provoke her further, trembling, “No, no, I didn’t curse you. I was cursing Li Cuihua. She’s a shameless slut.”

The old hag remembered that Li Cuihua had pushed her out before.

“In terms of shamelessness, Li Cuihua can’t hold a candle to you,” Bai Linglong sneered.

Just recovering, Li Cuihua felt no gratitude for this.

“Li Cuihua might not be as bad as you, but your son is much better. All he thinks about is kneeling before his superiors, licking their boots and trying to climb into the leader’s daughter’s bed. He’s very capable.”

“But does the leader know he’s an illegitimate son you had with another man?”

Her words made Li Cuihua and Wang Xiuhong’s eyes widen in shock. Was the second son not the old hag’s own? Was he an illegitimate child with another man?

“What nonsense are you spouting?” The old hag’s voice cracked in panic.

Bai Linglong smirked coldly, dropping another bombshell in public: “You don’t need to worry. You and the old man are a perfect match. The third child isn’t even yours; he’s the child of Widow Liao from the east end of the village. You gave birth to a daughter who was sold for two kilogram of rice.”

The old hag looked like she had been struck by lightning, her entire being dazed. Bai Linglong, smirking like a mischievous imp, delivered another blow: “Old man Bai and Widow Liao, rolling in the haystack even at their age. Not only did I hear them, but your two granddaughters did too. We were too scared to say anything because old man Bai threatened to sell us if we told.”

“Blegh!”

The old hag, already injured, spat out a mouthful of blood in fury.

Bai Linglong felt no pity for her, only a sense of revenge. She continued to provoke: “Your precious youngest son isn’t even yours. You’ve been raising Widow Liao’s son, pampering him, giving him the best of everything, and protecting her grandson. Widow Liao must be laughing behind your back.”

“I used to hold back because we’re family. My mom taught me to be patient and not stoop to your level.”

“But what about you? You kept pushing and pushing, not treating us like humans. Now, to protect that scum, you’re trying to kill my mom and me.”

“Today, I’m telling you: I’m not done with your family. Even if we die, we’ll take you down with us.”

“Disgusting filth, just looking at you makes me sick. If you don’t start behaving, I’ll make sure you’re all executed.”

“Hmph!”

She stormed over and stripped the money off the old hag, taking every last coin. She then threatened, “Prepare the money my mom earned over the years. I’ll come back for it. If you don’t pay up, I’ll start with Bai Jianren. Just his affairs are enough to send him to hell.”

“He’s your father. If something happens to him, it won’t be good for you either,” the old hag warned bitterly.

“As if it would be good for me if nothing happens to him.”

Bai Linglong sneered, her eyes full of disgust. “The thought of having your family’s dirty blood in me makes me sick. Having such a scum for a father is the worst luck.”

As she finished speaking, a nurse in a white coat pushed through the crowd, looking serious. “Bai Linglong, I’ve been looking for you. Dr. Wei says you need to come back immediately. Your mom’s condition is critical, and she needs surgery now, or it’ll be too late.”