Chapter 3: “The Liang Family Owes Me”

“Jiang Jiuyue! You’ve gone mad! How dare you lay a hand on your mother-in-law and beat up your sisters-in-law like that!”

Liang Youchang rolled up his sleeves and charged forward. He couldn’t believe that he and his younger brother, two grown men, couldn’t handle one Jiang Jiuyue.

Earlier they had been caught off guard, that was all. Jiang Jiuyue was just a woman—maybe a bit stronger than average—but two fists could never beat four hands.

Liang Wenchang followed his elder brother’s lead. The two of them came at her from either side with the same thought: pin her down and beat her senseless.

But Jiang Jiuyue remained calm. Just as the two men reached her, she sidestepped with lightning speed, grabbed Liang Wenchang, and slammed him hard to the ground—so hard that he lay there motionless.

She had used more strength this time.

Liang Youchang hesitated, fear creeping in. Just as he thought of backing away, Jiang Jiuyue kicked him square in the chest. He spun several times in midair before crashing to the ground.

Now the two strongest men in the family were completely useless.

The three women huddled together in the courtyard, terrified as Jiang Jiuyue slowly approached them.

“I’ll ask again,” she said, “Does anyone have a problem with what I just said?”

The two sisters-in-law exchanged a glance and quickly shook their heads.

They could feel it—if they didn’t fall in line fast, Jiang Jiuyue would beat them even worse.

Du Jinhua, however, glared at Jiang Jiuyue, her eyes full of hate. She wanted to grit her teeth in rage, but with her jaw still dislocated, she couldn’t even do that.

Jiang Jiuyue gave a chilling smile. “Oh? Still not convinced? Let me think… how about I break your arm? That should make you accept it, right?”

Du Jinhua’s expression changed instantly. She could see it now—Jiang Jiuyue had snapped. She really would cripple her.

“Mm! Mm! Mm!”
Du Jinhua wailed and whimpered desperately.

Jiang Jiuyue was annoyed by the noise and grabbed her jaw.

“I’ll reset your jaw. Speak properly. But if you say something I don’t like—I’ll make sure you stay mute for the rest of your life.”

With that, she gave Du Jinhua’s jaw a hard twist. A jolt of sharp pain shot through Du Jinhua’s face—but her jaw was finally back in place.

She opened her mouth, about to curse, but then saw the dead-serious look in Jiang Jiuyue’s eyes and swallowed her words.

“You… you beat your mother-in-law… You’re unfilial! I’m going to have you thrown out of the family!”

Du Jinhua tried to threaten her with that tired old line, completely forgetting what happened when Ma Guichun tried the same earlier.

Jiang Jiuyue stood up and kicked her straight to the ground, stomping her down under her foot.

“Throw me out? Keep dreaming! The Liang family owes me—and I’m going to collect every single debt. And that poor child I lost—your family will pay for her life too!”

Pinned underfoot, Du Jinhua was trembling. She weakly protested, “You lost the baby because you were weak. Who can you blame?”

Jiang Jiuyue let out a cold laugh and stomped on Du Jinhua’s chest so hard she nearly vomited blood.

“Why did I lose my child? Because you treated me like a beast of burden! Even pregnant, you had me working like a slave! You think the baby would’ve died if you hadn’t?”

Liang Youchang had finally managed to crawl upright, barely breathing. “You vicious woman! Aren’t you afraid we’ll report this to the village head?”

Jiang Jiuyue burst out laughing—as if she’d just heard the funniest joke in the world.

“Report me to the village head? Sure, go ahead. Let’s see what’s faster—your legs, or my fists knocking you back into bed.”

Liang Youchang choked on his words and didn’t dare move.

That fall had seriously hurt him. He’d been lying there for quite a while just to catch his breath. Now he had no choice but to admit—Jiang Jiuyue really could beat him until he couldn’t get back up.

“Since no one has any objections, then it’s settled,” Jiang Jiuyue said calmly.

She returned to her room. Any extra time to rest was precious—this body was still weak, and her powers could only be used at a fraction of their full strength.

In the courtyard, the others looked at each other in panic and confusion.

Du Jinhua finally regained enough strength to grit her teeth. She spat viciously in the direction of Jiang Jiuyue’s door.

“That cursed little bitch! Does she really think she can rule this household now? Eldest, go get the village head! Bring more strong men! I don’t believe we can’t take her down!”

Her eyes gleamed with hatred. “Once we catch that little whore, I’ll show her what real suffering means!”

Liang Youchang hesitated. Du Jinhua shot him a fierce glare. “Useless! She’s back in her room—what are you afraid of? Just bring more people. You think she can take on that many all by herself?”

“Fine, Ma—I’ll go now!”

He scrambled up and bolted for the gate—but before he could get far, a bolt of lightning struck him right on the head.

The thunderclap was deafening. The lightning came too fast—he had no time to dodge. It hit him dead-on. He staggered a few steps, then collapsed with a heavy thud.

Everyone in the courtyard froze in terror, nearly scared out of their wits. It was a long moment before anyone moved.

Seeing Liang Youchang motionless, Du Jinhua quickly told the barely-able Ma Guichun to check if he was still alive.

Ma Guichun struggled to her feet and shuffled over, nudging his body with her foot. She gave a horrified scream.

Du Jinhua looked over and saw Liang Youchang’s face—pale with a sickly green tinge. If not for the faint rise and fall of his chest, he’d look dead already.

“Second! You—you go call someone! Now!”

Liang Wenchang was curled on the ground, paralyzed with fear. His older brother had just been struck by lightning—what if he got hit too?

Du Jinhua nearly fainted from rage. Useless! Her eldest just had bad luck. What were the chances of another bolt of lightning?

“You, come fix my arm! I’ll go myself! Can’t count on you useless things for anything—this family’s doomed with you lot!”

Liang Wenchang pointed at himself. “Me? Ma, I don’t know how—I’m not a doctor!”

Du Jinhua saw stars from fury. Can’t do this, can’t do that—she might as well have given birth to a club!

“Then go get me a doctor!”

“I… I’m scared…”

Liang Wenchang shrank back further. He wasn’t going. It wasn’t his arms that were broken.

Du Jinhua was so angry she could grind her teeth to dust. If her arms worked, she’d slap him silly right then and there.

“Useless! Every last one of you! Leave everything to your mother!”

Left with no choice, Du Jinhua dragged herself toward the door, her arms dangling limply at her sides.

But just as she reached nearly the same spot in the courtyard—another bolt of lightning struck.

It was even fiercer than the last. She collapsed instantly, with smoke curling from her singed hair.

Jiang Jiuyue opened her door and looked out, clearly amused. “Nice strike. Disobedient people should get hit by lightning. What about the rest of you? Want to try it too?”