Chapter 25 – Discovering a Secret of Zhujia Family Village

If fists could do the talking, then there was no need to waste words.

Su Rong took the baseball bat from her hand.
“Liu Xu, beat her within an inch of her life! I’ll take responsibility for everything!”

Liu Xu grinned. “Come on, who are we if not sisters? Even if we kill her, I’ll go to prison with you—we’ll still have each other! What are we waiting for? Go!”

She swung the bat straight at Zhu Hui.

Zhu Hui had a cigarette dangling from her lips. She’d been running the streets since she was young, and inside prison, she’d been used to bullying Su Rong. She wasn’t scared at all. She bared her teeth viciously.
“Just you two brats think you can take me down? When I was ruling the streets, you were still wetting your beds!”

Before the words left her mouth, Su Rong’s bat smashed down on her. Liu Xu’s swing aimed at her head, but Zhu Hui twisted, taking the hit on her arm instead. Two heavy blows in, the pain was real.

Spitting out her cigarette, Zhu Hui roared,
“Su Rong, you dare hit me? I’ll kill you!”

She lunged to grab their bats, gripping one in each hand. “You think you’re a match for me? Dream on!”

Just as she was about to fight back, Liu Xu suddenly kicked her square in the crotch. Men feared that move—but women did too. Her sharp-toed shoe connected hard, and Zhu Hui’s face contorted in agony. Her grip loosened.

The two seized the chance, yanking back their bats, raining down blows with fury. Su Rong loathed her, each strike heavier than the last.

Cars and pedestrians passed by the roadside, but no one dared step forward.

Zhu Hui took several brutal hits, even one to the head. She covered herself desperately, then suddenly rolled away, sprang up, and lunged at them again, wolf-like, tearing at their bats with crazed strength.

Liu Xu feinted another kick to her crotch; Zhu Hui dodged, but instead caught one in the stomach and toppled to the ground. They didn’t let up, battering her with all their strength.

For some reason, the usually fierce and violent Zhu Hui seemed weak tonight. The two of them actually had the upper hand.

Onlookers started to gather.
“Stop! You’ll kill her at this rate!”
“Whatever it is, talk it out—why fight?”

But Zhu Hui, unwilling to be humiliated in public, suddenly burst up again like a rabid wolf, yanking the bats from their hands. The crowd scattered in fright.

Su Rong and Liu Xu were red-eyed with rage, driven by hatred to fight harder. Su Rong grabbed Zhu Hui’s hair, yanking viciously. In prison, Zhu Hui had been much crueler to her.

Liu Xu snatched up a bat again, smashing it into Zhu Hui’s legs and body. Blood trickled from Zhu Hui’s mouth; her face was beaten beyond recognition.

The crowd grew larger, some pulling out phones to record.

Su Rong noticed. They couldn’t keep going—killing her here would be foolish. She grabbed her bat and shouted,
“We’ll spare her this time. Next time, she’s done for!”

Liu Xu gave Zhu Hui one last kick, sending her sprawling.

The two clapped the dust from their hands, tossed the bats into the trunk, and got back into the car, like victors returning from battle.

Through the rearview mirror, Su Rong saw Zhu Hui standing by the roadside like a beaten stray dog, cursing them wildly. She couldn’t help but laugh.
“Refreshing!”

“Wasn’t it? Haven’t had this much fun in ages. If it weren’t for the crowd, I’d never have let her off so easily,” Liu Xu said, starting the engine.

Su Rong had suffered Zhu Hui’s abuse and beatings for so long—finally, she struck back.
“She’s the one who locked me in the dark room last time.”

Liu Xu slapped the steering wheel. “That wretched woman! From now on, every time I see her, I’ll beat her again!”

Su Rong chuckled. “Didn’t expect you to be so ruthless.”

“I’ve lived with that vicious woman in my family for years. If I wasn’t ruthless, I’d have been kicked out long ago.”

Following the navigation, they arrived at Zhujia Farmhouse. They parked and went inside, finding a table in the main hall.

Zhu Family Village… Zhu Hui? A thought struck Su Rong.

When the waiter came to take their order, she casually asked,
“Is there a woman named Zhu Hui from Zhu Family Village?”

The waiter, a local villager, replied,
“You mean the one who did time in prison?”

“Yes, that’s her.”

Su Rong’s heart sank. Zhu Hui really was from Zhu Family Village!

“Then you must know Lin Xue’er, right? Zhu Quan’s stepdaughter?” the waiter added.

“Lin Xue’er? She’s gone back to the Su family. Now she’s their eldest daughter. I heard there was a mix-up at birth. You don’t know this?”

“I know,” Su Rong said calmly, ordering food while asking, “So what’s Zhu Hui’s relation to Lin Xue’er?”

“Zhu Quan and Zhu Hui’s father are cousins. That makes Zhu Hui Xue’er’s cousin.”

So that was it!

Su Rong thanked the waiter.

Liu Xu’s eyes widened. “So Zhu Hui’s been bribed by Su Xue’er?”

Su Rong nodded. It made sense—she and Zhu Hui had no grudge, yet Zhu Hui targeted her relentlessly. If someone hadn’t paid her off, why else?

“Most likely.”

“Too despicable!” Liu Xu slammed the table. “So, what now? Whatever you do, count me in.”

Su Rong gripped her teacup tightly. Just thinking of Su Xue’er’s fake innocent face and pitiful sobbing voice made her sick.
“There’s no proof yet. We can’t bring this to light. For now, we wait.”

Liu Xu poured two glasses of juice. “Doesn’t matter. Tonight we punished evil. That calls for celebration. Cheers! My hands are sore from swinging, hahaha…”

Su Rong was thirsty and drank half her glass in one go.

The restaurant was busy, so the food came slowly. But the taste was worth it—fresh, organic ingredients, though a bit pricey. The stylish décor and unique dishes still drew plenty of customers.

After dinner, they drove back.

Zhu Family Village was remote. Once out, a long road stretched ahead. Liu Xu turned on some music, humming along, when suddenly—pssst! The sound of air hissing. A flat tire.

She braked. “What the—how did we get a flat?”

Just then, a figure stepped in front of the car. A woman with a wooden club, glaring murderously at them.

Su Rong’s stomach dropped. It was Zhu Hui. She had come back for revenge.

Before they could react, Zhu Hui smashed the club down on the driver’s window. Thankfully, Liu Xu’s car was sturdy—the glass only cracked, not shattered.

With the tire flat, the car couldn’t move, rocking under the blows.

Su Rong quickly calmed herself. She handed her phone to Liu Xu. “Record this—we need evidence.”

Then she shoved open the door, stepped out, and roared, “Stop it!”

Zhu Hui darted around the hood, charging at Su Rong. She raised the club and swung it down at her head.

Su Rong slammed the door shut and dodged, bolting toward the trunk to grab a bat.

But Zhu Hui chased after her, swinging the club with murderous fury.
“No one’s ever beaten me this badly! Tonight, neither of you will leave here alive!”