“You? Do you even deserve to eat this?” Zhang Zixuan said coldly.

It was at this moment that Zhang Zixuan finally understood why they had come here today.

The excuse of wanting pork was nothing but a pretense. They had planned all along to come and steal things.

Today, Jian Xiu was out, and sure enough, they saw their opportunity.

“Stop wasting time with him! Get inside now!” Old Madam Liu barked at Zhang Zirong.

As soon as she spoke, Zhang Zirong and Zhang Zifu immediately started walking toward the house.

However, before they even reached Zhang Zixuan’s wheelchair, a sharp pain suddenly shot through their legs as if they had been struck by something invisible.

“Hiss…” Both Zhang Zirong and Zhang Zifu gasped in pain, dropping to their knees.

This trick was something Jian Xiu had taught Zhang Zixuan.

Knowing that he had limited mobility, she had taught him this method, and it was proving to be quite effective.

Just like now—two grown men had fallen for it.

“You wretched brat! What did you do to them?” Old Madam Liu snarled at Zhang Zixuan, her face twisted with fury.

As she questioned him, she began looking around for a weapon.

She refused to believe that a person with functioning legs like herself couldn’t take down a cripple.

However, before she could find anything, a sharp pain suddenly shot through her knee.

It felt as if someone had stabbed her with a needle.

“Aiyo!” she cried out and fell straight to the ground on her knees.

“Zixuan! How dare you… how dare you lay hands on your own mother? She’s your elder!” Chen Shi pointed a trembling finger at Zhang Zixuan, his voice filled with shock.

“An elder? Her? Does she even deserve that title?” Zhang Zixuan sneered. “Besides, we’ve already cut ties. Or did you not know that?”

His words were blunt and direct.

But after all, he had only used small stones—they wouldn’t take anyone’s life. Soon, Zhang Zirong and Zhang Zifu began to recover from the numb pain.

Their gazes toward Zhang Zixuan were now different.

“Do you even realize what you just did?” Zhang Zihua asked in a sinister tone.

The look in his eyes made Zhang Zixuan suspect that if he had a knife in his hand, he wouldn’t hesitate to stab him.

Back when they still lived in the old house, Zhang Zixuan had known that his second brother, Zhang Zihua, was the most ruthless.

Whether it was dealing with people or handling matters, he was always the most vicious.

Not just Zhang Zixuan—Jian Xiu had noticed this as well.

With this thought, Zhang Zixuan focused his attention on Zhang Zihua.

Because of that, he failed to notice Liu Shi, who was quietly getting back up in the distance.

Old Madam Liu saw that Zhang Zixuan was entirely focused on Zhang Zihua.

She exchanged a glance with Chen Shi, who was also watching Zhang Zixuan carefully.

Clearly, she had noticed his distraction.

Taking advantage of the situation, she discreetly tossed a small stone at Chen Sixi to get her attention. Once Chen Sixi noticed her, Old Madam Liu signaled with her eyes.

Chen Shi immediately understood.

She walked toward Zhang Zixuan in an exaggerated manner, drawing his attention.

Meanwhile, Old Madam Liu crept up behind him.

Their plan was working—Zhang Zixuan remained focused entirely on Zhang Zihua.

“Zixuan, no matter what, she’s still your mother. She carried you in her womb for ten months…”

Chen Shi spoke to Zhang Zixuan, but her eyes were fixed on Old Madam Liu behind him.

Seeing that Old Madam Liu had reached Zhang Zixuan’s wheelchair, Chen Shi felt a surge of excitement.

But she maintained her calm expression.

Then, in a sudden move, Old Madam Liu kicked the wheelchair with all her strength.

Chen Shi immediately shouted, “Quick, grab the stick from his hand and take the stones from him!”

Zhang Zihua reacted instantly.

Seeing Zhang Zixuan fall to the ground, he rushed over and kicked him hard, snatching the wooden stick from his grasp.

Then, he struck Zhang Zixuan several times.

“You dare act tough? You dare act arrogant? You’re just a cripple—what gives you the right to be so cocky?”

As he spoke, he continued striking him with the stick.

“Ugh… ah…” Zhang Zixuan groaned, lying on the ground, unable to fight back.

Chen Shi, watching from the side, was beyond pleased.

“Aren’t you strong? Weren’t you showing off your skills just now? Come on, fight back! Fight back!”

“Enough! Let’s grab what we came for and leave before that woman returns,” Fang Miaojun said anxiously.

By now, Zhang Zixuan’s mouth was full of blood, and he lay helplessly on the ground, trampled beneath Zhang Zihua’s foot.

Even so, Zhang Zihua continued to rain blows upon him with the stick.

Fang Miaojun was genuinely worried that if this continued, someone would die.

After all, her son, Zhang Tianyi, was studying at Huaheng Academy. He was bound to take the imperial examination in the future.

If word got out that his uncle had killed someone, it could ruin his prospects.

However, Zhang Zihua seemed completely deaf to her words. Instead, he pressed his foot down on Zhang Zixuan even harder.

“Say something, you cripple! You actually thought you could fight me? If I don’t skin you alive today, I’m not worthy of my surname!”

With that, he lifted the stick again and brought it down fiercely onto Zhang Zixuan’s leg.

“Ahhh!”

Zhang Zixuan let out a painful scream, his entire back drenched in sweat.

Fang Miaojun shot a glance at her husband, who was standing nearby in shock.

Zhang Zirong understood immediately and rushed forward to pull Zhang Zihua away.

“Zihua, stop! If you keep going, you’re going to kill him!”

“Kill him? If he dies, we can just bury him somewhere—who would know?” Zhang Zihua said darkly.

He still vividly remembered the humiliation he suffered when Jian Xiu beat him last time.

Never in his life had he been disgraced like that, especially by a woman.

The thought filled him with rage.

He raised the stick once more and swung it down toward Zhang Zixuan.

By now, Zhang Zixuan was in so much pain that his vision blurred.

His mind drifted to images of Jian Xiu’s smile from the past few days.

He thought of the bright, carefree laughter of Liu Tou, Qi Tou, and Er Ya.

He had believed that as long as he had them, even if he could never walk again, he would still be content.

Because as long as they were by his side, happily living their lives, that was enough for him.

But now…

He wasn’t sure anymore.

He didn’t want to die. He didn’t want to leave them.

But more than anything…

He was furious.