Chapter 14: Punishing the Scum

At this hour, everyone in the Zuo family villa was sound asleep.

Zuo Zonghe had specifically waited until this moment to make his move.

His movements were light, but Si Fuqing heard every sound clearly.

Having walked on the edge of a blade for so many years, not even the slightest movement could escape her ears.

Si Fuqing knew all too well that indulging herself meant delivering her life into the enemy's hands.

This was a creed bought with blood.

On the bed, the girl was curled up under the covers, appearing to be in a deep sleep, completely defenseless.

Si Fuqing slept without makeup, her face bare.

Her eyelashes were fine, dense, and long; her skin cold and white, delicate enough to break with a breath. Even her lips were naturally red without stain, reminiscent of a rouge beauty from an ancient painting.

Alcohol heated Zuo Zonghe's brain. His throat bobbed, and he quickly stepped forward, reaching out his hand.

But Si Fuqing moved faster.

Her eyes snapped open. She backhanded his wrist, twisting it, and drove a shard of broken beer bottle deep into his wrist.

Just as Zuo Zonghe's scream was about to shatter the entire villa, Si Fuqing's fingers shot out like lightning, locking directly around his throat.

She smiled coldly: "Shh, quiet."

Zuo Zonghe's voice was trapped entirely in his throat. His eyes bulged wide, his brain crashing in an instant.

What was happening before him was completely incomprehensible; his whole body went rigid.

In Zuo Zonghe's impression, Si Fuqing was a bastard of unknown parentage living under someone else's roof. With Old Master Zuo around, she could still act arrogant.

Once Old Master Zuo was gone, Si Fuqing was nothing but a lamb for the slaughter.

If she hadn't chosen to have her wrist slit rather than submit to him that day, he never would have gone to such trouble to get into her room.

But now?

Zuo Zonghe's ears rang, his limbs numb.

"I prefer an eye for an eye, so this stops here for now." Si Fuqing made a gesture, laughing softly. "Next time, it'll be right here."

Zuo Zonghe felt a chill in his lower body. He tried to speak, but with the girl pinching his throat, he couldn't make a sound.

"Relax." Si Fuqing saw his fear and kindly reassured him. "I calculated your blood loss rate. I guarantee you won't be in mortal danger within twenty-four hours. But after that..."

She smiled, her voice low and gentle: "I can't promise anything."

That one sentence finally broke Zuo Zonghe completely; he fainted dead away.

Only then did Si Fuqing hop off the bed, casually kicking him out the door with one foot, tossing the bottle shards out after him.

She closed the door, lay back on the bed, and slept soundly for the rest of the night.

Until Madam Zuo's scream the next morning woke everyone in the villa.

Madam Zuo always rose at six-thirty for morning exercise.

Remembering that Zuo Zonghe had clearly intended to make a move on Si Fuqing yesterday, she wanted to go over and prevent Si Fuqing from clinging to the Zuo family again if things went wrong.

But Madam Zuo never expected to find a floor covered in blood and an unconscious Zuo Zonghe.

"Zonghe!" Madam Zuo gasped, panic rising. "Zonghe, wake up, don't scare Mom, Zonghe! Tianfeng, Tianfeng!"

"What's all the shouting so early in the morning?" Zuo Tianfeng, roused from sleep, came downstairs with suppressed irritation, looking very displeased.

"Tianfeng, come quick!" Madam Zuo cried out. "Zonghe's not going to make it!"

Zuo Tianfeng walked over, and froze at the sight before him: "Th-this... what happened?"

"Quick, call the doctor!" It was Zuo Xianyu who reacted first, immediately ordering the butler to summon the family doctor.

The family doctor rushed to bandage the wound and gave an injection; only then did Zuo Zonghe slowly regain consciousness.

His mind was still a mess, but the fear remained: "Mom... Mom! Si Fuqing tried to kill me, she tried to kill me!"

Zuo Tianfeng stared, his anger rising: "What nonsense are you spouting?"

If Si Fuqing had that kind of guts, he'd write his name backwards.

"Si Fuqing!" Madam Zuo didn't care, pounding on the door. "Get out here! Look at what you've done! Si Fuqing, you cheap spawn!"

After a few bangs, the door creaked open.

Si Fuqing emerged wearing a coat, unhurried, water droplets still clinging to her lashes, her gaze hazy.

She yawned, raising an eyebrow: "How did the eldest young master get hurt? Why aren't you at the hospital?"

"It was you!" Zuo Zonghe gritted his teeth, his body trembling again. "You cut my hand!"

"The eldest young master is worth two of me. How could I cut your hand?" Si Fuqing leaned against the doorframe. "Besides, I went to sleep at ten last night. I never saw you."

Zuo Zonghe hated her so much his teeth ached, nearly spitting blood: "It was you! You used a beer bottle. Otherwise, where did this wound come from?"

"Oh." Si Fuqing took her time. "Right. I drank and left the bottle by the door. Such a big grown man—don't you watch where you're walking?"

"No big deal if you kicked my bottle and broke it, but hurting yourself isn't good."

Zuo Xianyu frowned deeply.

Zuo Zonghe had a terrible drunken rampage, and it was dark last night. This kind of accident was indeed possible.

But Si Fuqing attacking Zuo Zonghe? Absolutely impossible.

"Grandpa's gone. How would I dare oppose the Zuo family?" Si Fuqing sighed. "Right?"

She stood with hands in her pockets, obedient and well-behaved.

From this angle, only Zuo Zonghe saw the piercing cold light in her pupils, sharp as a blade's edge, nearly slitting his throat.

"You... you..." Zuo Zonghe couldn't catch his breath. His nerves, compressed for so long, gave out; his vision went black, and he fainted again.

Madam Zuo wept in rage: "Si Fuqing, you're a jinx!"

Ever since Si Fuqing came back, her son got hurt.

"Enough." Zuo Tianfeng clearly didn't believe Zuo Zonghe's story either. "Xianyu, stay home. Your mother and I will take your big brother to the hospital."

He didn't believe Si Fuqing did it either.

He knew his son best—superficially glamorous but inwardly a good-for-nothing. Still, he'd spent time in a military academy; his skills weren't bad.

Si Fuqing's wrist had been severely injured just days ago. Could she take down a grown man?

Zuo Tianfeng snorted.

More likely Zuo Zonghe was too ashamed to admit he'd injured himself drunk.

Madam Zuo shot the girl a hateful look, unwillingly leaving with Zuo Tianfeng and Zuo Zonghe.

Si Fuqing's lips curved, her brows lazy, drawing a smile.

The villa fell quiet. The servants resumed their busywork.

"Fuqing, are you going to record the show?" It was Zuo Xianyu who spoke first. "I'll give you a ride."

"No need." Si Fuqing had already started downstairs. "Don't want anything to do with you people."

Zuo Xianyu frowned again.

Cut ties with the Zuo family. How would Si Fuqing survive in Lincheng then?

But of course she wouldn't stop her.

Zuo Xianyu walked to the balcony, looking down at Si Fuqing leaving.

Ahead, a white car was parked at the street corner.

Si Fuqing stopped too.

A few seconds later, the rear car door opened.

See you tomorrow~~

Public chapters update once a day. Once we get recommended, I'll add extra chapters for everyone =3=

(End of Chapter)