Chapter 044: Once and for All

Xiang Lan’s face instantly turned ashen.

She spoke through gritted teeth, her expression twisted with rage. “You brute, if you dare lay a hand on us, I’ll take you down with me!”

Liu Dahua laughed. “Take me down with you? You think too highly of yourself!”

Her face darkened further as she stepped back, drawing a pair of scissors from her waist and pressing them to her throat. “Monster, I advise you to leave immediately!”

“Oh?” Liu Dahua was so amused he almost laughed out loud.

Shaking his head, he sneered, “So you were prepared! Carrying scissors around with you, are you?”

Xiang Lan shot a glance at Ah Tai. “Ah Tai, if you have any conscience left, help us!”

“I…” Ah Tai looked from Liu Dahua to Xiang Lan, torn by indecision.

But by then, Liu Dahua was already advancing on Xiang Lan, a lecherous grin distorting his face. “Pretty girl, don’t be afraid! Even the dead have their pleasures!”

His obscene words made Xiang Lan’s face grow even darker with fury.

Suddenly, Liu Dahua lunged at her.

“Ah!” Xiang Lan screamed, scrambling to evade him.

“Mama! What’s happening?” The sudden commotion woke the little girl on the bed.

She poked out her small head, anxiously asking.

Liu Dahua had already seized Xiang Lan by the arms. In desperation, Xiang Lan called out, “Nannan, get off the bed! Run!”

Nannan was only six or seven, still just a child. Caught off guard by the chaos, she froze, not knowing what to do.

But she obeyed her mother's words. She leapt off the bed, barefoot, her little legs pumping as she dashed out the door.

Xiang Lan struggled with all her might. Liu Dahua, distracted, could only watch as Nannan raced outside.

He roared, “Ah Tai! Stop that little girl or you’ll regret it!”

Ah Tai’s face twisted with inner conflict.

He watched Nannan approach, then sighed and let her slip past him.

“Ah Tai! You bastard!”

Liu Dahua was furious, his rage now directed at Xiang Lan.

He vented all his anger on her, no longer caring to play the gentleman. He reached out with his large hand, grabbing her by the hair.

Xiang Lan screamed in pain as he yanked her to the floor.

“Heh heh heh!” Liu Dahua looked at her with satisfaction. “Letting your daughter go means you’ll pay off her debt!”

Outside the room—

Nannan ran for her life, her tiny legs carrying her as fast as they could. After about fifty meters, she crashed into someone.

“Ow!”

She landed hard, clutching her forehead. Looking up, she saw a tall figure.

The man stood about six feet tall, his build perfectly balanced—neither fat nor thin, but all in golden proportion.

Nannan, rubbing her forehead, blinked. “Big brother, can you save my mama?”

He nodded.

“Thank you! Thank you, thank you!” Nannan dropped to her knees, bowing her head repeatedly.

“What’s your name?” the figure asked.

She looked up. “My name is Nannan!”

“Nannan?”

“Yes!”

“A lovely name!”

“Big brother, what’s your name?” she asked.

“Zhao Feng,” he replied with a smile.

Nannan began bowing again. “Brother Zhao Feng, please save my mama!”

Zhao Feng reached out with his broad arms and lifted her up, striding toward the prefab house.

He didn’t run, but his steps covered ground at an astonishing speed, as if the earth itself was folding beneath him.

In truth, Zhao Feng was already seething with anger. He was channeling all his cultivation, all his spiritual power.

With a single blink, he arrived at the prefab house.

Ah Tai, still hesitating outside the door, suddenly saw a figure appear beside him.

Startled, he stammered, “You—you—who are you?”

Zhao Feng ignored him.

Inside, Liu Dahua was still wrenching Xiang Lan’s hair as she struggled.

Expressionless, Zhao Feng uttered three cold words: “Let her go.”

Liu Dahua rolled his eyes. “Ah Tai, is it? Looks like you’re tired of living!”

He turned, then froze in shock.

“You?”

“You—you—how is it you?!”

Zhao Feng looked at him coolly. “Liu Dahua, it’s been a long time.”

Liu Dahua was terrified. “Big brother, I didn’t know you were here!”

“Hmph.”

On her knees, Xiang Lan’s face was a mask of despair. Looking at Zhao Feng holding Nannan, she pleaded, “I’ll do whatever you want! Just let my daughter go! Otherwise, I’ll haunt you both, even in death!”

Zhao Feng blinked, momentarily confused. “What do you mean?”

“Hmph!” Xiang Lan snorted. “You’re in league with Liu Dahua, aren’t you?”

At last, Zhao Feng understood.

He shook his head with a helpless smile. “I’m not with him.”

“Right, right!” Liu Dahua echoed nervously. “We’re not together!”

Xiang Lan’s despair deepened. “Do you take me for a fool? If you’re not accomplices, why do you know each other?”

“Well…” Zhao Feng shook his head. “I owed him money before.”

“Owed him money?”

“Yes.”

“You’re not lying to me?” Xiang Lan pressed.

Zhao Feng looked at her, half laughing, half crying. “Sister, I swear I’m not lying.”

She let out a breath of relief.

Zhao Feng, exasperated, glanced back at Liu Dahua, his demeanor turning cold, an icy aura radiating from his whole being.

Liu Dahua trembled. “Brother Zhao, I didn’t know you were into this kind of thing!”

Zhao Feng’s face was frigid. “What ‘kind of thing’?”

“Well… just… just…”

“Mother-daughter fetish!”

“Go to hell!” Zhao Feng snapped.

Liu Dahua immediately wilted. “Brother Zhao, why are you cursing at me?”

Zhao Feng sneered. “Today, I’m not just going to curse at you—I’m going to teach you a lesson!”

Liu Dahua was instantly cowed, dropping to his knees. “Brother Zhao, please, I didn’t know you’d get involved!”

Zhao Feng snorted. “Whether I get involved or not, you’re still scum.”

Smack!

Liu Dahua slapped himself. “You’re right, Brother Zhao! I am scum!”

Smack!

He slapped his other cheek. “You’re right, Brother Zhao!”

He glanced furtively at Zhao Feng, but Zhao Feng’s face remained icy, unreadable.

“Brother Zhao?”

Zhao Feng gazed at him, his voice low. “Looks like I’ll have to find a permanent solution.”

Liu Dahua blinked. “What do you mean?”