Chapter 332: The Peasant Girl’s Splendid Manor
Chapter 332: Family Ruin and the Hawk Brings News (3)
As soon as the words left her mouth, Li Zhong struck Hu Shi on the back with the stick again, saying coldly, “A thief who breaks in to steal silver and refuses to return it after being caught deserves to be beaten to death. Even the high-ranking officials wouldn't punish me severely for that. I might as well kill you both now and bury you in some secluded place tonight. No one will ever know, and it will save me from your troublemaking!”
With that, he jabbed the stick into Zhang Ming’s stomach, making him scream in pain and collapse to the ground, curling up.
Hu Shi quickly embraced her son, crying out for her precious child. Seeing Li Zhong’s fierce approach and recalling his earlier words, she was terrified and turned pale.
“Dear in-law, let's talk this out. If you spare us, we promise never to come back again,” she pleaded desperately.
“Hmph! I don’t believe a word from your Zhang family. Today, I'll kill you both to end this once and for all!” Li Zhong declared, raising the stick to strike Zhang Ming's head. Zhang Ming screamed and instinctively shoved Hu Shi in front of him.
“Ming'er…” Hu Shi stared blankly at her only cherished son, unable to believe he would do such a thing. She was his own mother!
Zhang Ming cowered in the corner, avoiding eye contact with Hu Shi, as if ignoring what he had done would make it disappear.
However, the anticipated sight of brain matter did not occur. The stick stopped an inch above Hu Shi’s head.
Li Zhong cast a scornful glance at the cowardly Zhang Ming before his gaze softened with pity towards Hu Shi. “See? This is the ‘good’ son you’ve raised.”
Those few words pierced Hu Shi’s heart like a sharp knife, causing her immense pain. Her beloved son, whom she had cherished, had pushed her towards death in a life-threatening moment. What sin had she committed to deserve this?
Li Zhong, disgusted with the pair, turned and opened the door, only to find Mo Yan looking worried, about to knock again.
“Yan'er, I’ve troubled you again,” Li Zhong apologized, feeling extremely guilty. The shop had been unsettled enough, and the Zhang family had repeatedly caused disturbances. He felt too ashamed to stay there any longer.
Mo Yan smiled and shook her head. “How can I blame you, Grandpa Li?” she said, glancing at the dumbfounded mother and son inside. Raising her voice, she continued, “Since these two seem to like it here so much, maybe we should just keep them here permanently, so they won’t cause any more trouble in the future.”
The mother and son trembled in fear, scrambling to get up and run out but hesitating, watching Mo Yan and Li Zhong warily.
Mo Yan stepped aside, but Li Zhong didn’t move.
Seeing a chance, the mother and son hurriedly rushed towards the door. Hu Shi, being slightly closer, reached it first.
The doorway was narrow, preventing them from passing through together. Zhang Ming suddenly pushed Hu Shi aside and bolted out. When he realized what he had done and looked back, Hu Shi was standing at the door, staring at him with a complex expression.
After a moment of silence, the two left through the main door. Zhang Ming, belatedly aware of his actions, tried to help Hu Shi, but she shoved him away.
A hint of sarcasm crossed Li Zhong's face. He hadn’t expected that his probing blow would have such an effect. If a rift had formed between the mother and son, they likely wouldn’t come back to cause trouble.
Mo Yan, unaware that Zhang Ming had pushed Hu Shi to shield himself, saw this scene and misunderstood it as just another selfish act by Zhang Ming. Deep down, she despised him for his selfishness.
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