I distinctly felt the hardness of the wooden club against my neck, cutting my skin painfully.

But upon learning that I could die at any moment, there was an inexplicable sense of relief deep in my heart.

Why hadn’t I thought of this method before?

As long as this wooden club stabbed down, my troubles, Dad’s troubles, Mom’s troubles would all vanish into thin air.

Perhaps because Mantuan’s father killed me, he would have to pay some compensation. If that were really the case, Liang Wa’s troubles would be solved too.

How wonderful…

“Crazy woman…” Old Man Mantuan clenched his teeth. “You damn bitch…”

“I’ve heard these words too many times. I’m sick of them.” I walked forward one step, and Mantuan’s father was so scared he stepped back. “How does just cursing at me relieve your anger? I am Zhang Lijuan. Your son and I have spoken less than twenty sentences in total. He became like this and you want to settle accounts with me, then let’s settle them all at once right now. This time you stab me to death, and the accounts between him and me will be settled.”

“You crazy woman… slut…” Mantuan’s father said trembling. “What exactly did you do… You ruined my son…”

“Then you’d better go ask your son.” I said. “Have him tell you personally what exactly I did? What exactly did I, Zhang Lijuan, do to him, and what did I say to him? Did I touch a single finger of his? Did I say a single word to him that I shouldn’t have?!”

Seeing that Mantuan’s father kept backing away, I grabbed his hand and stopped his movement.

Why was he so furious, yet didn’t dare kill me?

“Don’t be a coward.” I said. “You have the guts to come to my family’s doorstep with a wooden club, but don’t have the guts to use this club to stab me?”

“You…”

“I’m the one you’re looking for.” I said. “What are you showing off your power to my father for?”

He should know that I really wanted to die.

Humans are truly strange creatures. He wanted to kill me, I wanted to die, yet he wouldn’t strike.

“What are you shaking for?” I shouted softly. “Stab! What exactly do you need to do to kill me?”

“Juan… Juan’wa…” Dad also seemed to be scared. “Don’t bother with that bastard… You, you come back first…”

Dad, I can’t go back.

“You fool…” Mantuan’s father’s lips visibly turned pale. He was really scared by me.

As a person, how could he be scared to this extent?

Didn’t he care about face, about dignity?

If he continued standing there, his legs would start trembling.

What else could I do to anger him?

Seeing that he still wouldn’t strike, I swung my arm and gave him a hard slap.

“Smack!”

He clearly showed a shocked expression, covering his face and staring at me with wide eyes.

“Stab me to death.” I said. “You’re a useless bastard, your boy is a useless bastard too. Can you stab me to death or not?”

Mantuan’s father’s lips began to tremble slightly, then in order to make himself appear calmer, he pressed his lips tightly together. The corners of his mouth curved downward, looking extremely comical.

Looking at his completely defeated eyes, I knew I had failed again this time.

He didn’t have the courage to stab me to death. He was about to completely back down.

I actually understood that fat woman at this moment.

When a person is fierce to the point of being unreasonable, she becomes undefeatable.

It’s just a pity I understood this too late.

When I truly wanted to die, I understood this technique that could make me undefeated.

Mantuan’s father panicked and dropped the club and ran away. Those onlooking people also scattered at this moment with nervous faces, as if they were afraid I would kill them.

From now on, the village rumors would not just be about the “whore,” but also the “madwoman.”

Mother saw the crowd disperse, walked out with the broom, and Dad also slowly sat down on the ground.

Mother looked at Dad’s condition. After confirming he was alright, she looked at me: “Juan’wa…”

A few seconds later, she revealed a terrified expression, quickly stood up, and shouted loudly: “Juan’wa!!”

I looked at her puzzled, but felt a coolness on my chest. Looking down, I discovered that my neck had been cut at some point, blood flowing all over my body, but it didn’t hurt.

“I’m fine… Mom.” I sighed. “It’s over.”

“How, how can you be fine…” Mother’s emotions that had just calmed down became turbulent again. She quickly turned back and called to Dad, “Old man, get up quickly… Let’s take Juan’wa to the hospital…”

After hearing this, Dad also looked worried, but after trying to stand up several times without success, he was clearly exhausted: “Juan, Juan’wa… Cover it with your hand first. Dad will take you to the hospital.”

“No need, Mom. It’s just a cut on the skin.” I shook my head and held her hand. “Compared to the days I’ve been through before, this injury doesn’t even count as an itch.”

I meant to comfort Mother with this sentence, but after hearing it, her eyes turned red again.

“Juan’wa…” She showed the saddest expression I had ever seen in my life, holding my hand and trembling as she said, “My Juan’wa… What sins has our family committed… How much suffering must heaven make my Juan’wa endure…”

Her tears started from her chin and jumped to the ground in succession. I had never seen Mother cry so hard before.

Then she let go of my hand, picked up the broom and pointed it at the sky, cursing loudly: “Heaven!! Open your eyes wide and look!! Your damn eyes are blinded by yellow sand!!”

Mother was cursing heaven, and Dad also slowly lowered his head.

The two of them had farmed all their lives—how could they possibly handle this kind of situation?

They only knew that being honest and down-to-earth would lead to a good life, but they didn’t know that heaven had long set up insurmountable tribulations for families like ours.

No matter how the times develop, those who should suffer will still suffer. Even if the small shops in the city all use LED billboards, the yellow sand still blocks the sun from our home.

What was that poem I learned in school…?

Right, the textbook said: When prosperity comes, the common people suffer. When ruin comes, the common people suffer.

“You won’t let Liang Wa live, you won’t let Juan’wa live either!” Mother cursed loudly, roaring, crying painfully. “You’re forcing us parents to death! Take my life in exchange for theirs!! You damn bastard!!”

Mother’s body hunched over on the ground, trembling and wailing uncontrollably.

She was just a mother who wanted to protect her children, but she had never once been able to defeat fate.

The only thing she could do was pound the thick earth here and curse heaven.

“Mom…” I lowered my head and stroked her back. “Mom… Listen to me…”

“Juan’wa…” Mother lifted her head and looked at me with those broken eyes.

“Listen to me, Mom. I have an idea.” I casually wiped the blood from my neck. “From now on, I won’t come back.”

“Won’t… won’t come back…?” Mother didn’t seem to understand what my words meant.

“Dad, Mom, just consider me really dead.” I said expressionlessly. “You can say that to others too. Before I earn enough money, I won’t count as our family’s child anymore.”

“What are you saying…” Mother somewhat reluctantly grabbed my shoulders. “Child… I’m your mother… You’re my child… How can you not come back…”