"Ah! Now that's satisfying," Jing Shu thought, feeling her mood lighten.
Su Yiyang pointed at Zhang Zhongyong's mistress with shaking fingers and charged forward. "Are you even human? How can you treat Su Meimei like this?"
The woman staggered back in fright and screamed, "Husband, husband, come out quick! That bitch's family is here to cause trouble."
Under the weak phone light, Su Meimei's body was covered in ghastly scars. They looked like the marks left by bee stings last year; some were still oozing pus. One of her eyes was ruined by a huge ugly scar so that you couldn't see the eyeball at all — just a hollow, terrifying socket.
Wrapped in a foul-smelling blanket, she was curled in the corner of the bathroom, twitching and foaming at the mouth, completely unconscious.
The worst thing was that Su Meimei was tied to the toilet with rope.
To anyone who looked, she was a gaunt, wrinkled old woman. You wouldn't recognize her.
Zhang Zhongyong came out of the master bedroom and put his mistress behind him like a shield. He was the same as ever: a polite, well-dressed scumbag. "Let's talk this out civilly. Don't lay a hand on Ai Lin."
"Pfft, you shameless mistress, Zhang Zhongyong, you filthy shameless man. You put your rightful wife in the toilet and let your mistress take her place — you're nothing." Wang Fang had always been sharp with her insults.
"Don't you dare curse my mother!" Suddenly a little chubby boy barreled out of the bedroom and began punching and kicking her. The kid was eleven or twelve; his blows didn't hold back. One swing landed hard enough to knock out one of her teeth.
Jing Shu grabbed the child by the back of his collar and tossed him straight back into the bedroom. There was a loud thud; he hit the floor and started bawling.
"Ai Yong!" Ai Lin cried, rushing forward in distress. Jing An moved instinctively to protect Jing Shu, but in doing so he barreled into Ai Lin. The collision shoved Ai Lin into Zhang Zhongyong's arms in a picture-perfect pose — except Ai Lin's head slammed into Zhang Zhongyong's jaw. There was a sickening crack; Zhang Zhongyong spat out two of his teeth.
Jing Shu almost laughed, but she swallowed it down. It wasn't really the time.
The place erupted into chaos. Ai Lin's mother came out, and Zhang Zhongyong's mother came out, too; they both went to soothe the child. The two-bedroom apartment suddenly swelled with people, the same as before in Jing Shu's past life.
Back when things were different, Su Meimei and Ai Lin had at least shared the master bedroom, the son stayed in the second bedroom, Zhang Hanhan slept in the kitchen, and the two older women stayed in the living room. But fate had changed this time around.
Jing Shu's mother, Su Lanzhi, stepped forward and stopped to look at Su Meimei. "She's in that state. Why wouldn't you get a doctor? How did she try to kill herself?"
Zhang Zhongyong was furious, spitting blood and shouting, "Get a doctor, my ass. That old bitch tried to kill herself. Hmph. Zhang Hanhhan stole my sleeping pills and downed them all. Those pills cost me a fortune!"
Zhang Hanhhan wailed and played the part of mourning. "My mom said her pain kept her from sleeping. She asked me to get sleeping pills so she could feel better. Who would've thought — who would've thought. Boohoo!"
Su Yiyang crouched down, wanting to help her up, but then he noticed the crawling bugs and the stench. He froze and could only say, "Then do a gastric lavage. There's still a chance if you wash her stomach. Call a doctor!"
Ai Lin pointed at him. "You go. You two go and take them both away."
Su Lanzhi frowned. "Zhang Hanhhan, why didn't you call your maternal grandfather when this happened?"
Zhang Hanhhan shook her head through her sobs. "After he passed away last year he never called again. We couldn't find him. Otherwise, would that person dare treat my mother and me like this?"
Zhang Zhongyong sneered. "Your maternal grandfather's in no condition to help. Save your breath."
Jing Shu's mouth twitched into a smile and she picked up the phone, dialing. After a short ring, Su Guosheng's voice came through. "Hello? Who is this?"
Zhang Hanhhan's voice choked with excitement. "Grandfather? It's me. Your Hanhan. My mom is dead. Zhang Zhongyong — that dog of a man — killed her. He's trying to kill me now. Please save me. You already lost one daughter, you can't lose your granddaughter. Come pick me up, please? I'll live with you forever. Boohoo. Grandfather, you're the only family I have left."
There was a long silence on the other end.
"Grandfather, my mom died so horribly. Zhang Zhongyong forced her to kill herself. She took sleeping pills and started foaming and convulsing. You weren't here these past six months — you don't know how he and that fox have treated us. We've been treated worse than pigs and dogs, boohoo."
Jing Shu frowned. She thought it was a little selfish to be talking like that when the woman wasn't even dead yet.
Just as Jing Shu was deciding whether to say something to Su Guosheng, an aged female voice came through the phone. "Ai Lin was my hireling. If she forced that bitch to death, then Ai Lin did well. Su Meimei deserves to taste being the third. Good job. As for you — Zhang Hanhhan? I can take you in, but do you dare come?"
Zhang Hanhhan stammered, trembling. "Y-you are—"
The voice answered, "I'm your maternal grandfather's legal wife. You should call me Maternal Grandmother. Any other business?"
Everyone there looked stunned. Jing Shu's mouth slowly opened. She never imagined the story would be this dramatic. In her previous life she had no idea there were so many hidden family histories.
Zhang Zhongyong finally released Ai Lin's hand and asked in disbelief, "Why? How long has this been going on? Why were you hiding it from me? Ai Lin, didn't you love me?"
A mocking laugh came over the phone. "Love you? Fifteen years ago you were a nobody. You had no money and no power. Why should such an exceptional woman be your mistress and bear your child? If I hadn't paid tens of thousands every year, who would've put up with you?"
Ai Lin's mouth fell open. She clung to Zhang Zhongyong's arm and shook her head. "Zhongyong, listen to me. At first I took the job for the paycheck, but after I was with you I really fell for you. Our child is Ai Yong. I love you, Yong. I love you. Don't you understand?"
Zhang Zhongyong felt something different, a shadow over him. He nodded weakly. "Maybe."
Ai Lin ground her teeth. After the apocalypse she'd worked hard to make a life and clung to Zhang Zhongyong's leg, afraid to let go. Who would've thought that an old witch would come to stir the pot? And this whole family wasn't any better.
"You old witch, you've been cheating for a long time. Your current child isn't even Su Guosheng's. You've been putting a green hat on him all these years. It's time he found out!" Ai Lin roared.
Then the call cut off. The air turned cold.
Only Zhang Hanhhan laughed. "I'm my grandfather's only bloodline. He won't abandon me."