Bullying The Sister-In-Law - Chapter 33

Initially, Liu Guoqiang thought Su Zhiluo was just trying to scare them. When Su Zhiluo rushed at him with a knife, Liu Guoqiang retreated in fear, while Cheng Sui kept yelling, “Murderer, murderer.”

Chang Ruyin was startled. She also initially thought Su Zhiluo was only threatening them, but seeing Su Zhiluo actually thrust the knife forward, she quickly grabbed Su Zhiluo’s waist and took the knife away. “It’s not worth it, it’s not worth it. Don’t lower yourself to their level. Let’s get out of here.”

Su Zhiluo was pulled outside. Seeing that the danger had passed, Cheng Sui couldn’t control her mouth again. She said, “We are Cheng Xu’s parents. Who are you! We haven’t acknowledged you, so what kind of sister-in-law are you to her!”

Chang Ruyin couldn’t stand it and yelled back, “You abandoned Liu Chengxu and left her with her for eight years! If Zhiluo isn’t her sister-in-law, then you two are animals!”

Cheng Sui’s face flushed crimson from the scolding. Liu Guoqiang tugged at her, signaling her to leave first. He wondered if it was their fault for not finding Liu Chengxu. Su Zhiluo noticed this, which instantly provoked her. She struggled free, snatched the knife back, and was about to charge. Liu Guoqiang was terrified and ran into the factory, both of them screaming, “Murder! Murder!”

The people nearby were alarmed and quickly called the police. In the end, all four of them were taken to the police station.

Before the police arrived, all four had started fighting. Su Zhiluo even picked up stones and threw them at Liu Guoqiang.

At the police station, the four underwent counseling. Chang Ruyin argued fiercely: “What’s wrong with taking out a knife? Weren’t they the ones who started it? Didn’t they throw a cup at us? Can’t we defend ourselves? Besides, these two owe a huge amount of debt and haven’t paid it back.”

If they were going to be detained, fine, detain both sides.

So, they spent a day and a night at the police station.

The police certainly intended to mediate and work on both parties. Liu Guoqiang and Cheng Sui chased after Su Zhiluo and cursed her, but Su Zhiluo wasn’t afraid of them. As soon as she stepped out of the police station, she grabbed her bag and swung it at their heads.

With no other choice, the police had them talk face-to-face.

Liu Guoqiang dropped the act entirely: “Fine, if you give us money, we won’t go looking for Cheng Xu.”

Su Zhiluo asked, “Are you trying to sell Cheng Xu to me?”

“Give us the money and we promise not to go. You’re well-off now, right? If it weren’t for you, our family would be even richer now.”

“How much do you want?”

“Three hundred thousand.”

“Then I’ll spend three hundred thousand to chop you to death!”

The police slammed the table, demanding they watch their language.

Su Zhiluo said, “I’m giving you a choice: either I go back to Beishi immediately and post notices in your old neighborhood, telling your creditors where you are, or you two get lost!”

Liu Guoqiang was genuinely scared. After a moment’s thought, he said, “Cheng Xu will help us pay the debt.”

Su Zhiluo slammed her hand on the table. “You’re not in a position to negotiate with me. Recognize the situation, do you even have a choice!”

After sitting for half an hour, Liu Guoqiang stood up first and pulled Cheng Sui. Cheng Sui was unwilling, staring fiercely at Su Zhiluo, her eyes full of resentment and hatred.

Su Zhiluo spoke as if making a compromise: “Fine, you want money, I can give you a sum. But nothing more, and don’t go looking for her for the next two years.”

Cheng Sui raised her eyes. “One hundred thousand.”

Su Zhiluo took out her phone. Chang Ruyin, afraid these two would try to extort her later, stopped her from giving the money. Su Zhiluo turned her back to her. Cheng Sui brought her own phone over and had just opened her Alipay app.

Su Zhiluo raised her hand and slapped her hard across the face. Cheng Sui was stunned. Su Zhiluo said, “That’s the slap you gave me back then. I’m returning it to you!”

Cheng Sui was dazed.

The police quickly rushed over when they heard the commotion and scolded Su Zhiluo, “Do you really want to end up in jail!”

Su Zhiluo said, “I don’t even care about my life, why would I be afraid of this? They ruined Cheng Xu, which means they ruined me. Let’s all die together!”

Cheng Sui shouted, “Arrest her, arrest her, she’s a murderer…”

Su Zhiluo cut her off: “Say that again and I’ll hit you again.”

Su Zhiluo looked at Liu Guoqiang and asked, “Do you still want money?”

Liu Guoqiang’s forehead was broken from where she hit him with the stone, and he had just been loudly demanding money for medical treatment.

The couple was persuaded to leave. Su Zhiluo was lectured for a long time, but she didn’t listen, only responding with “Mm” and “Oh.”

When she came out, her knife had been confiscated. Chang Ruyin was pulled aside by the police for a few words.

Chang Ruyin came out and immediately grabbed Su Zhiluo’s bag, searching through it. She pulled out a suicide note. “What are you doing? Is it worth it? I really don’t understand, how long have you and Liu Jinhuan been together, and yet you’d go this far for Liu Chengxu?”

“I was only with her sister for two years, but… I’ve been with Cheng Xu for eight years.”

Su Zhiluo reached out to take the note back, biting her lip stubbornly. Chang Ruyin immediately tore it up.

As they left the police station, Chang Ruyin held her hand, not saying a word until finally, with red eyes, she looked at her and said, “I forbid you to do this. Never again.”

Su Zhiluo replied with an “Mm.” “Thank you.”

“Buy me dinner, what good is a verbal thank you.” Chang Ruyin had returned to her rented apartment, found Su Zhiluo gone, and couldn’t get through when she called her, feeling like something bad was about to happen, so she quickly bought a ticket and rushed over. It was a good thing she came quickly…

Su Zhiluo said, “I know what I’m doing.” She tucked her hair behind her ear, revealing the bruise on her forehead. “I’ll treat you to dinner.”

Chang Ruyin looked at her deeply red eyes, her heart aching with sadness and disappointment. “You are a living Buddha! You are a Bodhisattva!”

The two went to a nearby dim sum restaurant. Chang Ruyin took out the medicine she had bought and applied it to Su Zhiluo, unable to stop scolding her. After the scolding, she said, “Liu Chengxu should see this clearly and honor you for the rest of her life.”

Su Zhiluo lowered her eyes. “As long as she lives well, that’s enough. I’m not afraid she won’t honor me; I’m afraid she won’t move forward.”

Chang Ruyin found it hard to listen; Su Zhiluo must be in even more pain. Chang Ruyin said, “I’m good to you, right! Fighting alongside you. Tell me, anyone who dates me is lucky, aren’t they?”

“I’m lucky to have you as a friend, let alone her.” Su Zhiluo replied.

A few simple compliments satisfied Chang Ruyin. After they ate, they went to print flyers and posted them on utility poles near the factory. The two went back that day, betting that those parents wouldn’t dare to return.

Downstairs at the rented apartment, Chang Ruyin was saying, “After this busy period, we need to rent an apartment that matches our status,” to which Su Zhiluo laughed and replied, “What’s our status, living in a palace?”

As the words fell, they heard a trembling and urgent voice call out, “Ruyin.” Both looked up and saw Yang Jie standing downstairs.

“Huh?” Chang Ruyin stared blankly. Yang Jie strode towards her, her eyes full of worry, asking, “I called you, why didn’t you answer?”

“Oh, the battery died.” Chang Ruyin took out her phone to look.

Yang Jie walked over and hugged her anxiously.

Su Zhiluo stood by the side, feeling both relieved and a little envious. She didn’t disturb them and quietly went upstairs.

Su Zhiluo sat leaning against the bed, scrolling through her chat history with Liu Chengxu.

Liu Chengxu and her friends were working in different fields.

Meng Zhengyue and Zha Baomei found an apartment to share, with a commute of an hour and a half. They had saved some money from modeling during school, so they weren’t so strapped for cash.

Su Zhiluo had initially told Liu Chengxu to share an apartment with her friends, as their “home” was at least three hours away from her internship company.

Liu Chengxu said she had other arrangements because she wanted to come over.

If possible, Su Zhiluo still wished Liu Chengxu didn’t like her.

Even she couldn’t distinguish the nature of this love—whether it was romantic love or familial love. She had a bond with Liu Chengxu, a full eight years, even pushing back to nine, ten years…

Su Zhiluo picked up the photo frame on the table. Just two years ago, Liu Chengxu still looked like a naive student. The last time she attended the graduation ceremony, Liu Chengxu was already a very accomplished adult.

A feeling of sourness started from her temples.

It instantly swept over her entire brain.

She set the photo of Liu Chengxu in her graduation gown as her chat background.

It’s just as she thought.

She raised her, scrimping and saving, giving her everything she had. How could Liu Chengxu not be excellent? How could she be sucked dry by others?

That silly girl thought she had sought her out herself. Even if Liu Chengxu hadn’t come over, Su Zhiluo would have pulled her out of that dog kennel, led her back from the grave. Did Liu Chengxu really think she only threw the key to her because she was desperately clinging on?

It was clearly because Su Zhiluo hadn’t hesitated.

Liu Chengxu chose Su Zhiluo when she was at the end of her rope, but Su Zhiluo chose the penniless Liu Chengxu without any hesitation.

Their last chat entry was:

Liu Chengxu: I received another offer, the benefits are better than in Beishi.

Su Zhiluo typed: I don’t understand, you choose what you want.

She even had to look up what “offer” meant.

A few days later, Liu Chengxu replied: Let’s meet one last time.

She thought: Please, please, please say “whatever you want” as well, let me see you one more time.

Su Zhiluo touched her forehead; the bruise hadn’t faded yet. She typed: It’s too far, no need to come.

Liu Chengxu: Okay, I understand.

She stood still, looking at the devastation all around, unable to pick up even a single shard of debris.

July.

Liu Chengxu was completely out of school, and her life faced many choices. She slapped herself hard twice, cursing herself to be tougher, tougher, not to crawl back like a dog.

But she couldn’t control her feet. She bought a ticket, wanting to see Su Zhiluo one last time.

She wanted to say:

Su Zhiluo, I don’t ask for a lifetime after lifetime. Can you just give me this one life?

If in the next life, you still love my sister, and you are still very much in love.

I will pretend that nothing ever happened. I will restrain myself. I won’t fight or compete. I will try my best to keep up the pretense… So, please, can I just have this lifetime?