The Abused Heroine Stops Pretending [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 26

The group sped up their search and finally uncovered several key pieces of evidence.

“So, that man wasn’t her lover, he was her brother?”

Everyone was stunned.

No one could blame them for their shock. After all, no one could have anticipated such a twist.

“Wan Niang’s brother was a talented scholar, while Young Master Tian was nothing but a spoiled playboy,” Tang Jing remarked with a raised eyebrow.

Young Master Tian’s full name was Tian Su. He had published several poetry collections in the market and was hailed as a literary prodigy.

But now, based on the evidence they had gathered, it turned out this so-called “prodigy” had no talent whatsoever. He spent his days bragging and carousing with his good-for-nothing friends in various taverns or visiting brothels to listen to songs hardly the refined demeanor one would expect from a poet.

They had even found some of Young Master Tian’s own “poetry,” which was nothing but incoherent drivel.

“So, this Young Master Tian blackmailed Wan Niang, forcing her brother to sell his poetry to him so he could pass it off as his own and gain a reputation as a prodigy,” Tian Qi said with a sneer. “What a scumbag. Ugh!”

Her outburst not only left Tang Jing and the others torn between laughter and exasperation but also sent the live-stream audience into fits of laughter.

Perhaps because she had let go of her inhibitions, Tian Qi had left a much better impression on viewers this season compared to the previous two.

In fact, thanks to her unfiltered personality, she had even gained a surge of followers on Weibo.

“Now that Wan Niang’s brother couldn’t produce any more poetry, this scumbag showed his true colors and pushed Wan Niang into the well on their wedding day,” Meng Xue said.

“But who locked the bride at the bottom of the well?” Jian Anping frowned, utterly perplexed.

“Madam Tian!” they all exclaimed in unison before gasping.

Throughout their investigation, Madam Tian had come across as kind and benevolent, both in public and in private.

However, Young Master Tian had mentioned that he often saw Wan Niang’s figure in the courtyard, which terrified him so much he refused to leave his room. He even believed it was Wan Niang’s ghost, causing him to waste away.

But once, while drinking with his friends, he had mentioned that Wan Niang’s figure resembled his mother’s, making him think he was hallucinating from fear.

Yet how could such a coincidence exist? Combined with the handkerchief belonging to Wan Niang found under Madam Tian’s pillow, the group concluded that it was Madam Tian who had locked Wan Niang in the well.

On the night of the wedding, Young Master Tian had pushed Wan Niang into the well, but she hadn’t died. When Madam Tian discovered this, she secretly descended into the well in the dead of night to lock Wan Niang away not only to protect her son but also to keep Wan Niang’s brother under control. She even poisoned Wan Niang to render her mute, ensuring no one would find out.

“Truly, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Both mother and son are equally ruthless,” someone muttered.

“Poor Wan Niang’s brother.”

Though they had uncovered the truth, no one felt particularly happy about it, the story was far too depressing.

“Isn’t anyone going to punish the Tian family?” Tian Qi fumed indignantly.

“What about Wan Niang’s brother?” Tang Jing suddenly spoke up.

The others snapped to attention. “Right! Where is Liu Xiangsheng?”

Liu Xiangsheng was Wan Niang’s brother’s full name. Born into poverty, he had no money for schooling, let alone taking the imperial exams. As a result, his literary talents had been buried.

And because of his lowly status, he had been bullied and blackmailed by Young Master Tian through Wan Niang.

Everyone turned toward the last remaining door. After exchanging glances, they stepped forward and pushed it open.

Behind the door sat a man dressed as a warrior, a blood-stained blade laid across the table. On the ground lay Tian Shao and his mother, both murdered.

At the sight of this scene, Tang Jing and the others halted, exchanging glances. None dared to step forward.

“Little sister, your brother has avenged you,” the man murmured softly, his back turned to them.

“Is that Liu Xiangsheng?!” Sun Sijia suddenly exclaimed.

Her shrill voice made everyone’s ears ache, but no one paid her any mind. Instead, their attention was fixed on the man at the table his back and arms covered in scars, his skin dark and rough, bearing no resemblance to the refined man they had seen on Wan Niang’s wedding day.

When the man turned around, they saw a deep scar running from his brow down to the corner of his lips. Their hearts trembled not out of fear, but shock and sorrow.

“In ancient times, a man with scars on his face could never be considered a scholar again,” Jian Anping sighed.

The others remained silent.

Though the scourges Tian Shao and his mother had been eliminated, Liu Xiangsheng’s life was now ruined just like his little sister’s.

This already impoverished family had suffered such a cruel fate that anyone who saw them couldn’t help but feel pity.

“The key.” Tang Jing suddenly remembered something and pulled a key from her pocket, the one they had found in the previous challenge.

The group immediately retraced their steps to the well in the courtyard.

“Teacher Tang, we’ll go down with you,” Tian Qi said.

Their hearts had changed. At first, they had feared the ghost bride, but now that they knew Wan Niang wasn’t dead and had endured so much suffering they no longer felt any fear.

“The space below is narrow. Not all of us need to go down,” Tang Jing said.

“Little sister.” Liu Xiangsheng’s voice echoed from a distance.

“Right, let Wan Niang’s brother go down instead,” Luo Dong suggested, his eyes lighting up.

“Exactly.”

Just then, Liu Xiangsheng arrived. Tang Jing handed him the key.

Clasping his fists, Liu Xiangsheng bowed deeply. “Thank you, my benefactors.” Then he turned and descended into the well.

After Liu Xiangsheng rescued his sister from the depths, the escape room recording came to an end.

Once they exited, everyone smiled. Though Liu Xiangsheng would have to answer for the deaths of Tian Shao and his mother, the reunion of the siblings and Wan Niang’s escape from misery was the best possible outcome.

On the way back, exhaustion overtook them. They dozed off, slumped in their seats.

Even Sun Sijia had no energy left for scheming.

Upon returning to the village, they retreated to their own courtyard, washed up, and went straight to bed.

The next morning, when Tang Jing awoke, the surroundings were unusually quiet. Normally, Meng Xue would already be up by this time, but today there was no movement likely because yesterday had been too exhausting, and they had slept late.

Tang Jing got up, washed, and headed to the kitchen to prepare breakfast.

By the time the meal was ready, Meng Xue emerged from her room. Seeing the breakfast already set on the table, she blinked in surprise. “Teacher Tang.”

“You’re up. Come eat,” Tang Jing said, placing the bowls and chopsticks on the table.

Meng Xue looked embarrassed. “I should have been the one to make it.”

Usually, Tang Jing handled lunch while Meng Xue took care of breakfast. But today, she had overslept.

“It’s fine,” Tang Jing reassured her. “Hurry and eat before it gets cold.”

“Alright.” Meng Xue didn’t argue further and pulled out a chair to sit down.

While the two were eating, a scream came from behind the house. They exchanged glances, put down their chopsticks, and rushed out without finishing their meal.

The scream came from Sun Sijia, who was now crying in the field.

Tang Jing and Meng Xue quickly noticed that many of the vegetables in the field had withered, and the soil was cracked and dry clearly, it hadn’t been watered for a long time.

“Sister Tang, Senior Meng,” Sun Sijia called out, her voice trembling with grievance as she ran toward them. “I don’t know how these vegetables died. Someone must have sabotaged them!” She huffed angrily, her face flushed with indignation.

Tang Jing and Meng Xue shared a knowing look, they understood exactly why the vegetables had died.

Meng Xue stepped forward to console her. “Your crops probably dried out. Try watering them and see if they can recover.”

Sun Sijia’s expression froze in disbelief. “Dried out?” She frowned. “But I did water them!”

“When was the last time you watered them?”

“Maybe three days ago?” Sun Sijia counted on her fingers before shaking her head. “No, wait, five days ago.”

Meng Xue: “…”

“Do I have to water them every day?” Sun Sijia whined, her face scrunching up in annoyance.

When she had first leased this plot of land, she had dutifully come to water it daily, though not out of diligence, but ulterior motives. After all, her reason for taking the land in the first place had been anything but genuine.

Later, for various reasons, her visits became less frequent. Naturally, without care, the field had dried up.

She subtly glanced toward the staff nearby and complained, “I may have leased this land, but I can’t be expected to tend to it around the clock. Shouldn’t someone else help maintain it? I’m not a professional, after all.”

Viewers watching the livestream were instantly repulsed by Sun Sijia’s behavior and they didn’t miss the pointed look she gave the staff.

[Ugh, is this little green tea starting her drama again?]

[She’s always stirring up trouble. I’m exhausted.]

[Same. If it weren’t for Tang Jing and Meng Xue, I’d have dropped this show ages ago.]

[Director, PLEASE kick Sun Sijia out! She’s the only annoying one in this show!]

[Exactly! Everyone else is great, but I skip every time she’s on screen.]

[Lol, I just watch Tang Jing’s solo livestream. Even if Sun Sijia pops up occasionally, at least our Tang Jing ignores her.]

[Please, Tang Jing, keep ignoring this little green tea!]

[Now that you mention it, hasn’t Tang Jing gone half a month without speaking to Sun Sijia?]

[YES! Keep it up! Cut ties with her completely!]

Unaware of the viewers’ comments, Tang Jing and Meng Xue only noticed the staff members’ darkening expressions as Sun Sijia continued her passive-aggressive remarks.

Meng Xue’s smile was barely holding on.

Tang Jing spoke coolly, “We paid for two months’ worth of vegetables. If you can’t supply them, you’ll have to compensate us.” With that, she turned and walked away, unwilling to stay any longer.

Sun Sijia’s eyes reddened with anger and self-pity, on the verge of tears.

Meng Xue pressed her lips together and offered, “Let me help you water them, junior.”

Sun Sijia gave a sullen nod. “Mm.”

Support The Abused Heroine Stops Pretending [Quick Transmigration]