Realizing that it was taking longer than expected, Su Jin got out of the carriage after telling her children to stay put.
“What’s the situation? Her wound doesn’t seem to be light… Can she still be saved? You…” Su Jin suddenly stopped. She was planning to ask the housekeeper to bring the woman to the clinic, thinking that they could not leave someone to die in the wild, but the System interrupted her before she could finish her sentence.
“Host, this woman’s true appearance is hidden behind a disguise, using something akin to skin props.”
System#2250 adjusted its glasses that appeared from nowhere as it carefully examined the suspicious woman.
Su Jin squinted her eyes and looked at the person, who was still groaning on the ground, with mocking eyes. A layer of skin, was it?
(Looks like a new toy had arrived knocking on my door.)
Su Jin arched her eyebrows and resumed speaking, “Given the severity of her injuries, she won’t be able to live much longer. Let’s do her a favour and end her suffering. Grant her a proper burial on the spot.”
Having finished her words, Su Jin turned around and made eye contact with housekeeper Xiao, who was already suspicious of the situation. After receiving clear affirmation from his employer, he promptly executed her orders.
Making a quick trip back to the carriage, he returned with a shovel in hand and began digging a trench next to the woman.
As one would expect of an excellent housekeeper, he acts efficiently in all sorts of situation.
Hearing their ridiculous exchange, Hua Lian could barely catch her breath and nearly passed away on the spot for a completely different reason. She was so confused that she forgot to maintain the act of moaning in pain.
(What in god’s name was that response? A proper burial!?)
Her original plan was to appeal to Su Jin’s sympathy as a fellow woman in unfortunate circumstances, expecting her target would, at the bare minimum, arrange to take her to a clinic. This would provide Hua Lian with a reason to approach Su Jin in the future under the guise of repaying her benefactor.
Never in her wildest dream did she expect the housekeeper to be an insensitive blockhead, and Su Jin to be even more vicious.
Simply deciding to write her off as a dead person without doing a proper examination? How could they have not heard her moans? Or even not notice signs of breathing from the rising and sinking motion of her chest? Are they really human? Just for a moment, Hua Lian was left with the impression that the cruel antics of the two in front of her made her feel like her long-time comrades were newborn babies in comparison.
Hua Lian’s fingers trembled with anger. Giving up on the act of being unconscious, she opened her eyes and coughed weakly. In a feeble and pitiful voice, she asked them, “Did you save me..?”
Su Jin silently looked at her, as the corners of her lips gradually curved up, revealing an innocent and harmless smile.
“That’s right. We had to pay a pretty hefty price for that. How do you plan on repaying us? How about selling yourself into slavery?”
Su Jin whimsically spouted nonsense with a mischievous glint in her eyes. She wanted to sound out what the woman was plotting.
Hua Lian’s breathing intensified. She had never encountered someone as shameless as Su Jin.
Although she was enraged by the treatment she received, the events somewhat unfolded in line with Hua Lian’s original intentions when she reassessed the overall situation. It was never too late for revenge. She swore to serve Su Jin with the most vicious poisonous in her arsenal, letting her experience a living hell as her body slowly rotted away, before finally passing away.
Suppressing her emotions, Hua Lian submissively raised her head, her gaze pretending to be filled with gratitude. “This humble woman has nothing in my name to repay your honourable grace in saving me. Please accept this lowly one as your slave in return for saving this insignificant life.”
Su Jin looked at the woman with a feigned smile, as she finally caught on to the woman’s motives.
(So you were aiming to infiltrate my household, huh? Seems like those b*stards had taken the indirect route.)
Su Jin leaned over and whispered into Hua Lian’s ear, “Sure thing, I hope you won’t regret your decision…”
After that, Su Jin headed back to the carriage after instructing housekeeper Xiao to bring Hua Lian along with them.
Hua Lian felt her heart skip a beat. For unknown reasons, feelings of unease crept into her heart as though a warning signal sounding off an ominous premonition.
Housekeeper Xiao fulfilled his task with a condescending attitude. He found a worn-out cushion and wrapped his hands under it, dragging Hua Lian around like one would treat a slaughtered livestock, before finally leaning her against the shaft outside the carriage, with no intention of letting her enter.
Hua Lian: “…”
She maintained a nonchalant expression and shut her eyes while masking her anger. She almost lost her temper, barely able to restrain herself back from ditching her act and assaulting them right there.
The rest of the trip went smoothly and they quickly made it back to the Su family’s manor.
Su Jin lifted her kids down from the carriage one by one and requested the maid to bring them to clean up at the bathroom. After that, she turned around and glanced at the woman who seemed to be clinging on the edge between life and death, leaning at the side of the carriage. Su Jin smiled in amusement as she conveyed the treatment of the woman to her aide.
“Arrange for her to stay in one of the shed outside the manor. From now onwards, she would take over the chores of the mute granny. Reassign the granny to lighter chores.”
“Roger that…”
Housekeeper Xiao was perplexed by Su Jin’s instructions but did not say anything more.
Hua Lian secretly listened, her eyes still firmly shut. Although she was silently cursing Su Jin from the bottom of her heart, she felt satisfied at the same time. She had accomplished her first objective and successfully infiltrated the manor. It won’t be long before an opening would appear for her to carry out the rest of her tasks.
All she had to focus on now was to familiarize herself with the out the ins and outs of this household. When the chance presents itself, she would indiscriminately poison everyone to death, except for that boy.
“Host, why did you let her off? You had always eliminated these kinds of people immediately on the spot in the past.”
The System could not understand her decision either. Over the past few years, countless people had attempted to bring harm to its host.
Some were business rivals attempting to suppress the growth of her business, while others came to steal the secrets of her hotpot recipe and wine brewing procedures. Most of them underestimated Su Jin as an ignorant young lady without any powerful backer and wanted to devour her business through underhanded means. All of them had been sent on a one-way trip to the gates of hell.
Its host had always acted decisively and wiped them out. Yet, this time round…
Su Jin had a stoic expression as she answered in a cold tone, “Do you remember the group of rats that followed us today? If I am not mistaken, this woman in disguise must be a part of that group. After all, it made no sense for them to suddenly withdraw without making any moves.”
“Given that they had gone through the trouble of sending someone to infiltrate the household, their plans must have changed. If they were just after my life, there was no need to go through such trouble. As for their new objectives… I am sure we will find out soon enough.”
Su Jin twiddled her thumbs, as the corners of her lips gradually raised, forming a grin on her face…
Eradicating that pesky rat before anything happened would be too boring. Instead, by pretending to be ignorant and keeping the woman alive, Su Jin could torment her as a form of entertainment while watching the woman dance within their palms. Who knows, it might even bring along unexpected benefits.
The System nodded in agreement after being enlightened, patting its chest as it declared to Su Jin, “Count on me to monitor her closely.”
Su Jin curled her lips and praised the System without a single shred of sincerity, “You are truly amazing~~”
Thinking that Su Jin genuinely appreciated its actions, the System felt proud. With this newfound motivation, the System stopped slothing around like a lazybones and got out of its comfortable quilt, setting aside the dramas that it was watching and started to work seriously.
(Just another ordinary day, being a productive member of the society!)
……
The next day before dawn…
A well kempt housekeeper Xiao could be seen walking towards a straw shed on the outskirts of the manor. After knocking on the slightly closed door while using his other hand to wipe away the morning dew condensed on his shoulders, he entered the premise without waiting for a response.
With an emotionless expression, he shifted his gaze to the person lying on the old wooden plank and spoke in a cold tone, “Get up. It’s time for you to start work.”
Hua Lian: “…”
Only after being guided here last night did she realize that the inhumane Su Jin had arranged an uninhabitable accommodation for her. Not only did the place lack a proper bed, she was not even given a blanket to keep herself warm throughout the cold night. And now she even had to deal with this crappy treatment – the sun had yet to rise, and she’s been ordered to start working!?
Setting aside the obvious fact that her wound would not have healed overnight, would any sane person force a weak and feeble woman to start work before the first ray of sunlight even appeared?
Gritting her teeth to swallow her anger, Hua Lian vowed to grant Su Jin and the others an insufferable and antagonizing death.
Hua Lian gave up on seeking for an opening through Su Jin’s housekeeper. This lackey was practically immune to all forms of temptations – not showing the slightest compassion or interest towards her. An insensitive and complete blockhead.
Unable to risk taking any action that would blow her cover, Hua Lian could only reluctantly follow the command.
Trembling with anger, she stood up and silently followed behind housekeeper Xiao. It wasn’t long before she realized that their destination was a nearby latrine…
All emotions that she had suppressed till now had resurfaced uncontrollably.
(Go screw yourself! You are giving me the job to clean up manure?)
(F*ck all these shit. I can’t take it anymore. The façade ends here and now! I swear that I will poison them to death today, one way or another!)
Hua Lian’s mental state collapsed as her mind entertained all kinds of vicious plans to retaliate, subconsciously receiving the bucket of excrement with trembling hands that housekeeper Xiao had kicked towards her.
Noticing that the woman was shivering, housekeeper Xiao followed up with a sarcastic remark, “Are you a disabled person? Not only has your wounds not healed, but your arms and legs are shaking all over. Are you suffering from some kind of chronic disease?”
Hua Lian: “What the…?”
(Screw you! You are the one who’s sick! Everyone in this household is f*cking sick in the mind!!!!!)
Overwhelmed with resentment, Hua Lian lost all reason and tried to fling the bucket. But due to her rushed and unnatural movements, she lost her grip on the bucket and it came crashing to the ground, spilling its contents all over the surrounding area.
“Ah…”
Hua Lian, who was closest to the bucket, was naturally drenched in filth. Her mind blanked out for an instant, before screaming ferociously as her body trembled. She subconsciously turned her body, hoping to find someone to help her.
But not a lingering shadow could be seen…
TL Corner: I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Do let me know in the comments or discord if there are any errors or mistakes.
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