Chapter 21: Messing with You Two Is Like Messing with the King of Hell

Shen Wei’s face turned ashen.

Explain? What could she possibly explain?

There were so many juicy stories here that even she didn’t know about—where could she have gotten them from? And she certainly wouldn’t have told her son!

But no one believed her!

How old was Lin Ruihu? If an adult hadn’t told him these things, how could he have repeated them?!

The crowd’s anger reached an unprecedented peak.

A few hot-tempered aunties even started tearing into her directly.

Several people held Shen Wei down and beat her until she howled.

“No! Listen to me, let me explain… I really didn’t say anything!”

A plump woman plopped right on top of her and slapped her twice, left and right, with a loud “smack, smack”: “Damn it! Explain your mother’s ass! Do I look like a fool to you?”

“Exactly! Shen Wei, today I’m going to tear that filthy mouth of yours apart!”

The women fought in a tangle.

To be precise, it was a one-sided torture session on Shen Wei. Even her lackeys, Zhang Yanfang and Li Xue, sneaked into the crowd and gave her a few kicks, leaving her covered in bruises and with several clumps of hair torn out.

If Lin Zhiguo hadn’t arrived in time, Shen Wei might have been beaten to death.

“Wahhh… Brother Zhi Guo, they almost beat me to death! I demand an explanation for what happened today!”

“Pah!” The aunties spat in her face: “When you were gossiping about us outside, why didn’t you think about today, you shameless bitch? You want an explanation? Go explain to your grandma’s leg!”

Shen Wei, terrified, hid behind Lin Zhiguo.

Covering her swollen, red face, she sobbed uncontrollably.

Lin Zhiguo hurriedly intervened: “Sisters-in-law, there must be some misunderstanding here!”

His head was spinning. Only after endless apologies and buying gifts did he finally manage to resolve the situation.

Once back home, Shen Wei threw herself onto the bed and began wailing.

“I have no face to show myself anymore… Wahhh… Are we just going to let this go? Lin Zhiguo, are you even a man? Your woman gets bullied, and you don’t even think about standing up for me!”

Lin Zhiguo, terrified, quickly covered her mouth, gritting his teeth: “What nonsense are you spouting!”

Shen Wei only cried harder, accusing him of being heartless.

She had followed him without any status or recognition, and now she wasn’t even getting any sympathy.

Lin Zhiguo’s ears were ringing, and his temper flared.

“Enough! If you hadn’t blabbered nonsense in front of the child, would this have happened?”

Shen Wei widened her eyes: “You don’t believe me either?”

Lin Zhiguo rolled his eyes—wasn’t it obvious?

If Shen Wei hadn’t said those things, how could the child have learned them?

Shen Wei was clearly “at fault” to begin with, yet she kept making a fuss without end.

Shen Wei was furious.

She felt she had suffered an utterly unjust disaster.

In a rage, she interrogated Lin Ruihu harshly: “Speak! Who told you to do this?!”

Lin Ruihu stammered, too afraid to say.

So Shen Wei pinned him down and beat him again.

He cried in hiccups.

Feeling like the most pitiful person in the world, beaten three times in one day—no one was worse off than him.

But he still didn’t dare to speak.

Because that damn girl Lin Tongtong had said that if he dared to rat her out, she’d make him itch to death immediately.

Maybe it was just his imagination.

But Lin Ruihu felt his body itching terribly again—probably the poison was acting up. He needed to find the antidote quickly.

So, under Shen Wei’s fierce questioning, not only did he say nothing, but he also pushed Shen Wei away: “You said it! You taught me to say it!”

With that, he dashed off in a flash.

Lin Zhiguo watched coldly, then turned and walked away, too lazy to console Shen Wei any further.

Shen Wei was furious. Beaten sore all over by those women, she had groaned in pain all night in bed. The next day, she went to work covered in bruises.

Then her supervisor called her in for a talk, saying someone had reported her for misconduct and spreading rumors. Not only was she docked two months’ salary, but she was also ordered to attend a week of ideological and political classes and write a self-criticism.

Having lost both face and dignity, Shen Wei nearly coughed up blood in anger.

Zhang Yanfang had completely fallen out with her. Whenever they crossed paths in the hospital, Zhang would give her disdainful looks and make sarcastic remarks.

Shen Wei was seething with rage but had nowhere to vent it, leaving her utterly frustrated.

…

Meanwhile, Lin Ruihu, grimacing in discomfort, found Tongtong and thrust his head forward. “Where’s the antidote?”

Tongtong blinked her big eyes, looking completely innocent. “What antidote?”

Lin Ruihu grew anxious. “The antidote for the poison you gave me that makes me itch! Where is it!”

Tongtong’s eyes curved into crescents as she feigned sudden understanding.

“Oh… that thing? That wasn’t poison at all—it was just itching powder I sprinkled on you. It’s already worn off, you know~”

Lin Ruihu: “!!!”

His eyes widened in disbelief.

So what had he endured all this for? What was it all worth?!

He felt both physically and mentally scarred.

Seeing Tongtong’s smiling face, his composure finally shattered.

With a loud “Waaah,” he ran off crying.

Tongtong triumphantly lifted her little chin.

Hmph! With such poor resilience, how dare he try to bully her!

Cheerfully, she went home to fetch a small basket, planning to head into the mountains behind.

The Military District was nestled in a valley, surrounded by rolling hills.

Tongtong wanted to gather some medicinal herbs for future needs.

Si Muchen, who had been hiding in the shadows and witnessed the entire scene, curled his lips into a smile.

He found it utterly amusing.

He had never felt life could be so interesting before.

[System, misfortune transfer, target: Lin Ruihu, three times!]

[Received! Misfortune transfer initiated!]

No sooner had the words been spoken than Lin Ruihu, who had just run off crying, stumbled headfirst into a filthy ditch.

[Tsk tsk tsk… that’s ruthless!] the System couldn’t help but remark. [That kid has messed with the two of you—it’s like picking a fight with the King of Hell!]

Si Muchen, hands in his pockets and expression cool, let out a soft hum.

Seeing Tongtong about to head up the mountain, he thought for a moment and decided to follow.

Although the little girl was quite capable, there was no guarantee she wouldn’t encounter danger.

Tongtong found plenty of medicinal herbs along the way, delighting her immensely.

The resources here were far better than in the post-apocalyptic world. In her past life, her mother had loved taking her to scavenge for supplies and herbs.

If she brought back this many, Mother would surely be thrilled!

In no time, her small basket was filled to the brim.

Tongtong stared at the overflowing herbs, tilted her head thoughtfully, then turned and called out crisply toward the trees behind her, “Brother Muchen, you’ve been following me all this way. Aren’t you coming out?”

Hehe! There was too much to carry—she needed to find some free labor.

Si Muchen: “…”

So all his hiding had been for nothing?

Sighing inwardly, he resignedly stepped out from behind the tree.

Seeing the little girl with her smiling, crescent-shaped eyes, he couldn’t help but let a faint smile touch his lips, though he quickly suppressed it.

Clearing his throat, he explained with a straight face, “I was just passing by.”

Tongtong didn’t believe him.

But since she needed his help, she decided not to call him out on it.

“…Alright then.”

“Brother Muchen, can you help me carry all these things back home? I… I’m too small, I can’t carry them.”

Her large, dark eyes were filled with grievance as she looked at him expectantly, yet a hint of slyness was hidden deep within.

Si Muchen couldn’t help but roll his eyes.

She was trying to make him her servant.

“No way! I’m going home to eat!”

As soon as he refused, the System in his mind began to wail.

[What are you doing?!]

[Host! Don’t you want energy anymore?]

[Do you want to keep being unlucky? Do you want to choke on water, choke to death while eating, get hit by a car when you go out…]