HEIFEIGU -Chapter 32

On the screen, a man with a braid and a melon-cap secretly called a young girl into a quiet corner of the courtyard.

“Chunya, I have to tell you this,” he whispered, cautiously glancing around. Seeing no one near, he lowered his voice further. “Second Young Master plans to pawn Second Young Madam to Boss Wu of the brothel. I’m afraid this will implicate you. Here’s some silver—take it and escape quickly.”

He shoved a few pieces of silver into the girl’s hand and hurried away.

Chunya held the still-warm coins in her palm. No, she couldn’t go alone.

She had been sold as a maid to the Yue family since childhood. While other households treated their maids like beasts of burden, her mistress was different—not only did she never beat her, but she also taught her to read.

Even when accompanying her mistress to marry into the Zhu family, she protected Chunya, preventing her from being blindly married off to the Second Young Master, even trying to find her a good match so she could marry honorably.

But sadly, her mistress’s luck ran out—the Second Young Master of the Zhu family was an absolute brute.

“Miss, listen to me,” Chunya said, running to the innermost room of the backyard. Breathless, she started packing. “Pack anything valuable or useful, I’ll take you away!”

“Leave?” Yue Qinya asked, confused. “Why leave?”

“Quan Huai said Second Young Master wants to pawn you to Boss Wu for his medicinal ointments. We have to escape!”

Yue Qinya looked down at her tiny, palm-sized feet—she could barely walk steadily. Escape? How could she run?

Since birth, she had never known what running felt like.

“My feet… where could they even take me?” she muttered bitterly, unwilling to accept fate, yet forced to.

“It’s okay, Miss. If you can’t run, I can!” Chunya efficiently packed what she could see. “I’ll carry you. We’ll run as far as we can. Anywhere is better than staying here in this living hell!”

It was the first timeYue Qinya had ever felt what running was like. Chunya carried her out of the mansion, heading west toward the city.

They passed streets and alleys, even the smell of the wind felt different from that of the mansion.

Yue Qinya wasn’t particularly emotional, but tears streamed down her face as she rode on Chunya’s back. For the first time in her short life, she experienced freedom.

But ultimately, they could not escape.

Chunya was intercepted at the city gate, beaten, and locked in a wood storage room, told that when hands were freed, she would be sent to a kiln.

Yue Qinya was drugged, dazed, and returned to the innermost room of the mansion.

In the room that had once been her bridal chamber, she was beaten until her bones and tendons were broken, barely clinging to her final breath.

That breath was extinguished when her husband personally threw her into the well and buried her under rocks and soil.

Chunya did not know how many days she was unconscious. When she awoke, she was no longer in the storage room—Quan Huai was bringing her a bowl of medicinal soup.

“Where’s my mistress?” Chunya grabbed his hand tightly, eyes full of hope and longing.

Quan Huai bowed his head, silent for a moment. “Second Young Madam… is gone.”

The only person who had ever been kind to her, who treated her like family, had disappeared into the backyard well.

For the first time, Chunya felt a spark of rebellion. She would avenge her mistress. She would kill.

Once her body healed, she began contacting beggars and vagrants who had once been given alms by her mistress.

Even just a piece of bread was enough for these people to spread word throughout the city that the Second Young Master of the Zhu family had gained several boxes of the ointment.

Those who had no money and had reached their limits quickly targeted Zhu Shimei.

When he was found dead in a dark alley, his body was already cold.

Of the Zhu family’s two young masters, one had gone to the frontlines, fate unknown; the other had perished in the mud. Soon, the family collapsed.

War eventually reached the rear. Chunya had to flee to another city. The formerly ornate Zhu family mansion had fallen into disrepair.

Quan Huai arranged for the gatekeeper. Chunya, holding her bundle, knelt at the backyard well, lit an incense stick, and kowtowed three times.

“Miss, I’m leaving. If I survive, I’ll come back to see you.”

“If we meet again, if there is a next time, we must meet again.”

The screen froze. A mechanical voice sounded:

“Congratulations, player Quan You’er, for completing the mission ‘This Time.’ Player Quan You’er’s identity revealed: best friend, redeemer.”

“Player Meng Zezhou, mission failed. Identity revealed: scumbag, new-school rich heir.”

“Congratulations to all heroic players for completing the game. Ending achieved: ‘Eternal Marriage.’ Mansion secret chamber scene permanently unlocked.”

“Phew~” The guests in the observation room exhaled unconsciously.

“That scared me to death!” Li Jiani patted her chest, wiping tears and sniffling. “Luckily, You’er made it in time.”

“I really think she’s amazing. Watching her live stream, she got scared white-faced but never gave up.”

“Truly spectacular,” Yu Xinghan said, eyes red, giving an emotional review. “I didn’t expect a variety show could be this good. The emotions were completely captured.”

Ling Peng, still frowning, said nothing. He only wanted to grab Jiang Zhengqi by the collar and demand: What kind of script did you even bring? Why does none of this match?!

“The scene has been settled. We’ll start the scoring.” Yu Xinghan exhaled, adjusted his mood, and brought up the electronic screen.

“Li Jiani guessed Yu Yueting’s keyword: ‘line,’ earning 2 points; Quan You’er’s keyword: ‘best friend,’ 2 points; Meng Zezhou’s keyword: ‘scumbag,’ 10 points; Huai Xinhou’s keywords: ‘romantic, informant, war correspondent,’ 22 points; Ran Shi’s keyword not guessed, 0 points.”

“Additionally, guessing the antagonist player as Meng Zezhou earned 20 points. Total: 56 points.”

“Ling Peng guessed Yu Yueting’s keyword: ‘line,’ 2 points; Quan You’er’s: ‘best friend,’ 2 points, ‘informant’ missed, -10 points; Huai Xinhou: ‘war correspondent,’ 2 points; Meng Zezhou: ‘new-school heir,’ 2 points, ‘romantic’ missed, -10 points; Ran Shi missed, 0 points.”

“For antagonist choices, Ling Peng chose player Quan You’er, -20 points. Total: -32 points.”

Ling Peng felt like he was about to explode, yet he forced a smile, his mouth twitching.

The audience’s emotions also rollercoastered.

【I just finished half a pack of tissues crying, then suddenly burst out laughing, sprayed a huge snot bubble! Who gets this?!】

【Seriously, the content was amazing. Some observation guests are idiots. Next time, skip this segment.】

【Teacher, remedy please! Isn’t it fun to watch this kind of slap-down?】

【I laughed so hard. Super clever boyfriend? More like super stupid.】

【No joke, this person’s brain—can’t stand it. What era is this, still talking about ‘fire-proof, theft-proof, friend-proof’ to control women.】

“So, Ling Peng’s company bought four trending topics for him, and after all that manipulation… his IQ is -32?”