PWE – Chapter 21 He suffered too much pain

He Xiaokui was astonished. Why… was Xiao Wange reacting like this?

“I told you I can give you a lot of money!” He Xiaokui paused in surprise, then frowned and said.

Xiao Wange sneered, “I may like money, but I don’t want to take yours. If I don’t take your money today, I can make someone else’s money another day to live well with my son. And that someone else won’t be rude and arrogant like you. Making money from others would be much more comfortable! So, comrade, please leave—right now! People like you in my yard will just pollute the air!”

“You…” He Xiaokui was furious. Xiao Wange had insulted her like this—she had never been humiliated this way before.

She gritted her teeth and shouted, “Fine! Fine! If you’re so ungrateful, then forget it. I just don’t believe that, in this world, there’s no one else who can help me solve my problem besides you!”

With that, she grabbed her things and rushed out of the courtyard.

Zhao Guixiang was so angry that she nearly fainted. Her daughter was being reckless! She was practically asking for death!

She quickly apologized to Xiao Wange, then ran after her daughter: “Xiaokui, what are you doing? Stop right there!”

He Xiaokui didn’t slow down at all. Once outside the courtyard, she turned back to her mother: “Mom, why should I stay here and endure her attitude? Let’s go find someone else, some other master!”

Zhao Guixiang was so angry she wanted to slap her. She glared at her daughter and scolded, “You were the one with the bad attitude first! Expecting others to treat you well when you act like that? Xiaokui, can you be reasonable!” After a pause, she continued, “We’ve already contacted all the masters we could in these past two days—do you think any of them could solve this?!”

“We can try the provincial capital… maybe someone there…”

“The provincial capital? Do you think that thing will even give you the time to get there? You might be killed before you even reach it!” Zhao Guixiang’s tone was harsh, full of disapproval.

Her words finally made He Xiaokui stop in her tracks.

Indeed, how could that thing possibly let her reach the provincial capital? Maybe it would kill her today itself.

Panic rose in her chest, and her face turned even paler.

She wanted to speak, but suddenly a small child, just over a year old, appeared at her feet. The child tugged at her pants and smiled at her eerily.

He Xiaokui screamed in fright: “It’s here! It’s coming again! It’s coming for me again!”

Zhao Guixiang couldn’t see the child but knew from her daughter’s screams that it was terrifying.

She tightened her breathing, grabbed her daughter’s hand, and said, “Don’t be afraid. We’re with Comrade Xiao. She can help us.”

She tried to pull He Xiaokui back into the courtyard.

He Xiaokui was too scared to resist. Her body trembled as she wanted to rush into the courtyard for Xiao Wange’s protection.

But…

Xiao Wange glanced at her mockingly: “Comrade, you are not welcome here. Don’t enter, and don’t linger at my doorstep—I really don’t want to see you.”

He Xiaokui froze. She bit her lip, furious and angry at his words.

She wanted to argue, as before, but she dared not. That thing was at her feet—it made her fearless arrogance vanish.

Zhao Guixiang anxiously looked at Xiao Wange: “Comrade Xiao, it’s here again, harassing my daughter. Please help. For my daughter’s ignorance, don’t hold it against her.”

Xiao Wange sneered, “Your daughter is indeed ignorant. But why should I forgive her? Who is she to me? I said I don’t want to help her—I don’t. Now leave!”

Seeing Xiao Wange so resolute, Zhao Guixiang broke into cold sweat. She turned to Shi Jinzhu: “Jinzhu, please plead for her, help Xiaokui, will you?”

They didn’t dare leave. If they left, that thing could kill them on the way. Only Xiao Wange’s house was safe. Only Xiao Wange could protect them.

Shi Jinzhu frowned, displeased. She would have pleaded for He Xiaokui before, but now she didn’t want to. Xiaokui’s attitude earlier had angered her—she didn’t want to help such a person.

Seeing He Xiaokui freeze, Zhao Guixiang’s panic increased. She turned and slapped her daughter: “Insolent girl! Apologize to Comrade Xiao properly!”

The slap made He Xiaokui’s face swell red.

Stunned, she could only lower her head and say to Xiao Wange, “Comrade Xiao… I’m… sorry.”

She didn’t want to say it, but she had no choice.

Xiao Wange coldly said, “Reluctantly, as if I forced you. Comrade He, don’t force yourself if you don’t want to.”

He Xiaokui clenched her fists, lowered her head further, and said with a resigned tone, “I’m not unwilling. I truly apologize, Comrade Xiao. I’m sorry for everything before.”

She glanced at the little child at her feet. The child smiled eerily. She wanted to faint from fear.

“Comrade Xiao, my daughter knows her mistake. She really does. Please forgive her,” Zhao Guixiang pleaded, her eyes red with tears.

Xiao Wange frowned. The mother cared, but the daughter was a lost cause.

“If you’re still upset, we’ll kneel,” Zhao Guixiang said, trying to pull her daughter down.

Reluctantly, He Xiaokui knelt for her own life.

Just then, Xiao Wange said, “Fine. Come in. For that little one’s sake, I’ll help.”

He Xiaokui and Zhao Guixiang breathed a sigh of relief. At least she was willing to help, at least she hadn’t shut the door on them.

But what did she mean “for that little one”?

They quickly entered. Zhao Guixiang rushed to Xiao Wange: “Comrade Xiao, it’s here. Can you deal with it now?”

“No,” Xiao Wange said flatly.

Zhao Guixiang froze. “No? Why? Comrade Xiao…”

“Do you know who that thing is?” Xiao Wange asked coldly.

Zhao Guixiang hesitated. “It’s a ghost. It’s harassing my daughter…”

“But do you know why it’s targeting your daughter?” Xiao Wange’s eyes narrowed.

Zhao Guixiang shook her head. She was puzzled too. Why not others, but her daughter?

Xiao Wange turned to He Xiaokui: “Do you want to tell me who it is yourself?”

He Xiaokui trembled uncontrollably. “I… I don’t know. I don’t know who it is. I… I don’t know anything.”

Xiao Wange snorted coldly: “I don’t believe you can’t recognize your own child!”

Zhao Guixiang and Shi Jinzhu gasped.

Zhao Guixiang was in disbelief. “Your child? You have a child? What is going on? What is happening?”

He Xiaokui shook her head: “No, that’s not my child. It’s not mine!”

Suddenly, the eerie child ran in, grabbed her leg, and bit her.

He Xiaokui froze, the pain spreading instantly through her leg. She tried to shake it off. “Help me… make it stop!”

Xiao Wange looked coldly at her. “You abandoned it, let others torment it, and now you don’t even acknowledge it. Should it not bite you?”

He Xiaokui was furious but dared not respond. She could only kick to shake it off.

Zhao Guixiang grabbed her daughter’s shoulders. “Tell me! How is this possible? How do you have a child?”

He Xiaokui shook her head: “No, this is not my child!”

The child bit her again, with force this time, causing a scream.

Zhao Guixiang felt sympathy despite being angry. She looked at Xiao Wange: “Comrade Xiao, look at her…”

Xiao Wange said flatly: “Do you want to see what it really looks like?” She tapped Zhao Guixiang’s forehead, and she saw the child by He Xiaokui’s feet.

The child’s eyes, nose, and mouth bled, but soon stopped, and his pale face returned to normal.

In an instant, a terrifying ghost child became a normal, cute little boy.

Zhao Guixiang gasped. “This… this is Xiaokui’s child? He even resembles her as a child.”

Shi Jinzhu was curious but couldn’t see the ghost.

She asked Xiao Wange to let her see. With a tap on her forehead, she could see the child.

She rushed over, delighted, and touched the child’s head. “Wow, how adorable!”

The child didn’t avoid her touch. He could sense kindness and wouldn’t attack those who were kind.

He Xiaokui, however, disliked the ghost child. She ran to Xiao Wange: “Please get rid of it! It’s a ghost!”

Shi Jinzhu looked at He Xiaokui angrily: “How can you be so cruel? That’s your child! Don’t you have a shred of compassion?”

He Xiaokui shook her head. She could feel no sympathy for this ghost.

Zhao Guixiang, seeing the child turned ghostly, sternly demanded He Xiaokui explain herself.

He Xiaokui stayed silent, lips tightly pressed.

Xiao Wange said, “Since you won’t speak, I’ll tell for you.”

She looked at the child. “This child was born when you were in university, one year ago. After birth, the father took him away, and you never saw him. On his first birthday, his father killed him—nailed him alive!”

Zhao Guixiang and Shi Jinzhu gasped.

Xiao Wange continued: “He called for his mother as he died. Even without seeing you, he prayed for you. You were supposed to be his savior, his only light. But you disappointed him. He saw you talking with his father, planning his punishment. He realized, too late, you were partly responsible. That’s why he seeks revenge!”

Zhao Guixiang and Shi Jinzhu cried.

Shi Jinzhu glared at He Xiaokui: “You’re cruel, merciless, inhuman!”

Zhao Guixiang slapped He Xiaokui: “How could you be my daughter! You are utterly heartless!”

He Xiaokui’s face swelled further.

Zhao Guixiang turned to Xiao Wange: “Comrade Xiao, this child suffered too much. Please help him!”

She reached to hold the child, but he convulsed, face bruised, bleeding from eyes, nose, and mouth.

Zhao Guixiang was terrified.

Xiao Wange said, “Someone is calling him back.” She rushed to the child, performing a spell. The child returned to normal.

Zhao Guixiang asked, “Who’s calling him? The evil cultivator?”

Xiao Wange nodded. “Yes, his father too—he wouldn’t let him escape.”

Zhao Guixiang clenched her teeth in hatred for the father. “Please save him, Comrade Xiao! I’ll do anything.”

Shi Jinzhu and little Jin Zhao pleaded.

The child lowered his head, trembling.

Xiao Wange smiled at him: “Don’t be afraid. I’ll protect you.”

The child’s eyes lit up, then drooped again.

He said: “The evil cultivator is strong. Even the mountain fox spirits can’t beat him. He has a master, even stronger. His master has sky-blue eyes—maybe a foreigner.”

Sky-blue eyes?

Xiao Wange frowned, thinking of the person in the mirror.