PWE – Chapter 56 A Life for a Life

“I…I didn’t! I never did anything like that! That ghost is lying—she’s lying!” Tong Ningxiang denied it without hesitation. She pointed at the female ghost, face twisted in anger. “Why are you framing me like this? Why make up such lies to harm me? I’ve never wronged you—you…”

The ghost cut her off, her voice low and cold as she turned to Qin Xiuwan.

“Comrade Qin, they hired several workers to help them dismantle the machines, but all those workers backed out at the last minute. If you don’t believe what they did last night, you can go and ask those workers yourself. And the bank—when they went to withdraw money, the clerks there saw them too. If you ask at the bank, you’ll know right away whether they actually went there today.”

Qin Xiuwan nodded. “I’ll be verifying all of that. They tried to dismantle my family’s machines without permission and attempted to take the money. That’s illegal. I’ll report them—and I’ll make sure they rot in prison for the rest of their lives!”

Of course, for just those two crimes, it was impossible to “rot in prison,” but Qin Xiuwan meant every word. People that malicious—if they didn’t spend the rest of their lives behind bars, there would be no justice under heaven.

Hearing her, both Xu Gaoyi and Tong Ningxiang panicked completely.

Once Qin Xiuwan went to verify it, their plan to steal all the Qin family’s money would be proven beyond a doubt. No amount of excuses could save them then.

And that woman—she said she’d sue them! They couldn’t go to jail; they wouldn’t waste the best years of their lives rotting behind bars.

Xu Gaoyi had still been hoping to smooth things over, to keep deceiving Qin Xiuwan. But now he saw clearly—it was hopeless. The only thing that mattered now was escaping, and getting Tong Ningxiang to safety.

So he grabbed her arm and rushed for the door.

Mu Yunhao saw them trying to flee and lifted a foot to go after them—but before he could take a step, Xu Gaoyi and Tong Ningxiang both collapsed to the ground.

Zhan Zeyan, holding a child in one arm, had snatched up a pillow from the bed with the other.

He hurled it straight at Xu Gaoyi’s back.

The pillow hit with the force of a boulder; Xu Gaoyi felt as though a mountain had slammed into him and went down instantly, unable to move.

Tong Ningxiang, who had been clinging to him, fell with him.

Father and Mother Qin both looked grim as they hurried forward.

Father Qin ordered the housekeeper, Chen Ma, “Call the police—right now!”

After all the evil those two had done, there was no way he would let them walk free. He’d see them dragged to the station and punished by the law.

Chen Ma nodded quickly. “Yes, sir,” she said, and hurried downstairs to make the call.

Tong Ningxiang saw her leaving and cried out, “Auntie Chen, wait!” Then she turned to Father Qin, her voice trembling. “Uncle, please, have mercy on me. I don’t want to go to prison—I really don’t! You watched me grow up! How could you send me to jail, Uncle, please…”

Qin Xiuwan sneered, cutting her off. “What, no more excuses? I thought you’d keep lying like before.” She looked at Tong Ningxiang coldly, eyes full of disgust.

Before Tong Ningxiang could respond, Qin Xiuwan turned to her father. “Dad, you can’t go soft on her! Xu Gaoyi’s a murderer—but Tong Ningxiang is his accomplice. No, worse—she’s the real instigator! It was her who pushed Xu Gaoyi to kill. If not for her, that mother and son might still be alive!”

Her hatred for Xu Gaoyi matched her hatred for Tong Ningxiang. Tong Ningxiang looked gentle and kind on the surface, but in truth, she was more venomous than a snake.

“I know what I’m doing,” Father Qin said firmly, enunciating every word. “Those who commit crimes must pay for them. The law will decide her punishment.”

Mother Qin frowned at Tong Ningxiang. “Maybe prison will change you. Your uncle and I must have failed—to have raised you into this. But we’ve never treated you poorly. We gave you food, clothing, comfort—we treated you like our own daughter. I really don’t understand…”

“Your own daughter? Ha! If Qin Xiuwan were the one who made mistakes, would you send her to prison? If I were her, would you still speak so righteously? Don’t talk to me about being your ‘own daughter.’ I was never yours—you’ve never truly cared for me! You’re just hypocrites pretending to be kind!”

Tong Ningxiang saw her pleas were useless now. Her aunt and uncle were determined to send her to the police, so she dropped the act and spoke her mind at last.

She’d long despised their false affection. They’d always treated her like an outsider but insisted on pretending otherwise. Their hypocrisy made her sick—disgusted.

“You…you…” Mother Qin was stunned by her words, staring at Tong Ningxiang in disbelief. “Is that what you really think of us? That we’ve always been fake and false?”

“That’s right! If you truly cared for me, you’d let me and Xu Gaoyi go right now. If you send us to the police, it’ll prove you never meant your kindness in the first place!”

Tong Ningxiang’s voice rose to a hysterical scream, shocking both Father and Mother Qin.

They hadn’t imagined that, in Tong Ningxiang’s heart, they were such monsters.

“Dad, Mom, don’t listen to her!” Qin Xiuwan said urgently. “She’s beyond saving—she’s just trying to blackmail you into letting them go. Don’t fall for it!”

Both parents sighed softly.

Father Qin shook his head, then turned and walked to a chair inside, sitting heavily. “It’s my fault,” he murmured. “I never should’ve taken her in. I should’ve let her uncle raise her back in the countryside.”

When Tong Ningxiang’s parents were alive, they had lived in a rural village. After their deaths, her uncles were supposed to raise her. But Father and Mother Qin had pitied her and brought her to the city instead.

Now, she showed no gratitude at all—only the heart of a viper. Father Qin suddenly regretted it deeply. He regretted his soft heart, regretted bringing such a thankless creature into his home.

Tong Ningxiang laughed bitterly. “Ha! So that’s what you always thought! You’ve wanted to send me back all along—you hypocrite!”

Mother Qin glared at her, ready to scold her—but in the end, she held her tongue.

There was no saving this girl anymore. Nothing she said would get through to her.

She sat beside her husband and turned to Mu Yunhao. “Yunhao, we’re tired. Please take Xu Gaoyi and Tong Ningxiang to the police.”

Mu Yunhao nodded immediately. “Don’t worry. I’ll handle it.”

Xu Gaoyi, who had been lying on the floor, finally stirred after a while. The pillow had hurt like hell—he felt like it had knocked the strength out of his body.

When he regained his strength, his first thought was to escape.

But he didn’t want to flee alone.

He glanced at Tong Ningxiang. If he ran, he’d take her with him.

His eyes darkened—then he suddenly lunged up, pulling a knife from his clothes. He reached for Qin Xiuwan, who was standing nearest, planning to grab her as a hostage to force their way out.

But—

Before he could even touch her, the female ghost floated toward him.

She shoved him hard, sending him sprawling back to the floor.

Looking down at the disheveled Xu Gaoyi, the ghost gave a cold, mocking laugh. “Xu Gaoyi, you dare try evil again in front of me and the great spirit? You really have no fear of death!”

With that, she kicked him savagely in the stomach, making him grunt in agony and contort in pain.

Qin Xiuwan’s face darkened. She remembered how he’d just lunged toward her, clearly trying to grab her.

She glared down at him. “Even now, you still want to harm others—you really are beyond redemption!”

Xu Gaoyi clutched his stomach, trying to speak, but the pain was too sharp—he couldn’t utter a word.

Tong Ningxiang quickly rushed to his side. “Gaoyi! Are you okay? Are you hurt?”

Watching her fuss over him, Qin Xiuwan couldn’t help but scoff. The two of them—vile lovers till the end—how utterly pathetic.

Just then, Chen Ma came hurrying back upstairs. “Miss!” she called breathlessly. “I’ve spoken with the police. They said officers are already on the way—and they’ve confirmed Xu Gaoyi’s murders. They found two bodies in a house on the outskirts of the city. They suspect both were killed by him. They were already preparing to arrest him—your call just came in first.”

Xu Gaoyi froze, his face turning rigid.

Xiao Wange (Xiao Wange / the heroine) sneered at him. “So your murders have already been exposed. Xu Gaoyi, looks like what’s waiting for you isn’t a life sentence—it’s the death penalty.”