PWE – Chapter 79 Debt Collection

The stool slammed hard into Xiao Yongyi’s right leg.

His leg buckled, and he dropped to his knees.

As he fell, his knee hit a small stone in the yard.

The stone was tiny, but its sharp edges felt like a blade stabbing straight into his flesh.

He let out a sharp cry, “Ah!” His face twisted uncontrollably in pain.

Xiao Wange set Zhaozhao down, closed the courtyard door behind her, and said mockingly to Xiao Yongyi, “Hurts, doesn’t it? Hurts a lot, huh? Good—because that’s exactly how it should feel. Do you know what would’ve happened if that stool of yours hit Zhaozhao? He’s just a little kid, his skin is tender—one hit from that and he’d be seriously injured! Comrade Xiao Yongyi, if you can be this vicious toward a child, it shows just how poisonous your heart is!”

Back then, Xiao Yongyi had treated the original host the same way!

Once, because Wu Yueying complained about her, he flew into a rage and swung a stool at the original host. She didn’t dodge in time and took the hit right on her knee.

Her knee was almost ruined! For months she couldn’t straighten her leg to walk. For months she had to use a branch as a crutch.

And after injuring her, afraid she might tell others and ruin his reputation, the coward threatened her—forced her to say she fell on her own instead of being beaten!

But even if she kept quiet, the villagers knew better. Some elders tried to persuade him to stop abusing the child. He pretended to agree—but as soon as they left, he beat her again with a carrying pole.

Her injured leg was hit again—it was brutal beyond words.

Thinking of all the abuse the original host suffered, Xiao Wange felt her fury surging.

Someone like Xiao Yongyi didn’t deserve to be anyone’s father. A father should be a child’s refuge, someone who protects and cherishes.

But this man… not only did he not protect her—he tortured her.

Someone like him had no right to the title of “father.”

With a cold smile tugging at her lips, Xiao Wange looked at him, a sharp glint flashing in her eyes.

Today she had come to vent the anger the original host had been forced to swallow. Today, she would make them pay back what they owed.

“You unfilial girl… unfilial! Truly unfilial!” Xiao Yongyi’s forehead creased in pain as he glared at her, furious.

Wu Yueying blinked, then hurried forward to help him up.

She never expected Xiao Wange to be so bold—bold enough to hit her own father. Had this wretch eaten a leopard’s gall? How dare she act like this?

“I’m unfilial?” Xiao Wange laughed—a cold, mocking laugh.

She looked down at Xiao Yongyi with contempt. “You want me to be a dutiful daughter? Then first try being a decent father. Ask yourself—have you ever been one? A ‘father’? You don’t even deserve the word!”

“You—!”

“What? Did I say anything wrong? What father acts like you? What father abuses his own child, yet treats another man’s son like his own? Xiao Yongyi, in your eyes, isn’t Xiao Zhenqiang your ‘real’ son? And me? I might as well have been picked up off the roadside!”

Zhenqiang was just a stepson, but Xiao Yongyi gave him everything good, forced the original host to serve him, treat him like an elder brother, endure everything.

If she didn’t obey—she was beaten.

He truly embodied the word “stepfather”—even though he was her real father.

Xiao Yongyi froze, stuck on her words, unable to refute them.

He did treat her worse than Zhenqiang—but she was a daughter after all, destined to marry out. The one who’d take care of him in old age would be his son, Zhenqiang. That was how he justified it.

“Since you treat Xiao Zhenqiang as your real son, then from now on, go to him for everything. If you need money, ask him. If you’re sick, ask him. As for me, the daughter you picked up by the roadside—don’t come looking for me.” Xiao Wange’s voice was icy, dripping with sarcasm.

Xiao Yongyi’s jaw clenched in anger, murderous fire flashing in his eyes.

Wu Yueying chimed in, “Wange, how can you say such unfilial things? No matter what your father did before, he’s still your father! He raised you—if not for him, would you even be alive? You would’ve starved! You should be grateful! If you don’t repay him, then you’re—ah!”

Before she finished, a slap landed across her face.

Xiao Wange had flicked her hand, sending a burst of force that smacked Wu Yueying hard.

Her expression turned sharp. “Wu Yueying, listening to your shameless nonsense makes me sick. You say because he fed me I owe him? And what about the abuse? And all these years of me working like a servant for your family? A proper servant gets food, shelter, and wages—but I only got scraps to eat and no wages. So tell me—what exactly do I owe you? Nothing! In fact, it’s your family that owes me! And today, I’m collecting.”

“You—you…” Wu Yueying stared in shock. Xiao Wange’s tongue was too sharp, too fast.

Covering her face, she turned to Xiao Yongyi. “Old man, look at her! She hit me and spouted all that nonsense! She just doesn’t want to support us! She—”

Slap!

Another strike, just as sudden.

“Wu Yueying, you’re hopeless. The moment you said ‘nonsense,’ I knew there’s no saving someone like you!” Xiao Wange said coldly, then slapped her several more times.

The flurry of blows left Wu Yueying stunned, dazed, unable to react.

Even Xiao Yongyi stared, wide-eyed.

He didn’t even see how Xiao Wange moved—just a few flicks of her hand and Wu Yueying’s head snapped left and right as if she’d been struck repeatedly.

After a moment, Wu Yueying finally came back to her senses.

She stumbled backward, pointing in horror. “H-how did you hit me? You were so far away! How did your slap reach me? You… you…”

Only now did it hit her—Xiao Wange hadn’t even been close!

Earlier she was too angry to process it, too furious to think.

Now she realized—Xiao Wange had somehow hit her from a distance!

Xiao Wange bent down to pick up a few small stones.

She flicked them out; they landed in eight positions with sharp “thud thud thud” sounds.

Dusting off her hands and forming a series of hand seals, she shot a cold look at Wu Yueying. “Even if you hide in the house, I can still hit you. It seems I didn’t teach you enough last time—you went back to the village just to stir up trouble again. In that case, today I’ll use harsher methods and give you a real lesson.”

The array activated.

With the array in place, no sound would escape the courtyard—no matter how loud they screamed, no one outside would hear a thing.

Seeing the bloodthirsty glint in Xiao Wange’s eyes, Wu Yueying panicked.

She stepped back, voice trembling despite her pretend harshness. “X-Xiao Wange, d-don’t you dare! Get out! Leave, right now!” She had originally wanted to demand money from her—but now the only thing she wanted was to drive her away.

Xiao Wange was terrifying now—like a demon from hell.

Same face, same person—but the aura was entirely different.

Xiao Wange led Zhaozhao to a bench. “Sit here and watch.”

Then she turned to Wu Yueying. “Didn’t you call me here? Now that I’m here, why would I leave?”

“Xiao Wange, what do you want?” Even Xiao Yongyi was nervous now.

She smiled slowly, elegantly, stepping toward them one deliberate step at a time. “What do I want? Isn’t it obvious? I’m here to collect what you owe.”