PWE – Chapter 80 Verification

“I’m your father!” Xiao Yongyi roared, his face twisted viciously. “Aren’t you afraid of being struck by lightning for raising your hand against your father? Aren’t you afraid…?”

“Afraid of what? In my eyes, you don’t even count as my father, so why should I be afraid?”
After everything Xiao Yongyi did to torment the original body, he still expected her to be filial? What a ridiculous daydream.

Besides, she was an ancient monster who had lived for who-knows-how-many years.

For someone like her, even his ancestors wouldn’t be wrong to call her ‘Grand Ancestor.’ Yet he still wanted to act like her father? He sure knew how to flatter himself!

“You—!” Xiao Yongyi wanted to shout at her.

But Xiao Wange suddenly shook the little bell she had pulled out of her pocket. From inside the bell, a terrifying creature instantly shot out.

Seeing it, both Xiao Yongyi and Wu Yueying widened their eyes in horror. “W-what is that? A ghost?!”

Xiao Wange nodded. “Mhm, that’s right. This thing is called a Starved Ghoul. I’ll let it handle disciplining you today. After all, if I beat you personally, I’d be worried about dirtying my hands.”

Then she instructed the ghoul, “You know how to teach people a lesson, right? Don’t kill or cripple them, but make sure they feel the most excruciating pain possible—let them experience what it’s like to be abused.”

The Starved Ghoul bobbed its head repeatedly. “I know, Master.”

“Good.” Xiao Wange nodded and lifted her foot to walk toward the house. “I’ll go inside to get my money. This family still owes me more than 270 yuan.”

“Owe money?” Xiao Yongyi’s eyes bulged. He instinctively retorted, “Who owes you money? And that much?! Xiao Wange, stop spouting nonsense! Our family has never owed you money!”

Was she talking about “wages”? Did she really think she was some servant who could demand pay?

Xiao Wange said, “Two months ago, Wu Yueying took 300 yuan from me. You think I’d just let you spend it for free? Tsk—laughable. With people like you, what right do you have to spend my money? I’m taking back every cent.”

Wu Yueying had been staring nervously at the ghoul, afraid it would suddenly pounce on her. But hearing this, another fear rose—fear that her husband would discover the truth about the 300 yuan and blame her.

She swallowed hard and stammered, terrified yet trying to defend herself, “Xiao Wange, you’re lying! I only took 50 yuan from you that time! How can you claim I took 300? If you want to rob us, just say so, you—”

Before she could finish, the Starved Ghoul slapped her across the face.

The ghoul was extremely strong. One slap left her head buzzing in pain.

Xiao Wange sneered at her. “I knew you wouldn’t admit it. But it doesn’t matter—you can deny it all you want. Those 300 yuan—I will get them back.”

She then turned to Xiao Yongyi and taunted, “Judging from your face, you really don’t know about those 300 yuan. I’m guessing Wu Yueying told you she only took 50 and only handed over 50? But Xiao Yongyi, she actually took 300. So tell me—why did she only give you 50? Where did the remaining 250 go?”

Xiao Yongyi instinctively turned to glance at Wu Yueying, doubt flickering in his eyes. Was what Xiao Wange said… true?

Wu Yueying’s head was still ringing from the slap, but she clearly heard the words.

Frowning anxiously, she rushed to defend herself. “It was really only 50! Don’t listen to her nonsense. I really only asked her for 50, I—”

“I heard that Xiao Zhenqiang found a job outside,” Xiao Wange interrupted mockingly. “I heard that after he started earning, he often bought meat and noodles for the family—and even gave you five yuan as filial piety? Xiao Yongyi, that must’ve made you proud, right? Proud that Xiao Zhenqiang is so capable and so filial.”

Her tone dripped with sarcasm.

She continued before he could speak, “But I heard he never worked at all. He spends his days wandering the town with his loafing friends, eating and drinking. His job is a lie.”

“You’re lying! You’re slandering our Zhenqiang! He really does odd jobs in town, he—” Wu Yueying frantically tried to refute.

“Oh? Then should we go verify it?” Xiao Wange asked coldly. “Should we visit his workplace and ask the boss whether he’s ever seen him?”

Wu Yueying: “…”

She was instantly speechless.

Xiao Wange snorted and turned back to Xiao Yongyi. “All the money Xiao Zhenqiang used to buy meat and noodles came from me. The five yuan he ‘filially’ handed you was also from robbing me! He’s a lazy good-for-nothing who used my money to eat and drink, then pretended to be filial to you. Xiao Yongyi, do you know how disgusted that makes me? Thinking about my money being wasted on that trash makes me want to kill him.”

Xiao Yongyi was stunned, his expression frozen.

He turned back to Wu Yueying and demanded, “So Zhenqiang really didn’t work? And the money he spent came from… from Xiao Wange? Even the five yuan he gave me?”

Wu Yueying opened her mouth to insist Xiao Wange was lying, but facing Xiao Wange’s terrifying expression, the words died in her throat.

She lowered her gaze and stammered, “Even if he didn’t work… he’s still filial to you. He gave you five yuan, didn’t he? He—”

“So he really didn’t work, and really is a lazy good-for-nothing?” Xiao Yongyi roared hysterically, disappointment and anger flashing across his face.

He had always believed Zhenqiang was reliable, someone he could count on in the future.

But now he learned Zhenqiang… never worked at all. All his money was stolen from Xiao Wange.

“Don’t be angry, old man,” Wu Yueying said anxiously. “He was just lazy lately. He’ll go to work! He promised he’ll earn money and take care of you, he said—”

“Hah. And you expect a lazy bum to support the whole family?” Xiao Wange snorted. “Tsk tsk, Xiao Yongyi, wanting to rely on Zhenqiang to care for you in old age? Good luck. At this rate you’ll be eating gruel—if you’re lucky.”

Probably not even that. Once Zhenqiang realized Xiao Yongyi was no longer useful, he’d kick him aside. The only reason he stuck around now was because Xiao Yongyi could still work—and having him around made it easier to extort money from her.

Xiao Yongyi’s face reddened with frustration, fists clenched tightly.

Xiao Wange ignored him and kept walking toward the house, wanting to find the money quickly.

Seeing her head into the house, Xiao Yongyi panicked and lunged after her. “Xiao Wange, stop right there! There’s no money in my house—none! Get out! Get out right now!”

To him, money was his life. If it was gone, how could he live?

So in his desperation, he once again put on his “fatherly authority.”

The Starved Ghoul, standing in the yard, saw this clearly. Xiao Yongyi no longer cared about the ghost—only about his money.

The ghoul rushed toward him and kicked him hard, knocking him to the ground.

Restraining him, it turned and said to Xiao Wange, “Master, I’m going to start beating him now.”

Its voice was normally chilling, but at that moment it oddly sounded almost cute.

Xiao Wange paused at the doorway, glanced back, and said, “Mn, go ahead.”

Then she stepped inside the house.

Xiao Yongyi panicked and wanted to call out to her, but before he could, the ghoul slammed its fist into him, dazing him completely.

Wu Yueying, terrified, tried to sneak toward the gate, but she had barely taken a few steps when the ghoul grabbed her and threw her down beside Xiao Yongyi—then proceeded to beat them both.

Zhaozhao yawned sleepily from his seat on the bench. After walking for so long, he was exhausted and just wanted to lie down and sleep.

Seeing Zhaozhao completely unafraid of the ghost—watching them get beaten without any reaction—both Xiao Yongyi and Wu Yueying were horrified. Shouldn’t the child be terrified? Why was he so calm?

It wasn’t long before the ghoul had beaten them both bloody and bruised, their screams echoing through the yard.

Hoping someone outside would hear, Wu Yueying screamed louder and louder despite the pain.

Xiao Yongyi did the same, hoping neighbors would witness what the “unfilial daughter” had done.

But…

No matter how loudly they screamed, passersby acted as though they heard nothing and simply walked away.

Zhaozhao looked at them and said, “You should stop yelling. Mama set up a formation around the yard—no one outside can hear you. The more you scream, the more energy you waste, and the worse you’ll feel.”

Xiao Yongyi & Wu Yueying: !!!

So that was why.

When did Xiao Wange learn how to set formations? And how did she tame something as terrifying as that ghoul?

For the first time, Xiao Yongyi realized he didn’t recognize his daughter at all. She no longer bowed her head or obeyed meekly. Now she was like a demon—and even talking back to him earned retaliation.

Inside the house, Xiao Wange searched around and finally found all the Xiao family’s money.

Not much—only 210 yuan. Over a hundred was hidden in Xiao Yongyi’s chest, and over seventy in Wu Yueying’s. She had thought Wu Yueying had no money left, but apparently the woman was “richer” than expected.

Walking back out with the money, she looked at the beaten couple and curled her lip. “Alright, that’s enough.”

Beating them hardly avenged the original body, but at least it vented some anger.

The ghoul stopped at her command.

Xiao Yongyi, aching all over, struggled to his feet. Seeing the money in her hand, his face twisted in hatred. “You unfilial wretch! Not only do you hit your father, you steal his money! Have you no shame? No decency?! I’ll report you to the Public Security Bureau! I’ll have them arrest you!”

He rushed toward the gate.

Hearing this, Wu Yueying secretly rejoiced.
Good—report her! She wanted the police to take this hateful girl away forever.

Seeing Xiao Yongyi storm toward the gate, Xiao Wange curled her lips and said softly—

“Xiao Yongyi, do you still remember how I got my name?”