Chapter 27: The Threat of Death

In the courtyard, Chen Miaoyi was gripping a kitchen knife, her whole body trembling as she stared at the gate that rattled under a barrage of furious pounding.

Had she not braced the door early on with a stick, Xu Tong and his thugs would have already forced their way inside.

Just then, Xu Tong’s voice rang out once more. “Xu Mo, you bastard, listen up! Don’t you dare play dead in there. If you’ve got no money, come out and be my servant!”

“And tell your wife to clean herself up. In a little while, I want to enjoy her properly!”

A chorus of raucous laughter erupted from the four hulking men beside him as soon as Xu Tong finished speaking.

Chen Miaoyi could bear it no longer. She clutched the knife tighter and shouted, “Xu Tong, the day isn’t over yet! My husband went out to earn money—he’ll pay you back when he returns. Don’t go too far, or I’ll report you for breaking into a private home!”

“Earning money?” Xu Tong’s mocking voice cut through the door. “Who do you think your husband is? If he could earn anything, would he have pawned you off as collateral?”

Bang! Bang! Bang! The pounding on the door intensified.

Seeing the gate holding firm, Xu Tong barked, “Enough! Stop pounding—just break it open!”

His four henchmen immediately obeyed, throwing their weight against the wooden gate. A single stick could not possibly withstand such force, and in the blink of an eye, the courtyard door burst open. Xu Tong strode in, head held high.

Chen Miaoyi was seized by panic, but forced herself to stand her ground. She raised the kitchen knife and pointed it at the intruders.

Xu Tong paused, then put on an exaggerated tone. “Well, well, what a fiery beauty! I like that, ha ha ha…”

His entourage echoed his laughter.

Outside the courtyard, a crowd of neighbors had gathered, whispering as they watched the commotion.

“Sigh! That Xu Mo really is a scoundrel, gambling away his own wife!”

“Indeed! What a fine girl from the Chen family, stuck with such a useless good-for-nothing. Fate has not been kind to her.”

Someone in the crowd suddenly asked, “Say, where did that Xu Mo run off to? Shouldn’t he be back by now? Don’t tell me he’s fled on his own?”

At this, mutters of agreement rippled through the crowd.

Xu Tong jerked his thumb over his shoulder. “Beauty, did you hear that? Your husband’s run away. He knows today is the day the debt comes due, so he left you behind! Ha ha ha…”

“Lies! My husband hasn’t run! He’s out earning money and will be back any moment. Don’t you dare try anything!” Chen Miaoyi, frantic with rage, brandished her knife and retreated step by step.

Xu Tong shook his head, puzzled. “Beauty, what’s gotten into you? With a husband like that, why be so loyal? In all of Xinzhou City, you’d be better off with anyone else.”

“Shut up! My husband is not a coward!” Chen Miaoyi retorted angrily.

Xu Tong had no patience for further delay and signaled to his men. “Take her!”

At his command, fear seized Chen Miaoyi. She flung the kitchen knife toward them and fled into the main hall. The knife missed, but it startled Xu Tong nonetheless.

Furious, Xu Tong shouted, “Damn it, you ask for trouble—grab her, now!”

The four brutes charged after her, but Chen Miaoyi had already slammed the hall door shut, bolted it, and pressed a table against it for good measure.

But such resistance was futile. The men quickly broke through the door, and Chen Miaoyi tumbled to the floor.

The door swung wide open, and Xu Tong entered, hands on his hips, a cruel grin on his face.

“Beauty, that useless husband of yours isn’t here. You might as well serve me for a while. Who knows, if I’m pleased, I might even toss you a few coins!” His smile grew ever more sinister.

Terror wracked Chen Miaoyi, but she forced herself to get up. In the next instant, she pulled a pair of scissors from her sleeve and pressed the blade to her own throat.

“Take one more step and I’ll kill myself right in front of you!”

Her whole body shook with fear, but her heart was set—she was ready to die.

Xu Tong halted, startled, his brow furrowing. His four men dared not advance.

Xu Tong, steward of Changlong Gambling House, was in charge of lending and debt collection—usually with violence. Even so, they were careful not to cause a death. If someone died, the authorities would seize the opportunity to make things difficult and extort hefty sums.

“Don’t be rash, beauty! I was just trying to scare you. You know as well as I do: in our line of work, money always comes first,” Xu Tong tried to placate her.

“Get out! All of you, get out!” Chen Miaoyi was agitated, and the point of the scissors pressed so hard against her neck that blood began to bead.

“All right, all right, we’ll go! We’re leaving!” Xu Tong, at a loss, had no choice but to comply for now.

He and his four men retreated from the hall to the courtyard.

Chen Miaoyi stood at the doorway, anxiety twisting her insides: Husband, please come back soon!

As if in answer to her silent plea, a familiar voice sounded from the gate.

“Miaoyi, don’t be afraid! I’m back!”

In the next moment, Xu Mo rushed into the courtyard, bypassing Xu Tong and his men to reach Chen Miaoyi.

“Husband!” Overwhelmed with emotion, tears streamed down Chen Miaoyi’s face.

Xu Mo saw her holding scissors to her throat and realized she had been threatening the intruders with her life. His heart ached and fury welled up within him.

“Miaoyi, it’s all right now. I’m back! Everything’s fine…” He gently pulled her hand away, revealing a small wound at her throat.

Xu Tong, frowning, barked, “Xu Mo, good—you’re just in time! If you’ve got the money, pay up. If not, hand over your ancestral home and your wife. If I have to do it myself, you’re in for more than you bargained for!”

Chen Miaoyi, anxious, whispered, “Husband, did you sell the soap? Did you get the money?”

Xu Mo nodded quietly. “Don’t worry, Miaoyi, the money’s right here. You have nothing to fear.”

With those words, Chen Miaoyi’s heart was finally at ease.

Xu Mo turned to Xu Tong, his brow furrowed. “Where’s the promissory note?”

Xu Tong, prepared for this, drew the note from his bosom, waved it, and asked, “Where’s the one hundred and thirty strings of cash?”

Without hesitation, Xu Mo produced a roll of banknotes, selecting several to make up exactly one hundred and thirty taels.

“These are banknotes from Four Seas Exchange, totaling one hundred and thirty taels. Hand over the promissory note!” Xu Mo’s tone was resolute.

Xu Tong was visibly stunned at the sight of so much money.

He was deeply suspicious—how did this brat come by such a sum?

In a flash, a name sprang to his mind.

Could Ning Yongqiang have given him the money?

But he dismissed the thought at once. Judging by the number of banknotes Xu Mo held, Ning Yongqiang could not possibly have given him so much, no matter how generous. Besides, Ning had invested nearly all his cash into Gourmet Pavilion.

After some thought, Xu Tong decided the money must have been acquired illicitly. He sneered, “Xu Mo, I know exactly what kind of man you are. Tell me, who did you steal these banknotes from?”

And with that single, offhand remark, Xu Mo was instantly labeled a thief.