Era: Starting with the struggle to refuse being taken advantage of

Chapter 331 The Viper Lurking in the Shadows

Xia Mingyue couldn't understand Wang Chengpeng's actions, and in the end, she could only take the wooden box she had finally found back to her temporary residence.

Although a fire destroyed all of Xia Mingyue's belongings, with the help of many people, especially Wang Chengpeng, her small house was able to be rebuilt, albeit small, and still have all the necessary parts.

Xia Mingyue carefully hid the wooden box in the room, then looked at the empty headboard and murmured:

"Comrade Wang has been a great help to me; otherwise, I really wouldn't know what to do."

"It's very hot during the day, but it's quite cool in the mornings and evenings. You really need a thick blanket."

"Plus, you need to change your clothes from time to time. All things considered, it adds up to quite a bit of money."

At this point, a hint of hesitation flashed in Xia Mingyue's eyes.

Wang Chengpeng was so good to her, better than she had imagined, which made her feel a little overwhelmed.

To be fair, she thought Wang Chengpeng was a very good person, tall and handsome, and she also had a good impression of him.

However, as a sent-down youth, Xia Mingyue often had no choice but to act according to her own preferences.

Furthermore, since Wang Chengpeng was the object of affection for her best friend An Qiuyun, Xia Mingyue instinctively felt somewhat resistant to him.

Covering her face with the only book salvaged from the fire, Xia Mingyue felt utterly confused and unable to think clearly.

Ultimately, she had the idea of ​​running away and decided to leave the matter to time to decide.

With the college entrance examination just around the corner, Xia Mingyue and Wang Chengpeng are both standing at a crossroads in their lives.
The troubles that are troubling her now may just be an insignificant memory when she looks back on them in the future.

In this situation, letting time take its course is the best option.

If they get into different universities, or if one of them fails to get into university, this matter will eventually just end without any resolution.

In an era when travel was slow and letters took a long time to arrive, the vast distance was enough to erode their not-so-unforgettable memories.

……

The news of the resumption of the college entrance examination spread very quickly, and it became known to almost everyone.

Even so, in some very special places, the news still arrived somewhat slowly.

Liu Yanran lay on the bed, her pale face almost blending into the yellowed pillowcase.

Her once rosy cheeks are now sunken, and her cheekbones are slightly protruding, as if time has forcibly shaved away a layer of flesh.

Those almond-shaped eyes, which always held a gentle smile, were now dull and lifeless, with sunken eye sockets and dark circles under them, as if they had not slept for a long time.

The lips were so pale they were almost transparent, and the cracked lines resembled a dried-up riverbed, occasionally trembling slightly from the pain.

Pregnancy should be a joyous occasion, but her body seemed to have been drained of its vitality, becoming extremely weak.

Her abdomen was swollen, but her limbs were shockingly thin. Her slender wrists looked as if they would break at any moment, and the bluish-purple veins were clearly visible under her almost transparent skin.

Her once jet-black and smooth hair was now dry and brittle, scattered messily on the pillow. A few strands were even stuck to her forehead with cold sweat, making her look even more haggard.

Her breathing was very light, each breath seemed to drain all her strength, and her whole body trembled.

The ropes binding her limbs tightly made it impossible for her to even turn over; she could only lie stiffly, letting time slowly erode her strength.

Liu Dongran stood by the bed, her throat tight.

He still remembers his daughter's lively appearance in the past—her eyes curved into crescents when she smiled, her skirt swayed lightly when she walked, and her voice was like a clear mountain spring when she spoke.

But now, she struggles to even lift her hand, and every breath seems to drain all her strength.

What a sin!
A hint of reluctance flashed in Liu Dongran's eyes, but there was nothing she could do.

He thought that bringing Liu Yanran to Zhoujia Village was a good place for himself and his daughter to stay, but he never expected that this was the real beginning of a nightmare.

The three members of the Shen family came for revenge, so naturally they couldn't let Liu Yanran, who had driven their family to such a predicament, go so easily.

Furthermore, Shen Wei was Liu Yanran's nominal husband, and he successfully drove Liu Yanran to the brink of insanity.
Some of their outrageous behaviors ironically became the only way to subdue Liu Yanran, this mentally unstable person.

Although Liu Dongran wanted to save Liu Yanran, he was completely helpless and could only try his best to make Liu Yanran's life a little better.

Looking at Liu Yanran lying on the bed with her eyes vacant, Liu Dongran hesitated for a moment before finally telling his daughter that the college entrance examination had been reinstated.

The resumption of the college entrance examination is a momentous event. Even though Liu Yanran is currently trapped in shackles and unable to move, this matter is still enough to attract her attention.

Her lifeless eyes finally regained a glimmer of life, and her lips trembled slightly as she spoke to Liu Dongran in an extremely hoarse voice:

"Dad, has the college entrance exam been reinstated?"

Liu Dongran nodded vigorously and confirmed again:

"Daughter, the college entrance examination has indeed been reinstated."

"But don't get excited. Taking good care of your health and giving birth to the baby is the most important thing."

"Don't be fooled by Shen Wei's cold and ruthless attitude now. As long as you give birth to the child, the two of you can start living a good life together. Things will only get better and better."

At this point, Liu Dongran's face was full of helplessness as she continued to persuade him:

"You're already considered crazy by everyone. Cooperate with Shen Wei properly, or you'll be the one who suffers."

However, Liu Yanran completely ignored Liu Dongran's advice. Her eyes were bright, as if they held flames that could burn everything.

"Dad, you have to help me!"

"This college entrance examination is my only chance."

Almost hoarsely, Liu Yanran shouted out the words above.

However, Liu Dongran showed no hope in his eyes and continued to persuade him:

"Daughter, don't think about so many unrealistic things."

"Don't say you don't have the ability to get into university. Even if you did, your status alone would make it impossible for you to have the opportunity to take the college entrance exam."

"You're practically a fugitive now. If you sign up, you're definitely going to be shot."

"Moreover, the Shen family would never let you take the college entrance exam. Judging from their appearance, they plan to imprison you at home for the rest of your life and make you live a life without hope."

Despite Liu Dongran's persuasion, Liu Yanran remained unmoved, and a hint of madness appeared in her eyes:

“Father, I know everything you’re saying, and that’s why I absolutely cannot stay in the Liu family any longer.”

At this point, Liu Yanran subconsciously looked in the direction of the Zhou family, like a venomous snake lurking in the shadows, her eyes filled with resentment: "Father, doesn't the Zhou family have a foolish daughter?"

"I can't use my own identity, but as long as I take hers, I can escape from here without anyone noticing."

“I might even get the chance to take the college entrance exam and reverse our fate.”

"Father, do you really want to see your daughter spend her whole life in this dark and gloomy room?"

Liu Yanran's repeated calls of "Dad" finally stirred Liu Dongran's paternal love. He frowned, his eyes filled with struggle, unsure of what to do.

After a long pause, he sighed heavily, the struggle in his eyes fading, clearly indicating he had made his choice, and spoke again:

“Daughter, your idea is very good, but it is simply not feasible in practice.”

"Let alone the fact that your grades might not be good enough to get into university, escaping the control of the Shen family is simply impossible."

Liu Dongran's words seemed to be advising Liu Yanran not to make a futile struggle, but in reality, they meant something else entirely.
That is, as long as Liu Yanran solves these two major problems, he is willing to cooperate with her to try to escape.

How could Liu Yanran not have prepared for this plan if she took the initiative to propose it?

Her eyes were filled with resentment as she said viciously:

"Dad, go find me some textbooks. I will study hard and try my best to get into a good university."

"As for getting rid of the Shen family, it's easy. Just make them think I'm dead."

“The mortality rate for childbirth is quite high these days. I didn’t make it, so it’s perfectly reasonable for me to die in bed.”

Hearing Liu Yanran's words, Liu Dongran's brows furrowed even more dramatically, and he lowered his voice to say:

"Daughter, the Shen family isn't so easily fooled."

A hint of smugness flashed in Liu Yanran's eyes as she continued:

"Of course I know the Shen family isn't so easily fooled, but they might not care about me as much as they seem."

"At that time, all we need to do is arrange for a double who looks like me to take my place, and we can cover it up without anyone noticing."

"Doesn't the Zhou family have a mentally challenged daughter? I think her appearance, height, and figure are similar to mine."

"At that time, all I need to do is say that I didn't hold her down properly during childbirth and scratched her face, and Shen Wei will think that I was the one who died in the hospital bed."

"I'll take the college entrance exam in place of the Zhou family's silly daughter, go to university somewhere no one knows about it, and even if the Shen family finds out something's wrong, they'll have no way of finding any evidence."

Although Liu Yanran's expression appeared calm, she uttered the most outrageous words.

If you want a living person to take your place as a dead person, then you have to use some methods.

To speak of murdering an innocent person so lightly, Liu Yanran is simply a demon crawling out of hell.

Liu Dongran wasn't stupid; he immediately understood his daughter's scheme.

A hint of reluctance flashed in Liu Dongran's eyes as she advised, "Yanran, isn't doing this a bit inappropriate?"

"The Zhou family took us in before, so how can we repay kindness with enmity?"

"Treasonous?" Liu Yanran sneered, her eyes filled with hatred. "If it weren't for the Zhou family's help, how could I be tied up here and unable to move?"

"They did take us in, but they were also accomplices in the evil deeds and don't deserve any sympathy."

"Moreover, the Zhou family's foolish daughter is completely confused and has no self-awareness at all."

“What we did was not a bad thing at all; on the contrary, it was a great thing to send her to the Western Paradise sooner.”

Although Liu Yanran spoke even better than she sang, Liu Dongran was still very hesitant, her eyes filled with conflict.

Although he was a father who deeply loved his daughter, he was not an executioner and still had his own bottom line.

Perhaps seeing the struggle in Liu Dongran's eyes, Liu Yanran roared:
"Father, what are you still hesitating about at this hour?"

"This might be my only chance to escape the Shen family. Do you really intend for your daughter to be treated like a lunatic for the rest of her life, locked up in this dark and gloomy little room?"

“Shen Wei is no longer able to have children, so I no longer have the chance to conceive.”

"If you don't cherish this opportunity, it will be too late to regret it later."

At this point, a resolute glint flashed in Liu Yanran's eyes as she said:
"The thought of living such a dark and hopeless life makes me want to die."

"Father, if you're not going to help me, you might as well just kill me now, kill your own grandson, and save us from this inhuman torture."

"Or if you really can't bring yourself to do it, then let me do it myself."

At this point, Liu Yanran opened her mouth, revealing her teeth that were already pressed against her tongue, as if she was about to bite down.

Liu Dongran, unable to bear seeing his daughter suffer, reached out and placed his hand over Liu Yanran's mouth, stopping her from committing suicide, and pleaded with her:
"Yanran, don't do anything foolish."

"I agree to your request, and I don't want you to suffer, so I'll do it for you."

"Don't worry, I will do my best to find the textbooks you need for the exam so that you can get a good score."

"As for the Zhou family's foolish daughter? Don't worry, I will also contact her and ensure that she can complete the most glorious mission of her life at the most crucial moment!"

Seeing that Liu Dongran had completely agreed to her request and was ready to carry it out, Liu Yanran revealed a sly smile in her eyes.

Suicide? Liu Yanran cherishes her life so much, how could she really commit suicide? This is just a way to manipulate Liu Dongran.

Through various means, she successfully manipulated Liu Dongran, making him willingly commit such a heinous crime for her.

Wang Chengpeng!
The mere thought of that name made Liu Yanran grit her teeth, her eyes blazing with intense hatred.

After thinking about it for a while, she finally figured out some things. That is, why Shen Wei was here, and how she ended up in such a miserable state. It was obvious that Wang Chengpeng was behind it all.

If Wang Chengpeng hadn't intervened behind the scenes, how could Shen Wei and her son have been released? This can be seen from the fact that Zhou Erhua, who was also imprisoned for the same reason, is still obediently serving her sentence.

Since Wang Chengpeng is so heartless and unjust, and has no intention of letting her go, then she shouldn't blame him for using every means to retaliate fiercely.

However, she is clearly no match for Wang Chengpeng right now, and she might even be instantly killed by him on charges of hooliganism as soon as she shows her face.

So she decided to use university as a stepping stone to further her studies and become stronger.

Then I will be able to return with even greater power and completely crush that ignorant Wang Chengpeng into dust.

Thinking this, Liu Yanran felt as if she could already see Wang Chengpeng's fate, a fate worse than death, and she laughed unrestrainedly, her voice as sharp as a demon from hell!

(End of this chapter)