Chapter 176: Phantoms of the Abandoned Village
The minivan outside hadn’t left yet—stopped by the village chief and Liu Cuimei, who’d rushed over.
Liu Cuimei clutched the trafficker’s sleeve, refusing to let go. "What’s going on? Where are the two college students we paid for? We already gave you the deposit! You can’t just let them run off! Do you know how much we’ve spent on wedding preparations? My nephew’s been waiting to marry!"
The trafficker counted out the deposit and handed it back. "There’s nothing we can do. The authorities are cracking down. The girl screamed for help, and a police car happened to be nearby. We didn’t dare chase her."
Liu Cuimei wasn’t having it. "What about my nephew’s wedding? When can you send us another girl?"
The trafficker sighed. "Not for at least a year. The heat’s too intense right now—we need to lay low."
Neither party was virtuous. They bickered outside for a long time. Liu Daqiang, who’d tagged along, loitered by the gate, peering around—just in time to see Liu Youcai leading Zhou Xuan out of the pigpen.
Liu Youcai’s mother brandished a broom, scolding, "Why’d you let her out? She should stay locked up a few more days to learn her lesson! Once she’s in Liu Family Village, she’d better accept her fate. If she behaves and becomes your proper wife, she can live decently!"
Liu Youcai grumbled, "The pigpen’s filthy and chaotic. What if she gets hurt? If you must lock her up, at least put her in my room!"
Newly trafficked women often attempted suicide. If they succeeded, the money paid to the traffickers would be wasted. Liu Youcai’s mother relented, allowing him to take Zhou Xuan away.
Liu Daqiang’s eyes bulged at the sight of the slender, pretty figure trailing behind Liu Youcai. He tugged Liu Cuimei’s sleeve mid-argument: "Auntie, I want that girl."
Liu Cuimei glanced at Zhou Xuan, curled her lip, but didn’t refuse Liu Daqiang. She pulled the trafficker aside, whispering, "Send this girl to our house instead. We’ll pay extra."
The trafficker, familiar with this village’s underhanded ways, shook her head firmly. "My job ends at delivery. You sort it out yourselves—I need to leave."
Dark clouds gathered, threatening a downpour. The minivan sped off before the rain could worsen the muddy roads. Liu Cuimei exchanged a look with the chief, and after some hushed discussion, the chief went to negotiate with Liu Youcai’s parents.
Knowing they were in the wrong, the chief tried leveraging his authority, but Liu Youcai’s parents wouldn’t budge. The meeting ended in hostility. As the chief’s family left, Liu Youcai’s mother spat at their retreating backs.
Li Zhi watched as storm clouds merged with nightfall.
Thunder cracked. When the rain began, Liu Youcai threw on a raincoat, grabbed a hoe, and hurried out.
Li Zhi saw the lightning strike. Saw Liu Youcai tumble into the pond.
Time lurched forward—dawn broke over Liu Youcai’s waterlogged corpse, sending the village into chaos.
His parents wailed over the bloated body until they spotted Liu Daqiang among the onlookers. With a shriek, Liu Youcai’s mother lunged: "You killed my son! It was you!"
Liu Daqiang shoved the elderly couple aside. "Liu Youcai died because he was cursed! The hell’s it got to do with me?"
Liu Youcai’s mother collapsed, howling, "Murder! The chief’s son murdered my boy! Where’s the justice?" Suddenly, she declared, "I’m calling the police! I’ll dial 110—let them arrest Liu Daqiang!"
The villagers stiffened.
Exchanging glances, they intervened—some comforting, others moving the corpse, the rest placating. The dog-eat-dog squabble ended with unified village solidarity.
The chief compensated Liu Youcai’s parents and bought Zhou Xuan from them.
Zhou Xuan wept, resisted, fled, attempted suicide—all futile in this den of monsters. Bound in red, she was forced to bow in marriage to Liu Daqiang. That night, she lay awake until dawn, tears never ceasing. From then on, she refused to eat.
Watching her wither daily, Liu Daqiang grew frantic. "Auntie, what do I do? Xuanxuan still won’t eat—she’s starving herself to death!"
Liu Cuimei cracked sunflower seeds on the porch. "Beat her a few times. That’ll fix it. But you’re too soft."
Liu Daqiang shook his head. "Can’t. Promised my mom on her deathbed I’d never hit my wife."
The chief exhaled pipe smoke, eyeing the village’s chimney smoke. "Fetch Dajun’s wife. Let her talk to Zhou Xuan."
Liu Cuimei considered it. "Fine. Honestly, Dajun’s wife is the most sensible in the whole village. Educated, virtuous—heard she was some kind of… what was it?"
The chief tapped his pipe. "Postgraduate."
"Right! Postgraduate! Dajun’s so lucky—married such a catch. Unlike ours." She jerked her chin upstairs. "Just an undergrad, yet acting all high and mighty. Even the postgraduate accepted her fate—what’s her problem?"
At dusk, Shen Jiayan appeared in the chief’s yard.
Li Zhi studied her.
She’d aged since the photo, her eyes devoid of their former resentment. An ordinary woman now, she greeted the chief’s family warmly before heading upstairs.
Only upon seeing the emaciated Zhou Xuan chained inside did Li Zhi catch a glimpse of the Shen Jiayan from ten years ago.
Red-eyed, Shen Jiayan steadied herself before quietly shutting the door and approaching.
Zhou Xuan jolted awake, emitting a hoarse, terrified whimper.
Shen Jiayan crouched, gently stroking her hair. "Don’t be afraid. I’m like you—trafficked here."
Zhou Xuan trembled, tears streaming as she clutched Shen Jiayan’s hand. "Save me… please save me…"
"You’re Zhou Xuan, right?" Shen Jiayan sat, holding her hand. "Calm down first. Listen to me."
Zhou Xuan’s shaking subsided, face drenched in tears.
Shen Jiayan whispered, "This is a trafficking village. Everyone here is complicit. Once sold, escape is nearly impossible. Others have tried—all failed. The mountain paths are treacherous, and lookouts guard the exit. If they notice we’re missing, the whole village gives chase."
Zhou Xuan stared blankly.
Shen Jiayan squeezed her hand. "But there’s always a way. As long as we’re alive, there’s hope. So you can’t mistreat yourself. This body is all you have here—no one else will cherish it. Stay healthy, so when the chance comes, you’ll have the strength to flee."
Zhou Xuan wept anew. "How long? I can’t bear another second." Suddenly, she asked, "How long have you been here?"
Shen Jiayan hesitated.
Zhou Xuan laughed bitterly. "A long time, huh?"
They didn’t traffic middle-aged women—only the young.
Shen Jiayan met her gaze. "Ten years."
Zhou Xuan’s despair deepened.
"Trust me, the chance will come." Shen Jiayan’s grip tightened, as if transferring strength. "There are others like us here. None have given up. We’re all waiting."
Zhou Xuan shut her eyes. "If waiting takes ten years, I’d rather die now."
"Our lives were given by our parents. Why let these beasts take them?" Shen Jiayan’s voice hardened. "Dying for them isn’t worth it! Think—if you die, your loved ones won’t even recover your bones. We can’t waste our lives here. If we die, we take these beasts with us!"
Shen Jiayan pleaded for hours.
Finally, Zhou Xuan nodded faintly. "Okay. I’ll eat."
But people differ.
Not all possess unyielding resilience to endure endless torment.
Zhou Xuan didn’t last long, despite Shen Jiayan’s visits and favorite foods.
The final straw was her pregnancy.
The thought of carrying that beast’s child made Zhou Xuan wish to gut herself.
She vomited constantly.
Though Liu Daqiang treated her slightly better, the chain remained. No freedom. No dignity.
Even refusing food failed—Liu Daqiang force-fed her.
"Can’t starve my son," he said.
To prevent escape, the chief and Liu Cuimei severed her thumbs. Afterward, even walking grew difficult.
Zhou Xuan lay in bed, gazing at the sliver of sky through the window, often weeping silently.
So when Liu Youcai’s father sneaked in during the harvest, she didn’t resist.
Liu Youcai’s father unchained her, stuffed her into a sack, and carried her home.
Confronted with Zhou Xuan again, Liu Youcai’s mother turned uncharacteristically kind.
She coaxed her: Stay quiet. Just bow with Liu Youcai’s tablet, and they’d treat her well—no chains like Liu Daqiang’s.
Zhou Xuan obeyed perfectly.
Smiling gently, voice sweet: "Mother, I’ve missed Youcai. That brute Liu Daqiang could never compare."
Liu Youcai’s mother clasped her hands, delighted.
What followed matched Li Zhi’s intel.
Zhou Xuan coaxed Liu Youcai’s mother into procuring a red dress. After bowing with the tablet, she tore down the festive red cloth and hanged herself.
Liu Daqiang led villagers miles in pursuit, finding no trace until a panting villager reported: "My son saw Liu Youcai’s father hauling a sack from your place today. Zhou Xuan must’ve been kidnapped."
Liu Daqiang stormed to Liu Youcai’s home.
Tall and strong, he outpaced the others. By the time they arrived, Liu Youcai’s family was already dead.
Blood soaked the floors. The red-clad woman hung from the beam, her smiling face torchlit, sending the crowd stumbling back.
Only Shen Jiayan stood her ground, weeping into her hands.
Liu Daqiang’s frenzy saw him hacking indiscriminately. The chief and others subdued him, locking him away.
Elders convened overnight to handle the fallout.
"Absolutely no police. They’d ruin the whole village."
"Liu Youcai’s line is extinct—no one to answer to. Just appease Liu Zhuang’s brothers."
"Old Liu can pay more. Distribute Liu Zhuang’s land and valuables to shut them up."
"And Zhou Xuan—her death’s too inauspicious. Burning’s best. Fetch Zhang Village’s priest tonight for rites."
Zhou Xuan’s body was incinerated that night.
Shen Jiayan watched from afar, flames reflecting in her eyes like twin infernos.
The Liu family’s resolution didn’t concern her. By day, chants echoed through the village.
At the riverbank, Liu Cuimei’s shrill curses carried: "Such bad luck! Buying that cursed girl! Her dying’s one thing, but Daqiang’s still sick! His dad’s too scared to unlock him!"
Another woman sighed. "His condition’s untreatable, no?"
"Born with it! His mother was trash! We’re out of medicine—have to trek to town. Such a hassle! Later, his dad’s heading to town for a meeting—I’ll grab the meds then."
"Why not bring Daqiang?"
"During an episode? No way. His dad’s got that county meeting anyway—I’ll just fetch the pills." She sighed again. "Our family’s cursed. Neither my brother nor nephew got good wives—unlike Dajun’s luck."
She eyed Shen Jiayan enviously. "Look how capable Dajun’s wife is! Gave him a son—ten years old now. Why couldn’t Zhou Xuan emulate you?"
Shen Jiayan smiled up at her.
After laundry, she returned home to cook.
Beneath the wardrobe lay a stash of pesticides—painstakingly hoarded over years. The old woman had guarded them fiercely, but Shen Jiayan managed to squirrel away enough to induce coma, if not death.
Mixed into pickled vegetable dumpling soup, undetectable.
Shen Jiayan ate early, then sat on the doorstep stitching soles, watching them devour bowl after bowl, her smile unwavering.
The child reacted first, clutching his stomach soon after. "Mom, it hurts."
Shen Jiayan scolded sternly, "Did you sneak snacks again? Go do homework!"
By nightfall, the family had collapsed.
Liu Dajun vomited twice, eyeing her suspiciously. Shen Jiayan feigned ignorance, fussing, "The pickles must’ve spoiled. I told Mom not to hoard expired food—it’s poisonous."
She tucked him in, voice dripping concern: "Rest. I’ll fetch Uncle Liu. If Xiaobin worsens, we’ll rush to the clinic."
Seeing her distress and thinking of their decade-old son, Liu Dajun relented. "Hurry back."
Shen Jiayan agreed, shut the door, and retrieved the red dress hidden in the haystack.
Years ago, red dresses were trendy. To win her over, Liu Dajun had bought her one. Shen Jiayan treasured it, wearing it sparingly—only on New Year’s.
Back then, she hadn’t imagined it would become her lifeline.
Li Zhi watched her don the dress and dart to the chief’s outer wall, perfectly aligned with Liu Daqiang’s window.
Her heart pounded. She knew—this was her only shot.
She waited endlessly, until midnight, when the window lit up.
Liu Daqiang, on a bathroom run, saw her.
What followed was inevitable. The cleaver she’d thoughtfully left on the entry table became Liu Daqiang’s instrument. By the time he swung it, Liu Dajun’s family was still comatose.
They died without resistance.
After orchestrating the massacre, Shen Jiayan hid in the woodshed and wailed until villagers stormed in to find her changed into spare clothes.
The mob subdued Liu Daqiang. Shen Jiayan cradled her son’s body, howling grief.
No one suspected her.
Not when it was her own child.
"A beast’s son grows into a beast," Shen Jiayan told Fan Ningning three evenings later, hacking at cabbage. "Liu Daqiang’s mother was trafficked too. He adored her—yet still bought Zhou Xuan and killed her."
Her expression hardened. "They all deserve death."
Fan Ningning’s eyes reddened. Finally, she hissed, "Yes. They all deserve death. I’m with you!"
Shen Jiayan had always been clever. Of all the trafficked women in Liu Family Village, she’d fared best.
Over ten years, she’d identified every unbroken woman. She sought them out, promising escape. They trusted her.
Thus, vengeance unfolded smoothly.
Freed from Liu Dajun’s surveillance, Shen Jiayan moved freely. She arranged the funerals, weeping daily, appearing frail—earning constant sympathy.
Claiming insomnia, the village quack prescribed sedatives.
Those sedatives ended up in the targets’ meals.
The abused women personally slaughtered their tormentors.
This backward, superstitious place feared only ghosts. They summoned priests repeatedly, reinforced Liu Youcai’s cellar seals, burned offerings—begging for mercy.
Shen Jiayan watched, torn between laughter and hatred.
These ignorant fools had ruined their lives.
Finally, the villagers stormed the chief’s home to execute Liu Daqiang—the root cause.
That day, four women stood atop the village’s high embankment. They carried nothing—except the red dress.
Distant shouts carried on the wind. Zhang Xu murmured, "We succeeded."
Zhu Xueyi and Fan Ningning embraced, weeping.
Shen Jiayan gazed at the crude urn in her arms—containing Zhou Xuan’s salvaged ashes.
"Zhou Xuan, we’re taking you home."
Zhou Xuan had begged for rescue. Shen Jiayan had failed her then.
Not this time.