C7 Chapter 7
“No, no, Wenmei, don’t listen to Wu Xiaowu—that lowlife. I didn’t do it. I swear it wasn’t me. Don’t take me to him. This is all on him—he’s the one who said he liked you and wanted to be alone with you. I never thought he’d try something like that. Really. You have to believe me.”
Feeling the changes in her body, Sunn Tiantian panicked. It brought her right back to before she’d gotten a second chance—back when she’d tried to drug Liu Wenmei, only for Wu Xiaowu to turn the tables and make her drink it herself. That had been the beginning of her nightmare. She couldn’t go through that again. She was genuinely terrified.
“But that’s not what Wu Xiaowu said.” Watching Sunn Tiantian still trying to dodge responsibility even now, Liu Wenmei almost wanted to laugh. When she’d read about her, she’d thought Sunn Tiantian was kind and gentle. She hadn’t expected the real Sunn Tiantian to be so fake—playing innocent while acting righteous.
“He’s lying. He’s the town screwup—nothing he says is worth believing!” She didn’t know what she’d been drugged with, but standing in the water now, it felt like everything around her had turned warm. The panic in her chest only grew.
“Fine. Don’t tell me. I don’t have time to stand here wasting my day.” Liu Wenmei’s patience was wearing thin. If she weren’t afraid that killing her outright would make this whole world disappear, she would’ve wanted to get rid of her on the spot.
“Don’t go. I’ll talk. I don’t know what I was thinking—it’s all my fault. I’ll never do it again. Please, just let me go.” Seeing Liu Wenmei about to leave, Sunn Tiantian freaked out.
“Alright. Come over here and sign this confession, and I’ll let you go.” Liu Wenmei pulled out the confession she’d prepared that afternoon.
“No. I’m not signing.” On the blank sheet, Liu Wenmei had written a single line: “I, Sunn Tiantian, admit that I worked with Wu Xiaowu to poison and set up Liu Wenmei.” If that ever got in front of Zhao Haixing, every plan she had would be finished.
“Fine. If you won’t admit it, forget it.” Liu Wenmei stood up and started to walk away.
“Wait—wait. I’ll sign. If I sign it, you’ll really let me go?” Sunn Tiantian didn’t dare stand. Seeing Liu Wenmei leaving only made her more desperate.
Liu Wenmei pulled out the towel, pen, and ink pad she’d prepared earlier. Sun Tiantian signed quickly. “So you’ll let me go now?”
“Sure. I’ll let it slide this time. But if you ever try to hurt anyone in the Liu family again, I promise I won’t be nearly as gentle.” With that, Liu Wenmei stood up and walked away.
“Liu Wenmei, come back! Give me the antidote!” The moment Liu Wenmei left, Sun Tiantian panicked and started slapping at the water.
“There isn’t one. Soak in the river all night and you’ll be fine.” Liu Wenmei waved without looking back and kept walking.
“Liu Wenmei, you’ll rot in hell! You’re heartless!” Sun Tiantian felt her body starting to change, and her hatred for Liu Wenmei burned hotter by the second.
“Who’s there?” Liu Wenmei hadn’t gone far before she sensed someone in the trees. Her sharp gaze snapped toward the woods.
Gu Jianjun stepped out. When Liu Wenmei saw it was him, she relaxed. Someone who wouldn’t take advantage of a situation like that couldn’t be all bad.
“You going to save her?” Liu Wenmei glanced toward the river and asked casually.
“No. I’m just passing through.” Gu Jianjun had heard enough to know Sun Tiantian brought it on herself. There was no way he was going over there.
“Trust me—you don’t want to.” The drug was only starting to kick in. If Sun Tiantian didn’t have serious willpower, staying in the river still wouldn’t be enough.
“I’m not going near her. I’m just curious—where’d you get that stuff?” Gu Jianjun had met Liu Wenmei before, and she seemed like a completely different person now.
“Curiosity kills,” Liu Wenmei said. “If it’s not your business, you’re better off pretending you never heard a thing.” She didn’t answer him, turning toward home instead.
Liu Wenmei climbed back over the wall into her room and fell asleep peacefully on her heated brick bed.
