Chapter 35: Farce, Truth Revealed

Faced with Liu Hongju’s unreasonable tantrum, Li Chao merely shook his head and gave a cold, derisive laugh.

He knew all too well in his heart that this mother and daughter would never shed a tear until they saw the coffin; today, they were determined to push this farce to its very limits.

Fixing his gaze on Xiao Yali, whose face was flushed bright red, his eyes shone with steely resolve and determination. His tone brooked no argument as he declared,

“This is only the beginning! If you don’t want to be tormented to death by that unbearable itch, you’d best tell the truth right now—every last detail!”

At that moment, Liu Hongju began her endless quarrelling and clamor by the side:

“What truth? This is all because of your poor medical skills! Don’t you dare shift all the blame onto me!”

At her words, Li Chao snorted coldly, then replied,

“Whether there’s any problem with my medical skills—you know better than anyone, don’t you?”

He paused for a moment before continuing,

“If you still refuse to speak the truth, don’t blame me for being unkind.”

Hearing Li Chao’s threat, Xiao Yali looked at him in fear, her voice trembling as she asked,

“What… what do you want from me?”

Li Chao’s expression was cold and solemn. He enunciated each word:

“As long as you tell me the truth, I’ll cure your illness. But if you choose to conceal it, the consequences are more than you can bear.”

Xiao Yali hesitated for a moment before finally making up her mind and began to speak:

“I… I’ll tell…”

Before she could finish, Liu Hongju cut her off anxiously:

“Yali, you mustn’t say a word!”

“Mom, I really can’t bear it anymore. If this goes on, my face will be completely ruined!”

Xiao Yali sobbed, tears streaming down her cheeks.

“Even if you’re disfigured, it’s better than giving in to his threats,” Liu Hongju said firmly.

“But…” Xiao Yali seemed to want to argue, but was immediately interrupted again.

“Enough. Listen to your mother. We absolutely cannot yield to him,” Liu Hongju insisted.

Li Chao watched the mother and daughter in silence, a wave of helplessness rising within him.

He knew that prying the truth from them would still require time and patience.

“Brother Chao! It was all my mother’s idea! She told me to fake a fainting spell to extort money from you! Please, help me unlock my acupuncture point—please, I beg you!”

Tears glimmered in Xiao Yali’s eyes, her expression a strange blend of weeping and forced laughter. Her voice shook as she called out loudly.

At her confession, the crowd seemed to be drawn by an invisible force, turning their eyes toward Liu Hongju.

Liu Hongju’s face turned rigid as if struck by lightning. Never had she expected her daughter to confess so readily and without pretense.

She opened her mouth, wanting to defend herself, but when her gaze met her daughter’s pained face, she knew that any denial now would be futile.

“Yali, how could you say such a thing!” Liu Hongju stared at her, eyes wide in disbelief, as if the scene before her was an absurd nightmare.

Her voice was filled with shock and disappointment.

“How can you push all the blame onto your own mother?”

Tears poured from Xiao Yali’s eyes like a breached dam. Through her sobs, she said,

“Mom, I know I was wrong. I shouldn’t have listened to you. We can never do such things again.”

Liu Hongju could only sigh deeply, her voice laden with sorrow and regret.

“Yali, I did it for our livelihood. I only wanted to scrape together a little more money, but I never thought things would end up like this.”

Witnessing the scene, Li Chao felt a surge of emotion in his heart.

He spoke with conviction:

“Such behavior is unwise. In life, one must be honest and trustworthy—never stoop to such deceitful tricks. If you ever face hardship, you can come to me, and I will do my utmost to help.”

At his words, both Liu Hongju and Xiao Yali hung their heads in shame, their faces flushed with embarrassment.

Li Chao admonished them:

“I hope you won’t repeat your mistake in the future.”

Xiao Yali’s tears gushed forth, her voice trembling with sobs.

“Mom, I truly can’t endure it! This unbearable itching is like torture! Brother Chao, I know I was wrong—please save me!”

Looking at Xiao Yali, Li Chao felt a pang of pity.

He knew she had only acted under her mother’s coercion, so he decided to help her escape the torment of the locked acupuncture point.

“Very well. I’ll unlock the point now, but remember, never do such a thing again.”

After Li Chao’s earnest warning, he stretched out his finger and gently pressed upon Xiao Yali’s body.

At his touch, her body instantly ceased trembling. It was as if a thousand-pound burden had been lifted from her shoulders—she took a deep breath, feeling a wave of relief and joy wash over her.

“Thank you, Brother Chao. I promise I’ll mend my ways and never make such mistakes again.”

Xiao Yali lowered her head, her face filled with shame as she expressed her gratitude.

By now, Liu Hongju saw that the truth had been laid bare and had no choice but to bow her head in silence.

“Liu Hongju, you’re a mother—how could you treat your own daughter this way?” a villager rebuked angrily.

“That’s right. Xiao Yali is still so young. You should guide her properly, not teach her to do such things,” another villager chimed in.

Faced with the reproach from all around, Liu Hongju’s expression grew even uglier, her heart awash with guilt and remorse.

She had no rebuttal, for she knew she was truly in the wrong.

Hanging her head like a defeated rooster, she stared at the ground, saying nothing. Her eyes seemed to search for something there, but only she knew she simply could not meet the eyes of Li Chao or the other villagers.

Li Chao fixed her with a cold gaze, his voice as merciless as a winter wind:

“Your actions have stirred public outrage. Everyone is deeply disappointed in you. I hope you both recognize your mistakes, turn over a new leaf, and never bring such disgrace upon yourselves again!”

Xiao Yali’s face was flushed with shame as she spoke in a small voice, head lowered:

“Brother Chao, I’m truly sorry for all the trouble we’ve caused you. I promise I’ll listen to my mother in the future and never let her make the same mistake again.”

As she finished, she stole a glance at Li Chao’s face, as if searching for a hint of forgiveness there.

Li Chao nodded slightly, accepting her apology.

But he still warned her, “I hope you’ll match your words with your actions and truly repent.”

With that, Li Chao finally felt a measure of relief. He knew that the chaos of the day was at last drawing to a close.

He turned to leave, his steps heavy.

As he walked away, he prayed silently in his heart:

“May the two of them truly mend their ways…”