Farm Girl's Manor-Chapter 1382: Extra Fourteen: Strike

That push from Lu Zhu had nearly cost Liu Tinglan and her unborn children’s lives, including the unborn twins known as the dragon-phoenix twins. Not a single person in the Elderly Couple of Shen Family was willing to forgive her.

Sending Lu Zhu to the officials would compromise the reputation of both the Shen family and Liu Tinglan. However, simply sending her back to the Lu Family would be too lenient. In the end, Mo Yan brought Lu Zhu back, tossing her directly into the manor, instructing the Zhao family people to watch her and not allow her to take a single step out of the manor.

Following Mo Yan’s instructions, the Zhao family people certainly didn’t treat Lu Zhu, a criminal, like a young lady. They rushed her to start working as soon as dawn broke. Doing laundry and cooking were considered the lighter tasks, while tending to flowerbeds, watering plants, chopping wood, and even cleaning the chicken coop were the most grueling and exhausting tasks she was required to do every day.

Lu Zhu, having been spoiled by her late mother at home and doted upon by the Elderly Couple of the Shen Family, couldn’t bear such suffering. She cried, made a fuss, cursed, and even tried to commit suicide to frighten the Zhao family people, but they didn’t take any of her tricks to heart.

Don’t want to work? Fine, no food or water for you, let’s see how long you last!

Only a day passed before Lu Zhu couldn’t take it anymore. Dragging her weakened body, she begged the Zhao Steward and then sincerely began working in exchange for a day’s food and water. She knew very well that the Zhao family people wouldn’t show her any mercy, nor would they let her go. Even if she died of starvation, no one would seek justice for her.

Although the Zhao family people didn’t torture Lu Zhu, the transition from a pampered young lady to a laborer on the manor grounds was enough torment. Having to do endless chores every day, within less than a year, the once delicate and tender flower harshly turned into a dog’s tail grass, appearing like a thirty-year-old peasant woman.

Without pretty clothes, luxurious jewelry, and only able to eat meat once every half month, such a life nearly drove Lu Zhu mad. She felt like death was inevitable if she continued like this, but she still held onto hope in her heart. She was unwilling to wither away in this dark, unseen manor.

Today, Lu Zhu somehow heard that Mo Yan was residing at the manor. She carefully avoided the Zhao family people and quietly made her way to the front courtyard. She originally hid on the path that led outside from the front courtyard, but to her knowledge, Mo Yan didn’t go out at all that day.

Unwilling to give up so easily, Lu Zhu took her chances and rushed into the inner courtyard unnoticed, only to be caught by the granddaughter of the Zhao family’s second house. Knowing she was in deep trouble, Lu Zhu threw a last-ditch effort, making an uproar outside despite the Zhao family people’s objections.

When Mo Yan and his group came out, Lu Zhu was already restrained by two daughters-in-law of the Zhao family, swearing filthily with her mouth. However, upon seeing Liu Tinglan holding the dragon-phoenix twins, her voice choked as if her throat were tight, and her eyes burst with deep jealousy and chilling hatred.

Standing atop the high steps, Liu Tinglan looked down at Lu Zhu, her face showing no emotion as if the person she was looking down on was just an annoying stone.

Lu Zhu’s heart flared with rage under that contemptuous gaze, and she desperately struggled, attempting to throw herself at Liu Tinglan while shrieking sharply, "Liu Tinglan, what do you think you are, daring to look at me like that? I should have killed you, that cheap woman, with one stab and let you join these two little cheap spawns in death—"

The children were Liu Tinglan’s Achilles’ heel. Hearing Lu Zhu curse her children as cheap spawns, her eyes turned icy. She gently handed the twins to the maid before advancing swiftly to deliver Lu Zhu two harsh slaps, "What a pity that you didn’t succeed in taking the lives of us three last time, and now you will never have the chance again!"

Dazed from the slaps, Lu Zhu seethed with anger upon hearing those words. Glaring ferociously at Liu Tinglan, she screamed furiously, "What do you have to be proud of, you cheap woman? You stole my cousin, you took my rightful marriage, but one day, another woman will snatch it all away from your hands. You and your two cheap spawns will not end well, not—"

"Slap—Slap—"

Liu Tinglan slapped Lu Zhu again, left and right, yet the corners of her mouth revealed a tender smile, "I’m afraid I’ll have to disappoint you. My husband swore before the Moon God that he would only marry me in this lifetime, and he promised me lifetime after lifetime, something you’ve longed and hoped for, right?"

Watching the deep hatred on Lu Zhu’s face, Liu Tinglan continued, "But now it all belongs to me. In the future, my husband and I will have many more children. We will live happily together as a family. He and I will share the same grave, together for all eternity, while you— you are but a pitiful creature whose birth mother is dead, whose father doesn’t care, and whose uncle doesn’t want you!"