Chapter 201: Moral Blackmail

Li Zhaodi said with an icy expression, "What do you want me to go back for, to be sold by you again?"

If it were her former self, she might still have some expectations of her parents, but after experiencing so much, Li Zhaodi now looks at her parents before her as if they were strangers.

Perhaps in this world, some people are born without any affinity with parents.

Born into such a family, Li Zhaodi originally thought she was unfortunate, but now she feels she is fortunate.

Because she met her master, it was the master who saved her and changed her life; the present Li Zhaodi has become strong enough to protect herself, needing no one else.

Li's mother never expected her daughter to give her no face at all, her lips trembling as she couldn't utter a word.

Li's father, his face turning livid with anger, pointed furiously at Li Zhaodi and cursed, "You wretched girl, if I had known this would happen, when you were born I should have thrown you into a washbasin to drown."

Li Zhaodi's expression grew colder: "Didn't you already abandon me before? I just had a tough life and wasn't drowned, and you've been using me like an ox or horse for over a decade!"

Li's father's face grew even uglier, he raised his hand to strike Li Zhaodi again; Li's mother hurriedly urged, "Father, even if Zhaodi is utterly wrong, she is still our daughter; don't take it out on the child."

After Li's mother finished speaking to Li's father, she turned to Li Zhaodi and said, "Dear daughter, I know you're angry, feeling that we favor your brother and that we're incapable of giving you a good life, but we are still a family!"

The more Li's mother spoke, the more pitiful she seemed; her submissive, appeasing demeanor instantly evoked sympathy from many.

The people around also pointed and gossiped about Li Zhaodi, thinking that at her age she was still vying for affection with her brother.

With great difficulty her parents raised her, yet she not only feels no gratitude but resents them for not giving her a good life—truly heartless.

Li Zhaodi stood there quietly, watching her mother's performance, feeling no turbulence in her heart.

Before, she also thought her mother pitiful, married into such a family, bullied and oppressed; from the time she became sensible, Li Zhaodi would voluntarily help her mother with many chores, solely to lessen her mother's burden and spare her hardship.

Only after her eldest and second sisters were sold did Li Zhaodi realize that her mother was not pitiful at all; like her father and grandmother, she too was an oppressor of this household.

However, the father and grandmother's oppression of them was blatant, whereas the mother's was more subtle—her appearance kind, her words sweet, but her heart harbored a dagger.

As a woman herself, the mother clearly knew what fate awaited her sisters when they married into such families, yet she still indulged the grandmother and father in doing so.

Moreover, she took the money from selling her sisters, using it to support her precious son with a clear conscience; thus, in a sense, the mother is even more ruthless than the father and grandmother.

"One family? How laughable, Uncle and Aunt, have you forgotten that you sold me for a hundred dollars?"

"I have already been registered under my third uncle's name; if you're looking for a daughter, you should go find my eldest and second sisters!"

"I believe they are greatly in need of their parents' concern and affection, rather than you traveling far and wide to seek me, this niece."

Li's father and mother instantly changed expression; in fact they had long regretted it—if they had known this daughter would turn out so promising, they would never have given her away in adoption, no matter what.

After Li Zhaodi finished speaking, she again looked icily at the onlookers and said, "Do you know what our three sisters are called?"

"Zhaodi, Pan Di, Lai Di! In this family, girls have no status whatsoever; they should be drowned as soon as they are born."

"If by luck they survive, what awaits them is endless beating and scolding; I started weeding the fields for pig fodder at five, and by seven I had taken over all the household chores."

"I once thought that growing up would make things better, until I personally witnessed my eldest and second sisters being sold!"

"Only then did I realize that as long as I remain in this household for a single day, I will never have a chance to rise."

"From the moment I was born as a girl in this family, my fate was already sealed; this lifetime I must live for my brother."

"I have been beaten and scorned, but who has ever asked me whether I truly wished to be born into such a family."

"At my most desperate moment in life, I met my master; it was the master who changed my fate, buying me from my parents' hands and helping me escape this hellish household."

"My master taught me to read and write, helped me with business, and told me that girls are no inferior to boys—I need not feel inferior, nor rely on anyone."

"Now, my life has just begun to improve, yet they cling to me like bone‑deep maggots, wanting to drain me completely."

"And you people, clearly knowing nothing, yet advise me to be kind and filial to my parents—truly laughable; those who only cling to daughters to suck their blood, what kind of parents are they?"

"The bystanders, scolded by Li Zhaodi, flushed with embarrassment; they had long heard that in rural areas sons are favored over daughters, with many selling girls for bride‑price, but they never imagined it could be this severe."

"Zhaodi, Pan Di, Lai Di—just from their names you can see how deeply this family favors males over females."

"Li's father, who usually cares most about face, upon seeing the crowd's strange looks, instantly flew into a rage and shouted:"

"\"Dead girl, don't think that being adopted out lets you escape me; I gave birth to you, raised you—you are my daughter for a day, and thus my daughter for life. If you want to ignore me and live well on your own, there's no way out."

"You'd better be sensible and quickly hand over the money, otherwise don't blame me for being rude." At this moment Li's father displayed his rascal nature to the fullest.

"Seeing this, the onlookers all began to whisper, thinking that with such a father, it's no wonder the daughter refuses to acknowledge them."

"Li Jinbao beside them also spoke aggressively: 'Mom and Dad said, your money is all mine; I want to live in a big house and become a big boss.'"

"Upon hearing this, Li's mother hurriedly covered her son's mouth, but it was already too late."

"The onlookers originally thought they were pitiful parents who had come from afar searching for their daughter, never expecting they wanted to cling to her and suck her blood."

"Those who had just spoken up for Li's father and mother all flushed with anger, turned and walked away, never wanting to have anything to do with these oddballs again."

"The neighboring aunt also said, 'This child, having such parents, is truly pitiful.'"

"Of course, a minority also thought Li's father and mother did nothing wrong, after all the old saying goes: a married‑out daughter is like spilled water; why spend so much money? Better to keep her at home to help her brother."

"But they naturally dare not say such things, fearing they'd be scolded for feudal thinking."

"Li's mother saw that the people around were no longer speaking up for her, realizing that if this continued her plan would come to nothing."

"Li's mother had endured so many hardships, finally arriving here with great difficulty, and she absolutely would not allow this to happen."

"So she suddenly plopped down, kneeling before Li Zhaodi, and begged with tears and voice intertwined:"

"\"Dear daughter! All mistakes, thousands of them, are my fault; I know you hate and resent me, but I truly had no choice, which is why I'm begging you."

"\"Please, for the sake of mother's painstaking effort in raising you, have pity on us! Otherwise I, your father, and your younger brother truly cannot go on living. \""