Chapter 60

When Su Ruo arrived, she saw this scene; at that moment the woman's breath was already very faint.

Su Ruo could no longer care about anything else; she kicked the man hard, sending him flying.

The man gave Su Ruo a sinister glance, knowing today's affair was surely ruined, he jumped out the window and fled.

Su Ruo glanced at the man, then at the woman on the ground, and finally decided to save the woman first.

The woman's neck was covered in purple bruises; Su Ruo administered emergency rescue, and the woman slowly regained consciousness.

Looking at Su Ruo, the feeling of having survived a catastrophe made her burst into tears: "Why, why, I've already become like this, yet they still won't let me go."

Su Ruo's heart was filled with pity for her misfortune and anger at her lack of fight: "After all you've been through, do you still hope those devils will take pity on you?"

Thunder roared, the pattering rain drowned out the woman's sobs.

The woman, frightened, curled up in the corner clutching herself; Su Ruo wanted to leave, but the woman grabbed her hand and pleaded: "Please help me."

Su Ruo gave her a cold look: "In this world, only you can help yourself; the other side now has murderous intent toward you—I can save you this once, but I can't always come running to rescue you."

The woman said nothing, just kept crying; Su Ruo looked at her, angry but no longer insisting on leaving—in fact, the rain was so heavy she couldn't go anyway.

After an unknown amount of time, the woman finally cried herself out, then haltingly told Su Ruo her ordeal.

Only then did Su Ruo learn the woman's name was Wang Xiaohui, who was just over twenty.

Su Ruo looked at Wang Xiaohui with some surprise; if Wang Xiaohui hadn't spoken, Su Ruo would have thought she was over forty—being able to reduce a person to this state shows just how inhuman the torment she endured was.

Wang Xiaohui gazed at the rain outside, her voice soft: "When I was sixteen, it rained like this that day; on my way home I happened to run into that gang of demons, who dragged me into an alley.

One after another lunged at me, one after another… they tore my clothes, groped me with their dirty hands; it hurt terribly, I kept begging them to let me go, but all I got was even more brutal torment—I screamed for help, yet no one came to save me…

I returned home, I wanted to go to the police, I wanted those demons to pay, but my father scolded me: "Why don't you just die? Why do you insist on living, embarrassing me?"

I was locked in the house; they wouldn't let me go out or see anyone.

My mother held me and wept all night; I knew she felt sorry for me, she said a woman who suffers this must accept her fate—if she reported it, her life would be ruined.

Later, they told me about a widower more than ten years older than me; I thought, since I was already defiled, it would be enough if someone didn't despise me.

I thought that after marrying, my life could start anew, but later I gave birth to three daughters in succession, and my mother‑in‑law and husband began to despise me.

They despised me for not bearing a son; my husband would beat and scold me at the slightest provocation, saying I was a wanton woman who must have slept with many men before marriage to be so unclean.

My mother‑in‑law went further, spreading rumors that I was immoral, that I seduced men, and that my husband had divorced me and taken another wife; my father despised me for bringing shame and would not let me come home.

I live here alone, and those demons have come after me again…

Wang Xiaohui, already sobbing uncontrollably, gritted her teeth and continued: "That demon, seeing I had no one to rely on, became even more cruel in humiliating and tormenting me. He despised me for having been married before, saying that was disloyal to him. To punish me, he broke my legs, ruined my face, and every day let many people torment me…"

Wang Xiaohui took off her clothes and showed Su Ruo her body covered in wounds…

Even if Su Ruo were reborn once, seeing those wounds would still shock her.

Wang Xiaohui continued: "That beast Sun Long used a knife to carve his name into my flesh, saying he wanted me to remember that I would forever be his slave, so I could never marry again in this lifetime…"

Many times I wanted to just die like that, but I still have my daughters, who are so young—I cannot let them grow up without a mother…

Wang Xiaohui wept uncontrollably, while Su Ruo did not know how to comfort her.

"Later, Sister Huaer learned of my situation; she helped drive away those scoundrels and wanted to take me to the police, but I dared not—Sun Long said if I dared to report him, he would beat me to death."

I know his father is a deputy bureau chief; even if I went to the police, it would be useless.

I didn't want to implicate Sister Huaer; she is the only person in this world who doesn't despise me and treats me kindly.

But I still implicated her; those scoundrels ruined Sister Huaer, they seized her and tortured her with even more cruel means.

Sister Huaer refused, she resisted, but it was of no use; later she died, dying in that snowy night.

I didn't want this; I never imagined it would turn out like this…

Wang Xiaohui shook her head desperately, as if trying to erase this tragic memory from her mind.

Su Ruo looked at her, feeling not only pity for her but also deeper sorrow for Lu Huaer, that upright and kind girl who was like her parents, ultimately withered by those demons' torture…

"I wish I could die together with those demons; my life is already ruined, but I still have my daughters—I cannot let them know they have a mother as disgraceful as this."

It's already hard enough for a woman to survive in this world; I cannot let my daughters be pointed at and gossiped about again…

Su Ruo's voice turned a little cold: "So then, what are you preparing to do? Continue to endure like this, letting those demons roam free with impunity."

You think your forbearance will buy peace, but they now have murderous intent toward you; you think they'll keep letting this time bomb of yours live.

In their eyes, only the dead can stay silent forever; only your death can forever conceal their crimes.

Wang Xiaohui cried and shook her head: "I don't know…"

Su Ruo's gaze grew colder: "You think that if you die, those demons will spare you? Once they're out, they'll become even more wanton, destroying more girls—including your daughters."

When their demonic claws reach for your daughters, what will you do? Girls without a mother's protection are even easier targets, aren't they!

Moreover, they hate you so much—how could they possibly spare your daughters? Will your daughters have to endure like you, or die alongside you?

When she mentioned her daughters, Wang Xiaohui's eyes finally focused: "I don't want that—I will absolutely not let them touch my daughters."

Su Ruo stepped closer and asked: "Look at yourself—you don't even have the courage to resist; what will you use to protect your daughters?"

"Lu Huaer died protecting you, yet you lack even the courage to speak the truth; if I were her, I would certainly not save you."

Wang Xiaohui instantly broke down in tears: "I don't want this, I don't want this…"

Su Ruo didn't speak further, just let her cry; some people won't wake up until they hit rock bottom.

The next day, after the rain stopped and the sun came out, Wang Xiaohui took a bath and put on clean clothes.

Su Ruo tied her hair up, just as she had done when she was sixteen.

They walked out of their dilapidated home, stepping forward beneath the sunlight breaking through the clouds.

As they passed the Lu household, Wang Xiaohui knelt before the old lady Lu at the gate: "Granny, I'm sorry—it's my fault that Huaer sister came to harm."

Lu Lao Tai Tai reached out and patted Wang Xiaohui's head: "Child, you are the victim; I don't blame you, and your sister Huaer wouldn't blame you either…"

Wang Xiaohui wept uncontrollably; for so many years she hadn't even had the courage to say sorry to Grandma Lu.

When she had had enough, Su Ruo accompanied her, step by step, toward the Police Station.

We may yet endure darkness, but we must believe that after the rain the sky will clear; every thing has cracks, and that is where the sunlight gets in.