Chapter 102: Heaven has a path, but you don't take it

Little did they know.

The angrier the brothers became, the more they fell for Li Qinglan's scheme.

Seeing Zhang Chuqiang's look as if he wanted to kill someone, the workers shook their heads and gave Li Qinglan a pitying, sympathetic glance.

Indeed, she's just a woman—how could she possibly contend with this bunch of men?

If this stalemate continues, someone will surely get hurt!

A worker hesitated repeatedly, then dared to speak: "She just wants an explanation for herself; driving her away would be enough—why resort to weapons?"

Once one person spoke, the others followed suit, one after another speaking up for Li Qinglan.

"Hearing her say that, she really is pitiful!"

"Ah, be lenient where you can—let her go!"

"Yes, let her go!"

……

Zhang Chuqiang gripped the wooden board in his hand tightly, coldly staring at the workers who had spoken.

His gaze was practically murderous.

But at this moment, someone's killing intent was even stronger than his.

That was Li Jiaci.

Li Jiaci's gaze could make one's hands and feet turn cold with fear.

Even Li Qinglan, hiding beneath the machine, felt Li Jiaci's icy, frost‑like stare.

She couldn't help shivering, and waves of turmoil rose in her heart.

As Li Jiaci's cold gaze swept over,

the murmuring on the scene came to an abrupt halt.

But another voice came from behind the workers.

"Don't believe this liar's words!"

"My older brother has never done anything wrong to her!"

"On the contrary, she has repeatedly betrayed my older brother and even tried to put us brothers to death!"

The speaker was Wang Lan.

The workers parted to make a path and turned in unison to look.

Wang Lan made his way through the crowd, his gait somewhat odd—one hand clutching his stomach, the other supporting his waist, his legs wobbling like cotton in the cold wind, as if he might collapse at any moment.

After leaving the hospital, he had been resting in the dormitory, only helping out when his brothers were too busy.

Although the saying goes 'a hundred days for torn muscles and broken bones,' Wang Lan's injury was internal, requiring a longer recovery.

Seeing him limp over, the brothers felt uneasy, their hearts aching almost to bursting.

Li Jiaci's eyes reddened even more over this.

He clenched his fists so tightly his nails dug into his flesh.

Li Qinglan poked her head out from under the machine, glanced hastily at Wang Lan, and hated him so much her back teeth felt like they might shatter.

This guy actually recovered this quickly!

He ought to have died in the detention center, walking in upright and being carried out sideways!

Who let him refuse to help her when she was down on her luck!

Such an ungrateful wretch damn well deserves to die!

Wang Lan also felt Li Qinglan's hateful gaze.

He pretended not to notice and walked straight toward Li Jiaci with a clear goal.

Zhang Chuqiang quickly tossed aside the wooden board in his hand, took a couple of steps to Wang Lan's side, and carefully supported his arm.

"Xiao Liu, what do you say you're out here for?"

"Want me to carry you on my back?"

Wang Lan laughed and shook his head: "No need."

Wang Lan came to stand beside Li Jiaci.

He looked at the crowd before him and flung open his heavy down jacket.

On his emaciated body appeared patches of bruising the size of palms.

These bruises had shown up during his hospital stay.

The doctor said this was part of the recovery process.

Wang Lan displayed the bruises covering his body to the crowd.

"Want to know how I got these injuries?"

"It's that pitiful woman you see—she's the one who made me like this!"

"How does that saying go?"

"Oh, 'the pitiful must have something hateful about them'!"

"That describes this swindler perfectly, damn it!"

"Her methods are so vicious—if it weren't for my older brother begging everywhere for help…"

"I'd probably already be dead at her hands!"

Just as his words fell,

Li Qinglan crawled out from under the machine.

She shook her head vigorously and shouted, "That's not true! Don't listen to his nonsense!"

Li Jiaci set down Wang Lan's down jacket, took off his own gloves, and put them on him.

Afterwards, he made a shushing gesture towards Li Qinglan.

Stop nagging, I've heard you say so much—it's time to hear me!

Li Qinglan, if we were to count your faults, I couldn't count them with both hands!

Just let me mention a few fresh memories!

Upon hearing this, Li Qinglan had just opened her mouth when Zhao Chen covered it from behind.

Shut your mouth, old man!

Mmm...

Li Jiaci watched this scene, giving a cold smile.

He pointed at Li Qinglan's hateful face.

Why did I break up with you?

Because you secretly colluded with Maozi, wanting to catch us in the act and then wipe us out completely!

You admitted this yourself, and you told me you would certainly mend your ways, yet you turned around and teamed up with Maozi, deceiving the innocent Xiao Liu, making him bring the fruit laced with powder into my home!

I realized something was wrong one second, and the next Maozi burst in; while we were being interrogated, you pretended to be an informant and reported us for hiding and selling powder, causing Xiao Liu to be beaten to a pulp, nearly costing him his life!

Li Qinglan, you can now deny it, say I'm framing you; worst case, we go to the precinct, and I'll have Bureau Chief Zhao personally expose your wicked deeds!

The cold wind blew bleakly.

Li Jiaci, however, was burning hot all over, especially in his chest, as if surging with blazing flames.

He exhaled a heavy breath, looking at Li Qinglan: "I thought about giving you a way out, but you insist on running down a dead end!"

Li Qinglan suddenly bit down hard on Zhao Chen's hand back.

Hiss...

Zhao Chen winced in pain.

Li Qinglan then broke free from his embrace.

She didn't dare approach Li Jiaci, instead she slowly squatted down beside the machine.

Li Jiaci, I know you've made a lot of money lately; bribing a bureau chief is nothing difficult for you!

Moreover, if you haven't done anything wrong, even if I teamed up with Maozi, I could do nothing to you!

Just admit it honestly, you Li Jiaci are a ruthless murderer!

Who knows, one day someone might upset you and you'll just kill them outright!

Li Qinglan burst into manic laughter.

She looked at the group of stunned workers behind her and threatened: "If you don't believe me, try it—he himself can't even count how many people he's killed!"

Li Jiaci was about to tear her mouth apart with his own hands, but before he could take two steps, Wang Yingna grabbed his arm and yanked him backward.

What the fuck?

What are you doing?

Li Jiaci was completely dazed.

Wang Yingna ignored him, swinging her long, straight legs, and quickly stepped up to Li Qinglan.

Before anyone could react, she grabbed a handful of Li Qinglan's hair and lifted her off the ground.

Ah...

Li Qinglan screamed in pain.

Smack!

A loud slap landed on her face.

You dare to hit...

Smack!

Another slap.

Li Qinglan gritted her teeth in anger.

I'll fight you to the death...

Smack! Smack! Smack!

Wang Yingna swung both arms, delivering three slaps in succession.