Chapter 2338: The Song of the Turning-Over Serfs

Chloe didn't even have a chance to beg for mercy from Ma Lan, as more than thirty people lined up to slap her face one after another.

By the later stage, Chloe felt dizzy and disoriented.

She didn't know how many times she had fainted, only to be jolted awake by a loud slap.

Ma Lan stood to the side, supervising like a landlord overseeing his long-term laborers, watching each female inmate slap Chloe.

If anyone slapped too lightly, Ma Lan would kick them.

As she put it: "You bunch of lowly wretches, usually bullied so terribly by her, now you finally have a chance to turn the tables—why are you being soft-hearted? That one doesn't count; hit her again properly for me!"

In fact, most people weren't soft-hearted when facing Chloe.

They were just tired from slapping, so it was inevitable that a few would slack off or not put in full force.

But in Ma Lan's view, such slacking was absolutely unacceptable.

Thus, these female inmates, on one hand seeking revenge against Chloe, and on the other afraid of offending Ma Lan, began to strike harder and harder.

After so many people took turns slapping her, Chloe even showed signs of concussion.

Yet Ma Lan still felt unsatisfied.

Don't be fooled by her having only just arrived a day ago—but in that single day, she had already sensed Chloe's immense malice and brutality.

So, Ma Lan secretly resolved: she would show no mercy toward this female demon; as long as she remained in Bedford Mountain Prison, she would make Chloe wish she were dead.

Therefore, after everyone finished slapping Chloe, Ma Lan approached the now-unrecognizable Chloe and coldly scolded: "Chloe, you've been acting high and mighty here for so long—didn't expect today to come, did you?"

Saying that, Ma Lan let out a cold laugh and continued: "In our China, there's a saying: 'Don't think you're having fun today—be careful, one day they'll roll up the list. The people settling accounts with scoundrels like you is only a matter of time!'"

After speaking, Ma Lan saw Chloe staring blankly, and immediately pointed at the Chinese-American girl leaning against the wall, coldly saying: "What are you standing there for? Go translate!"

The girl was also completely confused, quickly asking: "Auntie… what 'pulling the list'? Is it some kind of green pill?"

Ma Lan snapped: "Pulling the list! The settlement of crimes! You think you're having stomach trouble and need to go to the bathroom? Haven't you seen *Little Soldier Zhang Ga*? You don't even know this classic line—are you even Chinese?!"

The girl stammered: "I… I am Chinese… but I was born and raised in America… I hold American citizenship…"

Ma Lan fumed: "What kind of parents raised you, not giving you patriotic education?!"

The girl shook her head softly: "They're always busy making money, rarely pay attention to me…"

Ma Lan snorted coldly: "I tell you, no matter where a person goes, they must never forget their roots! Although you've taken American citizenship, don't forget—your skin is still yellow, your hair still black!"

The girl hurriedly nodded: "Auntie, your criticism is correct… I will surely remember from now on, learn more about Chinese culture…"

Ma Lan gave her a sideways glance, said nothing more, pointed at Chloe, and urged: "Hurry up, translate!"

The girl dared not delay, quickly translating Ma Lan's words in full.

Chloe had cried herself dry, her whole body slumped on the ground, rocking back and forth like a roly-poly toy, on the verge of toppling over.

But hearing Ma Lan say she would settle accounts with her, fearing Ma Lan still wasn't satisfied, she choked out through tears: "Please spare me this once… I've already repaid my past mistakes tenfold, a hundredfold… I really dare not do it again…"

Ma Lan mocked: "Now you know to beg for mercy? Too late—I already told you! Come on, hurry up and get up, kneel before your Grandma Ma, grab the basin, go to the toilet, fetch water to wash everyone's feet—from today until the day your Grandma Ma is released, you must wash and massage everyone's feet every single day!"

Chloe dared not delay, struggling to her feet and stumbling toward the restroom.

At that moment, Ma Lan plopped down on the bed opposite her, pointing at the few female inmates who had previously washed her feet, and coldly said: "You few had better not think you're off the hook just because you're here—your Grandma Ma has never washed feet for anyone in her life; do you really think you can handle this?"

Several people trembled with fear, among them a brown-skinned Mexican-American female inmate who fell to her knees with a thud, pleading anxiously: "Sorry, Ms. Ma… I… I was previously deceived by Chloe… In Bedford Mountain Prison, I will obey all your orders from now on—I beg you, in light of my sincere devotion, to forgive my past actions…"

Seeing her kneel, the others, fearing to be left behind, all simultaneously dropped to their knees in unison.

The gap between the two single beds was already narrow, but these few people kneeling shoulder to shoulder in two rows barely managed to fit.

Ma Lan sat on that single bed, suddenly feeling as if she were sitting on Wu Zetian's dragon throne; gazing out, she saw the kneeling crowd as her civil and military officials.

A powerful sense of satisfaction surged through Ma Lan, making her unable to contain her excitement—she suddenly understood why these prison inmates all liked to be the boss.

It turns out being the boss is truly exhilarating!

The pleasure of making others submit to you can elevate one's character above others by more than one level.

This is not something money can buy.

At this moment, Ma Lan's vanity was immensely gratified.

She suddenly felt like testing these people's loyalty, so she stretched lazily and said: "Since I came here, I've felt uncomfortable all over—if only I could get a full-body massage!"

As soon as she finished speaking, the Mexican-American female inmate sprang up, eagerly walked over, and flatteringly said: "Ms. Ma, I once learned Japanese-style massage—if you don't mind, let me give you a massage!"

Ma Lan raised an eyebrow, smiling: "Then let you try."

The inmate hurriedly went to the adjacent partition, climbed onto the bed back-to-back with Ma Lan's, then reached out to massage Ma Lan's neck. Ma Lan hadn't expected this woman to actually have real skill—the pressure was just right, so she laughed and said: "Not bad at all—looks like you really did learn a thing or two."

The woman quickly said: "Actually, my specialty is spa treatments—I used to give spa services to guests at five-star hotels before coming here."

Ma Lan curiously asked: "If you worked at five-star hotels, why did you end up here? What did you do?"

The woman sighed: "I stole a guest's watch, never imagining it was worth five hundred thousand US dollars… worst of all, I hadn't even had time to sell it—I was caught by police before my shift ended."

Ma Lan chuckled, then instinctively adopted a lofty, lecturing tone: "People—just can't have greed; what's yours is yours, what's not yours, don't reach for it, as the saying goes: 'Don't stretch out your hand—stretch it out, and you'll surely be caught.'"

As she spoke, Ma Lan recalled her last time stealing Ye Chen's bank card, couldn't help but shiver, and said uncomfortably: "Oh dear, not only is my neck uncomfortable, but my whole body feels awful from head to toe…"

Hearing this, the several people kneeling before her immediately sprang up without hesitation.

Soon, Ma Lan's two arms and two legs were each taken care of by a female inmate; the remaining two, having missed out, one massaged her scalp while the other rubbed her temples.

Seven people massaging her at once made Ma Lan feel so relaxed that her pores seemed to open, and she unconsciously began humming the tune of *The Song of the Turning-Over Serfs*.

At that moment, Chloe approached hesitantly, holding a basin, and said respectfully: "Ms. Ma, I'll first soak your feet, then massage them…"

Ma Lan opened her eyelids, glanced at her sideways, and coldly said: "You damn well kneel while massaging my feet!"