I'll Kill You Within Five Days!

Spring Return Hall's front room.

The patients who had been waiting to be seen had already been rudely shouted out by the guards.

The guards had also blocked the entrance completely, allowing no one in or out.

In an instant, the entire front room had become Xie Chong's personal domain.

Xie Chong himself sat brazenly in the seat of honor, one leg crossed over the other.

Manager Ren stood by his side, serving him carefully and not daring to breathe too loudly.

"Lord Xie..."

Manager Ren put on a fawning smile and asked in a trembling voice, "What brings you here this time? Is there something you need?"

"Something I need?"

Xie Chong snapped open his folding fan, his nose in the air. His gaze roamed brazenly around the room, then he asked nonchalantly, "You old fool, tell me: when is your young lady planning to marry me?"

His tone was light, but the arrogance and menace beneath it were impossible to hide.

At his words, Manager Ren's heart sank. He knew something terrible was about to happen, and stammered quietly, "M-My lord... Miss is still considering it. This is a major decision, after all. Please give her a few more days..."

"Considering it?"

The smile on Xie Chong's face instantly turned cold.

The next moment—

BANG!!!

Xie Chong slammed his palm down on the table. Wood splinters flew, and the entire table exploded into pieces.

At the sight, Manager Ren's legs went weak, and he collapsed to the floor.

Xie Chong leaned over him viciously, fixing him with a hard stare. "I gave you three days, and you dragged your feet for three days. And now you're telling me you're still considering it?"

Then Xie Chong sneered and held his folding fan upright against Manager Ren's throat, nudging it lightly. "I'll give you five more days. In five days, Ren Zhining will crawl—or roll—into my Xie Family as my bride."

His tone turned icy. "Otherwise, the whole of Spring Return Hall will be buried with her."

"And don't even think about running. I've already spoken to the garrison. If you dare flee, don't blame me for being ruthless!"

At Xie Chong's threat, Manager Ren nodded repeatedly, trembling all over.

Seeing his reaction, Xie Chong gave a contemptuous laugh, snapped his fan shut, and turned toward the door.

Just as Xie Chong reached the entrance, he caught sight of a young girl in his peripheral vision, head bowed as she tried to make herself invisible.

That girl was Chen Chunmiao.

Xie Chong glanced at Chen Chunmiao, then walked right out the door.

Once Xie Chong had left, Manager Ren hurried toward the back room. Chen Chunmiao's tense body finally relaxed, and she was just about to let out a long breath.

But the very next moment—

Xie Chong came back in. His eyes fixed on Chen Chunmiao as if he'd spotted gold buried in the sand.

"Tsk, tsk. You may be dressed like some coarse-clothed girl from the street, but you've got curves in all the right places. There's no hiding them!"

Xie Chong's gaze roamed over Chen Chunmiao without the slightest attempt to conceal his appraisal. He clicked his tongue in admiration. "If you cleaned yourself up, put on some rouge, and changed into a silk dress, you might even outshine Ren Zhining!"

He stroked his chin and added with a mocking smile, "Only a man with my sharp eye would notice. Anyone else might have been fooled by those shabby clothes!"

"Y-You... what are you going to do...?"

At Xie Chong's words, Chen Chunmiao stumbled back two steps in fright.

Xie Chong looked at Chen Chunmiao with a lecherous grin. "What's your name?"

His question sent Chen Chunmiao into a panic. Instinctively, she wanted to make up a false name and bluff her way through.

But everyone at Spring Return Hall knew her. If she gave a fake name, someone might let slip her real one. Then not only would she be in trouble, she might even drag Chen Jing into it.

So Chen Chunmiao could only give her real name. "Chen Chunmiao..."

Xie Chong nodded in satisfaction. "Good."

Then came the declaration that plunged her into the abyss: "In five days, Miss Chen, you and Ren Zhining will both marry me!"

"Then the two of you, mistress and servant, can serve me together. It'll make a fine tale to spread around!"

"Ha ha ha ha..."

Xie Chong's laughter tore through her ears like a demonic claw, then gradually faded into the distance.

Once Xie Chong had finally left, a deathly silence fell over Spring Return Hall.

Chen Chunmiao could hold herself up no longer. She slumped into a chair, gasping for breath, her entire back soaked with sweat.

"What do I do... I'm... I'm going to marry someone like that?"

Chen Chunmiao clenched her hands until her knuckles turned white, murmuring to herself, "Should I tell Little Brother?"

"Should I tell him...? But Little Brother only started practicing martial arts recently. He can't beat Xie Chong... I'd only drag him into this..."

"But if I don't tell him... I'll be doomed in five days..."

"Those matrons said that once Xie Chong got bored with his new wives, he beat and cursed them at the slightest thing. Two of them have already been beaten to death..."

Chen Chunmiao clenched her hands as tears welled in her eyes, her heart torn with anguish.

Just as Chen Chunmiao was lost in thought, Chen Jing and Ren Zhining came out from the back room.

"Second Sister, what's wrong? Did that Xie Chong lay a hand on you just now?"

Seeing that Chen Chunmiao's face looked distinctly troubled, Chen Jing hurried to ask.

"N-No, I'm fine..."

At his words, Chen Chunmiao hurriedly looked up at Chen Jing, then took a deep breath and slowly shook her head.

"Are you sure you're fine?"

Chen Jing didn't quite believe her.

"I'm really fine."

Chen Chunmiao forced a smile, but there was no mistaking how strained it looked.

"As long as you're all right."

Chen Jing glanced at Chen Chunmiao's trembling hands, and his heart sank further.

Then he turned to Ren Zhining and clasped his hands. "In that case, Miss Ren, I'll take my second sister home first."

On the way here, Manager Ren had told Chen Jing that Xie Chong would come to take Ren Zhining as his bride in five days.

Now that Spring Return Hall had become a dangerous place, Chen Jing certainly wouldn't let Chen Chunmiao stay here any longer.

"Mm. Be careful on your way..."

Ren Zhining answered with the same troubled expression.

Clearly, Xie Chong's five-day deadline had thrown her into turmoil.

After leaving Spring Return Hall—

Chen Chunmiao kept her mouth shut the whole way, barely saying a word, as if her soul had been ripped from her.

As they walked, Chen Jing asked, "Second Sister, it's just the two of us here. What really happened?"

At Chen Jing's persistent questions, Chen Chunmiao stopped walking. She was silent for a long while before finally speaking. "Little Brother, that Xie Chong... he's set his sights on me too. He said I have to marry him together with Miss Ren in five days!"

"What?!"

Chen Jing stopped in disbelief, his fists clenching tight.

That son of a bitch Xie Chong had set his sights on Ren Zhining, and that was bad enough. Now he'd gone after his second sister too!

He wanted to marry Ren Zhining and his second sister at the same time!

What did he take his second sister for?

At the teahouse, Second Sister had told him how Xie Chong beat and cursed his wives and concubines at the slightest provocation.

If Second Sister married him, she'd be walking straight into a pit of fire.

"Little Brother..."

Seeing Chen Jing's tightly clenched fists and the veins standing out on them, Chen Chunmiao hurried over and clasped his hands in both of hers. Her voice choked with tears. "Little Brother, I... I know how difficult this is for you..."

"In five days... I... I'll marry him together with Miss Ren..."

By the end, she could hold back no longer. Her tears fell onto the back of Chen Jing's hand.

Each tear felt as if it had struck Chen Jing right in the heart.

Chen Jing took a deep breath, gently wiped away her tears, and spoke with a resolve he'd never shown before. "Second Sister!"

"Don't worry..."

"I won't let you marry Xie Chong."

"I'll find a way within these five days."

My senior brother and master both have standing. If they step in, that'll be enough to put a stop to this marriage.

At his words, Chen Chunmiao hurriedly looked up, her eyes brimming with tears. "Little Brother... really?"

After all, who would choose death if they had a chance to live?

"Really."

Chen Jing held Chen Chunmiao by the shoulders and spoke softly. "Trust me."

"...All right."

Chen Chunmiao nodded.

Then the two siblings walked side by side toward the slums.

But only one thought remained in Chen Jing's mind.

So, Xie Chong.

You dare lay a hand on my second sister?

Within five days... I'll kill you.