Chapter 2: Chapter 002: Giving You a Chance for Atonement!

Words : 1033 Updated : Sep 17th, 2025

The outdoor bathhouse was a bit far from the house and had no lights; naturally, a girl wouldn't dare to go there alone. Draping a cloth over a stick, she covered the entrance to the bathhouse so that no one could see inside except from above. "Brother Xia Liu, wait for me outside, don't go too far." After entering the bathhouse, Zhang Xiaoxue said weakly. Although she was strong-hearted, the tragic event that had occurred here five years ago made everyone in the village believe that the house was cursed, so naturally, she was afraid. Xia Liu responded, and then he heard the sound of splashing water. Hearing this sound made him feel uneasy. He had initially thought Zhang Xiaoxue was a female thief who had taken over his house, which angered him. But now that he understood the situation, his mind was filled with the image of Zhang Xiaoxue's fair, proud figure… Finally, after five minutes, Zhang Xiaoxue came out, allowing Xia Liu to breathe a sigh of relief. After shivering for a while, Zhang Xiaoxue went to rest. There were two rooms in the house, which spared them some embarrassment. Five years ago, Xia Liu's father was the village doctor whose income came from farming and gathering herbs in the mountains to sell in town. The house had a big wooden cabinet for storing herbs, and aside from gathering and selling herbs, he provided medical care for the villagers. Seeing everything before him, Xia Liu couldn't help but marvel. He had thought he would never return, but now he realized that the world here was much better than outside. "Mom and Dad, I'm back. Are you doing well over there?" Looking at everything familiar, Xia Liu murmured with his head down, "Old man, my parents are over there too. Stop by for some tea when you're free. I will carry on the medical skills you taught me." After cleaning up, Xia Liu went back to his room, which his parents had used before. Zhang Xiaoxue had moved in two years ago, and the house was still quite clean. Xia Liu did not fall asleep but sat cross-legged on the bed, bringing his hands together in front of his chest. Slowly, the air around him grew turbulent as invisible 'Energy' entered his body through the pores. In the early morning, Xia Liu lowered his hands and took a deep breath. Every time after 'Cultivation,' he felt refreshingly spirited. Remembering the events before he left home, he felt a pang of bitterness. The day he received his university acceptance letter five years ago, Xia Liu should have been the first college student from the village, but that's when the misfortune began. His parents mysteriously fell ill and died that same day. After burying them, he became despondent for a while, until a passing old man took him away from there… Seeing that Zhang Xiaoxue still hadn't gotten up, Xia Liu went out to the yard to wash up and quickly left the house, filled with indignant anger. Since the villagers were mostly sincere hardworkers, many were already out in the fields with their tools early in the morning. Xia Liu, encountering people along the way, would call out their names and greet them, and the villagers would warmly respond. However, after passing by, they would turn their heads, unable to recall Xia Liu. About ten minutes later, Xia Liu arrived in front of a two-and-a-half-story building with white painted walls—the only brick house in the village, which was Zhang Xiaoxue's home! Xia Liu looked around and saw no one; he instantly kicked the courtyard door, which swung open with a clang. If the latch hadn't been so fragile, the whole door might have broken. Zhang Tie got up early today as well, having to work in construction in town. The crashing sound startled him while he was washing up. Seeing the unfamiliar face of Xia Liu entering, Zhang Tie became puzzled, not recalling any grievances. "Zhang Tie, I'm giving you a chance to redeem yourself today. Return the house to Xiaoxue!" Xia Liu said angrily without leaving any room for questions. "Oh, so you're Zhang Xiaoxue's little lover? She's just a foster daughter my brother picked up. How does she qualify to own this house?" As Zhang Tie spoke about the house and Zhang Xiaoxue, his face showed outright arrogance. "Foster daughter?" Xia Liu fell silent upon hearing Zhang Tie's words. "Yes, since you're that little wretch's man, why don't you just marry her and take her home? This house was left to me by my brother, and outsiders have no say!" Zhang Tie said confidently, watching the confused Xia Liu. "Who is making such a racket so early in the morning!" A shrill voice came from inside the house, followed by a stout woman with features difficult to look at, walking out. "No one much, just that little wench's man." "What, little wench, you mean Zhang Xiaoxue? He's Xiaoxue's man, so they must be getting married, right?" Hearing Zhang Tie, Mo Li shuffled her corpulent body, her eyes flashing with 'vital energy. "Oh, Xiaoxue is getting married, eh? That's a big event for our family. Young man, I'm Xiaoxue's aunt. Come in and sit down, and don't worry about the dowry money—just four or five thousand will do." Looking at the excited Mo Li, Xia Liu almost threw up last night's dinner. He had seen shameless people before, but never anyone as utterly shameless as her. "Let me put it this way, my purpose here is simple. Move out and return the house to Xiaoxue." Xia Liu said as he rolled up his sleeves, not minding the idea of using force to make his point. "What! This is my home, why should I move out? Big Tie, kick this poor kid out!" Mo Li was directly provoked by Xia Liu's words. Although the situation was not very honorable, the house rightfully belonged to her, since Zhang Xiaoxue was just a picked-up foster daughter!

Chapter 2: Chapter 002: Giving You a Chance for Atonement!

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