Chapter 21 If He Cannot Be Kept Alive, Then Kill Him!

When it came to his own biological daughter, Father Xu’s face flickered with pride, and he was quite pleased with the move he’d made all those years ago. Not only had he let someone else raise his daughter for him, he’d also planted a major spy in the Qin family, enabling him to glean all sorts of crucial information. It was truly a strategy that yielded multiple rewards.

Moreover, as his daughter grew, she could use the Qin family’s power to climb even higher. The more elevated her status, the more important the information she could access, and the greater his future merits—and the rewards that would come his way. Father Xu couldn’t help but give himself a mental pat on the back. He was so clever. Now, the only thing left was to get rid of that little wretch, Xu Lin. He could not allow her to ruin the grand game he had set in motion.

His suspicions confirmed, Xu Lin’s expression turned grim. So, they had reconnected long ago. Damn it, Qin Fang wasn’t any better—she thought she could ride the Qin family’s coattails to a life of luxury. Not a chance. But this wasn’t the right moment to deal with Qin Fang. She needed hard evidence of Qin Fang’s betrayal before toppling her. If Qin Fang dreamt of living as gloriously as she had in her past life—by selling out the country—she could forget it.

Father Xu discussed matters at length with the white-haired old man. After agreeing on the operation at the Xu residence, he instructed the man to prepare poison sprays and other weapons to bring along. When Father Xu finally left, Xu Lin didn’t immediately follow; instead, she quietly inspected the old man’s home. Outwardly, it was nothing but a shabby little courtyard, but within, there was more than met the eye. Beneath the stove lay a hidden chamber filled with treasure and a radio transmitter. For safety’s sake, Xu Lin didn’t touch the valuables or the radio; she simply slipped away, planning her next move as she walked. Should she report Father Xu now, or wait a bit longer? First, she had to obtain the document officially severing ties with the Xu family. After all, blood ties meant little compared to the debt of upbringing, and since the Xu family had raised her, it was only right to have a proper conclusion.

With this settled, Xu Lin hurried home. She arrived just in time for lunch. The Xu family had only just sat down when they saw the harbinger of disaster return, their faces turning awkward and uneasy. Even their bodies seemed to ache anew.

Xu Lin’s cold gaze landed on Xu Nuan, who leapt off her stool in fright, quickly giving up her seat and meekly settling at the corner of the table. Seeing Xu Nuan so quick to yield, Xu Lin let her be and sat herself grandly beside Old Lady Xu.

Gazing at the five quail-like figures before her, she spoke in a cool tone, “I’ve already severed all ties with the Qin family. Now it’s your turn. Anything you want to say?”

“It’s done?” Mother Xu and Old Lady Xu blurted out in disbelief, their faces shocked. They could hardly believe Xu Lin would willingly give up the Qin family’s wealth and status. Was the little wretch out of her mind?

“Yes, it’s done. Now it’s just you left.” Xu Lin pointed her chin at Father Xu. “Anything to say?”

Father Xu swallowed nervously, inwardly relieved his old friend hadn’t taken his suggestion to act outside the home. Otherwise, it would have been a wasted effort. The little wretch moved swiftly. Not daring to keep her waiting, he replied at once, “Though we aren’t your birth parents, raising a child is a greater kindness than giving birth—we’re still a family, after all, you…”

Meeting Xu Lin’s murderous gaze, he trailed off, not daring to finish for fear she might kill him then and there.

“Xu, you’d better watch what you say and stop with your nonsense. Debt of birth, debt of upbringing—have you ever shown me any real kindness? Believe it or not, I’ll kill you all with a single slap and then turn myself in.”

The seriousness and deadly intent in her eyes made all five members of the Xu family tremble. It truly seemed she was capable of such a thing.

Old Lady Xu was the first to yield, hastily shouting, “We’ll sever ties! Whatever conditions you have, just state them and let’s talk it through.”

“Yes, yes, just put your terms on the table. There’s nothing we can’t negotiate,” Mother Xu echoed carefully, her face plastered with a fawning smile. “Linlin, just tell us what you want. As long as it’s within our power, we’ll discuss it.”

Xu Lin sized up the entire family, recalling the scheme Father Xu had concocted with the white-haired old man. She knew her demands couldn’t be too extreme, but neither could they be too lenient. She needed to force their hand, push them into action, and then catch them all in one fell swoop, ensuring everyone involved ended up behind bars.

Having thought it through, Xu Lin took out the document she’d prepared and slapped it on the table, her voice cool and detached. “Here’s the letter severing all ties. Sign it.”

She slid the letter in front of Father Xu for him to review. The document detailed the Xu family’s swapping of the children, as well as the abuse Xu Lin had suffered at their hands. Only after explaining the origins of the affair did it mention the severing of ties.

With such a letter made public, no matter where it went, Xu Lin would be seen as the victim. Unless someone was blind or heartless, no one would accuse her of ingratitude.

Father Xu read the letter from start to finish, his expression complicated. If he signed, the Xu family’s reputation would be ruined. He hesitated.

“Sign it as soon as you’re done reading. Don’t force me to use violence,” Xu Lin threatened, rolling her eyes. “If you refuse, that’s fine too. We’ll just never sign it, and stay entangled for life. Let’s see who wears out first.”

Her chilling words drained the color from the Xu family’s faces. Thinking of their fresh and old wounds, they knew they couldn’t outlast her.

Old Lady Xu couldn’t take it anymore and cried out, “I’ll sign, I’ll sign!”

Father Xu clutched the letter, still reluctant. But when he met Xu Lin’s menacing gaze, he said coldly, “We can sever ties, but not with it written like this.”

“If you want it worded differently, we’ll do it at the law enforcement bureau. I’d love to ask them what the penalty is for maliciously swapping someone’s child. Oh, and I could go to Qin Fang’s school and ask, in front of all her teachers and classmates, what it feels like to have parents who did such a thing. I’d also ask whether she feels guilty living a life that should have been mine. Even though I’ve now severed ties with the Qin family, that position should still have been mine. If her classmates and friends knew the truth, what do you think they would say?

There’s an old saying: ‘If the upper beam is crooked, the lower beam is slanted.’ Another says, ‘Dragons beget dragons, phoenixes beget phoenixes, rats’ children dig holes.’ What would Qin Fang’s peers think of her? That she was well-raised, or that her character is rotten to the core?”

Xu Lin’s threats were light but lethal, making Father Xu’s face darken with murderous intent. She was completely beyond his control now—a ticking time bomb who could destroy everything at any moment. Since she couldn’t be kept, she had to be eliminated. Dead or alive, signing or not, it hardly mattered.

For now, signing would keep her at bay. He guessed she was planning to sign up for the countryside volunteer program. Hmph, even if she wanted to, it’d only be with his permission.

With that realization, Father Xu picked up the pen and signed his name.