Chapter 8 Mother, did you buy the medicine?

Chapter 8: Mother, did you buy the medicine?

Xu Lin didn't wait for Old Lady Xu to give an explanation before launching into a tirade.

"You, you, you—what are you stammering for? At your age, you're still acting like a thief. Aren't you afraid of being struck by lightning?"

Old Lady Xu, insulted and accused of being a thief in her own home at her age, was both furious and indignant. How could she possibly be a thief in her own house? Yet, when faced with Xu Lin's dark, cold gaze, she silently shut her mouth. Fine, best to play dead for now. This wretched girl was more unhinged and ruthless than ever these days.

Hmph. Just wait—once her precious son returned, she would make sure this little brat got what she deserved. Not only would she have her legs broken, but her arms too—let's see if she dared raise a fist at her then.

Old Lady Xu nursed these vicious thoughts in her heart, but her face was forced into a smile, tinged with flattery. "Linlin, what are you saying? Your grandmother is old and can't stand such accusations. If word got out, people would say you weren't raised right."

"Raised right?" Xu Lin sneered. "You old hag, you have the nerve to talk to me about upbringing? Your whole family are thieves. Who are you to talk to me about morals?"

"You're the thief! Your family are the real thieves!" Old Lady Xu, emboldened by the fact that Xu Lin was indoors, retorted loudly—though halfway through, she sensed something off.

What did she mean by "your family"?

"'Your family'? What do you mean by that? You!" Old Lady Xu's expression flickered with suspicion; she wanted to ask, but dared not.

"That's right, your family—you, your son, your daughter-in-law, all of you are thieves." Propped on the windowsill, Xu Lin mocked her. "Aren't you curious why I've suddenly become a different person?"

Curious? Old Lady Xu was nearly dying of curiosity. She even suspected Xu Lin was possessed by something evil, had brought talismans to exorcise her, and planned to take serious action that night. But what had caused this brat's drastic change in character?

Old Lady Xu mulled over the words "your family," and her heart lurched with a terrifying suspicion. She pointed at Xu Lin, her hand trembling, and gasped, "You... you know? You know!"

She didn't finish the sentence, but Xu Lin understood, her expression turning even more mocking.

"There's no secret that doesn't come to light," Xu Lin said, her gaze fixed on Old Lady Xu's guilty, evasive eyes, "A whole nest of shameless, heartless thieves! Swapping someone's life, abusing and manipulating them, playing your twisted mind games—truly despicable. Aren't you afraid of karma? Aren't you afraid your family line will be cut off?"

Old Lady Xu, being berated to her face, glanced away, feeling both guilty and weak. Thinking of Xu Lin's fighting prowess, she quietly braced herself on the ground and began inching toward the door. She said nothing more—her only thought was to escape. If she let this brat continue hurling insults, the girl would surely lose her temper and beat her senseless.

She felt guilty about the baby-switching. But Xu Lin didn't move to attack right away. She simply watched coldly as Old Lady Xu, terrified for her life, slunk away with a sneer.

The sight made Old Lady Xu bolt upright with a shriek and flee in terror. Good heavens, this wretched girl was terrifyingly abnormal! She had to discuss this with her son and daughter-in-law—she couldn't let this brat ruin her beloved granddaughter's bright future.

Once the eyesore was gone, Xu Lin lay back on her bed, pondering her next move. The Qin family must have gotten the investigative report by now—she wondered what choice they'd make.

As Xu Lin had guessed, the Qin family had already sent someone to investigate her background, and now the whole family was gathered at the old patriarch's house to discuss the matter.

After reading the report, Old Master Qin slammed the table in outrage. His precious granddaughter had been swapped at birth. It was bad enough she was switched, but they hadn't even raised her properly!

Two years of schooling—what could one do with that? Worse still, she'd been so mistreated by the Xu family that she'd become timid, self-effacing, and withdrawn. How could such a granddaughter take on the responsibilities of the family?

Old Lady Qin, worried about her husband's health, quickly tried to soothe him: "Old man, calm down! Your health can't withstand such anger and sorrow."

"Calm down? How can I calm down? My granddaughter has been raised into a useless wreck by them. Tell me, what are we supposed to do now?"

The more Old Master Qin thought about it, the more furious he became, and now even his own son and daughter-in-law irked him. Useless! They couldn't even protect their own child, letting someone switch her right under their noses. Most galling of all, after sixteen years, not a single one of them had noticed. Were they all blind?

Father Qin wiped a cold sweat from his brow and hurriedly admitted fault. "Dad, I'm sorry, it's all my fault. I was too busy with work back then and didn't have time to stay at the hospital, giving villains the chance to act. You can punish me however you want—just please don't harm your health."

"Yes, yes, Dad, it's all our fault. Please, you must take care of yourself," Mother Qin chimed in, her face full of concern, terrified the old patriarch might fall ill—the Qin family's pillar of stability. As long as he was around, their status was unshakable. If he were gone, their future would be in jeopardy, and her husband's career might grind to a halt.

Seeing the old man's temper cool a little, Mother Qin cautiously continued, "Dad, what's done is done. We've raised Fang'er for so many years, and she's still seeing that Su boy. If word gets out, what will they do?"

Old Master Qin fell silent. Indeed, Fang'er's relationship with the Su family's son was crucial to cementing the alliance between the two families. If they didn't handle this well, the alliance might fall through.

Meanwhile, Old Lady Xu, afraid to go home, waited anxiously at the alley's entrance. Only after a long while did Father Xu appear. The two huddled in a corner, whispering with grim faces. Father Xu felt the situation was extremely tricky. The baby-switching must never get out, or all their years of scheming would be for nothing. And if it did leak, how could the Xu family face the world? Worse still, what if the Qin family retaliated—could they survive it?

No, they had to think carefully. If all else failed, then...

"Mother, did you buy the medicine?"

"I did. I bought plenty—enough to knock out an elephant," Old Lady Xu said, patting her pocket. Father Xu breathed a sigh of relief. With the drug, they could take care of that brat as they pleased. As long as they kept the secret tightly sealed, no one could ever find out the truth.

"I told you years ago we should have drowned her, but you wouldn't agree. Now look, we've raised a white-eyed wolf that's turning on us," Old Lady Xu grumbled, full of regret. If only they'd killed her early on, there wouldn't be so much trouble now.

"I never expected things to be exposed," Father Xu muttered, trying to recall where they'd slipped up. They'd always guarded the secret so carefully.

Chapter 9: Drugging

Old Lady Xu watched her son brood in silence and remarked regretfully, "There's no wall in this world that doesn't let the wind through. Exposure was only a matter of time. If it had happened years ago, it would've been better. Back then, the brat was still under our control—we could have twisted and crushed her at will, beaten or killed her as we pleased. Such a pity."

She sighed, thinking of the once obedient and capable wretch. What a loss—she'd never again enjoy being waited on hand and foot by the girl. If she ever found out who leaked the secret, she'd tear that person's mouth apart for ruining the Xu family's plans. That would be a blood feud.

Soon, Mother Xu returned from work. The three of them gathered and discussed the matter further before returning home with heavy steps. They slipped cautiously into the courtyard, peering around nervously. Satisfied there was no danger, they crept forward—

Xu Lin had been waiting for them, timing their arrival perfectly. Seeing the three sneaking in, she couldn't help but laugh. Then she burst out of her room and, without another word, pinned them to the ground and gave them a thorough beating.

Afterward, Xu Lin stood over them, admiring her handiwork. Not bad—aside from their pale faces and twisted features, there were no visible injuries. Their contorted bodies showed that she had struck deep into their bones—now they truly understood what "pain to the marrow" meant. Judging by their grimaces and the cold sweat pouring off them, they were enduring a level of pain few could imagine.

More importantly, a few more rounds of this, and within two months, the aftereffects would show. Old Lady Xu would be the first to be paralyzed—a fitting end for a woman so cruel and venomous. Xu Lin was eager to see her suffer, bedridden and helpless—a fate worse than death.

Next would be Mother Xu, whose arms Xu Lin had targeted. The bones would gradually become brittle, breaking at the slightest touch. After a year or two of agony, her arms would be useless, mere decorations.

Then Father Xu. Since he loved breaking other people's legs, Xu Lin would ensure all his limbs became worthless. She wanted to see how he would sell secrets or break others' bones as a cripple.

Xu Lin was a vengeful soul—she not only remembered every slight, but knew how to make her enemies beg for death. Before that, however, she would break ties with them completely. She didn't want this family, once disabled, to come crawling back to leech off her.

As for Xu Kun and Xu Nuan, Xu Lin's eyes grew cold. They were no better, but she wasn't in a hurry to deal with them yet. Let them at least bear the responsibilities of being children for a while. She was curious to see whether, after their family's downfall, Old Lady Xu and Mother Xu would still dote on them as before—and how they’d contend with the fake heiress. The prospect alone was delightful.

Xu Lin's cold gaze softened at the thought, and she tossed out a command: "I want chicken for dinner tonight."

With that, she turned back to her room. As for where they'd get the chicken, that was their problem. The money she’d left in their rooms wasn't for them to squander—it was for her meals.

Once Xu Lin was gone, Mother Xu couldn't hold back her tears. Unable to utter a sound, her silent sobbing was rather unnerving. Father Xu and Old Lady Xu exchanged glances, their similarly sharp eyes flashing with malice.

That evening, despite her pain, Mother Xu prepared a lavish meal: a pot of chicken soup, a plate of braised ribs, two dishes of vegetables, and fresh white rice. In those days, white rice alone was a luxury; with meat dishes, happiness doubled. Xu Kun and Xu Nuan certainly thought so—the food made even their pain lessen.

Mother Xu, forcing a fawning smile, served a full bowl of chicken soup to Xu Lin. "Linlin, please enjoy."

Xu Lin raised an eyebrow. They were even using honorifics now—were they scared, or not? If they were truly frightened, how could they dare drug the soup? Yet if not, then what were the honorifics for?

She sneered, "Respecting elders and loving the young is a traditional virtue in Longguo. Give this bowl to her."

She placed the full bowl of chicken soup in front of Old Lady Xu, whose face turned green. She hurriedly refused: "No, no, this is your favorite chicken soup, Linlin—"

Xu Lin's face darkened, her voice dropping to a menacing tone that made Old Lady Xu shudder. She dared not call herself "grandmother" anymore and quickly changed her words. "I—I couldn't possibly take it from you. Please, you enjoy it."

Her wrinkled face was plastered with a sycophantic grin, leaving Xu Kun and Xu Nuan thoroughly confused. Who wouldn't want to drink fragrant chicken soup? If they didn't want it, they'd happily take it.

The gluttonous Xu Kun couldn't help but speak up: "If none of you want it, give it to me—I'm not picky."

"Sure," Xu Lin said, not giving Old Lady Xu a chance to refuse, and set the bowl before Xu Kun. "Drink up."

Xu Kun beamed, while Old Lady Xu's face turned an even deeper green, and Mother Xu's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets, her fists clenched in frustration. Father Xu's heart leaped into his throat as his eyes darted toward a stick nearby.

Only Xu Nuan was oblivious, staring at the soup with envy and longing.

"No, no, Kun’er, how can you take food from your sister? Give it back to her," Mother Xu rasped, her reddened eyes signaling desperately for her eldest son to understand—don’t just snatch everything!

"Is there something wrong with the chicken soup?" Xu Lin interrupted, her little face dark as ink. "Did you put something in it?"

Her words made the three of them break out in a cold sweat, and they denied it in unison. "No, of course not. How could we? You’ve misunderstood."

Afterward, they exchanged worried glances and looked away guiltily. Father Xu quickly recovered and said, "Since you’re giving it to Kun’er, he should thank you, sister."

He too signaled for Xu Kun to be more tactful, but the boy was clueless. He simply thanked Xu Lin and began to drink the soup, his eyes fixed on the bowl.

Father Xu realized the soup couldn't be stopped now—oh well, it was only a sedative. He hurriedly signaled for Mother Xu to serve another bowl, adding more of the drug.

No matter what, Xu Lin had to be knocked out, or else, once the truth was out, none of them would escape.

Mother Xu, realizing at last, quickly brought a new bowl to Xu Lin. The faint medicinal scent made Xu Lin inwardly sneer—Mother Xu was fast, dropping the drug in with just a flick.

Chapter 10: Truly, Sigh, Truly

What the Xu family didn't know was that Xu Lin, in this life, had inherited the skills of a divine healer from her missions in other dimensions. Such paltry tricks couldn't harm her. But Xu Lin had no intention of doing as they wished and drinking the soup.

So, the bowl reappeared in front of Old Lady Xu, whose face was now nearly twisted with panic, while Xu Lin smiled with genuine delight.

"Drink up," Xu Lin said, eager to see if the old witch would dare drink the soup herself, knowing full well what was in it.

"Thank you, thank you, Linlin," Old Lady Xu ground out through clenched teeth, vowing not to drink until she saw the brat do so first. As long as Xu Lin was knocked out, a few wasted bowls of soup didn't matter.

Feeling more at ease, Old Lady Xu relaxed a little.

"Linlin, you can't keep giving it away like this," Mother Xu urged, serving yet another bowl. "There’s hardly any meat left if you keep passing it on."

She stirred the soup for emphasis—truly, there was barely any meat left.

"Oh, is that so?" Xu Lin grinned wickedly. She could neutralize such sedatives easily, but the others didn't know that. Besides, would they dare eat the soup themselves?

Since they wouldn't, why shouldn't she keep giving it away, showing what a filial child she was?

Xu Lin cheerfully placed the bowl before Father Xu, demonstrating her dutiful nature by giving the best to the head of the family.

Father Xu was so moved he nearly coughed up blood, but he dared not refuse openly, for fear Xu Lin would catch on. Gritting his teeth, he signaled for Mother Xu to continue—if need be, put the drug in every bowl. As long as Xu Lin was knocked out, anything was worth it.

Mother Xu, pained, dished out bowl after bowl, until every member of the family had a bowl of drugged soup before them. The oblivious Xu Kun and Xu Nuan were already eating.

Xu Lin, meanwhile, was happily gnawing on braised ribs and vegetables, showing no sign of touching the soup, much to the growing anxiety of the three elders. If she suspected anything, their fate was sealed.

Xu Kun and Xu Nuan had barely eaten a few bites and sipped a little soup before they started feeling dizzy, their vision blackening. Their eyelids drooped, and within five seconds, they both slumped over, sound asleep.

The three elders hurried to fabricate an excuse.

"They must have played too hard at school," said Father Xu, forcing a laugh. "Look at them, falling asleep as soon as they sit down."

"Yes, yes, they must be exhausted," Mother Xu chimed in. "I wonder what games they played instead of studying."

Old Lady Xu nodded vigorously. "Exactly. Reading is taxing on the brain, and too much use makes one dull."

Who did they think they were fooling? Xu Lin rolled her eyes and went on eating. She needed nutrition to heal and cultivate her powers, so she had no intention of being polite when good food was on the table.

With the three elders watching anxiously, Xu Lin ate five bowls of rice and polished off the ribs and vegetables. Only the chicken soup remained. She finally asked, "Aren't you going to drink the soup?"

"You drink, you drink—have as much as you like," Old Lady Xu said, feigning benevolence. "Linlin is so thin, she needs to eat more."

But inwardly, she was cursing—five bowls! The girl was a bottomless pit, eating all the rice and leaving not a single rib for the rest of them. Could she be the reincarnation of a starving ghost?

The thought made Old Lady Xu's face go even paler. Was she really a starving ghost reborn, or possessed by one? If so, could the three of them possibly stand against her? She fingered the talisman in her pocket nervously, whispering to Father Xu, unaware that Xu Lin, with her sharp hearing, caught every word.

Father Xu paid no heed to his mother; his gaze was fixed on Xu Lin, who was finally starting on the soup. Now he felt certain—once she was knocked out, there would be nothing to fear.

But soon, the three of them were dumbfounded. What was going on? She finished a whole bowl of soup and was still perfectly fine. Then, as Xu Lin helped herself to their bowls of soup too, their shock only deepened.

Good heavens, could she really keep eating? Would she bankrupt the family at this rate? No, as long as they broke her limbs, it wouldn't matter how much she ate—it would all be under their control.

They exchanged glances, anxiously waiting for Xu Lin to collapse. But no matter how long they waited, she finished all the soup and still looked as energetic as ever.

Clearly the drug worked—after all, two had already passed out. But why was she so unaffected? Could it be...

The three of them stared in horror. Father Xu pointed at her, his hand trembling. "You—did you know all along?"

"Of course I did," Xu Lin replied, setting down her bowl and elegantly wiping her mouth, her eyes narrowing.

That look—the three elders knew it all too well. It was Xu Lin's prelude to violence. They were doomed.

The three of them screamed and bolted for the door, but how could they hope to outrun Xu Lin? Well fed and full of energy, she made short work of them, pinning them to the living room floor and giving them another savage beating.

When she finished, she sat above them, looking down from her chair. "If you dared to switch children, you must also bear the consequences."

The blunt words extinguished any lingering hope in their hearts. They trembled in terror.

"You—you—" Father Xu didn't want to admit it, but one look at Xu Lin's cold eyes told him there was no point in denying it.

In the end, he could only sit up slowly and, in a voice tinged with pleading, said, "Linlin, I'm sorry. We never wanted to swap children. What parent doesn't love their own child? It's just that—just that..."

His eyes reddened as he began his performance.

Old Lady Xu, worthy mother to her son, caught on immediately and joined in, her eyes red as she said, "Linlin, don't blame your father and mother—they had no choice. Truly, truly..."

What exactly she meant, Old Lady Xu did not say, waiting to see what her eldest son would spin so she could chime in.

Mother Xu, still dazed from the pain, wept silently, cursing Old Lady Xu for her incompetence. She couldn't even buy the right drug—why wasn't the brat knocked out after eating so much?

It looked like it would be up to her alone now.