Chapter 45: How Dare You Snap at Me

A mocking sneer escaped from Zeng Xiaofan’s lips. “Zhou Tingting, I suggest you get lost while you still can.” He paused, letting the words hang in the air. “You still haven’t fulfilled your promise to eat shit while standing on your head from last time, have you?”

Zhou Tingting’s cheeks flushed crimson with anger. “Last time... last time, you just got lucky, that’s all! Don’t think you’ll be so fortunate today. I just can’t stand your lies and schemes. If you’ve got the guts, then let’s make a wager! If you can show me two hundred thousand yuan right now, I’ll kneel and kowtow to you on the spot—and lick your toes while I’m at it! But if you can’t produce the money, you’ll crawl around the entire village like a dog and squeeze under my legs! Do you dare to take the bet?” Her voice was sharp, and her expression smug—she was certain Zeng Xiaofan didn’t have that kind of money.

Ye Shuilian, watching the exchange, couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable. She tried to mediate gently, “Xiaofan... just let it go. Everyone knows your family’s situation, there’s no need to put on a brave face. Just apologize to Tingting and let this pass. There’s no sense making a scene that can’t be resolved.”

Zeng Xiaofan looked at Zhou Tingting with a crooked smile, his tone mild. “You heard her. You still have time to regret this. Don’t blame me if things get out of hand and you can’t back out later.”

“Pfft!” Zhou Tingting rolled her eyes so hard they nearly disappeared into her skull. “Zeng Xiaofan, get a grip. She’s sincerely trying to help you! Everyone knows you’re a broke loser—poor and pretentious, and now you’ve even started lying. Tsk, tsk. I’m embarrassed for you! If I were as useless as you, I’d rather be dead.”

Her scorn grew sharper with every word, as if, now that they had broken up, she could only feel vindicated by grinding him into the dirt—her own choice justified by his humiliation.

Zeng Xiaofan could only laugh wryly. “I’ll say it one last time: for the sake of our past acquaintance, I don’t want to see you embarrass yourself. Just leave.”

“Ha!” Zhou Tingting spat. “Zeng Xiaofan, you really are a good actor! If you really have two hundred thousand, show it to me right now! What’s the point of all this nonsense? Show me the money, and I’ll kneel and lick your toes. If not, then drop down and bark like a dog—right now! But I know you can’t, so just get on your knees and start barking!”

“Do it while there’s still not too many people around,” she taunted more arrogantly, even tugging open her white coat to reveal her long, pale legs. “Otherwise, when the crowd gathers, it’ll be even uglier for you.”

Zeng Xiaofan shook his head with a cold snort. “You asked for this.” He pulled out his phone and turned to Ye Shuilian. “Aunt Lian, send me your bank account number. I’ll transfer the money to you right now.”

“Xiaofan, don’t make trouble...” Ye Shuilian frowned.

“Aunt Lian, just send the number. Don’t worry about the rest.” Unable to say no, Ye Shuilian sent her bank details. Zeng Xiaofan tapped quickly on his phone.

A second later, Ye Shuilian’s phone chimed: “A deposit of two hundred thousand yuan has been received in your account...” The announcement left both Zhou Tingting and Ye Shuilian utterly dumbfounded.

“What...?” Ye Shuilian’s mouth fell open in disbelief. “The money’s really there?” She checked her balance over and over. The joy in her face was radiant, her ample figure trembling with excitement. “It’s true! Xiaofan! When did you become rich? You actually transferred two hundred thousand to me! Do you know how many villagers can’t save up that much in a lifetime?”

Ye Shuilian was so overjoyed she nearly jumped, gripping Zeng Xiaofan’s hands as admiration and delight filled her eyes, all former condescension gone. In her excitement, she didn’t even notice his hands brushing against her chest.

Beside them, Zhou Tingting was utterly stupefied, her mouth wide enough to swallow a whole egg. “How is this possible? He’s supposed to be a penniless good-for-nothing... How could he possibly have two hundred thousand? This can’t be... No way...”

Swallowing hard, her face flushed right down to her neck.

Zeng Xiaofan smiled coldly, holding his phone up to Zhou Tingting. “See? I’ve transferred two hundred thousand, and there’s still more than two hundred thousand left in the account. Satisfied now? Go ahead—start your performance. Will it be eating shit while standing on your head, or kneeling to lick my toes?”

Zhou Tingting’s chest heaved with rage. “Zeng Xiaofan! You... you...”

Suddenly, a look of realization crossed her face and she scoffed, “I get it now! Zeng Xiaofan, this money must be stolen! Someone like you could never have that much legitimately. It’s impossible! So you must have stolen it! You’re finished—I’m calling the police and having you arrested! You thief! You fraud! You’re a disgrace to our village!”

She jabbed her finger at Zeng Xiaofan’s nose, shrieking as if she’d found a way to force him to his knees.

Zeng Xiaofan’s face betrayed only exasperation. He turned to Ye Shuilian. “Aunt Lian, ignore her. She’s just looking for trouble. Let’s get the contract signed.”

“No!” Zhou Tingting shouted. “It’s stolen money! Auntie, you can’t accept stolen money! Zeng Xiaofan, come with me, right now—we’re going to the police station to turn yourself in!”

She tried to drag him away, but Zeng Xiaofan’s patience finally snapped. “Enough!” he roared. “I’ve tolerated you long enough. Put your hands on me again and don’t blame me for what happens next.”

It was the first time Zhou Tingting had ever seen him so fierce. In the past, he’d always bent to her will, obedient as a dog. Now that he’d turned on her, she was stunned for a moment—then her anger blazed up even fiercer.

“Oh, so you’ve grown a spine, Zeng Xiaofan! You dare talk to me like that? You bastard, you have the nerve to be fierce with me? You orphaned mongrel, how dare you—how dare you act tough with me?”

Crack!

Zeng Xiaofan’s hand shot out, landing a clear, ringing slap across Zhou Tingting’s pretty face.

“Not only do I dare be fierce with you, today I’ll teach you a lesson!” he spat. “You wretch!”

He raised his hand again—another slap, even harder this time.

Zhou Tingting was stunned, clutching her stinging cheeks, her eyes wide with disbelief.

“You... you bastard, you actually hit me!”

“That’s right—I’m hitting you, you wretch!” Zeng Xiaofan slapped her again, the sound echoing in the air...