In the quiet mountain village, the rugged road was surrounded by dense thickets of trees and grass. Gradually, a swaying figure appeared on the shady path, revealing its form.
It was an extremely petite and slender figure, dressed in a gray long-sleeved shirt and trousers, with colorful patches faintly visible. Under the cover of the long sleeves, only the thin bones of her wrists were occasionally exposed. She was carrying a bucket of water that was several inches thicker than herself, and she was moving forward with difficulty.
Cold sweat soaked her eyelashes and seeped into her eyes, causing Liu Erya to blink involuntarily. Despite this, she clung tightly to the bucket, struggling to move forward.
After an unknown amount of time, Liu Erya finally arrived at her destination—a simple mud-brick house. The yard was covered with yellow mud and filled with loose soil, looking precarious and as if it could collapse with the slightest touch.
Setting down the bucket, Liu Erya reached for the door with her slender hands, but before she could make her next move, a gust of wind rushed towards her. The howling wind, almost like tinnitus, created a powerful sense of unease.
Liu Erya instinctively closed her eyes and hugged her head, her small body flying to one side like a kite with a broken string.
"Cough cough..." A tickling sensation came from deep in her throat. Liu Erya covered her mouth and coughed desperately, her eyes filled with fear.
"You brat, it takes you so long to fetch water. You can't even do such a simple chore, what use are you to me? I might as well sell you." The plump woman stood with her hands on her hips, cursing loudly, her voice carrying from one end of the village to the other.
Liu Erya didn't dare to retort when she heard this. She just silently got up and carried the bucket into the room. The woman behind her continued to chatter, using foul language that was unbearable to hear.
"You brat, always wearing that long face, what do I owe you? You never even smile, what good are you! I should have just drowned you in the chamber pot." The middle-aged woman got more and more excited as she spoke, while Liu Erya obediently chopped wood and worked without saying a word, like a mute gourd with its mouth sawed off.
Liu Erya knew very well that if she spoke, she would be subjected to even harsher scolding and punishment, so it was better to remain silent.
"Mom, I'm hungry—" A childish voice rang out from inside the house, and a chubby little boy wearing blue children's clothes, whose face bore a resemblance to a woman, came out.
He frowned, holding a hard-boiled egg in his hand. The egg's golden-yellow color was very appetizing, and he grumbled unhappily. The woman's expression immediately changed upon hearing the boy's words.
"Xiao Bao, wait for me, Mom will cook for you right away, I'll make your favorite chicken drumsticks."
After saying this, the woman wiped her hands and happily went to the kitchen. As she passed Liu Erya, she didn't forget to kick her hard. Liu Xiaobao clapped his hands and cheered when he saw this, his face beaming with a wide smile, his eyes filled with pure joy and schadenfreude.
Liu Erya groaned and lowered her head deeply, her hands continuing their work.
Bang... The dilapidated wooden door finally fulfilled its duty, collapsing into fragments under a powerful force. A black gust of wind swept in, rushing towards Liu's mother with lightning speed.
"Ah—" Liu's mother only had time to let out a scream before she screamed, clutched her stomach, and curled up on the ground like a shrimp.
"Wah..." Liu Xiaobao blinked, the egg in his hand rolled to the ground, and he opened his mouth and burst into tears. Liu Erya was also stunned by the scene, blinking in disbelief.
Liu's mother was a notorious shrew in the village; no one dared to mess with her. She was a master of fighting and cursing, and no one could defeat her. This was the first time she had ever seen someone knock her down so easily; she was truly amazing.
"Ouch, which heartless bastard dares to hit me? I'll skin you alive and stuff your flesh into my mouth..." The pain spread from her abdomen to her whole body, but Liu's mother's mouth still didn't stop. She cursed incessantly, her teeth clenched as if she wanted to bite off a piece of flesh from the other person to vent her anger.
The sound of high heels clicking on the ground became inexplicably clear at that moment. The woman in the black business suit had a cold and stern face, delicate features, and long, curly hair that was tied up behind her head. Her hands were clasped together on her abdomen. Every move she made exuded elegance and nobility, which was completely out of place in this dilapidated little village.
Liu's mother continued cursing, but she inexplicably felt a powerful pressure. She couldn't help but look up and met the woman's deep, dark eyes. She immediately fell silent.
"If you want to live a peaceful life, shut up." The woman's voice was cold, with a hint of disgust in it, and she looked at people as if they were lowly ants.
A shiver ran through her body, and Liu's mother unconsciously shut her mouth. Reason told her that the other party could not possibly have killed anyone; this was a society governed by law. But her emotions told her that what the other party said was true.
Looking around, Wuyou's face was full of indifference. She stepped over Liu's mother without even glancing at her. Liu's mother inexplicably felt that she was being despised, but she dared not speak out in anger.
Looking at the ragged, petite girl in front of her, Wuyou frowned slightly, a faint aura of pressure lingering around her, making it clear that she was in a very bad mood.
Liu Erya couldn't help but shrink her shoulders, feeling fear in her heart. The woman in front of her was dressed in a style she had never seen before, and there were several burly men in black behind her. She looked like someone who was not to be trifled with.
"Your name is Liu Erya?" Wuyou's tone was flat, as if she were stating a fact rather than asking a question.
The little girl in front of him was only chest-high, and no one would guess that she was already fifteen years old. She looked like a twelve or thirteen-year-old girl, which was enough to show what she had suffered.
"...Yes..." Liu Erya paused for a moment, but in the end, she was defeated and routed under Wuyou's gaze.
This older woman looks pretty and reasonable; she probably won't hit her, Liu Erya thought to herself, yet a faint fear still lingered. Just then, a warm touch appeared above her head. She looked up abruptly and saw the other person's indifferent face.
"I am your mother." Wuyou's voice was naturally cold, and coupled with her aloof personality, it was like frost and snow in the twelfth lunar month, giving people a jolt.
Upon hearing this, Liu Erya suddenly looked up, his peach blossom eyes, just like Wuyou's, widening as if they might leap out of their sockets at any moment, his panic evident. Then, he reflexively looked at his mother, only to see that she also had a look of utter disbelief on her face.
This seemed like a dream. She was just a lowly country girl; how could she possibly be the daughter of such a person? Liu Erya thought vaguely, her consciousness gradually fading.
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