Jiang Xing looked at her seemingly bright yet mocking smile and said coldly, "Though you are my biological sister, I have no affection for you. Little He, on the other hand, grew up under my care. To me, of course, you can’t compare to her. But if you apologize to Little He and promise never to trouble her again, I might spare you—solely because we share the same blood."
"Heh." Jiang Youli nearly laughed herself to tears. "Honestly, everything your family has said to me since I returned to the Jiang household is just too ridiculous. If you can grow so attached to the daughter of your enemy, then in the future, I’ll make sure every child you have is swapped with someone else’s. You’ll raise the children of your foes while your own flesh and blood suffer in the slums. How does that sound?"
At this, Jiang Xing’s eyes turned icy, radiating killing intent.
"You wouldn’t dare!"
"Oh my, why so angry? What does it matter if they’re biologically yours? Even if they’re the children of your enemies, you’d still raise them with love, wouldn’t you? Why let it bother you?"
Enraged, Jiang Xing grabbed Jiang Youli by the collar. "Enough! Little He is nothing like you! Her mother’s sins aren’t hers to bear! I should’ve listened to Jiang Zhao—I shouldn’t have wasted my breath on you!"
With that, he took a sharp knife from one of his bodyguards and slowly brought it toward Jiang Youli’s face.
"Since you’re so stubborn, so determined to make life hard for Little He, don’t blame me for being merciless. A few cuts across your face ought to turn you into a hideous monster—then you’ll never dare humiliate her again."
Just as Jiang Xing was about to act, he realized his hand had gone weak.
Clang. The knife fell to the ground.
Soon, his entire body felt drained. His legs wobbled, unable to hold him steady.
Shock flashed in his eyes. What’s happening?
Jiang Youli pried his hand away and casually smoothed her collar.
"What did you do to me?" Jiang Xing hunched over, struggling to keep himself from collapsing.
The two bodyguards, sensing something was wrong, moved to restrain Jiang Youli—only to collapse mid-step, their legs giving out just like Jiang Xing’s.
"Ugh…" The two men twitched on the ground.
Hmph. As if they could touch her.
The moment they laid hands on her, they had been poisoned.
Jiang Xing, realizing the dire situation, mustered all his strength to shout at the two bodyguards stationed outside. "Emergency! Get in here and help me!"
The moment the words left his mouth, his strength failed him, and he crumpled to the floor.
Thud. The hard ground sent a sharp pain through his skull.
"Don’t bother. Those two useless idiots outside are already unconscious. No one’s coming to save you—just like you said, no one will know what happens here." Jiang Youli bent down, leaning close to Jiang Xing. "I told you. You trampled the medicinal herbs I worked so hard to cultivate. Since you refuse to compensate me, I’ll just take your feet instead."
"You wouldn’t dare!" Jiang Xing glared at her, teeth clenched.
Jiang Youli let out a soft laugh. "What wouldn’t I dare? Did you really think I’d show you mercy at this point?"
She crouched, picking up the knife he had dropped and testing its edge in her palm. "You were going to slash my face, weren’t you? Tsk tsk. How cruel. No matter what, I am your sister by blood."
"All to avenge Jiang Yonghe over a single slap, and you wanted to ruin my face. My poor, fragile heart—it’s absolutely shattered."
Jiang Xing struggled to push himself up, but his arms gave out the moment they touched the floor.
His strength was fading fast. Finally, he stopped resisting, settling for a venomous glare.
"To soothe my wounded heart, I think I’ll use this knife of yours to sever your tendons today."
Jiang Xing’s eyes burned with fury. Though his body was powerless, his mind remained clear, and his voice still worked.
"If you lay a finger on me, Grandfather will banish you from the Jiang family the second he finds out! Don’t fool yourself into thinking he’ll indulge you just because you’re the ‘real’ Jiang heiress! In this family, I am the one he values most!"
"Once you’re cast out, I’ll make sure you suffer!"
Jiang Youli twirled the knife, feigning hesitation. "But I don’t need Grandfather’s protection. What a dilemma. After all, the Jiang fortune means nothing to me. I only came back to see how all of you were doing—whether you felt even the slightest guilt for what I endured."
"Pity. It seems none of you do."
"In that case, I’ll just have to give you a taste of suffering too. So you can finally understand." With that, she dragged Jiang Xing toward a nearby wall, propping him up against it.
"Alright, we’re alone here. Scream all you want when I cut your tendons—it won’t matter." She flicked the knife in her hand, then crouched before him, slicing open his trousers to expose his calf.
Only now did real fear flicker in Jiang Xing’s eyes. She’s actually going to do it.
"Jiang Youli! Think carefully! Let’s talk this through—wasn’t it just 50 million you wanted? Fine, I’ll pay you right now—AHH!"
Before he could finish, agony tore through his leg, wrenching a scream from his throat.
Blood seeped from the wound, pooling on the floor.
Cold sweat drenched Jiang Xing as he watched Jiang Youli position the knife over his exposed tendons, dread coiling tighter in his chest.
"Jiang Youli… This is your last chance. If you dare cut my tendons, I swear I’ll never let you go—AAAH!" His scream echoed through the abandoned factory.
"My, my. That must hurt. You’re being so loud." Jiang Youli sighed, then slid a silver needle from her sleeve and drove it into his neck. "Let’s have some quiet now. Your noise is grating."
Jiang Xing’s voice died in his throat. All he could do was whimper helplessly as the blade worked at his flesh.
Tears of pain mingled with sweat, streaking down his face.
Jiang Youli didn’t pause. "Bear with it a little longer. I’m skilled in medicine—this won’t take much time."
Jiang Xing finally passed out from the pain.
"Pathetic. Fainting already? How dull." Jiang Youli withdrew the needle silencing him and inserted it into another pressure point, forcing him back to consciousness.
When Jiang Xing’s eyes fluttered open, he met her gaze.
"Awake? Good. Don’t faint again—we’re not done yet. It’d be such a waste if you missed the rest."
Jiang Youli's words were like poison, provoking Jiang Xing into another furious outburst: "Jiang Youli, you'll die a wretched death! When my parents find out, they'll make sure you suffer a thousand cuts!"
