"No."
"I'm giving you a chance to prove your worth."
Shen Nanchu had to admit that Zheng Tongwei, as one of the antagonists in the story, was indeed capable.
If he could stand on her side, that would be ideal.
At this point, Zheng Tongwei dropped all pretenses.
He suddenly smiled.
The cowardice and panic in his eyes receded like a tide, revealing the sharp, hidden reefs beneath.
"Shen Nanchu," he narrowed his eyes, his voice no longer carrying the slightest trace of feigned sincerity, "you're smarter than I thought."
"Thanks for the compliment." Shen Nanchu didn’t bother with false modesty.
Zheng Tongwei frowned. "You’ve been toying with me all this time—why stop the act now?"
Shen Nanchu looked at him with undisguised disdain.
"I was just waiting to see how long this dog could keep wagging its tail."
"Didn’t expect you to be so stupid, tripping over your own schemes this time."
Zheng Tongwei’s face stiffened.
"What if I told you I was sent by the higher-ups to help you? Would you believe me?"
This was Zheng Tongwei’s Plan B—if exposed, he’d pretend to be an undercover protector.
Shen Nanchu stared at him like he was an idiot.
"Do you really think I’m that gullible?"
"Fine."
Zheng Tongwei realized there was no way Shen Nanchu would ever buy his lies.
So, the only option left was to gamble everything—fight to the death for survival.
"You think you’re the only one who plays dirty?"
Zheng Tongwei pulled out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, lit one with practiced ease, and took a slow drag.
"The higher-ups have had their eyes on you for a while. You can’t just smooth-talk your way out of this."
Shen Nanchu let out a soft laugh. "So? You’re happy being their attack dog?"
Zheng Tongwei’s expression darkened. "Cut the self-righteous act! In this world, you either pick a side or get crushed."
"Pick a side?" Shen Nanchu burst into laughter.
"Zheng Tongwei, you’re what—twenty-five, twenty-six? And you still believe in that childish nonsense?"
She narrowed her eyes.
"Let me guess what they promised you."
"A job? A house? Money?"
Zheng Tongwei’s fingers twitched slightly around the cigarette.
"Or was it a promotion after this was all over?"
Shen Nanchu’s voice was like a blade, slicing straight through him.
A bit of ash fell from Zheng Tongwei’s cigarette.
"How… how did you know?"
"Old trick, but it works, doesn’t it?" Shen Nanchu smirked.
"Remember Chief Zhang from the Chengguan Police Station last year? Or Deputy Chief Liu from Customs the year before?"
"Do you know where they are now?"
Zheng Tongwei’s throat moved as he swallowed.
"One’s shoveling manure on a labor farm. The other’s breaking rocks in a mine."
Shen Nanchu clapped her hands lightly.
"You think you’re sharper than those old foxes?"
Zheng Tongwei stayed silent, a chill creeping up his spine.
"Loyalty means nothing once you’ve outlived your usefulness."
"If even husbands and wives can’t be trusted, what makes you think you’re anything more than a disposable pawn?"
Shen Nanchu looked at him with pity. They were both side characters, similar in nature—so why was the gap in their intelligence so vast?
"Who is Yu Zhen?" Shen Nanchu suddenly asked.
Zheng Tongwei answered reflexively, "He’s from the county—"
"A lapdog for the Red Sleeves in the county," Shen Nanchu cut him off.
"And a nearly useless old one at that."
She lowered her voice.
"If the Red Sleeves could really take down the Shen family, why didn’t they do it in the capital?"
Zheng Tongwei’s head snapped up. "Why?"
"Why? Because they couldn’t."
A flash of mockery crossed Shen Nanchu’s eyes.
"If they could, why would they let the Pei family recuperate here all this time?"
She drew out her words deliberately.
"If they really had the power to crush the Peis, why send you here in secret? Don’t you get it?"
Zheng Tongwei’s cigarette dropped to the ground.
"Shen Nanchu," his voice trembled slightly, "what are you trying to say?"
"I’ll give you two choices."
Shen Nanchu held up two fingers.
"First, keep being their dog. Sooner or later, you’ll either go down with them or get sacrificed to save the mastermind."
"And the second?" Zheng Tongwei asked quickly.
Shen Nanchu smiled. "Second—play double agent."
Zheng Tongwei’s eyes widened. "You want me to defect and spy for you?"
"It’s called making the smart choice."
Shen Nanchu’s tone was indifferent.
"A wise man knows when to switch sides."
She gave him a meaningful look.
"Which side has the upper hand? Isn’t it obvious?"
"Whatever they promised you, I can deliver too."
"Besides—do you really think someone as clever as me would lose?"
Zheng Tongwei fell silent.
He had to admit, Shen Nanchu’s offer was tempting.
Working for the other side, he’d been the one scheming alone.
But Shen Nanchu had been manipulating him effortlessly the whole time.
The answer was clear.
Only by following the smarter player could he survive long-term.
"If I betray you and report this to the higher-ups, what then?"
"You won’t."
Shen Nanchu was utterly confident.
"Why not?" Zheng Tongwei was taken aback.
"You’re not that stupid." Her eyes brimmed with disdain again.
"Besides…"
She dropped the scorn, replacing it with the authority of someone in control.
"Cross me, and I doubt you’ll make it out of Wang Family Village alive."
Zheng Tongwei’s stomach lurched, a reflexive urge to vomit rising in his throat.
The past few days had been pure torment.
"How did you poison me?"
"The summer mushrooms weren’t poisoned."
Shen Nanchu would never be so obvious.
Besides, what if he hadn’t eaten them? That’d be a waste.
"It was just misdirection."
"The real poison was in your water jug."
No wonder he’d been stuck in the bathroom for three straight days.
Medicine would stop it—only for the cycle to repeat.
Zheng Tongwei grasped at one last straw.
"I had the police test the water. Once they trace the toxin back to hospitals or local clinics, you’re finished."
Shen Nanchu laughed—bold, unapologetic.
"Who said I got the poison from a hospital?"
"Plenty of weeds on the roadside can make you vomit your guts out."
"Good luck finding the right ones in a haystack."
She’d never leave evidence that easily.
Zheng Tongwei was stunned.
He stared at her, his gaze a mix of awe and frustration.
"How does your brain even work?"
He wanted to learn.
"You’d need to be reborn—"
Shen Nanchu shook her head.
"No, scratch that. You’d have to crawl out of hell, rack up enough karma to reach heaven, and then pray for genius parents in your next life. Even then, the odds are slim."
Zheng Tongwei: "…"
Arrogant as she was, he couldn’t deny her brilliance.
The Pei family—
At the thought of Pei Zhengnian, a flicker of admiration crossed Zheng Tongwei’s eyes.
That man was formidable too.
His decision was made.
...
