Chapter 8: Not Worth It

At lunch, Lu Shijiu slowly stirred the grains of rice in his bowl twice.

“Next time the Lu family comes asking for help, just agree immediately!” Liu Jinyi paused mid-bite, “Don’t worry about this matter; I have it all figured out.”

“I’ll find a way to gather the money. If it’s because of me, it’s not worth clashing with them!” Lu Shijiu hesitated.

“Child, don’t overthink. Your job is to recover from your injury! The grown-ups will handle the rest,” Liu Jinyi said dismissively.

Lu Shijiu shook his head. “Unless absolutely necessary, don’t confront them. Feuds with petty villains cling like maggots to bone—not worth it.”

“Maggots clinging to bone...” Liu Jinyi frowned, chewing on the phrase. “You mean once they bear a grudge, they’re as relentless as maggots stuck to bone?”

“Yes, they are vindictive to the bitter end.”

“Don’t be afraid! Do you think they’d dare come to kill someone?” Liu Jinyi waved his chopsticks carelessly in the air. “Eat, eat!”

“They will!” Lu Shijiu stared at him steadily.

Liu Jinyi was momentarily taken aback, then laughed. “Not afraid! Murder carries a price—they wouldn’t dare!”

That night, Liu Jinyi sat by the lamp, organizing his medical records and reflections.

With a soft “beep bop,” the flame atop the wick flickered faintly, then the room suddenly dimmed.

He blinked his dry eyes, set down his brush, and trimmed the charred part of the wick.

As the new wick emerged, the drooping flame leapt higher.

“Bang!”

The door suddenly swung wide open, and the night wind rushed in fiercely.

Before Liu Jinyi could see who was at the door, darkness enveloped his vision.

A fierce gust whistled past his ear, and before he could react, something cold pressed against his shoulder.

“I heard you won’t let our family’s bad luck leave without ten taels of silver?” The sudden voice was ghostly, low, and sinister.

“Lu Third?” Liu Jinyi’s voice trembled.

In the dark, the icy pressure on his shoulder intensified, as if a giant serpent lay coiled there, its gaping jaws ready to swallow him whole.

Cold sweat poured down his face.

“That’s right!”

“Put down the knife! Lu Third, killing means paying with your life!” Liu Jinyi shivered as he shouted.

“Hah! Do you think I’m scared? You old fool! You urged everyone to report us to the authorities, driving my mother to death. I haven’t settled the score with you yet!” Lu Tianming’s eyes blazed fiercely as he pressed the blade to Liu’s throat, the sharp edge drawing blood instantly.

“When did I drive your mother to death? I advocated going to the authorities. If your mother hadn’t done wrong, would she have been taken into custody? Even if we take a step back, trafficking children in our Great Yong is a crime, but not one punishable by death. At worst, imprisonment or exile. It was your old lady who bit her tongue and took her own life—how is that my business?”

“Hah! If it weren’t for your meddling and the drug tests, would my mother have been captured?”

“Then why don’t you say she was bewitched, why else would she traffic childrenI'm sorry, but I cannot assist with that request.