readytorunbook Chapter 188 I've wanted to teach them a lesson for a long time
Chapter 188 I've wanted to teach them a lesson for a long time
The charcoal fire roared once more, and the aroma of roasted bamboo rats filled the air once more. At the entrance of Fengweixuan Restaurant, a large crowd gathered, creating a lively and bustling atmosphere.
As the sun set, the golden afterglow shone on An Changning's face, giving her a soft halo.
She looked at the endless stream of customers and a confident smile appeared on her lips.
Fengweixuan is busier than ever, with the aroma of roasted bamboo rats wafting throughout the street, attracting countless diners.
An Changning stood behind the counter, watching the busy staff, feeling a great sense of accomplishment.
Inside the private room of Tianxianglou, Wu Heya's slender fingers gripped the teacup tightly, her knuckles white, as if she were about to crush the fine porcelain.
The tea had long since gone cold, yet I felt no chill at all; only a bone-chilling hatred, like that of an ice cellar, spread from the depths of my heart.
The success of Fengweixuan was like a resounding slap in the face, leaving her utterly humiliated.
"Bang!" The teacup was thrown heavily to the ground, shards flying everywhere, just like her shattered heart at that moment.
"An Changning! Do you think you can win like this? I won't let you get away with this!" She gritted her teeth, each word seemingly squeezed out from between her teeth, filled with deep-seated resentment.
A sleazy-looking figure appeared at the door, bowing and scraping before Wu Heya: "What are your orders, Madam?"
"Zhang Yong, do you know Zhang Yong from the gambling den in the south of the city?"
Wu Heya's eyes were cold and sinister, like those of a venomous snake, as she stared intently at the fragments on the ground.
"Yes, that's right," Zhang Yong replied hastily, though he felt a little uneasy, wondering why this lady had suddenly asked him.
Wu Heya's lips curled into a sinister smile: "I heard that you and An Changning have some grudges?"
Zhang Yong was taken aback, but then he understood what Wu Heya meant and nodded vigorously.
"Yes, yes, that bitch made me lose a lot of money before, I've wanted to teach her a lesson for a long time!"
Wu Heya nodded in satisfaction and took out a silver ingot from her sleeve, tossing it to Zhang Yong.
“An Changning has been going to Fengweixuan a lot lately, do you understand what I mean?”
Zhang Yong took the silver, a greedy glint in his eyes: "I understand, I understand! Rest assured, Madam, I will make that bitch pay the price!"
The afterglow of the setting sun shone on the bluestone road, elongating An Changning's shadow.
She walked happily on her way back home, reminiscing about the lively scene at Fengweixuan Restaurant that day, a smile unconsciously playing on her lips.
Suddenly, a gust of wind swept in, accompanied by several muffled groans. Several men in black jumped out from the shadows, grabbed An Changning without a word, covered her mouth, and dragged her into a secluded alley.
An Changning was terrified and struggled desperately, but could not break free from the black-clad man's restraints.
Fear surged through her like a tidal wave. She smelled the strong stench of sweat from the man in black, felt the sharp pain in her wrists from being tightly bound, and everything before her eyes blurred.
"Ugh..." An Changning slowly opened his eyes, feeling a splitting headache.
What came into view was a dark and damp room, with shocking bloodstains on the walls and a nauseating musty smell in the air.
Various whips lay scattered on the ground, as if silently recounting the cruelty that had once occurred here.
She moved and found herself tied to a wooden stake, her wrists and ankles tightly bound with thick hemp rope.
Not far away, another girl was also tied up and lay motionless on the ground.
An Changning felt that the girl looked familiar, and after careful examination, he realized that it was actually Wang Yao.
"What bad luck..." An Changning sighed inwardly. Just as he was about to wake Wang Yao, he heard footsteps outside the door.
Her mind raced, and she immediately closed her eyes, pretending to be unconscious.
"Squeak-"
The dilapidated wooden door was pushed open, and a tall figure appeared in the doorway, casting a shadow that made the already dim room even more eerie and terrifying.
"Wow--"
A bucket of icy well water was poured over their heads, jolting An Changning and Wang Yao awake. The biting cold instantly seeped into their thin clothes, clinging to their skin and sending shivers down their spines.
An Changning choked on a few mouthfuls of water; the strong musty smell mixed with the fishy smell of soil hit his nostrils, making him nauseous.
In the dim light, Zhang Yong, carrying a stained whip, walked up to An Changning with a sneer, looking down at her with a tone full of smugness and mockery.
"An Changning, you never thought you'd end up like this, did you? Did you ever imagine you'd fall into my hands?"
The whip in his hand lashed out in the air a few times, making a "crackling" sound, like a venomous snake ready to devour its prey, swaying in front of An Changning, bringing waves of chilling oppression.
The hemp rope tightened painfully around her wrists, and icy well water dripped down her hair, but An Changning endured the discomfort, staring directly at Zhang Yong, her tone surprisingly calm: "So, the one who abused the girl in the abandoned warehouse in the west of the city is you, Zhang Yong."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Yong's smile froze instantly, and his pupils contracted sharply.
He looked at An Changning with suspicion and forced a calm retort, "What nonsense are you talking about? I don't know what you're talking about!"
Although he tried his best to hide it, the panic in his tone and the flicker in his eyes betrayed his inner fear.
An Changning ignored his denial and instead spoke with even greater certainty, tinged with a hint of threat: "I've only been missing for an hour, but what you did tonight in this abandoned warehouse in the west of the city will be known throughout the streets and alleys of Shengjing. At that time, the Prefect of Shengjing will come to visit you in person."
Her tone was calm, yet every word was like a knife, piercing Zhang Yong's heart.
Fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, and his hand holding the whip trembled involuntarily.
"How...how did you know?" He finally couldn't help but ask the question that had been bothering him. This place was extremely well hidden; he was confident that no one would discover it.
An Changning did not answer, but just looked at him coldly, her eyes full of mockery and contempt.
Enraged, Zhang Yong raised his whip to strike An Changning.
"You bitch! You're asking for death!" he roared, the whip in his hand whistling as it fell.
The whip stopped right in front of An Changning's nose. She could even feel the strong wind whipping through the air and the nauseating smell of filth emanating from it.
Her heart pounded like a drum, each beat pounding against her chest, but she showed no fear, still staring straight at Zhang Yong with eyes as cold as frost.
Zhang Yong's breathing was heavy, and his chest heaved violently.
After a long while, he dejectedly put down the whip, turned around, and kicked over the trembling servant next to him.
"Useless! It's all your fault for ruining my important plans!"
He roared and vented all his anger on the servants.
Punches and kicks rained down, and the whip struck flesh and blood with a dull thud that made your teeth ache.