Kang Manchu, the head of the Kang family, stood before Han Xue, his presence imposing. At fifty-eight, he still possessed the physique of a man much younger. Standing at 5'10", with strong shoulders and a chiseled build, he looked as though he could still fight any battle that came his way. His youthful charisma and mature air of authority made it easy to see why Zi Yu Ming, Zi Haoran's mother, had fallen for him. Han Xue had only spoken with him properly once—on her wedding day to Zi Haoran—when he had looked just as commanding in his black suit as he did now.
Zi Yu Ming, with her regal and haughty demeanor, had always been cold to most, but she had looked at Kang Manchu and their son, Kang Shilin, with genuine warmth. Han Xue had once believed Zi Haoran inherited his striking looks from Kang Manchu, before learning the truth that Haoran wasn't his biological son.
For years, the couple had been an inspiration to Han Xue. She had hoped that one day Zi Haoran would love her the way Kang Manchu loved Zi Yu Ming. But as time passed, she realized that this couple was the root of Haoran's deepest sorrow, perhaps the reason he never learned how to love. Han Xue's heart ached for him as she thought of his upbringing. How hard it must have been for him... she often mused. His mother can't bear the sight of him, his stepfather never gave him a chance, and his grandfather only taught him the ropes of power, never allowing him to truly live.
Determined, she had once vowed to herself, I'll give him the love and life he's missed out on, only to be met with doubt, misunderstanding, insults—and now, she had been discarded by him entirely.
As Kang Manchu moved closer, his face devoid of any warmth, his eyes fixed on Grandpa Zi's collapsed body on the ground, a dark realization hit Han Xue. There was no compassion in his expression—only cold calculation. He seemed like a devil fueled by murderous intent, and the air in the room grew heavier with each step he took.
Something isn't right, Han Xue thought as her heart raced. He's the only one here… it's almost as if he ensured no one would come to save Grandpa... Her assumptions spiraled wildly, but she quickly composed herself, straightening her posture as she greeted him, "Father-in-law, you're here."
Kang Manchu's gaze shifted to her momentarily, his eyes cold and unreadable. As if on cue, a few men entered the room behind him, bowing respectfully before updating him, "Sir, everything's under control."
Kang Manchu barely acknowledged them, his focus returning to Han Xue. He gestured to one of his men to help her up. "Han Xue, give up on him," he said, his voice devoid of sympathy.
Then, turning his gaze back to Grandpa Zi's frail form on the ground, his lips curled in disgust. "His time has come," he declared, the finality of his words hanging ominously in the air.
Han Xue's mind raced, struggling to process the scene unfolding before her. The man who had once been a symbol of strength and inspiration now looked like someone entirely different—someone dangerous.
Han Xue rejected the hand offered to her and stood up on her own, her eyes filled with a questioning look masked by indifference. She was trying to read the room, but inside, fear was rising steadily. Her heartbeat quickened, though she kept her outward demeanor calm.
Kang Manchu studied her for a moment, then asked, "Han Xue, are you worrying for Grandpa?"
She met his gaze, but did not respond. Her eyes flickered briefly to Grandpa Zi's body lying lifeless on the floor. She couldn't afford to show whether she cared for the old man or not, knowing that any sign of emotion could be dangerous in the current situation.
By now, she realized that saving Grandpa or even getting an ambulance was next to impossible. Her grip tightened around her phone as she discreetly slipped it into a hidden pocket in her dress, switching it to silent as her hand moved behind her back in what appeared to be a casual gesture.
Kang Manchu, noticing her composed demeanor, tried to push her further. "You should be more worried about Haoran. He might not be in this world much longer."
Her heart skipped a beat, and for a split second, her body froze. She quickly regained her composure, though, hiding her panic. Something big has been plotted against the Zi family, she thought. Kang Manchu's words, 'might not be in this world soon,' stung her deeply. She didn't know if she had a chance to save Haoran, but even if it was a one-in-a-million chance, she would take it.
Han Xue gave a dark smile, masking her rising fear with calculated coldness. "Oh, really, Father-in-law? I'm sure it will happen, won't it?"
Kang Manchu studied her closely, suspicion flickering in his eyes. "Don't you love him anymore?" he asked, probing, trying to see through her stoic façade.
But Han Xue had learned the art of hiding her emotions well from a young age, and now, more than ever, she had to use every bit of that skill. She let a murderous glint creep into her eyes as she replied, "I don't want to hope for something that might not happen. You'll surely kill him, right?"
A flicker of surprise crossed Kang Manchu's face. "You want to kill him too?"
Han Xue turned her gaze to the window beside her, the only source of light in the room. It seemed to be the last thread connecting her to anything resembling hope, though her mind was clouded with painful memories. She spoke in a cold, dark tone. "The man who only ever doubted me, insulted me time and again... Who wouldn't want such a man dead?"
She glanced back at Kang Manchu, who still seemed unconvinced. She knew she needed more to sway him, to connect with him in a way that would make her believable.
Looking down at Grandpa's body, then back at Kang Manchu, she continued, her voice laced with bitterness. "You must feel the same, don't you? Why should we be treated like this by them? What gives them the right to control us? Why should we be under their power?"
She paused, a half-smile playing on her lips. "The man I wanted to be with, only thought I desired other men. Even Kang Shilin had to face Haoran's wrath for no reason. His petty wishes and unreasonable behavior… How much could I endure? But I still tried to get a decent alimony. And what did he offer me? 0.01% shares for all the suffocating years I endured."
Kang Manchu glanced at her again, trying to read through her words. For some reason, she didn't seem to be lying. "He divorced you?"
Han Xue's eyes hardened. "Quite ironically, just this morning he ordered me to sign the papers—insulting me in front of all the servants." Her voice filled with controlled anger, making it sound all the more believable.
"I want nothing more than to see him dead," she spat, her words sharp as ice. "Just as he killed Shilin. Don't you want to avenge his death too?"
Kang Manchu threw his head back and laughed hysterically, the sound echoing through the room, harsh and unsettling. "Avenge Shilin's death?" he scoffed.
"You're all too innocent, always believing that Shilin was my son."
His laughter grew louder, darker, until he looked more like a demon than a man, a sinister force waiting for the slaughter to begin.
After a few moments, his laughter subsided, and he looked at Han Xue with a twisted grin. "They're siblings by blood. How nice it is to watch them kill each other."
[===o===o===]
WDD Mini Series: "Help, I'm in a Novel!"
( A hilariously chaotic series of banter where the characters double as their own story's spectators, breaking the fourth wall with mischievous humor, exaggerated emotions, and side-splitting commentary about their tangled, dramatic lives.)
Title: "Dead or Not, Still Yours? (¬_¬)"
ZH (Zi Haoran):
"Wifey, you want me dead?! (╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻"
HX (Han Xue):
"Yes, hmph! (¬‿¬)"
ZH:
"You can't betray me! I'll cry! (ಥ﹏ಥ)"
HX:
"Because of you, I cry every day. Seems fair, doesn't it? (¬_¬)"
ZH:
"..." (╥_╥)
[===o===o===]