Chapter 151: That Wretched Girl, Lin Xiaodou

At the county slaughterhouse, Zhu Damei was swinging a butcher’s knife, rhythmically hacking through bone and meat. Suddenly, someone came over to tell her that a young woman was outside looking for her. Assuming it was Lin Xiaodou, Zhu Damei hurriedly set down her work and ran out with a beaming smile.

When she stepped outside and saw a face she didn't recognize, she asked with surprise, "Are you looking for me, comrade?"

Huang Yaxin looked at the sturdy, muscular woman before her and smiled with satisfaction. "Yes, I need to speak with you about something..."

Half an hour later.

"So you’re saying that Lin Xiaodou instigated my sister to date a convict, which is why she’s in prison now?" Zhu Damei felt both angry and amused. What kind of twisted logic was that? It was clearly that fraud Zhu Qingqing who had been hell-bent on her own destruction; how could anyone blame someone else for that?

"Exactly," Huang Yaxin blinked, feigning pity. "Your sister and I were close friends in the performing arts troupe. Hearing about what happened to her truly breaks my heart." Since Zhu Qingqing was already in prison and couldn't be reached, Huang Yaxin felt free to lie as much as she pleased.

"You were friends with my sister in the troupe?" Zhu Damei’s expression shifted. She asked quickly, "Do you remember why my sister was dismissed, or if she had changed in any way during that time?"

After she had told Lin Xiaodou about her dream, the two of them had analyzed it. It was highly probable that her real sister had died in an accident during that period, and her body had been taken over by another soul. But when that fake sister had returned after being dismissed, she would only cry and refuse to explain what had actually happened. Originally, she and her parents had wanted to go to the troupe to demand justice, but the fake sister had stopped them, claiming she would never dance again and begging them not to pursue it. At the time, the whole family assumed she had been traumatized, so they didn't dare bring it up again. Now, it seemed clear that the fake sister had intentionally stopped them, fearing her identity would be exposed.

"Ever since my sister came back from the troupe, her personality changed completely. I want to know if something happened to her back then." Zhu Damei stared intently at Huang Yaxin, hoping to uncover some hidden secret.

Perhaps she could even find out how her real sister had died. However, she had no idea that the person standing in front of her was the very culprit behind her sister's death. Huang Yaxin was arrogant and domineering; relying on her connections, she had constantly suppressed the original Zhu Qingqing in the troupe. She hadn't just stolen the original's position; she had spread rumors and bullied her, leading to the original's death from depression.

Hearing Zhu Damei’s question, Huang Yaxin felt a subconscious twinge of guilt. But she masked it well, quickly adjusting her expression. Shaking her head, she said, "Qingqing was just too closed off. She kept so much to herself and didn't like to talk, so I don't know what happened to her."

Zhu Damei withdrew her expectant gaze and replied flatly, "Oh."

Seeing her lack of enthusiasm, Huang Yaxin bit her lip and tested the waters. "Now that Qingqing is in jail because of what Lin Xiaodou did, don't you want to take revenge for your sister?"

Zhu Damei’s face darkened, and she cast a sidelong glance at her. No wonder this person had been spouting nonsense for no reason—so this was what she was after. She might look simple, but she wasn't stupid. This woman was trying to use her as a pawn to deal with Lin Xiaodou. But who was Lin Xiaodou? She was her savior, the "fairy sister" she was hoping to latch onto. She wouldn't turn against her even if it meant death.

"Do you have a grudge against Lin Xiaodou? Are you trying to use my hands to get rid of her?" She decided to fish for more information so she could handle the situation better.

Huang Yaxin was slightly taken aback; she hadn't expected the woman to be so sharp. Zhu Damei waved her hand dismissively. "Don't overthink it. I'm just asking out of curiosity so we can plan things better!"

"Oh, I see." Huang Yaxin’s expression relaxed, her guard dropping. "I don't have any personal grudge against Lin Xiaodou, but some of the things she does are just infuriating. Lin Xiaodou and her friend beat up a very dear aunt of mine. I have to settle this score for her!"

Zhu Damei’s mouth twitched. She couldn't be talking about the woman she and Xiaodou had pummeled a few days ago, could she? Good heavens, the victim had come looking for her.

It seemed likely that Chen Ju, the mother of Xiao Jingyao, was close to Huang Yaxin and had asked her to seek revenge. Huang Yaxin had no idea that the person she was recruiting was the very one who had done the beating. Pfft, this was hilarious!

Zhu Damei fought back a laugh and had a flash of inspiration. "I’ve already figured out how to handle the revenge. I’ll lure Lin Xiaodou over and then teach her a lesson. Why don't you invite your aunt to come watch? I guarantee you'll be satisfied!"

Huang Yaxin’s face lit up instantly. "That works!" She hadn't expected Zhu Damei to be so cooperative; she hadn't even needed to waste much breath.

After the two agreed on a time and place, Huang Yaxin left in high spirits. She went to the county guesthouse to find Chen Ju.

"Aunt Chen, I’ve made progress regarding Lin Xiaodou..." Huang Yaxin recounted what she had found out.

After listening, Chen Ju wore a look of disdain. "Lin Xiaodou is a waste of a pretty face. What good is being that pretty if you go around biting people like a madwoman?" She hesitated, then added, "If Lin Xiaodou has such a violent temper and is so good at fighting, doesn't that mean we can't deal with her?"

"Don't worry about that, I’ve already found the right person." Huang Yaxin told her about recruiting Zhu Damei. "This woman, Zhu Damei, is big and strong, and she looks fierce. She’s definitely a tough character. We can just sit back and watch the show."

Chen Ju smiled with satisfaction. "You’ve done well." For the past few days, she had gone to the hospital to visit her son, only to be chased away without mercy. She had a fire in her heart with no one to vent it on, and now she had finally found a punching bag.

"That damn girl Lin Xiaodou, she’s turned my son against me. I will not let you off easily!"

[Lin Xiaodou: Whether you let me off or not remains to be seen. Just wait and see.]