Chapter 32: That Excuse Was a Bit Ruthless

“Auntie, please, I’m begging you, don’t kill my mom! She knows she was wrong! She really knows she was wrong! She’ll never dare do it again! Waaaah!”

Little Song Xiaofei clung tightly to Jiang Yan’s leg, his face streaked with tears and snot as he looked up, sobbing his heart out.

He looked about five or six years old, his chubby round face flushed red from the heat and a slight fever.

He didn’t understand the grudges and rights and wrongs between adults.

But whenever he got into trouble at home and was about to get a beating, these were always the words he’d use.

Then his mom’s heart would soften, and the punishment would be much lighter.

He believed this auntie in front of him would be just like his mom.

“I—I won’t dare again, please, I’m begging you, spare me this once…” Zhang Qiqi’s face was pale, her whole body trembling as she stammered out the same plea as her son.

She didn’t even dare call Jiang Yan “sister” anymore, afraid of accidentally making her even angrier.

Piss off a lunatic, and you’re in for it.

Just like how, even though He Chunmei started all this, the one who ended up getting caught in the crossfire was herself.

Besides, even though the other woman was wearing sunglasses, Zhang Qiqi could still feel the endless anger and hatred radiating from her tone and presence.

She just couldn’t figure out why.

It was like something was looming right in front of her, but with the heat and fear clouding her mind, everything felt thick and muddled, as if her head was stuffed with glue.

Jiang Yan ignored the mother and son’s desperate pleas.

She gripped the chainsaw tightly, her gaze dark and fixed on Zhang Qiqi, her thumb slowly rubbing back and forth over the switch.

After glancing up at the security cameras the property management had installed, she suddenly lifted the chainsaw blade off Zhang Qiqi’s shoulder.

Just as Zhang Qiqi and He Chunmei both let out a sigh of relief, the chainsaw suddenly roared to life again, its deafening buzz filling the air.

Under the shocked and terrified gazes of the three, Jiang Yan raised the blade, whipping up a fierce gust of wind, and slashed it swiftly toward the side of Zhang Qiqi’s ear.

“Oh my god!!” He Chunmei’s eyes went wide as she clapped her hands over her mouth.

She was terrified, but she didn’t run back home.

This was a law-abiding society, after all.

She believed that no matter how crazy or furious Jiang Yan was, she wouldn’t actually kill someone in broad daylight.

To kill an enemy at the cost of your own life—only an idiot would do that.

The girl might act a little unhinged, but she surely knew where the line was.

“Ahhhhhh!!” On the other side, Zhang Qiqi squeezed her eyes shut and bit down on her lip, screaming as beads of sweat poured down her forehead.

She was so scared she couldn’t move, her legs trembling uncontrollably.

“Mom!” Song Xiaofei let go of Jiang Yan’s leg and ran, face covered in tears and snot, straight to Zhang Qiqi.

To his surprise, his mother’s head was still attached.

Jiang Yan had stopped the chainsaw blade less than a hair’s breadth from Zhang Qiqi’s ear.

But the deep red hair on the right side of her head had been sliced clean off by the spinning blade, cut halfway up to her ear.

The thick strands floated in the hot air before slowly drifting to the ground.

*Snap!*

Jiang Yan switched off the chainsaw, glanced at Song Xiaofei, then fixed her murderous gaze on Zhang Qiqi and said, each word icy cold:

“Consider this a lesson. Next time we meet, you won’t be so lucky!”

With that, she spat out a single word, sharp as a whip:

“Get out!”

Call it “settling personal scores” or “killing the chicken to scare the monkeys”—either way, her goal for today was achieved.

As for Zhang Qiqi’s life, she’d let her keep it for now.

If she guessed right, in ten days or half a month, when the extreme heat arrived, society would collapse.

By then, how Zhang Qiqi died would be entirely up to her.

Zhang Qiqi didn’t dare say a word in reply.

Her legs weak and her body limp, she hunched over, grabbed Song Xiaofei’s hand, and bolted for the stairs.

With the temperature so high, even a few steps would leave anyone gasping, but she gritted her teeth and pushed through.

After dealing with Zhang Qiqi, Jiang Yan’s gaze snapped to the real instigator behind all this—He Chunmei.

He Chunmei hadn’t expected things to end so quickly.

She glanced nervously at the pile of hair on the floor, her heart pounding wildly.

Jiang Yan was just about to lift the chainsaw again when the door to 3203 creaked open and Zhou Guangfu rushed out, face anxious and brow furrowed.

“Wife, come quick, Dad’s not doing well!”

He Chunmei forced a smile at Jiang Yan, muttered, “Sister, I’ll apologize properly another day,” then turned and ran for her life.

The old man was the family’s money tree—she couldn’t let anything happen to him.

He Chunmei darted into the apartment, but Zhou Guangfu stayed at the doorway.

He looked at Jiang Yan, face serious, and said awkwardly, “Miss Jiang, I’m sorry, my wife—”

Halfway through, the words stuck in his throat.

Jiang Yan glanced at him calmly, said nothing, and carried her chainsaw back into her own apartment, 3201.

It was obvious Zhou Guangfu was just giving He Chunmei an excuse to get away.

But that excuse was a bit ruthless.

After all, he’d used his own father as a shield.

Zhou Guangfu watched Jiang Yan’s retreating figure, shook his head, and let out a heavy sigh before turning back inside.

As soon as he entered, he saw He Chunmei standing there, arms crossed, glaring at him.

“Zhou Guangfu, you’ve really got guts now! You lied to me without even blinking!”

Zhou Guangfu’s father was hunched over by the fridge, handing a few bottles of ice water to his grandson.

“Wife, you should be grateful I saved you. Do you know how heavy that chainsaw was? At least eight kilos! That girl was holding it in one hand, easy as anything, and for a long time too.

She nearly took someone’s head off just now, but she stopped on a dime, like it was nothing.

What does that tell you? It tells you we can’t afford to mess with her! From now on, let’s just stay out of her way!” Zhou Guangfu said, deadly serious.

“…”

He Chunmei was stunned by her husband’s sudden change from his usual cowardice and passivity.

*

3201.

Jiang Yan went inside and switched on the smart home’s anti-intrusion system.

Thanks to the insulation, her apartment was several degrees cooler than outside.

Still stifling, but the temperature difference made her bare face feel instantly refreshed.

She set down the chainsaw, took off her sunglasses, peeled off her heat-protection suit and shoes, and turned the air conditioner to 30 degrees before collapsing onto the soft sofa.

Exhausted.

Not just regular tired—bone-deep exhaustion.

She’d been running around all day like she was at war, and now she’d just finished a one-woman battle against a pack of bears.

To say she wasn’t tired would be a lie."