Free Web NovelChapter 2165: Chapter 2166: If You Want to Live, You Have to Learn to Smile
At this moment, everyone’s faces looked extremely unpleasant. The pressure Ye Xunhuan brought upon them was simply too great. He casually killed one of them, something they had never imagined before.
Although they were aware in their hearts that Ye Xunhuan, as an overlord of the underworld, had several times managed to cripple the national protectors, making him difficult to deal with. However, they never expected Ye Xunhuan to be so powerful, able to kill someone so easily.
This caused those invited by Dongfang Mingkun to start having second thoughts.
No matter what they said before, after witnessing Ye Xunhuan’s strength, their thoughts unavoidably changed.
After all, staying alive is more important than anything.
Moreover, they never intended to do anything to Ye Xunhuan; they just wanted to stop him from killing the innocent or making things too difficult for the Dongfang family, considering that Ye Xunhuan is a son-in-law of the Xiahou family. If something were to actually happen to Ye Xunhuan, who knows how the Xiahou family would react.
But who would have thought Ye Xunhuan would be so powerful and terrifying, causing everyone to start having second thoughts and each of them to lower their heads in silence, unable to meet Ye Xunhuan’s cold gaze.
Seeing this, Dongfang Mingkun’s face became extremely grim.
Originally, he had hoped that those he invited could prevent Ye Xunhuan from being so unbridled. But who would have thought that not only did they fail to stop Ye Xunhuan, but they also provided him the opportunity to intimidate everyone.
By killing someone outright, it left the others without the courage to take action against Ye Xunhuan or to do anything to him.
Furthermore, this move by Ye Xunhuan made Dongfang Mingkun clearly understand that the others were probably already filled with fear and wanted to retreat.
Seeing everyone with their heads lowered in silence, Ye Xunhuan spoke again: "What, not talking anymore?"
"If you don’t speak, I’ll assume you’ve chosen not to interfere." Ye Xunhuan said evenly, "If anyone dares to say another word later, I’ll not only kill you but also visit your families or sects!"
Threats, Ye Xunhuan was plainly making threats.
Yet, facing Ye Xunhuan’s threats, no one dared to resist, not even daring to breathe heavily.
What they could do now, besides accepting, was still accepting, no matter how pent-up they felt inside, because otherwise, it meant death.
Still, no one made a sound.
Seeing everyone silent, Ye Xunhuan cast his gaze slowly onto Dongfang Shu: "You don’t need to pay attention to them. Do whatever you want."
"Anyone who dares to object or resist, I’ll send them straight to hell."
As he spoke, Ye Xunhuan once again swept his gaze over everyone, the meaning clear without words.
Seeing Ye Xunhuan intimidate everyone single-handedly, Dongfang Shu immediately exhaled heavily: "Dongfang Mingkun, are you still going to refuse my terms now?"
Dongfang Mingkun remained silent, his expression constantly shifting, while his gaze began to scan Dongfang Shu up and down.
"What, do you still have an objection?"
Dongfang Mingkun took a deep breath and said, "Dongfang Shu, do you really need to be so ruthless?"
"Ruthless?" Dongfang Shu couldn’t help but laugh.
At that moment, the smile on Dongfang Shu’s face evoked no charm or allure in everyone’s eyes, but rather a sense of desolation and sorrow.
"Dongfang Mingkun, was it me who was ruthless, or was it you?" Dongfang Shu kept laughing, but the smile carried a sense of desolation and bitterness: "How did you treat my mother and me back then?" freewebnσvel.cѳm
"None of you treated us as human, not even as good as pigs and dogs."
Dongfang Shu slowly exhaled a heavy breath: "Even your son, he used food meant for dogs to feed my mother and me. When we refused to eat, he would whip us!"
"Back then, why didn’t you say it was ruthless?"
"That bitch Wu Lanqin made my mother kneel on the ground to wash her feet, threw a piece of meat on the ground, and made my mother eat it like a dog. Why didn’t you say that was too ruthless then?" Dongfang Shu’s voice grew hoarse, and now, every word was practically a roar.
"During the dead of winter, they burned our cotton shoes and made us walk barefoot. Why didn’t you say it was ruthless then?"
"When they threw my mother into cold water, why didn’t you speak up?"
Dongfang Shu became more agitated the more she spoke, her delicate body now uncontrollably trembling, and the hatred on her face growing more intense.
Every incident Dongfang Shu mentioned made everyone lower their heads, especially those invited by Dongfang Mingkun, who felt completely ashamed.
What Dongfang Shu spoke of were affairs within the Dongfang family, something they neither knew nor had heard of before. Now, hearing Dongfang Shu’s words made them feel that these acts were totally inhuman.
They never imagined that Dongfang Shu could have suffered such humiliation in the Dongfang family.
"Those in the know probably realize I’m your daughter; those who don’t might think I’m just a dog!" Dongfang Shu stated emphatically: "Not even as good as a dog!"
"As for my mother, everyone in the Dongfang family bullied her at will, and did you ever say a word?"
"You did not!" Dongfang Shu’s voice suddenly increased significantly: "You never once said a word, completely coldly observing everything!"
"Had you even slightly stood up for us, would my mother and I have been so miserable? Would I have ended up where I am today?"
"And now you talk about ruthlessness. Do you think you have the right to use that word?"
Dongfang Mingkun fell into silence, utterly speechless, completely at a loss for words.
Because everything Dongfang Shu said was the truth, and he had indeed coldly observed it all.
"Do you know what my mother said to me before she died?" Dongfang Shu’s eyes were gradually reddening, tears welling up but she forcibly held them back from rolling down.
"You couldn’t possibly know." Dongfang Shu took a deep breath and continued, "She told me that if I wanted to live, I had to endure, I had to learn to smile!"
"No matter who bullied me or what they did to me, I had to damn well smile, moreover, smile like an innocent, harmless person, and make everyone believe I’m someone utterly carefree!" Dongfang Shu said emotionally, "And she even told me not to visit her grave!"
"Because she said, if I didn’t act like a carefree person, Wu Lanqin wouldn’t spare me!"
