Jin Ye arrived at school, her heart filled with excitement.
Two years ago, Jin Ye had visited the school, but at that time, she hadn't felt this eager. In fact, she had felt scared and wanted to go home.
However, two years of hospitalization had changed Jin Ye. She knew all the children should be going to school, but she couldn't.
...
Jin Ye and Cao Qian were similar in build, and Jin Ye was also wearing a mask. Everyone knew that Cao Qian had recently shaved her head. Therefore, no one noticed that Cao Qian had been replaced.
Jin Ye savored the joy of attending classes. During the break, Jin Ye sat at her desk, watching her classmates play happily. Qian Qian was right, Lin Lin would pull out extracurricular books to read, and Zhao Wei was a little rascal...
“Jin Ye, someone is looking for you.”
“Who is it?”
“It seems to be your parent?”
Upon hearing this, Jin Ye became scared. She thought her father had found out about the little secret between her and Cao Qian and had come to school to scold her. Jin Ye walked out and saw a strange man.
“Uncle, who are you?”
“Cao Qian, come with me. Haven’t you been looking for me?”
This man was Yu Gang. He had recently heard that a child was inquiring about him, and he realized that Cao Qian had also followed him to Beijing. Ruined by Cao Qian, Yu Gang hated her.
Thus, Yu Gang chose to come to the school today.
Jin Ye had no idea what was going on. She heard the stranger call out Cao Qian’s name and assumed he was an acquaintance of Cao Qian’s. Confused, she followed the man to a secluded corner.
“Uncle, who are you exactly? You’re not a human trafficker, are you?”
“Cao Qian, are you still acting? Do you think I wouldn’t dare kill you just because you’re at school? You’ve turned my life into this mess; I won’t forgive you.”
This time, Jin Ye understood. She turned to run but was grabbed by Yu Gang, who then tightly choked her neck.
Yu Gang had been lurking around for several days. Yesterday, he had seen Cao Qian’s shaved head and chosen this secluded spot. Even with this perfect plan, after killing Jin Ye, Yu Gang fled without even removing Jin Ye’s mask.
...
Jin Ye was dead!
...
Cao Qian cried for three days and three nights, her tears dried up. She kept saying it was her fault. If she hadn’t been clever and let Jin Ye go to school, things wouldn’t have happened.
No one saw how Yu Gang entered the campus. It was during break time, and Yu Gang had scouted the location beforehand. It seemed simple, but it was meticulously planned.
The classmates didn’t remember Yu Gang’s appearance, and the police had no leads.
...
Regarding Jin Ye’s death, Dad Jin didn’t blame Cao Qian. Instead, he proposed a condition to the school: that Cao Qian, who had no household registration, be allowed to continue attending school there.
Cao Qian didn't stay with the Jin family. Even though Dad Jin and Mom Jin felt it was Jin Ye’s fate, Cao Qian was still filled with guilt. She refused to become Dad Jin’s woman and finished sixth grade at that elementary school.
When she was short of money, she would sell small items on the overpass. Later, her taste improved, and she did some small business in the ghost market, living a comfortable life.
...
During her years in Beijing, Cao Qian also inquired about the old man who taught her the art of borrowing a corpse to return its soul. She thought he was very skilled and might be able to help her find Yu Gang.
Unfortunately, the old man had died. She heard he had several disciples, but they had all gone their separate ways after his death.
Therefore, Cao Qian could only search for Yu Gang alone.
Later, she met Dad Jin and Mom Jin again. Mom Jin was pregnant, and the baby would be born soon. Cao Qian felt happy for them. During this reunion, Dad Jin told Cao Qian that the police had found the killer, a vagrant named Yu Gang. The police had issued a warrant for his arrest, but he seemed to have gone south.
So, Yu Gang had already fled Beijing!
...
Yu Gang was gone, and Cao Qian suddenly lost her purpose for living in Beijing. She bid farewell to her neighbors and bought gifts for everyone. As a child living alone, she had received a lot of help from these neighbors.
...
Cao Qian learned from Dad Jin that Yu Gang had likely gone to the Jiangxi and Zhejiang area.
The words “Jiangxi and Zhejiang” were too broad and vast. Finding Yu Gang there was like looking for a needle in a haystack.
This time, Cao Qian chose to give up on school. Although she was still attending school at that time, she had already started self-studying high school courses. Cao Qian never told anyone about it because it seemed impossible. She had never heard of anyone who had achieved it, but she had.
...
Cao Qian traveled far and wide. As she grew older, she became skilled not only at stealing but also at deceiving. She didn’t lack money, nor was she afraid of breaking the law. At that time, Cao Qian’s life seemed to have only one goal: to kill Yu Gang.
It wasn't until she reached high school age that Cao Qian found a clue.
She heard that Yu Gang was working as a temporary laborer in a fishing village.
...
So, Cao Qian went to this fishing village and worked as a waitress in a restaurant. By now, she had grown into a beautiful young woman. Even if she stood in front of Yu Gang, he wouldn’t recognize her. Furthermore, in Yu Gang’s memory, Cao Qian had been choked to death by him at school.
Working as a waitress in the restaurant was a carefully considered choice for Cao Qian. The restaurant owner was lecherous and often made advances towards the young waitresses. When Cao Qian arrived, she used her innocent demeanor to entice the owner.
When the owner learned of Cao Qian’s tragic past, he intended to claim her as his own. Cao Qian, with tears in her eyes, told the owner that Yu Gang had sent her to seduce him, claiming Yu Gang wanted to extort the owner. She felt that the owner had been good to her and that’s why she was revealing the truth.
The owner thought, "I've been good to you, not just for your delicate body." However, the owner was a local bully, and he wouldn't tolerate an outsider trying to extort him.
So, the owner found some strong young locals and beat Yu Gang severely, making Cao Qian watch from a distance.
...
Yu Gang was inexplicably beaten. He kept trying to explain, but how could the restaurant owner listen to him? However, while being beaten, Yu Gang suddenly saw a young lady standing gracefully in the distance.
For some reason, Yu Gang’s heart trembled. He felt that this girl looked somewhat familiar.
Yu Gang, covered in scars, inquired and learned that this girl was named Cao Qian. Upon hearing the name, Yu Gang’s hatred instantly ignited.
Yu Gang used to be an official. If he had received Cao’s mother’s funds after venturing into business, he would undoubtedly be living a prosperous life now. But he had lost everything. While working in Beijing, he had become a fugitive for attempting to kill Cao Qian.
Therefore, he definitely wouldn't let Cao Qian have an easy life.
That night, Yu Gang found the restaurant owner and knelt before him, explaining his background.
“That girl is here for revenge?”
“Yes. She lied to make you beat me.”
“Oh, this is quite interesting?”
“I know you desire her. A beautiful girl like her, without any status, should be kept in a cellar with chains, at your mercy.”
The restaurant owner hesitated. But Yu Gang had already investigated the owner. The owner was a notorious womanizer. With his wealth, he had affairs with women everywhere. His wife dared not control him. He was a local thug with a history of domestic violence.
“What kind of woman haven’t you had? But turning a woman into a slave, you probably haven’t experienced that.”
The restaurant owner was moved.
...
That night, the restaurant owner asked his wife to cook him a meal, and he drank with Yu Gang. Cao Qian knocked on the door. The owner told Yu Gang to hide in the kitchen first. Cao Qian sat at the dining table. The owner walked to the door, locked it, and then shouted, “Come out.”
Yu Gang emerged from the kitchen, a smirk on his face, looking at Cao Qian. “You’ve grown into a young lady. Boss, you’re tired of her, let me have a taste.”
Cao Qian glanced at Yu Gang dismissively and said calmly, “You don’t have much time. Let’s make this short. Yu Gang was never a foolish person. I let the boss beat you, and you must have wondered what was going on. Plus, you saw me that day, so you must have guessed it was me. If it were anyone else, knowing someone was coming for revenge, they would simply run away. But you are different. Just like I want revenge, you will also want revenge.”
The boss chuckled, “My little beauty…”
Cao Qian interrupted him, “Shut up. I know what you want to do: lock me in the cellar, keep me like a little dog on a chain, and then do whatever you please.”
“Yes, yes!”
The boss said with a smile. He had already locked the door. Whatever they did to this girl tonight, no one would find out. Then, he would lock Cao Qian in the cellar. When he was tired of her, he would kill her and feed her to the fish.
“I know Yu Gang will offer you advice, and you will agree. Boss, do you know? Before you came, I inquired. Your wife has wanted to divorce you for a long time, but you refused. You even hit her. Do you think she will let you off?”
The boss was stunned. Yu Gang also felt something was wrong. “First, catch her, tie her up, and gag her mouth.”
“Come on!”
Cao Qian’s words seemed to have a magical effect. The boss felt his vision blur and shook his head vigorously. Yu Gang also felt unwell and began to sway after a few steps.
“There’s poison!”
It was too late when the boss realized what was happening. He collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
Yu Gang swayed and knelt on the ground, struggling on all fours like a dog, crawling to Cao Qian’s side and begging in a pleading tone, “Spare me. I’ll do anything.”
“Okay!”
Cao Qian readily agreed. Yu Gang, however, had lost consciousness.
...
When Yu Gang woke up, he found the dog collar he had prepared for the boss around his own neck. He had also been moved to a dark cellar.
“Where’s the boss?”
“Dead!”
“How did he die?”
“You killed him.”
“Nonsense.” Yu Gang roared.
“Everyone knows you offended the boss, and then the boss found someone to beat you. Unexpectedly, you fugitive harbored resentment, killed him, and then ran away.”
Yu Gang understood it was a frame-up, but he was helpless. He could only lie on the ground and beg, “Spare me, Cao Qian, please spare me.”
“If you can endure 132 days, I’ll consider your imprisonment of me settled.”
“Okay, thank you, thank you!”
“I’m sorry, I won’t give you food, but you’ll have plenty of pig swill.”
Cao Qian pointed to the slop used for feeding pigs nearby.
Could Yu Gang survive 132 days in such a dire situation?