Chapter 1331: Unmasked On The Spot
Xiujuan proactively brought up Ah Mei's neighbor. Hearing Xiujuan's words, Ah Mei's expression turned melancholic and sorrowful, as if she had recalled some unbearable memories. However, she said no more, merely letting out a deep sigh.
Xiujuan took in all of Ah Mei's reactions. Her expression unchanged, she continued to speak.
"Your neighbor told me that you had a very hard life when you were young. To support your family, you started working for money at a very young age, doing all sorts of dirty and arduous jobs, and enduring a great deal of hardship."
Ah Mei nodded, confirming the truth of the statement in this way.
"Yes, our family indeed lived a very miserable life back then, and I suffered greatly because of it. But if I hadn't done that, everyone in our family would have starved to death long ago, and we wouldn't have survived until the day of the Yin Division Chaos. It's a pity, though, that even though I supported our family with my own hands, my family members still lost their lives because of the Yin Division Chaos. To survive in this world, it's not enough to merely have material necessities; one must also possess a certain level of strength. Without sufficient strength, one might tragically die at the hands of others at any moment. This truth, I didn't understand before, but now I do."
Ah Mei said softly. From the content of her words to the tone in which she spoke, one could feel a profound sense of helplessness.
"You're right," Xiujuan said coldly. "To protect yourself and your family, merely having a few material necessities is far from enough. You need sufficient strength. With sufficient strength, you can not only protect yourself but also those you wish to protect. Moreover, once you have enough strength, acquiring the resources needed for life becomes effortless. So, strength is the key."
Xiujuan said coldly. Ah Mei nodded in agreement. Immediately after, Xiujuan spoke again.
To Xiujuan's question, Ah Mei shook her head without a moment's thought.
"I didn't before, and I don't now. However, Xiaokang did want to implant the Death God Seal in me so I could gain power in the shortest amount of time. It's just that I heard doing so would bring about significant negative effects for Xiaokang, which is why I've never agreed. I don't want Xiaokang to suffer any harm."
Although Ah Mei's voice was soft, her words were utterly sincere. So understanding and considerate, constantly thinking about her boyfriend's well-being—such a girlfriend was indeed hard to find.
However, after listening to Ah Mei's words, the coldness on Xiujuan's face not only didn't soften but intensified, as even a faint sneer curled at the corner of her lips.
Judging from Xiujuan's expression, she was not moved by Ah Mei's words at all. Instead, she was quite displeased and even felt scorn. The faint sneer at the corner of her lips was the best proof.
Those unfamiliar with Xiujuan would naturally not understand that the faint smile curling on her lips signified mockery. After all, Xiujuan usually wore a perpetually cold expression, her body permeated with an aura of resentment, as if she sought to antagonize the entire world. If she were to smile out of genuine happiness, to others, it would look exactly like her current expression.
Therefore, when her lips curled into a faint sneer at that moment, Ah Mei saw it but felt nothing amiss. In Ah Mei's eyes, the smile Xiujuan displayed should have been born of happiness. It was just that Xiujuan's face expressed no emotion other than coldness and venom, which consequently made her appear somewhat unsettling.
But Xiujuan's next set of words immediately made Ah Mei realize her judgment was wrong.
"Living a hard life from a young age, entering society early for the sake of your family, doing all sorts of dirty and arduous jobs, heh, I was pretty much like that myself once. Except, there's one difference between you and me."
As she spoke, Xiujuan slowly raised her hands, her gaze followed, settling on her own smooth, fair, and tender hands.
Ah Mei didn't understand the implication of Xiujuan's words. However, seeing that Xiujuan had said so much, she weakly asked,
"What difference?"
The sneer on Xiujuan's face deepened a few shades before she spoke.
"The difference between us is that back then, my hands were not only covered in scars but also rough and unsightly. They didn't look like a young girl's hands at all; they looked like a grown man's. Now, although you can't see the scars on my hands, and they're not rough at all, that's because my physical body has long been gone. I'm wearing a skin. There isn't a woman in this world who doesn't cherish beauty. If a woman's skin were covered in scars and incredibly rough, it certainly wouldn't sell."
When Xiujuan hadn't yet married Xiaokang's father, her life wasn't as miserable as she claimed. Naturally, she had her reasons for speaking this way.
Having said this, Xiujuan slowly lowered her hands, then her gaze fell upon Ah Mei's hands. And through Xiujuan's words, and the fact that Xiujuan was now looking at her hands, Ah Mei seemed to suddenly and sharply realize something, and her expression instantly froze.
"Heh," Xiujuan said, "I'd trouble you to take another good look at your hands. Long, slender fingers, fair as jade, smooth and delicate, utterly flawless—it's clear they're extremely well-maintained. Do you really think such perfect hands, the kind a girl would dream of, could belong to someone who has done dirty and arduous labor year-round?"
Ah Mei's face changed. Just as she was about to open her mouth to explain, Xiujuan interrupted her before she could speak.
"Of course, if you originally possessed strength within you and weren't an ordinary person, then it wouldn't be entirely impossible for you to achieve this. But the problem is, you're just an ordinary person; you don't possess strength within you. So, how exactly did you manage this?"
Xiujuan asked again, and the expression on Ah Mei's face clearly showed a hint of panic.
"I. . ."
Ah Mei had just uttered a single word when Xiujuan forcibly interrupted her again. Previously, Xiujuan hadn't interrupted Ah Mei because she hoped Ah Mei would say more, allowing her to find flaws or points of concern in Ah Mei's statements. Thus, the more Ah Mei spoke, the better.
But now, Xiujuan repeatedly interrupted Ah Mei, not allowing her to speak. This was because she already had the answer in her heart and no longer needed to search for flaws in Ah Mei's words.
"You don't need to explain anymore. From my analysis, you are lying. Either the persona you've built—all that talk of supporting a family, doing dirty and arduous work, and your neighbor's good reviews—all of it is fake, merely a means you arranged beforehand to achieve your objective. Or, you were never an ordinary person to begin with, but the latter possibility is very small, almost zero. Therefore, I'm more inclined to believe you belong to the former category."
Xiujuan's voice paused slightly, then she continued.
"Furthermore, you said you refused to let Xiaokang implant the Death God Seal in you out of concern for him, worried that doing so would bring him negative effects. Your words might fool outsiders who don't know any better, but trying to fool me is quite laughable. When an Undertaker implants a Death God Seal in a Night Watcher, there is indeed some consumption, but given Xiaokang's strength, that small consumption is nothing at all. Moreover, this consumption isn't permanent; it can be recovered with just a little time. I believe Xiaokang must have explained this to you. Yet why do you still refuse Xiaokang's kindness?"
A cold snort escaped from Xiujuan's lips, and the sneer on her face intensified further. She had no intention of waiting for Ah Mei's reply. After her words fell, she continued to explain on her own.
"The reason is very simple: it's because you don't want Xiaokang to implant the Death God Seal in you. And the reason you don't want him to implant the Death God Seal isn't because you're so thoughtful or understanding, much less because you're worried about harming Xiaokang. In my view, what you're truly worried about is that once Xiaokang implants the Death God Seal in you, he'll discover the power that already exists within you. That way, you'll be exposed. Your persona, your lies—all of them will be unmasked, and your mission will fail as a result. Tell me, am I right?"
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