560 The Secret About the Past 178 (1/2)

Shi Xiaoyu let go of her hair and took two steps back. Looking her up and down, Shi Xiaoyu said, ”Did you know? I feel exceptionally thrilled every single time I see you being in so much agony. In fact, I get even more exhilarated than I was when I became the president's wife. Shi Qingzhou, I admit, you've always been the prettier one between the two of us, ever since we were young. But you can't deny that I'm the ultimate winner at the end of the day. As for you, I believe your daughter will suffer the same fate as you did. She'll enjoy days of glory when she's young, but her life will end up in a dire state when she's older. Isn't that the case for you and your mother? Do you really think your daughter can escape the destiny of your family?”

Shi Qingzhou's heart was ricocheting vigorously against her chest, as if Shi Xiaoyu's words had struck a sour note within her.

”I forbid you from saying that!”

”So what if you forbid me? You're only a paper tiger now. There's nothing you can really do to me. Well, I'm just speaking the truth. You're merely a dead person in the eyes of everyone now. You must really hate me, don't you? That was how much I detested you back in the day too. I've never once buried the hatchet or let go of the grudge I bear against you. You and your mother will forever be the sinners of the Shi family!” Shi Xiaoyu bellowed in exasperation and agitation.

”Shut up! What rights have you got to criticize my mother? You're not fit!” Shi Qingzhou yelled at the top of her lungs.

”Why don't I have any rights to criticize her? Because of your mother, my parents and I have never dared to return to our hometown and acknowledge our extended family members, even until today. Calling her a sinner is an understatement!”

Shi Qingzhou glowered at her, her eyes brimming with resentment that soon vanished as she seemed to be getting a grip on her anger and emotions.

”There isn't anyone else here. Shi Xiaoyu, drop the act. I know clearly whether my mother implicated the Shi family or the other way around. You don't have to try and brainwash me all the time.” Shi Qingzhou raised her hand to point a finger at Shi Xiaoyu, dragging the heavy chains across the floor, causing a metallic clanking sound. ”Scram and get lost now!!! Get lost and continue being the president's wife!”

”Look how worked up you are.” Shi Xiaoyu looked at the guards nonchalantly and ordered, ”Give her 50 lashes with the whip tonight. I'll see how she yells when that happens.”

”Yes, Madam,” the guards chorused.

Shi Xiaoyu humphed and walked away slowly to leave the basement.

”Hais…” One of the guards sighed and said, ”Why do you always ask for trouble and bring suffering upon yourself?”

”Exactly, you're not self-aware at all. How obstinate of you. Seriously… c'mon, let's do it,” said the other.

The two guards picked up a large, thick whip and stared at each other in unison. They then lifted their arms with all their might and whipped her forcefully. The moment the whip landed on Shi Qingzhou's frail and petite body, she let out an agonized shriek that filled every corner of the basement.

The guards put the whip down after lashing her for less than twenty times.

The reason being that that was already immense torture for a woman whose health was in poor condition.

She had already run out of breath and passed out.

”Shall we apply some medicine for her?”

”Okay.”

Shi Qingzhou lay on the ground with her head cocked toward the side.

All she could think about was her mother.

Her mother was a ravishing beauty back in her days.

Yet, she was branded as an ominous person and burned alive by the uneducated, simply because she was psychic.

The person who spread the word about her supernatural abilities was none other than her own mother-in-law, Shi Qingzhou's grandmother.

Afterward, Shi Qingzhou's mother managed to escape.

In order to shun and hide from the people, she fled to an ancient graveyard.

The graveyard was exceptionally spacious, with a night-luminescent pearl hung inside and a coffin placed in the middle.

She opened the coffin to find that there was a corpse inside and a booklet beside it.

It was that very booklet that had given her mother the courage to return and kill everyone who tried to force her into a corner.

However, that resulted in more people coming after her life.

In Shi Qingzhou's memory, she had never seen her mother cry before.

Yet, she witnessed her mother bawling uncontrollably for the very first time when her father chased the latter out of the house.

She remembered how those people would resort to extreme means in order to kill her mother.