Chapter 665 - 664: Being a Dog

Su Li closed her eyes, a derisive smile playing on her lips.

Mrs. Tang. The visitor was Mrs. Tang, and no one else.

Those sneers were laced with pure sarcasm. Su Li could just imagine the smug, mocking expression on her face.

How strange. Not long ago, Tang Yuanxiao had insisted, his voice raw, that Mrs. Tang was no longer a threat. He’d said she was stuck in a nursing home, unable to get out, completely incapable of ever hurting her or Tang Mo again. And now look.

Tang Yuanxiao’s words were still ringing in her ears, and the next thing she knew, Mrs. Tang had...

’It’s truly... it’s truly...’

Su Li was at a loss for words. Some people were just like that—always scurrying about, impossible to get rid of, like cockroaches that just wouldn’t die.

Mrs. Tang was one of them.

Su Li listened to Mrs. Tang’s voice and didn’t make a sound.

She’d been so focused on grinding a moment ago that she’d missed the sound of her arrival.

’There was no way Mrs. Tang would let her go. That being the case, she couldn’t be bothered to waste her breath.’

Su Li remained silent, refusing to engage, but Mrs. Tang’s cold laughter didn’t stop.

"What? Finally feeling ashamed of yourself? You acted so high and mighty in front of me yesterday, but now you’re screaming for help. Feeling pathetic, are you? Hah... This is nothing. It’s only the second day and you’re already falling apart? Hah..."

Mrs. Tang’s voice drifted over, slow and unhurried. "Back during the famine, I went through so much starvation. The hardships I endured are beyond anything you could ever imagine. When you married into the Tang Family, I treated you like my own daughter. I was so good to you, but you turned out to be an ungrateful wolf. Ptooey!"

"Let me tell you, this is karma! This is what you deserve!"

Mrs. Tang started cursing, and from there, she just went on and on.

Su Li had assumed that if she just ignored Mrs. Tang, the woman would eventually get tired and leave. Instead, Mrs. Tang launched into a tirade.

Twenty minutes passed, and she was still going strong, gleefully cursing about everything from years past to the present day. It was endless, and her words grew increasingly vile.

Su Li was sure that if she didn’t intervene, Mrs. Tang looked like she could keep at it for another three hours without taking a breath.

Su Li already felt miserable enough; she really didn’t want to listen to the old woman’s abuse.

Finally, left with no other choice, Su Li spoke.

"That’s enough. Don’t waste your breath. My answer today is the same as it was yesterday: let me go. Forget about the ten thousand yuan and the car. I’m not agreeing to it."

’I wouldn’t dare eat anything from Mrs. Tang. She might very well poison me!’

Su Li’s response only seemed to fuel Mrs. Tang’s vigor.

"Ha! You want me to just let you go? Get something for nothing? You’ve got some nerve! In your dreams!"

"Still haven’t learned your lesson, have you? Stubborn till the end. And let me tell you, Su Li, ten thousand yuan and a car was *yesterday’s* deal. Even if you offered it today, I’m no longer interested."

Mrs. Tang sneered. "The price has gone up today. It’s not what it was yesterday."

She snorted. "If you return the factory to the Tang Family, along with your house and car, then I’ll get you out. You’re getting married, aren’t you? You can’t do that unless you get out. Otherwise... heh heh..."

This was the plan Mrs. Tang had come up with last night. Su Li didn’t know what was good for her. Yesterday, she had the gall to call her greedy. Well, today, she would show her what true greed looked like.

She would take back everything that belonged to the Tang Family!

If Su Li wanted to live, she had no choice but to hand it all over. Otherwise, it was all pointless. If she died, she died.

Mrs. Tang couldn’t stop sneering.

Su Li laughed, too.

’Mrs. Tang’s words had, once again, truly been an eye-opener.’

’Give her everything, and she’ll let me go... Heh. She’s got more nerve than your average kidnapper.’

’Even kidnappers know their limits when demanding a ransom. But Mrs. Tang? She just goes for the whole lot. How delusional.’

"I told you yesterday, I’d rather throw it all in the river than let you have a single penny. Now get out. Don’t disturb my rest."

Mrs. Tang sneered. "You think you’re some kind of heroine, choosing death before dishonor? Goodness me... If you die, that Wu Sheng will probably remarry in a heartbeat. And I wonder what kind of life that little mutt of yours will lead without you. Haha..."

Mrs. Tang burst into cathartic, uncontrollable laughter.

Su Li froze.

The fit of laughter left Mrs. Tang feeling utterly satisfied.

"So? Are you going to beg me? If you beg me and kowtow, I’ll give you a little something to eat. Just enough so you don’t starve."

"As for my offer, take your time thinking about it. I’ve got all the time in the world. If you come to your senses, you’d better keep your word. I get you out, and you can go get married. You’ll have nothing left, sure, but at least you’ll still have a husband, right?"

"Besides, you’re so capable, aren’t you? A reporter and all. You probably won’t starve."

Mrs. Tang finished and waited a moment, but heard no response from Su Li.

"What? Still playing tough? Fine. I’m leaving. You think it over on your own."

Although Mrs. Tang said she was leaving, she remained seated, not moving an inch. She stared confidently at the bag by her feet, certain that Su Li would cave.

She had come in a rush yesterday, without much of a strategy, and Su Li had almost bluffed her way past her.

Not today. She had spent all day and night yesterday thinking about how to handle Su Li. Su Li was heartless, ruthless even to herself. The only time she showed a shred of humanity was when it came to that little mutt.

She had to use the little mutt to threaten her. She had no doubt Su Li would give in.

The thought of Su Li begging her sent a wave of pleasure through her entire body.

Mrs. Tang waited a moment longer and was finally rewarded with the sound of Su Li’s voice.

"Fine. I’m begging you. Please, give me some water."

Su Li’s face was devoid of expression as she finally spoke.

No matter what, she had to buy time. She could be pragmatic. What were a few words? Begging was just begging.

Hearing Su Li’s plea, Mrs. Tang roared with laughter.

"HAHAHA! She’s actually begging me! HAHA!"

Mrs. Tang was in high spirits. "Good, good. Since you begged, I’ll give you a little something. You think over my offer today. If you come to your senses, you’ll be kowtowing tomorrow, begging me to take everything!"

Mrs. Tang glanced down at her bag, at the cup of water that had frozen solid. After a moment’s thought, she struggled to pick up a steamed bun that was just as frozen.

Su Li wanted water, so she would deliberately deny her.

A grotesque smile spread across Mrs. Tang’s face. "Since you begged so nicely, I’ll give you a bun to eat. Better catch it."

With that, she let out a loud, deliberate cough, then hacked up a thick wad of phlegm and spat it right onto the bun. Then, with a final insulting gesture, she tossed the bun through the small window.

"Eat up. Eat it if you don’t want to starve to death. I’ll just pretend I’m feeding a dog."

After tossing the bun inside, a feeling of deep satisfaction washed over Mrs. Tang.

’Hmph. If Su Li eats it, I can hold this over her for the rest of her life. The very thought is so gratifying.’

’You think you’re so high and mighty? You’ll still have to eat the bun I threw to you like a dog!’

’And if she doesn’t eat it? Then let her starve. Starve her to death!’

Feeling an unprecedented sense of elation, Mrs. Tang wheeled herself away. It felt as though all the grievances she had endured over the years had finally been purged.

She wished she could keep Su Li locked up like this forever, humiliating her endlessly. Oh, to be able to keep her caged like a dog for the rest of her life, to watch her kneel and beg for a single bun—how wonderful that would be!

Mrs. Tang’s eyes shone, and she suddenly seemed years younger, her face radiant.

After Mrs. Tang left, Su Li remained in the room, clutching her empty, aching stomach. Her gaze fell upon the icy bun on the floor, smeared with thick, yellow spit. She squeezed her eyes shut, fighting back a wave of nausea.