Rebirth: A Cinderella's Counterattack

Chapter 31: Chapter 31: Outsmarting the ’Red Hairy Worm

”Mommy, waaaah, ’King of Kings’ is possessed!!!” Luo Qianqian abruptly changed from her previous obedient and sensible manner, clinging to Luo’s Mom and refusing to let go, her little eyes feigning timidity as they sneakily glanced at the woman in red. She managed to squeeze out a few tears.

”Pfft—” Zhang Ye couldn’t hold it in: ”Cough cough, sorry, sorry, my throat hasn’t been great lately.” Zhang Ye covered his mouth, pretending to cough as he quietly looked down. The old woman started cursing at him the moment she arrived, and had he not been in these clothes, she definitely would have had you doubting life.

”Don’t be afraid, little sister, it’s not a terror. Look, it moves, doesn’t it look like that caterpillar that turned into a moth a few days ago?” Although Luo Shufan didn’t understand why his sister suddenly appeared so strange, as the brother who spent the most time with her every day, he still noticed the reluctance and disgust in her demeanor.

”Waaaah, red caterpillars, so scary, brother, I’m afraid.” Luo Qianqian inwardly gave Luo Shufan a thumbs up, impressed with how nicely he played along.

Luo’s Mom looked at her two children with a confused face. Although she couldn’t understand the situation, she could feel from their blood connection her children’s hostility and aversion to this woman who was completely unfamiliar to them.

”You little brats, who the hell are you calling ’King of Kings,’ who are you calling ’Red Hairy Worm’?? Have you no manners? Devil-spawned brats, if you don’t compensate me with a thousand or eight hundred, I won’t leave this place!” ’Red Hairy Worm,’ holding the red cloth bag, plonked herself on the hospital bed, picked up Elder Zhang’s gifts meant as solace, and began eating, all the while stuffing her bag: ”Worthless brats eating all these things, my son hasn’t even had them yet, consider it a pre-compensation, and don’t even think about shorting me money, consider these items as interest.”

Luo Qianqian felt Luo’s Mom’s hand trembling; she was clearly extremely angry, on the brink of exploding. Glancing at Mr. He, who had been silent until now, she saw little flames flickering in his eyes. He Wenyu, biting her lower lip, watched the snacks being stuffed into the cloth bag, her eyes brimming with tears. And around Zhang Ye, the atmosphere had turned icy cold—could the family of such a person be good? Would anyone believe it?

”Officer Uncle, waaaah, Grandpa Zhang’s gifts are all being taken by the ’Red Hairy Worm’ to the worm’s nest to feed her little worms, waaaah. Grandpa Zhang might as well have taken them back to feed his dog. At least if a dog eats them, it will bark in gratitude. Worms eating them will just go on to harm people, waaaah.” Luo Qianqian shook Luo’s Mom’s hand a few times, and the tear stains on her face were replaced by undisguised loathing.

”Hello, you’ve insulted someone in front of me, falsely accused them, and committed burglary. Please come with me, and because the financial amount involved is significant, please contact your family,” Zhang Ye nodded in approval at Luo Qianqian, giving her a thumbs up before flashing his police badge.

”I swear... Officer, sir, this is all a misunderstanding. I haven’t cursed anyone, and those snacks? They’re just interest for the reparations, how can that be robbery? I haven’t slandered them either. My nephew has been beaten up and sent to the hospital, could he possibly be in the wrong?” ’Red Hairy Worm’ swallowed the curse that almost came out and put down the snacks she was trying to stuff into her bag. She glanced at Zhang Ye who had been automatically ignored upon his entrance, cursing silently: Just mentioning a few kids fighting, that’s easy to intimidate, but why wasn’t I told there was a police officer? Once back, I’ll definitely make that little brat hand over a bigger share of the compensation to me.

”Let’s not count the fact that you insulted a police officer, after all, we are public servants of the people, dedicated and uncomplaining, used to taking hits and abuse,” Zhang Ye said with a wicked smile that seemed somewhat incongruous with his police uniform, ”However, swearing at two innocent children who speak without guile, that’s been seen by many. And I might have forgotten to tell you, the gifts from the old man you mentioned do not constitute ’interest.’ Take another look at the packaging—imported goodies, large in value. Oh yes, that unopened box of chocolates you stuffed into your bag earlier? Those are handmade, classified as luxury items. According to Article 263 of our country’s Criminal Law: Robbing public or private property by means of violence, coercion, or other methods is punishable by a sentence of three to ten years and a fine. You engaged in verbal intimidation, which I have personally witnessed.”

’Red Hairy Worm’ was stunned and turned her bag upside-down, dumping all its contents onto the hospital bed: ”Look, you’re mistaken. I didn’t take anything, all the items are here. I just came to have a little joke and get acquainted, especially since kids fought, and as a parent, I should come over to discipline them and discuss the compensation.”

”Waaah, that’s right, Mommy, my head hurts again, and my face... I feel dizzy, like I can’t breathe, my chest feels so tight. Mommy, am I about to die?” Luo Qianqian looked down, rolled her eyes hard, and then flopped straight to the ground.

Luo Shufan was startled and hurried forward to support his sister, who was already sprawling on the ground, letting her lean on his legs. Luo’s Mom was so scared that she ran to the door of the ward and shouted for a doctor. He Wenyu and Mr. He also crowded around Luo Qianqian, but to their surprise, they saw the apparently fainting Luo Qianqian blinking at them.

”That’s enough! Yesterday your nephew knocked out two of my teeth!” Although they were already loose, they had been stubbornly holding on: ”And today you made my sister ’faint’! Don’t think you can say whatever you want to us just because you’re an adult! At home, we have parents; at school, we have teachers, and if worse comes to worst, there are still police officers. What are you, exactly, and by what right do you discipline us? We certainly don’t have such relatives!” Luo Shufan, while touching Luo Qianqian’s forehead, blocked those bright eyes that were constantly observing the situation.

”Your tooth fell out?” Zhang Ye suddenly interrupted, with a serious face.

”Yes, knocked out by a slap.” Luo Shufan was not foolish enough to explain that his tooth was already about to come out.

”Do you still have it?” Zhang Ye squatted down in front of Luo Shufan, his mischievous appearance had been replaced by a solemn one.

”It’s in my pocket. Mom said when an upper tooth falls out, I have to dig a hole and bury it. I just haven’t had the time yet.” Luo Shufan responded blankly.

”You didn’t tell anyone? Come on, follow me to the lab now.” Just then the doctor arrived. Luo Shufan let go and allowed the doctor to carry his sister to the bed for a check-up. With his mother’s nod of approval, he followed Zhang Ye out, still looking back at his sister with concern as he left.

”The heartbeat is a bit fast, but it’s nothing serious.” The doctor concluded after the investigation.

”I was just going to say...”

”Doctor Uncle, if I get irritated, could it become more serious? Could I suffer from headaches, nausea, chest tightness, shortness of breath, weakness in my limbs, and suffocation leading to death?” Luo Qianqian asked the question, looking at Luo’s Mom anxiously standing by the bed, but still first directing her question to ’Red Hairy Worm’.

”Irritated? What could irritate such a young child? Parents should pay attention. Children don’t have much mental resilience, and it’s easy for them to experience problems. If necessary, consult a psychologist first.” The doctor said coldly, frowning as he turned to look at the adults standing by the bed.

Luo Qianqian shook her head at Luo’s Mom, who was anxiously watching her, gestured with her little fists, and upon seeing the doctor turn around, she put on a weak and distressed look again: ”Don’t worry, you won’t die. Rest up, and if you behave when the uncle comes to check up this afternoon, and if you have rested well, he’ll give you a piece of candy, okay?” The doctor gently patted Luo Qianqian on the head, while Luo’s Mom looked awkwardly at the ground.

”’Red Hairy Worm’ Auntie, may I ask you to leave my ward, please? I don’t even know you, and yet you want to steal my snacks? If you provoke me into serious harm, it won’t be resolved in three years. That would be intentional murder, and what you are doing right now is attempted murder!” Luo Qianqian cheerfully issued the order to leave to ’Red Hairy Worm’, pulling her mom’s hand after seeing the doctor out of the ward.