Quick Transmigration: The Gossip Master Took the Black Lotus Script - Chapter 4

“An’an, Luo An, where are you going?!” Luo Ning panicked, the expression on her face slipping before she could recover, her tone anxious and edged with a trace of hatred.

“Of course I’m going to the textile factory to report the problem. Oh, right! I also need to report the workshop director of the steel plant. She bribed me to take her daughter’s place in going down to the countryside. That’s contempt for our leaders and shows poor ideological awareness! People like that should be dragged out for the masses to criticize.”

Chen Juhua was so shocked by her words that she didn’t know what to do. Her husband worked at the steel factory. When she heard from him that the workshop director’s daughter was supposed to be sent down after work, she’d had the bright idea to take advantage of it.

If Luo An, this wretched girl, really stirred things up, offending the director would be one thing, but her own husband’s job might not survive. How could that be allowed?!

Chen Juhua was genuinely panicked. She jogged a few steps forward and, without a word, tried to grab Luo An’s arm. Luo An had been waiting for exactly this chance. Like a slippery loach, she ducked to the side, seized the woman’s arm with strength fueled by her inner energy, and twisted it back hard. The pain was sharp and unbearable—anyone who experienced it would know!

Chen Juhua experienced it once and wished she were dead. Just what the hell did this brat eat growing up? How did she never realize the girl had such frightening strength?

“Let go! Let me go right now! You little bi—”

She cursed, but before she could finish, her face exploded with burning pain.

Yes! Luo An had slapped her, so hard one of her teeth was left wobbling.

“You dare hit me! Go on, I dare you to hit me again!”

Chen Juhua was utterly incredulous. She’d strutted around the Luo household for over twenty years, yet today she’d been struck by the little girl she’d always looked down on. The shock was indescribable.

Luo An prided herself on being a “good person.” Since Chen Juhua didn’t believe it, she immediately slapped her again. “Auntie, why do you have such strange tastes? I’ve seen people begging for money, but never anyone begging to be hit. Still, I always listen to you, so of course I’ll satisfy you.”

Then she looked at her with wide, innocent eyes and asked, “Auntie, was two enough? Or would you like two more?”

The others were stunned by her swift, decisive moves—especially Xu Qing. She’d never imagined her own daughter could be so “brazen.” The feeling was far too novel.

But she had to admit—it was exhilarating!

Ever since her husband died in an accident, her in-laws had forced her to give his job to her elder brother-in-law. She’d fought but lost.

After that, she could only scrape by on odd jobs around the neighborhood. It was barely enough to keep her and her daughter from starving, but just barely.

It wasn’t that she didn’t hate them, but the hardship of life had dulled her will to hate.

And yet, these two stinging slaps, though they landed on Chen Juhua’s face, seemed to strike her own heart instead—awakening ripples in the stagnant waters of her soul.

Her fingers twitched faintly at her side, and her eyes grew a shade brighter.

When Luo Ning saw her mother being beaten down so one-sidedly, she rushed to intervene. But she overestimated her own strength. Not only could she not move Luo An, she was tripped on purpose and fell face-first to the ground.

“Oops, cousin, are your eyes on top of your head? My foot was right here, and you just kicked into it. Looks like you’re not as kindhearted as everyone says!”

Luo Ning: …

She nearly exploded with rage. Her palms and knees were scraped raw from the fall, burning with pain, yet Luo An shamelessly accused her of attacking first.

“Luo An! Stop lying! You clearly stuck your foot out to trip me!”

“Me? Who saw it? Without witnesses, you can’t just accuse me! Otherwise I’ll sue you for slander!” Luo An puffed up angrily, like she was ready to haul her cousin straight to court.

When it came to shamelessness, she reigned supreme!

Truthfully, Luo An’s mischief was bubbling over. After all, she used to only watch others quarrel and pull hair in secret. This was her first time stepping onto the stage herself, and there was no way she’d let herself lose—not when the dignity of a cultivator was on the line.

Luo Ning, frustrated, turned pleading eyes to Xu Qing. “Auntie, tell us—who started it just now?”

In the past, Xu Qing would have spoken up for them without hesitation. But now…

The moment Luo Ning opened her mouth, Xu Qing lowered her head, pretending to look elsewhere. She forced calm into her voice as she said,

“Huh? A mouse just ran by. I was thinking of how to catch it before it eats our last bit of grain. I really didn’t see who moved first. But our An’an has always been honest and well-behaved. She would never lie.”

What did that mean? That if Luo Ning wasn’t telling the truth, then she was a born liar?

And a mouse? In broad daylight? What nonsense! She was clearly making excuses not to help.

Luo Ning glared furiously at Xu Qing, the malice on her face no longer hidden. Perhaps she didn’t even bother to hide it anymore.

Seeing this, Xu Qing’s unease deepened.

She didn’t believe she owed the Luo family anything—much less her brother-in-law. She had endured endlessly, and still it wasn’t enough.

Sigh.

She sighed inwardly, but when she looked at Luo An, she felt some comfort. She knew her own timid nature had affected her daughter, making her too afraid of confrontation. Now, though she hurt for her, she was glad the girl had awakened and grown a spine.

Chen Juhua realized that with Xu Qing silent, this crazy girl Luo An wouldn’t let her go. So her curses grew filthier, dragging in Xu Qing’s ancestors too.

But while she could curse, Luo An could hit harder. Soon Chen Juhua’s cheeks went numb, her words slurred from the pain.

Only after she’d had her fill of satisfaction did Luo An finally let go. Chen Juhua collapsed helplessly to the ground, and Luo Ning struggled to haul her upright.

“Luo An, I’ll definitely tell Grandpa and Grandma about this!”

The old couple had always favored their eldest son. They despised Luo An’s father—the younger son—even when he was alive, and after his death, they treated Luo An and her mother as burdens. They would never take their side.

It was exactly this that gave Luo Ning the confidence to threaten her. But the Luo An standing here now was a different person entirely—one who wasn’t afraid in the least.

“Go ahead! I’ll even walk you over myself.”

And what was Luo Ning most afraid of? That Luo An would run her mouth outside.

Even now, hearing this only stoked her fury.

But she couldn’t give up what she had. After a long struggle, she chose to compromise.

“An’an, our family really doesn’t have that much money!”

To prove her point, she even squeezed out a few tears. If it were still the naïve original, she might’ve been fooled again.

But Luo An wasn’t the original. She admired Luo Ning’s acting skills with interest, clicking her tongue. This is a craft I could learn. Might be useful someday.

After enjoying the show, she dropped a cold remark in response to Luo Ning’s hopeful gaze:

“Your family having no money has nothing to do with me. I’ll give you one hour. If I don’t see the money, be ready for the neighbors to strip you bare.”

“You…”

Luo Ning’s chest heaved, her eyes blazing like fire. “Are you really going to show no mercy at all?”