Chapter 4

Yes. Once, ashamed of her disability, Mianwu had asked him again and again, “You’ll always love me, won’t you?”

And he had always kissed her patiently and answered, “Of course.”

It seemed ridiculous now.

“You did it for Tangtang and me,” she said hoarsely. “I’m not angry.”

Yet the inexplicable irritation in his chest wouldn’t go away. He was about to speak when Manqi came skipping over.

“Mianwu, you haven’t eaten, have you? Have dinner with my dogs today. We can’t let you go hungry.”

The malice on her face was unmistakable.

“No,” Mianwu said at once.

Manqi sighed. “I don’t like being refused. If you insist, your daughter will have to suffer.”

Mianwu followed her pointing finger. Her pupils contracted.

Tangtang was suspended high above the artificial lake in the garden. A rag filled her mouth, and she was struggling in terror.

How had she gotten here?

Panicking, Mianwu turned to Shuheng. “Get her down! She’s terrified of water. If she falls in, she’ll die!”

Manqi arched an eyebrow and looped her arms around his neck. “Are you going to save your daughter? I’ll be angry if you do.”

He shook his head indulgently, then looked at Mianwu.

“Miss Xu knows where to draw the line. Do what she asks, and she won’t hurt Tangtang.”

He wanted her to fight dogs for food?

Manqi clapped her hands. A servant stepped forward and tipped dog food into a trough. Dozens of dogs surged forward, snapping greedily over it.

“If you don’t hurry,” Manqi drawled, “your daughter will just have to—”

“Don’t touch her!”

Tears fell one by one. Mianwu stepped forward, bent down, and lapped at the food like a dog.

The overpowering stench made her retch. She didn’t dare stop.

Manqi laughed so hard she doubled over. When she’d had her fill, she finally ordered Tangtang lowered and sent mother and daughter to a servants’ room.

Still trembling, the little girl flung herself into Mianwu’s arms.

“Mommy, I was so scared! Daddy brought me here! Why didn’t he save me? Doesn’t he want me anymore?”

Already weak from vomiting, Mianwu felt as though her heart were being cut apart.

She patted Tangtang’s back and choked down her sobs. “Of course he does. Mommy and Daddy love you more than anything.”

Tangtang’s trembling slowly subsided.

Then the door burst open.

Shuheng entered with several bodyguards. “Search her,” he ordered, his voice icy.

“What are you doing?” Mianwu clutched Tangtang, but they tore the girl out of her arms.

Ignoring her cries, the guards searched Tangtang and pulled out a jade Buddha pendant.

“Found it!”

“Huo Tang!” Cold disappointment filled Shuheng’s eyes. “What has your mother been teaching you? Stealing at your age!”

Tangtang began to cry, bewildered.

Mianwu’s heart twisted. “She didn’t steal it! That’s—”

“Then where did she get it? Could you afford craftsmanship like this?” He cut her off. “Under the Xu family’s rules, thieves get their hands broken.”

“No!” Her eyes widened. “Don’t touch her! Punish me instead!”

He paused. A flash of anger passed over his face.

Did she really think he would hurt Tangtang?

He’d only meant to make Mianwu give in and apologize. Instead, she’d provoked him.

His expression darkened completely. “Fine. You can take it for her.”

A guard pinned down Mianwu’s hand, raised a baton, and brought it down hard.

Her head jerked back in agony. She bit her lip, refusing to make a sound.

Tangtang was watching. She couldn’t scream. She couldn’t frighten her.

The baton struck again. This time, the crack of bone was unmistakable.

“Mommy!”

Tangtang threw herself forward and took the third blow.

Her small body shuddered. Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth.

Forgetting her shattered wrist, Mianwu gathered her up frantically.

“Tangtang? What’s wrong? Please, don’t scare me. Please…”

Even Shuheng’s face changed. He took half a step forward.

Tangtang spoke in a thin, faint voice. “Daddy, I didn’t steal it. You… you gave it to me.”

He froze.

He remembered.

When Tangtang fell ill, he, a man who believed in no gods, had climbed nine thousand steps and knelt in a temple to pray for this pendant.