Ren Xing immediately thought of one last bargaining chip: the child. Lan Jin doted on the kid, didn't she? He could easily use the child to his advantage. If Lan Jin gave in, then everything would be fine. If she refused, then he'd use the child to threaten her. Hadn't she just said she didn't want to support him and Meng Ying?
Then he'd force her to keep them both alive, even if she had to give it her all.
Whatever good or bad feelings Ren Xing might've had about Lan Jin earlier, they no longer mattered in the face of survival.
And the scheming on Ren Xing's face wasn't even hidden. Lan Jin only glanced at him once and nearly threw up from disgust. Fury surged in her chest. If she had hesitated before because she didn't want to be seen dealing with Ren Xing out in the open, now she had zero intention of wasting another second.
Some things, the sooner they're done, the better.
What was she waiting for? There was no point in waiting.
Before Ren Xing could open his mouth again, Lan Jin walked straight over and slammed a heavy slap on his head. She didn't hold back at all. Ren Xing collapsed before he even knew what hit him.
Lan Jin rolled her eyes at the sky and sighed. "I shouldn't have wasted time letting you talk nonsense. I should've just smacked you the moment you walked in. Would've ended the same, only I wouldn't have to listen to all that garbage."
Not to mention, it had annoyed her to no end.
But at the end of the day, Ren Xing was still her child's father. Of course he had to die, but if he hadn't pushed his luck, maybe he could've lived a little longer.
And now here he was, digging his own grave. So earlier was better.
As for Ren Siqiao, she was still happily playing in the space, completely forgetting she even had an annoying dad. Naturally, she had no idea what was going on outside.
Lan Jin dragged Ren Xing's bleeding body into the space. The moment she entered, Qiao Qiao, who had been playing excitedly, stopped when she caught sight of something very familiar and very unpleasant.
She ran over immediately.
When she saw what Lan Jin was dragging, her eyes lit up. "Mama, that!"
Her face clearly said: Why's he here?
Lan Jin explained patiently, "While you were playing, Mama heard someone knocking, remember? I went out to check. It was your dad. But we didn't have a good talk. So Mama knocked him out."
"Knocked out" was putting it nicely. With Lan Jin's strength and the way she'd aimed right at his head, not even emergency treatment could've saved him. And now, with the delay, it probably wouldn't be long before he stopped breathing completely.
But Qiao Qiao didn't want someone she hated dirtying their beautiful space.
"Throw out! Mama, no want him here!" she said with a scrunched-up nose.
Lan Jin nodded. "Mama doesn't want him here either. But we can't just let him die outside. If his body starts to rot and someone sees it, Mama's bad deeds will be exposed. There are too many people on the road outside. It's hard to throw him out there without being seen."
"Not dead yet. Wait he dead, then go inside. Then throw!" Qiao Qiao thought she was being very reasonable. If she compromised a little, Mama would probably agree.
And sure enough, Lan Jin did.
That had been her plan from the start anyway. She only brought Ren Xing into the space so he could die more quietly. But if Qiao Qiao didn't want him here, he could die outside instead. So she carried him back out, child in tow.
Three people and one dog stood in the middle of the living room. Lan Jin dropped Ren Xing to the floor and explained, "Qiao Qiao, once he stops breathing, we'll have to keep him in the space for a bit. It's hot outside, and once he dies, it won't take long before the smell starts. Then people might find out what Mama did."
Qiao Qiao nodded seriously. "Know, Mama."
Then her big eyes rolled thoughtfully. "We throw... in dirt?"
"No can bury in dirt. Wait for bug season to pass, then big rain come. When flood comes, we throw him in river, let water take him away. But gotta wait a while."
The moment she heard that they had to wait, Qiao Qiao looked displeased again. This space was hers and Mama's. Okay, maybe Nana's too. But not his. She pouted. "Mama, find no-people place. Throw. Qiao Qiao no wanna see him."
Seeing how much Qiao Qiao disliked the idea, Lan Jin sighed and relented. "Okay. Once he stops breathing, Mama will keep him in the space for a bit, then we'll go find a quiet spot to dump him. Sound good?"
Qiao Qiao nodded hard, then asked, "Still got one more."
"I know. But she didn't show up today. Once we find a chance... Mama won't let her go either."
"Okay, Mama."
But just as Qiao Qiao finished speaking, she suddenly changed her mind. She pointed at herself, then pointed at Ren Xing. "Mama. Go inside."
Lan Jin raised an eyebrow. "What is it? Why go back inside?"
Qiao Qiao immediately turned on the charm. "Mama no ask. Just me and him."
Lan Jin didn't think much of it. If Qiao Qiao wanted to go into the space with Ren Xing, then fine. With a flick of her hand, she tossed them both in.
But two seconds later, a thought struck her like lightning.
Ren Siqiao had developed a certain habit because of these two awful people. And now she was alone with one of them, out of her sight.
That was bad.
By the time Lan Jin rushed into the space again...
One of Ren Xing's legs was already...
Well.
Let's just say...
Ren Xing's face was red as a tomato, his whole body convulsing in pain. He was already bleeding from every orifice, but now his expression was so twisted with agony it was hard to even look at him.
Lan Jin sucked in a sharp breath. "Qiao Qiao."
If Qiao Qiao had gone to kindergarten, she probably would've replied, "This is what Daddy taught me. I'm just using it on him now. So where's the harm?"
Lan Jin was only stunned for a second. She didn't feel Qiao Qiao had done anything wrong. After all, Ren Xing had sown these seeds himself. Now he was reaping the harvest.
For once, mother and daughter were perfectly in sync.
And when Qiao Qiao saw Lan Jin enter, she didn't stop. She didn't explain. Instead, she quickly grabbed his other leg—
Lan Jin winced so hard her whole body tensed. That was enough. Really enough. Not because she pitied Ren Xing, but because her mental tolerance had hit its limit. Even after a year in the apocalypse, she hadn't yet reached the level of those nightmare stories. Scenes this bloody were still too much for her.
In the end, Ren Xing definitely died.
And Qiao Qiao?
She got a proper scolding this time, because her methods were just a little too bold.