Chapter 23: Atone with Death

Mo Xiaoxue savored the sight of Su Nuo’s humiliation for a full minute before letting out a light chuckle.

"Rest easy. I’ve already intercepted all the relevant videos. Otherwise, you would be nothing but a stain on the Duan family, fit only to atone for your existence with death."

Su Nuo’s tears fell in silence, a dry, rattling sound escaping her throat. She knew exactly what those videos were. They were recordings of her torture. Every time she was whipped or put to the question, they would film it. They told her that their boss loved the sound of her screams, loved watching her suffer. The more she suffered, the more money they made. These videos were uploaded to overseas websites, where they claimed she was a celebrated star. Each video had tens of thousands of views. Everyone watched her degradation and thought she looked beautiful in her agony. She had never imagined, however, that these clips would end up on Mo Xiaoxue’s phone.

Mo Xiaoxue stepped forward, hooked a finger under Su Nuo’s chin, and enunciated each word: "Remember this: the mistress of this house can only be me. Duan Yubai belongs only to me, and the position of Mrs. Duan is mine alone. As for you, Su Nuo, you are just a stray dog, the most disgusting thing imaginable. If I deign to give you a scrap of food, you live; if I want you dead, you die. Do you understand?"

Su Nuo nodded like a bobbing mechanical toy. From the moment she returned, she had known there was only room for Mo Xiaoxue in this house. Though she appeared to be Duan Yubai’s secretary, she was, in reality, the apple of his eye. Even with the friendship between their two families, it would not have been enough to justify Mo Xiaoxue living in the Duan household indefinitely—let alone staying in her room, the largest and finest in the house, which was clearly reserved for the future Mrs. Duan.

Mo Xiaoxue looked at her with satisfaction, then glanced back at the videos on her phone. "Miss Su, if your parents could see you from above, do you think they would be ashamed to death?"

She continued with a touch of feigned sympathy, "The extortionists originally reached out to Mr. Duan, but he said he didn’t care. He told them that even if the photos and videos were made public, it had nothing to do with him. You’re just an adopted daughter, after all—why would he care about you? Right?"

Watching Su Nuo tremble, Mo Xiaoxue stroked her beautiful face. "This face of yours is so annoying. Even after all this suffering, you’re still so pretty. If I hadn’t suppressed this whole matter, you would already be a slut despised by thousands. So, from now on, you will do exactly as I say. Do you understand?"

She shook her phone, a triumphant smile on her face.

***

Su Nuo closed her eyes and nodded in resignation. What else could she do? She was the fish on the chopping block. If these videos were released, she would not even have the courage to die. Everyone would despise her, and she would become a disgrace to the Duan family. She would have no face left to meet her parents.

Mo Xiaoxue’s phone rang again. "Mr. Duan? Yes, I’ll be right back."

She hung up and smoothed her hair. "Sigh, Mr. Duan is just like a child; he hates it when I leave his side. It’s so tiresome." She looked up at Su Nuo, her gaze falling on the jar of milk candies on the nightstand. She reached out and slipped one into her pocket.

At the sight of the candies, Su Nuo felt the blood in her veins turn to ice.

"Ever since I fainted from low blood sugar once, Mr. Duan has insisted I carry these. Years ago, he discovered this brand, and he insisted on bringing them back for me. Now he checks every day to see if I’ve eaten them. I’m not a child, you know." Mo Xiaoxue waved a hand. "Miss Su, if you want some, help yourself. Don't be a stranger. I’m off."

The door clicked shut. Su Nuo collapsed onto the floor. So that was it. She had always wondered why Duan Yubai suddenly started keeping candies in his pockets, and why the milk candies she had begged him to buy for her suddenly went out of stock. It turned out she was merely the leftover; these candies were all intended for Mo Xiaoxue’s hypoglycemia. She had actually believed that Duan Yubai had traveled great distances just to buy them for her. For all these years, she had been nothing but a joke.

Su Nuo sat on the floor until she felt chilled to the bone. Only then did she stiffly stand up. She deliberately avoided the jar of candies, unwilling to touch the memories of the past. Now, she was just a servant in the Duan household. She earned her right to linger on in this world through labor, and that was all. She quickly tidied the room, brushing her hand over the furniture she had once chosen herself, and the dolls and trinkets tossed into the corner. Mo Xiaoxue was right; this was no longer her room. There were no traces of Su Nuo left, save for a few scattered items that barely served as proof she had once lived here.

***

Before long, even those remnants would surely be scrubbed away. Having finished cleaning Mo Xiaoxue’s massive walk-in closet, Su Nuo finally had a moment of respite. The Duan family never returned at noon, and the other servants had retreated to their rooms to rest. When Su Nuo made her way to the kitchen, only scraps remained. Aside from half a bowl of congee, there were only leftover fish bones.

Su Nuo carefully drank the congee, feeling a faint warmth in her stomach. She looked at the bright sunlight outside, her expression ashen. A cold ache settled in her chest. She instinctively touched her pendant and let out a long breath. She still had a reason to hope; she hoped to retrieve her mother’s keepsake and then leave this house forever.

Dinner was the main event of the day in the Duan household. Because Mrs. Duan returned early, all the servants began to bustle about. Mrs. Duan pulled Su Nuo onto the sofa, questioning her about her day. "It’s so kind of Xiaoxue to look out for you, giving you some work so you don’t feel awkward, and letting you get comfortable in your old room, isn't it?"

Su Nuo nodded slightly, feeling nothing. If being made to clean her former room for its new owner was considered a kindness, then the Duan family and Mo Xiaoxue were indeed her great benefactors. Perhaps in the past, she would have lashed out, but not anymore. She clearly understood her position now: an adopted daughter worth less than a beast, an existence no one cared about.

Much like the burn on her hand—even after a full day, it had begun to turn black. Yet, despite such an obvious injury, no one in the Duan family noticed. Not even the woman she called Mother.

By dinnertime, Mr. Duan had not returned; only Duan Yubai and Mo Xiaoxue arrived, laughing together. Seeing the sumptuous spread on the table, Mo Xiaoxue’s eyes lit up. "Miss Su is truly amazing. I never expected her to be able to cook so many dishes. Unlike me, I only know how to bake."

Duan Yubai looked at the food with slight surprise. Then, he heard the housekeeper, Sister Cui, muttering under her breath, "How could the young mistress ever cook? She’s just putting on a show."

Su Nuo, who was serving the dishes, froze. She could feel Duan Yubai’s furious gaze fixed upon her.