By the time the property security patrol returned with reinforcements, the fight was already over.

Seven bloodied figures lay neatly arranged at the roadside—six men and one woman, every one of them unconscious.

Tang Xiaoman had already led her people back into the villa. Number 05 and Number 09 stayed outside with Fubao.

Fubao bared its teeth and snarled. If the two teammates hadn’t been holding it back, it would have rushed up to keep tearing into the scumbag.

Captain Zou of the security patrol approached with his men, craning his neck cautiously. “Are these the death-row gang members?”

Number 05 nodded seriously. “Who else but death-row convicts would dare run up to someone’s gate in broad daylight and rob them?”

Captain Zou studied the people on the ground for a long time, doubtful. “They don’t really look like it. They’re not bald.”

The escaped prisoners were all shaved clean. It had only been half a month since they broke out; their hair couldn’t have grown this much. But these people all had hair.

Number 09 tugged Fubao’s leash. “Our Fubao kept biting them. They must be bad people.”

Fubao barked wildly at the scumbag again, eager to tear him apart.

Before Captain Zou could say more, Old Madam Gu arrived with Su Cheng, Liu Yaqin, their housekeepers, and bodyguards in a grand procession.

“My precious grandson!”

Old Madam Gu spotted Gu Heng at once, though his face was so swollen he was nearly unrecognizable. Crying, she rushed over.

“Ugh!”

Gu Heng had been beaten half to pieces and bitten all over by the dog. A chunk of flesh had even been torn from his calf.

By pure coincidence, Old Madam Gu pressed right on the bitten leg, and the pain woke him from unconsciousness.

“Ah Heng, how are you? Who beat you like this?” Old Madam Gu slapped his swollen face repeatedly, trying to wake him up properly.

Gu Heng’s lips moved, but no sound came out. His eyes rolled back, and he fainted again.

Su Cheng stopped Captain Zou and demanded, “Who beat Young Master Gu?”

Captain Zou had already felt uneasy, thinking these people didn’t look like the rumored death-row convicts. But he never imagined one of them was the Gu family’s young master.

“I—I don’t know!” He immediately passed the blame along. “Hey, who was on patrol today? Report what happened!”

The patrol guards quickly shifted responsibility too. “The two bodyguards from Villa 98 said these people were escaped death-row convicts here to rob them.”

Number 05 spread his hands and said calmly, “These people came to our boss’s gate in broad daylight to rob her. Even if they’re not death-row convicts, they’re still criminal elements. Beating them wasn’t unjustified.”

Fire blazed in Old Madam Gu’s eyes as she pointed at her viciously. “Do you even know who my grandson is? How dare you lay hands on him!”

Number 05 curled her lip. “Who cares who he is? Anyone who comes to rob us deserves a beating.”

The bodyguards from the Gu and Su families closed in.

Number 05 and Number 09 showed no fear, while Fubao bared its teeth, ready to fight.

The iron gate of Villa 98 slowly opened again.

Tang Xiaoman stepped out with her team.

Aside from Lu Jingming and Shanshan, every combat member of Villa 98 had arrived.

Seeing Tang Xiaoman emerge with so many bodyguards, fear flashed through Old Madam Gu’s eyes, and she instinctively took a step back.

Liu Yaqin quickly moved forward to support her, attentively reminding her, “Old Madam, be careful.”

Old Madam Gu steadied herself, tightened her grip on her cane, and glared at Tang Xiaoman through gritted teeth. “You black-hearted woman! Why did you order people to beat Ah Heng like this?”

Tang Xiaoman scoffed. “He brought people to my gate to rob me. I thought he had joined the death-row gang and become one of their thugs. Beating him was self-defense.”

“Nonsense!” Old Madam Gu’s nostrils flared, nearly smoking with rage. “How could Ah Heng possibly come here to rob you? He came out of goodwill to get back together with you! Tang Xiaoman, it’s bad enough that you don’t know what’s good for you, but you even disregarded your past affection and beat him half to death. Truly, no heart is more vicious than a woman’s!”

Tang Xiaoman seemed to hear the funniest joke in the world and laughed aloud.

“Goodwill? Then I thank you for your goodwill. You make it sound like anyone actually wants it. He comes to get back together with me, and I’m supposed to be grateful? What do you think your family is, royalty?”

Old Madam Gu choked. After a long while, she muttered, “Don’t you hope to reconcile with Gu Heng?”

Her precious grandson was still willing to take Tang Xiaoman back. Shouldn’t this woman be weeping with gratitude?

Before Tang Xiaoman could retort, Su Cheng jumped out.

“You unfilial girl! You treated your fiancé so cruelly, without the slightest human feeling! Your brother was kidnapped, and your sister was taken away too! The other side is demanding a huge ransom. Shouldn’t you contribute, at least out of family affection? Ah Heng came to ask for your help, and you beat him like this…”

He was so furious his hands trembled, his whole body shaking.

Tang Xiaoman suddenly understood. “Oh. So Gu Heng didn’t come here to get back together with me. He came looking for a sucker.”

The yacht was gone. The Su family couldn’t repay the debt. Su Rou had been taken to settle it.

So Su Cheng and Gu Heng had set their sights on her.

Gu Heng thought that by claiming he wanted to reconcile and saying a few sweet words, she would obediently take out supplies to help pay their debt and ransom Su Rou?

Who gave them that confidence?

Perhaps she had been far too stupid in the past, making them believe they could control her however they pleased.

“You…” Su Cheng was choked speechless.

Looking at Tang Xiaoman’s smiling yet utterly cold face, he suddenly found her unfamiliar and couldn’t help shivering.

Liu Yaqin wiped her tears and sobbed. “Xiaoman, please stop being angry with Young Master Heng. He still has you in his heart. As long as you both take a step back…”

“Your Young Master Heng doesn’t look so good,” Tang Xiaoman interrupted, blinking as she reminded them. “He’s convulsing. Shouldn’t you get a doctor to look at him?”

Everyone’s eyes returned to Gu Heng.

Sure enough, his body was spasming.

“Oh no. He was bitten by a dog. Don’t tell me he caught rabies.” Tang Xiaoman deliberately frightened them. “I heard once rabies sets in, even gods can’t save you.”

Old Madam Gu truly had no energy left to argue with Tang Xiaoman. She hurriedly ordered the housekeeper to direct the bodyguards to carry Gu Heng back and find a doctor to treat his wounds and vaccinate him.

Tang Xiaoman sneered.

Doctors were scarce now, and medicine and vaccines were even scarcer.

With Gu Heng injured this badly, even if he didn’t die, he’d lose a layer of skin.

Hmm.

She could consider selling him medicine and vaccines, then take the chance to bleed him dry.

She had already fleeced the Su family bare.

Next, it was the Gu family’s turn.