Chapter 27: The Spoiled Brat of the Seventies (27)

Due to Liu Suisui’s cooperative behavior, the human traffickers grew slightly less guarded against her.

One of the men, marked by a jagged scar across his eye, threw the door open aggressively and glared at her. "Speak up, what do you want?"

"Can we go outside to talk? I promise I won't run. Look, there are so many of you; I couldn't escape even if I wanted to, could I?" Liu Suisui said with a beaming smile, showing no fear of them at all.

The man with the scar pondered for a moment, curious about what kind of scheme she was cooking up, and signaled for her to be brought out.

The door to the small, dark room was locked, and since the traffickers kept the keys on them, it was impossible to open easily. The other captives inside had no way to escape and were too terrified to call for help, left only to wait for their inevitable fates.

The small courtyard was sparsely furnished and plain, its front gate kept firmly shut so that no one from the outside could see what was happening within. The old woman was in the kitchen, busy preparing dinner.

Aside from the scarred man, there was another burly fellow, whom they called Dazhuang.

"What do you want to talk to us about?" The scarred man sat down on a chair, eyeing her sideways, waiting to see what tricks she had up her sleeve.

Liu Suisui let out a small, conspiratorial chuckle, her expression turning sycophantic. "I just wanted to know, where do you guys make your fortune? Can I get in on it, too?"

The two men were stunned, unsure of what to make of this. She wasn't thinking about escaping, but joining them?

"Look at me. Don't I look well-dressed? But I’ll tell you the truth: I swindled all of this. I have a friend who is incredibly dim-witted and loaded with cash. I just have to coax her a little, and she gives me all sorts of expensive things."

Through her words, she fabricated an imaginary friend—a wealthy target. The world is full of greed, but it usually has limits. For these traffickers, however, more money was always better, and her story piqued their curiosity.

"I’ve been unloved by my parents since I was a child, otherwise I wouldn't have grown up so scrawny and thin. That was until I met my friend, that absolute fool. As long as I ask, she’ll give me whatever money I want." She scoffed as if mocking her friend’s stupidity, her eyes filled with such convincing malice that it was impossible to tell if she was lying.

The scarred man and Dazhuang exchanged looks and nodded—this girl was something else.

"But her family just found a way for her to emigrate abroad, and she won't be coming back. If she leaves, won't my life become miserable again? So, I was thinking, could I work with you guys? You could give me a cut of the earnings—is that alright?"

Her eyes were bright, and she had a habit of looking intently at people when she spoke, lending her words an air of sincerity that made it hard to doubt her.

The scarred man and Dazhuang were starting to question their own perceptions. Who exactly had the old woman brought back?

"Ahem, why should we believe you?"

"I knew you wouldn't believe me. After all, I look so harmless; no one would ever suspect me of being a bad person. But you can test me. I’ll go lure someone here, and then you’ll have to believe me, right?" Liu Suisui was determined.

Indeed, with her appearance, no one would suspect her of being a villain. But what she had just said was certainly not the behavior of a good person.

"How about this: I’ll help you lure that friend of mine over. She dares to dump me and head abroad? I won't let her get away with it!" she said, grinding her teeth.

A cold, ruthless glint flashed in her eyes, causing even the scarred man and Dazhuang to shiver.

At this time, few people went abroad, but it wasn't unheard of. Anyone capable of emigrating had connections and a very wealthy family. If they could trick her into coming and then extort a massive sum, they would be set for life. They could even retire from their criminal trade.

"You make it sound so good, but what if you just run away?" The scarred man was tempted, but he was a cautious man by nature and needed to confirm the details.

Liu Suisui sneered. "Even if you hadn't shown up, I would have found a way to make her stay. Why is it that I was born in the mud while she was born in heaven? My parents even wanted to sell me to a sixty-year-old man just to pay for my brother’s wedding. Instead of living like that, I’d rather take my fate into my own hands!"

A woman with no way out and a dark heart, harboring no goodwill for the world and wanting to destroy the happiness of everyone around her—someone with no moral compass, driven only by the thrill of malice. Such a person was a natural-born villain.

"Believe me or not, it’s up to you. My friend is leaving in three days anyway. It makes no difference to me; maybe being sold by you would be better—at least life wouldn't be any worse than it is now."

After saying this, she pulled up a stool, sat down, folded her arms, and stared at them expressionlessly.

Liu Suisui felt she deserved an acting award. She was nervous inside, fearing they wouldn't believe her and that her plan would crumble. But she also knew she had to remain calm; the cooler she appeared, the more they would trust her.

Moreover, she was using the classic tactics of a con artist: throw out the bait, impose a strict time limit, and promise a high reward for success. In such situations, people often get hot-headed and dive straight into the trap. Even if they know it’s likely a snare, the lure of that payout makes them desperate to gamble.

The scarred man and Dazhuang discussed it for a while and eventually concluded that this could actually work. If successful, they would gain immense wealth and could quit the business for good. If it failed, they would only lose one person—they had plenty of others locked in the dark room, so one less didn't matter.

Afraid she might tip someone off? Please, they could just send someone to tail her.

"It’s a deal!"

"Done!"

The three of them hit it off instantly, ready to pull off this heist.

Liu Suisui raised an eyebrow triumphantly and patted the scarred man on the shoulder. "Remember to give me my share. It’s my hard work, after all, isn't it?"

"Don't worry, we'll definitely give you your cut. You’re the one doing the real work! Hahahaha!"

When the old woman brought the food over, she found the three of them acting like brothers in arms, practically ready to swear a blood oath.

"Auntie Hua, let me introduce you. From now on, she’s one of us!"

"Nice to meet you, Auntie Hua. My name is Liu Er-ya. I’m their new little sister!"

Auntie Hua was completely bewildered, but since she wasn't the one calling the shots, she could only nod and play along.

"Big Brother, I need to go back now. I’ve already made plans with my friend. You or Second Brother can follow me. Watch for my signal, and when the timing is right, you two jump out and grab her!"

The scarred man had initially suspected she might try to run, but hearing her suggest they come along, he agreed immediately.

"Fine, I’ll go with you!"