Mowenjie followed the sound and saw a man and a woman. The man had beaten the woman to a pulp and was pointing a sword at her. "No one can help you today," he advised, "I suggest you comply with me gracefully to avoid physical pain. Otherwise, not only will you suffer physically, but in the end, I will toy with you and then kill you. Think about it: would you rather listen to me and enjoy ourselves together, or let me force myself on you, and ultimately kill you?"
The woman shouted loudly, "Ding Guozhu, you're a heartless and selfish person. How dare you treat me like this after I've been so kind to you? Has your conscience been eaten by a dog? In the beginning, what were you? Our family had no respect for you. You were just an inferior household servant. It was only because I gave you cultivation resources that you gradually rose from a servant to an honored one. I pitied you in the beginning, not because I liked you. How can you interpret that I helped you because I liked you? Now, you even want to do beastly things to me. Even if I die, I will never let you succeed!"
Ding Guozhu laughed heartily upon hearing this. Qin Xiadie, stop being self-absorbed, okay? Of course, I know you used to look down on me. But I climbed up one step at a time, and you didn't see my hard work. You've always been so high above me. In the Qin family, no one regarded me as a person. Initially, you gave me cultivation resources. At that time, because I could help you with your tasks, anything you asked me to do, I never complained. Even if you had asked me to be a dog, I wouldn't have hesitated for a moment. I endured humiliation and hardship in order to be able to stand tall today and be a man of integrity. Also, to show you that Ding Guozhu is indeed talented; it's just that he hasn't had the opportunity yet. If there is an opportunity one day, Ding Guozhu will definitely surpass others. Just as others say: "Gold scales are not pool creatures; when they encounter storms and rain they become dragons." Now in the Qin family, Ding Guozhu can also be considered one of the top experts among them; many people look up to me and want us to be together. You didn't miss seeing all of this either; yet still didn't glance at me properly or treat me with respect. I have no idea where your sense of superiority comes from or what right you have to stand above me? Previously I was your household servant and I dare not covet your beauty or desire any more from our relationship than what was given freely by my loyalty and dedication to our cause - without complaint or hesitation even if it meant doing menial tasks for little reward - for which I suffered humiliation and endured hardship in order that today - as an equal - we could achieve greatness together! Now it's different; my strength has given me confidence that we are perfectly suited for each other - so why do you still look down on me? How can I bear such disdain? If previously someone had told me this (that) they would have killed themselves before even thinking about such things – but times have changed; now as an equal among equals who has achieved greatness himself he says: "Women all admire strength," "Women all want to hang out with strong men," "I've achieved this!" he says – why then do you still look down on him? This has caused much distress for
Qin Xiadie's eyes were ablaze as she looked at Ding Guozhu, gritting her teeth and saying, "Ding Guozhu, you're a beast worse than an animal. Do you know why I looked down on you? Initially, I thought you were a person who could be cultivated. I pitied you and gave you cultivation resources to make you into a martial artist. But who knew that after becoming a martial artist, you completely changed into someone else - bullying boys and girls and doing nothing but evil. Moreover, your pretense was so good that it fooled everyone except me. I know very well how many maidservants you've had relations with. I'm just unwilling to expose your hypocrisy; initially, I only thought I was blind and saw potential in you. In reality, I've figured it out: You're nothing but a despicable person! That's why I don't want any more to do with you or even associate with you. Whatever you do is none of my business, and neither will I look up to your highness! This time coming to the Yangquan Mountain to search for medicinal herbs is because my father didn't understand your character and insisted on bringing you along. It's also my own naivety that allowed me not to expect such audacity from you – such shamelessness! I blame no one but myself for being blind; regret has already come too late as fate has decreed this path for me - what can I do but accept it? You can do whatever pleases you! If possible, if my death is required for your pleasure, then so be it! Under no circumstances will I indulge or pet any more of this man!”
Ding Guozhu laughed heartily and said, "Qin Xiadie, can't you stop being so childish? Can't you be a bit cleverer? What's wrong with us being together? Does it shame you? I'm also considered a young talent in the Qin family. In fact, your father has seen my strength and he meant to match us up. Why else would he send me here to gather medicinal herbs with you if there were others available? Don't you think your family has only one honored one in them? You're wrong; it was your father who asked me to come with you. His real intention was to have us be together. Do you really think your father knows nothing? That's impossible; he must know everything. It's just that sons don't speak out as openly as you do. You know what kind of person I am, yet why did you let me come along with you? If you hadn't let me come, would I have had this chance? Now that I'm here with you, the opportunity is there! This is an opportunity given to me by both of your parents. How can I waste such effort and intention on your part? I can't, I must do something worthy of their effort!
Qin Xiadie angrily shouted at Ding Guozhu, "You treacherous little scoundrel! My father sent you to come with me to gather medicinal herbs, and I agreed at first. But I never imagined that you would be so brazen and depraved. You've shown me a side of you that I could never have imagined. I suppose it's all my fault for letting you come along with me. It's too late now for any regrets or apologies. Everything has already happened, and there's nothing left to be said."
Ding Guozhu, hearing this from Qin Xiadie, burst out into a hearty laugh. "I say, Qin Xiadie, resist! Why don't you resist? The more you resist, the more stimulating it becomes to me. If you don't resist, I find it boring. When you resist, I feel that it has great significance. But since you no longer resist, I find no interest in you at all. Your feeling of being high above others no longer exists. Now I can do whatever I want with you, and yet I find the matter quite uninteresting. However, if I let go of you now, it would be somewhat unsatisfactory to me. On the other hand, if I don't let go of you now and continue as before, my interest in you would diminish greatly. What should we do then? How about this: I'll take you out of Yangquan Mountain and strip you naked to tie up by the side of the road? Anyone who passes by can do whatever they want with you if they wish; if not, they can simply walk by. This way I think it would be quite interesting!"
Hearing what Ding Guozhu said, Qin Xiadie was so angry that her hair stood on end. "Ding Guozhu, you are nothing but an absolute beast. Even if I become a ghost, I will not spare you!"
Ding Guozhu laughed heartily and said to Qin Xiadie, "You alive, I wouldn't even be afraid of you. Even if you become a ghost, do you think I would be afraid of you? I don't fear you at all. Perhaps if you come looking for me as a ghost, I might even find your presence interesting. Maybe I can even learn something from Ning Caixian and Xu Hanlin. Just thinking about it is exciting! Hurry up and become a ghost and come find me; I'm waiting for you all the time, anytime you choose to show up!"
Qin Xiadie, listening to what Ding Guozhu said, was really at a loss. She hadn't expected Ding Guozhu to be so shameless. She really regretted it and sighed. "Heaven's misfortunes can be forgiven, but self-inflicted misfortunes cannot be redeemed. This is all my own fault! Why did I develop pity for him in the first place? If I hadn't felt any pity towards him in the beginning, would there have been today's events? So everything is my own fault; I can't blame anyone else. I'm destined to accept it."
Ding Guozhu watched as Qin Xiadie gave up resistance and felt no interest at all. "Qin Xiadie, is that how easily you give up your pride and your disdain? You can't do that. You should fight me to the end, never admit defeat. That's what Qin Xiadie, Miss Qin, is like. To give up resistance so easily is really making me speechless; it's completely uninteresting to me. One should never give up lightly; one should strive and fight, even to the last drop of blood, without any regret. This really makes me feel helpless. I didn't expect you to give up so easily! I'm sorry then. Gather everything you have on you; in the future, strip you naked and tie you up outside and see whose luck is better; whose destiny is bestowed by heaven!"
Qin Xiadie definitely wouldn't be willing to be humiliated. She made a silent resolution to bite her tongue and commit suicide!
Mo Wenjie laughed and said, "Brother, you're really good at this! I never expected you to be so skilled. If you're not interested in playing, how about letting me take over? Do you have any objections?"
Ding Guozhu turned back to look at Mo Wenjie and asked, "Who are you?"
