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The Storm Approaches: A Surprise for Selfish Parents
墨書 Inktalez
The sky was overcast.
Dark clouds hung low, as if they were about to swallow the entire city.
Distant thunder rolled ominously, heralding an impending storm.
Lu Qing stood before the floor-to-ceiling window, her slender figure outlined by the dim light, casting a cold silhouette.
Her gaze was indifferent as she looked down at the crowd below, feeling as if they were mere ants, her heart enveloped in silence.
Suddenly, the ringtone of her phone pierced through the stillness of the room.
The caller ID read "Mother."
A flicker of disdain crossed Lu Qing's eyes as her fingertips lightly tapped on the table. In the end, she answered the call.
"Hello?"
Her voice was icy, devoid of any emotion.
"Lu Qing, you need to come back immediately!"
Her mother's sharp voice cut through the line harshly.
"What is it?"
Lu Qing's tone remained cold.
"Your sister has taken a liking to your apartment. You are moving back home."
Her mother's tone left no room for doubt, as if it were a matter of course.
Lu Qing let out a cold laugh.
"I won't go back."
Her response was concise and clear, without a hint of hesitation.
There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line, followed by an even sharper tirade.
"You ungrateful daughter! Your sister is in poor health and needs a quiet environment! How dare you refuse to move back?"
Her mother's roar nearly pierced Lu Qing's eardrums.
Lu Qing tightened her grip on the phone, her knuckles turning white.
Memories from her past life surged like a tidal wave.
The favoritism of her parents, her sister's betrayal, being forced into marriage with an Abusive Man, and ultimately meeting a tragic end at his hands.
All of it was vivid in her mind.
"How dare I?"
Lu Qing echoed her mother's words, a hint of mockery in her tone.
"Just because I am your daughter, just because I have given everything for this family, only to end up with nothing!"
Her voice gradually rose, and the suppressed anger finally erupted.
"I will no longer let you manipulate me like before!"
Lu Qing abruptly hung up the phone, her chest heaving violently.
She walked to the computer, took a deep breath, and forced herself to calm down.
Opening the shopping website, Lu Qing began to order a large quantity of supplies.
Compressed biscuits, bottled water, medicine, tents, flashlights...
She filled her shopping cart to the brim like a traveler preparing for a long journey.
Memories from her past life warned her that an unprecedented flood was about to sweep through the city.
The city would be paralyzed, resources would be scarce, and people would reveal the ugliest sides of human nature in their struggle for survival.
And she intended to use this disaster to make those who had once harmed her pay the price they deserved.
Heavy rain poured down, with large raindrops smashing against the glass window, creating a crackling sound.
Lu Qing stood by the window, watching the city being washed away by the rain, her gaze cold and resolute.
"In this life,"
she whispered softly, her tone filled with determination.
"Game Rules are set by me."
Outside, thunder roared and lightning split the night sky, illuminating her cold smile.
Everything was about to change.
Before the first light of dawn could penetrate the thick clouds, the urgent ringing of the doorbell shattered the tranquility of Lu Qing's apartment.
Lu Qing slowly opened her eyes, a glimmer of coldness flashing deep within them.
She knew they had arrived.
Walking to the door, Lu Qing took a deep breath, hiding all her emotions beneath a calm facade.
As she opened the door, the expected figures stood before her.
Her mother wore a harsh expression, her father appeared impatient, and her sister, Lu Yue, affectionately linked arms with their mother, wearing a false smile on her face.
"Lu Qing, you finally opened the door."
Her mother's sharp voice was as piercing as ever.
Lu Qing slightly stepped aside to let them in.
"This place... is really small," her mother remarked disdainfully as she looked around.
"Yeah, sis, this place is way too cramped. There's not even a coat room."
Lu Yue feigned concern, but her eyes kept scanning the furnishings in Lu Qing's room, revealing a hint of barely concealed jealousy.
Lu Qing ignored their cold jibes and walked straight to the sofa, sitting down.
"What's going on?"
Her voice was cold, devoid of any warmth.
"It's like this, Lu Qing,"
her father cleared his throat and began,
"Your sister is about to get married and needs a bigger house, so..."
He paused, his gaze flickering as he dared not meet Lu Qing's eyes.
"So you want me to move out?"
Lu Qing interjected with a hint of sarcasm in her tone.
"It's not about you moving out,"
her mother quickly explained,
"It's about you temporarily returning to our old home for a while. After Yue Yue gets married, you can move back."
"Temporarily?"
Lu Qing let out a cold laugh.
"What do you mean by 'temporarily'? How long is that?"
"Well..."
Her mother hesitated, unwilling to provide a specific timeframe.
Lu Qing understood in her heart. They had no intention of letting her move back in at all.
"I see."
Lu Qing said calmly, "I agree to your terms."
Her unexpectedly straightforward response left her parents and Lu Yue stunned.
"You really agreed?"
Her mother could hardly believe her ears.
"Of course."
Lu Qing's lips curled into a cold smile.
"How could I refuse such a 'reasonable' request?"
She stood up and walked over to the water dispenser, pouring a glass of water for everyone.
"Dad, Mom, Lu Yue, drink some water."
Her tone was gentle, as if the earlier indifference and sarcasm had been nothing but their imagination.
Her parents and Lu Yue took the cups, each feeling a bit puzzled.
Lu Qing's behavior today was truly unusual.
While they were busy drinking, Lu Qing discreetly activated the pre-set program.
The hidden cameras in every corner of the room began to operate, recording their every move.
Next, the real show was about to begin.
Lu Qing's parents eagerly started rummaging through the room, searching for valuable items.
Lu Yue stood by, pointing and commenting on Lu Qing's belongings.
"Sis, this dress is so outdated; you shouldn't wear it at my wedding, or you'll embarrass me."
"And these shoes? The style is ancient—it's like something from the last century."
"This computer needs to be replaced; its specs are so low that it lags while gaming."
Every word from Lu Yue felt like a sharp knife, piercing Lu Qing's heart.
Yet, Lu Qing maintained a smile on her face, as if she were completely unfazed by it all.
The calmer she appeared, the more reckless her parents and Lu Yue became.
They turned Lu Qing's room upside down, scavenging everything of value until nothing was left.
Lu Qing watched this scene with cold indifference, a smirk forming in her heart.
She was like a hunter, patiently waiting for her prey to fall into the trap.
Everything was unfolding according to her plan.
Suddenly, Lu Yue's gaze landed on the nightstand beside Lu Qing's bed.
There lay an exquisite wooden box.
"Sis, what's this?" Lu Yue asked curiously.
Lu Qing observed the greedy look in Lu Yue's eyes and couldn't help but sneer inwardly.
"Nothing important."
Lu Qing replied in a flat tone, "It's just some old things."
Lu Yue didn't believe Lu Qing's words and reached out to snatch the wooden box.
With quick reflexes, Lu Qing seized the box back.
"Lu Yue," Lu Qing said coldly, "Don't touch my things."
Startled by Lu Qing's sudden intensity, Lu Yue exclaimed, "I was just going to take a look, sis. Why are you so tense?"
Ignoring Lu Yue, Lu Qing held the box tightly against her chest.
"Enough," their mother interrupted their argument impatiently. "Lu Qing, since you've agreed to move back home, hurry up and pack your things."
Lu Qing shot her mother a cold glance but said nothing.
She turned and walked toward the basement, her footsteps heavy.
The basement was cold and damp, the air thick with a musty smell.
Lu Qing placed a wooden box on the ground and then took out a thin blanket from her bag, wrapping it around herself.
There were no lights in the basement, only a faint glimmer of light seeping in from the staircase.
Lu Qing curled up in the corner, her body trembling slightly.
She wasn't shivering from the cold; it was anger that made her shake.
She hated—hated her parents' favoritism, hated Lu Yue's hypocrisy, hated her own weakness and helplessness.
She vowed to make them pay.
Time passed, though she couldn't tell how long it had been, when the basement door creaked open.
Lu Yue stood at the entrance, wearing Lu Qing's designer clothes and strutting in high heels, feigning nonchalance.
"Sister,"
Lu Yue asked with false concern,
"Are you cold?"
Lu Qing did not respond, merely casting a cold glare at Lu Yue.
"Oh dear," Lu Yue said, feigning surprise. "Why is it so cold here? You’re not catching a cold, are you?"
Lu Qing remained silent.
"Honestly, Mom and Dad," Lu Yue continued, "how could they let you live in a place like this? It really breaks my heart for you."
Lu Qing let out a cold laugh. Heartbroken? She didn't believe for a second that Lu Yue truly cared about her.
"Sister," Lu Yue said as she pulled out an exquisite box from her bag. "Look, this is a gift from Mom and Dad to me."
Lu Qing recognized it immediately; it was the necklace that originally belonged to her.
"Is it beautiful?"
Lu Yue asked proudly.
Lu Qing did not respond, her gaze growing colder.
"Sister,"
Lu Yue stepped in front of Lu Qing,
"Have you ever thought that all of this is temporary?"
Suddenly, Lu Qing spoke, her tone calm.
Lu Yue was taken aback,
"What do you mean?"
Lu Qing did not answer, only a faint cold smile appeared at the corner of her mouth.
A sense of unease suddenly rose in Lu Yue's heart.
She turned and left the basement, deliberately switching off the lights before she exited.
Lu Qing was left in the darkness.
She groped her way to the toolbox and opened it.
Inside, there were some tools and materials.
Lu Qing's lips curled into a faint, cold smile.
In the corner of the basement, there was a small door sealed with wooden planks.
Lu Qing's gaze fell upon it.
A complex glimmer flashed in her eyes.
In the darkness, Lu Qing's fingers gently tapped on the wooden box.
Suddenly, a thunderous sound erupted in the dark.
Lu Qing's eyes flew open.
The air in the basement grew even more damp and chilly, the smell of mildew stronger than before.
She wrapped herself tighter in the thin blanket, listening to the increasingly loud sound of rain outside.
The rain fell more densely, like countless beads pounding against the roof.
Suddenly, the lights went out.
The entire house was plunged into darkness.
Lu Qing knew that the power had gone out.
She was not flustered; instead, a faint cold smile appeared on her face.
She had anticipated that such a situation would arise.
Taking a flashlight from her bag, she switched it on.
The dim yellow light illuminated a corner of the basement.
Lu Qing walked over to the corner, where several large boxes were piled up.
She opened one of the boxes, revealing it filled with food and water.
These were all prepared in advance.
She knew that this heavy rain would last for a long time and that the city's infrastructure would be compromised.
Water and power outages were inevitable.
A commotion could be heard from upstairs.
It was the voices of her parents and Lu Yue.
"What’s going on? Why is the power out?"
Her mother's voice carried a hint of panic.
"I don't know,"
Lu Yue's voice trembled slightly as she said, "It's raining so heavily outside. Could something happen?"
"Don't say such things!" her father's voice carried a hint of anger. "It's just a little rain. What could possibly happen?"
"But..." Lu Yue wanted to say more, but her father interrupted her.
"Enough, don't say anything more!" His tone was impatient. "I'll go see what's going on."
There was a moment of silence upstairs, followed by a sudden burst of noise.
"What’s happening? Why is there no water?" her mother's voice sounded even more panicked.
"Could it be?"
"Is there really no water left?" Lu Yue's voice was filled with fear.
"I'll go check," came his father's somewhat flustered reply.
After a while, his father's voice returned, tinged with desperation. "There really is no water! What should we do?"
Lu Qing listened to the commotion from the basement, a cold smile creeping across her lips.
She deliberately kicked a box, producing a dull thud.
The upstairs fell silent for a moment.
"What was that sound?"
Her mother's voice carried a hint of confusion.
"It seems to be coming from the basement," Lu Yue said, his tone now laced with caution.
"Lu Qing?"
Her father's voice carried a hint of uncertainty.
Lu Qing remained silent.
She kicked the box again.
"Lu Qing! Is that you?"
Her father's tone grew more assured.
Still, Lu Qing did not respond.
She approached the basement door and gently pulled back the latch.
"Lu Qing! Open the door!"
There was a note of command in her father's voice.
Lu Qing opened the door.
In the dim light, her figure appeared particularly imposing.
Holding a flashlight in her hand, the beam illuminated her face, revealing an expression of cold indifference.
"Lu Qing,"
The voice of the mother carried a hint of pleading.
"Do you have any food? We're all hungry."
Lu Qing looked at them coldly.
"I do."
"Then could you give us some?"
The mother's voice grew more desperate.
Lu Qing did not respond, merely continuing to stare at them.
"Lu Qing,"
the father's voice softened as well.
"We know we haven't treated you well in the past, but given the current situation, please help us."
Lu Qing let out a cold laugh.
"Help you? Why should I?"
"Lu Qing,"
Lu Yue's voice trembled with a hint of tears.
"We are your family!"
Lu Qing looked at Lu Yue, her eyes filled with disdain.
"Family?"
Lu Qing repeated the word, her tone laced with sarcasm.
"When have you ever treated me like family?"
The basement door slowly closed behind Lu Qing.
The heavy sound of the iron door slamming against the frame echoed sharply in the silence of the dark.
Immediately, frantic shouts from her parents and Lu Yue could be heard from upstairs.
Lu Qing paid no attention, a cold smirk playing on her lips.
She turned and walked deeper into the basement, where several large wooden boxes were piled up.
The dim light from her flashlight illuminated the boxes, revealing words scrawled in black marker: Food, Drinking Water, Medicine.
These were supplies she had meticulously prepared before the disaster struck.
Meanwhile, the "family" upstairs was in a state of panic over the loss of water and electricity.
On the third day of the torrential rain, the air was thick with dampness and the stench of decay.
From upstairs came Lu Yue's complaints.
"My clothes are completely soaked! They're dirty and smell terrible!"
Lu Yue's voice was sharp and grating, filled with disdain.
"Mom, my clothes are all moldy! I want new clothes!"
She whined, her tone tinged with tears as she tried to charm her mother.
Lu Qing listened intently from the basement, her gaze growing colder.
She knew what would happen next.
Sure enough, her mother's voice soon followed.
"Qingqing,"
her mother said, a hint of appeasement in her tone,
"You have plenty of clothes; could you spare a few for Xiaoyue to change into?"
Lu Qing scoffed silently.
"Plenty of clothes?"
The thought echoed repeatedly in Lu Qing's mind, piercing her heart like a sharp knife.
All her clothes were bought with the money she had saved through frugality.
Meanwhile, Lu Yue could freely squander their parents' money on various designer outfits.
Now, they even had the audacity to covet her clothes.
Lu Qing walked to the basement door, pulled it open, her tone icy.
"Sure."
As soon as she finished speaking, a wave of delighted voices came from upstairs.
Lu Qing turned and went deeper into the basement, retrieving a few garments from a box.
These clothes appeared brand new, but in reality, she had coated them with a special agent.
This agent was colorless and odorless, and upon contact with skin, it would trigger severe allergic reactions.
Lu Qing carried the clothes upstairs and handed them to Lu Yue.
Lu Yue eagerly accepted the clothes, her face lit up with excitement.
"Thank you, sister!"
She said sweetly, though a hint of smugness flickered in her eyes.
Her parents had also changed into the clothes "gifted" by Lu Qing, their faces filled with expressions of gratitude.
They were completely unaware that danger was slowly closing in on them.
A few hours later, small red rashes began to appear on Lu Yue's skin.
"It's so itchy..."
She couldn't help but scratch, and the rashes quickly spread.
Before long, her parents showed the same symptoms.
The rashes grew larger and itchier, and their skin began to deteriorate, oozing yellow pus.
They groaned in pain, unsure of what to do.
Lu Qing watched everything coldly, her face devoid of any expression.
She took out some ordinary ointment and handed it to her parents and Lu Yue.
"This is the ointment we keep at home," she said calmly. "Applying it should help a bit."
Her parents and Lu Yue gratefully accepted the ointment and hurriedly applied it to their skin.
However, the ointment not only failed to alleviate their suffering but instead intensified their allergic reactions.
Their skin became even more ulcerated, and the pain was unbearable.
Lu Qing watched them in agony, a surge of vengeful pleasure rising within her.
She knew this was just the beginning.
The water in the basement began to rise slowly...
The water in the basement crept over their ankles.
It was icy and piercing.
Above, the cries and curses of her parents and Lu Yue pierced through the chaos, echoing in Lu Qing's ears like a haunting melody.
She sat expressionless on the only wooden chair, holding an apple and slowly nibbling at it.
The sweetness of the apple did nothing to diminish the bitterness in her heart.
The torrential rain continued to rage, and the water level kept rising.
A sudden knock on the door rang out, cutting through the noise with startling clarity.
Lu Qing's gaze shifted slightly.
She stood up and walked to the basement door, peering through the crack to look outside.
It was the family of Lao Zhang.
Lao Zhang's face was pale, and his wife held a trembling child in her arms, her eyes filled with terror.
Their house was situated lower than Lu Qing's, and the first floor had already been submerged by the flood.
"Lu Qing, help!"
Lao Zhang's voice trembled slightly.
"Let us in to take shelter!"
Lu Qing paused for a moment before slowly opening the door.
"The child can come in," she said coldly, "but the adults must stay outside."
Lao Zhang's wife was taken aback, a flicker of despair crossing her eyes.
"Lu Qing," she pleaded, "we have elderly at home; they can't move!"
Lu Qing looked at her, a hint of hesitation flashing in her eyes.
"My place is small," she said softly, "and the resources are insufficient."
Lao Zhang's Wife began to cry.
"Please," she choked out, "we'll just stay at the door, we won't go in!"
Lu Qing sighed, seemingly reluctant.
"Actually..." She paused, "my parents and sister, they... they have taken most of the food and water." Her voice grew quieter. "I... I can't do anything about it."
The Lao Zhang family stared in shock at Lu Qing.
They knew that Lu Qing's parents and sister had always treated her poorly, but they never expected it to reach this level.
“How could they… how could they do this!” Lao Zhang's wife exclaimed angrily.
“But you are their biological daughter!”
Lu Qing lowered her head, her shoulders trembling slightly.
“They… they have never liked me,” she said, her voice tinged with a hint of tears. “They… they said I was adopted…”
The Lao Zhang family was even more stunned.
Lao Zhang's wife looked at Lu Qing with a heart full of sympathy.
“Child,” she said gently, patting Lu Qing's shoulder, “don’t be afraid. We will help you.”
Lao Zhang glared angrily at the tightly shut door of Lu Qing's home.
"The behavior of Lu Qing's parents must be condemned!" he exclaimed.
"I will report this to the Community Committee!"
From upstairs, the startled voices of her parents and Lu Yue could be heard.
They were clearly aware of Lao Zhang's words and were frantically trying to explain themselves.
But Lao Zhang's family no longer believed them.
Eventually, Lu Qing agreed to let Lao Zhang's children come in to escape the flood.
She provided them with some food and water, then silently closed the door.
Above, the cries and curses from her parents and Lu Yue grew more intense.
But Lu Qing remained deaf to it all.
She walked deeper into the basement, watching the water level rise steadily, her gaze icy.
The flood was about to engulf the entire house.
And she held the only chance of escape…
Lu Qing's fingers gently tapped on the table.
The murky floodwaters, filled with mud and debris, had already submerged the windows of Lu Qing's home on the first floor.
The cold water flowed, crashing against the floor of the second story, producing a heart-wrenching sound.
Lu Qing stood by the window on the second floor, gripping the rope of a small boat tightly in her hands.
Outside, there was nothing but an endless expanse of water.
It felt as if the world had been reduced to this boundless flood and the precariously swaying little boat.
Her parents and Lu Yue huddled in a corner of the room, drenched to the bone, like three drowned rats.
Fear, despair, and regret intertwined on their faces, twisting into a nauseating tableau.
"Qingqing, save us!" her father shouted hoarsely, "We know we were wrong!"
His voice trembled violently, nearly drowned out by the roar of the flood.
Her mother clutched Lu Yue tightly, sobbing uncontrollably like a frightened child.
Lu Qing looked at them expressionlessly, her gaze cold and unwavering.
Memories of past injustices flooded her mind—her parents' favoritism, Lu Yue's mockery.
The resentment within her surged like a tidal wave.
"Is this what you have come to?" she spat coldly.
These four words struck like sharp daggers, piercing the hearts of her parents and Lu Yue.
They looked at Lu Qing in terror, as if they were seeing this daughter, this sister, for the first time.
Suddenly, Lu Yue rushed in front of Lu Qing, clutching her sleeve and crying out, "Sister, please, save me! I promise I won't be reckless anymore!"
Tears streamed down her face, and the once arrogant demeanor vanished completely.
At that moment, she was just a pitiful creature terrified of death.
Lu Qing gazed into Lu Yue's desperate eyes, her resolve beginning to waver.
She remembered the times when Lu Yue had shown her innocent smiles in their childhood.
Back then, they were sisters who shared everything.
Could she really just stand by and watch as they were swallowed by the flood?
Just as the water was about to burst through the second-floor window, Lu Qing closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
When she opened them again, her gaze was filled with determination.
She untied the rope and pushed the small boat toward her parents and Lu Yue.
"Get on!"
Her tone remained icy, devoid of any warmth.
Her parents and Lu Yue climbed onto the small boat with ecstatic joy, as if they had grasped a lifeline.
But the boat was cramped and teetered precariously, threatening to capsize at any moment.
Lu Qing stood in waist-deep floodwaters, coldly watching them drift away.
The small boat appeared particularly insignificant amidst the surging waters.
It carried Lu Qing's parents and sister, gradually disappearing into the vast night.
Lu Qing remained rooted in place, motionless, allowing the frigid water to soak her body.
Her gaze was deep and dark, inscrutable to anyone who looked upon her.
Did she want them to live, or did she want them to die?
No one knew.
Perhaps even she herself did not know.
A strange smile suddenly crept across Lu Qing's lips.
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