When Han Ruochen returned home, she knew that there was something weird going on. Even though the air was thick with the scent of coal smoke and drying shrimps, Han Ruochen couldn’t help but frown. She wasn’t heading to the docks yet because the modifications would take some time, and Old Man Wu, even with all his efforts, could deliver the fishing boat by the day after tomorrow at best.

However, even though the boat wouldn’t be delivered right away, Han Ruochen still wanted to go to the shore with her traps, which was why she returned home to grab a change of clothes before going to her grandmother’s.

"Are you going back home?" Han Ruochen asked her brother, who returned to the village with her. She thought that the man would go back home once she was done with her work, but surprisingly, he came with her to the fishing village.

Han Yong had his hands shoved in his pockets and was walking straight toward the Han family’s house. He said to her, "I want to make dinner for us; it has been a while since I cooked." Han Yong knew that if he returned home, Madam Xu would certainly hide all the food and spices. She had clearly told him that he needed to bring the washing machine home, as her brother’s laundry was getting out of control. There was also their son, who was used to ruining three sets of clothing in a day.

But for some reason, Han Yong had never been able to accept this son of his as his own. Even though Madam Xu had insisted that the child was his own, Han Yong just couldn’t accept that Han Zhicheng was his son because, even after turning nine, he still couldn’t find any resemblance between Han Zhicheng and him. The more Han Zhicheng grew up, the more Han Yong thought that the boy did not resemble him. His eyes were too small, and his lips were too thin.

Both he and Madam Xu had big eyes and full lips. But only their son was different, so how could Han Yong not be suspicious?

Thus, his desire to snatch the washing machine from his sister was close to none. Why would he care whether or not the clothes of Han Zhicheng and his brother-in-law were washed in time or not? If Madam Xu was worried, then she might as well wash those clothes on her own. Anyway, he was not going to ask for the washing machine.

The only downside was that he would find the refrigerator closed if he returned without the washing machine. Since that was the case, he might as well eat his dinner at home.

Han Ruochen took a deep look at her brother but did not say anything. She knew Madam Xu’s temper; since she couldn’t get the washing machine, she had thrown down the threat that she would not let Han Zhicheng visit, but she forgot one thing.

Unlike her mother, who had the time of her life, her father was the only one earning bread and butter for the family. Thus, he never had any time to spend with Han Zhicheng. What was more, Han Zhicheng’s temper and personality were particularly nasty. Her father still had some patience when Han Zhicheng was young, but ever since he grew up, her father did not have the patience or energy to deal with him anymore.

She spent her time at school and on household chores, so she did not spend any time with Han Zhicheng either. And the boy did not like her either.

Han Jianyou disliked Han Zhicheng even more and would rather play outside than return home whenever that brat came to visit, and as Han Beijiang was often bullied by Han Zhicheng, he did not like him either. So in the Han family, other than her mother and Han Ziyan, no one cared whether Han Zhicheng came to visit or not.

Since her threat was particularly useless, Xu Yuanshu had no other choice but to send her brother. But her brother would rather chuck the washing machine into the sea than give it to Xu Yuanshu and her family. Maybe Xu Yuanshu was under the impression that she had subdued her brother? Haha, no one had ever been able to subdue Han Yong. Not even their father. Who did she think she was?

Han Ruochen was in a good mood because she thought that her big brother could still change, but her good mood was ruined the second she pushed open the door. Because the second she stepped through the gates of the courtyard, someone rushed toward her.

"Demon! Thief of luck! Return what you stole from my Ziyan."

Before Han Ruochen could even react, the shadow that was hiding in the porch rushed toward her and swung the heavy wooden bucket through the air. A second later, the thick, metallic crimson liquid exploded all over her.

It was not water but cold, viscous blood of a dog.

Han Ruochen stood there dumbly. She could not understand what was going on as the red filth dripped from her hair and soaked her clothes. She knew that dog blood could be used to deal with bad spirits but —

Why would her mom dump this on her head?

"Mom, what are you doing!?" Han Yong was stunned as well. He rushed to wipe the gore from her eyes; before he could do it, Han Ruochen had wiped the blood off her eyes and looked at her mother. She coldly asked, "What is the meaning of this?" She was no longer willing to call her mother as mom. It was one thing that her mother had been biased toward Han Ziyan, but just because she was doing better than her sister, her mother actually gave the credit to an evil spirit and even took the liberty to attack her like that.

"I am saving this house and family!" shouted Meng Yunhan. Her face was twisted with a hint of fear and apprehension as she said, "Old Witch Zhu said that you have been possessed by a water ghoul, and you were the one who sold your soul to suck the luck out of this family. You wretched girl, I never knew that you were this vicious. You actually stole your sister’s luck."