Bu Toa nodded, biting his lip and clenching his fists, his heart pounding with tension. He then sought out a hiding spot where he could remain unseen, but from where he could still observe Granny Wang's house. Before long, using his cloak and hat to disguise his body and face, Shi Men entered Granny Wang's house. After seeing the man enter and Granny Wang already seated spinning thread, A Goan knew it was time to act. He emerged from his hiding place, taking broad strides towards the front of Granny Wang's house while carrying his fruit basket. Upon confronting Widow Wang, he started to yell and mock.
“Hey, old sow, why did you dare to beat me up yesterday?” Seeing the intruder daring to return, the fierce Granny Wang immediately shouted back, “Monkey boy, I have nothing to do with you! Why dare you come again? Asking to get thrashed to death perhaps!” And Granny Wang attacked A Goan with her fists and claws. A Goan tossed his apple basket aside, causing the fruit to scatter on the ground, and shouted,
“Well then, bring it on!” He then grabbed Granny Wang's waist, headbutting her in the stomach, and the attack sent Granny Wang staggering backward. She would have fallen if not for her house wall. She couldn't free herself from A Goan's grip and while they struggled, Bu Toa emerged from his hiding place. Seeing the short man, Granny Wang was greatly surprised and yelled,
“Bu Toa is here...!” Hearing this yell, the two people holding a clandestine meeting inside the house were greatly startled and quickly composed themselves. It was too late for Kim Lian to escape, so she quickly barricaded the room door with her body, while Shi Men, also shocked to his core, nervously crawled under the bed.
“Good heavens... Some dirty deeds are happening here” Bu Toa shouted while trying to break down the room door that Kim Lian was defending from the inside. Seeing her lover hiding under the bed, Kim Lian was extremely miffed and she said to her lover under the bed,
“Hmph, you usually brag about your bravery and boast about your strength. But when the time comes, you tremble in fear at the sight of a paper tiger.” Hearing this, Shi Men composed himself and crawled out from under the bed to fix his clothes,
“Ah, I was just startled. Now, I'll show you!” He approached the door that Kim Lian was still defending, then suddenly pulled it open while Kim Lian ran towards the back door.
“Get out of here” he bellowed at Bu Toa. Angry because he had seen a glimpse of his wife running towards the back, Bu Toa attempted to storm in, but a very hard kick met his stomach, sending Bu Toa sprawling and crashing hard.
Shi Men took this opportunity to quickly escape seeing how the situation had turned dire and failed, A Goan also released Granny Wang and ran away as well for fear of Shi Men, the neighbors pretended not to know and did not want to interfere. Now Granny Wang helped Bu Toa who still lay on the ground. Seeing Bu Toa spitting out blood and his face deathly pale, Granny quickly called Kim Lian and with great difficulty, the two women lifted Bu Toa into the house, up the stairs, and laid his small body on the bed in his room. From then on, Bu Toa fell ill. The two immoral offenders were not deterred. Even the next day, Shi Men and Kim Lian had their meeting again at Widow Wang's house.
They continued their illicit affair, full of lust and desire, hoping that Bu Toa would just die due to the fight. Bu Toa lay on his bed, seriously ill, and for five days, he could not get up from his bed. The kick dealt by Shi Men was powerful and caused severe internal injury to Bu Toa. What made him suffer more was that Kim Lian did not care about her sick husband, and even forbade Bu Ying from nursing her father. The child was ordered to do all the household chores, more than a servant, and was even forbidden to enter her father's room. One day, Bu Toa called Kim Lian to sit at his bedside and said,
“I know you have been unfaithful. Fine, enjoy yourself. I can't do anything and it makes no difference if I'm already dead. But remember my brother, Bu Siong! You know what kind of person he is. Sooner or later he will return and now, make a choice. Nurse me until I recover and I won't tell Bu Siong about everything. But if you continue to ignore and be cruel to me, he will know everything!” Kim Lian did not answer, and quickly she contacted Widow Wang for advice. Coincidentally, Shi Men was there and heard Kim Lian's report, Shi Men felt as if he had been doused with cold water.
“Damn!” He exclaimed, looking at Kim Lian.
“I never considered the Mountain King Tiger Slayer. But I've been with you for too long, I've fallen in love with you and I can't let you go. Granny Wang, is there no way out? Please help us.”
“Huh, look at our young master here.” Widow Wang mocked.
“A man should be responsible for his actions, not quivering like this. Hearing threats as a consequence. I, even though an old granny, am not afraid.”
“Fine, I am a coward, Granny Wang. But does Granny have a good strategy?”
“I have a plan, but it depends on you two, whether you want to be together forever or just temporarily.” Shi Men hugged Kim Lian and said,
“I love her, Granny... We want to be together forever.”
“If so, listen carefully. I'm sure that in your drugstore, you have strychnine poison, right? Now the dwarf is sick and this is a great opportunity. Let Miss Kim Lian mix a little strychnine into his medicine and give him a drink. If he dies, you two don't need to fear his brother anymore. Isn't there an old saying that states 'The first marriage is to please the parents, the second is to please yourself?’ If Miss Kim Lian becomes a widow, there will be no obstacles to becoming yours forever.
“Ah, wonderful, Granny Wang! You are indeed very clever. We will certainly carry out your plan immediately!” Shi Men exclaimed with delight. Thus, as they had planned. Shi Men handed a packet of strychnine poison to Kim Lian. Lust is the desire for pleasure, and when a person is overcome by lust, they can do anything. If there is an obstacle to that pleasure, they will remove the obstacle by any means. Where did this burning lust that consumed Kim Lian's body and soul come from? Like all desires, this lust was fueled by thought. The thought recalls pleasures that were once enjoyed or heard from others, and the desire arises to repeat that pleasure as well as fear, sorrow, hatred, and so on, all arise from thought that recalls the past and the future, connected with the self that forever pursues pleasure and avoids discomfort. Carrying the medicine mixed with strychnine, Kim Lian entered her husband's room, wiping away her tears. Bu Toa, who was now frail and thin, looked at his wife who sat crying at the foot of the bed. He was perplexed,
“Why are you crying?” His eyesight was already somewhat blurred, so he couldn't distinguish between real tears or fake ones.
“I've unconsciously been led astray and let myself be seduced by that Shi Men. I feel deeply regretful. Who would have thought that the brute would kick your stomach? I've managed to get medicine for you, but I was always hesitant to give it to you because you might not trust me anymore and refuse to drink the medicine I got for you” Seeing his wife crying with remorse, Bu Toa also felt sorry.
“I trust you, my wife. I will wipe out all of these past experiences from my memory as long as you are willing to nurse me back to health. Give me the medicine.”
“Here is the medicine, let me help you drink it, my husband.” Gently, Kim Lian helped Bu Toa sit up and gave him the medicine to drink.
“After drinking, you should sleep and cover yourself to sweat, and maybe by tomorrow you will be healed again.”
“Ugh, it's hard and doesn't taste good!” Bu Toa said. But since he had already drunk it and Kim Lian pushed and poured all the contents of the bowl into his mouth, Bu Toa was forced to swallow all the medicine, and Kim Lian then jumped back away from his bed. As soon as the medicine entered Bu Toa's stomach, the poor man immediately felt intense pain. He writhed, clutching his stomach with both hands.
“Ouch, ouch Kim Lian, my stomach feels like it's on fire!”
“Ouch, I.. I can't take it anymore” Seeing her husband in agony, Kim Lian, who wanted to see her husband die quickly and to ensure her plan didn't fail, quickly covered her husband's face with a blanket and pillow.
“I can't breathe” The short Bu Toa struggled and gasped for breath.
“Let yourself sweat,” Kim Lian comforted. Again, Bu Toa struggled with all his might and Kim Lian was afraid that her effort would fail, so she quickly climbed onto the bed and sat on the prone Bu Toa's stomach, pressing the blanket and pillow hard on her husband's face. Bu Toa kept struggling, gradually weakening until eventually, he could no longer move. After not feeling any movement from the person under the blanket for some time, only then did Kim Lian slightly lift the blanket to look at her husband's face. Bu Toa was already dead, biting his lips until they were torn and blood flowed from the seven orifices of his body. Only then did Kim Lian feel horror, and she jumped off the bed, beating the nearby wall to signal Widow Wang. Not long after, the Widow showed up.
“Is it done?” Widow Wang asked. “It's done...” Kim Lian gasped for breath.
Glossary
- Bu Toa: A character in the story, the husband of Kim Lian.
- Shi Men: Another character in the story, he is having an illicit affair with Kim Lian.
- A Goan: A character in the story who plays a part in the unfolding drama.
- Nenek Wang/Granny Wang: An elderly character in the story, she seems to be a go-between or facilitator for Kim Lian and Shi Men.
- Kim Lian: A character in the story, the wife of Bu Toa and lover of Shi Men.
- Bu Ying: The child of Bu Toa and Kim Lian.
- Bu Siong: The brother of Bu Toa.
- Mountain King Tiger Slayer: A title or nickname, the context suggests it may refer to Bu Siong.
- Strychnine: A type of poison mentioned in the story.