Chapter 101 Don't eat it, I beg you

When I got home, I shared the meat buns with my sister and mother.

"Have you got a meal yet?"

Ling asked with heartache.

Qin Xiaocui nodded; she ate some too. The meat buns were very meaty, and she had eaten them on the way, two for each of them.

Ling gave another one to Qin Xiaocui: "Have another one."

Qin Xiaocui shook her head: "I'm full, Mother, you eat."

Qin Xiaocui went out to catch and slaughter chickens.

This time she didn't hesitate and grabbed a plump rooster.

My second and third sisters are both home today and don't need to do any chores.

When Qin Tianjiang returned carrying the golden jade sticks, he frowned as he watched Qin Xiaocui processing the chicken: "Why are you killing chickens again? We should keep these to sell. You sisters shouldn't have eaten them yesterday; your mother could have enough to eat for many days..."

"You're not going to work in the fields today, leaving me to work myself to death..."

Qin Tianjiang complained.

Qin Xiaocui didn't respond.

Qin Tianjiang frowned, but after thinking that Ling Shi in the main house might hear him, he held back.

Forget it, I'll just have to bear with it for now.

Anyway, with such a big chicken, he could drink a whole bowl. Yesterday's chicken soup smelled so good that his mouth watered. He felt much weaker after a long day without eating it, so he should have some tonight.

With that thought in mind, Qin Tianjiang went out to continue working.

He didn't even notice that Qin Xiaocui was crying as she washed herself.

Even the youngest sister seemed to sense something was amiss, and sat quietly.

Qin Xiaojuan was also helping while shedding tears. She was only two years younger than Qin Xiaocui, and she already understood.

During the process of simmering the chicken soup, none of the three sisters spoke.

"Big sister, second sister, will it hurt a lot?"

The youngest sister suddenly asked.

Both Qin Xiaojuan and Qin Xiaocui had red eyes.

Qin Xiaocui choked up as she said, "No, we'll all be by Mother's side. It will pass quickly. We won't be separated. Once we reach the other world, we'll all be safe."

"It's good that it doesn't hurt. I'm so sleepy. I'm going to lean against Mom and sleep for a while. Call me when it's time to drink the chicken soup."

The third sister smiled, then got up and went to the main house.

"Big sister, I want to drink more soup later, I want to eat my fill."

Qin Xiaojuan said to Qin Xiaocui.

Qin Xiaocui nodded: "Okay, here's a chicken leg for you. It's all meat, you'll be full."

Qin Xiaojuan nodded with a smile.

Qin Xiaocui lowered her head, tears dripping into the pot.

Inside the main house, Madam Ling was feeding her fourth daughter and patting her third daughter, her eyes filled with kindness.

The weather was nice today, so she told the children to wash up.

When the chicken soup is almost ready, everyone should change their clothes.

When Qin Tianjiang returned, he felt something was strange. His daughters had all dressed up. He saw Qin Xiaocui carrying a large bowl into the inner room, with her second and third daughters following behind her.

"What are you all doing eating at your mother's house? Come out and eat!"

Qin Tianjiang called out, but no one paid any attention to him.

Qin Tianjiang went into the kitchen, where there was still half a pot of chicken soup. He was about to eat when he opened the lid and found that there was no rice. Qin Tianjiang was even more frustrated. Why did they only cook soup and not rice?

Qin Tianjiang was extremely frustrated; how was he supposed to eat this?

He felt agitated and, for some reason, his heart was pounding. Suddenly, as if struck by lightning, he panicked and ran towards the main house.

His voice was filled with panic as he screamed, "Don't eat it, don't eat it, you can't eat it, I beg you!"

"Chun'er, I have a way to save Xiao Cui and Xiao Juan! They won't be taken away to pay off debts... Waaah..."

Qin Tianjiang's voice trembled with fear as he rushed into the main house. He saw the Ling family, mother and daughters, who had tidied up. Their eyes were so numb when they looked at him—no, not numb, but lifeless.

They were holding chicken and soup bowls, almost ready to eat.

Qin Tianjiang knelt down: "I didn't lie to you. Qin Yuwan has already promised to give me fifty taels to save me, and Xiao Cui and Xiao Juan won't be taken away."

It's just six fingers. He can still live without them, but what's the point of his life without his wife and daughters?

Are you telling the truth?

Ling looked at Qin Tianjiang and asked in disbelief.

She originally intended to take her daughter with her on the journey, but if there was a chance to live, wouldn't she also want to live?

Qin Tianjiang nodded repeatedly: "It's true, it's true. All I have to do is cut off six of my own fingers. I'll cut them off, I'll go cut them off right now..."

Qin Tianjiang got up and stumbled out. He returned with a kitchen knife, and facing his wife and daughter, he painfully closed his eyes and slashed down.

"Don't eat them, don't eat them! I'll chop them up and sell them for money. I'll never gamble again. My family and I will live a good life together..."

Qin Tianjiang cut off three fingers of his left hand with his right hand. He was trembling with pain, and his forehead was covered in sweat.

He trembled as he placed three fingers of his right hand under the knife and pressed down hard with his bleeding left hand.

He was in so much pain that he fainted and finally cut off his finger.

Ignoring his bleeding hands, he shakily picked up six fingers and said to Madam Ling and his daughters, "Look, your father has a way to save you. Don't drink or eat, let's live well as a family. I don't want a son, I want you. I can't live without you..."

"Chun'er, it was my fault for not telling you the other day. Please forgive me and let me make it up to you and our daughters in the future. Even without these six fingers, I can still work and support this family."

Qin Tianjiang was covered in sweat as he looked pleadingly at Madam Ling and his three daughters.

Ling's hands trembled as she held the soup; she was struggling internally.

Her eyes were full of tears.

Qin Tianjiang's face was covered in blood. He knelt as he walked towards the Ling family: "You know that Brother Haizi keeps his word. If you really don't believe me, give me this soup. Even if I die, they will pay off this debt for me..."

He was selfish; he wanted to keep his fingers.

But now, he was even more afraid of losing Ling Shi and his daughter.

He and she were childhood sweethearts, and he loved her.

His daughter will belong to someone else's family. His daughter may not be important, but his wife cannot. He cannot accept losing her. He is the one who hurt her. If he must die, then let him die.

With tears streaming down his face, Qin Tianjiang took the chicken soup from Ling's hands and drank it under Ling's tearful gaze.

Ling reached out and stroked him: "This is the last time, I believe you this last time!"

Ling said to the three Qin sisters, "Take it outside to drink, I want to talk to your father for a bit."

Qin Tianjiang was extremely anxious. He had already drunk it, so why was his daughter being forced to drink it as well?

Ling choked up as she spoke, "There's no poison, it hasn't been put in yet."

The chicken soup wouldn't taste good after the poison was added. She hoped that the mother and her three daughters could drink fresh chicken soup before that. She planned to add the poison after they drank this bowl, but Qin Tianjiang misunderstood.

He was such a selfish and cowardly person, yet at this moment he disregarded his own life. Ling felt extremely distressed, but she still knew what to do. Looking at Qin Tianjiang's surprised eyes, she spoke again: "What you just said, is it all true?"