Chapter 13 Why wasn't it you who died?

Li Qingluo looked up at the sky above the General's Mansion.

Thick smoke rose from the backyard, and the firelight illuminated half the sky.

Li Qingzhu, you finally couldn't resist and made this move.

Li Kechuan's expression changed drastically, and he cried out in agony, "Zhu'er—"

Then he rushed through the door like a madman.

Qu felt a sudden darkness before her eyes. The maid behind her hesitated for a moment before stepping forward to support her, and kept glancing at Li Qingluo.

Li Qingluo stood still, obediently, eyes downcast, completely still.

In her previous life, she had immediately helped Qu Shi up out of concern.

But Qu pushed her away in disgust.

She must have already concluded that Li Qingzhu's self-immolation was inextricably linked to Li Qingluo's return.

In this life, Li Qingluo naturally wouldn't make a fool of herself again.

At this moment, Madam Qu was both in pain and anxious. She glanced at Li Qingluo with a complicated expression, and then hurriedly entered the mansion, crying and shouting.

"Pearl, please don't scare your mother!"

Li Chaojing's face was also ashen, and Li Qingluo saw that his clenched fist was trembling slightly.

He turned and berated the remaining servants: "What are you all standing there for?! Go put out the fire! If anything happens to Pearl, I'll hold you all responsible!"

After saying that, he didn't care that Madam Pei was still there, and he completely forgot about his daughter Li Qingluo who had just returned home. He hurriedly went into the mansion.

Li Qingluo returned to Madam Pei's side: "Grandmother."

Granny Zhang muttered and complained from the side: "Knowing that you and the young lady were returning to the manor today, it was already extremely impolite of her not to come out and greet you, but to make a scene of self-immolation at this moment, could it be that she was just putting on an act?"

Madam Pei seemed not to hear.

He simply looked at Li Qingluo with a deep gaze, thinking to himself: She really was right, such an unexpected situation has occurred.

Was it all a coincidence, or was it her scheme?

Li Qing lowered her head and looked meek, seemingly showing no resentment towards her father, brother, and mother's attitude.

Madam Pei took a deep breath and turned to look at Zhang Mama, saying, "Tell them to keep a close eye on things."

Zhang Mama nodded: "This servant understands."

Madam Pei pulled Li Qingluo up: "Come on, let's go take a look!"

Just like in the previous life, the entire general's mansion was in complete chaos.

Everyone was rushing to put out the fire.

They fell into a heap, crying and screaming.

Li Qingluo found herself in the moment, finally returning to this very instant...

However, in her previous life, she stood alone and helpless in a corner, ignored by everyone, and afterwards, she was resented and hated to the core by everyone.

Although they didn't immediately point their fingers at her and hurl insults, the moment they learned of Li Qingzhu's 'death,' almost all their resentful gazes fell upon her.

She looked as if she had been riddled with bullet holes on the spot!

In this life, she stood tall and calmly watched the fire.

Even if Li Qingzhu is really dead, none of this has anything to do with her.

In this life, they will never be able to drag her back to hell!

Supporting her grandmother, Li Qingluo waited quietly.

The fire was difficult to extinguish, burning for a full hour and destroying more than a dozen connected houses belonging to the Li family before finally extinguishing the last spark.

Ms. Qu fainted several times from crying.

Li Chaojing paced back and forth, having already set off the fire several times, and even called in the city's fire brigade.

Li Kechuan even threw himself into the fire, and no one could stop him. He cried out "Zhu'er" in anguish and did everything in his power to save his beloved sister.

But the charred corpses lying on the ground dealt a heavy blow to everyone.

"This is the eldest young lady's bracelet! It's the jade bracelet that the eldest young master personally gave her for her last birthday!"

The maid recognized the jewelry on one of the charred corpses and immediately burst into tears, throwing herself to the ground.

Li Kechuan stared blankly at the charred corpse, completely dumbfounded.

Overwhelmed with grief, Madam Qu cried out once more, "Zhu'er—my Zhu'er—why, why did this happen..."

It took several nannies to help Qu Shi up.

Someone handed Li Qingzhu's last letter to Li Chaojing.

"Sir, please take a look, this is the young lady's suicide note..."

Li Chaojing opened the document with trembling hands. Seeing Li Qingzhu's tearful words of grievance and fear, even the dignified General of the Cavalry had tears welling up in his eyes.

Li Kechuan snatched the letter away.

"Father, Mother, Brother, please forgive Zhu'er's unfilial piety and foolishness. Zhu'er feels ashamed for taking up my sister's life for the past sixteen years, taking away the wealth, happiness, and health that she should have enjoyed, and taking away the love of Father, Mother, and Brother. Zhu'er has always felt uneasy and ashamed. But Zhu'er is already very happy, to have so much love is the greatest blessing in Zhu'er's life! It's just that Zhu'er is really afraid, afraid that if my sister comes back, Zhu'er will lose all of this, and then Zhu'er will be in great pain, so it's better to let Zhu'er be free first..."

"With your little sister to dote on you and bring joy to your brother, you won't be so heartbroken by Zhu'er's passing..."

As Li Kechuan read, he actually vomited a mouthful of blood.

"Young Master!"

"Chuan'er!"

Another chaotic scene ensued, with people and horses falling over.

Looking at the charred corpse on the ground, Madam Qu pounded her chest, her eyes red and swollen from crying: "Zhu'er—you are my heart and soul! Although you weren't born from me, I have always cherished you as if you were the apple of my eye! Even if I had other sisters, you would always be my priority!"

“These past few days, I’ve neglected you; that’s my fault. But how can you punish your mother like this—”

"Pearl, my Pearl!! You've almost killed your mother—"

The heartbreaking cries touched almost everyone present.

The servants all bowed their heads and sobbed softly, none of them sympathizing with the tragedy.

Apart from Madam Pei and Li Qingluo's group.

They stood aside watching the show, their expressions almost entirely indifferent.

They were so cold-blooded, ruthless, and out of place.

Li Chaojing turned his head and accurately spotted Li Qingluo in the crowd.

Li Qingluo looked up and stared directly into his eyes without flinching.

The calmness and clarity in her eyes surprised Li Chaojing.

Li Kechuan clenched his fists and walked unsteadily toward Li Qingluo.

Li Qingluo watched him approach, watched him raise his hand. Perhaps because her grandmother was present in this life, he ultimately did not slap her as he had in the previous life.

Li Qingluo remembered it clearly.

In his previous life, after hearing the news of Li Qingzhu's death, Li Kechuan rushed back from outside and slapped Li Qingluo to the ground.

In this life, he could only glare at Li Qingluo with resentment and utter those vicious words: "Why wasn't it you who died—!?"

Li Qingluo: "Why should I be the one to die?"