Parting ways

After returning home, the Fifth Miss caught a cold from admiring the spring scenery. The First Madam took care of her for several days without changing her clothes before returning to the Lin residence ahead of her.

Just as she was recovering, the First Madam fell ill. Everyone followed the Old Madam back to the mansion, just as the physician finished taking her pulse.

"How is the lady's health?"

The doctor bowed respectfully and said, "Madam, do not worry. With careful recuperation, this illness will gradually improve."

After the messenger paid the consultation fee, the group went to the First Madam's room and sat for a while. The Fifth Miss was unusually well-behaved and sat quietly in the room.

The bed was separated by three layers of curtains. He was resting in bed, and the maidservant attending to him was summoned. He gave her some instructions, and then everyone dispersed.

Later that evening, I returned to my room, and shortly after, someone knocked on the door.

Madam Zhou pushed open the door, and the Fifth Miss stood outside, obediently calling out "Auntie."

She nodded and smiled, then walked out of the room to let the Fifth Miss in, and closed the door.

Ah Yao is a cold and aloof girl who doesn't like to get close to people. It's not easy for the sisters to become closer, and Madam Zhou is happy to see this happen.

"Big sister." The fifth young lady called out obediently, looking around the room. She frowned slightly, thinking that the room was really dilapidated.

Lin Yueyao sat at the table, writing and drawing. Her brushstrokes formed a spiraling dragon, and the yellow paper was covered with scribbles that the Fifth Miss couldn't understand.

When she saw people arrive, she gently put down her brush, without hiding it.

"My little sister is here, please have a seat."

The fifth young lady sat down on the stool she had prepared, her brows furrowed with unresolved worries. "Mother has been ill for many days, and she shows no signs of getting better."

"Don't worry, little sister. As long as you take the medicine according to the doctor's prescription, you will definitely get better."

Even so, my mother was still sickly and often took naps for four or five hours at a time, and I couldn't wake her up no matter what I did.

"Eating it won't help; it's clearly a scam," the Fifth Miss couldn't help but curse angrily. "The doctor took so much money, but Mother still won't wake up. Are all these quacks useless?!"

"It takes three hundred days to recover from a broken bone. Colds are already difficult to treat, and old ailments have been brought up. The illness came on like a landslide. With careful care, Mother will surely recover." She comforted her gently, and the Fifth Miss's anger gradually subsided.

"Big sister is so much better, unlike them who only know how to sweet-talk me." The fifth young lady grabbed her arm, tilted her head, and leaned against her.

They are just like the closest and most intimate sisters.

"If only I knew how to cure illnesses, then Mother wouldn't have to suffer," the Fifth Miss said to herself, her face immediately falling. "It's too late to learn now."

"Big sister, what should I do?"

“I’m a fool. All I know is to pray to the gods and ancestors. When I get sick, I can only wait for the day I die.” After she finished speaking, she looked at the yellow talisman on the table. “At worst, I’ll pray to the gods and Buddhas for protection and to keep my family safe and sound.”

Following her gaze, the Fifth Miss, though unable to understand, still took it from her hand.

"This is a peace charm I got from the temple. It was blessed by the abbot and can ward off disasters and bring lasting happiness and health."

The fifth young lady's eyes immediately lit up. If she could also get one of these wonderful things, her mother's illness would surely improve very quickly.

"I had nothing better to do, so I tried drawing some myself, but they were really bad." She laughed self-deprecatingly and tore up all the talismans she had drawn.

"Big sister, can a lucky charm I draw also keep me safe?"

"Of course not. The abbot gave us amulets that have been blessed with spiritual power, which is unmatched by anyone."

Seeing the wonder in her eyes, Lin Yueyao didn't follow her words; trying to please her would only seem deliberate.

"Then I'll go invite one too."

"Why bother making the trip? Just give this to your sister." Lin Yueyao generously handed it to her.

With gold and silver jewelry and amulets, the Fifth Miss thought this older sister was incredibly foolish.

"Then I'll accept it." The Fifth Miss happily accepted it.

Lin Yueyao leaned towards her and gave her a few words of advice: "The abbot told me to burn this amulet to ashes, mix it into the patient's food and medicine, and have the patient drink it to protect them from all poisons."

"Really?" The Fifth Miss's eyes lit up.

"I dare not speak nonsense in front of Buddha, but I cannot let outsiders know. I must do it secretly. If I disturb the gods, the talisman will not work."

The fifth young lady memorized the talisman and put it into her personal pouch.

When the medicine was being brewed in the small kitchen, while no one was around, he burned the talisman paper and mixed it into the thick soup.

Then he personally brought the medicine into the room and watched his mother drink it.

After drinking the medicine, her condition improved, and she was able to get out of bed and walk again.

The First Madam's health is gradually improving, and she is able to come out and meet people, but she cannot sleep well, has many dreams at night, and feels weak during the day.

Later, he suffered from insomnia and vivid dreams, and developed hysteria.

"It's her—she's here, she's come to take my life!!" The First Madam went mad, baring her teeth and brandishing her claws, her hair disheveled. The maids, holding shawls, tried to restrain her, but failed to capture her alive. With a tearing sound, the cloths were ripped to pieces.

Amidst the fluttering shreds of cloth, the Fifth Miss broke free from the maid's grasp, rushed into the room, and knelt down at the First Madam's feet with a thud.

"Mother?! Mother, what's wrong with you?! I'm your daughter—" The Fifth Miss hugged the First Madam's legs and cried incessantly.

The First Madam's voice was hoarse, and she even forgot who the person in front of her was. She picked up a table and chair and threw them at the Fifth Miss.

The Fifth Miss closed her eyes in despair.

The old lady rushed over and, seeing the scene, cried out urgently, "Quickly, save them—"

Several servants and guards acted swiftly and subdued the man.

The rescued fifth young lady immediately rushed into the old lady's arms, crying, "Grandmother."

"Don't be afraid, don't be afraid, Grandma is here."

It was truly inappropriate for the First Madam to be pinned to the ground, given her status as the matriarch of the household.

Just then, a servant came to report, "The master is back—"

Everyone was both surprised and delighted. They turned around to pick up the person, but the eldest lady behind them managed to break free and tackled the old lady to the ground.

Hearing the shouts from inside the mansion, Master Lin rushed into the backyard and saw the old man lying on the ground, Fifth Sister lying on the ground, and his wife tearing at the maids and servants.

"stop--"

Upon hearing the news, the First Madam looked up, staring at him in terror. She shrank back a few steps, pointed at Master Lin, and stammered, "You, you, you have so many people on you, all soaking wet, like you've been soaked in water, you're a water ghost!!!"

Upon hearing this, the maids thought that Master Lin had come back from the dead and screamed as they ran away.

"Is Mother alright?" Master Lin helped the old lady up. The old lady whispered that she was fine, she had just fallen and would be fine after a few days of rest.

“Father’s return is just in time,” Lin Yueyao said lightly. “Mother has gone mad.”

Master Lin glanced at her and gestured for the servant to help the frightened Fifth Miss up from the ground.

"They drowned, they all drowned!!! Their eyes were bigger than bowls, their bellies were swollen like balls, and they were clinging to your shoulder, following you into this room..."

The First Madam clutched her head, her face contorted in rage. "The ground is flooded, and the air reeks of death..."

Master Lin muttered to himself, "Nonsense."

How can such a woman be the head of the household? If word gets out, where will the Lin family put their face?

"Now that you're back, you can decide how to handle this," the old lady said beforehand.

"Lock him up first, and don't let anyone see him. Then we'll have a doctor take a look."

"I think calling a doctor won't help. How about we invite a Taoist priest to perform a ritual?" The old lady was a shrewd person who had experienced half of life's hardships. Although she didn't understand how the eldest madam had gone mad, she knew that there must be a reason why a perfectly healthy person would suddenly fall ill.

"My son knows what he's doing."

The old lady patted his shoulder, her heart aching, and couldn't help but shed tears. "It's good that you have a plan. I see you've lost a lot of weight. We'll have a welcome dinner for you tonight."

The group left the courtyard, and the First Madam was dragged into her room by a servant and locked. The Fifth Miss, though reluctant, had no choice but to leave with the others.

Back in the room, the hidden talismans and peach branches were pulled out and thrown at Lin Yueyao's face.

Lin Yueyao's nose hurt terribly from the blow, and she couldn't help but click her tongue in pain.

Did you do it?

Madam Zhou was furious. In front of her, she turned the house upside down, shook out all the clothes, and even took the bedding.

The place was a mess, and the long-buried secret was exposed to the air. Lin Yueyao stared at her intently and frankly admitted, "I did it."

"Are you out of your mind?! You'll get yourself killed doing this!" Madam Zhou was furious and slapped her across the face.

Lin Yueyao didn't even blink, letting her mother beat her.

"I never wanted to live. I don't want to live like this, having to be subservient to others and have to watch their faces," she said coldly.

"You hate me that much?" Madam Zhou was so angry that she lost her composure, and tears welled up in her eyes.

"I hate everyone, but I hate you the most." She stared at her intently, her resentment undisguised.

"I am your mother, I gave birth to you and raised you, how could you say such a thing!" Like a knife piercing her heart, how could Madam Zhou bear such excruciating pain?

“Even though my blood and flesh were shed because of you, such a life is too despicable, I don’t like it.” Lin Yueyao slowly approached her, “So I’m sorry, Mother, I have to leave you.”

To escape this detestable place, even if it means using every means possible, including killing everyone in the mansion.

"What else do you want to do?" Madam Zhou questioned her. "Are you not even going to spare me?!"

"Mother, rest assured. The gods are angry at the murder of my mother. I still want to live to be a hundred years old and enjoy my old age." She reached out and smoothed a strand of hair that had fallen to her shoulder, comforting her mother. "You brought me into this world without my permission and made me your mother, but you never asked for my opinion. So from now on, I will leave you forever."

Realizing her daughter was about to leave her forever, Mrs. Zhou frantically grabbed her hand, demanding, "What are you going to do? Are you going to kill someone again?"

“You guessed right.” Lin Yueyao revealed a wicked smile. “Let’s start with the lovers who are close to Mother.”

That lowly servant dared to freely enter and leave the mother and daughter's residence, precisely because he was instructed by the First Madam to secretly humiliate the mother.

She will never let anyone who has hurt her get away with it.

"You, you're not my daughter, who are you?" Her daughter had been sensible since childhood, how could she have become so heartless and unrecognizable to her own family? Madam Zhou murmured as she backed away.

Lin Yueyao also cast the curse "Mother and Child Lotus Heart" on herself.