Chapter 39 Favoritism
Inside the carriage, Xu Mama avoided Li Qu's gaze and pretended to be relaxed as she spoke.
"Master Li suffered the whipping, which was only physical pain and looked frightening, but it's alright if it's handled properly afterwards."
"The second young lady, however, is a delicate beauty. She was subjected to needle torture, and..."
"What kind of needle torture is this!" Li Qu grabbed Xu Mama's hand, causing Xu Mama to cry out in pain.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Li Qu quickly let go, the horrific image of Ziwei being tortured flashing through her mind.
"It's just a needle stuck in her toenail, it's nothing serious," Xu Mama said casually, not daring to tell Li Qu that Li Rong's ten toenails were covered with silver needles. "It's not what you think, Aunt."
Li Qu simply watched Xu Mama quietly.
Granny Xu felt uneasy under her gaze and eventually gave in.
“Needle torture…is to insert fine silver or bamboo needles, one by one, into the fingernails.”
"When one fingernail is full, you move on to the next one."
"The pain is so intense that it will continue until the victim confesses."
"During this time, perhaps some silver or bamboo needles broke off and got into my fingernails... Auntie!"
Before Granny Xu could finish speaking, Li Qu was already too heartbroken to speak.
Granny Xu stepped forward to help her up, but she gripped Granny Xu's arm tightly. She opened her mouth to speak, but couldn't utter a single word. Tears streamed down her face uncontrollably.
"Auntie, don't cry, don't cry... It's all over, it's all over!"
Granny Xu clumsily wiped away her tears with her sleeve, but the more she wiped, the more tears she shed.
Li Qu was heartbroken and felt like dying.
Her greedy second sister... would scream loudly if she got splashed with oil.
She was actually... the one most afraid of pain among her sisters.
'But your dear second sister is incredibly stubborn; even after being tortured, she didn't utter a single word of the truth!'
She raised her hand and pounded her chest, filled with regret.
If she hadn't fought against the world, if she hadn't gone south, how could her family have been implicated?
She should abandon the ideas that are unacceptable to this world and live her life step by step.
Regret, heartache, self-blame—a mix of emotions nearly destroyed her.
In the end, all Xu Mama could do was hold her in her arms and let her cry silently.
"It's good to let it out."
Tears soaked through the clothes on Xu Mama's shoulders.
Back at the Zhou residence, Li Qu was in a terrible state, her head throbbing from crying, and she felt dizzy and disoriented.
Granny Xu tidied her makeup and clothes: "Auntie's makeup is water-resistant and still looks beautiful."
Li Qu let Granny Xu tidy up the mess.
Seeing that Li Qu seemed to have lost all her vitality, Xu Mama straightened her clothes and looked at her seriously: "Only by winning over the Third Master's heart can you avoid this from happening again, Madam."
Li Qu's gaze gradually focused, and Xu Mama's face with its deep nasolabial folds appeared in her pupils.
Granny Xu: "This world belongs to men. Women gain power by conquering the men who rule the world."
"Just like my aunt today, even though she is still under house arrest, she can move freely with the token given to her by the Third Master."
Li Qu's eyelashes trembled slightly as she slowly clenched her fist hidden in her sleeve.
“Auntie, please don’t feel sorry for yourself. All the beautiful things in the world are like precious glass, and you should be able to choose and enjoy them as you please.”
Li Qu looked at Granny Xu.
Xu Mama smiled and said, "Get out of the carriage. This old servant will accompany you."
Li Qu smiled slightly: "Okay."
The two traveled smoothly from the outer courtyard to the inner courtyard, escorted by a proud old woman.
Upon reaching the inner courtyard, Li Qu alighted from the sedan chair and began to walk.
Facing Shou'an Hall.
The osmanthus flowers have bloomed sometime ago, and the air is filled with their sweet fragrance.
Li Qu asked Granny Xu, "Does Granny Xu know the Third Master?"
When Xu Mama saw Li Qu ask the question, she immediately straightened her back. After thinking for a long time, she bent down dejectedly and said, "To be honest, this old servant doesn't know much about it either."
"After all, Third Master left home when he was seven years old."
Li Qu: "I've heard the old lady mention it."
After thinking for a long time, Granny Xu said, "I know a lot about Third Master's childhood."
Tell me about it.
"Third Master is very sensible. He started learning at the age of three and lived alone away from the old lady. He always restrained himself and followed the rules. He never acted like the second master and laughed and joked with the old lady and the old master."
Li Qu's heart stirred slightly; which child wouldn't admire her?
"Moreover, he is very smart and can learn anything quickly. Speaking of which, this old servant has to say that the Second Master and the Third Master are not like brothers at all. The Second Master can't learn anything."
"Second Master started learning martial arts at the age of four. He couldn't endure any hardship and was lazy and cunning, which angered the old master, who beat him with a cane."
"Our Third Master is different. He could wield a knife at the age of five. He is both scholarly and martial, and he is the pride of the old lady and the old master!"
"Third Master..."
Granny Xu spoke of the young Zhou Jin with great pride.
But Li Qu remembered what the old lady had said.
When he was in charge of his third child, he became much stricter, fearing that the child might become as rebellious and unreliable as his second brother.
Based on what Granny Xu said, in young Zhou Jin's eyes, was his older brother very much loved by their parents, while he could only gain their approval by studying hard?
If this continues, will a child's mind remain healthy?
Won't.
He will become unbalanced, disappointed, lost, and even unable to feel love anymore, thus becoming indifferent.
"That makes sense."
Granny Xu asked, puzzled, "What makes sense?"
"I wonder why he developed such a cold-hearted attitude, ordering the killing of a long-time servant when he was only seven years old."
Suddenly, Granny Xu sneezed loudly.
Li Qu stopped in her tracks. Granny Xu cautiously walked around while calling out loudly, "Ahhhhh, A Qiu~".
"What? Auntie, you're saying this old servant is impolite? It's getting cold, the osmanthus flowers are blooming, and the smell is too pungent!"
She spoke loudly, determined to drown out Li Qu's previous words.
"Ahhh, Qiu!"
After looking around and making sure no one was eavesdropping, Xu Mama walked up to Li Qu and said in a low voice, "No one is allowed to discuss this matter concerning the Third Master in the mansion. Madam, please don't mention it to anyone else."
Li Qu glanced around and lowered her voice as well: "Is there more to this story?"
"It wouldn't hurt to talk to your aunt."
The two of them kept an eye on their surroundings while whispering to each other.
Li Qu never expected that Zhou Jin, at the age of seven, could kill someone without batting an eye.
Although this era created social hierarchies, killing servants was not illegal.
but……
She shivered, relieved that she had met Zhou Jin, who was almost twenty-seven and still had humanity.
At the same time, a sentence came to mind.
It takes a lifetime to heal from childhood trauma.
Zhou Jin's childhood was clearly marked by a lack of love.
Thinking back to the time before, his changes towards her started from when she abandoned her morals, little by little, until now.
Her only insistence was that she never changed her preference for him.
He insulted Deng Xiaoping, served him food, let him do as he pleased, and said he didn't like Xiao Cong but liked him—step by step…
It seems that on the day he caught her scolding Duke Zheng, the way he looked at her was exceptionally gentle.
She slowly began, "I think I know where to start."
He showed him favoritism.
A blatant favoritism.
She was in high spirits, as if she had discovered a treasure, and her palms were sweating with excitement.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
