Chapter 33 (VIP Chapter - Three Chapters Combined) Ah Li is my real sister! ...
Not only was Xie's heart pounding, but her eyelids were also trembling violently.
This is not a replacement.
This is where they should have been!
Her heart trembled violently, as if a mountain had collapsed and the earth had split open. Her face turned frighteningly dark, but she dared not meet Shen Qinglu's gaze. Her eyes wandered aimlessly, unsure of where to look.
“Ah Li…”
"Grandmother, is it not allowed?" The light in Shen Qinglu's eyes slowly dimmed, and her blank face was full of disappointment and sadness. She muttered listlessly, as if talking to herself, "Why not? I like this mother, and Sister Tang'er likes her. Wouldn't it be better to switch?"
“Ah Li, Mother cannot be replaced. Aunt is Aunt, not Mother. Mother, don’t you agree?” Yu Liuzhu’s disappointment was evident because Shen Linlang did not immediately refute Shen Qinglu’s words.
Shen Linlang kept a close eye on Xie Shi, taking in all her emotional changes. Her hesitation and entanglement clearly indicated that she had some unspeakable secret.
A certain possibility is about to emerge, whether it is anticipation or fear, it seems to be a truth shrouded in gorgeous silk, which may be shocking or cruel and shameful, making people want to find out, yet also want to back away.
“Of course, a mother cannot be changed. Whoever’s mother is whose mother, that’s ordained by heaven. Even if we’re separated, that fact remains.” Her voice was low, suppressing emotions only she knew. “Mother, don’t you agree?”
Xie's eyelids, which had stopped twitching, started twitching violently again, and she was filled with hesitation.
At that moment, a gust of cool air entered, and the curtain was lifted from the outside.
Yu Jingliang peeked in and the first thing he noticed was the strange atmosphere. He looked at Shen Linlang's complicated and inscrutable face and subconsciously shrank back.
"Erlang, come in quickly." As if she had found a way downhill, Madam Xie hurriedly called him into the house.
He couldn't leave any longer, so he carried in a box, placed it in front of Shen Qinglu, and said, "These are all the things I used to play with. I'm giving them all to you."
The box was full of trinkets, such as a nine-linked horseshoe lock, bamboo dragonflies, and wooden birds.
Yu Liuzhu felt both disgust and intense jealousy.
These were all Yu Jingliang's treasures. She remembered that once when she was little, she wanted to play with one of the wooden swords, but not only was she not allowed, she was also slapped on the hand. Although Yu Jingliang was severely punished by Shen Linlang after she complained, the memory still made her angry.
"Second brother, Ali doesn't know how to play these things."
“She doesn’t know how to play, but I can teach her,” Yu Jingliang said nonchalantly, picking up the Nine Linked Rings and immediately preparing to teach Shen Qinglu how to play.
Yu Liuzhu became increasingly angry, and his words became even more scathing: "Ali is a young lady, Second Brother, you should avoid suspicion, otherwise if word gets out, people will think you two are having an affair."
"shut up!"
"Stop talking nonsense!"
Xie and Shen Linlang spoke almost in unison, each one more eager than the other.
"Tang'er, you mustn't think such things. Erlang's feelings for Ali are those of a brother for his sister. You mustn't think of them in a negative way."
The words "brother" and "sister" spoken by Xie not only struck Shen Linlang's heart, but also heavily impacted Shen Qinglu's, instantly stirring up waves of emotion within her.
Such harsh words were unbearable for Yu Liuzhu, and she felt deeply aggrieved.
She thought she was right, that every word she spoke was polite and proper, and that she was doing it for the good of the Yu family, so she should have received their approval and praise.
It's one thing if Grandmother doesn't favor her sometimes, but why does Mother...?
"I'm also afraid of what others will say."
“I didn’t hear anyone gossiping, I only heard you say it,” Yu Jingliang said irritably. To express his grief and indignation, he asked Shen Linlang in a mocking tone, “Mother, this time I didn’t start anything, did I? You can’t just listen to one side and believe everything you hear. If you do, then take it out on me.”
He anticipated that these words would anger Shen Linlang, and she would inevitably have to scold him.
To everyone's surprise, Shen Linlang not only didn't scold him, but also said to Yu Liuzhu, "Your mind is getting more and more complicated, which is not a good thing. You should calm down and let things be."
Even he, let alone Yu Liuzhu, found it unbelievable.
From childhood to adulthood, regardless of whether he was right or wrong, whenever he clashed with Yu Liuzhu, he was always the one who got scolded and reprimanded, or even subjected to family discipline.
He whispered to Shen Qinglu, "Has my mother changed her ways this time? She didn't scold me at all."
Shen Qinglu understood what was going on better than anyone else, but she looked completely bewildered and smiled at him, saying, "You are the second brother, and I am the younger sister. We are siblings."
"Yes, we are siblings."
Yu Jingliang was delighted; he liked his younger sister just the way she was.
The conversation between the two was overheard by the other three people, each with their own interpretation of their inner thoughts.
Yu Liuzhu felt wronged and upset because of her past life experiences and Shen Linlang's unusual attitude. She kept telling herself that it was okay, at least she still had her aunt and that person.
She couldn't stay any longer and made an excuse that she needed to go back to practice the piano.
Shen Linlang could see her sadness and disappointment. After all, she was a child she had cherished for more than ten years, so it was inevitable that she would feel sorry for her. She was thinking wildly, wondering if she had made a mistake or if she was overthinking things. Just as she was about to get up and chase after her, her sleeve was tugged.
Shen Qinglu's eyes were wide with longing, and she didn't say a word, yet her expression spoke volumes.
Their pitiful state and their desperate pleas were deeply moving.
"Ali, be good, your second brother will stay with you." Yu Jingliang couldn't bear it, and his tone was tinged with sadness. "I'm just like you, born of a mother but without her love."
His words were meant to wound Linlang's heart, but they also wounded Xie's heart at the same time.
Ms. Xie was in so much pain that she could hardly breathe, and her chest heaved rapidly.
Over the years, she has watched as Shen Linlang spoils Yu Liuzhu, neglecting even her own son and sending him directly to the General's Mansion, which has also made her feel uneasy.
She tried to persuade her, but it was no use.
"Erlang, you can't say that about your mother. She's had a hard life too."
“Mother, as a mother, I cannot neglect one for the other, no matter how difficult it is. Tang’er was born weak, and I inevitably favor her. Because of her, I have neglected Erlang. Erlang, I am truly sorry to you.”
Shen Linlang's apology surprised Yu Jingliang greatly, and he was stunned for a long time. "Mother, you... I, I don't necessarily want to argue. I just hope that you won't only care about Tang'er, but also treat me a little better. Just a little is enough."
He felt ashamed, his face flushed with embarrassment at his pettiness.
Shen Linlang suddenly remembered how he used to vie for attention when he was little, crying and begging to be accompanied and held. At that time, all her energy was focused on her younger and weaker daughter, and she couldn't take care of him at all, which is why she sent him to the General's Mansion.
If her guess is true, then what has she been doing all these years?
If in the end she raises someone else's child while her own child suffers, then how deserving of death does she deserve as a mother!
"Erlang, it's all my fault..."
She subconsciously locked her gaze on Shen Qinglu's face, trying to find some evidence to prove either right or wrong.
When Xie saw him, her heart skipped a beat. For some reason, she said as if possessed, "Ali looks very much like Qingxue. Sometimes when I see him, I think he is Qingxue when he was a teenager."
What is this statement trying to prove?
Shen Qinglu replied with a vague understanding, "They look alike. I heard people say that a niece looks like her aunt."
"Ali, who told you that?" Xie's heart was pounding wildly, and her breathing became even more unsteady.
"I don't know, I don't recognize them." Shen Qinglu wasn't lying; she genuinely didn't know the names of many of the servants in the manor.
No one knew what Shen Linlang was feeling at that moment. It was as if she was being squeezed tightly, about to burst, or as if she was being burned by a fire, leaving her unrecognizable.
She probed further, jokingly saying, "Mother, Ali doesn't understand many things, so I'll have to trouble you to teach her. Tell Ali, is what she said appropriate?"
"...It's true that Ali learns things quickly, and it's appropriate if used well."
Xie's ambiguous answer, for her, was both an admission and another form of proof.
“A few days ago I met Zhao’s daughter-in-law. She said that the night her mother-in-law came to my house to deliver my baby, she told her that my baby’s eyes were already open when he was born. He looked healthy and strong, and he looked like a blessed child who would be easy to raise. I thought how wonderful it would be if that were true.”
Her questions were clear and unambiguous, and Xie could hear them, but her ears were filled with a buzzing sound, like the roar of a building about to collapse, or the cracking sound before a mountain collapses.
The atmosphere suddenly changed, and even the somewhat careless Yu Jingliang sensed that something was wrong.
He kept looking at this and that, feeling like something bad was about to happen.
Shen Linlang asked again, "Mother, you should be the first person to hold a child. Tell me, what did my child look like when he was born?"
Caught completely off guard, Xie was overwhelmed by the sudden questioning, which shattered her defenses. Fear and dread took over her mind.
Some secrets are kept hidden, always waiting for the right moment to be revealed. However, when the moment finally arrives, all that remains is panic and unease, and one may even want to continue keeping them secret.
Her heart was pounding faster and faster until she finally couldn't hold on any longer and fainted.
*
The sandalwood scent is subtle, and if you smell it carefully, you can also detect the lingering fragrance of acacia.
After Qin's mother brewed the tea, she stood respectfully to the side.
Yu Qingxue personally served the tea to Yu Liuzhu, suppressing the emotions welling up in her eyes, and said with a hint of guilt, "This is last year's tea. You may not be used to it. I'm sorry to have troubled you."
Several days have passed, and this year's new tea has still not arrived.
Yu Liuzhu frowned. "The estate sent this year's new tea the day before yesterday. It must have been those servants who were careless, pretending to be compliant while secretly flattering and belittling others. Don't worry, Aunt, I'll have someone send it to you when I get back."
"Tang'er, you don't need to worry about me. I'm fine no matter what, as long as you're alright."
These words released the pent-up grievances in Yu Liuzhu's heart.
After leaving Ruianju, she had no intention of going back to practice the piano. She wandered aimlessly, and for some reason, she wanted to see the last and only person who had ever visited her in her previous life.
“Aunt, I know how good you are to me. My mother misunderstood you, which was wrong of her. Everyone says she loves me the most, but now I don’t know if she really loves me or if she’s just pretending.”
If the pain was fake, she had been meticulously cared for all these years and had never suffered the slightest hardship. If the pain was real, why didn't he visit her in his past life?
"It's all Ali's fault for being so ignorant, causing your mother to treat you like that." With no outsiders present, Yu Qingxue could no longer hold back her emotions, embracing her tightly while gently patting her back. "Tang'er, you don't need to worry about too much. You were born a noble person, destined to be high above others. Once you marry into the Marquis's mansion and become the Marquis's wife, I will be content."
"Aunt, I...I don't want to marry Mu Lin."
"What did you say?" Yu Qingxue suddenly released her, her expression urgent due to the suddenness of the situation, and her voice suddenly became louder, "How could you have such thoughts? The Yongyi Marquis's family is a family that others would rather die than marry. You and Prince Mu are a match made in heaven. Do you want to give him to someone else?"
She shook her head and lowered her eyes.
She and Mu Lin were not a match made in heaven at all; they were clearly a mismatched couple. She already had someone else in her heart, and she would never let that person down in this lifetime.
"Young Master Mu and I are not a good match..."
"Tang'er, listen to me, you must marry Prince Mu, you must become the Lady of the Marquis, otherwise..." Yu Qingxue's anxious tone changed, and she took a deep breath, "otherwise wouldn't it be a bargain for someone else?"
"Auntie, I know you mean well, but I know my own situation."
"You don't understand!" Yu Qingxue's voice was sharp with emotion. "This isn't just your problem, it's my problem, it's everyone in the Yu family's problem. Tang'er, listen to me, quickly get rid of this idea, and don't tell anyone, especially your mother!"
Her unusual agitation made Yu Liuzhu uneasy. Just as she was about to say something, she suddenly heard a noise outside.
Qin's mother lifted the curtain and went out, then hurried in and reported, "Madam, eldest daughter, the old lady has fainted."
"How could that be? I just saw Grandmother, and she's perfectly fine." Yu Liuzhu stammered, already heading out the door.
Yu Qingxue then paused as she stepped across the threshold.
Qin's mother quickly helped her up, "Madam, don't worry, the old lady is blessed with good fortune and will surely be alright."
She nodded slightly, her suddenly dark eyes not showing concern for her own mother, but rather a hint of ruthlessness.
*
After a night of light rain, the sky was overcast, the clouds indistinguishable, just a dark, heavy expanse. The air was thick with moisture, and the artificial hill and pavilion in the distance seemed shrouded in mist.
The doctor went in and out, leaving behind the words, "The person is fine and will wake up soon."
Inside the dark, overlapping curtains, Xie lay on her back in a navy blue embroidered brocade quilt, her eyes closed and her breathing sometimes heavy, sometimes light.
The room was full of people, all the men from the Yu family were there.
"Why did Mother faint out of nowhere?" Yu Zhiheng frowned, sounding as if he were questioning Shen Linlang. "The doctor said it was a case of anxiety causing her to be so anxious. What could possibly have happened in this mansion that made her so upset?"
In the past, Shen Linlang would have blamed herself and felt even more guilty when faced with her husband's questions.
Now, her mind was completely filled with that suspicion, which inevitably brought out some of the spoiled and willful side she had when she was young, and her tone was a little sharp, "My husband is asking me, but I'm asking you too!"
This was the first time in all our years of marriage that she had spoken so coldly to me.
Yu Zhiheng looked at her in surprise, just like when they first met many years ago.
That year, countless scholars gathered in Donglin City, and they could be seen everywhere in the streets and alleys, either engaging in lively discussions or traveling in groups. The girls in the capital were also more active than usual, either participating in poetry gatherings or secretly watching others.
She had reached marriageable age, but had no interest in marriage. She preferred to stay at her estate outside the capital, enjoying horseback riding and hunting. A word from her mother prompted her to hurry back to the city.
As she rode away, a scholar suddenly appeared out of nowhere and nearly trampled off her horse.
That scholar was Yu Zhiheng.
The look of surprise on Yu Zhiheng's face then was just as it was now, but Shen Linlang had no heart to appreciate it anymore. Her eyes were fixed on the person kneeling by the bed, desperately trying to convince herself that the child looked so much like her sister-in-law, how could it possibly be...
Shen Qinglu seemed not to hear what they were saying, her dark eyes fixed on Xie Shi without blinking.
"Erlang, weren't you here just now? Tell me, why did Grandmother faint?" Yu Jingxian suddenly asked Yu Jingliang, who was standing to the side. He seemed to be called on by his superior during a competition in the training ground, and he felt a jolt of fear.
Yu Zhiheng also asked him, "Erlang, what exactly happened before?"
He hesitated for a moment, then stammered, "I don't quite understand either. It seems that Tang'er said something wrong, and Mother scolded her a few times, and then she left. Mother was a little sad. She remembered what Tang'er looked like when she was little. She heard that Tang'er was born very healthy, so she asked Grandmother, and then Grandmother fainted."
That's it?
Yu Zhiheng and his son Yu Jingxian looked at each other, unable to find the reason why Xie had fainted, and also unable to understand why Shen Linlang had such a cold face.
“Mother, Tang’er has been weak since birth. Who said she is healthy?” Yu Jingxian said with his hands behind his back, looking mature and steady. “Grandmother has been taking care of people lately, so she must be tired.”
Before she could finish speaking, Yu Liuzhu lifted the curtain and came in. She first looked at Xie Shi, then glanced at Shen Qinglu with displeasure before saying to Shen Linlang and Yu Zhiheng, "Brother is right. Grandmother must have collapsed from exhaustion. Sister Ali should not stay here any longer."
"The doctor said that Grandmother's illness was caused by stress, not by overwork. What, do you think you know more about treating illnesses than the doctor?" Yu Jingliang retorted irritably, annoyed by their uncooperative attitude.
Over the years, he mostly lived in the General's Mansion. Every time he returned to the Yu Mansion, it felt more like visiting a guest than returning home. No matter what conflicts he had with Yu Liuzhu, Yu Jingxian always sided with Yu Liuzhu, criticizing and scolding him.
He was completely excluded from the family of three siblings, and felt out of place, like an outsider.
“Brother, why don’t you ask Mother why she said that about her? She’s the one who’s talking nonsense and has such a filthy mind about my relationship with Ali.”
Yu Liuzhu's face darkened at these words.
Yu Jingxian was already puzzled that her mother would scold her, and now seeing Shen Linlang standing still, neither comforting her nor scolding Yu Jingliang, she felt even more strange.
"Mother, what's wrong with you?"
Shen Linlang also wanted to know whether everything was just her overthinking, or...
She suddenly looked at the person who lifted the curtain and entered, her gaze unfathomable.
Yu Qingxue ignored her and went straight to the bedside.
"Mother, Mother, what's wrong? Don't scare me!"
The person on the bed didn't move at all, and beneath their tightly closed eyelids, their eyeballs seemed to roll around.
"Brother, sister-in-law, what's wrong with Mother?"
Yu Zhiheng replied, "The doctor said it was caused by sudden internal heat affecting the heart."
"Her anxiety is overwhelming?" Yu Qingxue murmured. "Mother must be anxious, eager to teach Ali well. She's getting old and her energy is waning, and she still has to take care of Ali. She must be exhausted these days. I'll take Ali back now and let her recuperate properly."
She placed her hand on Shen Qinglu's shoulder. "Ali, your grandmother is sick from exhaustion. If you stay here any longer, she will feel even worse. Be a good girl and come back with your mother, okay?"
Shen Qinglu stared unblinkingly at the person on the bed with her dark eyes, ignoring her words.
Yu Liuzhu said unhappily, "Sister Ali, your aunt is talking to you, you should at least respond."
Of course, Shen Qinglu ignored her.
"What's the point of saying all this to a mentally challenged person? She..."
Before Yu Jingxian could finish speaking, Yu Jingliang interrupted him, "Big brother, Ali isn't an idiot, you can't talk to her like that!"
"If she's not insane, then who is?" Yu Jingxian retorted angrily. "You? Me? Or Tang'er?"
“I’m not stupid.” Shen Qinglu finally spoke, pointing at Yu Qingxue, “It was she who fed me something that made me stupid.”
"Ah Li, what nonsense are you talking about!" Yu Qingxue was shocked, her heart felt like it was going to jump out of her chest. She was very sure that the matter back then was done extremely secretly, and no one else but herself and Qin Mama would know about it.
While it's true that this wretched child had his eyes open at the time, he was still a baby less than 100 days old. How could he possibly remember?
"I'm not lying, I just know you're a bad person!" Shen Qinglu added fuel to the fire, then clung tightly to the bed, refusing to let go. "If I don't go with you, you'll hurt me again. Du Juan seems to have said something like that..."
She didn't continue after Du Juan had said anything, as if she was trying hard to recall, looking very confused, her slightly bewildered eyes lowered, staring at the person on the bed.
No one except her noticed that Xie's eyelids twitched slightly.
Yu Qingxue burst into tears, "Brother, sister-in-law, this child is not thinking straight and is talking nonsense. It's my fault for not teaching her well. I'll take her away right now so she won't cause you any more trouble."
As she spoke, she reached out to pull Shen Qinglu.
Shen Qinglu shook off her hand, "I'm not going anywhere, I want to stay here with my grandmother."
"How can you be so insensible, Ali? I beg you, please come back with me, okay?"
“I don’t want to go with her.” Shen Qinglu said this to Shen Linlang.
Shen Linlang was consumed by the pleading and pitiful look in her eyes, followed by a sour, swollen, and tearing discomfort. Doubt and pity intertwined, merging into a strong sense of sorrow and anger.
“Ali is filial. Her mother took care of her for a few days, and she remembers her mother’s kindness. How could such a kind-hearted child be so insensible?”
"Sister-in-law, Mother is already like this. If we let Ali stay here, wouldn't that just be adding to the trouble?"
"No trouble at all, I'll take care of them."
"sister in law!"
"mother!"
Yu Qingxue and Yu Liuzhu spoke at the same time, and to Shen Linlang's ears, such tacit understanding was like two arrows piercing her heart.
She stared at the two somewhat similar faces before her, a thorn in her eye. "It's settled then! You can go back now."
Yu Liuzhu stormed off in a huff, and Yu Jingxian chased after her out of concern. Yu Zhiheng had official duties to attend to and couldn't stay there indefinitely. Yu Jingliang wanted to stay, but Shen Linlang persuaded him to leave.
Yu Qingxue was still blaming herself and earnestly advised, "Sister-in-law, you should go back. I will take care of Mother and Ali."
"You're a divorced woman returning home; you're a guest, so how can I let you suffer?" Shen Linlang's words were blunt and harsh, showing her absolutely no kindness.
Even if she didn't want to leave, she had no choice but to go.
In the end, only Shen Linlang and Shen Qinglu remained.
"Ali, go and rest for a while. I'll stay here and watch over your grandmother. I'll let you know as soon as she wakes up," Shen Linlang gently advised.
Shen Qinglu shook her head, "My grandmother loves me, I want to stay with her."
The person lying on the bed with their eyes closed twitched slightly again after hearing her words.
Seeing this, Granny Li could only advise Shen Linlang that she didn't have to stay here all the time. She suggested that someone clean up the east wing so that she could stay there.
“Madam, you can’t stay with Miss Biao forever. She and the old lady are waiting for you to take care of them.”
Shen Linlang thought it made sense and decided to stay in the east wing so that she could come quickly if anything happened.
Before leaving, she looked at Shen Qinglu, who was still stubbornly guarding the bedside, and felt a complex mix of emotions.
When Granny Li escorted her to the east wing, Xia Chan came in from outside.
Inside the room, besides the mistress and her servant, was Madam Xie, who was presumably still unconscious.
Madam Xie couldn't see the exchange of glances between them, nor could she know their expressions. She only heard Xia Chan praying, "May God bless the old lady to wake up soon."
Shen Qinglu also clasped her hands together, "May God bless Grandmother and make her wake up soon."
“If the young lady is sincere, Heaven will surely hear her.” Xia Chan seemed quite moved. “Now that the old lady has fainted, my eldest aunt must be more worried than anyone else. I just heard her tell Qin Mama that if the old lady doesn’t wake up, no one will know about this matter.”
"What is it?" Shen Qinglu asked innocently.
Xia Chan shook her head, "This servant didn't hear clearly. It must be something very important that only the old lady knows."
The person on the bed had their eyes still closed, but the eyeballs beneath their eyelids seemed to twitch slightly.
*
In the stillness of the night, there was no sound.
Granny Li tiptoed into the inner room, saw the person sleeping by the bedside, shook her head, sighed, and then cautiously approached, calling softly, "Madam."
Only then did Xie open her eyes, her voice hoarse and melancholic.
Her gaze was full of affection as she reached out to touch the sleeping person's hair.
"I'm sorry to her."
“Madam, you can’t blame yourself like this. Your eldest aunt is your own flesh and blood. She threatened to kill herself. How could you bear to refuse? Who would have thought that the upright and incorruptible Imperial Censor Su would also form cliques and curry favor with the evil king? You can only blame fate for playing tricks on you.”
Tears streamed down Xie's face. "Besides you, who else knows my difficulties? Do you really think Qingxue did those things?"
Granny Li knew exactly what she was asking, and shook her head, "This servant doesn't know."
It's not that I don't know, but rather that it's true or false.
After years of being mistress and servant, how could Madam Xie not understand her evasive words?
She took another thin blanket and placed it on top of the blanket on Shen Qinglu's body. "It's been several hours now. Apart from changing her clothes, the young lady hasn't left her side for a moment. Madam came to persuade her twice, but it was no use. She hasn't eaten or drunk anything, saying that she wants to wait for you to wake up so that we can eat together."
“This child…” Xie suddenly thought of something, her voice calm, “When she was born, her arms and legs were kicking vigorously, her eyes were open, and she looked so energetic and clever, without the slightest imperfection.”
When she first learned that the child was born with a missing soul and was mentally challenged, she didn't believe it at first, but she gradually accepted it.
If it really was man-made...
That was all her doing!
She should have spoken up, but for some reason she chose to run away, even afraid to open her eyes after waking up. The thought of how terribly wrong she had made, and how it was likely impossible to make amends, filled her with deep regret.
After a long silence, she pressed her reddened eyes and asked, "Is Linlang still in the right wing?"
"The lady hasn't left. She told me to call her if I need anything."
Do you think Linlang has become suspicious?
This was a question, but she was actually asking a question she already knew the answer to.
Granny Li was well aware of this, and after careful consideration, she replied, "...This servant should say something I shouldn't, but things have come to this point, Madam, you should make a decision. Whether you want to keep it a secret or make it public, you need to decide."
The room was silent, save for the sighs.
The person lying beside the bed seemed uncomfortable, shifting unconsciously and murmuring, "Grandma... Ali is with you, you'll get better..."
As he spoke, he seemed to be waking up.
Madam Xie quickly lay back down, and Granny Li also left for the outer room.
Shen Qinglu slowly raised her head and murmured, "Grandmother, Ali doesn't want to leave you."
Every word was a plea, every sound pitiful.
Both Madam Xie and Granny Li were deeply moved.
They couldn't see that there was no pleading or pity in Shen Qinglu's eyes, only coldness, indifference, and mockery.
In the darkness, a wind suddenly arose.
The wind dispersed the moisture and parted the dark clouds, as if clearing away the fog to reveal the sunlight.
Night falls, and so do people.
Xie was awakened by the heat. All she could see was firelight, and smoke was rushing into her nostrils, choking her and causing her to cough incessantly. She anxiously shook the person still lying beside her bed.
"Ah Li, Ah Li!"
Shen Qinglu opened her eyes and, seeing them surrounded by flames, her little face was filled with terror. "Grandmother, what happened?"
Madam Xie coughed and called out the name of Granny Li.
It took Granny Li a while to respond. She stumbled in from the outer room, covering her mouth and nose, "Madam, the door is locked from the outside..."
She patted the sparks off her clothes, her face full of self-reproach. "I don't know why, I was sleeping so soundly just now... This fire seems to have come from the back room!"
Behind the inner chamber is a rear room, usually used for storage, with a small door leading to the outside. That small door is usually locked, and besides Xie's people, only one other person has the key: Yu Qingxue.
Madam Xie doted on her daughter and wanted to help her out. Yu Qingxue said she was afraid the servants would gossip and didn't want to go in and out of Ruian Residence too often. So, to make it easier for her daughter to avoid being seen and to access things at any time, Madam Xie made an extra key.
"Madam, young lady!" Xia Chan's voice came from outside.
"Cicada!" Shen Qinglu shouted in response, "I need to get us out of here quickly!"
"Who locked the door? You wait here, I'll go get help!"
A short while later, Shen Linlang and Granny Yu were awakened, and their words came from the firelight.
"What's going on? How did the fire start? And why was the door locked... What are they trying to do?"
"Madam, this...this is intentional, isn't it? Could it be that someone wants to kill the old lady?"
The surrounding area was ablaze with red, and the fire was growing larger and larger.
The firelight reflected on Xie's face, but instead of red, it made her look ashen.
Shen Qinglu, seemingly unaware of her thoughts, pretended to be terrified and on the verge of tears, saying, "Grandmother, who wants to harm you? Ali doesn't want you to die!"
She coughed again, a strange calm on her ashen face. "Ali, don't worry about me. Listen to Grandma. Wrap yourself in the blanket, rush over, and then climb out the window... climb out the window."
Shen Qinglu guessed her plan, her heart turned cold, but her face showed sadness and grief, "I don't want to be separated from my grandmother. Wherever my grandmother is, I will be there. If we die, we will die together..."
"Ali, Grandmother has done something wrong and should pay for it with her life. She is not worth saving." She looked at Granny Li with sorrowful eyes.
Knowing her thoughts perfectly, Granny Li said, "This servant will go with the old lady."
“No!” She shook her head. “You and Ali are both leaving. I’ll have to trouble you to say it for me. I really can’t say it, and I’m too ashamed to face anyone.”
She truly felt ashamed and heartbroken, and was determined to die.
Shen Qinglu cried and hugged her tightly. "I don't care what Grandmother did wrong, I don't want Grandmother to die. Grandmother, don't you want Ali anymore?"
Her hands trembled as she stroked the girl's eyebrows and eyes in her arms.
“When my Qingxue was this age, she looked just like this. She was so proud, so strong-willed, and her ambitions were sky-high. Ali, don’t blame her. It’s all Grandma’s fault. Grandma is the one who harmed her. This fire may be retribution, or it may be fate.”
To hell with retribution, to hell with divine will!
Thinking of ending it all by dying? There's no such easy way out!
Shen Qinglu's cries grew even louder, almost drowning out the sounds of banging on windows and doors and splashing water outside. "Grandmother is dead, and I can't live either! These bad people dared to harm Grandmother, they definitely won't let me off the hook!"
The firelight illuminated her eyes, as if the fire did not originate from outside, but from her own heart.
She cried and shouted, her heart filled with nothing but anger!
Endless rage, comparable to these raging flames.
The ashen, lifeless look on Xie's face was dispelled by the firelight, and she was startled when she met Li Mama's sorrowful and resolute eyes.
The front door was locked, and the back was on fire—clearly, the fire was meant to burn them all to death. If she died, could the people around her and the child survive?
Only when they are all dead will that matter never be known.
Clear Snow...
What a cruel heart!
It was even noisier outside, and Yu Zhiheng kept shouting.
"Mother, Mother, are you alright? You people, hurry up and break down the door and put out the fire. If anything happens to my mother, none of you will live either."
Amid the noise, there was a sound like something collapsing, as if the front window had been smashed open. This was quickly drowned out by Shen Qinglu's cries, "I don't want Grandma to die! If Grandma dies, no one will love me anymore, and no one will protect me anymore... Waaah..."
As if her dying heart had suddenly risen from the dead, Xie blurted out, "No! Even though Grandmother is gone, there will be people who like you. You are the daughter of the Yu family. Your uncle and aunt are your biological parents. They will definitely protect you!"
"Grandmother, what did you say?" A ball of something billowed in smoke and rolled in. The soaked blanket was thrown back, revealing Yu Jingliang's utterly shocked face. He exclaimed, "Could it be that Tang'er isn't my sister, and Ali is my real sister?!"
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