Chapter 7 leaves behind those exceptionally large and dark eyes, brimming with...
*
The room was warm with plenty of charcoal.
The warm air was filled with Yu Qingxue's cries of injustice, but they were abruptly cut short by Xie's exclamation.
Madam Xie stared in disbelief at Shen Qinglu's arms, which were exposed by rolling up her sleeves. Some of the marks on them were dark, and some were bluish, indicating that she had been pinched. They were all on her cold, jade-like skin, making her look even more shocking.
"What is this?" she asked in shock, her eyes trembling as she looked at Yu Qingxue.
As Shen Linlang gasped, she quickly signaled to Yu Liuzhu with her eyes not to speak, because at this moment, it would be inappropriate for the mother and daughter to say or do anything.
Yu Liuzhu, however, acted as if she hadn't seen it and said, "Grandmother, we all know that Aunt has always doted on Sister Ali. Sister Ali has been in a daze before, so perhaps she misremembered and attributed the matter of the wicked servant bullying her master to Aunt."
Although she didn't see her aunt often from childhood to adulthood, how could she not feel the heartfelt care and affection from her aunt?
Later, she miscarried and was not only neglected by her in-laws, but even her own mother, who claimed to love her the most, did not appear. On the contrary, it was her aunt, who always avoided people, who braved the scorn of others to visit her.
She remembers clearly the heartache for her, the comfort offered to her, and the tears shed upon seeing her!
Her words seemed to remind Yu Qingxue. Yu Qingxue nodded quickly, "That must be it, Mother. These injuries must have been inflicted by that wicked servant, Dujuan."
After all, she was her own daughter, and Xie believed this explanation.
"Ah Li, are you sure you're not mistaken? These injuries were inflicted by the people who took care of you before, weren't they?"
Shen Qinglu feigned confusion. Perhaps the original owner of this body had no memory of it, or perhaps she had only accepted a small part of it. She only had a few scattered fragments of what happened before.
But since the mother and daughter are of one mind, it won't be so easy for her, an outsider, to successfully sow discord. Besides, she didn't catch them in the act, and Yu Qingxue's explanation was plausible. If she insisted that Yu Qingxue was the one who did it, it would only arouse suspicion.
"Am I mistaken? I don't know."
Yu Qingxue breathed a sigh of relief, wiped away her tears, and said to Shen Linlang, "Sister-in-law, Ali is mentally challenged. Did he cause you any trouble today?"
Shen Linlang shook her head and said nothing.
"That's good. I was afraid she might mess things up because she doesn't know her own strength." Yu Qingxue said, then came over and pulled Shen Qinglu again, "Ali, you've had enough fun, let's go back."
Shen Qinglu let her pull her along, like a puppet on a string, but her eyes kept looking at Xie Shi, and the light in them gradually dimmed.
Xie's heart clenched again. She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but couldn't say anything.
As they crossed the threshold, no one saw clearly what happened. They only felt that Shen Qinglu was pulled, then tripped over the threshold, stumbled, and fell forward, crashing heavily to the ground.
"Ah Li!"
Madam Xie was shocked and rushed over, glancing disapprovingly at Yu Qingxue, who was somewhat dazed.
Yu Qingxue looked down at her hands, her gaze filled with surprise and doubt. She clearly hadn't done anything; it was this wretched child who had tried to break free of her and somehow tripped over them.
"Mother, I didn't..."
"Ali." Madam Xie ignored her explanation and looked at Shen Qinglu, who was lying on the ground.
Shen Qinglu slowly raised her head, revealing the bloodstains on her forehead, so shocking yet exceptionally beautiful and stunning.
A layer of tears welled up in those exceptionally large and dark eyes. "Grandmother, it hurts."
Xie felt as if she had been stabbed in the heart.
This child looks so much like Qingxue. Was Qingxue really not doing this on purpose?
"Ali, be good. Grandma will have someone apply medicine for you. It won't hurt anymore once the medicine is applied."
"Mother, this is all my fault. I can't trouble you. I'll take Ali back to get her medicine right away." Yu Qingxue then said to Shen Linlang, "Sister-in-law, Tang'er is probably frightened. You should take her back quickly."
No one knows a daughter better than her mother, and Xie Shi could easily see through her daughter's thoughts. She glanced at Shen Qinglu, who had been helped up, and then at Shen Linlang, who was clearly trying to avoid her, and sighed inwardly.
Shen Linlang was indeed in a dilemma. As a daughter-in-law, it was the least appropriate thing for her to get involved in the affairs between her mother-in-law and sister-in-law, especially something like this. So after hearing Yu Qingxue's words, she thought to herself that her sister-in-law was sensible, and immediately left with Yu Liuzhu.
She was a woman who cherished her children deeply, and over the years she believed she had devoted herself entirely to raising them, especially her youngest daughter, whom she doted on. She never even scratched her skin, let alone caused her to bump her head.
The thought of Shen Qinglu's forehead injury, with its bloodstains, made her realize how distressed she would be if it were her own daughter.
“Your sister Ali fell into the water yesterday and just suffered like that. I really don’t know how your aunt could be so careless,” she sighed.
Yu Liuzhu frowned and said, "Sister Ali is mentally challenged. If she weren't a burden to your aunt, how could your aunt be living such a hard life?"
If it weren't for her sister Ali, with her looks, Auntie would surely have found a good marriage after the divorce. Why would she have wasted her whole life and squandered her life?
This is the first time the mother and daughter have disagreed.
When Shen Linlang thought back to the time when Yu Qingxue insisted on keeping the child, she thought that since the child was her sister-in-law's insistence on giving birth, shouldn't she take care of the child wholeheartedly?
But she always doted on Yu Liuzhu, so of course she wouldn't contradict her daughter. However, she felt a vague, inexplicable awkwardness. As if possessed, she turned around and met Shen Qinglu's gaze, which was so pitiful and tearful.
For some reason, her heart felt twisted and knotted, an indescribable bitterness welling up inside her. She secretly thought the child was pitiful, but the daughter of a disgraced official was a fact she couldn't shake off; no matter how much sympathy she felt, she couldn't allow herself to be tainted too much.
With that thought in mind, she hardened her heart and quickly looked away.
Shen Qinglu gazed at the backs of the mother and daughter, so close, so affectionate. Her loving gaze gradually turned cold and finally returned to darkness.
*
On both sides of the main building of Rui An Ju, there are side rooms.
The left wing is a combination of study and rest, with an elegant and refined layout. Whether it's the bookshelves and desks or the various literary ornaments, everything exudes the owner's scholarly atmosphere.
The doctor arrived quickly and skillfully applied medicine and bandaged Shen Qinglu's wounds, then gave Xie Shi and Yu Qingxue some instructions.
Madam Xie glanced at Shen Qinglu from time to time, who was very cooperative and did not look like someone with mental disabilities at all. While admiring her obedience, she felt more and more that she must have really recovered.
"Ah Li, did you hear what the doctor said? Your injury is nothing serious and will heal in a few days. Remember not to get it wet and not to eat fish or other foods that may aggravate the condition."
"I have never eaten fish."
How could a child who is forced to eat vegetarian food from a young age possibly have the opportunity to eat fish?
Madam Xie was surprised, but she held back and said nothing.
She told Shen Qinglu to sleep for a while, then instructed Xia Chan to take good care of her, and finally gestured for Yu Qingxue to come out with her.
After the mother and daughter entered the main room and dismissed everyone, her face turned cold. However, she did not immediately question Yu Qingxue. Instead, she looked at her daughter with a disappointed gaze, her eyes filled with obvious condemnation.
Yu Qingxue did not argue, but instead began to sob softly.
After a long silence, she choked up and said, "Mother, I remember what you said. I didn't originally intend for her to be a vegetarian with me. But there are many people in the mansion, and I'm afraid that if my courtyard doesn't prohibit meat, not to mention others, even my sister-in-law will misunderstand me."
"Then why haven't you told me all these years? If Ali hadn't become more aware of things, would you still be trying to keep it from me?"
“Mother, it’s my fault. I was just thinking that harmony in the family is the most important thing, and it’s better to avoid trouble. Ali was born with a missing soul, and I’ve been worried about him all these years. I never thought something like this would still go wrong. I’m so sorry…”
“You did wrong me.” Madam Xie, who still cared for her, sighed and said, “Your sister-in-law was here today. She saw Ali bump her head and break it. If she holds a grudge later, how will you explain it?”
"Mother," she choked up even more, "I'll apologize to her then, and I'll do anything she asks."
Hearing her say that, Xie became even more upset.
Which mother doesn't love her child? As a mother, she naturally wants to plan everything for her children.
“I see you’ve been looking a bit tired lately, so why don’t you let Ali stay here with me for a while?”
“Mother…” Yu Qingxue wanted to object, but after hesitating for a moment, she nodded in agreement, “Then I’ll trouble you, Mother. Don’t worry, I will come every day to help take care of her.”
Xie did not object to this.
A light rain started falling outside, drizzling softly, like the heavens were crying.
As soon as Yu Qingxue came out, Qin Mama immediately stepped forward with an oil-paper umbrella. The two, mistress and servant, supported each other and walked step by step towards the outside of Ruian Residence.
When they were all alone, Qin Mama asked softly, "Madam, did the old lady keep the young lady here?"
Yu Qingxue hummed in response, her face turning grim.
“She says she loves me, but from childhood to adulthood, in her heart, I am far less important than my brother, and my children are not as important as my brother’s children. If I don’t fight for myself and my children, then my daughter and I will be trampled into the mud, and my children will become stepping stones for the Yu family, just like me.”
These words, full of resentment, were too much for Qin's mother to bear, so she could only remain silent.
After a while, Yu Qingxue sneered, "The most important thing right now is Tang'er's marriage. As long as she marries into the Marquis's mansion, everything will be perfect."
She will take back everything the Yu family owes her!
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