Chapter 25: Forcing Luo'er to Give Blood and Flesh?

Li Qingluo stood at the doorway, listening to this, what else was unclear?

In her previous life, Qu Shi also suffered an eye disease.

It was Li Qingluo who, without hesitation, cut flesh and let blood flow to make the medicine.

Yet Li Kechuan poured it all out to feed the dogs.

She later learned that it was all just a trap Li Kechuan deliberately set to discipline her.

He claimed the medicine reeked nauseatingly, that she had broken it, and used her alleged improper behavior as an excuse to lock Li Qingluo inside the Ancestral Hall.

Inside the Ancestral Hall, she endured further humiliation and torture from those old women.

That time, Li Qingluo truly almost died…

She clenched her fists.

In this life, there was no such coincidence; Qu Shi's eye disease erupted several months early?

She must have been unable to endure and already wanted to give her a hard time!

So she endured her hatred in such restraint, tolerating her daily presence, all to let Li Kechuan set this poisonous scheme!

Li Qingluo pressed her palm, suppressing her emotions, to clear her mind.

At that moment, maid Qingyi stepped out of the room, and a rare smile flashed on her face at seeing her: "Second Miss has arrived!"

Li Qingluo pulled aside the curtain and entered, respectfully greeting Qu Shi: "Luo'er has seen you, Mother, Eldest Son."

Li Kechuan looked down at her, his eyes filled with cold indifference and disgust.

"Did you hear Doctor Jiang's words clearly while you were outside?"

Li Qingluo pretended to be clueless: "No. My grandmother taught that eavesdropping on the wall base is not proper, so knowing Mother has a doctor taking her pulse here, I kept my distance and did not hear what was said inside."

"Is Mother's health still alright?"

She looked up, casting a concerned gaze.

Li Kechuan tensed; she had said it was something not to be aired publicly, yet he insisted on asking if she heard it, implying that he himself could not bring it to the surface!?

Moreover, she brought up her grandmother's teaching, leaving Li Kechuan unable to refute, only clenching his back molars.

He truly underestimated her.

Since she went to Qing Song Temple, he has never once been treated well by her!

Moreover, she repeatedly provoked the Old Lady into great anger toward him, even to the point of striking.

In hindsight, it was all because she meddled.

She truly is a scheming, poisonous, nauseating woman!

Not like Que'er, pure as the bright moon, simply without any scheming.

Qu Shi covered her eyes with a handkerchief, sighing repeatedly: "Do you wish me well, or wish me ill? Do you know that because you returned, these countless incidents have arisen in the household?"

"First was Que'er... my Que'er, and now, because of Que'er's death, half of my life has been taken away..."

Qu Shi seemed unable to continue, and Li Kechuan, his face darkened, took over: "Mother, because of Que'er, has grieved excessively, weeping day and night, and developed an eye disease. Do you know whose fault this is?"

Li Qingluo did not follow that thread, but shouted in surprise and rushed forward to inquire: "Mother! You neglect your own health so much—what can be done? Of course I wish you well. Mother, do you know that I have been chanting sutras day and night in the room, first to guide Que'er sister's soul, and second to help you find happiness sooner."

"I never imagined Mother would miss Que'er sister this much! My heart aches; if Que'er sister knows in the afterlife, she would also be grieved by Mother's actions."

Li Kechuan, hearing that, suddenly erupted in fury, rose and kicked at Li Qingluo.

"Shut up! What right do you have to mention Que'er?"

Que'er leapt forward from behind, solidly blocking him.

"Miss!"

Li Qingluo held Que'er, gripping her tightly with both hands, until Que'er shook her head herself, and Li Qingluo finally exhaled a sigh of relief.

She looked up, her gaze quietly fixed on Li Kechuan.

Though she said nothing, her eyes seemed to speak everything.

She thought of him as a raging tyrant, a madman, an unfit beast of a human.

but she did not speak; all this was merely Li Kechuan's own interpretation, his heart inexplicably growing more volatile.

Even Qu Shi, startled, sat up and shouted: "Kuan'er!"

Que'er whispered: "Everyone says the legitimate eldest son of Jiangjun Fu is an upright gentleman. Yet we never expected him to be a thug who would lay hands on his own younger sister!"

Li Kechuan, stared at by Li Qingluo, felt wholly uneasy; now a maid publicly rebuked him, his anger unchanged, as if he would explode at any moment.

"Where did this lowly maid come from, do you wish to be beaten to death with a staff?"

"Eldest Son. I am Que'er, a maid serving the Old Lady, now caring for the second miss."

"If the young master has any grievance against me and wishes to beat me to death, you may bring it before the Old Lady; she will punish you herself."

Li Kechuan sneered: "Very well! With your grandmother backing you, you have become so reckless, haven't you?"

"Li Qingluo, since the matter has come to this, I will not beat around the bush. Mother's eye disease requires close kin's blood and flesh as medicine, and blood as a conduit."

"Since you were born, you have never shown filial piety before Mother; Que'er's death is your fault, and Mother's eye disease naturally stems from you! So, bring the knife—"

A servant entered, holding a sharp dagger.

Que'er's complexion changed drastically at the sight.

Li Qingluo pulled her behind herself; she looked at Qu Shi, whose gaze flickered away, daring not meet her eyes.

Li Qingluo sneered inwardly, yet her face remained stunned, tears fell.

"Mother, seeing you like this, Luo'er's heart aches. I know I cannot match Que'er sister's thoughtfulness, having never served you from childhood… this is my fault."

"Therefore, if my flesh and blood can aid Mother's recovery, Luo'er is willing, even if it means giving up my own life!"

While speaking, Li Qingluo truly pulled up her sleeve.

Her gaunt arm was covered with blue veins.

Qu Shi, hearing her words, suddenly felt an unbidden impulse, turned her head, and upon seeing, felt her heart constrict.

She… how could she be so thin?

On her body, how many liang of flesh, how many bowls of blood?

Qu Shi slightly frowned, and upon seeing Li Qingluo pick up the knife, she only gently bit her lip, showing no intention to intervene.

Because Qu Shi also thinks that since Li Qingluo returned she has the Old Lady's backing, giving her a lawless, eyes‑without‑any‑person feeling; she must be taught a lesson!

Moreover, Zhu Er, a spirit of the heavens, has not yet been comforted.

She wants Zhu Er to know that even though this biological one has returned, the one she loves most is still her.

She won't feel any pity…

Qu Shi looked away, but Li Qingluo suddenly halted the cutting motion at that moment.

"What, can't bear to let go, don't dare?"

Li Kechuan sneered: "Li Qingluo, you truly can't compare to Zhu Er by even a fraction! Back then mother coughed for three months, it was Zhu Er who personally boiled medicine daily to serve mother, allowing her to recover, and you, you only need some flesh and blood, and you refuse?"