Chapter 602

Moreover, I've grown accustomed to his company over these years. To be honest, I'm not used to it when he's not around.

Do you still remember, Luo'er, the last time your parents and the Qu family joined forces to poison me?

At that time, Luo Fan happened to be away; if it weren't for you, I would surely have died.

When mentioning the past, Li Qingluo gripped Pei Lao Furen's hand tightly.

Li Qingluo will never forget the collapse and suffocation of that time.

Pei Lao Furen patted Li Qingluo's hand reassuringly: "Although this matter is long past, it still weighs on your Luo Grandfather's mind to this day."

He really dislikes seeing your father.

I asked him to treat your father's illness, but he just went through the motions.

Whenever I'm not around, he stares at your father with an icy gaze, as if looking at a corpse. It even frightened Zhang Mama and the others, who said they had never seen your Luo Grandfather look like that.

Usually he is warm and gentle, kind-hearted toward everyone, but only with your father does he completely change into a different person.

Still, at least he spared me from being poisoned.

Speaking of this, Pei Lao Furen smiled again: "I forgot to tell you, when I was poisoned that time, your Luo Grandfather rushed back from afar in a hurry; although he kept his composure in front of me, he secretly cried several times when he turned away."

Li Qingluo found it quite interesting.

How do you know that?

Pei Lao Furen looked proud: "How many people are around me?"

They saw it, after all.

Li Qingluo: "Back then, were you feeling sorry for him or happy?"

Pei Lao Furen's expression became a little uneasy: "Quite, quite happy."

Besides you, there is still one person who is sincere toward me.

Later, when I went with him to MiaoJiang to accompany you, I found an opportunity to speak frankly with him.

He still wanted to deny it, which made me angry!

I scolded him thoroughly, saying he's old and old, never having held a woman in his life, asking if he regretted it, asking if he still had any prospects!

He still looked aggrieved, only then admitting that he found it sweet as nectar.

Luo'er, do you think he's foolish?

Li Qingluo, however, felt a bit heartbroken.

Luo Grandfather truly is the most deep-feeling and pure-hearted man she has ever seen in the world.

Such a man belongs to grandmother; that's truly wonderful.

Seeing her listen attentively, Pei Lao Furen also wiped the corner of her eyes.

Luo'er, your Luo Grandfather has spent his whole life revolving around grandmother; how could grandmother bear to let him remain so foolish and gain nothing?

Moreover, I am no longer the graceful general, nor the Old Lady of the Li family, nor the mistress of that household, nor a daughter of the Pei family.

I have completely cast aside those worldly things and no longer care about them. So why not give myself, and also him, a chance?

I am old, but I also want to return to my true self. For the person I like, I will break free from worldly conventions once.

So, I took the initiative to bring up the matter of marriage with him.

Li Qingluo: "Is he very happy about it?"

Pei Lao Furen couldn't help but let out a 'puchi' laugh upon recalling that day's scene.

I was almost driven mad with joy. I don't even know how to hug someone, and I almost threw out my old back!

Li Qingluo stared for a moment, then burst into hearty laughter.

Pei Lao Furen also found it funny, and the grandmother and granddaughter laughed together.

After a while, Pei Lao Furen sipped her tea and then said: "Luo'er, your Luo Grandfather never married and had no children, all for the sake of grandmother."

Could you… call him 'grandfather'?

Li Qingluo: "Of course!"

She readily agreed, and this was also what she herself thought.

Grandmother, although Li Qingluo bears the Li surname, her blood also carries yours.

Your husband is Li Qingluo's grandfather.

Don't worry, Li Qingluo knows what to do.

Pei Lao Furen lovingly stroked her head: "Good child, grandmother has not doted on you in vain."

I heard you've made the business in Nan'an flourish like a blazing fire, and even opened a women's tavern.

Grandmother, you can now entrust the Tianfeng Trading Company entirely to me and wash your hands of it.

Grandmother and granddaughter talked for a long time indoors.

Until Zhang Mama came to knock on the door, saying the food was ready, did the grandmother and granddaughter leave hand in hand.

Outside the courtyard, a crowd of people was already waiting.

Li Qingluo walked through the crowd and looked toward Li Jingchuan.

Coincidentally, Li Jingchuan was also looking at her.

She hurried over and gave Li Jingchuan a slight smile: "Older brother, congratulations, you're going to be a father."

Although the siblings have seldom been together these past two years, they have frequently corresponded by letter.

After all this time, being blood-related siblings, they have truly developed a deep bond.

Luo'er, you're also going to be an aunt.

Saying this, A Lan stepped forward.

She didn't mind her big belly, bending her knees to kneel down.

Young Martial Uncle, thanks to your help, my master and A Duo were able to survive. You even killed the enemy to avenge the entire Witch Moon Sect for me.

「A Lan had no way to repay, could only kowtow to express gratitude. 」

Everyone was startled.

They hurried over to pull A Lan.

Li Qingluo also hurriedly reached out, but A Lan stubbornly shouted: "Don't pull me!"

「This kowtow, A Lan is definitely going to do it! 」

Li Qingluo looked at her grandmother, then at Li Jingchuan, then at Jinni and A Duo.

「You guys quickly persuade her! 」

Jinni: "Let her kneel. Otherwise, she'll feel uneasy."

Li Qingluo: "But she is now also my sister-in-law. She's even carrying a child in her belly!"

「Senior Martial Sister, you're not making things difficult for me, are you? 」

「Besides, do you not even regard me as a person of the Witch Moon Sect? Taking revenge and settling grievances is also something I ought to do; all this thanking and apologizing makes me feel like an outsider. 」

Jinni smiled: "Luo'er, when you first joined the sect, we indeed used some means, not entirely honorable, to keep you."

"And the master-uncle's prophecy has come true; you are indeed a great benefactor of our Witch Moon Sect."

"Although you are indeed a member of the Witch Moon Sect in this lifetime, this cannot erase your gratitude to the entire sect."

"Whether one should thank or must thank—these are two separate matters."

"Moreover, MiaoJiang women are not that fragile."

A Duo also spoke with red eyes: "Junior Martial Uncle, don't interfere. During these incidents, the Senior Martial Sister wasn't present, so she has felt guilty to the point of agony; this is worse than killing her."

"That's fine too; she no longer needs to keep this on her mind."

Li Qingluo could only steel herself to watch A Lan give her a solid kowtow.

「Ah Brother! 」

Li Qingluo looked at Li Jingchuan and gave him a vigorous wink.

Li Jingchuan merely smiled and shook his head, "Let her be."

During the period he spent treating illness in MiaoJiang, it was A Lan who took care of him.

He had a gentle disposition, and A Lan was considerate and tender; after they gradually developed feelings, Li Jingchuan, worried about his short lifespan, continually repressed his emotions.

Still, it was A Lan who took the initiative to be with him.

A Lan was originally supposed to be the next leader of the Witch Moon Sect.

But after Jinni learned of her thoughts, she did not insist, nor did she separate them.

Thus, after the Witch Moon Sect encountered trouble, A Lan's heart became even more anguished.

After learning the truth, she rushed back nonstop, intending to go to Nan'an to meet her master and junior fellow sect member and contribute her own strength, but she did not expect to discover her pregnancy at this time.

She could do nothing.

Although she put on a brave face all day, Li Jingchuan could see her growing more despondent each day.

If not for the child in her womb, she probably would have collapsed long ago.

「All right, all right, why not hurry and help the young madam up? 」

Pei Lao Furen shook her head helplessly, "From now on, this matter is over."

"A Lan, don't dwell on worries excessively."

"Your sect's great vengeance has been avenged; your master and junior fellow sect member have come to keep you company—you should cheer up, for we all care about you."

A Lan wiped her tears and said, "Yes, grandmother."

Li Qingluo stepped forward to support her: "We'll address each other by our respective generations—you call me Junior Martial Uncle, and I'll call you sister-in-law, all right?"

「Come on, sister-in-law, shall we go eat together? 」

A Lan burst into a smile through tears: "Junior Martial Uncle, stop teasing me."

Li Qingluo: "All right, sister-in-law."

After the meal, Li Jingchuan and Li Qingluo went for a stroll in the garden.

Speaking of the past, Li Jingchuan felt much shame.

「Luo'er, my mother and uncle…… once did things that were sorry to you. 」

"Especially my mother, who has never been able to face you; this time I brought A Lan back to Jinling to visit relatives, she personally saw me improve greatly, and you and grandmother accepted me without holding past grudges, making her feel deeply ashamed."

"She had me personally say to you…… sorry."

"As for the uncle…… I know you hate him; if it weren't for his meddling back then, Liu Sui'er wouldn't have died."

"He also said, if hating him makes you feel better, he doesn't mind you hating him for a lifetime."

"But I understand that the root of all this is still me."

"Luo'er, brother owes you, and that can only be repaid in the next life. As for this body of mine, I don't know how many more years I can drag on."

"Poor A Lan and the unborn child will eventually be abandoned by me……"

As he spoke, Li Jingchuan suddenly coughed violently a few times.

Seeing him clearly so frail he could barely stand, yet still forcing himself to come and say these things to me, Li Qingluo felt uneasy inside.

She stepped forward and patted his back, gently smoothing it for him.

And she spoke her heartfelt words: "You don't owe me anything."

"It is my birth mother, Qu Shi, who owes you."

"Otherwise you wouldn't have such a constitution, nor would you have lost several siblings."

"It is me; I owe you even more."

Moreover, even if you owed something, didn't you repay it in your previous life with your own life?

Unfortunately, even if Li Jingchuan in his previous life committed suicide to thwart the conspiracy of the Zheng Wanxiu siblings, he still died.

Fortunately, in this life both Li Jingchuan and I are still alive.

Li Jingchuan: "Then let's not mention it."

Luo'er, will you go with me over there for a walk?

Not long after, Li Jingchuan grew too tired to walk.

Li Qingluo personally escorted him back to his room, and after Li Jingchuan rested, she also returned to the courtyard.

Everything in the courtyard was just like being at home in Jinling—comfortable, warm, and beautiful.

Li Qingluo slept soundly for half an hour.

After waking up, knowing her grandmother was still resting, she wandered around the courtyard at her leisure.

The fish in the pond were big and fat, so Li Qingluo sat on a stone and grabbed some fish feed to start feeding them.

Plunk—

Someone threw a stone from a height behind her.

Li Qingluo immediately turned her head to look behind.

She saw two grannies panic-stricken running into the rear courtyard.

What's going on? How did you let him climb up onto the wall?

Heavens, come down quickly—

Quick, lock the door!

We must not let the young lady find out.

If the Old Lady finds out, it's over!

However, Li Qingluo had already seen it.

She heard an "Ouch" from the courtyard, presumably that person had been pulled down to the ground.

Then came his shout: "What are you doing?"

On what grounds are you locking me up!

I want mother, I want my mother—

Mmm—

His mouth was covered, but his grunting was still loud.

Que'er looked uncertainly at Li Qingluo: "Miss, could it be… your father?"