Chapter 96: Not chosen, personally cutting the rope and plunging from the cliff

Li Qingzhu heard this, her face full of surprise as she widened her eyes.

She stiffly turned her head, looking in disbelief at the other woman similarly hung up, and only then finally understood.

It… is her!!?

She is Liu Caoer!?

No, how could this be possible?

Wasn't it said she was dark and thin, with utterly unremarkable looks?

How could she be so beautiful!?

Li Qingzhu almost screamed: "How could it be you!?"

These past few days, Li Qingzhu has lived like a pig or dog, utterly devoid of dignity and suffering endless humiliation, while Li Qingluo is completely another matter!

She saw her own humble, lowly self; if she returned to Jinling… what face would she have before her?

Li Qingluo also turned to Li Qingzhu and sincerely introduced herself.

"Yes, I am the true daughter of the Li family, Li Qingluo, exchanged with you by your grandmother back then. Have I disappointed you, Sister Zhu'er?"

Li Qingluo, from an angle Qu Shi couldn't see, slowly curled the corner of her mouth toward Li Qingzhu.

At this moment, Li Qingzhu felt darkness before her eyes, truly unable to go on.

Wait, wait!

These Lotus Sect people say only one can live?

Li Qingzhu immediately filled her eyes with tears, looked toward Qu Shi, and cried out in anguish: "Mother, save me, Mother—"

Qu Shi: "Zhu'er!!"

Qu Shi looked troubled at her adopted daughter, then at her own flesh and blood.

Zhu'er looked extremely disheveled.

However, Luo'er, though also somewhat disheveled, still looked all right.

Qu Shi's gaze inevitably fell more on Li Qingzhu: "Zhu'er, my child, you're indeed still alive; Mother is about to die of grief—"

She so wanted to hold her in her arms and give her a good comforting.

Who knows how much suffering she has endured!

Qu Shi's heart was nearly twisted into a knot, yet she still wanted to know: "Zhu'er, tell Mother, what on earth is going on?!"

Li Qingzhu knows that if she now feigns amnesia, she probably has no chance left!

She can only feign greater pitiableness and innocence to move Qu Shi's affection for her……

After all, she truly cannot predict now whose side her adoptive mother will favor more.

Li Qingzhu's eyes red, tears pouring down: "Mother, it's Zhu'er's foolish unfiliality… At first, fearing Mother would no longer love Zhu'er, I came up with the foolish idea of self-immolation. But Zhu'er, at the last moment, felt regret and ran out of the fire. Zhu'er had no face to face father, mother, and elder brother, so I wanted to flee the manor, planning to return home after a few days, but Zhu'er's injuries were too severe, so I fainted in the street…"

"After Zhu'er woke up, she was already taken away; during this time she actually kept trying to escape, but several times she was caught again. Those traffickers wanted to sell Zhuēr…"

"Zhu'er has suffered countless hardships, trying every way to return to Mother's side, fearing Mother would feel heartbroken for Zhu'er, so Zhu'er has also endured great suffering!"

"Mother, Zhu'er finally met a kind soul and truly returned to Jinling, but before she could get home they seized her again…"

"Mother, Zhu'er truly knows she was wrong. But just to see you again, Zhu'er is already content…"

"These years, Zhu'er enjoyed all the wealth and honor that should have belonged to Luo'er, plus the love of parents and elder brother; Zhu'er truly thanks Heaven for arranging such fate…"

"But Zhu'er also feels ashamed… letting Luo'er suffer for so many years, causing mother and daughter to be separated for so many years…"

"Mother, although Zhu'er also wants to live, please save Luo'er first!"

What a fine move of yielding to preserve harmony.

If Li Qingluo's hands weren't bound, she'd want to clap for her.

Indeed, she still has some ability; she's not completely a good-for-nothing!

Hearing these words, how could Qu Shi not feel her heart torn apart?

She flung herself to the ground, wailing: "Zhu'er—it is Heaven's fate playing tricks, child, you have suffered…"

Then she turned to the Lotus Sect followers, pleading through tears: "Sirs, masters, gentlemen! Please let them go!"

"Although I've only managed two thousand gold, it's not enough for what you demand, but this is all I can muster, the fastest I can gather!"

"The gold is right at the mountain's base—don't believe me, go count! However much is lacking, I'll surely make up for it later!"

"Please, gentlemen—"

"Ah!!"

A knife swooshed forward, thrusting hard into the sand before Qu Shi.

"No nonsense! Dare to bargain with us? Short a tael, today you won't even take two!"

"Hurry and choose! Otherwise, neither will have a way to live!"

Saying that, two arrows flew toward Li Qingluo and her, the shafts firmly embedding in the tree trunk beside the ropes hanging them.

Li Qingzhu cried out in fear, shut her eyes, and burst into tears.

"Mother, Mother—"

How could those cries not make Qu Shi panic?

"I choose! I choose… I choose—"

Qu Shi trembled as she pointed at Li Qingzhu, then turned to Li Qingluo, and finally turned back to Li Qingzhu.

But in the end, she could not designate anyone.

"Luo'er…"

Qu Shi looked at Li Qingluo and softly called her.

Since Qu Shi arrived, Li Qingluo has never said a word to her.

Li Qingzhu wept those words, hearing the grievance of righteousness, and Li Qingluo's face showed only indifference.

Until this moment, seeing Qu Shi unable to make up her mind for a long time, Li Qingluo finally opened her mouth and shouted: "Mother……"

Not mother, but Mother!

Since she returned to Jiangjun Fu, this is the first time she has clearly called Qu Shi "Mother."

Qu Shi's eyes and heart gave a hard tremor; for some unknown reason, a great fissure in her heart began to panic.

Tears fell uncontrollably, and her heart felt as if being gnawed by countless ants, causing unbearable pain.

Li Qingluo did not cry, but instead raised a faint smile.

But that smile, compared to Zhu'er's tears, made Qu Shi feel her heart burning.

"Mother. It's just that, in this life, I have never been truly loved."

"Although I now have a grandmother, … I have never once received your, Father's, or Elder Brother's liking."

"Mother, I'm sorry, because I am your biological daughter, have I disappointed, troubled, and pained you?"

"But this is also not something Luo'er can decide to happen…"

"I only hope that in the next life, I can grow up by your side."

"Mother, I hope that in the next life, you can also dote on me……"

"Don't agonize over this. Just choose the one you cannot bear to part with."

"Seeing you like this, ah… Luo'er doesn't want you to be troubled, and doesn't want to see you cry again."

"Mother, I have no regrets being your daughter… but if there truly is a next life, Luo'er never again wants to cause you pain and sorrow……"

"Mother, goodbye——"

Li Qingluo's hand, at some point, gripped a dagger.

She swiftly cut the ropes binding herself, then, under Qu Shi's shocked gaze, plummeted straight down the cliff——

"No——!! Luo'er——Luo'er!! No——"