Ji Shuying's phoenix eyes flashed with authority as her gaze swept over the messy floor and the disheveled, resentful Ji Yuande. Her ample chest rose and fell rapidly with her heavy breathing.
Shen Xiuhan followed silently, standing behind her with deep, unreadable eyes.
Seeing the family head's sudden arrival, the maid was scared out of her wits and fell to her knees with a thud.
Fury burned in Ji Shuying's beautiful eyes as she glared at Ji Yuande on the bed, her voice cold as ice.
“If you... take back your wild words and apologize sincerely, I will pretend I heard nothing! The family will continue to provide medical treatment for you in the future...”
“Treatment? Hahaha...”
Bloodshot tears welled up uncontrollably in Ji Yuande's eyes, sliding down his gaunt cheeks.
He roared hoarsely, his voice as raspy as a broken gong:
“Can it even be cured? How much longer are you going to lie to me?! I'm already a cripple! A cripple!”
Ji Shuying said coldly:
“Physician Wen said that although your spine is broken and you can no longer practice martial arts, with careful care, you might still be able to stand and walk like a normal person...”
“No longer practicing martial arts... how is that any different from killing me?!”
It was as if Ji Yuande had been stabbed in his vital spot. His face flushed a deep purplish-red, and the veins on his neck bulged and writhed.
However, after the wild rage passed.
A trace of humble pleading appeared on Ji Yuande's face once more.
Gnashing his teeth, he dragged his limp upper body, propping himself up on the edge of the bed and crawling inch by inch like a maggot, before falling to the floor with a thud.
Because his body refused to obey him, he could not even maintain a kneeling posture. He could only lie pathetically on the ground, tilting his face upward to speak:
“Family Head... Family Head!”
“If you truly care for me, marry the Second Young Lady to me!”
Ji Yuande's voice trembled, filled with a sobbing tone, begging with every word:
“Although I have become a cripple, it is actually... actually perfect to completely cut off any thoughts of me fooling around with other women!”
“I swear that for the rest of my life, I will treat Miss Xue'er with all my heart! If there is a single word of falsehood, may heaven strike me with lightning and may I die a horrible death!”
“Family Head, I beg of you... Yuande begs of you...!”
Hearing these humble, pathetic words, Shen Xiuhan shook his head inwardly.
He was truly both pitiful and detestable...
Even at a time like this, he was still dreaming of marrying into nobility and climbing the social ladder.
Sure enough.
There was no longer even a trace of pity in Ji Shuying's eyes, and her voice carried absolutely no warmth:
“I will not agree, and Xue'er would never consent either. Give up on this idea.”
Each word fell like a heavy hammer!
Smashing Ji Yuande's last remaining illusion to pieces.
He froze in place, his mouth hanging open, but he could not utter a single coherent word. Only silent tears continued to flow.
“Considering that you have contributed to the family, I will assume your words just now were merely due to extreme distress, and I will not look into them further.”
“Recover well from your injuries, and do not... bring up this matter again.”
Having said her piece, Ji Shuying narrowed her phoenix eyes, flicked her long sleeve, and turned to leave.
Right then, Ji Yuande's sinister voice drifted from behind, his tone dripping with crazed malice:
“You wretched woman! If you are going to be heartless, don't blame me for being ruthless!”
“Do you think I don't know about your filthy deeds? You and the master of the Mei Family Martial Arts Hall, rubbing mirrors in the back hall for pleasure...”
Whoosh!
Ji Shuying's steps froze instantly. Her beautiful eyes widened, and a monstrous killing intent surged in her pupils!
“You court death!”
Before her voice could even fade!
Ji Shuying's figure blurred into a residual image, closing in on Ji Yuande's side like a ghost.
Her delicate foot, clad in an embroidered shoe, whipped down toward Ji Yuande with a sharp, air-rending screech!
Thud!
Lying on the ground, Ji Yuande was sent flying like a discarded sack, crashing heavily into the sandalwood bed.
Crash!
The wooden bed shattered, and wooden splinters flew everywhere.
The force of the kick rebounded his body off the wall, his spine slamming against the hard surface with a dull, heavy thud.
Spurt!
Ji Yuande sprayed a mouthful of fresh blood. The bloody mist, mixed with fragments of his internal organs, splattered onto the ground in a horrifying display.
Afterward, he collapsed limply, his eyes unfocused, his life or death uncertain.
Standing not far away, Shen Xiuhan's pupils contracted slightly.
The force contained in this kick made him feel a sense of suffocation, even from several paces away.
Beside them, the maid shrieked in terror before quickly covering her mouth. Her teeth chattered, and her entire body shook like a leaf.
Ji Shuying's chest rose and fell as she took a deep breath, suppressing the churning blood qi within her. She said in a low voice:
“Xiao Lu... get up. Call a few people and have this madman... sent back to the countryside estate.”
“Yes... Family Head!”
The maid scrambled to her feet, not daring to utter another word, and ran out to call for help.
Ji Shuying remained silent for a long time before regaining her usual cold, dignified composure, and continued to escort Shen Xiuhan out.
As the night breeze blew, Ji Shuying's voice carried a hint of exhaustion:
“Xiao Liu... I've let you see something embarrassing.”
Shen Xiuhan stopped his steps and said in a deep voice, “Please do not say that, Aunt Ji. No one could have expected him to go this mad...”
The corner of Ji Shuying's mouth twitched slightly. After a moment of hesitation, she said:
“What he said just now...”
“Rest assured, Aunt Ji!”
Shen Xiuhan raised his hand to stop her from continuing, saying calmly, “It was nothing but the wild ravings of a madman. It cannot be taken seriously.”
Hearing this, a look of relief appeared on Ji Shuying's face, and she nodded in farewell.
After Shen Xiuhan's figure vanished from sight, a commotion came from the side gate of the Ji Mansion.
Two guards from the Ji family came out driving an ox cart, upon which lay the unconscious Ji Yuande.
His face was deathly pale, and dried blood still clung to the corner of his mouth, but his chest was visibly rising and falling, proving he was still alive.
Standing in the shadows, Ji Shuying watched the ox cart gradually recede, a sudden flash of ruthlessness crossing her eyes.
Stepping forward, her figure quietly trailed behind the ox cart, merging into the vast darkness of the night.
...
The night grew deeper.
The long street was silent, and the families on both sides had long since turned off their lights and gone to sleep.
Shen Xiuhan crossed the long street and stopped in front of his own house. He raised his hand to grasp the bronze door knocker and tapped it three times.
Knock, knock, knock.
The crisp sounds were exceptionally clear in the quiet night.
A moment later, the sound of Madam Zheng's footsteps echoed from behind the door, followed by her wary inquiry:
“Who is it out there in the middle of the night?”
“Mother, it's me.”
There was a moment of silence inside, followed immediately by a voice of pleasant surprise:
“Dalang?!”
The door bolt was hurriedly pulled back, and with a soft creak, the wooden door swung inward.
Madam Zheng was draped in a thin outer coat, her hair somewhat disheveled, clearly having already gone to bed.
She held an oil lamp, its flame illuminating her face, which was filled with delight:
“How is it that you're only returning now?”
Shen Xiuhan smiled and said:
“I returned in the afternoon, but I had to visit the master's mansion first, which delayed me for a bit. Mother, let's talk inside.”
“Ah, yes, come inside quickly!”
Madam Zheng carefully looked her son up and down, her gaze lingering on his face for a long time. Pulling his hand with heartache, she said:
“You've traveled such a long way back, you probably haven't eaten dinner yet, have you? Go sit in the main hall. Mother will go to the kitchen, poach two eggs for you, and cook a bowl of hot noodle soup!”
With that, Madam Zheng hurriedly slipped into the kitchen to light the fire and boil water.
Shen Xiuhan walked over to the water well in the courtyard, lifted the wooden bucket, and drew up a large bucket of cool well water.
He bent down, scooped up some water to wash his face, dried his hands with a cloth, and strolled over to the kitchen door. Looking at his mother's busy back, he asked:
“Mother, where is Momo?”
Sizzle...
Madam Zheng tossed a handful of chopped green onions into the hot wok. The oil splattered instantly, and a fragrant aroma filled the air.
Without turning her head, she replied:
“She went to sleep early.”
“A few days ago, your master and senior sister came to our house for a bowl of noodles. Perhaps our noodles suited their tastes, because they've been dropping by quite often for lunch these past few days.”
“You know how Momo is—bold and not shy around strangers at all. Once she got familiar with them, she insisted on learning martial arts just like you.”
Madam Zheng shook out the hand-rolled noodles and dropped them into the boiling water. The white noodles rolled in the bubbling water as steam rose:
“But your master said that to practice martial arts, one must first be literate, otherwise she won't even be able to understand the cultivation manuals. So your master found a private school for Momo in the Inner City to let her study the classics and learn characters first.”
“Now, that girl has to go there for four hours every day. She falls asleep the moment she gets back, with no energy left to cause any trouble.”
Hearing this, Shen Xiuhan pictured the little girl sitting dazed in the schoolroom listening to the teacher lecture on the classics, and could not help but chuckle.
Before long, a steaming bowl of plain noodles topped with two golden poached eggs was served on the wooden table.
The green onions were bright green, and the aroma was mouthwatering.
Shen Xiuhan picked up the large bowl and took large gulps, ignoring the heat.
The noodles were chewy, the broth savory, and the poached eggs had a perfectly runny yolk with each bite, warming his stomach more than any delicacy ever could.
After finishing his noodles, Shen Xiuhan returned to his bedroom and lay down fully clothed.
Listening to the occasional faint barking of dogs from the deep alley outside his window, Shen Xiuhan slowly closed his eyes.
In this volatile world where human lives were as cheap as grass, only when he returned to this courtyard filled with the warmth of home...
...did his heart truly feel at peace.
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