Just as Zhao Chunxiang had this thought, her cheek was smacked hard again by Wang Dongxue. "Did you not hear my husband's question?"
Stung by the pain, Zhao Chunxiang glared at Wang Dongxue. She was furious but dared not speak, struggling to formulate a response. "I dug this pit on a whim; no one taught me!"
No one taught you? Ji Youyuan found it impossible to believe. "Are you sure you're telling the truth?"
Zhao Chunxiang avoided his gaze, hastily replying, "Of course, it's the truth!"
"In that case, you two can be on your way!"
On... on our way? Did he mean what she thought he meant?
"What do you mean? Ji the Cripple, are you planning on burying us alive?"
As soon as Zhao Chunxiang said this, Ji Youyuan responded calmly, "Yes. Not only do I intend to bury you alive, but I also intend to bury you facedown."
The Li Family women felt their minds go blank at these words, forgetting everything else as they started to scramble out of the pit.
However, she had only climbed halfway up when Ji Youbo kicked her back down. This happened over a dozen times. Each time, just as she seemed about to escape, Ji Youbo would kick her back down. Meanwhile, Wang Dongxue watched menacingly, shovel in hand.
Old Lady Li's composure shattered at that moment. Trembling all over, she knelt on the ground, incessantly kowtowing to Ji Youyuan. "Don't kill me! I'll tell you everything! It was the Celestial Master from the Sancai Temple who told us all this."
"Why would the Celestial Master from the Sancai Temple tell you these things? Why did you do such a thing? What good did harming Suisui do for you?" Ji Youyuan narrowed his eyes, staring intently at Old Lady Li.
Meeting his gaze, Old Lady Li felt a murderous intent so chilling it ran from her head to her toes. Strange, Ji the Cripple was just sitting in his wheelchair doing nothing, yet I feel a chill from head to toe!
"I consulted the Celestial Master about Suisui's fate. He predicted that Suisui was a calamitous star, a reincarnation of misfortune. He said that if we wanted to rid our Li Family of this misfortune, we had to do as he said; otherwise, our Li Family would never know peace!"
"You're not lying to me?" Ji Youyuan closed his eyes and slightly raised his hand. A cold wind swept across the mass grave, causing the Li Family women to tremble in fear.
"No, every word I've said is the truth! If you don't believe me, ask my second daughter-in-law. She knows all about it." Fearing Ji Youyuan wouldn't believe her, Old Lady Li quickly pulled Zhao Chunxiang forward to testify.
Zhao Chunxiang was already scared to death, her mind buzzing. Everyone said Widow Ji's sons were good-for-nothings. How did this Ji the Cripple figure out the problem with the grave pit?
"Speak up! Second Daughter-in-law, do you want to die? Quickly, tell the Ji family's eldest brother that everything I said is true!" Old Lady Li was extremely anxious and forcefully shoved Zhao Chunxiang.
Zhao Chunxiang, her conscience heavy with guilt, didn't dare to look at any of the Ji Family members. Head bowed, she trembled as she said, "Yes... what my mother-in-law says is all true."
"I'll choose to believe you for now. I came here today for two purposes. Listen carefully. First, I am here to punish you for what you did to Suisui. The world operates on cause and effect. Since you started this, I will finish it!"
Old Lady Li didn't dare to speak, but Zhao Chunxiang understood. Ji the Cripple isn't planning on killing us, she thought, and quickly asked, "And the second purpose?"
"Secondly, I'm here to inform you that from this day forward, there will be no such person as Li Suisui in this world. You've already killed her today."
"What... what do you mean?" Zhao Chunxiang and Old Lady Li asked in unison.
"In the future, if anyone asks, you are to say that Li Suisui, who was born on the same day as Li Yanyan, has died suddenly and unnaturally."
"Alright! We promise you, we'll say that from now on!" Zhao Chunxiang immediately agreed. If I can't kill Li Suisui, then at least she'll be gone! This isn't the outcome I wanted most, but it's the best I could hope for under the circumstances.
Seeing they had understood his intentions, Ji Youyuan waved his hand, turned to Ji Youbo, and said, "Bury them!"
With that, he turned his wheelchair, his back to the large pit.
"No! Didn't you say you were going to spare us!" The Li Family women were aghast and immediately started wailing.
Ji Youyuan paid them no heed and said to Ji Youbo, "Don't kill them; leave them an airway."
Ji Youbo understood his meaning, nodded, and began to fill the pit.
Wang Dongxue, hearing this, was exasperated. "Husband, why would you spare their lives?"
Ji Youyuan looked at the Li Family women, buried in the pit with only their heads exposed. "First, let's collect some interest." Mother said that the Li family matter should be left for Suisui to handle herself in the future! The Ji Family always repays its debts!
The Li Family mother-in-law and daughter-in-law were buried tightly by Ji Youbo, unable to move, with only their mouths free to shout for "Help!"
「」
When Li Suisui woke up, the sun was already high in the sky, and a circle of people surrounded her bed.
"My precious darling has finally woken up! Thank heavens, thank the earth! Darling, are you in pain? Are you thirsty? Are you hungry?" Old Lady Ji spoke gently, her face alight with excitement, as she asked a series of questions.
Without waiting for Suisui to respond, the old lady reached out, took the medicine bowl from her First Aunt, and personally fed her the medicine. "Come, my darling, let's drink the medicine first!"
Suisui looked at the dark liquid in the bowl and, without much thought, opened her mouth and took a large gulp.
"WAH!" The Girl spat out all the medicine and then burst into loud sobs.
"What's wrong, my darling? Where does it hurt? Quickly tell Grandma; Grandma will have the Doctor look at you!" Old Lady Ji, seeing her granddaughter cry, felt a pang of anxiety and was instantly at a loss.
Seeing Suisui cry, Ji Youyuan glared fiercely at the old Doctor, his eyes icy. "Did you tamper with the medicine?"
As soon as his words fell, Ji Youbo suddenly drew the scimitar from his waist and pressed it to the Doctor's neck.
The old Doctor trembled, completely flustered. "I'm innocent! I only used the finest medicinal herbs for this young lady, sir, I assure you! Please understand!"
"If you didn't tamper with it, then why did she react like this?" The Girl had spat out all her medicine.
Her First Aunt, distressed, quickly went to pat Li Suisui's back, tears streaming down her face unconsciously.
"I swear I'm innocent! I truly didn't do anything to the medicinal herbs!"
"If you didn't do anything, then why did my Suisui vomit?" She had slept well, and there seemed to be no problem when she woke up. But as soon as she drank the medicine, she vomited and cried loudly. Remember, just yesterday, they had seen so many wounds on the Girl's body. She had been at death's door but hadn't shed a single tear.
"How would I know? Why don't you ask the young Girl?"
As soon as the old Doctor spoke, all eyes turned to Li Suisui.
Feeling everyone's gaze, Li Suisui pressed her lips together tightly. It took her a long moment to stop crying, hiccuping. "SOB... HIC... Bitter..."
The Ji Family members: "..."
The Doctor sighed with relief and hurriedly said, "See? It's not my medicine that's the problem; it's just too bitter." He carefully pushed away the scimitar pressed against his neck.
Ji Youbo sheathed his scimitar and glared at him. "She said it's bitter! How is that not a problem with your medicine?"
The Doctor was speechless. There's no reasoning with these people.
Old Lady Ji also chimed in, "The medicine is bitter, so it's your fault!"
The Doctor, helpless, could only take the blame.
"I brought some preserved fruit. Suisui, quickly eat one, then drink the medicine." When Suisui said it was bitter, her Third Aunt had already realized and quickly fetched some preserved fruit.
Suisui looked at the small, yellowish-orange fruits on the little plate. They looked delicious. She licked her lips but didn't dare to reach for them.
"Come! Suisui, eat. This is preserved fruit; it's sweet. After eating this, it won't be bitter anymore." Her Third Aunt picked one up and offered it to her lips, but Suisui hesitated to open her mouth for a long time.
Are these... are these all for me?
Seeing her dazed expression, everyone in the Ji Family had the same thought: Could this Girl be a bit slow?
As this thought crossed their minds, they heard the Girl ask hesitantly, "Can I really eat them?"