"Mother, Xier knows you love me the most!"
After Shen Ruoxi came out of the water dungeon, she knelt in front of Qin Shuang and tightly grabbed the hem of her skirt with both hands.
So what if she was the biological daughter? She was still no match for the daughter Qin Shuang had raised since childhood.
Once she returned to the Shen Mansion, she would say more nice things to Qin Shuang.
Then she could continue to be the eldest young lady of the Shen family.
"Leave. Leave Qinzhou and never show up in front of us again."
Qin Shuang's words were like a basin of cold water poured over Shen Ruoxi's head.
Shen Ruoxi looked at Qin Shuang in disbelief. "Mother, don't you want Xier anymore?"
Hearing this, Qin Shuang's heart felt like it was being pricked by needles.
She had lost her only daughter.
The daughter she had raised since childhood had been taught to be so vicious.
She was unworthy of being a mother! She was guilty!
So, she hardened her heart and coldly said, "I'm not your mother."
After saying that, she pulled her skirt out of Shen Ruoxi's grasp.
"From now on, fend for yourself."
After dropping these words, Qin Shuang resolutely left.
Qin Shuang's words kept echoing in Shen Ruoxi's mind.
Even now, she still hadn't come to her senses.
Everything that had happened seemed like a nightmare from which she could never wake up.
Otherwise, how could she suddenly lose everything?
She cried and then started laughing like a madwoman, laughing maniacally and eerily.
You Shen family members are so heartless!
You think you can just kick me away now that you've found your biological daughter? Dream on!
"In that case, let's fight to the bitter end. Hahaha... Hahaha..."
The blood on Shen Ruoxi's face mixed with her tears and flowed down her cheeks.
It was like streaks of bloody tears, extremely creepy.
-
"Miss Biao, Young Master Shen is here again," Chun Tao said.
Ruan Jiu put down the ledger in her hand and looked up.
There stood Shen Yu straight outside the silk store, holding a box in his hand.
These days, Shen Yu had sent things to Ruan Jiu every day.
Sometimes it was some food, and sometimes it was rare items he had collected from everywhere.
For three consecutive months, he had never stopped.
But Ruan Jiu had always turned them away.
"Miss Biao, why don't we invite Young Master Shen in for a cup of hot tea?" Chun Tao asked tentatively.
Every time Shen Yu stood outside, he would stand there for a whole day.
Over time, Chun Tao felt a bit sorry for him.
Although Shen Ruoxi was hateful, Shen Yu was innocent.
Ruan Jiu lowered her head and let out a long sigh.
"Let him in."
Hearing this, Chun Tao was first startled.
Then she immediately ran out to tell Shen Yu.
Shen Yu rushed into the silk store in three big steps.
Then he carefully placed the box on the table. "A Jiu, I saw this set of headdress in the Jewelry Pavilion yesterday. I thought it would suit you very well. I don't know if you like it."
The items in the Jewelry Pavilion cost at least a thousand taels of silver, and some even cost tens of thousands of taels.
Just looking at the exquisite appearance of the box, one could tell that the things inside must be very valuable.
Ruan Jiu pursed her lips. "Actually, you don't have to do this."
Shen Yu seemed not to hear her.
He opened the box on his own.
A set of top - notch headdress was lying quietly in the box.
Each emerald was crystal - clear, and each pearl was smooth and round.
All of them showed luxury.
"A Jiu, quickly take a look and see if you like it." Shen Yu looked at Ruan Jiu with eager eyes.
Ruan Jiu sighed and frowned. "Young Master Shen, take it back."
"If you don't like it, I'll send someone to look for something more precious tomorrow," Shen Yu said anxiously.
"Shen Yu!" Ruan Jiu scolded.
Realizing that her tone was a bit too harsh, Ruan Jiu lowered her voice. "Sit down first. I have something to tell you."
After seeing Shen Yu sit down, Ruan Jiu continued. "You know, I can't go back to the Shen family with you."
After hearing this, Shen Yu frowned tightly. "Are you still blaming elder brother?"
Ruan Jiu shook her head.
In her heart, since the day she let Shen Ruoxi go, her fate with the Shen family had been cut off.
So what was there to blame?
"A Jiu, I've already punished Shen Ruoxi for you. She has suffered all the pain you've endured. And that Sikuang, he's now a useless man."
Shen Yu paused and then continued. "Now mother has locked herself in the Buddhist hall because of self - blame and is chanting scriptures and repenting every day. We don't expect you to forgive us. We just hope you won't push us away.
Come back to the Shen family and let us take care of you, okay?"
Hearing this, Ruan Jiu frowned deeply.
No wonder she hadn't seen Lady Shen these days.
"Young Master Shen, some things can't be erased once they've happened," Ruan Jiu said calmly.
"But Shen Ruoxi has already received her due punishment!"
Ruan Jiu shook her head. "If I weren't your sister, would you still do this?"
Before they knew she was a member of the Shen family, they all wanted her to forgive Shen Ruoxi.
When she refused, they regarded her as a vicious and heartless person.
Now that Shen Ruoxi had just received her due punishment, should she be grateful?
Had they forgotten all the things they had said?
After hearing this, Shen Yu pursed his lips and said nothing.
Ruan Jiu then continued. "The Shen family is extremely wealthy. Wearing the title of the eldest young lady of the Shen family is indeed dazzling. But this is not what I want. Do you understand?"
"Then what do you want?" Shen Yu was puzzled.
He quickly added, "As long as you want it, I'll give it to you!"
Ruan Jiu shook her head and said with a smile. "You can't give it to me."
"Why?"
"Have you ever only eaten one steamed bun in three days? Do you know what it's like to snatch food from a fierce dog's mouth?
During those days when I almost couldn't survive, I fantasized countless times that my family would find me, and then I was disappointed again and again.
But I never blamed you. I always told myself that my parents must have had no choice but to abandon me.
In fact, it was really the case.
But I'm not happy.
Do you know why?"
It was the first time Shen Yu had heard Ruan Jiu talk about her childhood experiences.
It felt like a big stone was pressing on his heart, and he couldn't breathe.
He frowned and shook his head.
"Because you're not the family I want!" Ruan Jiu took a deep breath. "You can protect Shen Ruoxi, but you mustn't let her take human lives casually."
In her understanding, it was okay to protect one's own, but one also had to distinguish right from wrong.
Such a family was better off without.
After hearing this, Shen Yu was stunned.
Only now did he understand that it was they who had pushed Ruan Jiu away with their own hands.
After a moment, Shen Yu choked out, "Can you really not forgive us?"
"To me, they're just strangers with blood ties. As for you...," Ruan Jiu smiled. "You're a good friend."
Putting other things aside, Shen Yu had indeed been good to her.
"Friend..." Shen Yu murmured. "Just... just a friend..."
He stood up dejectedly.
Staggering, he walked out of the door.
Ruan Jiu sighed helplessly.
Now she had already let go of the past. She hoped the Shen family members could also understand.
Blood relationship couldn't bind her.
Just as Xie Jingchu had said, from now on, she just wanted to live freely.
Just then, Qin Yuan stumbled in.
"Something's wrong! The old master... is about to pass away!"