Gu Qingyun could only wait to the side, unsure of what Old Lady Zhang was saying to Lady Cao and Tietou's mother.
Through the window, she could only see the two women listening intently to Old Lady Zhang. Their expressions shifted in just a few minutes from disbelief to resentment, then to despair, and finally to hope and firm resolve.
Less than fifteen minutes later, Old Lady Zhang stepped out of Tietou's room and called out to Gu Qingyun, “Let's go. We're heading home. You have duty tomorrow, so go home and get some rest.”
“Okay,” Gu Qingyun agreed. She glanced one last time at Lady Cao and Tietou's mother before following Old Lady Zhang out of the Li household.
“Grandma, do you think Aunt Cao and the others will follow the method I told them?”
Old Lady Zhang gave her a long look. “Qingyun, you don't know what it's like to be a mother. A mother will give up everything for her child. If there's a chance to save Little Tietou, whether it works or not, Ah-Tang and the others will try it. We'll find out tomorrow.”
Gu Qingyun sighed quietly in her heart. A parent's love truly knew no bounds.
...
At the Li household:
Thump, thump, thump.
In the dead of night, an oil lamp still flickered inside Old Lady Li's room. Sounds of head-knocking echoed from within, accompanied by a subtle, eerie fragrance permeating the air. With hands pressed together in devout prayer, she kowtowed repeatedly before a palm-sized wooden carving, muttering under her breath.
Standing outside the doorway, Lady Cao and Ah-Tang watched in dread, feeling a chill run down their spines. With every bow, the old matriarch let out a creepy, giggling laugh, and her hair visibly darkened a shade further.
The laugh sent shivers down their spines.
The sight caused Lady Cao and Tietou's mother to widen their eyes in horror, and a gasp slipped past their lips.
“Who's there?” Old Lady Li whipped her head around and barked harshly. Her expression could only be described as 【vicious】.
The cheerful smile she had worn during the day was nowhere to be seen. Her eyes were filled with nothing but fanaticism, greed, and fury at being spied upon.
Old Lady Li moved with astonishing agility, looking nothing like a woman with one foot in the grave. Lady Cao and Tietou's mother scrambled back behind the corner, cold sweat soaking their palms. Their hands trembled in terror, not daring to make a sound.
Click. The door opened, followed by light, measured footsteps—calm and unhurried.
“Come out. I see you.” The voice was raspy, cold, and drenched in malice, oozing a foul stench of decay.
Lady Cao and Tietou's mother froze like statues. Only after a few agonizing minutes did they dare to make a subtle movement. Suddenly, a sickening chill washed over them from behind.
“Grand-daughters-in-law, what are you two doing here? Did you... see something just now?” Old Lady Li wore a sinister smile, her gaze locked dead onto Tietou's mother and Lady Cao.
“Grandmother, we just saw the oil lamp in your room was still lit, so we came to check on you.”
“Yes, Grandmother. Let us help you back inside to rest.” Tietou's mother and Lady Cao flanked Old Lady Li on either side, and with lightning speed, splashed a bowl of black dog blood straight over her head!
“Ahhh!” Old Lady Li shrieked in an unearthly, bloodcurdling scream. Like a demon straight out of hell, she fell to the ground, clutching her face and wailing in agony.
“My face! My lifespan! Don't leave! Come back!” Feeling her life force rapidly draining away, Old Lady Li's screeches grew even more harrowing.
Her screams woke everyone in the house. Li Eldest Brother, Li Second Brother, and their parents all rushed over to the courtyard.
Old Lady Li glared savagely at Ah-Tang and Lady Cao. “You dare ruin my grand design?! You will both die tonight!”
Ignoring her own condition, she lunged with both hands and clamped her fingers around Lady Cao's throat, choking her until her eyes rolled back. Forgetting her own fear, Tietou's mother desperately beat against Old Lady Li's arms.
“You monster! Let go of Sister-in-law!”
Running up, Li Eldest Brother saw his wife being choked by his own grandmother, and his soul nearly flew out of his body.
He rushed forward and exerted all his strength to pry Old Lady Li's hands off, but despite her frail appearance, her grip was unnaturally powerful. He couldn't budge her in the slightest.
Seeing his wife's eyes rolling back, the honest man broke down in tears, dropping to his knees and banging his head against the ground before Old Lady Li.
“Grandmother, please spare Lady Cao! She's the mother of my children, and neither I nor the kids can live without her! Please show some mercy for your eldest grandson and let her go!”
All she gave in response was an even tighter grip. Realizing Lady Cao was about to lose her life, Tietou's mother cast aside all caution, grabbed the remaining half bottle of black dog blood, and charged straight into Old Lady Li's room.
Without caring whether it would work or not, she uncapped the bottle and poured the black dog blood right over the wooden carving's head.
Outside, Old Lady Li let out an even more tragic and earth-shattering 【wail】, accompanied by Lady Cao's violent coughing.
Tietou's mother dashed back outside, only to witness Old Lady Li rapidly shriveling away like a flower drained of all life.
In a matter of breaths, she reverted into a frail woman near ninety years old. Her skin turned like rough tree bark, her hair withered like dried twigs, and she collapsed limp onto the ground.
Tietou's mother clapped her hands over her mouth to suppress a scream. Seeing that Lady Cao had survived, her mind instantly turned to her own child, and she sprinted toward Little Tietou's room.
She burst through the door of Little Tietou's room, her hands shaking as she reached out to check his breath. A moment later, tears and laughter broke across her face simultaneously.
“His breathing is stronger! His body is warm! Tietou... Tietou isn't going to die!”
“Sob...” Remembering the constant terror and anxiety of the past two days, she covered her mouth and wept quietly. Her voice carried every shade of emotion—from despair to sheer relief, with a lingering sense of dread. Over the last two days, she had tasted every bitter and sweet flavor of life.
“Mother, I'm hungry.”
Tietou opened his eyes and spoke weakly.
“Okay, okay! Being hungry is good! Mommy will go make you some porridge right away!” Wiping away her tears, she opened the door and sprinted straight toward the kitchen.
Lady Cao, who had rushed over behind her, caught the sound of Little Tietou's voice and let out a faint smile. A moment later, she began beating her fists against Li Eldest Brother's chest.
“My Ming'er shouldn't have died! That old crone stole his life! My poor, poor child!”
Li Eldest Brother hung his head and silently endured his wife's vent. Thinking of his own tragic son, his heart ached terribly as well.
Li Second Brother walked over to Little Tietou, caressing the boy's head with tears brimming in his eyes and a choked voice.
“It's good that you're awake... as long as you're awake. Once you're all better, Daddy will give you piggyback rides.”
Wiping his face, he stared at Tietou as though he couldn't look at him enough.
Only after everyone pulled their feelings together did they begin discussing how to handle the aftermath of that night's event. Gu Qingyun, however, was unaware of any of this, as she was currently in her room practicing her cultivation.
...
Before dawn broke the next morning, Gu Qingyun rose early. Gazing up at the glittering stars still hanging in the sky, she performed a set of the 【Star Body Tempering Technique】 in the courtyard.
When she finished her cultivation, she didn't disturb the sleeping household. Slinging her pack over her shoulder and carrying her saber, she left the house and walked toward the county seat.
Hearing the front door open, Old Lady Zhang and Lady Su emerged from the kitchen, holding several warm flatbreads wrapped in leaves.
“Were you trying to slip off to your shift in the county seat on the quiet? Your mother and I baked these flatbreads. Take them to eat on the road, and stay safe.”
“I just didn't want you and Mother to wake up so early. I know you care about me, but I care about you two, too.” Gu Qingyun took the flatbreads and took a whiff.
“Grandma, Mother, it smells so good! I didn't feel hungry just now, but smelling these flatbreads makes my stomach rumble.” With that, she took a bite out of one.
“If you like it, we'll make them for you again next time you come back. Don't waste time now—hurry along to your shift. Don't be stingy with food on normal days; a martial artist like you needs good nourishment.” Old Lady Zhang beamed with joy at her words, looking at her with affection as she added:
“Look at you, you've gotten so...”
Old Lady Zhang stared at Gu Qingyun—who looked full of vitality and not frail in the slightest—and found herself completely unable to utter the words "so thin," stuck mid-sentence.
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