kingnovel Chapter 233 Inside Story
Chapter 233 Inside Story
After hurrying back to the villa from the shop, Li Xiaonuan went into her room and started drawing and writing. She didn't even pay attention to the Su family's announcement that they were going to see Zhou Liufeng.
Seeing Li Xiaonuan examining several crystal chips, Su ignored her and let her do whatever she wanted in the room.
On this side, the Li family was at peace. But at the Qi family's house, Qi Ji was being nagged at by his mother and grandfather.
"Ji'er, do you think you've taken a fancy to the Li family's daughter? Otherwise, why would you insist on taking her younger brother as your apprentice?" Mother Qi asked Qi Ji while personally brewing a cup of tea for the old master.
"Is that really true? What about the Li family's daughter? Is she a good match for our grandson?" Old Master Qi asked as he poured his tea.
"I think that girl is a very nice person, gentle, and very well-mannered. It's just that girl, well, she looks..." Mother Qi stopped abruptly as she spoke.
"Is that girl ugly? If she's not pretty, and Ji'er still likes her, then she must have something special about her. You should keep an eye on her in the future. If she's really a good girl, then we'll arrange a marriage for Ji'er." The old man mistakenly thought that Qi's mother was saying that Li Xiaonuan was not good-looking, so he replied with these words.
Qi Ji stood to the side, propping his head up weakly. It wasn't that he didn't want to explain to his mother and grandfather. But they had to be willing to listen before he could explain. He knew those two too well. They would find a way to confirm their suspicions, no matter how small the clue.
"That's not how it is, sir. That Miss Li is quite pretty, with clear and bright eyes. But she looks remarkably like someone else. Do you remember the eldest daughter of the Chu family? That Miss Li looks about four or five points like the eldest daughter of the Chu family," said Madam Qi incredulously.
"Oh? She looks like that girl? No wonder you said Ji'er has taken a liking to her. However, I don't really like that eldest daughter of the Chu family; she's too scheming. Do you remember how she used her cunning to trick Ji'er into causing trouble when she was just a little girl?" The old man shook his head repeatedly.
"Grandpa, Mom, those things are all in the past, please don't bring them up again," Qi Ji said dejectedly with a bitter face.
"Even if thousands of years have passed, the fact that girl instigated you and the second son of the Wei family to get into trouble still exists. You should stop protecting that girl. She's already scheming in someone else's bed, and you won't even let me say anything about it?" the old man said, blowing his beard and glaring.
Seeing that the old man was serious, Qi Ji quickly lowered his head and admitted his mistake: "Yes, Grandpa, whatever you say is right, I'm listening. I'm not trying to protect my own, I'm just thinking that it's all in the past, and there's no point in saying more."
At this moment, Madam Qi slammed her hand on the table and said mysteriously, "I was wondering why Madam Li looked so familiar. It turns out she looks exactly like Concubine Su from the Chu family back then. No, she looks remarkably like her."
"Is that so? That reminds me of someone else. That Concubine Su from back then, I think she had a twin sister. Later, she suddenly disappeared without a trace. And the time she disappeared was right when Concubine Su was promoted to a concubine." The old man's eyes flashed with a sharp light as he spoke.
"Grandpa, there isn't a single concubine with the surname Su in the Chu family," Qi Ji asked curiously.
“Of course there is. Speaking of which, that Aunt Su was actually Miss Chu’s biological mother. Unfortunately, she was unlucky. After finally giving birth to Miss Chu, she drowned in the bathtub while taking a bath after her postpartum confinement,” Mother Qi explained.
"Mother, who told you all this? Chu Lin, isn't she the eldest daughter of the Chu family? How did she become a concubine's daughter?" Qi Ji was very confused about this.
"This whole thing is a joke in our circle. That Miss Chu was raised by her stepmother and was pampered and spoiled rotten. But, we all know in private that Concubine Su's death was suspicious. I heard that on the night Concubine Su passed away, Madam Chu drugged Master Chu and insisted that he stay in her room. That's when the second Miss Chu got pregnant." Madam Qi said, covering her mouth and giggling.
"Ji'er's mother, don't speak recklessly without evidence, lest you distort the facts. Ji'er, you shouldn't worry about the Chu family's affairs. Tell us about the Li family, especially about Madam Li, the more details the better." The old man interrupted Qi's mother's intention to continue gossiping.
“I don’t know that. I only know that the Li family fled from the mountains. Aunt Li was an orphan who went to Niushan County with her mother and then married Uncle Li, who worked odd jobs in the county,” Qi Ji replied.
Madam Qi and the old man exchanged a glance, both seeing certainty in each other's eyes. However, the nuances were beyond their comprehension. But they were certain of one thing: Li Xiaonuan's mother was Aunt Su's younger sister.
"No wonder Miss Li looks so much like Miss Chu. However, Madam Li has suffered a lot over the years. To me, she looks even older than Qin Ma in the kitchen," Madam Qi said regretfully.
Qin Ma, who works in the kitchen, is a short, plump woman who is nearly 50 years old.
"No matter what, this Madam Li has suffered. You know, back then, the eldest master of the Chu family had his eye on Madam Li. But how did he end up elevating that Concubine Su? That's a bit unbelievable." After the old master finished speaking, he asked Qi Ji to help him back to his own courtyard.
He had some things he wanted to tell Qi Ji, but he couldn't say them in front of Qi's mother.
However, before Qi Ji could help the old man up, he was pulled away by Sang Moyun, who rushed in.
"Qi Moji, come with me right now. My mother suddenly vomited blood today. She vomited a huge pool of blood, and I think she's about to die." Sang Moyun said, choking back tears, and pulled Qi Ji out without saying another word. She didn't even say goodbye to Qi's mother or the old man.
As Qi Ji let Sang Moyun pull him along, he casually said, "So you finally couldn't resist and made your move? I'd like to see who this person is, to be able to get such a vicious poison."
"Stop your nagging! My mother is about to die. Can't you be a little more anxious? Didn't you say that doctors are compassionate?" Sang Moyun finally couldn't stand Qi Ji's nagging anymore and questioned him while crying.
Seeing Sang Moyun's anxious and grief-stricken appearance, Qi Ji finally couldn't help but sigh. He stepped forward and embraced Sang Moyun, whose shoulders were trembling, patting her back and comforting her:
"Don't cry, dear. Your mother is alright. What she vomited was all poison. Once she's expelled all the toxins, I'll help her recuperate, and she'll recover completely. However, the poison has side effects; your mother may experience intermittent behavioral abnormalities in the future. You'll need to send someone to take good care of her and watch over her."
Hearing this, Sang Moyun stopped crying, opened her tear-blurred eyes, and looked at Qi Ji, asking, "Is what you said true? You're not lying to me?"
Qi Ji raised his hand to wipe away the tears on Sang Moyun's face and replied with unusual seriousness, "I have never lied to you."
Having received the assurance, Sang Moyun's sorrow turned to joy. But the next moment, her face fell again, and she said excitedly, "Oh no, we have to go back quickly. That woman and that old man just went to my mother's courtyard. If they find out my mother is alright, they might take action themselves."
Qi Ji thought about it and realized that this was very likely. He quickly took Sang Moyun's hand and hurried towards the door.
Watching the interaction between Qi Ji and Qi Ji from afar, Qi's mother's expression was unpredictable.