Old Lady Li fantasized about her younger son succeeding in his crucial examinations, her heart filled with elation. She never once considered that young Li Suisui was a living, breathing human life! Even now, she was still fixated on the necklace pendant clutched in Li Suisui's hand!
"Alright, I'm going to see if I can get that necklace out of her hand. If I can't pry it loose, I'm going to find a knife and chop off her hand."
"Whose hand are you planning to chop off, you wicked old woman?"
Old Lady Li had barely spoken when a furious roar erupted from nearby. Old Lady Li turned her head and gasped. Widow Ji, along with her two daughters-in-law, was rushing towards them.
She panicked slightly. "Old Lady Ji! What brings you all here?"
The Ji women ignored her. Their eyes immediately fell upon Suisui, who lay on the ground, barely clinging to life. They reached to pick her up, but seeing her body so bloodied and mangled, their hands froze, uncertain where to even touch her.
In that instant, their hearts shattered.
The Eldest Aunt gently patted Suisui's cheek, softly calling, "Suisui…" but there was no response.
Old Lady Ji's rage flared. SMACK! She landed a fierce slap across Old Lady Li's face. "You wicked old woman, you've completely lost your conscience!"
Old Lady Li clutched her stinging cheek, her expression turning venomous. "This good-for-nothing girl is a jinx, born under a cursed star! She's brought nothing but ill fortune and has caused our Li Family endless suffering! If I don't bury her today, am I supposed to just wait for her to wipe out our entire Li Family line?"
Hearing this, Old Lady Ji was so furious she stamped her foot. "You wicked old woman, that's utter nonsense! You're clearly bullying her because she has no father or mother!"
"So what if I am bullying her? She jinxed her father and mother to death, and she jinxes all her relatives! She's misfortune incarnate, and I'm dealing with her today!" Old Lady Li's anger flared hotter, and she moved to throw Li Suisui into the pit.
Eldest Aunt Wang Dongxue reacted instantly, shoving her away. "What do you think you're doing?"
"What else? Getting rid of this jinx, of course! Our Li Family doesn't want its line to end!"
"You dare! Suisui is still breathing!" The Eldest Aunt immediately threw herself over Li Suisui, shielding her as tears streamed down her face.
"She's still breathing, true, but she's already unconscious. If we bury her now, she won't know a thing, won't feel any pain. Eldest Aunt! Just let her go! Otherwise, our Li Family will be destroyed by her!" Zhao Chunchao deliberately raised her voice, giving Old Lady Li a pointed look.
Old Lady Li had always been ruthless. With her younger son's critical examination looming, what needed to be done today had to be done. She reached out to pull the Eldest Aunt aside.
Seeing this, Old Lady Ji lifted her foot and kicked Old Lady Li hard in the solar plexus. Old Lady Li stumbled backward with a THUD, rolling directly into the large pit they had just dug.
"OUCH, my backside! Old Lady Ji, you wicked old woman, how dare you kick me!" Old Lady Li, smarting from the kick, shrieked abuse.
"Why wouldn't I dare? You venomous old witch with a heart full of malice! If you provoke me enough, I'd even dare to kill you!"
Old Lady Ji was seething with anger, ready to continue dealing with Old Lady Li, when a faint cry reached her ears, "Grandma!"
Old Lady Ji froze. Turning her head, she saw Li Suisui struggling to open her eyes, trying to call out to her.
"Suisui! How are you?" Old Lady Ji disregarded everything else, rushing to Li Suisui's side, asking about her condition.
Seeing her maternal grandmother and two aunts, the terror gripping Li Suisui's heart finally eased. She whispered, "Grandma… Eldest Aunt, Third Aunt, you're finally here…" Her voice broke with sobs. "I thought I'd never… never see… see you all again…"
With those words, her eyes closed. No matter how the three Ji women—Old Lady Ji and her two daughters-in-law—called to her, she remained unresponsive.