Qin Chuan never expected to hear such an incredibly melodramatic story. The situation between his junior sister's parents was truly melodramatic, unimaginably so.
Or perhaps it wasn't so melodramatic at all; it was simply that his junior sister's father was ruthless, or perhaps he couldn't overcome his inner demons at that point. The
damage was done. Due to a misunderstanding, he struck first, killing his junior sister's mother's entire family, including her immediate family members.
He quickly learned it was a misunderstanding, a mistake, but the killings were already done, and not just one person. He couldn't explain himself.
So, his junior sister's father, in a fit of rage, ordered the massacre of his junior sister's mother's entire family, but spared her mother.
He simply couldn't bring himself to kill her mother. He still loved her, but he knew they could never go back to the way things were.
Not only could they not go back, they were enemies.
He couldn't kill his junior sister's mother, not because he was afraid, but because at that point, killing her mother would have been the wise thing to do.
But his junior sister's mother had become the last vestige of conscience in his life. If he killed her, or used any means to kill her, he would forever be plunged into the darkness of killing, never to turn back.
Therefore, he couldn't kill her, but he also couldn't let her go. He could only imprison her, not torture her, only restrict her freedom.
His junior sister's mother was also a strong woman, seeing things clearly. She knew she wouldn't die. Suicide was an option, but it would erase his last shred of guilt.
So she couldn't die; she had to live, because her very existence was the greatest torment for him.
She couldn't forgive him. This was a dead end. Her survival wasn't due to his mercy, but because her death would be detrimental to him.
Her life was a torment for both herself and him, but the woman still harbored a longing.
That was for the daughter she had sent away. Decades had passed; if she were still alive, she would have grown up and become a mother herself.
She missed that daughter terribly; this was almost her only solace in her imprisonment, the spiritual pillar that sustained her through the lonely years.
It felt like an unattainable dream, yet it was a real one. Now, she had no other thoughts but the fear of dying, a heart filled with resentment and bitterness.
So she lived like a walking corpse, slowly wasting away in torment. She didn't know when it would end. She wished it were all a dream, that she could suddenly wake up and everything could go back to the past, back to a long time ago.
Then she could stop it all, or make a different choice and start a new life. But that was impossible; time cannot be reversed.
There are countless kinds of people, each with their own unique way of living. Whether happy or unhappy, rich or poor, it's all a lifetime, a diverse tapestry of life.
She just felt her life was bitter, a truly tragic fate, for such circumstances were rare, perhaps even among the most unfortunate.
The inner and mental anguish left her unsure what to do. Fight? She couldn't win. Should she let her enemy, the one she once loved most, go free?
He was the daughter's father, but even tigers don't eat their cubs. He had already resolved to kill, even prepared to do so, because killing the infant would deliver the final blow to the woman.
She would then torment herself to death, unable to bear it herself. But unexpectedly, the woman had sent her daughter away, her destination unknown.
Furthermore, Lord Li Wang wasn't dissatisfied with this outcome; in fact, he felt relieved. After all, it was his daughter, innocent.
It's human nature; even animals know to protect their offspring, let alone a human. He wanted to kill, but also didn't want to. Now that there was a way out, he naturally took it.
Lord Li Wang knew his daughter would never return. Without the upbringing of a powerful family, nothing more would happen.
It's said that one should follow a beggar's mother rather than a wealthy father. Over time, Lord Li Wang had almost forgotten that he and this woman had a daughter.
And today, this daughter had come knocking.
Qin Chuan and his junior sister stood before Lord Li Wang's mansion, gazing at its magnificent and imposing facade.
The junior sister was filled with mixed feelings. She had initially felt nothing for this place, not even for her own parents.
After all, she had always believed herself to be abandoned.
But now, she realized her mother had risked her life to send her away so she could live.
Suddenly, a long-lost sense of anticipation washed over her—the woman who had given birth to her, the woman who had suffered so much.
She hadn't been abandoned, not by her mother, and she only recognized her mother. As for a father, she didn't believe she had one.
Unconsciously, that memory gave the junior sister an irresistible reason: her mother had no choice, she hadn't wanted to abandon her.
Humans are emotional beings, the most complex of beings—kind, cunning, suspicious, hypocritical, honest…
Standing at the entrance of the City Lord's Mansion, the junior sister stared blankly at the gate. Qin Chuan was beside her. Today, he only needed to prevent anyone from harming her. And whatever she wanted to do, he could help her.
"Stop!"
The junior sister and Qin Chuan were stopped as they were about to enter the City Lord's Mansion.
The junior sister glanced at the guards blocking her way and said softly, "I don't like killing, get out of my way."
The guards laughed, their faces showing
disdain
. Although they were guards, they were guards of the Li Wang City Lord's Mansion. Wherever they went, no one dared to disrespect them.
Now, standing at the city lord's gate, anyone wanting to see the city lord would fawn over them; no one would dare speak disrespectfully.
Of course, they could deal with people from the city lord's Mansion, but they knew everyone there, even their relatives and friends. These two people were complete strangers. Besides, if they were friends, they would never say such things.
As for enemies, in the guards' eyes, the city lord's Mansion was the strongest, one of the twelve royal cities of the Immortal Wood Kingdom—a title of supreme honor.
The junior sister frowned slightly. She didn't like killing, but judging from the situation, if she didn't kill someone, they definitely wouldn't let her in.
Qin Chuan smiled, stepped forward, and slapped her across the face.
*Slap!*
Qin Chuan was annoyed by the guard's arrogant attitude. There was no need to kill him; nothing was more satisfying than slapping him in the face. So he might as well slap him in the face.