Yu Qingzhou's words left me stunned.
He said what happened to my dad wasn't his doing!
But if it wasn't him, then who could it be?
Our family hasn't made any enemies—no one would target us. Or perhaps my dad's injury was just an ordinary accident?
I steeled myself and asked, "Then what's the situation with my dad…?"
A cryptic smile appeared on Yu Qingzhou's face. "There's more than just Song Lin keeping an eye on your family."
He paused, his eyes revealing a dangerous glint, then said to me, "Don't think that just because your dad's situation wasn't my doing, you can challenge my limits in the future."
"Do you know what the punishment was for angering me last time?" he asked.
I shook my head blankly. "No."
His gaze fixed on me, cold and penetrating, his voice icy. "It was to watch your father die without lifting a finger."
Yu Qingzhou's words felt like shards of ice crashing into my heart. My eyes widened in sudden realization—I finally understood what he meant.
He was saying that he could have saved my dad, but because I had angered him, he chose to stand by and do nothing.
I stared at him dumbly, my throat as if paralyzed. I had no right to blame Yu Qingzhou—whether to save my dad or not was his choice. But if I hadn't angered him, he might have saved him. So, in the end, this was still my own fault.
Snapping back to reality, I immediately asked, "Then do you have a way to save my dad? He's still unconscious…"
Before I could finish, Yu Qingzhou interrupted, "Why should I save your dad?"
His words left me speechless. Seeing the mockery still in his eyes, I felt my face burn with shame.
But at a time like this, how could I care about pride? I knelt before Yu Qingzhou again and wrapped my arms tightly around his leg.
"I really know I was wrong. If you're still angry, you can hit me, scold me—punish me however you want. But please, save my dad. His condition is really bad, and… and he's also your father-in-law in name."
Forget about "a true man"—even a woman like me knows when to bend and when to stand firm. If Yu Qingzhou could save my dad, I'd willingly become the most humble simp.
"Let go!" Yu Qingzhou's voice was thick with suppressed anger. "Where's your dignity?"
Dignity?
I smiled bitterly. What use was dignity at a time like this? Dignity couldn't save my dad!
I clung even tighter to his leg. It was long and firm—if this weren't an emergency, I'd have been tempted to stroke it.
"Yu Qingzhou!" I shouted. "If you don't save my dad, I won't let go! I'd rather die than let go! Wherever you go, you'll have to take me along as your leg accessory!"
I could feel the cold aura radiating from Yu Qingzhou, but in the end, he closed his eyes, restraining himself, and didn't kick me away.
With a flick of his sleeve, he lifted me up by the collar until we were face to face. His handsome features were etched with impatience. "I've never seen a woman with such thick skin. If you want to save your dad, come find me at Wuli River tomorrow night at eleven."
With that, he tossed me back onto the bed—though this time, I could clearly feel his throw was gentler than the last.
Jing Yao's crimson figure gradually faded into the distance, soon disappearing into the faint light as dawn was about to break.
After he left, my mother opened the door from outside. Seeing Yu Qingzhou's memorial tablet placed on the table in my room, her face instantly paled in fright. She clasped her hands together and repeatedly bowed toward the tablet, murmuring, "Divine Lord, please forgive, divine Lord, please forgive. My daughter is young and ignorant. If she has offended you in any way, I beg you to be merciful and spare her!"
Only after saying this did my mother turn to look at me. Without a word, she first gave me two slaps—both on my buttocks. The sound was startling, but it didn't hurt much.
"You foolish child! Why did you bring the divine Lord's memorial tablet into your room? Do you want to anger him again?" my mother shouted at me, her voice trembling with emotion.
"Mom, calm down first. I didn't mean to anger him again—I wanted him to save Dad," I replied honestly.
Hearing my words, my mother looked at me as if I were a fool. After a moment of silence, she said, "Have you been scared out of your wits? What happened to your dad is his punishment. Why would he save him?"
"He said what happened to Dad wasn't his doing," I quickly explained.
My mother froze for a moment. "Do you believe that?"
Her question left me momentarily speechless.
I didn't know why, but I found Yu Qingzhou's words quite believable. Someone as powerful as him had no reason to lie to me about something like this.
"Jing Yao, promise me this: as long as you avoid overly intimate contact with other men in the future, your father will recover," my mother pleaded, her eyes filled with hope as she waited for my nod.
I lowered my head and obediently replied, "Mom, I won't dare anymore. You can rest assured."
My mother sighed in relief, her gaze filled with affection. "You haven't had a moment's peace since you returned yesterday. Take advantage of the daylight and get some more sleep. Those filthy things won't dare come out during the day."
I nodded, truly exhausted both physically and mentally, and lay down on the bed fully clothed. My mother glanced at me, picked up the memorial tablet from the table, and left the room.
I closed my eyes, intending to rest. After all, I still had to go to Wuli River to find Yu Qingzhou that night.
But my mother was wrong—those filthy things dared to appear even during the day.
Because of everything that had happened recently, my sleep was very light, and even the slightest disturbance would wake me.
So when the sudden crow of a rooster echoed in the courtyard, my eyes snapped open. It would have been better if I hadn't opened them, because as soon as I did, I saw a figure sitting by my bedside.
The hunched, frail silhouette was all too familiar, and memories flooded my mind at the sight of it.
This was my grandmother—the one who shouldn't exist!
"Yao Yao, you're awake," my grandmother's gentle voice sounded beside me.
Hearing this voice sent chills down my spine, and I immediately recalled what my mother had told me earlier.
I didn't have a grandmother. My grandmother had passed away when my father was eight years old.
So, who was this "person" sitting by my bed and calling my name?
I quickly sat up in bed, putting distance between myself and the old woman. Staring at her in terror, I demanded, "You're not my grandmother! Who are you?!"
My words seemed to startle the old woman. Her kindly face showed confusion and bewilderment. "What are you saying, child? If I'm not your grandmother, then who am I? Did you sleep so deeply you don't even recognize your own grandmother?"
Although I have memories of my grandmother, my mother couldn't possibly be lying to me.
No, I have to go find my mother. I need her to see this so-called grandmother with her own eyes, otherwise she'll think I'm lying to her.
I was about to get out of bed, but as soon as my feet touched the floor, my hand was grabbed by my grandmother's bony, skeletal-like fingers.
"Yaoyao, there's something Grandma needs your help with. Please help me," she said, giving me a sinister, eerie smile.