novelraw Chapter 732 - 721: The Substitute Younger Sister
Chapter 732 - 721: The Substitute Younger Sister
"Doctor Liu, how is my daughter doing? Is she alright?" As soon as Doctor Liu came out carrying his medicine box, Ye Wangshi immediately approached and asked, her concern tinged with a certain complexity.
"She’s fine, just a bit startled."
"That’s good to hear." She let out a sigh of relief, her eyes conveying an indescribable sense of reassurance or perhaps something else, then turned to the servants and ordered, "You all see Doctor Liu out."
Doctor Liu had more to say, but it got stuck at his lips. In his heart, he felt sorry for Ye Qiu; it’s one thing for her to have been born weak, but another for her closest kin to dare not get close to her. Although he couldn’t be sure how much longer Ye Qiu could live, that still wasn’t a reason for her parents to avoid her. Couldn’t they offer some consolation to their ailing daughter at the end? What use was furnishing the house so lavishly if a few pots of flowers and plants would be more beneficial to Ye Qiu’s health?
Even the maids and wet nurses knew to inquire and take care of what Ye Qiu needed, yet her own mother deliberately avoided her. He didn’t know what to say, but as an outsider, he also couldn’t question the matters of someone else’s family. Then, shaking his head, he left.
Ye Wangshi stood outside and didn’t enter, calling out in a slightly raised voice, "Qiu’er, Doctor Liu said you need to rest well. Mother won’t come in to avoid disturbing your rest. If you need anything, just send someone to fetch me."
"Daughter understands," said Ye Qiu with her eyes closed, still faintly hearing the sound of Ye Xia’s jealousy.
"Mother only knows how to dote on my second sister. I don’t care, I want mother’s love too."
"How could mother not love you? Be good, today I’ll have the kitchen prepare your favorite sweet and sour ribs and savory shrimp."
"I want mother to tuck me in tonight."
"You’re so big now, aren’t you ashamed?"
"I still want it!"
"Mother didn’t say she wouldn’t agree."
The voice faded, and Ye Qiu opened her eyes to the room’s occupants, "You all may leave, I’d like to be alone for a while."
The maids left quietly, and the wet nurse looked at her with a face full of pity, "Miss, try to be open-minded, the Lady still loves you; there’s never been anything lacking in Luoxia Courtyard."
"Nanny Fang, I’m fine, I’ve gotten used to it," said Ye Qiu with a wavering voice, "I just can’t understand; clearly, they don’t love me that much, so why do they keep hanging this ’most-loved’ label on their lips?"
"This...," Nanny Fang’s face showed difficulty, then cracked a forced smile, "Miss, rest well and stop thinking so much. I’m here for you! The coming-of-age ceremony is in just two months, and you must recover quickly."
"Nanny, in this residence, you are the kindest to me," Ye Qiu said with a faint smile, her eyes brimming with admiration as she looked at Nanny Fang.
Nanny Fang, her heart soft to the core, carefully tucked in the covers for Ye Qiu, "I am here, I will always be by Miss’s side. Please rest well, don’t worry yourself too much."
"Mm," Ye Qiu closed her eyes gently, and Nanny Fang quietly left the room.
Once the room was empty, she went to her space; her body had been flawed since birth. Although this time she chose the "Poison Scripture" skill, it could only be nurtured slowly to alleviate some of the pain. A complete cure was impossible, but that was enough. As long as life wasn’t too painful, that was all that mattered.
She truly couldn’t imagine how the body’s former owner, the "previous Ye Qiu," endured the torment of each breath and how she survived after being betrayed by her family and husband.
However, in this lifetime, that wouldn’t happen. She had arrived, and she was determined to make these hypocrites pay for their actions.
Ye Qiu was ill for an entire half month, yet during this time, Ye Fu and Ye Wangshi only visited once at the beginning, and afterward, they merely sent servants daily to check on her condition, though plenty of precious medicinal herbs, clothes, and jewelry continued to be delivered to Luoxia Courtyard.
However, Ye Qiu knew that if these items were sent to her, it meant that Ye Xia already had her share because everything was selected based on Ye Xia’s taste and preferences.
For example, there were jewelry set with rubies, a jacket skirt embroidered with gold-threaded peonies, and even a myna bird.
Among these, what suited her? Could her frail body ever carry those flamboyant outfits and jewelry? And the myna bird, did she have the energy to entertain it? It had been causing her headaches from the very first day it arrived.
Ironically, these items were sent under the guise of utmost affection for her. Who were they trying to deceive?
Right when she had recovered, it coincided with her maternal grandmother’s birthday; the family was preparing to visit the Wang family to extend birthday wishes. Since she didn’t have any suitable clothes or jewelry, she could only dress in a reddish-pink garment that was as unostentatious as possible.
But Ye Wangshi found this unsatisfactory and frowned, "I recall this garment was made in spring, it’s an old style. Why didn’t you wear the clothes that were sent over yesterday?"
Ye Xia chimed in opportunistically, "Second sister is being inconsiderate. To the unknowing, it would seem as if our mother neglects you. Go change quickly, we are sisters, it’s nice to wear the same, isn’t it?"
Ye Borong and Ye Wangshi remained silent, obviously agreeing with what Ye Xia said.
Ye Qiu bowed respectfully, her voice soft and weak, "Father, Mother, your daughter thinks this garment is fine, changing is troublesome, let’s just leave it be."
"Better change it; there is still time," Ye Borong said decisively, blocking any further words from Ye Qiu, also overlooking the challenges she faced.
The clothes that Ye Wangshi had someone send over yesterday were a long skirt in indigo blue that resembled a pomegranate skirt; it was beautiful indeed, but a bit heavy. Had Ye Qiu not been transformed by the Spiritual Spring and Spiritual Medicine, she might have suffered greatly.
Moreover, this pomegranate skirt style would have most suited a red fabric, just like the one Ye Xia was wearing. Although hers was in the same design, it was in gemstone blue.
Gemstone blue might look flattering on some, but not on someone weak and pale like Ye Qiu, especially since she was often bedridden and especially slender, it made the dress seem like adult clothing on a child.
Yet, it was this ill-fitting and uncomfortable dress that won the satisfaction of Ye Borong and Ye Wangshi.
They habitually acted this way, fearful of others saying they did not love their second daughter who was destined to die young. They took great pleasure in putting on a show in front of others, and sometimes, they deluded themselves into believing they cherished Ye Qiu the most. However, when it came to their reputation and when Ye Xia and Ye Zhixing were involved, they abandoned Ye Qiu without a second thought or hesitation.
Affection? She was nothing more than a prop in their show.
And despite that, every time Ye Xia was the one who benefited, she still became jealous and resentful toward Ye Qiu. Seeing Ye Qiu dressed up, Ye Xia would twist her expression discontentedly and say, "If not for second sister, mother wouldn’t even make this dress for me. If I had known being a younger sister was so beneficial, I wouldn’t have come out first."
Ye Wangshi laughed and scolded her, "You’re talking nonsense again."
"Are we leaving or not? All this dawdling." Ye Zhixing, who was merely eight this year, showed his impatience with a scowl.
"Let’s set off." Ye Borong walked ahead, sharing a carriage with Ye Zhixing, followed by a second carriage for Ye Wangshi and Ye Xia, mother and daughter. The last carriage meant for Ye Qiu was taken by her alone, with nobody attending to her. This had been the tacit understanding for many years, justified as giving her, the ill one, more space and comfort.