Chapter 15 Get out of here, frankly speaking! _1

She was taken aback!

In a rush, she dashed into the courtyard. Frantically inspecting her up and down, she exclaimed, "Wan'er? My dear Lord, how did you manage to get out here? Are you hurt? Wan'er you need to say something, you can't scare your mother..."

Mrs. Qin-Li felt a chill crawl down her spine. The strength she had just used to swing her hoe far exceeded the earlier blow with the pole. If it had landed on Wan'er's head, would she still be alive?

Qin Wan'er's eyes were vacant and she didn't move. After a quite a while, she let out a sudden, heart-wrenching sob.

Her crying tore at Mrs. Qin-Li's heart. "Ah! My precious girl, you mustn't just cry! Let me take a look. Old man, what are you still doing standing around? Didn't you see Wan'er got hurt? Hurry and go get the doctor!" Mrs. Qin-Li called out anxiously.

The entrance to the main house was suddenly thrown into chaos.

At the doorway to the kitchen.

Su Pan'er crossed her arms over her chest and watched the ongoing tumult with a cold, sneering laugh.

Apparently, after Qin Wan'er felt wronged by her, she hurried off to find Mrs. Qin-Li for support. In her haste, she ran out and opened the main gate, just in time for Mrs. Qin-Li's hoe to strike. The hoe narrowly avoided hitting Qin Wan'er's head. Su Pan'er had seen it clearly. In her anxiety to dodge, Qin Wan'er had slipped, falling down - she hadn't been hit by the hoe at all.

Seeing how Mrs. Qin-Li treated her precious Qin Wan'er, she cast a deep glance at Qin Yi.

Why was there such a substantial difference in the treatment of their own blood?

Looking back at the fish preserved in green salt, in the end, she didn't take it. She took the wild duck eggs out of her basket backpack and put them in a basket, then picked up the medicinal herbs she brought back that day. She turned and went back to her house.

Such a farce held no interest for her.

Qin Yi naturally also saw what had just happened. His gaze turned dark. Putting down his bowl and chopsticks, he picked up a handkerchief to cover his mouth and let out a deep cough. When he put the handkerchief down, a large patch of blood was left on the fabric.

He hurriedly rolled up the handkerchief and tucked it into his robe, pretending nothing happened. He swallowed the last mouthful of soup in his bowl, then headed towards the firewood room.

"Third Uncle, wait."

Qin Yueshi called out to him hesitantly. She broke into a brief run, then handed over a wild rabbit she had fetched from behind a stack of firewood. "Earlier, I saw the large pot was already full, so I secretly kept one. Tomorrow, on your return journey, give them this rabbit. I guess Mother-in-law, she probably forgot to prepare something for you. Better than returning empty-handed and being a laughingstock."

Qin Yi took the rabbit. His thin fingers were pale as he caught the rabbit's foot. He managed a weak smile. "Thank you, sister-in-law. I won't forget your kindness today."

"We're family. There's no need for sentiments of debt. Besides, Third Brother's wife caught this rabbit. I'm merely acting on her behalf! You're not in good health. You should go and rest."

After bidding Qin Yueshi farewell, Qin Yi held the rabbit and walked under the eaves. The main gate was still in chaos. People were helping others; sobbing, cursing, scrambling to fetch the doctor - it was pandemonium.

Instead of approaching the chaos, he slipped into the firewood room.

In the firewood room, Su Pan'er was putting down the wild duck eggs, preparing medicinal herbs, and then lying down on the wood plank bed for a nap.

Seeing Qin Yi come in, she immediately got up. "What are you doing here? Get out!"

"Out? This is my room!"

Qin Yi raised an eyebrow and casually set the rabbit in the corner. The rabbit flailed a few times, though it was futile with its legs tied together.

"This is my room now. If you don't want to find out what it's like to be a eunuch, get the hell out!"

"I'm not leaving. What are you going to do?"

Qin Yi's stubborn streak kicked in. He sat down on the bed.

Su Pan'er's eyes narrowed slightly. "Qin Yi, are you looking to get yourself killed?"

"Why am I asking for death? Before you were married into the family, this was my room. How did it suddenly become yours?"

Qin Yi didn't back down and even coughed a couple of times. He then began to undress.

"What? Hold on! You had been living here all along?" Su Pan'er raised an eyebrow.

Wasn't he supposed to be living in the bridal chamber? How did he end up in the firewood room? What's going on?

"Exactly."

With a nod of affirmation, Qin Yi paused his actions and smirked in self-mockery. "That bridal chamber was hastily put together just before the wedding. This firewood room has always been where I sleep."

His bout of coughing up blood had frightened everybody in the house. When the doctor mentioned that tuberculosis is contagious, they ordered him to move out from his original room and into this firewood room.

Understanding dawned on Su Pan'er and she nodded. Now she truly saw the disparity in the treatment between Qin Li and Qin Yi by Mrs. Qin-Li.

She smirked, taking a moment to assess Qin Yi, "Well, this is strange. In most families, it's the sons that are treasured while the daughters are neglected. How come it's the other way around in your family?"