Chapter 131: Retroactive Fear
Chapter 131: Retroactive Fear
Doctor Liu did not stop the children from playing.
He thought that SuSu's past living environment had been too harsh.
Deep down, she carried a meekness that lay low in the dust.
At this time, what she needed was the inherent optimism of his granddaughter, coupled with the extreme confidence boosted by praise, to rub off on her.
With children, the more time spent together, the easier it is to shed the undesirable traits hidden within.
There's still time, as the saying goes, while the children are young.
Doctor Liu even felt fortunate that they had found each other.
They saved SuSu, and SuSu, in turn, saved them.
How could this not be considered a mutual redemption?
With these thoughts, Doctor Liu hummed a merry tune.
SuSu and Liu He Meng continued their playful antics.
A bamboo dragonfly kept the two children entertained, leaving them sweating from their heads.
They took turns spinning and retrieving it.
The two spun and picked tirelessly.
When they got tired, they took a brief rest before continuing their game.
Caught up in the excitement, they didn't feel the fatigue even if they were exhausted.
Doctor Liu, mindful of the children's stamina, didn't stop them much.
Some exercise was good, as it could train and strengthen their bodies, far better than lazing in bed all day.
As SuSu played gleefully with Liu He Meng, the Princess of Qi successfully received the Grand Princess and her entourage at the mansion.
Whether the events of that day were an accident or a coincidence, one thing was undeniable: it was the Princess of Qi's invitation for them to come in and get ready that kept them from the explosion in the other courtyard.
In retrospect, the Grand Princess couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat.
She dared not imagine what would have happened if they hadn't lingered at the Qi Wang Estate that day...
Would they have survived?
The other courtyard had been blown to smithereens, the soil shattered into countless pieces.
How could one's body be harder than a wall of soil?
Thinking of the charred remains of the other courtyard, the Grand Princess's back broke out in a cold sweat once more.
She was relieved that she hadn't stubbornly refused to stay that day but had chosen to heed the Princess of Qi's suggestion.
The Princess of Qi's offer to stay had saved their lives.
And their obedience had saved themselves.
In retrospect, if just one link in the chain of events had gone wrong, their lives...
After all, when the Grand Princess had traveled that day, she had brought along almost all the children of the two marquisates, except for the sickly Xiao Wu.
If they had all been blown to bits...
While their families may not have completely died out, the decline in offspring would have been a huge blow to them!
Thinking of this, the Grand Princess couldn't help but feel a sense of retroactive fear.
After a quick cleanup of the estate and calming the frightened children, she led a group to express her thanks.
Upon entering the Qi Wang Estate, after the customary greetings, the Grand Princess presented a gift as a token of her gratitude.
A gift of gratitude could never truly express one's thanks for having their lives saved.
Thus, after presenting the gift, the Grand Princess had the children kneel and bow to the Princess of Qi.
This startled the Princess of Qi!
She quickly got up and stopped the children, urging them to rise.
The children, too, were aware of the danger they had faced that day.
So, with a word from their grandmother, they obediently performed the ritual, even the most mischievous and playful Ying Zhi, who was uncharacteristically well-behaved.
The Grand Princess did not come alone but was accompanied by her two daughters-in-law.
If it weren't for the concern of bringing too many people, creating an intimidating display that seemed more like a challenge than a gratitude, the Grand Princess would have loved to bring her granddaughters-in-law as well.
Who else could have come to show their gratitude for saving their children if not them?
As for the children's grandfathers and fathers...
Afterward, when the Qi King returned to his manor, he would undoubtedly come to express his gratitude.
The Qi King's wife tried to stop him, and the Grand Princess didn't want to put her in a difficult position, so she only had the children bow their heads once before departing.
Recalling the previous events, the Grand Princess still felt apprehensive, constantly holding onto the Qi King's wife's hand and expressing her gratitude.
The eldest daughter-in-law, Sun, smiled and chimed in from the side.
The younger daughter-in-law, Yan, feeling left out, grew anxious and fidgeted with her handkerchief.
When the group finally had a moment to themselves, Yan found her opportunity to speak. "You didn't see the other courtyard, Your Highness. It was pitch-black and frightening. The walls were shattered into fragments. If it had been a person, their organs would have been scattered everywhere, and their limbs might have flown out of sight."
As soon as these words left Yan's mouth, Sun's face paled even further.
The Grand Princess's expression also soured. She cleared her throat lightly, signaling for Yan to mind her words.
Yan was perplexed, turning to look at her mother. "Is Mother's throat feeling unwell? Should we call for a physician to examine it?"
The Qi King's wife was well aware that Yan was straightforward and blunt, with little tact or ability to read the room.
Despite being married into the Grand Princess's household for many years, the skill of reading the atmosphere was something Yan had never mastered, nor would she ever learn.
It was said that in the early years of her marriage, Yan had driven the Grand Princess to lose consciousness more than once due to her bluntness.
This was an open secret in the capital.
Listening to Yan now, the Qi King's wife had to exert great effort to control her emotions, fearing that she might accidentally laugh out loud.
Over the years, the Grand Princess had grown accustomed to this daughter-in-law. She had tried teaching and scolding Yan, but to no avail.
The issue was that Yan always acknowledged her mistakes but refused to change!
What could one do in such a situation? If the Grand Princess allowed herself to get angry every time, she felt that Yan would be the death of her.
So, she gradually grew accustomed to it.
The Grand Princess waved her hand weakly, indicating that she was fine.
But Yan was still concerned and scrutinized the Grand Princess closely. "You seem well, but illnesses should still be examined. Prolonging treatment could lead to unfavorable outcomes."
The Grand Princess: ...!
I will pay no heed to her!
Sun's face had paled at Yan's description earlier, and now, as she prepared to make amends with her younger sister, Yan turned to look at her, causing Sun to freeze, and the words on the tip of her tongue vanished.
Yan, oblivious to the tension, whispered, "Big sister, the rouge you're wearing today is quite exquisite. It's so white and pure, as if you fell into a vat of flour."
Sun: ...!
Indeed, the tension she felt earlier had instantly dissipated.
Her younger sister was truly a blessing in her life!
However, Yan saw nothing amiss with her words and leaned closer to Sun, whispering, "Which brand is it? It looks quite nice. I'll buy some later."
The Grand Princess forced a smile, doing her best to maintain a polite demeanor despite the awkward situation, and addressed the Qi King's wife.
The Qi King's wife had gone through all the sad events in her mind, but she managed to control her lips, refraining from laughing outright.
The Grand Princess didn't want the atmosphere to become overly awkward, so she quickly shifted the topic. "By the way, where is that little girl from the other day?"
If it weren't for the fact that they found that little girl rather pleasing and that Ying Zhi liked her, they wouldn't have lingered for so long.
Thinking about it, they really ought to thank that adorable little SuSu.
(End of Chapter)
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