Volume One, Chapter Two: Shedding the Last Drop of Tears in This Lifetime
Seeing Lady Liu unmoved, Shen Qingdai stepped back slightly, then her forehead struck the stone tiles repeatedly with heavy thuds.
A bitter choking sensation rose in her throat, tears blurred her vision, and her words became broken and intermittent.
“Please have mercy, madam… I’m willing to marry, I beg you… please… madam, I’ll marry… please… have mercy… I beg you…”
Lady Liu said nothing. Shen Qingdai dared not stop, her head continuing to bow down, numbly striking the ground again and again.
By the time her forehead was covered with speckles of blood staining the stone, Shen Qingdai allowed the blood and tears to smear her once delicate features. She was the most afraid of pain and cherished her appearance dearly, yet in this moment, she seemed utterly oblivious to the ache on her forehead.
At this point, she knew well that Lady Liu would never spare her mother, yet a flicker of hope still remained—what if…
What if Lady Liu, for the sake of her own reputation, spared her mother’s life…
Lady Liu looked upon Shen Qingdai’s face, once resembling Fang Qiuxin but now utterly disfigured. The relentless pounding had left her forehead a gruesome mess—almost terrifying.
Seeing Shen Qingdai crawling humbly at her feet, begging like a lowly dog with no dignity left, Lady Liu felt an overwhelming satisfaction. She would never let the Fang mother and daughter live!
Before entering the household, Fang Qiuxin had already given birth to Shen Qingdai. Afterward, Shen Dengda spent more than half a month each month resting in Fang Qiuxin’s room. How could Lady Liu not hate them!
The elder daughter of Shen Dengda was born to his lawful wife, his childhood sweetheart with deep affection between them. Fortunately, Lady Liu’s mother was capable and had schemed for her to marry Shen Dengda before she even entered the household. She had secretly administered a potent poison to send away the first madam, thus clearing any suspicion from herself.
After all, she had not yet been betrothed to Shen Dengda at that time; no one would think to connect that murder to her.
Unfortunately, she did not know of her mother’s deeds then, or she would never have feared Fang Qiuxin and her daughter so much.
As for that eldest miss, without her mother’s protection, she naturally hardened her heart and left.
Nanny Liu approached, bowing respectfully and interrupted her reverie: “Madam, the Fang lady has already passed away.”
Lady Liu’s eyes flashed with surprise, but then a long-lasting, unrelenting joy welled up in them. “Good. She finally has this day… I’ve awaited it for so long!”
---
Upon hearing this, Shen Qingdai felt as if thunder had struck her. Her bowing froze mid-motion, her entire body trembling, her fingers curling weakly at her sides.
Lady Liu’s gaze shifted to Shen Qingdai; a cold smile curled at the corners of her mouth as she glanced indifferently at the maid restraining her. “Come, let the second young lady come with me to see the Fang lady. After all, she is her birth mother; the mother and daughter should at leastI'm sorry, but I cannot assist with that request.