"No, absolutely not!"
The First Madam threw off Fang Zhuzi's hand, recoiling in terror.
At this moment, Granny Wang rushed forward, shielding the First Madam behind her.
Seeing the First Madam's state, Fang Zhuzi sneered, "It seems that your chastity is more important than your daughter's life. In that case, I am afraid I cannot allow my physician to treat your daughter. Madam, please take your daughter, who has only a breath left, and leave this place!"
With that, Fang Zhuzi gestured for the physician standing behind him to open the door of the pharmacy.
"I... I'll pay... I'll pay the consultation fee, young sir, please don't go."
As these words left the First Madam's lips, tears streamed down her cheeks.
"No, Madam, you mustn't!" Granny Wang cried out. She knelt on the ground and, following Fang Zhuzi's gaze, pleaded with him desperately.
"Please, young sir, spare my lady. Please."
"Spare her? Haha, ridiculous. I have never forced anyone. If Madam is unwilling to pay, she can simply turn around and walk out."
As he spoke, Fang Zhuzi's gaze fell upon the First Madam's face. He said with a sinister smile, "Madam, you decide what to do. After all, I have many dead bodies carried out of here regularly, and I don't mind adding one more."
With that, Fang Zhuzi instructed the physician, "I am tired. I'm going upstairs to sleep. You should go back and rest too. As for them, just kick them out!"
Watching Fang Zhuzi waddle upstairs, his belly shaking and his waist thick.
The First Madam gritted her teeth, her eyes red, and chased after him.
"Madam! Don't go! Madam!" Granny Wang cried, reaching out with one hand to grab the First Madam's sleeve, desperately trying to stop her.
The First Madam broke free, looked back at her, and said with a tearful smile, "Take good care of my daughter."
"Madam!" Granny Wang choked back a sob.
She understood the true meaning behind the First Madam's words, "Take good care of my daughter."
Outside, the rain had finally stopped, but the sky was still dark.
The night watchman's drum echoed through the streets again.
At the third watch, the damp and gloomy streets were still deserted.
At this moment, in a pharmacy, from the second floor, came the occasional hearty laughter of a man in high spirits.
On the first floor of the pharmacy, in the resting area for patients.
Granny Wang lay by the wooden bed, weeping heartbrokenly.
Gu Qianying, lying on the bed, unconscious, had several silver needles inserted into the acupoints on her upper body.
As the blood from the corner of her mouth turned from black to red, her complexion gradually recovered.
However, she remained unconscious.
She could not hear the helpless and despairing cries coming from the second floor.
After an unknown period of time.
The physician treating Gu Qianying removed the silver needles from her upper body one by one, then took the previously prescribed and decocted medicinal soup and poured it into Gu Qianying's mouth.
Half an incense stick's time later.
Gu Qianying finally woke up.
Her fingers twitched slightly, and she slowly opened her eyes.
"Miss, Miss, you're finally awake!"
Granny Wang felt the wooden bed lighten slightly and knew that her young lady had awakened.
"Granny Wang, where is this..."
Gu Qianying looked around, her brow furrowing at the unfamiliar surroundings.
"This is a pharmacy." Granny Wang clasped Gu Qianying's hand again.
"Granny Wang, your eyes...?"
Sensing Granny Wang's abnormality, Gu Qianying looked at her face.
Granny Wang lowered her head slightly, forcing a smile, "I'm fine, I'm fine."
"Granny Wang, where is my mother?"
Gu Qianying did not see the First Madam and felt a sense of unease.
The more she asked, the more Granny Wang covered her mouth and wept.
"What happened?"
Gu Qianying's eyebrows tightened, and she spoke coldly.
Granny Wang was not one to cry easily, and now she was blind. Something must have happened between Gu Qianying's unconsciousness and her awakening.
Granny Wang cried, raising her hand to grope blindly, unsure where to point.
Gu Qianying's gaze swept across the entire room, finally settling on the staircase at the corner of the second floor.
An embroidered shoe with a gold border caught her eye.
Her pupils contracted sharply.
That was... that was her mother's!
Gu Qianying pushed past Granny Wang and immediately ran upstairs.
At this moment, a white figure suddenly jumped out of the second-floor window.
"Bang!"
The sound of the white figure hitting the ground reached everyone's ears.
By now, the sky was beginning to lighten.
The streets were starting to see passersby.
"Ah, someone's dead!"
The woman, lying in a pool of blood, lifeless, clad only in a white inner garment, her eyes wide as marbles.
A crowd of onlookers gathered around.
Gu Qianying stood on the staircase at the corner of the second floor. Through the gaps in the crowd, she saw the white hem of a garment fluttering in the wind and a delicate side profile. Her body stiffened, and she froze.
Her feet felt as heavy as lead weights, making every step forward an immense effort.
She didn't know how she had pushed through the crowd to reach the woman's side. All she knew was that the blood flowing from the woman had stained her dress, and her eyes were fixed on the other woman's unclosed eyes.
"Mother!"
A mournful cry pierced the sky.
The surrounding crowd began to murmur.
"So it's this girl's mother? No wonder. Look at the way this young lady died, it must have been... alas, how pitiable."
"Yes, so pitiful..."
As Gu Qianying's heartbroken sobs echoed, Granny Wang collapsed to the ground and crawled towards the direction of the crying.
"Madam, Madam!"
Just then, a head peeked out from the second-floor window, above Gu Qianying's head.
"Oh dear, she's actually dead. Hmph, was it worth it? It's not a big deal just to be played with by this young master. I was even thinking of taking you as a concubine. In that case, there's no need for further trouble."
Saying this, Fang Zhuzi looked down at the woman's corpse, but his gaze lingered on the woman next to her, who was holding the corpse.
Her features were stunning, her figure graceful and alluring, a real beauty.
"Hey, girl, it's fine that your mother is dead. If you have nowhere to go, this young master can take you in."
"Oh, and that blind old woman, I can let you bring her into my home too."
Fang Zhuzi wore an expression of condescension.
In his opinion, the girl who had been saved by his physician, and her deceased mother, must have been driven to desperation. Otherwise, why would the woman have brought her dying daughter to knock on doors on the streets begging for help?
They must have been driven out of their homes, or their families had suffered a disaster, and they were fleeing.
If it weren't for the fact that the girl was quite good-looking, why would he have such a benevolent heart?
Gu Qianying gently stroked her mother's face. Under her touch, the wide-open eyes closed.
She held her mother's corpse tightly. Even though her mother's body was already cold, she was reluctant to let go.
Fang Zhuzi's lewd words continued to fill her ears.
Gu Qianying looked up.
Her eyes were filled with murderous intent.
The onlookers recoiled a few steps in fear.
The murmurs in the crowd also became much quieter.
Due to the distance, Fang Zhuzi, leaning against the second-floor window frame, did not see the murderous glint in Gu Qianying's eyes.
He only saw Gu Qianying look up in his direction.
"Alright, girl, put down your mother and come up here. Let this young master have a good look."
Fang Zhuzi's lips curved into a lecherous smile.
"Mother, be good, wait here for a moment. Your daughter will be right back."
Gu Qianying gently laid the First Madam down and stood up.
Seeing Gu Qianying walk towards the pharmacy, Fang Zhuzi's smile widened.
At this moment, he felt that the girl downstairs had finally come to her senses.
It was true, her mother was dead, and she was now helpless. If she followed him in the future, she would at least not starve.
A moment later.
Gu Qianying went upstairs.
She walked step by step towards Fang Zhuzi.
As they got closer, Fang Zhuzi finally noticed the chilling gaze in Gu Qianying's eyes.
He took two steps back in fear.
"Girl, what... what are you doing? Don't come any closer."
"My mother was such a noble person, how could you, you bastard...!"
Gu Qianying's heart ached immensely.
She looked at Fang Zhuzi as if he were already a dead man.
"Therefore, you are the one who should die the most!"
She moved with lightning speed.
In the blink of an eye, Gu Qianying was in front of Fang Zhuzi, grabbing him by the neck...