Li Xiuli slowly raised her head and looked at the newcomer. The expression on her face suddenly turned self-mocking. "So it's Lishu who's back. I'm truly sorry. I lost control for a moment and dirtied your floor. But don't worry, I'll have Li Na stay to help clean the floor before she leaves. If you're not willing to forgive my behavior, then..."
Li Xiuli didn't finish her sentence. Instead, she walked up to Chen Lishu and, with a thud, knelt before her. This sudden action not only startled everyone present but also made Chen Lishu's mind go blank, unable to react for a moment.
"What is the meaning of this?" Chen Lishu frowned, about to question Li Xiuli about what she intended to do, when Li Xiulan suddenly darted in front of Li Xiuli and helped her up.
"Sister, what are you doing? Can't we talk things through properly!" Li Xiulan's voice was filled with disappointment, and tears streamed down her face uncontrollably.
Li Xiuli stood up with Li Xiulan's help, a wry smile appearing on her face. She then said, "On the way back, Miss Zhang told me that you've been very concerned about my affairs. I admit I did some scummy things before, and now I know how terribly wrong I was. Sister, I sincerely apologize to you here today. I'm truly sorry! However, if you think about it, you've been in the capital for so long and haven't helped our family much. It's better to have no relatives than to have you. Like this time, we are supposed to be family, but it was an outsider who cared more about this matter. In the end, it was Miss Zhang who saved me. From now on, it's best if our two families have no contact. You live your life, and I'll live mine. Just pretend you don't have me as a sister, and I'll never cause you any more trouble. Our families' relationship ends here. Alright, I have nothing else to say. I'm feeling a bit unwell and want to go back to rest."
After saying this, Li Xiuli turned and left the siheyuan without giving Li Xiulan a chance to respond.
Watching her forlorn figure, a sense of grievance ignited in Li Xiulan's heart. She then lowered her eyes, sat back on the sofa in anger, hesitated for a moment, and then spoke: "I've thought about this matter carefully. I don't blame you. I understand that you've all been busy these days and have no time to pay attention to me, this old woman. Since I have nothing else to do here and can't help you young people, I want to go back to the countryside to live! I plan to buy a plane ticket for tomorrow morning. In fact, it's quite good for your family to live here. You don't need to hide anything from me in the future! You don't need to scheme anything behind my sister's back."
He Zinian was stunned by Li Xiulan's words. He glanced at Qin Yue, who was still watching the drama unfold, and then slowly spoke, masking the depth in his eyes. "You shouldn't leave. If anyone leaves, it's us! We didn't want to make things too ugly before, out of consideration for the children's feelings. Now that your family is not getting along, and we're expected to be the scapegoats, we can't bear this burden. As I've been dealing with company matters lately, moving out would be less troublesome and give me more time to do my own things!"
Upon hearing that He Zinian and his family were moving out of the siheyuan, Qin Yue's initially schadenfreude expression instantly turned anxious. "Second Brother He, please don't be angry. The children have been coming to ask me what happened at home, why the atmosphere has been so strange. I've been hiding the truth from them. If they find out you're fighting, how sad will they be? For the sake of the children, you must stay, at least to give them time to adapt, to slowly accept that you're not leaving because of a fight, but because you have to lead separate lives! Putting that aside, I want to ask Lishu, didn't Li Na come to beg you yesterday? If you had just paid one million, Aunt Li could have returned safely. Why haven't I seen you at all today?"
"No matter what, Aunt Li is your aunt, and the blood relation is there. Even if your families have misunderstandings, you can't just abandon someone's life. I thought you were a kind person back then, but I didn't expect you to disregard human life. Are you resentful of Aunt Li, or do you just not want to give Aunt face?"
Li Xiulan glanced at Chen Lishu, her eyes filled with undisguised disappointment. She then closed her eyes. After a long while, she opened them and walked towards the room, saying, "I've decided to go home. None of you need to try to persuade me. Xingdong, remember to buy me a ticket. If you don't, I'll walk back. My mind is made up!"
Chen Lishu pursed her lips and was about to reveal the truth when He Zinian subtly gave her a look and shook his head. Chen Lishu could only sigh helplessly and return to her room.
The atmosphere in the siheyuan was eerie all day, and no one came out even for meals. Qin Yue watched them quarrel, a slight smile rising to her lips. She then returned to her room, took out her phone, and made a call to Zhang Wan'er. "The relationships here are pretty much ruined, but there's one bad thing I want to tell you: the old lady is going back to the countryside tomorrow. If the old lady returns to the countryside, our plan will essentially fail. Quickly think of a way to keep the old lady here, and you should contact her more often to build rapport. Only when the old lady likes you and dislikes Chen Lishu will she willingly matchmake you and Gu Xingdong!"
"I didn't expect my plan to work so well, though it might be a bit too much. Give Li Xiulan a bit more medicine tomorrow morning so she falls seriously ill and can't leave the siheyuan. I'll take care of her personally during this time. I don't believe that Gu Xingdong, seeing me carefully taking care of his mother every day, could still have the heart to be indifferent to me! Once Li Xiulan's attitude towards me changes, I plan to give them a gift!" After saying this, Zhang Wan'er placed her hand on her stomach, a loving expression appearing in her eyes. Then, as if thinking of something, her gaze gradually turned fierce. She murmured softly, "With this child, I don't believe your feelings can remain so unbreakable!"